I don’t want to admit that I am lazy – but I am very busy – and dog baths sometimes have a way of slipping toward the bottom of the priority list. I have occasionally picked up one or more of the several “dry shampoo” or “waterless bath” products on the shelves of my local pet supply store and contemplated trying them out. I always told myself that they had to be too good to be true, and placed them back on the shelves.
So when Whole Dog Journal decided to test these dog cleaning and coat conditioner products, I leaped at the chance, only to confirm what I had suspected all along. The tempting lure of successfully cleansing your dog without good ol’ soap, water, and elbow grease is, indeed, too good to be true. The vast majority of dry shampoo and coat conditioner products contain chemical ingredients that we simply refuse to use on our dogs. Those few products that do contain natural, non-toxic ingredients may temporarily make your dog smell better, but fail to produce the soft, silky, shiny coat and pink skin of a truly clean dog.
We checked with holistic veterinarian Terry Spencer, DVM, of the Animal Health Center in Salinas, California. She said, “I have never used a dry shampoo. I just don’t see the point. They certainly can’t take the place of a real bath. Well, maybe if someone’s dog has just had surgery and can’t have a bath and has an odor problem . . . but then we should figure out why there’s an odor problem, shouldn’t we, and treat that?”
The list of acceptable products is dismally short. If nothing else, our research reminded us that just because a product calls itself “natural” doesn’t necessarily mean that it is! Always remember to check labels for ingredients. If they aren’t listed, call the manufacturer. If they won’t tell you what’s in the product, pass it up, no matter how tempting it appears. In our experience, companies that produce truly safe and natural products are more than happy to advertise their ingredients.
Just in case you still think you want to try a waterless shampoo anyway, here are our results.
WDJ’s Top Picks
Sorry, there isn’t one. We don’t feel that any of the products live up to the promise of a truly clean, deodorized dog. Some are better than others, but none of the products we checked out come anywhere close to the results of a real bath.
My 2-1/2 year old spayed female Akita is showing a pattern of recurring bladder infections. An ultrasound showed scar tissue from a long-term infection before I adopted her from a rescue group. When she gets an infection, there is blood in her urine and the pH is 9.0.
I understand there is a chicken and egg argument about the high pH and infections. Is there anything that will help lower the pH of her urine and make her less prone to infection, or is the high pH more likely just a result of the infection?
-Jim Price
Raleigh, NC
We turned over this question to Dr. Nancy Scanlan, a veterinarian for 28 years, who has integrated holistic medicine into her practice for 11 years. Dr. Scanlan is also a prolific writer, authoring a column for Natural Pet for two years as well as a book, “Stop That Itch!” Dr. Scanlan’s practice is located in Sherman Oaks, California.
Let’s define some terms before I address your specific questions. You sound well versed in the terminology of urinary tract infections, but for the benefit of others who may be earlier in their education about this multi-faceted problem, allow me to review.
Urine is formed by the kidneys, and stored in the bladder before being excreted. Urine is 95 percent water, and it’s function is carrying the waste products of metabolism out of the body. Those waste products make up the other five percent of the urine, which is normally composed of dissolved urea, uric acid, mineral salts, toxins, and other waste products. Urine that contains red or white blood cells, protein, a large number of crystals, bacteria, yeast cells, or parasites, indicates an infection or other health problem.
The normal pH for dog urine is around 6 to 6.5. A pH of 7.0 is neutral (neither acid nor alkaline). A “high pH” refers to something above 7.0 and is considered alkaline. A “low pH” is something under 7.0 and is considered acid. Some people consider 7.0, which is neutral, to be normal for dogs, though, as I’ll explain in a moment, I prefer the urine to be a little lower (more acidic). If it is already at a pH 6 to 6.5, I’d leave it alone. You don’t want it more acid than that.
The classic sign of a urinary tract infection is frequent urination of small amounts. However, this can also be a sign of chronic bladder inflammation without infection; many people aren’t aware that these are two separate issues. If your dog has to urinate frequently, but only passes tiny amounts of urine each time, you must take him to a veterinarian for a urinalysis. This will determine whether you are really dealing with a chronic bladder infection, as opposed to chronic bladder inflammation without infection. This can be accomplished only with a sterile urine culture obtained with a bladder tap; you can’t just catch some urine and take it in. This is important, because the treatment for each condition will be different.
Next, the pH of the urine must be tested. As you suggested, a high pH can make a dog more prone to urinary tract infections, but the high pH can also be the result of an infection. Some dogs chronically produce alkaline (high pH) urine, and it has been my experience that these animals are more prone to chronic infections – but not all of them are. On the other hand, dogs with chronically low pH urine (too acidic) are prone to oxalate crystals.
Crystals and stones can hurt
The urine should also be checked for the presence of any crystals, which are simply minerals that have bonded together. When enough crystals bond, they can completely or partially block the excretion of urine, which is painful and very dangerous for the dog; they can also form stones, an advanced form of the crystals.
There are a number of different types of urinary crystals. The most common are struvite or struvite/apatite “infection stones,” which are actually caused by the presence of certain bacteria in the urinary tract. Dogs who have neutral or alkaline urine tend to get struvite crystals, but fortunately, a diet that helps acidify the urine can help dissolve these crystals. In contrast, oxalate crystals are more common in dogs with acidic urine. Unfortunately, they are not easily dissolved with dietary and pH adjustments.
Finally, you need to determine whether their urine is concentrated or dilute. If it is very concentrated, it will help everything to make it more dilute. You can accomplish this by adding a pinch of salt to their diet or finding ways to add water to the diet. Some people make all their dogs’ meals soupy to force greater intake of fluids. Make sure she always has fresh, clean, water wherever she is.
Chronic infections
I’m assuming that a proper urinalysis was performed on your dog, and the presence of blood or pus indicated that the dog did in fact have an infection. If the problem is truly a recurring infection, the goal is to treat the infection, and then concentrate on boosting the dog’s entire immune system so that he or she can better battle the bacteria in the future.
It’s critical to give the animal antibiotics as soon as possible when they have an infection. This will help prevent the formation of struvite crystals, as well as reduce the odds of the dog developing scar tissue in the urinary tract. Scar tissue does leave a dog more susceptible to more infections, for two reasons. One is that if there is a lot of scar tissue then often they cannot fully contract the bladder, so it will not empty all the way, and leftover urine in the bladder gives bacteria a perfect medium for growth. Also, scar tissue creates little nooks and crannies where bacteria can grow.
Cranberry extract has been proven to be very helpful in preventing infections in dogs that are prone to them. Cranberry helps prevent bacteria from attaching to the wall of the bladder, and it also slightly acidifies the urine. It’s also good because its action is not extreme; it doesn’t make the urine excessively acid. However, I wouldn’t give cranberry to a dog whose urine had a high acidity (a number lower than 6.0); you don’t want to make the urine more acid than that.
I suggest that people use cranberry extract capsules, the kind they can get from the health food store. Cranberry juice is inadequate for this job; you couldn’t feed a dog enough juice to get the job done.
The strength of the capsules vary, so check the label, but generally, the standardized capsules provide 300 mg. of cranberry extract. For little dogs, under 35 pounds, I’d suggest a half a capsule twice a day until the urine is more acid; the bigger guys can get a whole capsule twice a day. If the dog has an infection, keep the dose relatively high until the infection is gone, then reduce it to a maintenance dose.
Some animals, once you get things under control, only need the cranberry right at the very signs of the beginning of infection. Other dogs do better if they receive a low dose all the time. A low dose would be a quarter capsule twice a day for animals up to about 25 pounds, a half capsule twice a day for 25 pounds to 60 pounds, and the really big guys could get a whole capsule twice a day. In cases of extreme infection, they may need three doses a day. At the beginning of an infection, you’d want to give your big dog a relatively high dose; she’s such a big dog, she could have two capsules three times a day at the beginning.
An immune-boosting campaign should include herbal and nutritional supplements – especially some antioxidants like Vitamin C and E. You also have to take a long, hard look at the dog’s diet, and determine whether it is contributing to the dog’s overall health and vitality or not. You might also consider some herbal support. Echinacea supports immune function and kills bacteria. Plus, it doesn’t affect the urine pH – which is good, because then it can be given to a dog with any pH.
When it’s not an infection
There are a lot of dogs who show symptoms of infection – such as urinating tiny amounts very frequently, and whining or yelping in pain when they urinate – without having an infection; no bacteria, blood, or pus can be found in their urine. Usually, I find that animals with chronic irritation (without infection) have neutral to alkaline urine. Increasing the acidity of the urine usually helps the problem. However, if oxalate crystals are present, you don’t want to increase the acidity very much. You can take it up to the neutral point, but you shouldn’t go past that.
Again, cranberry extract is very helpful for slightly increasing the acidity of the urine. Apple cider vinegar is also great for acidifying the urine (you can give one teaspoon to one tablespoon twice a day for a 50-pound dog). So is methionine, which is an amino acid. Generally, the dosage for methionine would be about 100 mg, twice a day for animals up to 20 pounds; 200 mg. twice a day for dogs up to 60 pounds or even larger. Many large or giant dogs do well on 200 mg. twice a day, others may need as much as 500 mg. twice a day. You want to try to use the smallest dose at which you get the results you want, and you need to use the urine tests to determine the optimum dosage.
You will hear the claim that Hills CD diet is the only thing that will help her, because Hills CD acidifies the urine. If the dog has neutral or alkaline urine, acidifying the urine can help, whether you do it with Hills CD or a specially formulated homemade diet. Meat products also acidify the urine. (Curiously, a diet high in citrus fruits, vegetables, or dairy products will increase the alkalinity of the urine.)
Also, you should make these changes only assisted by urine tests. Doing it blindly will get you into trouble, because supplements that can make an animal a teensy bit more acid or a teensy bit more alkaline will cause extreme changes for the next animal.
These changes should definitely be done with the help of a veterinarian, and the regular use of home pH testing kits. And be aware that there are a few animals that won’t respond – either with a more acid pH or a more dilute urine – no matter what you do; it’s just how their bodies work.
Inflammation and stones
One final caution: I have also seen chronic inflammation and stones in animals that were being given too many mineral supplements. In one case I saw, a woman was using a commercially prepared natural diet, which had calcium in it, but she was also gave the dog supplemental calcium and a trace mineral supplement – which happened to be mostly calcium.
Of course, the dog developed stones. She took the dog to a veterinarian who prescribed medication to make the urine more acid. But then the dog developed stones from the urine being too acid. It didn’t matter what they did, it kept getting stones and inflammation both. Incidentally, they are much more likely to get stones if they have chronic inflammation.
Finally the woman brought the dog to me, and I asked to see the diet. I also asked her what other supplements she was giving the dog, and the long list came out. The point is, you shouldn’t over-supplement with minerals.
In the October 1999 issue, Dr. Ian Dunbar discussed some training options to deal with female dogs that squabbled constantly. One of his first questions to an owner in this situation, he said, is “Have you ever had to take one to the vet for stitches after a fight?” The answer in the situation he addressed in that issue was “No.” However, we’ve had a number of questions from people whose answer to that question was, “YES!” In this issue, Dr. Dunbar offers his suggestions for dealing with dogs (in a multi-dog household) who fight to the point of injury and bloodshed.
In the last issue, I limited my advice to cases where dogs that live together are fighting, but they don’t do any real damage to each other. This month, I’ll deal with an entirely different question.
If your dogs are fighting, and are causing severe damage to each other – or one dog is causing severe damage to another – I’m sorry to say that you are dealing with the most difficult of all canine behavior problems, the one with the worst possible prognosis. Your options are extremely limited, because the treatment really should have happened when the dog was 4 1/2 months old, which is when dogs normally learn bite inhibition.
Short window of opportunity Bite inhibition is without a doubt the single most important thing that dogs learn. It is even more important than learning to become socialized to people and other dogs, which is the second most important thing that young puppies should learn, generally before they are three months old and reinforced throughout their lives.
Bite inhibition is a learned response whereby the dog consciously and strongly inhibits the full force of his biting power. Most dogs display bite inhibition when they are playing together, but also when they fight; if a dog does not have bite inhibition, he could easily hurt or even kill another dog in a fight. You’ll notice that even when most dogs fight, it looks and sounds perfectly awful, but neither dog walks away bloody. This is due to bite inhibition.
Dogs who are given the opportunity to be properly socialized by other dogs and people learn bite inhibition in the process of playing and roughhousing as puppies. When a puppy bites another dog in play, the other dog tends to either YELP! loudly and/or leaps up and knocks the puppy over with a loud bark or growl; a bitten dog also tends to leave the game. This teaches the puppy that all the fun ends when he bites too hard.
By the way, this is the single most important reason that puppies should go to puppy class. If they are like most puppies, their veterinarians have suggested that they stay in social isolation from strange dogs for a month (giving their vaccinations time to establish protection from disease), and the puppy class is the best thing to get them play fighting and mouthing and biting each other again. Here they learn that gentle bites prolong the play session, and they’re a lot of fun, and that hard bites stop the play session because the “bitee” wants some time out to lick its wounds.
People can use the same tack to teach their puppies bite inhibition. If a pup bites you too hard, yelp loudly and walk away from the puppy; it’s a very effective method. What you don’t want to do is to try to get the puppy to stop biting altogether. The first goal should be to teach the dog to inhibit the force of its bite, then reduce the frequency. If you teach the puppy never to put its jaws on you at all, when it does happen (say, an accident where the dog’s paw gets stepped on), the dog will react with an over-strong bite because it never learned that a softer bite will suffice.
The reason why bite inhibition is more important than socialization is because no matter how hard you try to socialize a dog to people or other dogs, there are going to be times when it is not sufficient. For example, someone shuts the dog’s tail in the car door, or your socialized dog is attacked, very painfully, by another dog. In these incidents, your dog will normally respond by biting, whether it’s out of provocation or self-defense. Whether or not your dog does damage is pretty much pre-ordained by the level of bite inhibition that was established before it was 4 1/2 months old.
Without a doubt, the dog’s level of bite inhibition is the single most important prognostic factor which determines whether or not a fighting problem is easily resolved, or extremely difficult and potentially dangerous to even consider resolving. And a dog who has a record of attacking and actually hurting another dog clearly has a very low level of inhibition. It’s really a shame; his life is going to be much less pleasant than other dogs’ lives.
Put a muzzle on it Bite inhibition can be taught to a dog later in life, but it’s one of the most time-consuming, difficult, and potentially dangerous things to teach an adult dog. It is much easier to teach bite inhibition toward people, because it is very easy for a trainer to pad himself up in a full body suit with a Kevlar sleeve and let the dog mouth and bite him, in order to teach it that gentle biting is appropriate, and harder bites are not appropriate. However, it is next to impossible, and certainly not fair, to do this with other dogs. Knowing that your dog mutilates other dogs, how can you set your dog up with another dog? You can’t.
Basically, your options are limited to controlling the problem, using hefty amounts of common sense.
The first rule should be walk the dog on public property only when the dog is wearing a muzzle. It is just simply not fair to other dog owners to take an unmuzzled dog out knowing that it does not have sufficient bite inhibition to protect other dogs. I’ve heard people say, “Well, he doesn’t attack other dogs; I can control him.” The fault with that line of thinking is that another dog might attack him, and get grievously injured, and I would consider that YOUR fault, even though the other dog started it. Dogs with good bite inhibition can get in scuffles and no harm is done. Of course, you’d hope that the owners of other dogs could control their dogs, but you can’t count on it. Muzzle your dog when in public to protect all concerned.
Muzzle technology has improved quite a bit in recent years. I like the open-ended muzzles like the one on the dog in the photo above; several companies make very similar models. These are soft but strong fabric (usually nylon) muzzles that control the dog’s biting, but are open in the very front to allow the dog to drink, lick his lips, and accept a treat. Since the goal is to train the dog to enjoy the company of other dogs, and to behave appropriately (sit, settle down, and be calm), wearing a muzzle that allows him to take treats (while keeping him from biting, of course) is critically important.
Learning to get along You can live with these dogs permanently separated, juggling them around from room to room, but it’s a fairly difficult thing to do in most houses! But with the muzzle, you can now consider bringing the dogs together at times. However, I would insist on muzzling both dogs; it’s only fair. If you allow the good dog to bite your muzzled dog, you will only reinforce in his mind that the other dog should be bitten.
Now, with the dogs muzzled, you can start some very simple exercises to begin to condition the biting dog to begin associating the presence of the other dog with good things, not bad things. Put the (muzzled) biter on a leash, and sit down on the sofa, petting the dog. Have someone else enter the room with the other (also muzzled) dog, and then leave after a few moments. Have the other dog and person repeatedly enter and leave the room.
You are going to give the biting dog two types of feedback. When the other dog leaves, you totally ignore it. When the other dog comes in, you praise your dog and offer it pieces of kibble and maybe treats, even if he’s growling and putting his hair up.
But wait, you say! Isn’t that going to train the dog to growl and put its hair up? According to the laws of operant conditioning (the dog growls and it gets a treat), the growling is likely to increase in frequency. However, the growling doesn’t exist on its own; the dog is growling for a reason. If you give the dog a piece of kibble when the other dog comes in, you are classically conditioning the dog to form a positive association with the other dog’s entry and presence. Whenever you are training a dog in these two ways, the operant conditioning is temporary; the classical conditioning will win out. Eventually, the dog will form a positive association about the other dog, at which point he will cease to growl, because he has no reason to. So, I wouldn’t be too concerned with the fact that the dog is growling or has his hackles raised. The main thing you want the one dog to think is, “I don’t particularly like that dog, but I love it when he comes into the room, because my owner talks to me, pets me, and gives me kibble.”
For the next step, do the same exercise, but with the positions reversed. The other dog is in the room, and you enter and exit with the biting dog, giving him treats when you enter the room, and ignoring him when you leave.
Do not punish! I should mention that the worst possible thing you can do – even if the dog growls and threatens the other dog – is to yank on the dog’s leash or spank it or yell at it. If you constantly reprimand the dog whenever another dog is present, you will reinforce your dog’s negative feelings for other dogs! Think about it! I suspect that this is 90 percent of the reason why dogs fight. Initially a dog fights because he meets another dog that he doesn’t like. But then he quickly learns that when other dogs approach, his owner gets upset, sweats, her heart rate goes up, and she shouts and jerks the leash. So the dog learns to try to keep other dogs away. He sees another dog and he says, “Get away, get away, don’t come close! My owner is unreliable around other dogs!”
I would like to add that in my video about training dogs that fight, at one point, I actually do raise my voice and reprimand a dog. This is one of those unfortunate things that can happen when you are trying to make a television program and working with two very difficult dogs and the producer is saying, “Hurry up and get something done!”
I fully regret departing from my usual training methods in order to accommodate the television crew; I would never do it again, no matter what the production crew wants. If they don’t have the patience to wait around for the result, then they won’t get it on film.
-By Dr. Ian Dunbar
Dr. Dunbar’s newest instructional videos, “Dog Aggression: Biting,” and “Dog Aggression: Fighting,” discuss all aspects of dealing with aggressive dogs.
I think my four-year old Chesapeake Bay Retriever is developing an incontinence problem. She only seems to have a problem while she’s sleeping. She often leaves a puddle behind when she gets up. However, when she’s awake, we haven’t had any problems. She’s on a natural diet, gets plenty of exercise, and is not overweight. Why do dogs develop incontinence? Are there any natural remedies that I might try?
-Brenda Dinne
via email
We directed this question to Carolyn Blakey, DVM, of the Westside Animal Clinic in Richmond, Indiana. Dr. Blakey has been practicing veterinary medicine for 32 years, the last four in an all-holistic practice. She especially enjoys serving as a holistic veterinary consultant to clients all over the country.
Incontinence in spayed females is fairly common. The problem is caused by a lack of estrogen, which, of course, was brought about by the spay surgery. Many people assume that when females are spayed, the veterinarian simply “ties the tubes,” that is, cuts and ties off the fallopian tubes so that the ovum can not travel from the ovaries, down the fallopian tubes, and become fertilized. Actually, the veterinarian removes the ovaries and usually, the uterus, too. The reason for this is that you not only want the female to become incapable of becoming pregnant, but also, you want her not to exhibit symptoms of heat. The ovaries are where the majority of estrogen is produced. If you simply tie the fallopian tubes, the dog is still subject to the behavioral changes caused by the cyclic changes in estrogen levels. If you remove the ovaries, the center of estrogen production, the dog stops coming into heat.
But estrogen plays a significant role in maintaining the tonal quality of the urethra, the neck of the bladder. Without the estrogen, some dogs lose enough tonal quality that they can’t quite keep themselves from leaking. (This same phenomenon is why some elderly women suffer incontinence, post menopause; without estrogen, the tissues become inelastic.) The adrenal glands also produce a small amount of estrogen, and I would venture a guess that in the dogs who suffer incontinence, the adrenals produce a lower than usual amount of estrogen.
It used to be that the recommended treatment for incontinence in spayed females was to initiate hormone replacement therapy. However, this approach has the potential for causing more untoward symptoms that it solves. Namely, the dogs come back into heat; they exhibit all the signs we’re so not fond of! If you wanted to use the hormone replacement therapy, I would suggest enlisting the aid of a really good endocrinologist to help you dial in the dosage as precisely as possible.
I wish I could say that natural medicine has a great solution for the problem, but if it does, I haven’t found it yet. I’ve heard about all kinds of approaches, and sometimes I get lucky, and one of the approaches works, but it seems to be a very individual thing.
Sometimes, a glandular supplement seems to play a role in solving the problem. I happen to like the Standard Process line of supplements, and I have had some success with some dogs with their “Cataplex F,” a female glandular supplement. I have also had some clients report success with acupuncture on some of the acupuncture points that affect the reproductive system. One always thinks of Bladder 23, which is an association point for the kidneys and the whole reproductive system.
My favorite remedy is not from the holistic world, but then, it doesn’t cause as many side effects as the hormone replacement therapy. I use a drug called phenylpropanolamine, a decongestant. It stimulates the part of the nervous system that controls the smooth muscles and glands. It affects the alpha receptors within the mucosa of the respiratory tract, and the mucosa of the vaginal tract as well, helping the dog tighten and control the bladder muscles better.
You can purchase this drug inexpensively over the counter, and it doesn’t cause any significant side effects that I’ve seen. Ask your vet about the dosage for your dog, and good luck.
It’s been a little more than a year since we last examined dog treats, but, oh, what a year! It’s amazing (and fortunate for our dogs) how quickly the “healthy dog foods” consciousness is rising, and how many more healthy treats are available than there were last year. For example, we’re seeing far fewer treats that contain propylene glycol, or artificial preservatives and colors, and far more treats containing nothing but healthy, whole foods. “A rising tide raises all boats,” goes the old saying.
But the “rising tide of health awareness” doesn’t seem to have raised the consciousness of the titanic mainstream dog food industry much. We checked a few of the “grocery store” treats and got an iceberg-sized chill. Well-known brands such as Beggin’ Strips (made by Purina) are still formulated with ingredients on our “forbidden” list – things like glycerin (an artificial sweetener) AND sugar, artificial colors, and artificial preservatives. (We were amused by the eighth ingredient on the Beggin’ Strips label, euphemistically dubbed “meat.”)
Other well-known brands, such as Milk Bones and Bonz, seem to be slowly improving, for instance, replacing animal fat, a low quality ingredient of mysterious origins, with beef tallow. However, they still lack the kind of wholesome ingredients and simple formulas you’ll find in our picks.
On the next pages, we’ve listed our favorite treats alphabetically and grouped in one of two categories: WDJ’s Top Picks and Very Good Treats. For education’s sake, we’ve also included a few that narrowly missed our list, and we explain why. Due to space limitations, we can discuss only a sampling of the treats that are available, but you can learn a lot from comparing your dog’s favorite treat to our selections.
Our general suggestions? Stay away from “big-name” commercial treats found in grocery stores, look for products that meet our selection criteria, and let your dog’s health and appetite be your guide.
Most people respond with a warm fuzzy “Awwww” reaction when they see a litter of puppies. After all, nothing could possibly be cuter than a bunch of roly-poly baby dogs tumbling and tussling together on the floor. Or could it?
Anyone who works or volunteers at an animal shelter for any length of time soon finds his “Awwww” reaction tempered by the sobering knowledge that millions of unwanted dogs and puppies are euthanized in shelters around this country every year. I know. I worked at a humane society for 20 years. While I love dogs at least as much as the next person, to this day I cannot look at a puppy without also seeing syringes filled with blue euthanasia solution, needles inserted into furry legs, and canine bodies piled up on gurneys outside the euthanasia room door.
For those who regularly deal with the hapless victims of our throwaway society, spay/neuter is a mantra. Rarely, in the shelter worker’s opinion, is there a sufficiently valid reason for not surgically rendering a dog incapable of reproducing.
The average dog owner, however, is more concerned with his own individual rights or the dog’s well-being than with the state of animal welfare in general. There is a whole host of commonly offered arguments against spaying and neutering. How valid are they?
1. Surgery isn’t natural. I would rather be responsible by keeping my dog home or on a leash than take the risks of surgery and alter my dog unnaturally.
There is some truth to this argument. Surgery certainly isn’t natural. Neither are collars and leashes, prepared dog foods, fences, veterinary care, or the daily killing of healthy “surplus” dogs and puppies. Dogs haven’t lived truly natural lives for centuries. If we are picking and choosing which parts of “natural” we want to recreate for our canine companions, we are better off not choosing this one. If we truly wanted to be natural it follows that we would then let our female dog get pregnant and have puppies every six months, and no responsible dog owner advocates that.
It’s true that every surgery carries risks, but the risks of spay/neuter surgery are minuscule compared to the dangers of overpopulation. Far more dogs die from lack of homes, from mammary tumors, prostate, testicular and ovarian cancers, and hormone-related behavior-problems, than ever die from spay/neuter surgery.
2. Sterilization will change my dog’s personality; she/he will get fat and lazy.
This concern seems valid. We have all seen spayed and neutered dogs who were, indeed, fat and lazy. But let’s think about this for a moment.
Dogs, like humans, get fat if their caloric intake is greater than the calories burned off by exercise and other physical demands. It is true that sterilized dogs often get less exercise. Male dogs who are neutered no longer escape their yards and run for miles in pursuit of females in season, or nervously pace the fence in sexual frustration trying to find a way to escape.
Spayed females dogs no longer experience the immense drain on their systems caused by growing puppies in their bodies for 63 days and feeding them for another six to eight weeks. Nor do their bodies go through the stress of reproductive-related hormonal changes that result in an expenditure of nervous energy. It’s true that sterilized dogs of both sexes are calmer and more content to stay home, but that doesn’t mean they have to be fat and lazy. It does mean they are better companions.
It’s simple: If your dog gains too much weight, cut back on food and increase exercise! I have owned a dozen sterilized dogs over the last 20 years, and not one was fat or lazy. If I noticed that one was starting to put on weight, I cut back on the kibble. Here are several tips for a simple weight-control program:
No free feeding. Your dog should get meals, not all-day snacks. In a natural environment a wild dog makes a kill (along with the rest of the pack), gorges himself, and then doesn’t eat again until the next kill. Dogs’ systems are not designed for grazing. Besides, controlled feeding increases your dog’s dependence on you, which can make your training more successful.
Measure the food. Use a measuring cup and dole out a specific amount. Eyeballing it isn’t accurate enough; we tend toward generous. “He looks a tad hungry today . . . what’s a few extra kibbles?” If we are measuring a specific amount we can instruct all family members to stick with the feeding program. A measuring cup also gives us an accurate gauge if Rover is looking a little too prosperous and we decide we need to cut back from, say, one cup, twice a day, to three-quarters of a cup, twice a day.
Weigh your dog. Pick her up and stand on the bathroom scales, then weigh yourself alone, and subtract. Weigh her once a week so you will notice sooner, rather than later, if she starts to put on pounds. If she is gaining, cut back the kibble and/or the treats.
Use the feeding instructions printed on the dog food bag as a guide, not gospel. Dog food companies seem to lean toward the generous side of meal rations. Perhaps they like you to use more of their product? I have never fed my dogs as much as it says on the bag. If I did, they would all be fat!
If you train with treats, be sure to count those treats as part of your dog’s meal ration. If he is sufficiently food-motivated you can even use his kibble as training rewards.
Give your dog plenty of exercise. Since he is no longer burning off calories in his frustrated attempts to find females (or she’s no longer making puppies), it’s your job to make sure he works out. Throw the tennis ball, a stick or the Frisbee for him for 20 minutes a day. Take her jogging or swimming. Find a doggie play-group or a local dog park (if there are none in your area, start one!) and let her work out by romping with her canine buddies. If you are a portly couch potato, your dog will likely be one too!
3. I want my (male) dog to have fun; I want my (female) dog to experience the joy of motherhood.
This is anthropomorphism at its finest. It is usually a male human who insists on leaving his dog intact, perhaps in order not to deprive his four-footed friend of the joy of sex, or maybe out of the owner’s own embarrassment at having a male dog without a full complement of male equipment. When you mention neutering, the human’s eyes may glaze over as his hands move to protect a highly valued part of his own anatomy.
Stop and think, men! If you have ever watched dogs breeding, you’ll notice that they don’t particularly appear to be having fun. They are simply driven by a powerful, undeniable, biological urge to reproduce. They rarely relax and have a cigarette afterward! Unneutered male dogs are far more likely to escape their yards, run free, risk getting shot or hit by cars, get picked up by animal control officers, and get in fights with other male dogs. If the lack of visible equipment is your concern, ask your veterinarian about “Neuticles,” artificial implants that are now available to help owners feel better about neutering their dogs.
On the other hand, if we are responsible dog owners, we don’t allow our dogs to run free and satisfy those mighty biological urges. Our choices are to neuter, and reap the benefits of having a calm, contented canine companion who stays home (and who no longer risks prostate or testicular cancer), or to keep our unneutered male strictly, safely and unhappily confined to lead a life of constant sexual frustration as he senses females in season for miles around.
The female dog, too, benefits from spaying. While many females do seem to enjoy motherhood, at least at first, by the time their babies reach the age of six weeks most momdogs are eager to escape their persistently pushy pups. There are far more life-threatening complications from gestation and birthing than there are from spay surgery. The maternal instinct can also trigger behavior problems; a significant number of dogs develop protective maternal aggression during motherhood. For some dogs this behavior goes away when the puppies are weaned and placed in new homes. Others continue to display aggressive behavior even after the puppies are long gone.
4. My dog is purebred/has papers. I can make money selling puppies. I want another one just like her. All my friends want one of her pups. I already have homes lined up for the puppies.
Certainly, if we are to continue enjoying purebred dogs, someone has to breed them. Why shouldn’t that someone be you? Maybe because there is a lot more involved in responsible breeding than just putting two registered dogs of the same breed in the same room together.
For starters, AKC papers are not an assurance of quality. Papers simply mean that both of your dog’s parents were registered. Ostensibly. Every month, the AKC Gazette publishes names of breeders who have falsified records, or at least kept records poorly enough that the organization revokes their registration privileges. Even if your papers are accurate and your dog’s parents were both champions, that doesn’t mean your dog is breeding material.
The responsibilities of breeding should not be taken lightly. If done properly, it is an expensive, time-consuming activity. Prospective canine parents must be checked for hip dysplasia, eye problems (progressive retinal atrophy), and any other genetic health problems specific to your breed. Dogs intended for breeding should be outstanding representatives of their breed. If you plan to breed, you need to be willing to campaign your dog on the show circuit and have experts in the breed (judges and other breeders) confirm that your Labrador Retriever is one of the best around. Then you will need to do the research to find the “right” male to breed her to; one who complements her strengths and doesn’t underscore her weaknesses.
Once you have gone to all the expense and trouble to be a responsible breeder, chances are your friends aren’t going to want to pay the prices that you will ask for your well-bred puppies. Labs can have huge litters – as many as 12-15 at a time. You may not have all the homes for them that you thought you did. Many of these will be pet, not show quality puppies. They will sell for less than the show quality pups, and a responsible breeder will have them spayed and neutered before they are sold to ensure that they are not used for future breeding.
Don’t forget to consider the additional vet bills; you want to be sure your female is in optimum health, and that the puppies get veterinary examinations before they are sold. A responsible breeder will also take back any of the puppies he has bred, at any time during the dogs’ lives if the owner can no longer keep them. Not only may you be left with more puppies to place than you had planned, you may also end up with more adult dogs than you intended to own. Chances are excellent that this hobby will cost you a hefty sum of money rather than make you rich.
Finally, consider that every friend or family member who takes a puppy from you could have provided a home for a puppy at an animal shelter or rescue group. Breed rescue groups exist for virtually every recognized breed, so if your friends have their hearts set on purebred dogs they can contact breed rescue groups or go on the breed request waiting lists that are now maintained by many animal shelters. Regardless of how many homes you have lined up for your pups, you are contributing to the pet overpopulation problem.
I want my kids to experience the miracle of birth. Understandable. When I was a kid I loved watching my dogs and cats have kittens and puppies. (Yes, we were an irresponsible pet-owning family.) But if you think this is reason enough to let your dog breed, knowing that “surplus” dogs and puppies are killed every day, then you have a harder heart than I. Your kids can watch videos that document the birth process. If you want to let them experience the joy (and hard work!) of raising a litter of puppies, sign up with your local shelter or rescue group as a volunteer foster home.
For many reasons, most shelters cannot feasibly raise litters of puppies in their kennels, and must often euthanize underage pups. Shelters are desperate for foster homes who can give tender-aged baby dogs a chance to grow up and return to the shelter for adoption when they are eight weeks old and able to withstand the rigors of shelter life. You can even solicit your friends to apply to adopt your foster pups once they have returned to the shelter. You get the joy of puppy-raising and the satisfaction of providing a community service without contributing to pet overpopulation. Win-win!
5. I live in a “no-kill city. We have solved the pet overpopulation problem so it’s OK to breed again.
“No-Kill” is a myth; it actually means “Someone Kills Them Somewhere Else.” In San Francisco, often touted as the first “no-kill” city, more than 4,000 animals are still euthanized every year at San Francisco Animal Care & Control, one short block away from the “no-kill” San Francisco SPCA. While the SPCA labels these 4,000-plus animals as “unadoptable” in order to justify the deaths and claim their “no-kill city” title, it is simply a matter of semantics, public relations, and allocation of resources.
In some jurisdictions, an upper respiratory infection (canine equivalent of the common cold) or a broken leg, both treatable, qualify a dog as unadoptable. Even if San Francisco’s 4,000 animals were truly not redeemable, surrounding communities in the San Francisco Bay Area continue to euthanize unwanted animals by the tens of thousands. Don’t kid yourself; we are far from solving the pet overpopulation problem.
6. My dog is old and my veterinarian says spay/neuter surgery is too risky.
OK, you win. This is truly a valid excuse. At some point in a dog’s life the benefits of spay/neuter are outweighed by the risks of surgery. There is no magic age when this happens; it depends on the individual dog. Follow your veterinarian’s recommendation if she tells you that sterilization is not indicated due to your dog’s age and/or condition.
My Bias Around Spay/Neuter
I am very biased about spay and neuter because of my background both as an animal protection professional and a dog trainer. You don’t have to watch very many homeless puppies and kittens die to get strident about birth control for companion animals. After working with a few dozen dogs with hormone-related problem behavior, you “get” the value of spaying and neutering.
The pet overpopulation problem is so bad that even state governments are being forced to deal with it. A new state law in California actually defines puppies under the age of eight weeks as “unadoptable,” (thereby legitimizing the “no-kill” approach of population control through word games). Another new California law requires all dogs adopted from animal shelters to be spayed or neutered before they go to their new homes – even puppies. The advent of pediatric spay/neuter – the safe sterilization of puppies as young as eight weeks – allows a law like this to be passed, and gives animal protection workers a powerful new weapon in the pet overpopulation battle.
I love dogs as much as the next person. I love them enough to believe that each one has a right to a lifelong, loving home. Pitifully few dogs get that in today’s world. If we spay and neuter, encourage others to do the same, and take the time to teach our dogs to be well-behaved family members, maybe we will all see the day when their lives are valued enough that they all end up in lifelong responsible homes, rather than dead by the side of the road or on the euthanasia room floor.
Pat Miller, a dog trainer from Salinas, California, is a regular contributor to WDJ.
What images do you see in your mind when you hear the word “monastery”? Most people envision rustic wooden buildings, with gentle, somber, bearded men in flowing brown robes and leather sandals quietly treading gravel pathways that wind through peaceful forests.
This could be an accurate description of the New Skete Monastery in Cambridge, New York, with just one glaring omission. At New Skete, the monks are accompanied by dogs. For more than 30 years, the monks of New Skete have bred, trained and sold German Shepherds as part of their monastic life.
This may sound like a strange marriage, but it’s not as odd as it seems. The Lhasa Apso breed was developed by a group of Tibetan monks, who raised them in their monasteries and gave them as gifts to nobles. St. Bernards originally served as companions to the monks of the Hospice at the St. Bernard Pass in the Swiss Alps as early as the 1600s, only later developing their talent for finding lost travelers. Many Zen monasteries also keep dogs.
And, as Job Michael Evans wrote in the Monks of New Skete’s first book, How to be Your Dog’s Best Friend, “Dogs, because of their association with humans . . . are in a unique position to offer man a mirror of himself.” Given the monastic quest to self-awareness, a community of monks and dogs makes perfectly good sense.
One dog leads to more
Accordingly, the New Skete community was created in the 1960s. Originally the brothers managed a full-scale farm, with goats, cows, chickens, pigs, pheasants, and sheep. When they moved to a new, mountaintop location that wasn’t suitable for farming, they had to give up all of their animals except “Kyr,” their first German Shepherd.
Valuing the connection with animals that they had developed through their farming experiences, the community of brothers began studying the sciences of breeding and training dogs. Brother Thomas Dobush led the Monks’ training and breeding program. Initially, the purpose was simply to train the dogs to live as a group in the monastery and maintain the quiet and order that is vital to monastic life. Brother Thomas emphasized “listening” to the animals and “reading the dog’s reactions” rather than just training by rote protocols.
As word of the New Skete Shepherds spread, dog owners began asking the brothers to train their dogs as well, and the demand for information on the Monks’ training methods and breeding programs (and their puppies) grew. Their first book, How to be Your Dog’s Best Friend, was published in 1978, and the Monks of New Skete became a household word, at least in doggy circles.
Talkin’ ‘bout a revolution
At the time, the Monks’ methods were revolutionary. In the 1960s and 70s, people like William Koehler and Blanche Saunders were the foremost authorities on dog training. The Koehler method, still defended by far too many trainers today, is a no-holds-barred punishment-based training method that ridicules the use of treats, mocks those who protest harsh punishments, and promotes a perception of dogs as resentful, revengeful, deceitful, and deliberately defiant.
For modifying problem behaviors, Koehler’s books advocate the use of exceedingly harsh methods such as shock collars, slingshots (with BBs as pellets), hanging and helicoptering (lifting a dog off the ground by the choke chain and holding him there or swinging him around until he ceases resisting or goes unconscious), a wooden dowel inside a length of rubber hose (with which to hit the dog who is too heavy to hang or helicopter), and drowning (filling a hole with water and submerging the dog’s head until he is near unconsciousness, to teach him not to dig). Saunders was somewhat less extreme than Koehler, but still advocated routinely jerking, kicking and “cuffing” dogs.
In contrast, the Monks talked about “listening to a dog until you discover what is needed, instead of imposing yourself in the name of training.” They emphasized the importance of relationship, not just obedience, and promoted training as a way of relating to your dog. Making a distinction between training and educating the dog, they quote J. Allen Boone from Kinship With All Life: “Trained dogs are relatively easy to turn out. All that is required is a book of instructions, a certain amount of bluff and bluster, something to use for threatening and punishing purposes, and of course, the animal. Educating an animal, on the other hand, demands keen intelligence, integrity, imagination, and the gentle touch, mentally, vocally, and physically.”
One trainer’s evolution
I discovered the Monks in 1983. I had just acquired Keli, a 12-week-old Australian Kelpie puppy who was one of the first two “Canine Field Agents” for the Marin Humane Society in Novato, California. My partner, Humane Officer Donna Bosso (she had Keli’s sister, Darby), gave me a copy of the Monks’ book, and I devoured it. I loved what they had to say. Their methods were ever so much kinder than those that I had read before, yet still familiar enough to feel right. I nodded as I read their justification for scruff shakes and alpha rolls. It made sense, and, as they said, it was just mimicking what the mother dog would do to reprimand her pups when they were out of line.
The Monks’ training philosophies were cutting edge, a breath of fresh air, consistent with my own thoughts on dog training and behavior. I forged ahead with my sensitive, independent, reactive, high-energy herding dog, jerking on her leash and doing an occasional scruff shake or alpha roll when she had the audacity to challenge my corrections.
I realize now that Keli, although she was a wonderful dog who learned to herd sheep, earned a Companion Dog degree and was my constant and beloved companion for 14 years, never truly reached her full potential. There was something missing from our relationship – a level of trust and understanding that I have with my current dogs, who have never been alpha-rolled or scruff-shaken. (I am mortified to admit that I turned my back on the opportunity to do positive puppy training with Dr. Ian Dunbar when Keli was a pup, convinced – as were so many other trainers, including the Monks – that training with treats was heresy. That’s a different story . . .). But as I learned more about the advances in positive training methods over the past decade, I relegated the Monks to the same category as Koehler – outdated and unnecessarily harsh and punitive.
Longevity on the charts
Despite my own (and many other positive-based trainers’) opinion that the Monks’ training techniques were outdated, their books continue to rank near the top of dog training best seller lists of companies like Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble. Was I missing something?
I decided to reread their original book and also to check out their newer The Art of Raising a Puppy, published in 1991. Perhaps their 1978 book had been revised. Maybe their puppy book now incorporated the more positive reward-based methods that have proven so successful in training dogs and puppies.
I read the books. I had forgotten how much of the first book was good. Yes, the scruff-shake, alpha-roll, and “cuff under the chin” are still there (the book has not been revised). But so is the basic philosophy of respect for life that I found so compelling in the first read.
Problems with the puppy training book
The newer book about puppy training is more of a disappointment. I truly hoped that the Monks had modified their perspectives on punishment by 1991. They hadn’t. Not only does this book continue to denigrate the use of treats as rewards in training, it still strongly promotes scruff-shaking, alpha-rolls, and cuffing, even for puppies. Although it counsels their use primarily in older puppies only, the methods are still harsh. For example, in regards to the cuffing, the book says, “The discipline should be firm enough to elicit a short yelp.”
The puppy book also contains several serious misstatements. At one point, perhaps a little defensively, the author reminds the reader that “a correction is not punishment.” Behaviorally, punishment is defined as something that decreases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated. Clearly a correction is punishment, since that is exactly what it is intended to do. The fact that it is not done in anger makes it no less a punishment.
Selection questions
I had a few other objections to The Art of Raising a Puppy. In one section, the Monks describe how to choose a puppy. While they show a clear bias for purchasing purebreds, I was delighted that they are quick to stress that whether you purchase a puppy, adopt from a shelter, or find one on the street, the commitment and responsibility is exactly the same. A life is a life. In defending their argument for purebreds, however, they offer the justification that there is greater reliability and certainty of a purebred dog’s behavior and capacities (based on breed generalities) than with a mixed breed.
While this may be true to some degree, there is wide variety in behavior, temperament and potential for performance in any given breed, and it is a false reassurance to lead people to believe that behavior is predictable based solely on breed. Professional dog trainers frequently share stories of Labrador retrievers who won’t retrieve or swim, submissive Rottweilers, and pit bulls who don’t fight with other dogs (thank goodness!). In addition, an experienced dog handler can be pretty skilled at determining the breed components of cross-bred and mixed breed dogs, and to the extent that breed assumptions are useful, apply those same assumptions to the mixed breed dog.
The Monks also defend their position on purebreds by saying that “. . . service and working organizations involved in Seeing Eye, support for the handicapped, search-and-rescue, protection, and so on, all use purebred dogs.” This is simply not the case. Mixed breed dogs are commonly used as service dogs, and there is no reason that mixed-breed dogs who are physically and mentally suited and properly trained cannot perform any task that a purebred dog can.
It is true that some organizations, such as Guide Dogs for the Blind, stubbornly cling to their old assumptions that they must produce their own purebred dogs in order to have reliable workers. But since another service dog organization, Canine Companions For Independence recently (in the past year) began to explore the use of positive training instead of the compulsion training previously believed to be a necessity for service dogs, perhaps Guide Dogs’ purebred assumption will someday be open for discussion as well.
Revisionist? Not!
It has been eight years since the Monks’ puppy book was written. Not one to give up easily, I wondered whether there had been a paradigm shift at the monastery in the last eight years. After all, my own conversion only occurred in the last decade. But in an interview with Brother Marc from the New Skete Monastery, I was disappointed to find that this is not the case. Along with all of the good things that the Monks do with and for their dogs, they still follow some disturbing practices.
The Monks’ Shepherd puppies have to be some of the most well-socialized dogs on the planet. One or more of the brothers are present at the birth of each litter, and they begin handling the pups at an early age. The puppies are temperament tested and re-tested, and notes on their personalities and development carefully recorded.
The Monks are supremely aware of the benefits (to canine and human both) of fully integrating their dogs into the daily routine, and young dogs quickly learn good manners, lying quietly with the rest of the group in the dining room during mealtime. The monastery is often frequented by visitors of all ages, shapes and sizes, who are encouraged to meet and greet the dogs. Brother Marc dispels the image of the monastery as a place of constant solitude and silence when he describes some of the activity.
“Right now we are having some work done on one of the buildings,” he says, “so the dogs are exposed to all kinds of construction noises. There’s also the weekly lawn mowing right next to their kennels, and we play the radio so they hear talking and music. They go for rides in cars, and the monastery is near a road, so they do hear traffic pass by regularly.”
The puppies are sold after age eight weeks, according to Brother Marc, after the fear period but well before the optimum socialization period is over, so they have ample opportunity to learn about scary stimuli in the rest of the world. One would assume that the breeding dogs in the Monks’ program live out their entire lives at the monastery, so, for them, a lack of exposure to the outside world shouldn’t be a problem. One would assume incorrectly, however.
Lifetime commitment/responsible breeding?
I was stunned to discover that when a dog was no longer useful to the breeding program, she was “retired” and sent to live outside the monastery. With all of the Monks’ emphasis on relationship, responsibility and commitment, this was hard to understand. Didn’t the brothers have strong feelings for the dogs they had lived with for 10 years? How could they give them up?
“It’s hard to give them up,” admitted Brother Marc. “But when you meet the dog’s new family you can see the love that they lavish on her and you know the dog will do fine. They are so well-trained and people-oriented that they don’t seem to show any stress in their new homes.”
It was also surprising to find out that the New Skete dogs may be bred more than once a year. Most responsible breeders agree that breeding twice a year is a significant strain on a dog’s physical health.
“It usually works out to one litter every year to 18 months,” says Brother Marc, “but if a dog is healthy and ready to breed we may breed twice in one year. We never have more than 10 litters in a year. There is a two-year waiting list for puppies right now. The puppies sell for around $1,000 each. As any good breeder will tell you, we don’t make money on puppy sales – the cost of the program more than eats up any revenue from sales. We do it because we love it, and the dogs help us do our work, which is helping people.”
Punishment revisited
Other issues aside, the Monks’ willingness to use punishment still strikes the greatest dissonant chord within me. That dissonance wasn’t dispelled by the interview with Brother Marc. He said he’d read Koehler’s books, and thought they made a lot of sense, although conceding that you can’t use the methods for every dog in every situation.
“Sometimes a dog needs a good boot in the rear to get its attention,” Brother Marc insisted. “The scruff shake, if used indiscriminately as a substitute for basic understanding and training of the dog, is not right. But it certainly is appropriate if it is integrated into a whole, balanced training program.”
If Brother Job Michael Evans, the Monk who wrote the New Skete books, were still alive, he might disagree. Kaye Hargreaves, a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) from Wagging School in Melbourne, Australia, recalls Brother Job’s keynote speech at the 1993 APDT conference in Toronto, Canada.
“As I recall,” Hargreaves says, “Brother Job said that he no longer taught the scruff-shake and alpha-roll because too many dog owners had been bitten attempting to follow that advice. I remember him saying that he had wanted to revise what he had said in the Monks’ books but could not do so because the Monks held the copyright. Brother Job had not totally rejected the use of correction in training, but was still loved and respected for the many qualities he brought to dog training.”
Dominance is unnecessary
The modern view, held by prominent trainers and canine behaviorists Dr. Ian Dunbar, William Campbell, Jean Donaldson and many others, is that physical dominance techniques are not necessary or appropriate for a long list of reasons:
• Many people have been seriously bitten as a result of using physical dominance methods. The struggle between a dominant dog and owner or trainer can escalate, with a corresponding escalation in the levels of violence, until owner, dog, or both, are injured. Many dogs who could have been successfully trained are euthanized unnecessarily for biting because of this escalation of violence. With the vast majority of dogs, leadership can be established by using non-confrontational methods.
• People have a tendency, when given permission to use physical force by a book or trainer, to use it inappropriately, to punish the dog when he has never been taught what to do in the first place.
• Even if very skilled trainers can use the techniques successfully, most dog owners can’t, so it is not an appropriate technique to teach students. A trainer who dominates a dog through force can increase the dog’s disrespect for the owner who can’t, possibly even provoking the dog to attack the owner in the trainer’s absence.
• The natural occurrence of scruff-shakes and alpha-rolls has been widely misunderstood and misinterpreted. Its primary use is by mother dogs, to discipline puppies and adolescent dogs, to teach them to respect and respond to subtle body language cues by other dogs. It is arrogant and faulty to think that we can accurately mimic that maternal subtlety. To physically challenge an already dominant adult dog – the most common application in dog training – is a different matter entirely, and a very risky one at that.
Updating the Monks
I respect the Monks of New Skete for the good things that they have accomplished. There are probably lots of dogs who have escaped hanging, helicoptering, and drowning thanks to their work. Their approach to training was an important step across the bridge from very abusive methods to the positive ones that are becoming more and more widely accepted every day.
But the Monks are still standing on the bridge. Let’s hope they keep moving forward and someday join those of us who have crossed it and are continuing along the path to more humane and effective methods of training our canine companions.
With more than ten years’ field experience under his belt, the veteran humane officer, from Santa Clara County, California, thought he had seen and heard just about everything. Then he got the call from a hysterical woman who had come home from work to find that her dog was being shocked non-stop by his electronic collar.
“Please hurry,” she begged. “He’s totally crazed, and when we try to touch him we get shocked. We can’t get the collar off him!”
The officer rushed to the scene. When he arrived he found that the owners had managed to throw a rug over the dog, restrain him, and cut off the offending collar with a knife. The dog was still so severely traumatized by the experience that he refused to allow anyone near. The woman vowed never to use her underground fence system again.
Electronic fences and their partners – collars that deliver an aversive agent – have been around for more than 20 years. They seem like the perfect canine confinement alternative to a solid physical fence. They are often marketed as the ideal fencing solution to homeowner association fence prohibitions and for problematic, difficult-to-fence, steep, rocky and rugged living spaces.
But while occurrences of a collar shorting out and administering repeated shocks to a hapless, helpless dog are relatively rare, there are other drawbacks to using electronic fencing systems. A conscientious owner will weigh all the pros and cons before deciding whether or not to invest in this sort of “fencing” system.
How Do Electric Fences Work?
Electronic fences rely on the transmission of a radio signal from a wire or some other transmitter that is typically buried or mounted in an unobtrusive location on the dog owner’s property. The radio signal is broadcast within a specific zone, following the contours of the individual layout. The dog wears a battery-operated receiver on a special collar, which picks up the radio signals when the dog enters the special zone. Most of the systems are programmed so that a “warning tone” is emitted when the dog first approaches the radio transmission area, and, if he remains or travels further into the zone, follows up with an aversive stimulus.
The most commonly used aversive is an electric shock, delivered to the dog’s neck by metal (electrically conducting) prongs set in the dog’s collar. A recent technological innovation provides for some systems to deliver a burst of citronella spray as the aversive instead of an electric shock.
The best of the electronic fence makers teach the dog owners how to condition their dogs to the fence. “Training flags” are installed around the perimeter of the dog’s “safe” territory, to give him a visual hint to its shape and size. For the first few days, it is suggested that the owner applies tape over the prongs on the electrical collar, to minimize any shock that the dog receives, and to keep the dog on a leash. The owner is instructed to walk around the property, allowing the dog to approach the forbidden zones and hear the warning tone. The owner is to pull or call the dog back into the safe area, and then praise the dog.
The next phase involves removing the tape, and allowing the dog (who is still on a leash) further into the danger zone, where he experiences a correction. Again, the owner brings the dog back into the safety zone, praising his retreat from the forbidden area. This is followed by a few more days of off-leash, but supervised experiences, and finally, removal of the training flags. Whether the aversive is a shock or a spray, in most cases it takes only a few applications for the dog to learn that the tone means “Bad things happen here.”
The Advantages of Invisible Fences
There are certainly advantages to electronic fences. They are generally less expensive than a physical fence. Systems range in cost from $120 to $400, and can cover anything from a small yard to a 100-acre parcel, depending on the brand. Variation in cost depends in large part on the features included in the system package, such as adjustable levels of shock strength, rechargeable batteries, and combination fence and no-bark or fence and remote trainer systems. If you are considering investing in an electronic fence, compare features carefully in order to be sure you get the brand that best suits your needs.
Electronic fences are easier to install than a traditional fence. One system uses a wire that is buried a few inches underground, a process that is much less labor-intensive than digging post holes and building fences, especially in rocky soil or on steep brushy slopes. Another type of fence doesn’t even require a buried wire, but instead uses transmitters on “emitter posts” that are inserted into the ground at intervals around the property. Consumers can install the fences themselves, or hire one of the many landscapers and builders who have experience in underground fence installation. Some companies will provide a list of certified fence installers on request.
For those who simply prefer the aesthetics of a fenceless yard or are faced with homeowner association constraints, electronic fences can keep a dog contained without obstructing the view or violating neighborhood sensibilities.
The Negative Side of Invisible Fences
Paul Miller, now director of the Chattanooga Animal Services program in Tennessee, was the Santa Clara humane officer who responded to the call of a dog being shocked by his collar a decade ago. Ten more years of experience in the field haven’t softened his opinion of the product. He argues that electronic fences don’t provide adequate containment to reasonably guarantee a dog’s safety.
“I can’t tell you exactly how many stray dogs I’ve seen wearing electronic fence collars,” he says, “but it’s a lot. Owners forget to replace weak and dying batteries and dogs are soon free to come and go at will. Many owners who come in to shelters to retrieve their shock-collar-sporting wayward hounds will admit that they were aware the batteries were weak and they hadn’t bothered to replace them.”
Another minus: Some dogs seem to have no trouble braving the strong corrections imposed on them by a working collar with fresh batteries if they are presented with sufficiently enticing stimuli: a female in season, a fast-moving cat, a child on a bicycle, a postal worker. And then the dog is stuck outside the fence without sufficient motivation to risk the shock to get back in! For this reason, certain breeds, especially large dogs bred for guardian jobs or dogs with strong hunting drives, make poor candidates for these systems.
Another important consideration is the fact that an electronic fence does nothing to protect your dog from outside harm. The neighborhood canine bully can still enter your yard and attack your dog. Bad people can still come onto your property and steal or torment your dog. (We’ve even heard of one report of an expensive electronic collar being stolen right off of its dog!)
Also, these electronic fences don’t keep children or delivery people from approaching your house and being attacked or bitten by your dog. Finally, dogs with especially long or thick coats may have to have their necks shaved in order for the prongs (and the corrective shocks) to reach their skin. Such disfigurement is not acceptable to all owners.
How Strong is the Electric Shock from an Underground Dog Fence?
Dog owners also need to be concerned about the unintended negative side effects of punishment. Despite the euphemisms used in promotional materials that call the aversive electric shock a “mild electrical stimulus,” a “stimulus distraction,” a “tingle” or a “tickle,” it is, in fact, an electric shock.
In November 1998, while attending the Association of Pet Dog Trainers annual conference and trade show in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, I watched as a number of dog trainers tested an electric collar by wrapping it around their own hands. (The equipment was provided by one of the electronic fence manufacturers, who had a trade booth at the convention.) Different people reacted to varying levels of shock with significantly different levels of sensitivity. While some felt nothing at the lowest setting and only a mild sensation at level three, others described a mildly painful sensation at level one and unpleasant, even intolerable pain at the higher settings. (The shock was felt on the hand, not on the more sensitive neck area. Product representatives refused to allow the human Guinea pigs to test the collars on their necks.) There is no reason to think that our different dogs would not also experience different sensitivities to electric shocks.
The use of punishment in training, especially a punishment as intense as an electric shock, risks irreparable harm to the mutual trust that is critically important in the dog-human relationship. During the training process the dog may associate the shock or spray with the owner’s presence and end up fearing the owner.
Sensitive dogs can be seriously traumatized by just one administration of the punishing aversive. Some dogs may refuse to enter the yard at all after being shocked or sprayed, especially if the yard is small, with a limited amount of “free” space where the dog can feel safe. One Monterey County, California, dog owner reports that while she loves the electronic fence system because it allows her dogs to run loose on her several-acre property (which she couldn’t otherwise afford to fence), her Komondor is so respectful of the boundary that the dog won’t cross it even when not wearing the collar. The owner has to load her dog into the car and drive across the wire just to take the dog for a walk around the neighborhood.
What are the Alternatives to Electric Fences?
What are you supposed to do if you live in an area where fencing is prohibited, prohibitively expensive, or simply not feasible? You can keep Rover in the house, train him to come when called, and allow him outside only under direct supervision. You can install a cable runner, although tying a dog up creates its own set of risks and problems. (Watch for “Fit To Be Tied” in an upcoming issue of WDJ for a discussion of this topic.) You can purchase a chain-link kennel run to provide safe confinement for Rover when you aren’t able to personally supervise his exercise. Or you can move to a neighborhood that allows physical fences.
Some people, however, feel the benefits of an electronic fence system outweigh the negatives of the alternatives. We’d grudgingly acknowledge the potential usefulness of the system, provided it’s used in the following limited circumstances.
Because of the potential for an electronic fence to malfunction, for your dog to simply “run through” it and escape, and for predators to enter your property and injure your dog, we suggest using the system only when you are home and able to monitor its use. This means not using the system when you are not at home (even just for a few minutes), or at night (or any other time you may be sleeping). You must check on your dog constantly, establishing visual contact with him at least every five minutes or so when he is “confined” by the fence and nothing else. And the collar must be removed whenever the fence is not being used as the primary barrier (when the dog is safely confined in the house, for instance). Failing to do all these things exposes the dog to all the various dangers discussed above, while simultaneously giving the owner a false sense of security.
Of course, if your dog is reliably trained to come to you when he is called and you are keeping him under this sort of close supervision, you probably don’t need this sort of system! Which strikes at the heart of our objections to electronic fences: They are really designed as a “convenience” device for people who like having a dog, and who don’t want it to run away, but who are unwilling or unable to go the extra mile to absolutely ensure the safety of their dogs.
There are exceptions. We have met dog owners, for instance, who keep their well-trained dogs under close supervision, but who maintain the electronic fence as a sort of “emergency back up” barrier for their dogs because they live on a busy road, and even an extremely rare, quick trip “off the property” could result in death.
In our opinion, however, there is nothing that can replace training, supervision, and that timeless tool for good neighbors everywhere: a purely “visible,” solid, well-maintained fence.
A lick granuloma is a red, raw, and ugly looking wound, caused by a dog’s incessant licking. The last thing one would think is that it can be a blessing in disguise, but it seems to have been just that for Biggie, a 10-year-old Weimaraner owned by Maryland breeders Bob and Virginia (Gini) Selner. Biggie (AKA “Wyngate’s Music Man”) is one of five dogs who live with the Selners, who breed, raise, and show their Weimaraners. Although he is a handsome and well-behaved dog, the Selners chose not to pursue a competitive career for Biggie, since he simply seemed to lack enthusiasm for the show ring. Specifically, he didn’t like having his mouth handled, and would lock his jaws closed if a judge tried to give him a quick “dentistry exam.” Instead, Biggie became a full-time companion and house dog.
Biggie enjoyed good health throughout his life, until he reached nine years of age. Then he made up for lost time at the veterinarian’s office.
In November of 1998, Biggie suddenly began licking his right hind foot. Within days, he had developed a full-blown lick granuloma, also called “acral lick dermatitis,” on the third toe of his right hind foot. The toe swelled until it was double its usual size, and became infected. The Selners’ regular veterinarian was out of town, so she took Biggie to another vet, who prescribed an antibiotic and told Gini to soak Biggie’s foot in Epsom salts.
Up to this point, Biggie’s lick granuloma was very typical. The lesions are far more common in older dogs (5-12 years of age) than young dogs, and more commonly affect males than females. Dogs of large breeds are more often affected than small dogs. Sometimes, the lick granuloma starts with another wound – a cut, infection, bruise, abcess, or an imbedded splinter or grass awn. In other cases, dogs appear to begin licking out of boredom.
In Biggie’s case, after two and a half weeks of antibiotics and soaking, the granuloma had not improved. In fact, the foot was even more swollen and looking worse.
The Selners then took Biggie to their regular veterinarian, who prescribed a different and more powerful antibiotic. They would see one of two scenarios, the vet predicted: Either they would see a positive response within a few days, or, if no response to the new antibiotic was seen, they would have to consider a surgical exploration of the “mass” in Biggie’s foot. For the next two and a half weeks, Gini gave Biggie the antibiotic, with little effect. With the prospect of surgery looming, she decided to try a very different approach; she felt she had nothing to lose.
A vet with alternatives The Selners had heard from two of their friends about a holistic veterinarian, Dr. Judith M. Shoemaker, who had performed “near miracles” on their aged pets. Dr. Shoemaker received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Georgia in 1980, is certified by and has been an instructor for the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society (IVAS), and is a Founding Lifetime Member of the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association (AVCA). She is licensed in 13 states and travels extensively to both treat animals and teach alternative therapies to other veterinarians.
Dr. Shoemaker’s solo private practice is located in Nottingham, PA, where she specializes in treating sport horses, but also sees dogs, cats, and the occasional rabbit – typically when her horse-owning clients beg her to help their small companion animals. She is accustomed to having new clients come to her with stories about all the treatments they have tried which did not work. “Many people try chiropractic and acupuncture for the first time only as a last resort, when they encounter a problem that can’t be resolved any other way,” she says.
Gini Selner took Biggie to see Dr. Shoemaker on December 5, about five weeks after the Weimaraner’s lick granuloma developed. She was immediately struck by how different Shoemaker’s approach to the problem was.
First, Dr. Shoemaker took a complete health history, asking Gini about any and all of Biggie’s lifetime health problems. She also observed how he moved, on and off leash, and examined his spine.
Treatment matrix The doctor’s treatment plan was multi-faceted. She began Biggie’s treatment with a chiropractic adjustment. Her spinal examination indicated the large dog was “out of adjustment” in multiple areas. She “adjusted” his atlas (the first cervical vertebra), the middle of his neck (the third cervical vertebra), his pelvis, and his lumbar area, characterizing these adjustments as “fixing the body’s hardware.”
Dr. Shoemaker called her next treatment “fixing the body’s software.” She used acupuncture to generally “balance his body’s energy system,” called chi in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). She used thin, sterile, disposable Japanese acupuncture needles to treat him on his gall bladder, governing vessel, bladder and kidney meridians.
Needling the granuloma For the lick granuloma itself, Shoemaker used an acupuncture approach called “Surround the Dragon,” following the TCM theory that the lick granuloma is obstructing the flow of energy along the acupuncture meridian underlying the lesion. Dr. Shoemaker inserted several needles at a shallow angle directly into the tissue underlying the lesion. She also placed one acupuncture needle proximal (closer to the body) and one distal (closer to the toes) in relation to the lesion.
The acupuncture needles remained in place for about 20 minutes. According to Dr. Shoemaker, when the acupuncture needles have been in place long enough, they are very easy to remove, and often fall out of their own accord. The beneficial effect of the acupuncture begins immediately, and can continue for several days as the body responds to the improvements.
Dr. Shoemaker told Gini to expect Biggie to urinate a lot and that he might spike a fever, and if so to give him Aconitum, a homeopathic remedy. The veterinarian also prescribed a topical application of colloidal silver on the granuloma, in addition to an oral dose of 3.5 cc once a day.
Details make a difference: A pedicure and a new collar Dr. Shoemaker also took steps to ensure that Biggie’s chiropractic adjustments wouldn’t be effaced. She had observed that Biggie pulled hard on his leash when he walked, so she gave Gini a Halti head harness, and showed her how to walk Biggie with this device, rather than a collar (see “Leading Them by the Nose,” WDJ March 1998, for more information about headcollars). Shoemaker has observed that some dogs who pull hard on their collars can misalign their cervical vertebrae. They are unable to pull while wearing a head collar, however, which helps them maintain their spinal adjustments (not to mention their relationship with their walker!).
Finally, Dr. Shoemaker clipped Biggie’s toenails, which, she said, helps maintain the dog’s improved biomechanics. Toenails that are too long can make a dog alter his gait to avoid discomfort, which in turn can cause misalignment of the feet and joints, adversely affecting their movement and therefore the whole body. She recommended that Gini and Biggie return for a follow-up visit in 30 to 50 days, and wished the astonished owner well.
A passing “flood” Biggie did not get a fever, as Dr. Shoemaker said he might, but on the fourth day after his treatment, he had his first-ever “accident” in the house. As Gini said, “it was a flood like a dam broke.” For the first few days, it was hard to tell whether or not the lick granuloma was improving, but by the end of a week, it was apparent that the hideous wound WAS beginning to heal. By the time two weeks had passed, Biggie had completely stopped licking his wound, and the granuloma had completely scabbed over. And by the time Biggie had his follow-up appointment in January, all the hair on his foot had grown back and the swelling was gone.
At this second appointment, Shoemaker adjusted Biggie’s spine again, but reported that none of his misalignments were nearly as “out” as when she first saw him. Dr. Shoemaker also adjusted his left hock, and several toes on his left front foot, explaining that he had strained this foot while shifting weight off his right hind when it was sore. She also clipped his toenails again.
Dr. Shoemaker was pleased; Gini Selner was beside herself with joy. The total bill for Dr. Shoemaker’s two treatments was less than $200. Today, Biggie is not only better; according to Gini and Bob, he’s better than ever! Both his owners have noticed that the big dog is much more outgoing, and loves being touched – even around his mouth and muzzle! “After a lifetime of not enjoying being petted very much, Biggie has become the classic ‘pet me, pet me!’ dog around visitors,” Gini reports. “This has been such a change, we have even entertained the idea of taking him to a show, just to see what he might do. He is so upbeat and feeling good!”
You can bet that the Selners’ “last resort” veterinarian is now the first person they run to when one of their dogs has a health problem.
Susan Rifkin Ajamian is a freelance writer from Hockessin, DE.
One of the cool things about dogs is the variety of tasks, tricks, and trades they can learn. Dogs perform lifesaving work in search and rescue and criminal justice venues, and they are employed to detect everything from prohibited fruits, vegetables and meats in airports to termites in homes. These abilities are directly related to their sense of smell. All dogs have a highly developed sense of smell, although some breeds – primarily scenthounds and sporting dogs – show greater ability than others.
A powerful nose is the first requirement for identifying or tracking down weapons, accelerants, explosives, drugs, food, missing persons, bodies hidden under water or beneath mounds of snow. The dog must also be highly intelligent, with the ability to think independently and solve complex scent problems. However, the dog needs more than these gifts of nature in order to be effective in this line of work. According to experts in scent-dog training, these talented dogs must be handled and trained with a simple but highly effective technique: positive reinforcement. No other training method is as effective in producing competent, reliable, and willing scent dogs.
Pure, positive power
Numerous articles in WDJ have described the effectiveness of positive training for teaching dogs to exhibit general “manners” and acceptable behavior. But while positive reinforcement techniques enjoy generally widespread acceptance among “pet dog” trainers, some old-school trainers believe that their use – especially when food is involved – don’t result in a dog that responds with precision and reliability. Treats and other positive reinforcements are best used for trick training, they say.
The professionals who train scent dogs for police work and other serious duties would take issue with that opinion, however.
If confronted with a person who feels that treats are only good for teaching tricks, “I would tell them to watch a well-trained mantrailing Bloodhound at work,” says trainer and Illinois law enforcement officer Jack Shuler, who has worked with mantrailing Bloodhounds for 22 years.
“Their drive, determination, dedication, and single-mindedness to find the source of the scent trail they are following is beyond compare and certainly cannot be called a ‘trick,’ and all this is achieved through training with positive reinforcement,” says Shuler. “Another good example would be a narcotics detection dog. He will work for hours hunting the smell of illicit drugs just to get to play with a tennis ball or towel for a couple of minutes.”
No place for force
As Shuler points out, most dogs can be intimidated and even physically compelled to comply with simple commands like Sit and Down. But following a scent trail or identifying items by their scent is not the kind of skill that any dog can be forced to exhibit. It’s true that scent dogs may naturally demonstrate a high degree of curiosity with their noses, sniffing at anything that interests them. But the ability to differentiate between and indicate the presence of specific scents is something that can be taught only with rewards for making correct decisions. And, as is customary with the positive reinforcement approach, when the dog makes incorrect decisions, he is either ignored or gently redirected.
“You can’t make a dog use his nose,” explains Sandy Seward, an instructor with the United States Department of Agriculture’s Beagle Brigade in Orlando, Florida. “They’ve got to want to do it. So, as a trainer, you must not only understand how a dog’s mind operates and how he perceives stimuli around him or your actions toward him, but you’ve also got to make it a game for him, make it worth his while.”
The rewards that make a dog’s efforts worthwhile range from tone of voice to tug-of-war games to well-timed treats. Words themselves are not especially meaningful to dogs, but a high-pitched tone of excitement or a soothing monotone can get results, no matter what the trainer actually says. The promise of a ball to be thrown or the offer of a treat can lure a dog, giving him the incentive to try things he might not otherwise be interested in doing on his own.
These small rewards may seem insignificant to us, but their power to motivate a food- and fun-oriented dog is Herculean. Take it from police officer Jeff Schettler, of Alameda, California. His partner on the force is a Bloodhound named Ronin. “Cookies are a good tool to get Ronin to try things he is afraid of,” Schettler says.
“The food drive is directly related to the prey drive, in my opinion. For example, Ronin is normally afraid of creeks and lakes. He will get his feet wet, but he won’t swim. When we are working, though, he will actually swim to get to his ‘victim.’ Around the house and when we aren’t working, he is afraid of loud, sharp noises, but when he’s on the trail he could care less. On one occasion we were shot at, and he ignored it completely. It’s kind of amazing.”
Creative, individual approach
Trying to figure out what reward will work with a particular dog is one of the challenges of training. It often requires creativity and the constant reminder that each dog is an individual. “With some dogs you can just say ‘Find it’ with an exciting uplift at the end of your request,” Seward says, “but with this last group of dogs I trained, I could not get one dog interested in coming up to and sniffing any of the boxes, no matter what I did. In desperation, I made a really high-pitched, squirrelly noise while I was tapping the box I wanted him to investigate, and that finally aroused his curiosity. Every dog is different.”
To keep her creative juices flowing, Seward keeps a list of tricks that have worked with all the dogs she has trained. As she trains, she takes extensive notes on each dog’s reactions. “I start with five or six dogs at a time, each presenting four or five separate scenarios that cause me to reach into my bag of tricks. As I get to each dog, I refer to my notes, which tell me, ‘This is the dog I’ve got to move fast with’; ‘This is the dog that needs lots of gestures’; or ‘This is the dog that shies away from gestures.’ ”
Besides being creative in finding rewards, trainers must also be creative in solving problems. While it’s easy to yell at a dog for doing something wrong, it’s not so easy to find a positive way to motivate him or to prevent failure. One of the tenets of positive reinforcement is that a dog is never allowed to fail.
“If the dog has a difficult time working through a training problem, the handler and victim work as a team to help the dog through it,” says South Pasadena, California, police officer Dennis Slavin. “I like to use one of the dog’s favorite ‘victims’ – usually my wife – to introduce complicated problems and difficult trails. The dog is more motivated than usual to find that favorite person and works harder at solving the problem.”
If positive reinforcement seems like a lot of effort, it certainly can be. The rewards for the trainer, however, are proportionately greater. “It seems to take a little bit longer for the dogs to evolve sometimes, but I think it works better because you have a more positive relationship with the animal. It’s more of a partner relationship rather than a master-type relationship,” Schettler says.
Not only does positive reinforcement make sense as far as getting the dog to respond to training, it’s also the best way to interact with often sensitive dogs. Hounds in particular are known for their gentle, somewhat shy temperaments. “It was stressed to me early by my mentors, Glenn Rimbey and Kat Albrecht, that bloodhounds don’t respond well to discipline, physical discipline, in particular,” Schettler says. “They can be unusually sensitive and have incredible memories. Once exposed to a negative, they never forget.”
But no matter what the breed, positive reinforcement works well with any aspect of training, primarily because it’s stress-free. We know that humans learn more quickly and eagerly in an accepting environment, and dogs are no different. The attention he receives when he performs in the desired manner encourages a dog to repeat that behavior.
No negatives!
When is it OK to punish a scent-dog-in-training? Never is the unanimous response. “If a dog is not doing something I want him to do, the way I may punish him, if you want to use that word, is just by ignoring him, withdrawing attention,” Seward says. “When a dog is stressed, say through physical or verbal correction, he can’t readily learn or absorb what it is you’re trying to convey.”
In fact, negative reinforcement can backfire when used with sensitive dogs. “Bloodhounds get their feelings hurt very easily,” concurs Shuler. “The techniques used in the training of ‘harder’ breeds of dogs, such as those used for police patrol work, would totally devastate a Bloodhound. Bloodhounds are very devoted to their people, and positive training techniques encourage them to do exactly what their human wants them to do.”
When a dog makes a mistake, the best response is to ignore the error and gently refocus him on the task at hand. Any number of things could have caused the mistake, from inexperience to eagerness to confusion. “It’s possible that somebody walked by with a bag with odor as the dog was sniffing a bag with no odor,” Seward says. “Because the odor happened to go into his nasal cavity at that particular time, his inexperience may cause him to make an alert. But if you do something aversive to the dog, you may be stifling his ability to blossom into the more precise and accurate detector dog that you expect down the line. You have to expect mistakes.”
When working with scent dogs, the handler also has to be sensitive to the fact that if a mistake is made, it’s just as likely to be the handler’s fault as the dog’s, making punishment for the dog even more inappropriate. Schettler learned this early in his work with Ronin. The two had worked six or seven cases, following some good trails, but had yet to find anyone. Then they were sent out on a missing person search.
“The lady had been missing for four days,” Schettler describes. “Her car was found in a cornfield and appeared to have been ransacked. It looked like a crime scene, and everybody feared the worst. I started Ronin, and within about an hour and a half he found a lady, hiding in some bushes and cattails. I didn’t see her at all. Ronin just ran into the bushes, and the next thing I knew he was standing in this lady’s lap. I was shocked, and I didn’t think it was the one we were looking for. I almost told Ronin to get back on the trail. But then I asked her who she was, and she wouldn’t tell me. I started looking at her, and the description matched. It turned out that she had a fear of society and didn’t want to come back.”
Once Schettler knew that Ronin had found the correct person, he hurried to praise the dog for his success. To keep the dogs motivated, handlers must be sure that their dogs are praised and positively reinforced for each of their successes, no matter what kind of chaos arises as a result of their find.
“A Bloodhound does not differentiate ‘bad guy’ trails from ‘good guy’ trails,” Slavin says. “As far as the hound is concerned, once she is scented on the person she is looking for, her goal is to find that person so she can be overwhelmed with praise and affection. For this reason, it’s important for us to follow a criminal trail – in which the prey is never happy to be found – with a short positive trail on a person who will join in praising the hound. This helps to maintain the hound’s enthusiasm and confidence.”
Treats are no trick
Unfortunately, there are still numerous trainers who learned how to train dogs primarily by punishing the dog’s undesired behavior, and who just don’t believe that treats and praise can be used to shape a dog’s behavior the way they’d like. “My first instinct in response to that attitude is to say ‘Try it, you might like it,’ ” says Seward, who describes herself as a “crossover” trainer. “I came from the old school, and I can appreciate that train of thought because I used to be there.
“Once I tried it, though, I found that I got much more out of the dog, and the training sessions could last longer, with the dog retaining much more of what I was trying to get him to do. I think a lot of the resistance is just lack of understanding of the mechanics of how the dog assimilates information.” Seward’s greatest successes, she says, are when she sees positive reinforcement techniques change a dog whose status is shaky. “It’s great when I’m able to take a dog that probably shouldn’t ever have gotten into the program, one we refer to as a borderline dog, and watch the positive reinforcement reshape the way this dog interprets my actions toward him.”
-By Kim Thornton
Kim Thornton is a freelance writer living in Lake Forest, CA.
No matter how careful you are with your dog’s everyday health needs, it’s in his nature to be incautious and inquisitive. And that sometimes results in injury. Odds are, it’s just a matter of when.
However, your conviction to treat your dog with natural remedies is put to a real test when you are faced with an emergency. Whether your dog is severely injured in an accident or scraped and cut from a fight, your first reaction should be to remain calm, remember what you know, and think holistically.
Just as you plan and prepare your dog’s daily meals and training, advance planning and preparation for the unthinkable accident may help save your dog’s life during the critical time between the beginning of the emergency and access to veterinary care.
The time to plan, obviously, is before your dog is involved in an accident. Start gathering the contents for a first aid kit today (see “First Aid Kit for Dogs,” below). If your dog travels even short distances away from home then it’s a good idea to make your kit portable. Or prepare two kits – one for home and one for the car.
Have a First Aid Ready
The most important first step in dealing with an emergency is for everyone to calm down. It’s important for you because you’ll need to think clearly and it’s important for your dog because he needs to allow you to begin treatment. This is the time to use soothing reassurance, and to give an emergency flower essence (see the link for “Rescue Remedy: Nothing Short of Miraculous,” below) to everyone involved – don’t forget yourself!
Two homeopathic remedies are frequently mentioned by veterinary homeopaths as being useful in cases of shock, trauma, or extreme fear: Arnica montana 30C and Aconitum 30C. The famed veterinary homeopath, Dr. Richard Pitcairn, suggests giving a dog two pellets of Arnica 30C every 15 minutes for a total of three doses following a car accident, a situation where a dog stops breathing (assuming resuscitation efforts are underway), for convulsions, gunshot wounds, or serious bleeding. For a dog who is unconscious, he recommends following the doses of Arnica 30C with one pellet of Aconitum 30C every 10 minutes until consciousness is regained.
Holistic dog care expert Wendy Volhard and holistic veterinarian Kerry Brown, authors of the Holistic Guide for a Healthy Dog, suggest administering Arnica 30C for any bruising injuries, such as those suffered in a fall or car accident. This remedy is also excellent for use after surgery.
Examine the Dog Carefully
The next step is to try to identify the problem. Since dogs have a knack for getting into trouble when their human companions aren’t around, you may have to do some detective work. Internal injuries, even fur-hidden symptoms on the skin might not be evident. If his symptoms are severe, call your vet as you begin to treat your dog and, if possible, call a friend over to help. If you do need to make a quick trip to the vet’s office or clinic, your friend can drive while you tend to your dog on the way. To prevent any further harm or stress, try to keep the dog immobile, carrying him in a blanket sling if necessary, and prevent shock by keeping him warm.
Even dogs with the most docile personalities may bite when they’re confused or in pain. To keep from being bitten, you may have to use a soft muzzle. Or, you can firmly tie the dog’s mouth shut with an old sock, stocking, or cloth, leaving the ends long enough to tie behind the dog’s ears. Be careful not to restrict the dog’s breathing.
When Your Dog Has Cuts, Abrasions or Bite Wounds
Most dogs will incur at least a minor cut or bite at some time in their life. With all open wounds, the major concerns are stopping the bleeding and preventing infection. Badly torn or deep cuts must be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible. Also, bite wounds in the chest area are extremely dangerous as they can indicate a puncture through the chest wall, allowing blood to fill the chest cavity, or a collapsed lung.
After administering Rescue Remedy or Arnica, flush the wound with lots of water, especially if it’s an animal bite. Diluted hydrogen peroxide (about 1/2 teaspoon per cup of water) or plain soap and water may also be used to cleanse the wound. If you can, clip the dog’s hair from the edges of the wound so you can see whether or not you are cleaning it completely. Excessive bleeding can be controlled (while you travel to the vet’s office) with a pressure bandage. Place several layers of clean, dry gauze over the wound, fixing it in place with an elastic bandage, being careful not to use tourniquet-like pressure (this is especially critical on leg wounds). Put adhesive tape on the ends of the elastic bandage to keep it in place. Keep the bandage in place only until the bleeding stops and remove it if you notice any signs of swelling or coldness below the bandage.
Several herbs can also be used to stop bleeding. A sprinkling of the Chinese herbal powder called Yunnan Pia Yao under the bandage will help staunch the bleeding, as will homeopathic calendula in a spray or ointment. If the wound is small and the bleeding stops quickly, you can treat the wound yourself with echinacea, goldenseal, hypericum, or calendula, all of which display natural antibiotic action. Calendula may be used topically or internally to promote healing of torn or open wounds and to prevent infection. Its rapid healing properties are not good for puncture wounds, however, as they will heal too rapidly and seal in infection.
Although most wounds heal better in the open air, for larger wounds, soak a gauze pad in calendula spray or gel and tape it over the wound for one to two days. This will keep the wound clean until it can heal closed.
For puncture wounds, dilute hypericum tincture (five drops in 1/4 cup of water) and flush the wound or, if the wound is on an extremity, soak it in the hypericum solution. We particularly like Boericke & Tafel’s “Califlora” calendula gel and Hyland’s homeopathic “Calendula Spray,” both of which are readily available at most health food stores. For more detailed instructions for treating wounds with calendula and hypericum, see “Dog Injury Solutions,” WDJ January 1999.
Homeopathic Remedies for Dogs
Dr. Pitcairn uses a number of homeopathic remedies for common health problems. He suggests Ledum for insect bites or needle punctures, especially when the skin around the injury seems bluish or feels cold.
An oral administration of Silicea can help the dog’s body expel splinters and other foreign bodies. Don’t try to grab insect stingers with tweezers or your fingers as they will squeeze more poison into the wound, Pitcairn says. He advises using a dull knife, held perpendicular to the skin, to scrape across the sting. This will grab the stinger and pull it out.
Bleeding or swelling may not be immediately obvious with some wounds, especially with long-haired dogs, so be watchful for other symptoms of injury: swelling, sensitivity to touch, lethargy or irritability. An abscessed wound may respond to Hepar sulph if the animal has become chilly, irritable, and the abscess is very painful. Silicea will help heal an old abscess, especially when it is not very painful. For an acute problem, any potency of the remedy may be given.
Given internally, the homeopathic remedy Arnica montana is a good remedy for trauma, especially in cases of soft tissue injury such as bruising. The dog may not want you to touch the injury or, in extreme cases, to approach him. He may be restless and anxious. Arnica promotes circulation, which will help cleanse the injury and reduce the soreness.
Homeopathic Hypericum is characterized as the Arnica for nerve injuries. Paws that have been crushed, injuries from punctures, any injury to the nerves, especially paws, nails, coccyx, gums, respond to Hypericum. If the spine is very sensitive to the touch or the slightest motion of the legs or neck causes the dog to cry out, administer Hypericum.
Poisoning and Allergic Reactions in Dogs
Many dogs are compulsive taste-testers. They’ll lick or eat almost anything – dead or alive. They can also lick substances off their coats and feet. Symptoms of poisoning include severe vomiting, diarrhea, delirium, convulsions, coughing, and abdominal pain. Although the source of the poison might be visible or some might still be adhered to his fur, there’s a chance you won’t know what your dog ingested. In this case, it’s best not to induce vomiting. Some chemicals, especially acids, do more damage on their way back out of the esophagus. And you definitely shouldn’t induce vomiting if your dog is unconscious.
Call your vet or the Animal Poison Control Center for a treatment recommendation. If you know what substance the dog ate, and the experts tell you that you should induce vomiting, you can use a teaspoon of syrup of ipecac or a tablespoon of a hydrogen peroxide and water solution at a 1:1 ratio.
If your dog seems lethargic or is staggering, check for signs of an insect bite: swelling and/or reddened skin. Some dogs may develop hives in reaction to insect bites. Homeopathic Apis or Ledum can reduce the swelling, itching, pain, and redness of this kind of allergic reaction.
Preventing Injuries is Even Better
Of course, keeping your dog under close supervision is the key to preventing injuries. But some holistic veterinarians go one step further. They say that raising and keeping dogs in a healthy, non-toxic environment is the best way to protect them against injury. “Animals that are treated holistically, fed a raw food diet, are vaccinated very little, and are as healthy as possible, will recover more quickly from any accident, trauma, or poisoning,” says Christina Chambreau, a Maryland veterinarian who uses homeopathy extensively in her practice.
So, keep your eye on your dog, keep him healthy, and stay prepared.
Karen Director is a freelance writer from Tollhouse, CA, and is in the process of adopting a canine companion.
Thanks to Christina Chambreau, DVM, for her help with this article. Chambreau, a veterinary homeopath, practices near Baltimore, MD.
Massage is a broad discipline that includes Swedish, Western, and sports massage techniques to name only a few. This series on canine massage will discuss several methodologies, but will begin by describing one of the basic Swedish massage movements and its physiological effects and benefits. Swedish massage has its origins in a system devised by Pehr Henrik Ling, a Swedish physiologist and gymnastics instructor who is considered the father of Swedish massage and also the father of physical therapy. Johann Mezger, a Dutch physician, promoted Swedish massage and is given credit for the French names of many of the movements. The five basic Swedish massage strokes are effleurage, petrissage, friction, tapotement, and vibration.
Effleurage (ef-flur-ahzh), the first massage movement we will consider, is probably the most frequently used of the Swedish massage strokes. It is a very basic and useful massage tool whether the intent is to relax, reduce stress, or rehabilitate. The name comes from the French word, effleurer, which means to “flow or glide” or “skim the surface.”
Physiological effects: Nourishing the tissues
Effluerage strokes have very positive effects on the body. A basic understanding of the working of the circulatory and lymph systems clarifies why effleurage is such a powerful tool.
Blood is pumped out of the heart in arteries, which, in general carry freshly oxygenated blood to the body tissues. The force of the pumping creates pressure in the arteries that helps move the blood through the vessels. The arteries branch into smaller and smaller vessels and eventually are reduced to tiny capillaries each with a diameter so small that the red blood cells must pass through in single file! It is from these capillaries that oxygen and nutrients can efficiently leave the blood stream to supply muscle, nerve, and other body cells.
After oxygen and nutrients have left the capillary network to nourish tissues, the tiny vessels pick up carbon dioxide and waste products such as lactic acid. The capillaries empty into venules, the smallest vessels in the system of veins that carry the blood back to the heart. The blood pressure in the veins is much reduced after passing through the capillary network. And the less muscular veins must rely on the contraction of surrounding skeletal muscles to literally squeeze the veins and push the blood along.
Veins have a series of valves that open as blood is forced through by the contracting skeletal muscles. Then the valves close to keep the blood from moving back in the wrong direction.
Interspersed in the capillary beds are the beginnings of tiny lymph vessels that play a major role in picking up excess fluid from between cells. These small vessels empty into larger and larger vessels that eventually dump their contents into veins, thus returning the materials to the circulatory system. Lymph vessels are similar to veins and have thin walls and a system of valves.
Go with the flow
Effleurage is always performed in the direction of the venous blood flow (toward the heart) to aid the movement of blood and lymph in the correct direction and to prevent damaging delicate vessel valves.
Varicose veins are simply veins in which valves have been damaged and cannot close tightly. Because the blood is not efficiently moved toward the heart, it pools, stretching the veins. Many veins lie very close to the surface and massage must be performed with this in mind. Effleurage against the direction of venous blood flow can potentially damage valves and create a similar problem.
This explains why effleurage of the limbs is performed from the knee toward the hip and from the toes toward the knee. This may feel unusual as hands move opposite to the direction that the dog’s hair grows, but it is important to maintain healthy vessels in the circulatory and lymph systems and to encourage the removal of wastes, toxins, and excess fluid from the region.
It is easy to see that even light to moderate pressure with effleurage warms the underlying tissues and can cause the arteries to dilate, increasing blood flow and bringing more oxygen and nutrients to the area. At the same time, moving in the direction of venous blood flow, the massage removes wastes and toxins and refreshes the tissues. Effleurage also helps dissipate swelling by promoting the movement of extracellular or interstitial fluid out of the region. In addition, effleurage has a soothing effect on the nervous system that facilitates relaxation and fosters a sense of well-being in the dog. So this Swedish massage stroke that appears so gentle, can in fact have very important health benefits.
An effleurage session
Before beginning any massage, it is important to consider why you will be massaging the dog. In other words, you need to establish your intent for the session. It may be to relax your canine friend, decrease stress, reduce swelling in some area, increase the range of motion in a specific joint or joints, or some other purpose. In any case, your overall intent should be to interact for the good of the animal. It is important to set the goal of the massage in your mind and to communicate your intent to the animal verbally or with positive images in your mind. After introducing yourself and establishing your intent, it is time to begin.
Effluerage resembles petting your dog and is sometimes referred to as petting with a purpose. Use an open hand or some part of it to glide over the surface of the coat, always moving toward the heart or in the direction of the venous blood flow (the blood returning to the heart).
The size of the dog or part of the dog you wish to address will determine the amount of contact you make with your hand. The entire palmar surface of the hand can be molded to fit the musculature of a large dog or even larger areas of a small dog. Smaller areas or smaller dogs may require that you effleurage with only one or a few fingers. Pressure should be light over thinly-muscled, bony areas such as the face, head, and legs, and moderate over large fleshy muscles.
The move can be performed with one or both hands. One-handed effleurage truly resembles a petting motion. Slowly glide one hand over the surface to be effleuraged. Your goal is generally to warm the tissues and increase circulation so movements should be slow and deliberate. Always keep the second hand in contact with the dog even if it is not actively being used in the massage stroke. This maintains a constant communication with the dog and keeps you aware of his body. For example, you immediately know if his muscles are relaxing or tensing.
Two-handed effleurage is performed by alternately stroking with one hand and then the other. As one hand is being lifted off of the dog, the second hand should be starting its stroke. Always have one hand in contact with the dog. The movements should be smooth and in a straight line. Obviously, two-handed effleurage is used most efficiently over larger areas.
Legged up
Special attention must be paid to the legs. Veins are very close to the surface and care must be taken to work with them and not against them. As noted above, you should always work in the direction of the venous blood flow. This means that the direction of the effleurage stroke is up the leg or from the toes toward the hip. One may effleurage the larger thigh muscles from knee to hip and the less fleshy part of the leg from toes to knee. When massaging from toe to knee, you may wish to lightly place one hand on either side of the leg and move up. The leg of a small dog can be encircled with fingers and thumb and effleuraged. Remember that the vessels are very near the surface, so use light pressure.
This is an excellent stroke to aid in reducing swelling in an elbow, knee, or hock, but remember to consult your veterinarian first for approval to massage a dog with a swollen joint. Never massage directly over a swollen region. Work below the swollen joint and above it with gentle effleurage. This will mechanically aid the veins and lymph vessels in the removal of excess waste materials and fluid from between the cells (interstitial fluid).
Effleurage is a powerful massage tool for puppies to seniors and all ages in between. Use it often to relax, promote a healthy coat and body, and to intensify the bond between you and your canine friend.
Author Sue Furman is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology at Colorado State University in Ft. Collins, CO. She is also active as a free-lance writer and teaches equine and canine massage classes. This article is adapted from material in her new book, Canine Massage, that will be available in spring 2000.
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