By Randy Kidd, DVM, PhD Compare the actions and functions of the musculoskeletal system to a finely tuned symphonic orchestra. Each and every instrument (each of the dozens of independent muscles in the dog) contributes to the whole. For one instrument to be heard above the rest, the sounds from other instruments must be softened – and for one set of muscles to flex or contract a joint, that joint’s muscles of extension must relax, and vice versa. The music of the muscles is this month’s stop on the Tour of the Dog. Anyone who loves the symphony knows that the individual instruments resonate or play off one another to create an apparent experience of one musical “organism.” This same resonance exists within an animal’s musculoskeletal kinesthetic system. (Kinesthesia is the sense by which movement, weight, position, etc., are perceived; commonly used to refer specifically to the perception of changes in the angles of the joints.) Thanks to his constant kinesthetic feedback mechanism, a healthy dog automatically knows where his legs are, and his nervous system tells him exactly where to place each foot as he travels down the road. But enough of this analogy; let’s see how the real muscle tissues work (and don’t work) in our canine friends. And, let’s see if there are some ways we can help keep our dogs’ muscles fit, to keep them from becoming soft and under-productive. Note: The musculoskeletal system is generally considered as one unified system because that’s the way it operates. The musculoskeletal system includes bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and the biochemicals and nutrients that are required to energize and move the system. The system’s functions include propelling the dog from one site to another, providing architectural stability, and the protection of internal organ systems. In this article we will stick with the muscular portion of the system, and cover bones and joints in later editions. Anatomy and physiology A single muscle fiber is a cylindrical, elongated cell, and may vary in length from very short (for example, the muscles controlling eye movement) to the length of a dog’s thigh (the sartorius muscle extends across the anterior thigh, wrapping around from the outer hip to below the inner knee, thus it is actually longer than the dog’s thigh). Between and within muscle cells is a complex latticework of connective tissue, resembling struts and crossbeams that help to maintain the integrity of the muscle during contractions and straining. Crossbeams within muscles can be seen using a microscope and are responsible for the muscles appearing “striated.” Other muscles in the body, such as those found in the intestine, bladder, and blood vessels, are non-striated. Cardiac muscles are striated, but they have a slightly different microscopic appearance from skeletal muscles. Organizationally, thousands of muscle fibers are wrapped by a thin layer of connective tissue (called the perimysium) to form a muscle bundle (or “fascicle”) that is surrounded by another sheath of connective tissue (the epimysium). Muscle bundles (which, when taken together, are named – the biceps for example) are joined at each end into tendons, which attach to bones. The muscles function by contracting across joints and using the joint as a fulcrum, causing movement. The contractile machinery of the muscle fiber is organized into structural units called sarcomeres, with several sarcomeres lining up to form into a contractile unit of myofibrils. Muscle length is determined by how many sarcomeres are lined up in series, one next to the other. Muscle thickness ultimately depends on how many sarcomeres line up in parallel (one on top of the other). The sarcomere structures consist of two important proteins, actin and myosin (comprising about 85 percent of the muscle cell’s volume); other proteins such as troponin and tropomyosin are also present. Today’s accepted theory for how muscles contract involves the action of actin and myosin sliding over each other, increasing the amount of overlap and thus shortening the length of the muscle cell. Muscle fibers can be excited into shortening by chemical, electrical, or physical means. Muscular activity requires energy input, and prolonged activity necessitates the oxygenated “burning” of metabolizable nutrients. Muscle cells contain an abundance of interconnected mitochondrial powerhouses, the organelles that contain the enzymes that utilize oxygen during exercise (via the conversion of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins to ATP). This entire network is supplied with zillions of capillaries – a cross section of one square inch of muscle contains 125,000 to 250,000 capillaries. Exercise is the vital component for improving overall muscular function. It enhances the efficiency of the mitochondrial power-packs (and over time increases their numbers), and increases the number of functional capillaries per square inch of muscle for better overall energy supply and enhanced waste product removal. Muscle fibers are innervated and activated by motor neurons. Each motor neuron activates, on average, some 600 muscle fibers. Large muscles may have as many as 2,000 fibers per motor unit; the tiny eye muscles may have only 10 or so fibers per motor unit. When stimulated, a motor unit will fire all the fibers it is in contact with, not just a few. In addition, there are several mechanisms that insure muscle-use efficiency by firing only those muscles needed for the task at hand and by using the more efficient, oxygen-consuming energy pathways whenever possible. Smaller muscles have fast-twitch fibers – muscle fibers that are activated early, require more energy to function, and thus tire faster. Larger muscles contain more slow-twitch fibers – more energy-efficient fibers that are recruited when a heavier load of work is required. As an animal continues to exercise, more and more slow-twitch fibers are recruited into action. Eventually even the larger muscles tire, and ultimately the dog becomes so tired he can go no farther. Anytime a dog moves he relies on all the systems working in healthy unison. Whenever dogs need to extend their activity range, they rely on their previous exercise history and their current nutrient status to provide them with healthy muscles. Exercise not only enlarges muscle mass by stacking muscle cells on top of one another, it increases the blood supply to the muscles, and it adds more mitochondria to the cells – thus enhancing cellular metabolism and function. If there is any one medicine especially made for muscles, it is exercise, liberally applied, several times daily. Diseases of the muscles There are several diseases that are muscular in origin, and several more that affect the muscles secondarily via the nervous system, nutrient deficiencies, and other sources. Following are some of the more important of these diseases. • Pain. While pain may not be a specific disease, it deserves a brief note here, especially since much of the pain animals contend with comes from the musculoskeletal system, and since many of our dog’s conditions of the muscular system involve nothing more than mild strains that cause variable amounts of pain. As prevalent as pain is, it is curious how little we really know about it in animals – most of what we think we know is conjectural or theoretical. One thing we do know, however, is that pain perception is a purely subjective phenomenon, whether we are talking about humans or other animals. An important concept to keep in mind is that, although pain perception appears to be quite constant across species, actual tolerance of a painful stimulus may vary widely even within a single species – that is, all of us (animal and human) have similar pain thresholds, but some individuals can tolerate a higher level of pain than others without showing clinical signs. Thus, one dog may scream and howl with nothing more than a pinched toe; another will seemingly have no pain after severe injuries that would leave most of us debilitated. From a practical standpoint, this means to me that I consider the treatment of pain an important component of anything that seems like it could cause pain, even if the animal isn’t showing obvious outward signs of experiencing pain. Mild pain relievers contained in herbal remedies, acupuncture, chiropractic, trigger point therapy, massage, and homeopathic remedies are my treatments of choice for pain. Western medicine relies on analgesic drugs (narcotics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories), but I’d just as soon avoid the adverse side effects seen with these. There are two basic kinds of pain, superficial and deep. Superficial pain or fast (first) pain can be described as pricking, bright, or sharp. Descriptors for deep or slow (second) pain include dullness, burning, aching, or throbbing. To get a sense for the two types of pain, consider how it feels when you cut yourself with a sharp knife. Initially you feel a sharp first or fast pain, and then a few seconds later you feel the throbbing, dull, slow, or second pain. The combination of pains is referred to as double pain and is common after tissue injury. Before you (or your dog) are able to feel any pain, pain receptors (nociceptors) in the affected organ or structure must first be stimulated above their thresholds. In both first (acute) and second (chronic) pain, a naturally occurring inflammatory process causes firing of the pain receptors. Pain mediators such as histamine, serotonin, and prostaglandins are released from various cellular structures during the course of the inflammatory process, and they cause the initiation and continuation of pain. Pain receptors found in joints, muscles, and tendons combine with proprioceptors (nerve bundles that detect the position of body structures) to help keep limbs and joints within a normal range of motion. If they detect pain or a joint that is approaching its normal limits of motion, the receptors fire and cause a tightening or loosening of the muscle masses that control the structure, thus preventing structural damage. If structural damage occurs, the pain receptors will fire and instigate the inflammatory process. Most (about 80 percent) of a joint’s protection comes from the stabilizing ability of the muscles and tendons; ligaments contribute only about 20 percent – yet another reason to keep your dog’s muscles in shape with exercise. • Hereditary conditions. There are several hereditary conditions that affect dogs’ muscles. Muscular dystrophy (MD) refers to a group of genetic disorders associated with a deficiency or dysfunction of the muscle protein, dystrophin. A primary interest in canine MD is its potential similarity to the human disease. The disease complex has been reported in several breeds of dogs; the one that has been best characterized is a sex-linked disease of Golden Retrievers. Muscular dystrophy’s major symptom is muscle wasting, and clinical signs in Goldens include generalized weakness, enlargement of the tongue, and difficulty eating. Most affected dogs die while still young, but some survive to three to five years of age, eventually dying from cardiac disease. Blood chemistries and muscle biopsies are necessary for accurate diagnosis. Scientists are currently working on “gene surgery” to repair the affected DNA segment of MD, and the technique seems to hold some promise for Goldens and potentially for humans. Myasthenia gravis is another disease that has been reported (rarely) in dogs as well as in humans. It occurs as both an acquired, autoimmune disorder and a congenital, familial one. The consistent symptom is severe fatigue that is relieved with rest and anticholinesterase therapy. It is thought that both the acquired and congenital forms are due to a diminished number of cholinesterase-responsive chemical receptors on the muscle cell walls (acetylcholine receptors). While the exact cause of the immune-mediated condition has not been defined, one can suspect the usual factors: excess use of corticosteroids, diminishing the immune capacity; vaccine-related; and excess exposure to toxins (especially suspect here would be pesticides). Treatment is challenging, and in Western medicine it would include the use of anticholinesterase drugs, followed up with corticosteroids or other immune-suppressors. Alternative therapies would ultimately attempt to enhance the balance of the immune system rather than trying to shut it down. Fibromyalgia (literally meaning pain in the muscles, ligaments, and tendons) is another complex of diseases seen in humans that has so far eluded attempts to define or treat it. Of interest for dogs is the fact that fibromyalgia’s symptoms – chronic fatigue, muscle and joint pain and stiffness, and cognitive dysfunction – are the same as those seen in some chronic cases of Lyme disease. In fact, Lyme disease may progress to a chronic multi-symptom form that appears much like fibromyalgia. What we ultimately learn about how to treat Lyme disease may thus be a good indicator for how we will eventually treat fibromyalgia in humans. Most treatments for fibromyalgia are geared toward improving the quality of sleep and reducing pain. Massage and trigger point therapy may be helpful. Interestingly, fibromyalgia in humans is one of many diseases that responds very well to canine therapy: fibromyalgia sufferers who have companion dogs seem to fare better – in terms of pain reduction, depression, and the ability to continue exercising – than those who go it alone. Other rare hereditary diseases affecting dogs include myotonia (a condition in which muscle contraction persists after stimulation), a number of disorders of glycogen metabolism that influence the metabolic processes within muscles, and several diseases of the muscles that are found in one or only a few breeds. Hypothyroidism has been associated with myopathy and neuropathy in humans, and there is some evidence it may also be a contributing factor in some dogs. Hyper-adrenocorticism (Cushings disease) is a rare disorder that may create a variety of clinical signs of muscular dysfunction that ultimately result in muscle weakness and/or stiffness. Myositis (inflammation of the muscles) Generalized inflammatory myopathy of dogs has been associated with toxoplasmosis, systemic lupus, and leptospirosis. Clinical signs include weakness, pain, fever, muscular atrophy, and stiffness. Almost all cases of myositis have an autoimmune component, and some can be diagnosed using immunological testing and/or muscle biopsy. A disease of juvenile Collies has been described that is characterized by concurrent dermatitis and myositis, symptoms that often wax and wane over time. There are several inflammatory conditions reported that affect the masticatory (jaw) muscles, collectively referred to as masticatory muscle myositis (MMM) or masticatory muscle disorders (MMD). Some of these involve an eosinophilic infiltrate, and most are thought to be immune-system related. The dog has difficulty opening his jaw, and as the disease progresses, eating becomes progressively more difficult, and the jaw muscles atrophy. Corticosteroids may be helpful, although symptoms tend to recur. Alternatively, acupuncture or homeopathy may be effective. Parasites of the muscles Sarcocystosis is an invasion of muscles and other soft tissues by protozoans of the genus Sarcocystis, a coccidia-like organism. The life cycle of the organism requires two hosts. Predator animals (dogs) are typically the final host; prey animals are the intermediate hosts where the organism forms cysts within the muscle mass. Dogs (and other predators) then pick up the cysts by eating infected meat; cattle (and other “prey” animals) are infected by sniffing predator feces. Most often the cysts are asymptomatic, but occasionally they become so numerous and large that they cause muscle soreness. In some animals the cysts become large enough that they can be seen as white spots scattered throughout the muscle tissues. There have been a few reports of serious illness and death in dogs (as the final host), associated with sarcocystosis, and under some rare conditions, dogs can become the secondary host with invasion of cysts into muscle tissues. However, the real significance of the disease is that one mode of transmission is via ingestion of raw, infected meat. Muscle tumors Primary skeletal muscle tumors can be benign (rhabdomyoma) or malignant (rhabdomyosarcoma). Tumors may also spread or metastasize secondarily from other tissues, and local tumors may invade adjacent muscles. Treatment is surgical incision, chemotherapy, or radiation, depending on the tumor type. Acupuncture or homeopathic remedies may be tried. Overexertion and everyday maladies The most commonly seen muscle problems are those that occur with the normal use and abuse that comes with daily living: sprains, strains, contusions, bruises, abrasions, lacerations, and infections extending from cuts and scrapes. But some cases of overuse can be serious, including: • Exertional myopathy (also known as Monday morning disease, rhabdomyolysis, or tying up), a disease that may produce muscle necrosis as a result of excess lactic acid buildup from overwork. • Malignant hyperthermia, a condition most frequently seen in heavily muscled dogs, typically after anesthesia and stress. • Severe muscular trauma that may cause muscular contraction and/or tendon rupture. Most of these conditions are limited to large or heavily muscled dogs or to working dogs such as racing greyhounds. Most of the everyday maladies, however, if they need any treatment at all, respond well to alternative therapies: herbal antiseptics and antibiotics, alternative pain relievers, simple massage, or just an easy walk to enhance healing blood flow through the affected areas. Remember that any strain of muscular tissues will cause the dog to compensate; four-legged animals compensate quite easily, quickly learning to walk on three legs. Whenever an animal alters his gait or posture, the compensation will extend into the spine, and a chiropractic adjustment will often be necessary to return the animal to normal function. Alternative medicines In my opinion, alternative medicines offer the perfect solution for most conditions of the musculoskeletal system – oftentimes creating more effective and longer-lasting healing than any Western medicine I ever tried. In fact, alternative medicines are so much better than Western medicines for most musculoskeletal problems I encounter, I almost always recommend them as my first and preferred treatment. Acupuncture is good for almost any condition of the musculoskeletal system, because it decreases pain, allowing for enhanced mobility, which often speeds healing; enhances the flow of energy through areas where a blockage of natural flow has occurred; and enhances the immune system (many causes of musculoskeletal disease are immune-related). Chiropractic is indicated for any condition that involves both the nerves and muscles. Almost all muscle and joint problems also involve input from nerves, thus I typically recommend the combination of acupuncture and chiropractic for any condition of the musculoskeletal system. Herbal remedies can be added to enhance healing, to decrease pain, and to help relax the animal. Many herbs also have very high levels of antioxidant activity, to help speed healing. Check with your herbalist for herbs to use, dosages, and methods of use. Homeopathic remedies are helpful, especially for pain. Arnica is the classic remedy for treating muscular pain and joint sprains. Rhus tox is good for what homeopaths call the “rusty gate” syndrome: sore muscles and joints that improve with movement. Bryonia alba may be beneficial for the animal that gets worse the longer he walks or exercises. Pain that comes from irritated or damaged nerve endings may respond to Hypericum, and Ruta graveoleus may work on deeper pain. Check with your homeopath for doses and dosage schedules. Nutrient therapy can be used to enhance the growth and healing of muscle tissue. A deficiency of vitamin E and selenium, for example, has been shown to cause muscle damage in some animals, and these and other antioxidant vitamins are excellent supplements for muscle health. Massage and physical therapy are vital in cases of muscular problems. Massage is the prescription for sore muscles, and physical therapy can be used to help return an ailing musculoskeletal system to normal function. There are literally dozens of different “schools” of massage, ranging from very light touch to deep massage of inner connective tissues. There are also scads of massage practitioners who work on animals at every level of proficiency – from those who have seen a video on animal massage to those who have completed several hundred hours of training; the quality of the massage is thus highly variable. Ask about the prospective practitioner’s training, and ask for references. (See “Lay Your Hands On Dogs” and “How to Select a Canine Massage Provider” in WDJ July 2004.) Physical therapy is often limited to animals recovering from surgery or severe injury, and should thus be a specific methodology aimed at the condition. Currently there are a few dozen people across the country who have studied physical therapy and are applying standardized techniques of the specialty to animals. Massage, on the other hand, is a technique all of us can use on a routine basis. Simply rub and enjoy. Your dog will let you know what feels good and which body parts are sore – go gently on the sore areas. If you want to learn more about massage, there are several good books and videos on the subject, or you can attend one of several schools devoted to animal massage. Finally, the best part about massage is that both the giver and the give benefit. Studies have shown that simply rubbing your pet slows both your and your pet’s heart and respiratory rates, enhances both your immune systems, and is whole-body calming for the two of you. Also With This Article Click here to view “The Healthy – Properly Functioning Canine Immune System” Click here to view “The Complete Healthy Dog Handbook Top #2” -Dr. Randy Kidd earned his DVM degree from Ohio State University and his PhD in Pathology/Clinical Pathology from Kansas State University. A past president of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, he’s author of Dr. Kidd’s Guide to Herbal Dog Care and Dr. Kidd’s Guide to Herbal Cat Care.
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On Vacation
Lots of people take vacations in the summer and I know, because I usually babysit their dogs when they leave! I enjoy having my friends and family members dogs come and stay, and of course, while they are here, I press the canine members of the family into service. They have to model for the magazine, eat the foods, treats, and chews that were reviewing, sleep on test beds, wear test collars and leashes, etc. Fun for me, and I hope, fun for them, too.
But as I write this (in mid-June) I’m about to leave for my own vacation the first two-week vacation I’ve taken in my adult life! This has required that I get this issue to the printer a little earlier than normal no small feat and arrange for a dog-sitter for my dog, Mokie.
On several occasions, Mokie has stayed for a night or two with my good friend and frequent model for the magazine, trainer Sandi Thompson of Sirius Puppy Training (seen in this issue, again!, modeling proper loose-leash training techniques). But for a dog-sitting duty of more than two weeks, you have to look to family.
So Mokie is going to my sister Pam’s house. Pam and her husband Dean have two Jack Russell Terrorists (er, Terriers), Patrick and Sophie. You’ve seen their pictures occasionally, usually when I needed a picture of a dog doing something naughty! These dogs don’t know the definition of the word sit, much less down, shush, or for crying out loud, OFF! But they completely adore my sister, who worships them, and they appear to love Dean, too. Does Dean love them? I think Dean really loves Pam, the dogs amuse him, and he’s an awfully good sport.
Mokie loves it at Aunt Pam’s house. They have a dog-door, a yard full of squirrels, and baskets full of toys, and they let the dogs sleep with them on and even in the bed, which Mokie loves to do. Plus, there is a lot of delicious food there (Pam is a chef), and it is shared so freely with dogs that all a dog has to do is make a little whimper and voila! Bits of steak or something equally delectable fly into that dog’s mouth! Those dogs have trained Pam well. I’ve had Mokie on a little diet getting him ready for the weight he’s sure to gain on his vacation. He’s going to have a blast, and so am I!
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Top products?
Don’t forget that we are still looking for extra- cool dog care or training products to feature in our year-end Gear of the Year showcase. We need plenty of time to order and test these products ourselves (plus we’re always working a couple of months ahead of the cover date), so get some information about your favorites to us as soon as possible! You can mail your suggestions to the editorial office address, or e-mail them to WDJTopProducts@aol.com. Please include some clues about how we can find the product: its manufacturer’s name and location, for example, and/or the name and location of the place you found it. And, yes, if you have a picture of your dog enjoying the product, we’d love to have that, too!
I’m most looking forward to coming home from my vacation to test one product that I had only a tantalizingly short experience with a couple of years ago. For the scoop, check out Letters in this month’s issue. Ciao!
-Nancy Kerns
Your Dog’s Pet Peeves
Eavesdrop on a group of dog owners discussing their dogs, and along with a lot of brags about newly trained behaviors and hard-won trophies and titles, you’re likely to hear a fair number of complaints about the annoying things their canine companions do. Well guess what? If you could eavesdrop on a pack of dogs at the dog park, you might well hear a litany of things that humans do to annoy their dogs!
Of course, dogs can’t talk, and aside from a few animal psychics we can’t claim to really know what they’re thinking, but we can make some pretty good guesses. If we could take a survey, compile the results, and list our dogs’ top five pet peeves, I’m guessing here’s what they might tell us:
1.) They treat me like a monkey!
Dogs are canids; humans are primates. Our two species have hardwired behaviors that make us what and who we are. The physical differences are obvious – dogs have fur and tails, and walk on four legs. We are naked and tailless, walk on two legs, and have opposable thumbs.
The behavioral differences aren’t always as noticeable, but they are well-documented. To their credit, dogs are far better at observing, analyzing, and manipulating the behavior of humans than most humans are of dogs. For example, current thinking about the history of the dog-human relationship now holds that rather than humans deliberately domesticating dogs, it’s more likely that dogs adopted humans, recognizing early man’s leavings as a reliable source of food, with the boldest and tamest members of the dog packs self-selecting for ever-bolder-and-tamer genes in their pups. Eventually, Dog was sleeping at the hearth of Man.
Still, they are dogs, not furry, four-legged humans, and as dogs, they have an inherited package of social behaviors that differs significantly from ours. We approach other humans head-on, make direct eye contact, and reach out to shake hands, hug, and kiss. Dogs generally approach each other from the side, avoid direct eye contact unless they intend to challenge, and if one dog puts a paw “around” another, it’s probably an aggressive move (unless done in mutually agreeable play).
Yet we insist on imposing our primate greetings on dogs. Not just on our dogs, who might reasonably be expected to tolerate rude behavior from their own humans, but even on strange dogs we encounter. Watch any random group of humans greet dogs that they don’t know. From very young children all the way to senior citizens, the majority will try to pat dogs on top of the head, gaze meaningfully into their eyes, even hug and kiss them.
Even those of us who know better do this! I hug and kiss our dogs, especially Dubhy, the Scotty, who is most tolerant of my monkey-ness. I can’t help it – he’s so huggable! He puts up with my attentions in exchange for the pleasure of lying on his back in my lap and getting a tummy rub, which he adores. I used classical conditioning – associating the joy of tummy rubbing with the less desirable hugging – to get him to accept, perhaps even enjoy, human arms around his fuzzy body and human lips on the top of his head and the tip of his nose. I’m much more careful to use appropriate greetings with dogs I don’t know, however!
You have a couple of options if you want to avoid annoying dogs with primate social behaviors. With strange dogs, your best bet is to avoid direct eye contact, offer a hand slowly, palm up, and reach under the chin to scratch rather than over the head to pat, kneel to greet rather than bending over from the waist, and DON’T HUG OR KISS! With your own dogs, you can either avoid egregiously primate behavior, or condition your dog to enjoy pats, hugs, and kisses by associating them with really good stuff – like tummy rubs, treats, ear scratches, toys, and play.
Remember, this is not just about greeting. If your dog barely suffers your head-pats, and you think you’re rewarding him for a desirable behavior by patting him on the head, think again – you could actually be punishing him, thereby decreasing the behavior rather than reinforcing it. Watch him the next time you reach to pat his head. Does he close his eyes blissfully and lean into your hand? If so, then he really likes it! But if he moves away, flattens his ears, ducks his head or otherwise looks less than joyful, it’s time to rethink your primate behaviors.
2.)They leave me alone too often!
Canids and primates are both social species; it’s one of the reasons we get along with each other as well as we do. In addition to the need for food, water, and some amount of shelter from the elements, we share an inborn need for close and regular interaction with others from our social group.
My husband and I moved to Maryland from a state whose culture held the common view that dogs belong in the backyard, preferably in a pen. My husband, who was director of the city animal services division, was taken aback by the number of calls he got from owners asking for help catching their own dogs. In each case, the dog had escaped from his pen and, although still in a fenced yard, could not be recaptured by the owner. Paul finally asked one caller why he even had a dog, if all he did was keep it in a pen in the yard. The owner answered, “I just like looking out the window and seeing him there.”
Keeping a dog in a pen 24/7 falls woefully short of meeting a dog’s needs for mental and physical stimulation. I doubt there are many WDJ readers who would consider a pen in a yard to be an adequate environment for a canine companion. Still, I would bet that many otherwise responsible dog guardians fall somewhat short of meetings their dogs’ needs. If your dog is crated at night and lies around on his foam dog bed all day waiting for you to come home from work, you’d best be setting aside some quality morning and evening time for Rover.
An on-leash walk around the block is an exercise hors d’oeurve for many dogs. Barring physical infirmity or other frailty, every dog deserves a good aerobic workout – if not every day, at least every other day. If you don’t feel like a hike in the hills with your dog frolicking on a long-line, or off leash with a solid recall, at least give him a good round of Frisbee or tennis ball in the backyard on a reliably frequent basis. Not only will he be healthier, but it will help with behavior problems as well. A tired dog is a well-behaved dog.
While you’re at it, don’t forget mental exercise. When’s the last time you and Rover learned something new together? Maybe it’s time the two of you signed up for a class on freestyle or rally obedience. Other brainteasers? Find a good book on teaching tricks, or a copy of the “My Dog Can Do That” board game, and start having more fun with your dog while challenging canine and human brain cells.
Next time your dog brings you his leash or a toy, and says he wants to go for a walk or play with you, don’t dismiss him in annoyance and promise him a walk on the weekend. If you just want something to look at, get a picture of a dog and hang it on your wall. Life is short – play now!
3.) They ignore me when I’m good!
Dogs may not be able to articulate the principles of operant conditioning, but they understand them perfectly – especially the part about “Behaviors that are reinforced will increase.” The flip side of that says, “Behaviors that are not reinforced will decrease and eventually extinguish.”
We are a busy culture. We tend to ignore our dogs when they are behaving themselves, and pay attention when they are being difficult. By doing so, in essence we are punishing appropriate behaviors, and reinforcing inappropriate behaviors. That’s backward!
Dogs must find it frustrating when they perform a beautifully appropriate and rewardable behavior (such as sitting to greet you) and you are oblivious.
“Hey!” your dog thinks. “I’m sitting! Don’t I get a Click! and treat? Or at least a word of praise and a scratch behind the ear?” Preoccupied with planning dinner, or tomorrow’s budget meeting, you walk right past your sitting dog.
“’Scuse me,” your dog says as he puts his paws up on your $400 business suit and snags a thread. “Aren’t you supposed to reward me for sitting to greet you?”
“Not now, Rover!” you snap as you push him away.
“Well,” he sighs, “at least she spoke to me and touched me. I’ll have to try jumping up again next time.”
It’s easy to forget to pay attention to good behavior. You’re busy on your computer keyboard, and he’s sleeping quietly in the corner. He’s finally calm, and you don’t want to rile him up again. Just quietly croon to him, “Goooooood boy,” in a low voice. Or lean over and gently drop a treat in front of his nose. Make a pledge to notice (and reinforce) your dog’s good behavior at least three times a day. You’ll be surprised how easy it really is.
4.) Humans are so inconsistent!
Dogs don’t understand special occasions, or “just this once.” They do best with structure and consistency. If you let your dog up on the sofa today, don’t be surprised if he jumps up and makes himself at home tomorrow while you’re off at work. The best-behaved dogs are generally those who live in structured, consistent environments – where they can learn early on what works, and what doesn’t.
The best way to avoid confusing your dog with a lack of consistency is to set clear house rules and make sure the whole family follows them. Some of the things you may want to address in your family “Dog Rules” meeting might include:
• Is the dog allowed on any furniture? Some furniture? All furniture?
• Where will the dog sleep? In a crate? On someone’s bed? In whose room?
• When and where is he fed? Who is responsible for making sure he gets fed?
• Where is his bathroom? In the backyard? Anywhere in the yard, or in a designated spot? Who is his bathroom monitor?
• Who will train him? One person? The whole family? How do we make sure everyone is using the same training methods, philosophies, and cues?
• What games are okay to play? What are the “rules” of the games?
• What do we do about undesirable behavior? What if we “catch” him having an accident in the house? What if he tries to nip? What if he barks too much? What if he chews something? What if he chases the cat?
• Who will walk him? Exercise him?
Keep notes at the meeting, and write up the results. Post a list on the refrigerator of agreed-upon rules so everyone can remember to be consistent with the dog. If something isn’t working, discuss it and modify rules as needed.
Then remember that every time you are with your dog, you are training him. Make mental notes of behaviors he does that you like, and figure out how to consistently reinforce those. Make note of those you don’t like, and devise a plan to manage the behaviors so he can’t get rewarded for them. When he tries, divert him to a more acceptable, incompatible behavior. For example, if he jumps up, consistently reinforce sitting instead – he can’t jump up and sit at the same time.
The more consistent you can be with your reinforcements and your management, the sooner your dog’s world will make sense to him and the easier life will be for you both.
5.) Humans’ expectations are so unreasonable!
Imagine how upsetting it would be if your spouse announced one day that you were going to be his training partner for preparing to run the Boston Marathon – and you have bad knees and asthma. It’s not any different than if you decided you wanted your English Bulldog to start training for competitive agility – especially if his favorite activity is napping with you on your recliner. Certainly, a Bulldog could have fun doing agility, but if you expect him to outrun Border Collies, you’ll both end up upset and frustrated.
Your relationship with your dog will be much more rewarding for the two of you if you know and understand your dog’s talents and limitations, and work with them. If you have a Beagle or a Bloodhound, rather than being annoyed that his nose is always on the ground, get excited about a future in tracking. Maybe you can do Search and Rescue together, or develop a new career finding missing pets! If your Australian Kelpie drives you crazy chasing things that move, don’t lose your cool over your herding fool – get yourself a flock of sheep or Indian Runner ducks for her to round up and give her a meaningful job to do. Compatible cats may do, in a pinch.
Your Pomeranian may never win the Iditarod, but he could be a lovely freestyle partner, or the “size” dog on a flyball team. Be open to whatever gifts your dog has to share with you, and let them guide you to activities that you can find mutually rewarding. As Leslie Nelson, noted author and trainer, said at the 2004 Association of Pet Dog Trainers conference, “Appreciate (and love) the dog you have, not the one you wish you had.”
If you are successful at fixing the things you do to annoy your dog, you may be pleasantly surprised to find that he does fewer things to annoy you as well. Then, the next time you’re standing around with a group of dog owners who are complaining about their dog’s annoying behaviors, you’ll happily have nothing to contribute. Wouldn’t that be nice?
Savvy Salves for Dogs
Making Herbal Salves for Dogs: Overview
1. Below, learn how to make your own herb-infused oils and salves for fast, effective first-aid or protective treatments.
2. Shop for organic, cold-pressed seed or nut oils that are fresh, not rancid. Refrigerate for maximum shelf life.
3. Use carrier oils to protect wounds, speed healing, and improve skin and coat.
4. Combine carrier oils with essential oils to provide your dog with aromatherapy.
Whenever you’re blending a massage oil for your dog, diluting an essential oil, making a salve, or simply looking for ways to speed the healing of wounds or abrasions, reach for the right carrier oil.
Also called fixed oils or base oils, carrier oils literally carry or deliver essential oils or herbal ingredients where needed. Most are vegetable oils pressed from fruits, seeds, or nuts, and they contain important healing properties of their own.
The carrier oils recommended here are appropriate for use on dogs of all ages (and on humans, from infants to elders).
Any vegetable oil will work as a carrier oil, including the cheapest cooking oils in your supermarket. Those oils, usually corn or soy, will dilute essential oils, moisturize, soften the skin, and provide a layer of protection, but they are avoided by most holistic practitioners because they contain solvent and pesticide residues. In addition, because unsaturated fats deteriorate rapidly, supermarket cooking oils are highly refined to retard spoilage, which changes their chemical composition and removes nutrients. For best results, shop local health food stores or online sources for organic oils. Check for rancidity; don’t use any vegetable oil that smells “off” or spoiled.
Carrier Oils for Herbal Remedies
The three types of carrier oils are basic, additive, and infused or macerated.
Basic carrier oils can be used by themselves or with essential oils for body massage and to moisturize and protect the skin. They tend to be pale or colorless, light rather than thick, and usually have little, if any, odor.
Additive carrier oils are heavier, more expensive, thicker, and often have a pronounced odor. Most are diluted with basic oils for topical application or used full-strength on small areas.
Infused or macerated carrier oils result when plant material is added to a basic oil (usually olive or sunflower) and gently heated, then strained. The plant’s oil-soluble compounds are transferred to the carrier oil, increasing its therapeutic qualities.
A favorite infused oil is calendula, made with fresh or dried blossoms of the European marigold, Calendula officinalis. Calendula is famous for its treatment of broken veins, varicose veins, bruises, burns, inflammation, skin lesions, and other skin problems. The retail price of four fluid ounces of organic calendula carrier oil ranges from $9 to $20, but you can make your own at a fraction of that cost.
St. John’s wort blossoms (Hypericum perforatum), which produce a deep red macerated oil, and comfrey leaves (Symphytum officinale), which produce a green oil, are prized for their ability to stimulate rapid wound healing, speed recovery from burns, reduce inflammation, repair nerve tissue damage, and heal the skin. These herb-infused oils are often combined with calendula oil for use as a stand-alone oil, as a carrier for essential oils, or as a salve.
However you create them, infused oils can be applied to a dog’s cuts, wounds, burns, or abrasions, or to dry, cracked skin on the nose or paw pads. Any essential oil can be added to infused carrier oils for therapeutic purposes, usually at the rate of three to five drops essential oil per teaspoon of carrier oil, or 10 to 15 drops per tablespoon.
Occasionally, carrier oils are used to dilute essential oils that are taken orally. All of the basic oils listed here are safe for a dog to lick, especially if from organic sources. However, try to keep your dog from licking salves and oils off as soon as they are applied. If the problem is a cut or wound that threatens to become a lick granuloma, more serious preventive measures, such as an Elizabethan collar, may be needed. For optimal healing, wounds should be treated, then left undisturbed for as long as possible.
Calendula Carrier Oil Recipe:
To make this infused or macerated oil, start with one quart or one liter of organic olive oil or a blend of olive and other oils, such as equal parts olive and jojoba, sunflower, safflower, or sweet almond oil, or use any basic oil or blend of oils.
If you have access to fresh calendula, which is easy to grow in sunny locations, infuse its orange or yellow blossoms just after picking. Bulk herb suppliers sell dried calendula, and some herb farms or herbal supply companies sell fresh blossoms in season.
In the top of a double boiler that has water in the lower pan, combine one quart oil and eight ounces (by weight) of fresh calendula blossoms or four ounces (by weight) of dried calendula. Cover the upper pan and bring the lower pan to a simmer.
Alternatively, loosely fill a glass canning jar with fresh or dried calendula blossoms, then fill the jar with oil to about an inch from the top. Wipe the rim to be sure it is clean and dry, then close the lid. Place the jar on a rack in a pot of hot water and bring the water to a slow simmer. For best results, use a pot large enough for water to surround the jar.
Or simply combine oil and blossoms in a ceramic slow cooker set to low heat. If making a small batch (less than one quart), use the “keep warm” setting and extend heating time.
Using any of these methods, let the blossoms infuse for four hours or longer. Check to be sure the oil doesn’t get hot enough to smoke or burn. The heat should be gentle. If using a double boiler or glass jar, replenish simmering water as needed. Infusing for 12 to 24 hours produces a deeper yellow/orange color. Turn heat off and let the oil stand until cool, then strain through cheesecloth. The oil will be clear and golden. Add the contents of a 400-IU liquid vitamin E capsule for each fluid ounce of oil (eight capsules per cup or 32 per quart) as a preservative.
To create a solar infusion, combine fresh or dried calendula with oil in a clean glass canning jar and leave it in hot summer sunlight as long as possible. A jar with a tightly sealed lid can be left outdoors for months, absorbing the sun’s energy. Many herbalists consider solar infusions superior to those made by other methods.
How to Make A Salve
Infused carrier oils, with or without the addition of essential oils, can be turned into salves for the treatment of wounds, skin cracks, abrasions, burns, and other injuries. Simply warm strained oil over gentle heat and add one to two ounces beeswax (available from beekeepers or herbal supply companies) to each cup of oil. Continue warming the oil until the beeswax melts.
Place a tablespoon of the salve in the freezer until it’s cool, then check the consistency. If it’s too hard, add more oil to your mix; if it’s too soft, add more beeswax. Aim for a salve that is thick but not solid. Soft salves are easy to apply without applying pressure to injuries. When the salve is perfect, pour it into small jars and label. If desired, add several drops of essential oil just before or after pouring into jars. The result will be a versatile, soothing, healing salve for human and canine use.
All About Basic Carrier Oils
All of the following can be used full-strength or combined with other oils. For best results, buy organic, cold-pressed, unrefined oils and check for spoilage before use. Most of these oils benefit from refrigeration. To use vitamin E as a natural preservative, add 400 IU liquid vitamin E to each fluid ounce of oil.
Some carrier oils and additives are especially well suited to specific conditions, helping you choose from what may seem like a bewildering assortment of possibilities. Other factors are availability and cost. Most health food stores carry several good-quality carrier oils, but their selection of special additives tends to be limited. Visit the Web sites or send for catalogs from our recommended resources (bottom of page) for additional information and recommendations.
• Almond oil (Prunus amygdalus). Also called sweet almond oil, this popular carrier oil contains protein, glucosides, minerals, and vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, and E. Almond oil is very pale yellow and has a subtle fragrance. Widely used as a massage oil because it lubricates and protects without being quickly absorbed, almond oil is recommended for skin conditions such as eczema, dryness, inflammation, muscle soreness, and itching. In addition, it helps heal burns.
• Apricot kernel oil (Prunus armeniaca). Rich in vitamin A, apricot kernel oil is pale yellow and has a light, pleasant texture. Appropriate for all skin conditions, it nourishes and helps heal sensitive, delicate, dry, inflamed, or aged skin.
• Coconut Oil (Cocos nucifera). There are three types of coconut oil: fractionated, refined (also labeled RBD, for refined, bleached, and deodorized), and virgin or unrefined.
Because fractionated and refined oils have been stripped of every possible contaminant, they have an unlimited shelf life and keep for years without refrigeration. They are also rich in lauric acid and contain saturated fats, making them more compatible with skin than most vegetable seed oils.
Fans of unrefined or virgin coconut oil consider this type superior because it contains more nutrients and is a more natural product. Unrefined coconut oils usually have a pronounced coconut fragrance, while refined and fractionated coconut oils are odorless. Unlike fractionated coconut oil, both RBD and unrefined coconut oils are solid at temperatures below 75° F, so in cold weather, they have to be warmed before application, or they can be blended with vegetable seed oils, which remain liquid.
• Emu oil. No, it’s not a vegetable oil, but emu oil (from the Australian birds that resemble ostriches) has become a popular treatment for muscle pain, sore joints, arthritis, eczema, psoriasis, hair loss, skin fungus, and other conditions. It works well as a massage oil and as a carrier oil for essential oils, has a mild fragrance, and is quickly absorbed.
• Grapeseed oil (Vitis vinifera). This colorless, odorless, light oil penetrates quickly, toning and tightening the skin. A gentle, non-greasy emollient.
• Hazelnut oil (Corylus avellana). Hazelnut oil contains protein, vitamins, minerals, oleic acid, and linoleic acid. Slightly astringent, it strengthens capillaries, stimulates circulation, and is quickly absorbed.
• Jojoba (Simmondsia californica). Technically a plant wax or ester, jojoba contains protein, minerals, and myristic acid. It closely resembles sebum, making it an excellent treatment for psoriasis, eczema, dermatitis, dandruff, and all skin and hair conditions. Jojoba is an antioxidant, which helps preserve other carrier oils in blends. It never goes rancid and does not require refrigeration.
• Olive oil (Olea europaea). The world’s most widely used carrier oil, olive oil is green in color and contains protein, minerals, and vitamins. It’s been used for thousands of years for skin and hair care, as a massage oil for rheumatic joints, and to soothe and heal wounds. But olive oil has a pronounced fragrance, and the less refined and more natural the oil, the more it smells like olives, enough to overwhelm all but the most strongly scented essential oils.
Herbalists often use olive oil to prepare herbal oil infusions (macerated oils) that are used as lotions or thickened to make salves. Olive oil is useful for all skin and hair conditions, as well as bruises, sprains, and joint inflammation.
Use it full-strength or in any dilution. Unlike most vegetable oils, olive oil does not require refrigeration or the addition of antioxidants to retard rancidity.
Squalene is a moisturizer extracted from olive oil. It is also a natural component of young skin, and its decline after adolescence contributes to the aging process. Clear and colorless, squalene looks like water. Because it both moisturizes the skin and creates a barrier that seals in moisture, squalene is an ideal ingredient for blends that treat chapped, dry, or scaly skin, eczema, or contact dermatitis. Some aromatherapy supply companies sell squalene.
• Safflower oil (Carthamus tinctorius). High in linoleic acid, protein, vitamins, and minerals, safflower oil is very light and odorless. It’s useful for all skin types and helps relieve the inflammation of painful sprains, bruises, and painful joints.
• Sesame oil (Sesamum indicum). Thick and with a strong fragrance (even stronger if you buy toasted sesame oil), this seed oil contains vitamin E, minerals, proteins, lecithin, and amino acids. It’s an effective treatment for psoriasis, eczema, rheumatism, and arthritis, and it softens the skin.
• Soy oil (Gllycine soja). Soybean oil is the most widely used vegetable oil in America’s food supply, but almost all of it is solvent-extracted from pesticide-treated plants that are genetically engineered. The exceptions are sold in health food stores and by some aromatherapy supply companies. A light oil with a mild scent, organic soy oil is suitable for all skin types.
• Sunflower oil (Helianthus annuus). High in unsaturated fatty acids and containing vitamins A, B, D, and E plus minerals, lecithin, and inulin, sunflower oil has a light texture and is easily absorbed. Beneficial for all skin types, sunflower oil is used to treat leg ulcers and skin disease, bruises, diaper rash, and cradle cap.
Not Recommended for Use As Carrier Oil:
• Mineral oil, a petrochemical by-product used in most baby oils, is not recommended for pet use or for aromatherapy. Mineral oil is a harsh laxative when taken internally (or licked and swallowed), and its large molecules interfere with the absorption of essential oils.
Add These Oils to Your Salve:
You can blend some of these with your carrier oil for added benefits. Most aromatherapists recommend that additives like those listed below make up no more than 10 to 15 percent of the carrier oil blend because of their expense, because some of them can irritate the skin or eyes when used in large quantities, or because of their consistency. All of the additive oils work very well in blends.
• Avocado oil (Persea spp.). Dark green, thick, and heavy, avocado oil is pressed from the fruit of the avocado and contains protein, vitamins, lecithin, and fatty acids. It is recommended for all skin types, especially dry, dehydrated skin, and it is often used in blends that treat eczema. Use up to 10 percent in a carrier oil blend.
• Black currant seed oil (Ribes nigrum). High in gamma linolenic acids, black currant seed oil is similar to evening primrose and borage seed oils. Use up to 10 percent in a carrier oil blend.
• Borage seed oil (Borago officinalis). Best known as a nutritional supplement for menopausal problems and heart disease, borage seed oil contains gamma linolenic acid (GLA), vitamins, and minerals. This pale yellow oil is an effective treatment for psoriasis, eczema, and aging skin. Deeply penetrating, it stimulates skin cell activity and regeneration. Use up to 10 percent in a carrier oil blend.
• Calophyllum or tamanu oil (Calophyllum inophyllum). Pressed from the fruit and seed of the tamanu tree of India and Polynesia, calophyllum oil is thick, rich, and delicately nutty or spicy. It is also one of the most prized oils for healing wounds, burns, rashes, insect bites, broken capillaries, skin cracks, eczema, psoriasis, and other skin conditions. This oil can be used full-strength but usually makes up 25 to 50 percent of carrier oil blends.
• Evening primrose oil (Oenothera biennis). Like black currant and borage seed oils, evening primrose oil is a rich source of gamma linolenic acid as well as vitamins and minerals. As a food supplement, it’s used to treat premenstrual tension, multiple sclerosis, and symptoms of menopause. As a topical oil, it treats psoriasis and eczema and speeds the healing of wounds. Use up to 10 percent in a carrier oil blend.
• Flax seed oil (Linum usitatissimum). Flax seed oil is high in essential fatty acids, vitamin E, and minerals. Although usually sold as a nutritional supplement, its topical application benefits skin, speeds wound-healing, prevents scarring, and treats eczema and psoriasis. Use 10 to 50 percent in a carrier oil blend. This is a fragile oil, so freshness and refrigeration are important.
• Kukui nut oil (Aleurites moluccana). This rapidly absorbed nut oil is high in linoleic and oleic acids, soothing skin irritations, burns, and lesions. In addition to leaving dry, rough skin feeling soft and smooth, kukui nut is said to prevent scarring when applied to wounds or abrasions. Use 5 to 10 percent in a carrier oil blend.
• Rose hip seed oil (Rosa mosquette, R. rubiginosa). Pressed from the seeds of wild roses that grow in the Andes Mountains, rose hip seed oil is reddish orange in color and rich in nutrients that regenerate damaged skin, reduce scar tissue, and help heal wounds, burns, and eczema. Use full-strength on wounds or scars; add up to 25 percent to carrier oil blends. Spoils easily; check for rancidity.
• Shea butter.Unrefined, this nut butter can be brown and smelly, but most refined shea butter is processed with hexane, which herbalists and aromatherapists try to avoid. Look for filtered shea butter (solid at room temperature), as this is a rich emollient that thickens carrier oils. Use up to 10 percent in oil blends, more in salves.
Recommended Resources for Using Aromatherapy on Dogs
Holistic Aromatherapy for Animals: A Comprehensive Guide to the Use of Essential Oils and Hydrosols with Animals by Kristen Leigh Bell (Findhorn Press, 2002).
Auroma USA, Wheaton, IL. Carrier oils.
Boston Jojoba, Boston, MA. Jojoba oil.
Florapathics Organic Living, Houston, TX. Carrier oils.
Jaffe Brothers, Valley Center, CA. Carrier oils.
Jean’s Greens, Schodack, NY. Herb-infused carrier oils, bulk herbs.
Mountain Rose Herbs, Eugene, OR. Herb-infused oils, carrier oils, herbs.
Nature’s Gift, Madison, TN. Online orders preferred. Carrier oils.
Simplers Botanicals, Sebastopol, CA. Herb-infused oils.
SunRose Aromatics, Bronx, NY. Carrier oils.
Shopping for Nutritional Supplements For Your Dog
By Shannon Wilkinson
Every two weeks I faithfully fill the pill organizers for my Boxer, Tyler. He receives a number of supplements, some for general nutrition and well-being, and some specific to his particular health challenges, including Addison’s disease.
I’m not the only one performing this ritual. According to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association, about nine percent of all dogs receive vitamins regularly; perhaps an even greater percentage of WDJ readers give supplements to their canine companions.
The pet supplement market has erupted into a billion-dollar industry – yes, that’s billion with a B. There is a dizzying array of pet specific supplements available in stores, catalogs, and online, and the choices are growing all of the time. While this means there are more options available for your dog, it also means that you may have a more difficult time making the right choice.
“This is a buyer-beware industry,” says Bill Bookout, president of the National Animal Supplement Council, based in Valley Center, California. Bookout cautions, “There are responsible producers and there are opportunistic suppliers, and there’s no easy way to tell the difference.”
The National Animal Supplement Council, formed in 2001, is attempting to help consumers identify which manufacturers are the responsible ones. The NASC’s mission is to ensure the continued availability of animal supplements and to standardize quality in the industry.
To that end, the group has established quality guidelines for supplement manufacturers and has created a seal for manufacturers to include on their labels and marketing materials to signal to consumers that the company and its products meet those guidelines. The NASC’s guidelines were developed with help and input from members of the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine and Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).
When choosing products for your dog, the NASC is a good place to start. “With a very few exceptions, I would avoid companies that are not members of the NASC,” advises holistic veterinarian Susan Wynn, of Acworth, Georgia. She adds, “You know these companies care about elevating the standards of the industry, doing the right thing regarding adverse events, good manufacturing practices, etc.”
Paying the annual dues doesn’t guarantee a company membership in the NASC. In fact, Bookout says that some companies have been asked to leave the organization for failure to comply with its standards. The self-regulating organization has a number of stringent requirements for its members, including:
1. The company must have a quality manual in place that provides written standard operating procedures for production process control.
2. The company must have an adverse event reporting/complaint system in place to continually monitor and evaluate products, and must report monthly to the NASC any adverse events, or confirm that there were no adverse events to report.
3. The company must follow proper label guidelines for all products, avoiding the use of statements that suggest that the product diagnoses, treats, prevents, or cures any disease.
4. The company must include any specific warning and cautionary statements recommended by the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine and the NASC Scientific Advisory Committee, or any other recommendations made by the NASC Scientific Advisory Committee.
5. A company representative must attend at least one NASC meeting annually to stay abreast of industry developments.
Choose animal-specific products when available
Experts agree, the best choice for your dog is a supplement formulated specifically for dogs. “In my opinion, owners should only use animal products. These products have the correct dose listed on the label and the manufacturer bears some responsibility if something happens related to administration of the product,” says Dr. Wynn.
Bookout adds, “Animal products are formulated for animal metabolisms by people who know animals.” In addition to his position in the NASC, Bookout is the founder and president of Genesis Ltd., maker of supplements for cats and dogs under the Resources brand name.
Joan Holden and her husband Frank started making supplements specifically for animals more than 10 years ago, when there weren’t many options on the market. “We tried to use people products for our Golden Retrievers, but the dosages were off, and we couldn’t find exactly what we were looking for,” she explains. The Holdens founded Merritt Naturals, which is now called Animal Essentials after its merger with herbal products developer Animals Apawthecary.
Quality ingredients
“Cheap products are cheap for a reason,” says Bookout. For example, active ingredients, such as chondroitin, are available in widely varying levels of purity; this affects the cost of the raw ingredient. While some ingredients are available for a good value, if a product is significantly less expensive than similar items, there is probably a good reason.
Conversely, higher cost doesn’t always translate to a better product. Companies have different marketing and advertising costs, as well as distribution systems, such as only through veterinarians or specific retailers, all of which may increase or decrease the price. One way to understand the real value of a product is to compare the active ingredients per dose.
Animal Essentials uses only human-grade ingredients in its products, choosing organic and natural options when available. “We don’t add any sugars, fillers, or preservatives, nothing to entice [dogs] to eat the products,” says Holden. She adds, “If you need your dictionary to know what an ingredient is, it’s probably not necessary.”
There are a number of common inert ingredients that are used to help form the active ingredients into the proper form or consistency, such as a tablet or capsule. Called excipients, these ingredients are generally considered to be safe. However, they may be the hidden cause of allergic reactions. For example, the gelatin used to make a capsule could cause a reaction in an animal highly allergic to beef. For this reason, it may be best for some animals to choose products with the fewest ingredients possible, in a natural form, such as a powder.
Clear information on labels
The label should be clear and easy to read. It should contain a complete listing of ingredients, including the active as well as the inactive, or inert, ingredients. It should also say how much of each active ingredient is in each unit or dose, whether it’s a scoop, tablet, or dropper. This information will help you ensure that your dog will get a therapeutic dose of the active ingredient in an easy-to-administer amount. It also allows you to compare different products with similar ingredients.
Also, look for an expiration date and a lot number on the package. “A lot number shows the company is tracking the product and has an eye toward quality. If there’s a problem, without a lot number, the company can’t do a recall,” explains Bookout.
Reputable companies
Contact information should be easily found on the label. If the company isn’t a member of NASC, visit the company’s Web site. Call the company and ask about its quality program, who formulated its products, and what customer support the company provides.
Avoid overzealous marketers and products that promise miracles. Manufacturers of supplements are not allowed to make claims about a product’s ability to treat or cure disease. However, statements regarding how the supplement can impact structure or function of the body are acceptable. For example, a glucosamine/chondroitin supplement can say that it contributes to healthy joints, but it cannot say that it cures osteoarthritis.
-Shannon Wilkinson is a freelance writer, life coach, and TTouch practitioner in Portland, OR. She remembers to give her dog and cats their supplements every day, but rarely remembers to take her own vitamins.
What Would You Do?
What do you do, what do you say? When you’re out in the world somewhere and you’re the token “dog person” and you’re witness to a dog (or a dog owner) engaged in some behavior that so appalls you that you feel kind of guilty by association?
For example, a few weeks ago, I was enjoying an early breakfast with my husband at our favorite bagel shop. Into the restaurant and up to the takeout counter walks a lady with a large mixed-breed dog on a leash. The counter person, a shy young Asian girl, smiles uncomfortably at the health-code violation, but simply asks the woman what she would like – no doubt hoping it’s something she can hand to the woman quickly and get her out of there.
But the woman orders something complex, and then sits down at a table in the restaurant, prepared to wait – with the dog wandering around the table, sniffing for scraps.
My husband – not a dog lover – gives me a look. I look at him and make a face, and then look pointedly back at my newspaper. Out of the corner of my eye I see other diners exchange eye rolls and looks of distaste, but no one says anything to the lady with the dog.
Then the dog somehow slips his collar and comes trotting over to our table, where he dives underneath for a crust. His owner seems not the slightest bit distressed, but comes over and hauls him by the scruff out from under our table, apologizing, sort of, for the collar! My husband is looking very disgusted, but I bury my head in the paper, pretending I’m not seeing this. I can tell he’s on the verge of erupting.
Finally her order is ready and the woman goes to the register to pay. The counter girl reaches to hand over the food, and – the coup de grace – the dog jumps up on the counter with his front paws to reach for what he undoubtedly thought was a treat for him. The girl lets out an involuntary shriek . . . and my husband has had enough.
“Ma’am?” he barks. “Are you aware it’s illegal to have a dog in a restaurant? Not to mention rude? Not to mention you have no control over that dog?” Of course she’s aware of that! Before he says more she smirks with a fake smile and says, “Oh, gosh, thanks!” and walks out, leaving my husband fuming. “These are your people,” he says to me, as if I’m somehow responsible for all dog owners.
Am I?
I’ll admit I was being a chicken, hiding behind my paper and hoping the woman and her dog would go away. I had barely even started my coffee. But I know plenty of other people who would have gone over to the lady and asked her – politely or not – to take the dog outside. I have friends who probably would have offered to go outside and hold the dog’s leash (and tightened his collar!) while the lady paid for and picked up her order.
I’ve been thinking about it for a few weeks, and I think I erred in not saying or doing something. People like that lady – and people who don’t pick up their dogs’ poop, or allow their dogs to run up to and jump on people (with the famous cry of, “He’s nice! He won’t hurt you!”) – make all of us dog owners look bad. The next thing you know, the restaurant owners may ban dogs from their outdoor tables. But how do you effectively handle one of these inconsiderate people without being a jerk yourself? Ideas?
-Nancy Kerns
Puppy Training Classes Teach Self Control
by Caryl-Rose Pofcher
Hera is an nine-year-old spayed English Bulldog. Today I know to describe her as “reactive.” She has also been called aggressive, stubborn, willful, dominant, stupid, bad, and even conniving.
She is a “crossover dog,” meaning that we, her humans, started off using techniques that included jerking and pulling on her leash and collar, a choke collar, a prong collar, and even growling at her. Of course, we also used praise and some treats. Later, we “crossed over” to using only positive techniques and relied heavily on the clicker.
During the first four years of her life, when we used those earlier techniques, Hera became more reactive. She became faster to “launch” into a mindless fit of barking, growling, and pulling, more intense in her reactions. Although it was her reactivity to other dogs that we focused on, it wasn’t limited to dogs: roller bladers; skateboarders; bicycles; wheelbarrows; big trucks; buses; motorcycles; flags fluttering overhead; people walking past her with fluttery or dangly things like handbags, briefcases, long flowing skirts, or belts dangling from trench coats; an upstairs window opening as she walked past – and then there was the day she eyed an electric wheel chair! Squirrels weren’t safe from her attempts, nor was the occasional horse we’d see in parks or police horseback patrols.
I write this with a certain lightness of tone but make no mistake: Hera’s lunges were frightening. A Bulldog has muscle and strength, a low center of gravity, large chest, big head, big neck, and strong jaws with a large, tooth-filled mouth. She would lunge and snarl furiously. While engaged in these outbursts she displayed a glazed intensity that was frightening and potentially dangerous.
My husband, Billy, and I were the barely effective anchors at the end of her leash, preventing her from getting full speed and achieving her goals. Sometimes I would almost be knocked off my feet by her sudden sprint after something or other. On multiple occasions, in desperation, to stop being dragged forward, I hooked my arm around a parking meter or lamppost. My shoulder was wrenched many times. When in reactive mode, Hera, a 68-pound Bulldog, could and did pull me, a 115-pound woman, down the street almost at will. Those parking meters were part of my safety strategy!
Unlike the typical phlegmatic image of the bulldog, Hera is agile, fast, strong, and athletic. And highly reactive.
How did this happen?
We started a 12-week puppy training class when Hera was 10 weeks old (it actually lasted 15 weeks because of a few interruptions in the schedule). We were told Hera was skittish, timid, stubborn, and fearful and that we had to show her we were in charge and expose her to a lot of new things.
To demonstrate these pronouncements, the assistant instructor once picked up a large dictionary and briskly walked straight toward us. As she approached, Hera turned her side to the approaching human and sidestepped back a bit. The assistant dropped the book to the floor with a great “slam,” inches from Hera, who skittered back and pulled to move away further. We were told to prevent her from getting further away and to ignore her.
Hera didn’t recover from that startle; she never came forward to curiously sniff the offending object, but continued trying to get away until the instructor finally said we could walk away with her.
In retrospect, I believe this and other events helped our skittish puppy learn that the world was not safe and that we, her humans, did not protect her.
We were the “bad apple” in puppy class, told by the instructor that we needed a choke collar and had to teach Hera who was in charge before it was too late. “Too late” raised dire images in our minds but we dared not asked for clarification, afraid we’d be told our beloved puppy was going to be a vicious monster. We were told her neck was very strong and we had to yank very hard in order to communicate with her.
We worked harder and followed instructions; Hera became harder to control, more apt to lunge, and less and less attentive to us. So we tried harder.
Hera knew how to “sit” prior to class. I’d read a dog training book and learned to lure her into a sit with a treat held over her head and moved back toward her tail. It worked quickly and was a game that we both seemed to enjoy. She loved to do “sit,” sometimes earning a treat or piece of kibble for the act, always earning praise. I looked forward to the class teaching us how to get a “down” in a similar fashion.
It didn’t happen that way. In class, we were told to teach “sit” by pushing on her butt and pulling up on the leash while saying “Sit.” We said she already knew. We were told she would now learn a new way. We were told to push. We pushed. She resisted. By the end of the class, “sit” had gone to hell in a handbasket!
We tried to obey our instructors, but a lot of what we were told to do felt wrong and uncomfortable to us, and so we complied erratically. Not surprisingly, Hera’s behavior became worse.
Hera always seemed excited about class, pulling to get inside, winding up as soon as we’d drive into the parking lot. On the way home, she was increasingly hard to control, lunging and pulling at every dog, a leaf blowing across our path, or a sudden sound.
At home she was our dear puppy, the love of our lives. However, we were disappointed she never snuggled. She stayed close but shunned curling up with us. She was also face shy and didn’t like grooming.
Hera was 25 weeks old at the end of the class. She had gained a great deal of strength and we had started to worry. She got her “diploma” but we also got a “look” when it was handed to us. We knew we had failed.
The owners’ education begins
Over the next few months, I started reading about dog behavior and training. My husband was happy to leave it in my hands. He was the one who wanted a dog in the first place, but this wasn’t what either of us anticipated! I think he was relieved that I took on the project.
I talked with the owners of Hera’s parents and learned that her father was equally reactive and reactive to similar triggers. His owners described him as “energetic and interested in everything.” But when I got details, and later watched them walk him down a city street, I saw he was highly reactive to most of the same triggers as our girl. He spent most of his life on a prong collar, kept on a short leash.
Hera’s mother exhibited reactivity less often, perhaps because in general she was a more sluggish dog. Her owners described her as “feisty” but only if something got close enough. Ah yes, Mom had a hair trigger when something was within her range.
I saw that we were probably dealing with a combination of genetics and our own lack of understanding. I started to seriously educate myself, becoming more selective about techniques I would use and would not use. As you’ll see, this education lead me on a life path I’d never anticipated.
Trying “teenage” times
At adolescence, Hera’s troubling behaviors outside the house intensified. She had been “the cute Bulldog puppy” at the dog park, but she soon became “that bad dog.” She had some spats, and would run across the dog park to jump on various dogs, snarling and growling when she reached them. We tried to identify trends in what would set her off, and thought we did see some, but there were exceptions to every “rule” we observed. She jumped some dogs who seemed to be minding their own business as well as dogs who seemed to be approaching her. She ignored other dogs who seemed to be minding their own business and some who seemed to be approaching her.
The good news was that she had good bite inhibition; she never broke the skin of the other dog. (She did, however, knock them down and mouth them, looking for all the world like she was tearing their throats out.) And often she played with other dogs, wrestling, taking turns being on top or bottom, mouthing gently and being mouthed. She chased and was chased, but generally couldn’t keep up with the longer-legged pups. She had favorite playmates at the park, a German Shepherd Dog pup who would drag her around by her scruff and a Pit Bull with whom she loved to wrestle.
But our last day at the dog park was the day that I heard someone say, as we approached the dog park gate, “Hera’s here!” and someone else respond, “I was just about ready to leave anyway.”
More unhelpful training
When Hera was about 18 months, we went to an adult dog training class. This instructor told us to use a prong collar. We bought one but often we “forgot” to bring it to class. We walked her with it a couple of times but just couldn’t get ourselves comfortable with the tool even after we’d followed the instructor’s directions to put it around our own thighs and jerk so we’d know it didn’t hurt terribly much. Bulldogs have a very thick, muscular neck and a very high pain threshold. Still, we didn’t use the prong collar much or consistently.
When the class practiced loose leash walking by zigzagging around the room, Hera would lunge at the other dogs. Hera was the only dog who didn’t pass the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test in the class. She was given a diploma, but again, we knew it wasn’t “earned.”
During this time, Hera began exhibiting a new frightening behavior: jumping on anyone holding a live thing, such as a baby, another dog, or a cat. She would jump with a glazed look in her eyes, pupils dilated, seemingly obsessed. She didn’t bite or grab, but she would keep jumping until one of us could tackle her and manhandle her away.
This behavior made it more and more difficult to take Hera anywhere “safe” to let her off-leash. One spring morning, on a weekday about 6 a.m., when I thought it would be safe to take Hera to the beach for an off-leash romp, Hera spotted a man walking carrying an infant. I caught up with her as she was making her second or third jump up the man’s leg, and I body-tackled her. She squirmed away. Terrified, I grabbed her again and managed to instruct the understandably upset man to, “Please go away!” He asked what was the matter with my dog. I wished I knew!
So when Hera was about three years old, we brought in a dog behaviorist who met with us in our own home to see Hera’s environment and behavior. We were introduced to the concept of “nothing in life is free” (NILIF), where the dog has to perform some sort of behavior, on cue, before he “earns” any sort of reward – attention, food, a toy, affection, going outside, jumping up on the couch, etc. And we were told to repeatedly practice a very good “sit” and “down” so she would sit on command instead of jumping or lunging.
But the trainer also asked us why we didn’t put this dog down and get the dog we had intended: a malleable, obedient dog who would walk quietly on leash and sit beside me at cafes. We were frightened by the implication that her behavior was so bad the behaviorist was indirectly suggesting she be killed.
Even so, the consultation was helpful. NILIF gave us a good tool, and Hera’s sit became better, although it never was “strong” enough to interfere with her jumping or lunging. When she did a “down” at all, it was never for more than two seconds.
Concerned that all the pulling that she did on leash could damage Hera’s small Bulldog trachea, we changed to a harness. This eliminated pressure on her throat but also gave her even greater pulling leverage.
Life-changing events
When Hera was four, life changed for all of us. I moved to Washington, DC, for a four-month work assignment. I took Hera with me, since I would have ample time to spend with her after work. I vowed to spend the four months with a dog trainer who didn’t use physical force and who would work with us individually to make our walks less fraught with peril. Literally, that was my goal. I still have it written down on the form I completed for the instructor, Penelope Brown, of Phi Beta K-9 in DC.
Brown introduced me to the clicker and positive training, and I think of her as our turning point, our savior, who changed our lives. I tried to argue her out of the clicker, saying, “But I already have the leash in one hand, treats and poop bags in my pocket, a water bottle for the dog, and maybe, just maybe, I’d like to carry a coffee mug for me!” She was patient, knowledgeable, humorous, and persistent. I learned to use a clicker, stopped trying to carry a coffee mug, and learned to consider all of our walks as training opportunities.
Under Brown’s tutelage, Hera and I had a great four months! Not only did our walks become “less fraught with peril,” Hera finally learned to walk past other dogs without lunging, as long as I worked with her and we had a space of about 12 feet between them.
When we started, Hera’s “launch point” was two blocks away from another dog, with the dog on the opposite side of the street and walking away from us. I learned to read her body language and to scan our environment. Hera would see a dog and I’d “click” before she launched and shove a handful of treats in her face, as both classical conditioning to change her underlying emotional response to the sight and presence of other dogs, and, increasingly, as a reward for not launching herself toward the other dog.
I also learned to position treats in such a way so as to break her gaze and lure her away from the other dog. If she launched before I could do that, I learned to turn us away anyway and use that same handful of treats for classical conditioning.
We progressed. After about six weeks, Hera’s launch point had changed from two blocks to one. At this point, I added operant conditioning in that second block distance. When she looked at the other dog but did not display any aggression, I clicked and gave her a treat. In time, she learned to look at the dog and then turn to look at me on her own.
After about another month, if the dog was on the other side of the street, it could be coming toward us and pass (on the other side of the street) without a noticeable reaction from Hera. After another two or three weeks, the dog could be on the same side of the street walking in front of us/away from us, or behind us/not catching up, at a distance of about half a block. If I kept clicking and giving her treats at a rapid rate, she didn’t launch.
I continued to build on her progress, by spacing out the clicks, allowing her to look longer, one moment at a time, at the other dog. I became far more adept at reading her body language, and saw that now she would see another dog and “freeze,” not instantly launch. I observed that if the freeze lasted more than about two or three seconds, there was a higher likelihood that she would launch. If she broke the freeze before that, she was likely to initiate play if the dog was close or simply keep moving if the dog was farther off. So I would click and treat (if the other dog was far enough away for me to safely introduce food into the scene) after a two-second freeze. Hera would turn to me for the treat and that broke the freeze. Then she could look back at the dog and we’d repeat.
Sometimes I’d click and treat as I walked us away. I tried to judge the amount of tension Hera could tolerate before going “mindless.” The more we worked with positive techniques, the more self-control Hera gained.
More positive help
Hera and I returned home after my four-month assignment with a whole new bag of tricks to teach my husband! It was clear at this point I had become Hera’s primary trainer.
I looked for and found another wonderful positive trainer, this one near Boston. Emma Parsons, of The Creative Canine, in North Chelms-ford, Massachusetts, had personal experience with a dog-aggressive dog. She brought us further along our path and served as a living role model, proof positive that at least one woman and one dog had come out the other side of this nightmare. Parsons’ dog had been in competitions, could walk through a show area full of dogs, and lived at home with other dogs. I was heartened.
Parsons put us together with a local dog training club that kindly let us walk around on the edges of their classes. Hera and I could practice being calm in an environment full of dogs – an inside environment, very different and actually much harder for Hera than outdoors. Parsons was very patient and creative in teaching us what we needed to learn.
Sometimes it helps to see how someone else does something to make the words of instruction “real.” I had thought I was giving Hera lots of treats as we walked through dog-filled sections of the room but still she would frequently lunge at the other dogs. Then our trainer showed me, using her own dog, what she meant by giving treats “frequently” – at least five times the rate I was using! That was a major breakthrough in my learning and in Hera’s behavior.
I also learned that Hera was more stressed by a dog coming right at us than by a dog coming toward us at an angle. So, if a dog was coming right at us, we’d veer off and angle our direction.
I learned to walk while giving a lot of information to Hera: frequent clicks for calm behavior with lots and lots of really great treats, treats shoveled into Hera’s mouth as she took non-lunging step after non-lunging step. I was lucky. Some reactive dogs become so stressed that they won’t take even high-value treats, but Hera almost always took them.
My goal expanded from being able to walk my dog on city streets past other dogs, to being able to walk with her safely on a beach, where loose dogs could approach us without Hera exhibiting aggressive behavior. Eventually, we actually got there.
Advanced education: Dealing with loose dogs
First, Hera began to have more dog friends, walking companions. She’s always had at least a couple, so we had that to build from. Each dog was introduced to our social circle slowly and carefully, with me orchestrating the meetings until the dogs were at ease, usually for three or four meetings. I let them see each other at a distance, with lots of clicks and treats for Hera, zigzag walking around, progressing to some parallel walking, sometimes on opposite sides of the street, sometimes with the other dog on the same side and ahead of us.
Gradually I would close the distance for brief periods, extend the periods, close a bit more but for shorter periods, then gradually lengthen those periods.
Vivid in my memory is the day Hera was startled by the sudden appearance of a dog coming out of a door just yards in front of us. She froze, stared, and turned to look at me on her own! She had made the choice to look away in a highly charged situation! Treats flowed into her mouth for that, a jackpot like no other jackpot!
After that, I’d keep Hera’s attention ping-ponging between other dogs and me by clicking/treats for her voluntary head turn or clicking/treats to break the stare if I felt it was going on too long. When I misjudged and waited too long, she would launch. But “too long” varied and generally was getting to be a longer and longer time.
I learned to take things in smaller steps than I’d ever considered. When I could control the situation, I kept these sessions short (two to five minutes). When I couldn’t (dog off leash with no handler), they lasted as long as they lasted.
When Hera did play with another dog, while she was playing, I frequently repeated “Friend, Hera, it’s a friend!” I used a particular tone of voice and rhythm saying this phrase. For several months, I used it only when she was relaxed and playing with another dog.
Later, on the beach, if a loose dog came toward us, I would click and treat while it was at a safe enough distance to introduce food. When the other dog moved closer, I would start my “Friend, Hera, it’s a friend!” cue. I watched Hera and the other dog and if needed, I would step between them to break any intensity Hera might display. As the distance closed, I kept Hera’s attention ping-ponging between the dog and me, as described above. The dogs often got to meet but I orchestrated the lead-up and the actual meeting. I ended the meeting if I saw too much tension.
If the other dog was loose and seemed threatening, simply rude, or determined to come greet Hera when I could see Hera did not want this, I would sometimes toss some treats at the feet of the approaching dog to distract him. If he took those, my next toss would be over his head or to his side so he would turn for them. That made it much easier for Hera to turn away, too. Sometimes I looked at the other dog and said “SIT!” Amazingly, this sometimes worked, too.
Yet sometimes nothing would work, and Hera was sending clear signals she did not want to meet the oncoming dog or that she would behave aggressively. Then I would cue her to a U-turn (a technique advocated by Patricia McConnell in her book, Feisty Fido), chant my “Friend!” cue, and click and treat when possible. Often those things would do the trick and we would either avoid the meeting or the meeting would be brief and uneventful. Yet even now, there are occasions when Hera will lunge. She has come a very long way, but she is not, nor will she ever be (in my opinion), a “normal” dog.
About this same time, I saw the debut of the SENSE-ation Harness (see “Making Headway,” WDJ February 2005). I purchased one to replace her old-style walking harness. The leash clasps in front at the dog’s chest and this gives great control to the handler. This was another tool that really helped us.
By the time Hera was 6½, she could pass another dog on the sidewalk if I managed the situation. She no longer needed a 12-foot buffer zone; two feet would do. At that time, it was usually my preference to cross the street to avoid the stress it put on me and on Hera.
Pulled into a new career
If it sounds like I was immersed in dog training almost all the time, it’s because I was! The more I researched positive, effective dog training methods, the more interested I became in the field. I was excited when I learned about the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) and attended one of its annual educational conferences. I had gone to absorb information about positive training, but it turned out to be a significant step in my new career path!
As Hera and I learned and changed, I realized that I had a new passion, a new career. I wanted to be a pet dog trainer, and help others avoid going as far down the dismal road that we had traveled, and help them come back if they were already on it.
I found a positive trainer in my area, explained I was preparing myself to become a positive pet dog trainer, and asked to volunteer with her. I also added a part-time job to my day job, working at a doggie day care. There, I learned more about how “nice” dogs interact freely with each other and how to read their body language, intervene effectively, redirect behaviors and attention, and practice what I’d learned from Norwegian dog trainer Turid Rugaas’ tapes and booklet.
I joined Clicker Solutions, a Web site and e-mail list “dedicated to helping pet owners improve the relationship with their pets by teaching training and management techniques which are understandable and reinforcing to both human and animal.” On this and other lists that discussed positive training for aggressive dogs, I coined “Hera-the-WonderDog!” as Hera’s identifier, because I saw she truly was a wonder dog!
When Hera was seven years old, with the help of other wonderful positive trainers who also let me assist them, plus an abundance of workshops, seminars, conferences, journals, e-lists, books, etc., I started “My Dog, LLC,” my pet dog training business. Of course, for me, it had all started with my dog.
Presently present
Today, Hera is nine years old. She will never be the dog who sits ignored at my feet at a cafe, nor the dog ambling beside me on a walk, while I ignore her and chat with my friend. I am always watchful and managing and training. But now, sometimes, I take my plastic coffee mug on our neighborhood walks. (Yes, there have been a few times when I’ve dropped the coffee to manage a surprise situation!)
Outside, Hera is my focus. I glance around at trees, houses, and storefronts, but I also scan for other dogs, roller bladers, skateboarders, cats, squirrels, Canada geese, infants in arms/small dogs being carried, big trucks, or fast moving vehicles of any sort moving right at us. I watch her body language to know when she is stressed. She teaches me what concerns her, and I do my best to give her enough information to get through it or I manage the environment to reduce or remove the stressor.
The clicker is my main communicator. And treats. Even today, when we go to local parks, the waiting room at her vet’s, and pet supply stores -places frequented by people with their dogs – we train with clicker and treats. When we sit at a table outside my favorite coffee shop, I have my coffee, clicker, and several different treats at my fingertips. We enjoy the weather, watch the world go by, and train. Always, we train.
Much of the time now, Hera seems interested in meeting the other dog, so I orchestrate by ping-ponging her attention, zigzagging and blocking approaches, happy talk, cuing “friend!” and using clicks and treats as much as possible, as well as keeping first sniffs brief. I turn her away and come back, and end the meeting while all is still going well. Often, now, Hera ends the meeting on her own!
If I am in doubt as to Hera’s stress level, her ability to handle the situation, I get us out of the situation. I say, “Let’s GO!” and we turn and trot away. Click and treat for both of us! We don’t need to do that very often any more, but knowing it is there, our safety net, helps me feel more comfortable. And we practice a quick U-turn. I’ve taught it to her on the cue “Wow!” because I simply can’t sound panicked and stressed when I say “Wow!”
Hera now has doggie friends. I value each of them. We meet for walks. We make new friends carefully, with disclosure of Hera’s reactivity and how we manage our greeting rituals. Each new friend, each acquaintance she tolerates, is a major delight! Some dogs (more and more all the time), she simply meets and greets. I can’t say she does it “normally” because I believe that under the surface, the reactivity is still there. But now she has a much thicker surface, a greater buffer of resilience before her reactivity is triggered.
Take nothing for granted
Obviously, this training approach has become our lifestyle. With a reactive dog, you take nothing for granted. Building a solid base and watching the dog to evaluate and reevaluate when and how fast to progress is critical.
In November 2003, she received – and deserved! – her Canine Good Citizen certification, and in early 2004 she participated in a “clicker tricks” class and did very well.
I love this dog. I wish I could go back and change those first four years, but I can’t.
What I can do is use positive techniques with her for the rest of her life. I can and will keep learning to better help her at every stage.
I encourage her to use her lovely, bright, eager mind. We play games, she does backyard agility, and she does tricks. She visits folks in a local nursing home weekly. She holds a lovely long “sit” and has a pretty “down.” She greets people with a sit and a “high five” or a “wave,” as cued, and shakes paw when asked, all learned with the clicker and positive reinforcement – all learned with glee, not pain, not stress, not resistance.
Hera now makes up games and initiates play. She snuggles with me, lets me clean and care for her face wrinkles, and accepts brushing. She’s truly my wonderful, wonderful, wonder dog.
Editor’s note: Caryl-Rose’s husband Billy was diagnosed with cancer in mid-2004 and he passed away that September. With his support of and involvement with Hera’s behavior rehabilition, Billy was an important contributor to Hera’s success. She returns the favor by loving and supporting Caryl-Rose in Billy’s absence.
Caryl-Rose Pofcher is owner of My Dog, LLC, in Amherst, Massachusetts. This is her first contribution to WDJ.
How to Choose the Right Dog Food
[Updated February 23, 2016]
No one is in a better position than you are to decide which food you should feed your dog. That may not be what you wanted to hear. You may have been hoping that someone would reveal to you the name of the world’s healthiest food, so you could just buy that and have it done with.
But dogs, just like people, are individuals. What works for this dog won’t work for that one. A Pointer who goes jogging with his marathon-running owner every day needs a lot more calories than the Golden Retriever who watches TV all day. The diet that contains enough fat to keep that sled dog warm through an Alaskan winter would kill that Miniature Poodle who suffers from pancreatitis. The commercial kibble that stopped my Border Collie’s itching and scratching in its tracks may cause your Bedlington Terrier to develop copper storage disease.
Every food on the market contains different ingredients, and each one has the potential to cause symptoms of allergy or intolerance in some dogs. Every food contains a different ratio of macronutrients – protein, fat, and carbohydrates – and you have to learn by trial and error which ratio works best for your dog. Each product contains varying amounts of vitamins and minerals, and though most fall within the ranges considered acceptable by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), some may be in excess of, or deficient to your dog’s needs.
So how do you choose?
The Starting Place
Well, you have to start somewhere, and you undoubtedly have. Your dog is eating something already. We hope it’s a food that meets WDJ’s selection criteria, which is outlined annually in the February issue. We highlight a number of foods on our “approved” list, but consider any food that meets our selection criteria to be as good as the ones on our list. Our goal is to help you identify the foods with the best-quality ingredients – whole meats, vegetables, fruits, and grains, and high-quality sources of dietary fat – to get you into the right “ballpark” in terms of quality. Then you have to start individualized feeding trials on your dog.
Start by assessing your dog’s health. Take a sheet of paper and make a list with two columns: one for health problems, and one for health assets. Any conditions for which she receives veterinary care or medications go in the “problems” column. Other conditions that should be listed here include bad breath; teeth that are prone to tartar buildup; chronically goopy eyes; infection-prone or stinky ears; a smelly, greasy, flaky, or thinning coat; itchy paws; excessive gas; recurrent diarrhea, constipation, or incontinence; repeated infestations of worms or fleas; low or excessive energy; and a sudden onset of antisocial or aggressive behavior.
In the health assets column, list all the health characteristics that your dog has in her favor, such as fresh breath, clean teeth, bright eyes, clean ears, a lack of itching, a glossy coat, problem-free elimination, a normal appetite and energy level, and a good attitude.
If there are a lot more assets on your list than problems, and the problems are very minor, you may have already found a diet that works well for your dog. But if your list reveals a lot more problems than assets, your dog is a good candidate for a change of diet – in addition to an examination and some guidance from a good holistic veterinarian!
Now take a look at the food you are currently feeding your dog. Note the food’s ingredients, as well as its protein and fat levels, and its caloric content. Write all of this down, so you can make logical adjustments if need be.
Nutritional Management of Disease
Just two decades ago, it was considered fairly radical to propose that canine diseases could be treated, at least in part, by manipulating the patients’ diets. Today, the increasing availability of “prescription” diets is the big story in the pet food industry. As stated by the editors in the preface of the fourth edition (2000) of Small Animal Clinical Nutrition (the nutrition bible for most veterinarians):
“This is truly an exciting time for those involved in the discipline of clinical nutrition because of the veterinary profession’s increased understanding of the role of nutrition in health and disease management, pet owners’ continued interest in receiving the best nutritional information for their pets and the recent proliferation of commercially available therapeutic foods. Our ability to improve the quality of life for pets and their owners is great.”
If your dog has any sort of disease or an inherited propensity for disease, ask your veterinarian about the benefits of nutritional therapy to help treat or prevent the disease. Don’t settle for the suggestion of a commercial “prescription” diet; most of them are formulated with lower-quality ingredients. Instead, ask what specifically in the diet has been manipulated so as to be beneficial for your dog. Then, see if you can find a product that offers the same benefits and better-quality ingredients. The best example is a “kidney” diet for dogs with kidney failure. The goal is to feed these patients a diet with a moderate level of very high-quality protein and low amounts of phosphorus (see “When to Say No to Low-Protein,” WDJ May 2005). An intelligently formulated home-prepared diet can do a far better job of accomplishing these goals than the commercial diets on the market.
You should also do some research on your own to determine what dietary changes might help your dog. A good starting place is Donald R. Strombeck’s Home-Prepared Dog & Cat Diets: The Healthful Alternative (available by order in bookstores, and from www.Amazon.com and www.DogWise.com). Dr. Strombeck details strategies for changing the dog’s diet to treat and/or prevent gastrointestinal, skin, skeletal and joint, renal, urinary, endocrine, heart, pancreatic, and hepatic disease.
Other diseases that can be improved with dietary management include:
• Allergy or intolerance. There are a number of breeds that are particularly susceptible to food allergies, including Cocker Spaniels, Dalmatians, English Springer Spaniels, Labrador Retrievers, Lhasa Apsos, Miniature Schnauzers, and more. Again, it’s important to keep a record of what foods you feed your dog, what they contain, and how your dog looks and feels. If your records indicate that one or more ingredients trigger bad reactions in your dog, seek out foods that do not contain those ingredients in any amount. (See “Walking the Allergy Maze,” August 2004 and “Diet Makes the Difference,” May 2001.)
• Cancer. High-fat, low-carbohydrate (or carb-free) diets are ideal for cancer patients. Cancer cells use carbs for energy, and don’t easily utilize fat, so you can effectively “starve” the cancer cells while providing extra energy to your dog with a diet rich in a high-quality fat sources. (See “Feed the Dog, Starve the Cancer,” November 2003.)
• Inherited metabolism disorders. Some breeds are prone to diseases with a strong dietary influence. For example, the West Highland White Terrier and the Cocker Spaniel have an inherited tendency to suffer from copper buildup in the liver; these dogs should eat a diet that is formulated with low levels of copper. Malamutes and Siberian Huskies can inherit a zinc metabolism disorder, and require a high-zinc diet (or zinc supplements).
Ask your veterinarian (and reliable breeders) about your dog’s breed-related nutritional requirements. And contact the manufacturer of your dog’s food for the expanded version of the food’s nutrient levels. Pet food makers are not required to print the levels of every nutrient on their labels, but should make this information available to you upon request.
Caloric Considerations
Another thing you have to consider is the caloric content of the food you choose. If the food you select for your dog is energy-dense, and your dog is a couch potato, you may have to cut her daily ration considerably to prevent her from getting fat. Some dogs respond to forced dieting with begging, counter-surfing, and garbage-raiding. If your dog is one of these, you may have to seek out a high-fiber, low-calorie food – one that may not necessarily contain the highest-quality protein or fat sources on the market – to keep your dog feeling contentedly full without getting fat.
Dogs exhibit a wide range of energy requirements. You may have to seek out a higher- or lower-calorie food based on the following attributes that can affect your dog’s energy needs:
• Activity level. The more a dog exercises the more energy he needs to consume to maintain his condition; it’s that simple.
• Growth. Growing puppies have higher energy requirements than adult dogs. A food with a higher protein level, but a moderate (not high) fat level is ideal. Obese puppies are far more prone to degenerative joint disease – especially in large and giant breeds – than puppies with a normal or slim physique.
• Age. The age at which a dog becomes a senior citizen varies from breed to breed, with larger dogs considered geriatric at earlier ages. Older dogs typically require fewer calories to maintain their body weight and condition, partly because they tend to be less active than younger dogs.
• Environmental conditions. Dogs who live or spend much of their time outside in severe cold temperatures need from 10 percent to as much as 90 percent more energy than dogs who enjoy a temperate climate. The thickness and quality of the dog’s coat, the amount of body fat he has, and the quality of his shelter have direct effects on the dog’s energy needs.
• Illness. Sick dogs have increased energy needs; it takes energy to mount an immune response or repair tissues. However, dogs who do not feel well also tend to be inactive, which lowers their energy needs.
• Reproduction. A pregnant female’s energy requirement does not increase significantly until the final third of her pregnancy, when it may increase by a factor of three.
• Lactation. A nursing female may require as much as eight times as much energy as a female of the same age and condition who is not nursing.
• Neutering. It is generally accepted that neutered (and spayed) dogs have reduced energy needs. However, there are actually no studies that conclusively prove that neutered dogs require fewer calories simply as a result of lower hormone levels. It has been suggested that these dogs gain weight due to increased appetites and/or decreased activity levels.
• Other individual factors. Other factors that can affect a dog’s energy requirement include its temperament (nervous or placid?) and skin, fat, and coat quality (how well he is insulated against weather conditions).
Human Factors
Finally, there are the human factors that may influence your dog-food purchasing decision, such as cost and local availability. Understand that there is a connection between the quality of an animal’s food and his health, and do the best you can do.
It’s also worth considering the reliability, responsiveness, and availability of the manufacturer’s customer service people. It can be frustrating and costly if a company makes terrific food, but you can never reach them, your direct-ship order is regularly late, or the customer service people are either rude or unhelpful. Today, there are too many companies doing a good job and making good food to put up with this.
Utilize Feeding Time as Training Time
[Updated August 18, 2017]
USING MEAL TIME FOR TRAINING OVERVIEW
- Take advantage of mealtimes to train and reinforce appropriate behavior and give your dog a good association with your presence at his bowl.
- Make sure all family members and visitors understand the importance of positive food bowl associations.
- Carefully manage conflict around food bowls to avoid fighting between dogs or aggression toward humans.
You may think of it simply as a convenient vessel, useful for keeping your dog’s food gathered in one place, off the floor. Your dog probably has a very different perspective. For him, the bowl is likely to be a high value object of great import, especially if he’s a hearty eater. In this magical dish, one or more times a day FOOD appears.
Mealtime carries great significance for most dogs. It can be fraught with excitement, arousal, and stress. A wise dog owner understands the importance of mealtime and uses it to her advantage.
Your dog’s feeding ritual can be used to reinforce good manners, practice deference exercises, and encourage a positive association with food, food bowls, feeding, and the presence of humans in the vicinity of his hallowed feeding vessel.
If you just dump food in his bowl and depositing it on the floor, you miss a golden training opportunity – and you might actually reinforce undesirable behaviors.
Meals are the Best for Training “Wait”
Mealtime is a perfect opportunity for twice daily “Wait” training sessions, using two principles of operant conditioning: positive reinforcement and negative punishment. Positive reinforcement (dog’s behavior makes a good thing happen) occurs each time you say “Yes!” and feed a tidbit. Negative punishment (dog’s behavior makes a good thing go away) happens every time he gets up and you put the bowl back on the counter or lift it out of his reach.
1. Have your dog sit at his designated dinner spot. Tell him “Wait!” If he remains seated, say “Yes!” and feed him one tidbit from his bowl (which you have placed on a counter).
2. With your dog still sitting, say “Wait!” and lift his bowl off the counter. If he remains seated, say “Yes!” and feed him a morsel (positive reinforcement). If he gets up, say “Oops!” and place the bowl back on the counter (negative punishment). Repeat until he stays seated when you pick up his bowl.
3. With your dog still sitting, say “Wait!” Lower the bowl halfway toward the floor, one to two feet in front of him. If he remains seated, say “Yes!” and feed him a tidbit from the bowl. Raise the bowl several inches and repeat a number of times until you’re sure he’ll remain seated. If he gets up say “Oops!” and raise the bowl above the level of his head. Try again, and don’t lower it quite so far this time.
4. With your dog still sitting, repeat the “Wait” exercise until you can lower the bowl all the way to the floor without him getting up. When he’ll hold his sit with the bowl on the floor, tell him “Okay!” or “Get it!” and encourage him to eat.
Practice your dog’s “Wait” training every time you feed him. You’ll teach him a useful good manners behavior, and remind him at every meal that you’re the benevolent leader, controlling the good stuff, but happily sharing with him as long as he offers a deference behavior (sit) and minds his manners.
Meals VS. Free Feeding
I cringe internally when a client tells me she free-feeds her dog – that is, keeps the bowl on the floor filled with kibble all the time. I’m a strong believer in feeding meals for a number of reasons, in addition to the medical fact that a dog’s digestive system is designed more to gorge than to graze. There are numerous advantages to feeding your dog specific amounts of food at specific times:
• You can monitor intake. If you feed meals, you’ll know the instant Buster goes off his feed – sometimes the first sign that he’s not feeling well. If you just keep the bowl topped off, it may be a day or two before you realize he’s not eating.
• You minimize your dog’s opportunities to guard his food. If there’s always food in the bowl, your dog might just decide he needs to protect his valuable resource and the territory around it. If the food bowl is picked up when it’s empty, the feeding zone becomes more neutral.
• You can utilize feeding time as training time. Teach him good manners and impulse control by reinforcing a “Sit/Wait” behavior while you place the bowl on the floor, then give him the cue to eat (see “Wait Training” sidebar).
• You can take advantage of feeding time to reinforce your role as the higher-ranking member of your social group. You can’t be the “alpha dog” – your dog knows you’re not a dog – but you are a member of his social group. The leader controls the “good stuff,” and dinner is definitely “good stuff.” If food is available all the time, your dog controls it. If you, as benevolent leader, choose to share some of your food with him out of the goodness of your heart, and he performs a deference behavior such as sit or down to get you to share, you’re reinforcing a healthy relationship.
• You know when he’s full, and when he’s empty. Your training sessions are more likely to be successful if you train when your dog’s stomach is empty rather than full.
• You can use his meals as training treats. This is particularly useful for building a relationship with a dog who’s not convinced he needs you. If all good things, including meals, come directly from your hand, he’s more likely to decide you’re important in his life.
• You can control your dog’s weight. Is he looking a tad too prosperous? Cut back a few calories from his portions. Looking a little ribby? Add an extra half-cup to his bowl.
• You may spark his appetite. People with fussy eaters often make the mistake of leaving food out constantly. The dog grazes all day and never gets hungry, thus never gets eager for food. Offering food, leaving it down for 10-15 minutes, then picking it up, can teach a picky eater to take advantage when he can, or wait for the next meal.
If you have multiple dogs, free-feeding can be even more problematic. One dog may eat more than his share and plump up, while another dog goes hungry. You’re even less likely to notice if one dog is off his feed, since the other is still eating and the food’s still disappearing. Tensions may escalate around the bowl, and fights can occur.
Of course, there are plenty of dogs who can share food resources amicably. Yours might share nicely, but you still miss out on all the other benefits of meals.
The Dog Feeding Ritual
There was a time when trainers recommended following routines that supported the status of the higher-ranking dog in the pack. Feed the “alpha dog” first, they said, and move on down the line. That thinking has changed.
Since I’m the highest-ranking member of the social group in my home, I get to make the rules, and I can decide if the rules change. Today, I might choose to feed a lower-ranking dog first, and move up the line. Or start in the middle, and move toward the ends. Or randomly select appropriate behaviors to reinforce with the food bowl. Of course, since we now know that pack hierarchy is more fluid than once thought, I might be guessing wrong about which dog has the highest rank on any given day, but that doesn’t matter. I’m still the leader, and I get to decide with whom I share food, and when.
In my canine group, Katie the crazy Kelpie often obsesses about Tucker moving toward his food bowl. She’ll stand behind him and bite his hocks if he moves. To help him out, I may invite Katie to eat first so Tucker can walk to his bowl without torment.
Lucy, the year-old impetuous Corgi, is convinced she should always eat first, and can barely contain herself if I feed someone else before her. So, of course, I do, so she can practice her self-control lessons. If she waits calmly on her mat, she may be next. If she’s dancing and whining for her breakfast, her bowl is slow to arrive.
Katie, 13 and arthritic, and Tucker, who has bad knees, are no longer required to sit and wait for their bowls, but Lucy and Dubhy, the five-year-old Scottie, are still reminded each meal that good manners and deference behaviors make food happen.
You get to decide what your particular mealtime rules are, but in general, chaos is not acceptable, and calm is good. Perhaps all dogs go to their respective place mats and wait for dinner to arrive. Maybe they just have to sit, lie down, or stand around quietly to make food happen. Whatever your desired doggie dinner behavior, you can reinforce acceptable behaviors by continuing with your meal preparations when dogs are calm. If dogs get too excited, take a seat and read a magazine until calm returns, then continue on.
When Dusty the intrepid Pomeranian was still with us, he was convinced that barking made food happen. This is a classic example of “superstitious behavior,” where a dog believes that because a particular behavior – such as barking – occurred prior to an event of significance, that behavior can positively influence future outcomes, even though the two aren’t really connected.
In Dusty’s case we had to convince him that barking made food preparation stop, and quiet made food happen. We weren’t entirely successful; ultimately we simply resorted to an outcome wherein barking made Dusty end up outside, and quiet brought him back in to eat.
When Dogs Fight Over Food
Food guarding is a natural, adaptive survival behavior for dogs. In the wild, if a dog doesn’t lay claim to his valuable resources and defend that claim, he will likely starve to death. Wild canids who successfully defend their claims live to pass their genes on to their puppies.
While guarding from humans is a dangerous and unacceptable behavior, dogs should be able to reasonably protect their food from their canine peers. “Reasonably” means appropriate use of body language signals – some posturing, a glare or two, maybe even a raised lip. It doesn’t mean launching, lunging, biting, fighting, and/or causing punctures and lacerations.
If your multi-dog household erupts into all-out war during meals, it’s time for a serious management plan. Depending on the intensity of the conflict, you can:
• Feed in opposite corners of the room and play referee – making sure one dog doesn’t approach or threaten another, and picking up bowls when dinner’s over to remove the high-value, guardable object.
• Feed in opposite corners of the room and put all dogs on tethers to ensure they don’t threaten each other.
• Feed in different rooms with closed doors or baby gates in between to prevent conflict.
• Feed in crates, far enough apart that guarding isn’t an issue.
You may also want to try to modify the behavior. This is best done with the guarder tethered, and a second person handling the other dog so the interaction is controlled, while working your way through the following series of modification exercises.
Warning Signs of Dog Distress Over Food
It’s important that you recognize subtle signs of food bowl-related stress in your dog, as these are the precursors to more obvious signs of aggression. The sooner you can recognize your dog’s discomfort, the earlier you can intervene, prevent aggression from happening, and be more successful at modifying the behavior. Here are some subtle signs to watch for:
■ As you approach your dog at his bowl he stops eating and freezes, with his muzzle still buried in his food.
■ As you approach he gives you a “whale eye” – with his nose still in his bowl, he rolls his eyes at you so you can see the whites around the edges.
■ As you approach he eats faster.
■ As you approach he blocks you with his body and keeps eating, or tries to push the food bowl away from you.
Growling, snapping, lunging, and actually biting are more obvious signs of food-guarding. Some dogs will leap to the obvious signs without giving you more subtle warnings. Punishing subtle warning signs will make him less comfortable, and may suppress those signs so he jumps right to lunging and biting. Remember that your goal is to make him comfortable with you approaching his food. You can best accomplish this through a systematic program that changes his association with your presence at his bowl from “Uh-oh, she might steal my food,” to “Yay! More chicken!”
Modifying Guarding Behavior:
Series #1
• Step 1: With you standing next to Guarder, have the other person walk Dog #2 into the far side of the room on a leash. The instant Guarder notices the other dog, start feeding Guarder scrumptious treats, such as tidbits of chicken. When the other dog leaves, the chicken stops. You may want to have your “other person” feed treats to Dog #2 as well, to keep her attention focused on her handler, away from Guarder.
• Step 2: Repeat Step 1 numerous times, until the presence of Dog #2 causes Guarder to look happily to you for bits of chicken.
• Step 3: Gradually bring Dog #2 closer, watching for any stress/warning signs from Guarder (see “Warning Signs of Stress” sidebar).
• Step 4: Work at each new distance until you get a consistent “Where’s my chicken?” response from Guarder, then decrease the distance another increment.
Series #2
When Dog #2 can come close – say, within five feet of the end of Guarder’s tether – without eliciting stress/aggression signals from Guarder, go back and repeat Steps 1 through 4 with Guarder’s empty food bowl on the floor next to him.
Series #3
When Dog #2 can come close with the empty food bowl on the floor, repeat Steps 1 through 4, but this time drop the bits of chicken into Guarder’s empty bowl instead of hand feeding them.
Series #4
When Dog #2 can come close with chicken bits dropping into the bowl, repeat Steps 1 through 4, but this time start with some of Guarder’s regular food in the bowl on the floor, adding bits of chicken as Dog #2 approaches.
If you’ve done your work well, by the time you reach the end of Series 4, Guarder should understand that when Dog #2 approaches, it makes good stuff happen. Continue to referee off-leash interactions at feeding time, watching for the recurrence of stress signals from Guarder that may indicate more practice sessions are needed.
As with all aggressive behaviors, if you feel the risk to your safety (or your other dog’s safety) is high, or your modification work doesn’t improve the behavior, we recommend seeking the assistance of a qualified trainer/behavior professional.
Guarding from Humans
Dogs who guard their food from humans are a significant threat. If the only thing the dog guards is his food bowl, manage the behavior by feeding him in a separate room, with the door closed, and inviting him out before you go in to pick up the empty bowl. If he generalizes his guarding to other high-value objects, the risk increases by leaps and bounds, especially if you can’t predict what he may decide is valuable to him.
If you have a puppy, start early by associating your presence near his bowl with good stuff; drop yummy tidbits into his bowl as he’s eating, so he doesn’t feel threatened by your presence. Don’t allow family members to tease or torment him at the food bowl, and if he does exhibit signs of guarding, don’t punish! Punishment will only convince him that you’re a threat to his food – you have to work harder to convince him you’re not (see “Eliminate Aggressive Dog Guarding Behaviors,” WDJ September 2001).
Jean Donaldson’s excellent book, Mine!, offers a step-by-step program for modifying food-bowl guarding, but again, we advise you to heed the warning: If you feel the risk to your safety is high, or your modification work doesn’t improve the behavior, we recommend seeking the assistance of a qualified trainer/behavior professional.
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, is WDJ’s Training Editor. She is also author of The Power of Positive Dog Training, and Positive Perspectives: Love Your Dog, Train Your Dog. Miller lives in Hagerstown, Maryland, site of her Peaceable Paws training center.
Caring For Your Pregnant Dog
by Randy Kidd, DVM, PhD Given the incredibly intricate and complex series of events that need to occur to produce living puppies, it is almost miraculous that any pups are ever born, but they are. And, more often than not, nature doesn’t seem to have many problems with the process. Following are some explanations for what goes on during and immediately after pregnancy. The length of pregnancy in dogs is a remarkably consistent 64 to 66 days – if we measure from the surge of luteinizing hormone (LH) that triggers ovulation. However, most pregnancies are not monitored by measuring blood hormonal levels, and if we start counting the days from a single mating, pregnancy may vary from 56 to 72 days – 63 days is the traditionally accepted norm.
Pregnancy can be diagnosed by manual palpation between days 20 and 35, but this method relies on the skill and experience of the one doing the palpation and his or her ability to discern discrete uterine enlargements (fetuses) from other lumps that occur in the abdominal cavity – the bladder, kidneys, and fecal accumulations in the colon, for example. After day 25, ultrasound is effective. Your veterinarian can take a blood sample and run an in-office test (serum relaxin assay) after day 30 to confirm pregnancy. Relaxin is a hormone that facilitates the birth process by causing a softening and lengthening of the cervix and the pubic symphysis (the area where the pubic bones come together). Relaxin also inhibits contractions of the uterus and may play a role in the timing of delivery. Toward the end of pregnancy the female will begin to produce milk (usually at about day 45), and many will begin to make a “nest.” During the 24 hours just prior to parturition (also known as whelping), a female’s progesterone level usually falls below the level required to support pregnancy (2 ng/ml), and this drop is responsible for a rectal temperature drop, to a mean of 98.8°F (range 98.1-100.0°F). Many breeders use this fall in temperature to predict whelping. Environment’s importance during pregnancy There are at least three outside variables that influence the intended outcome of healthy pups – variables that the bitch’s caretaker can influence: nutrition, nurturing, and paying attention to the healthy history of the parents. Nutrition is especially important. There are many studies that demonstrate the necessity of adequate basic nutrition during pregnancy, and studies that prove that inadequate nutrition results in smaller, less healthy offspring who have a propensity for developing a variety of diseases later in life. During the first four weeks of pregnancy, the fetuses don’t have a lot of weight gain; the mother’s caloric intake should be monitored to keep her from gaining weight during early pregnancy. The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) recommends a minimum of 22 percent protein and 8 percent fat in the diets of pregnant and lactating females, especially during the last half of pregnancy. (Comparable figures for the “adult maintenance” diet are 18 percent protein and 5 percent fat.) According to AAFCO, pregnant females have the same needs for vitamins and minerals that adult dogs require for maintenance. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, implicit in any list of nutrient requirements is the absolute need to balance the nutrients. This is the biggest problem I see in the homemade diets used by my clients. For one reason or the other – usually it is something like, “Well, he just doesn’t like the veggies!” – folks will eliminate an important component of the diet, and by doing so, their home-prepared diet is no longer adequately balanced. Scientifically backed evidence for the importance of nurturing during pregnancy is a bit more difficult to come by, but we do know that there are some negative factors that adversely affect the health of the dam’s offspring. We know, for example, that excess stress (or the use of therapeutic corticosteroids) has a negative effect on the uterine environment; too much stress during development can produce puppies that are difficult to socialize, and too heavy a load of corticosteroids can actually cause abortion. We also know that moderate exercise during pregnancy is good for the development of healthy neonates. And, for the good of the neonates (and the bitch) it just makes sense that we try to provide a calm, loving, and healthy environment during the entire development period of the puppies. Every bit as interesting, from the holistic standpoint, is that recent studies have proven the importance of maintaining optimal health in the dam. It has been shown that a number of disease states can be transferred directly from the dam (or from several generations back), without being genetically transferred. “Prenatal programming” has been shown to occur in a variety of animals, including humans, and it involves the passing on of several diseases. During fetal development, there are critical periods of vulnerability to “suboptimal” conditions, and if the bitch is living under one of these conditions, the likelihood of passing on disease to her offspring is increased. But even more interestingly, the likelihood of problems being passed on to future generations – grand-puppies, great-grand-puppies, etc. – may also be enhanced. Conditions in the dam that result in proven problems for future generations include obesity or malnourishment, excess stress (or exposure to corticosteroids), diabetes, and asthma. It has recently been shown (in humans) that exposure to secondhand smoke may create an added propensity for asthma in the grandkids of the smoker – whether or not they, or their mothers, were smokers themselves. This is ongoing and fascinating research, and it lends credibility to the folks who want to raise puppies naturally, for the sake of many future generations. It’s my guess that we’ll continue to find connections to the health of the dam during pregnancy and the health of many future generations of her puppies. This puts me in mind of the Native American understanding that we need to be concerned about seven generations back and seven generations forward. Labor and delivery During the 6 to 24 hours before birth of the first pup, behavior changes in the bitch may include becoming reclusive, intermittently digging and nesting, panting and shivering, refusing to eat, and/or vomiting. Her vaginal discharge is clear and watery. This phase of normal labor, termed Stage I, is characterized by muscular contractions of the uterus that increase in frequency and strength, and dilation of the cervix. Stage II labor is marked by visible abdominal contractions that reinforce the efforts of the uterus in delivering the pups. Puppies may be born one at a time with a period of rest between each puppy, or several may be born relatively quickly. Pups may be delivered within intact membranes or attached to ruptured membranes. Membranes and placenta are typically eaten by the bitch; vomiting of placental material is common. We once thought that it was important for the bitch to eat her placenta, a rich source of nutrients and a source of the hormone oxytocin, which is necessary to help expel the placentas and to instigate milk flow. Later we learned that oxytocin is destroyed in the stomach, and most of the stimulation for oxytocin release comes from nursing puppies. Overly aggressive or overly concerned mothers may puncture the abdominal wall while attempting to chew through the umbilical cord. Calming flower essences or homeopathic remedies may be helpful here. Severed umbilical cords can be painted with tincture of iodine to help prevent infection. Vaginal discharge during active labor can be clear to hemorrhagic (bloody), or green (uteroverdin or biliverdin is a green pigment that comes from the breakdown of hemoglobin in the blood of the placenta). The interval between puppies (whether singletons or several-in-a-row) is generally less than 30 minutes, but it can vary from 15 minutes to several hours. Typically the bitch will continue to nest between deliveries and may nurse and groom puppies intermittently. Panting and trembling are common, and most laboring bitches refuse food. A litter of 6 to 8 pups can require 4 to 18 hours or more; however, a normal and healthy delivery is typically associated with shorter total delivery time and shorter intervals between puppies. Uterine inertia is treated by administering oxytocin and/or calcium-containing fluids; alternately homeopathic or herbal remedies or acupuncture treatments may be used to hasten a slow delivery. During Stage III labor, the remaining placentas are passed. Most bitches vacillate between Stage II and III until the delivery is complete – that is, puppies and placentas are usually delivered alternately, with no set pattern of delivery. Preventing problems Encourage your pregnant female to deliver in a familiar area where she will not be disturbed. Unfamiliar surroundings or strangers may impede delivery, interfere with milk letdown, or adversely affect her maternal instincts. This is especially true with young or primiparous animals (bearing or having borne but one litter). A nervous dam may ignore the neonates or give them excess attention. A dam’s apprehension or nervousness may subside in a few hours, but in the meantime the pups must receive colostrum and be kept warm. It is normal for a female to have a reddish-brown to black odorless discharge (called lochia) for a few days to several weeks after giving birth. Some folks may want to have their vet palpate or X-ray the female to ensure that all pups have been delivered. The neonates should be weighed accurately (cooking or postal scales that weigh in ounces are effective) as soon as they are dry and then daily for the first week. Any weight loss after the first 24 hours could indicate a serious problem – supplemental feeding, assisting the bitch with nursing, or evaluation for possible infection or other problems may be indicated. Although times may vary, obvious mammary development usually occurs by day 45 of pregnancy, and obvious milk secretion normally begins at or after parturition. Suckling induces the release of hormones necessary for inducing lactation, including oxytocin and prolactin. Lactation lasts about six weeks, with the dam encouraging weaning beginning at about week four or five. Producing milk increases the bitch’s caloric needs three to four times. During the last few weeks of lactation, she may also need calcium supplementation, which can be provided with cottage cheese or yogurt or a balanced vitamin/mineral supplement.
Colostrum is the milk secreted during the first few hours after birth. It is nutrient-rich, and contains whatever immunoglobulins the bitch is carrying at the time. It is thus the source of the puppies’ immunity to infectious disease for the first several weeks of life. For this reason, it is very important to insure that all pups receive an initial feeding of colostrum within a few hours after birth. Also, the production of colostrum may last for a few days, but the pup’s ability to absorb it may only be hours long. Feedings will begin at every few hours, throughout the day and night, and gradually decrease in frequency. By the third week, pups should be introduced to a supplemental food source. If they are going to be fed commercial food, their first “mash” should be a mixture of milk replacer, puppy food, and water, blended into the consistency of human infant cereal. In the same time frame, people who feed their dogs a home-prepared diet will start offering the pups raw, meaty bones to lick and chew. (See “Raw-Fed Puppies,” WDJ December 2003.) Problems of pregnancy, labor, and lactation The most important cause of abortion in dogs is brucellosis, which has been discussed in past installments. Other causes of abortion run the gamut and include a variety of infectious agents, an improper uterine environment (inadequate nutritional level, for example), and trauma. False pregnancy (pseudopregnancy, pseudocyesis) is a fairly common occurrence in dogs, making intact and even some spayed females look and act like they are pregnant when they are not. These females may exhibit mammary development and even produce milk, and may demonstrate “mothering” behaviors such as nesting and treating toys as if they were living pups. Most vets recommend no treatment because the condition usually resolves itself in one to three weeks; the only drug currently approved for treatment of false pregnancy (the progestin, megestrol acetate) may cause pyometra. If the mammary glands seem painful, alternating cold and warm compresses may alleviate the discomfort. For the overly anxious bitch, consider herbal tranquilizers, homeopathic remedies, and/or calming flower essences. Dystocia is the term used to describe abnormal labor or parturition. It can be caused by uterine inertia, pelvic canal abnormalities, oversized or poorly aligned fetuses, or any combination of these. Uterine inertia that develops after the delivery of one or more neonates (secondary inertia) is the most common cause of dystocia. Treatments include calcium and oxytocin. Note that it is important that the timing and dosage of these drugs is critical to their success. Alternative treatments include homeopathic remedies and acupuncture. Neonatal deaths are not uncommon for puppies kept under even the most stringent levels of care; reported average neonatal mortalities range from 15 to 25 percent. The most common metabolic disease of the postpartum bitch is eclampsia; common inflammatory diseases include metritis (often from a retained placenta or fetus) and mastitis. Eclampsia (also known as puerperal hypocalcemia, postpartum hypocalcemia, periparturient hypocalcemia, and puerperal tetany) is an acute, life-threatening condition seen at peak lactation, two to three weeks after whelping. Small breed bitches with large litters are most often affected. Hypocalcemia may also occur during parturition and may be a cause of dystocia. Supplementation with oral calcium during pregnancy may actually predispose to eclampsia during peak lactation; excessive calcium intake during pregnancy causes a down-regulation of the calcium regulatory system, which can subsequently produce clinical hypocalcemia when calcium demand is high. The typical bitch affected with eclampsia has been healthy during early lactation, and the neonates have been thriving. Early clinical signs of eclampsia include panting and restlessness. Mild tremors, twitching, muscle spasms, and gait changes (stiffness and ataxia) result from increased neuromuscular excitability. Behavioral changes such as aggression, whining, salivation, pacing, hypersensitivity to stimuli, and disorientation are frequently seen. Bitches may become hyperthermic from panting and tremors, and increased heart rates, excessive drinking and urinating, and vomiting may occur. Severe tremors, tetany, generalized seizure activity, and finally coma and death may occur. Eclampsia can be difficult to differentiate from other diseases (such as hypoglycemia, epilepsy, encephalitis, or toxicosis), so whenever the bitch appears to be having nervous system symptoms, alert your vet. Intravenous calcium therapy should produce muscular relaxation and clinical improvement within 15 minutes. Follow-up treatments will likely include more calcium administered subcutaneously, and then oral calcium and vitamin D supplementation. Once a bitch has eclampsia, she is likely to have it again in subsequent pregnancies. Prevention consists of an appropriate diet during pregnancy and lactation – that is, a high-quality, nutritionally balanced diet with no additional calcium supplementation. Food and water should be provided without limit during lactation, and puppies should be supplemented with milk replacer early in lactation and with solid food after three to four weeks of age. Calcium supplements may be appropriate for the bitch during peak milk production, especially for one with a history of eclampsia. Homeopathic veterinarians have reported some success preventing eclampsia by using a low potency of one of the calcium salts during the later stages of pregnancy and up through lactation. Corticosteroids lower serum calcium, and may interfere with calcium intestinal absorption and increase urinary calcium loss. Thus, for several reasons they are contraindicated at any time during pregnancy and lactation. Mastitis is inflammation of the mammary gland(s) associated with bacterial infection. It may be localized in one gland or within multiple glands, and is caused by a number of bacteria, commonly E. coli or staphylococcal species. Conventional treatment consists of antibiotics; realize that whatever antibiotics used will appear in the milk and be ingested by the puppies. Alternative treatments include acupuncture, homeopathic, and herbal remedies. (Homeopathic remedies and acupuncture have both been shown to be effective when treating dairy cows, a species where mastitis is very common.) Prolonged delivery, dystocia, and/or retained fetuses or placentas may lead to metritis, infection of the uterus. There is usually a purulent discharge from the vagina, and a variety of bacteria have been isolated from infections. Affected bitches are usually depressed, feverish, and lethargic, and they may refuse to eat. Pups may also show signs of restlessness, and they may cry incessantly. Metritis can lead to severe systemic illness that requires stabilization of the bitch with fluids along with antibiotics and other supportive care. Pyometra is a hormonally mediated disorder characterized by cystic growth of endometrial tissue with secondary bacterial infection. It is reported primarily in older bitches, more than five years old, and it typically occurs four to six weeks after estrus. It is often associated with the administration of long-lasting progestational compounds that are used to delay or suppress estrus, or to the administration of estrogens meant to cause abortion in mismated bitches. Infections after breeding may also be a cause. Symptoms are variable and may include lethargy, refusal to eat, dehydration, and excessive drinking and urinating. Sometimes the cervix is open during the infection, and in this case there will be a mucopurulent vaginal discharge; if the cervix is closed, there will be no discharge. Only about 20 percent of affected bitches run a fever, but some go into shock. The results of a complete blood count can vary. The kidneys may indicate temporary signs of failure. Ultrasound or radiography will confirm the condition. Pyometra is common enough that it should be considered any time an illness exists in an intact female, especially if the illness occurs about a month after estrus or after employing hormone treatments. Ovariohysterectomy is the treatment of choice; medical management is possible, but it may prove to be difficult and costly. Mammary tumors are a common occurrence in female dogs – about three times more common than in women. They comprise about 50 percent of all tumors that occur in female dogs. The exact mechanism of their causation is unknown, but hormones may play an important role. Obesity has been implicated as a contributing factor. Mammary tumors are most frequent in intact bitches. Ovariectomy before the first estrus reduces the risk of mammary tumors to 0.5 percent of the risk in intact bitches; ovariectomy after one estrus reduces the risk to 8 percent of that in intact females. It is assumed that neutering the bitch after maturity leaves her with the same risk as intact bitches, and although it is often recommended to spay the bitch at the time of tumor removal, the true impact of this recommendation is unknown. More than 50 percent of canine mammary tumors are benign. However, since it is often difficult to determine the degree of malignancy of a mammary tumor, from a practical view, all of them should be treated as potentially malignant. Surgical excision is the treatment of choice. Attempts at chemotherapy have not proven to be consistently helpful. Alternative remedies such as acupuncture and/or homeopathy have also been used, with variable success. Prognosis depends on several factors, including the size of the tumor, its spread to other tissues, and the potential for malignancy. Most mammary tumors that are going to cause death do so within a year. Since mammary tumors can be life-threatening, and since they are fairly effectively prevented by early spaying, this is one more reason to have your female dog spayed at an early age. Alternative therapies Acupuncture, homeopathic, and herbal remedies have been used for thousands of years to enhance pregnancy, ease the birthing process, stimulate lactation, and treat diseases of the female reproductive tract, the pregnant female, and the pups. Historically, many herbs have been used to cause abortion, so it is important to check with a holistic practitioner before using any remedy, natural or otherwise, during pregnancy. Perhaps the Big Momma of all alternative remedies for pregnant females is the homeopathic remedy, pulsatilla. Practitioners use it to prevent premature birth, ease birthing, calm mothers during whelping, help pass placentas, and instigate lactation. I’ve been so impressed with it I routinely recommend it for all mothers – dogs, cats, horses, donkeys, pigs, etc. – at a medium potency of perhaps 30c three times, 12 hours apart, beginning shortly after birth or during birth if there is any difficulty encountered. -Dr. Randy Kidd earned his DVM degree from Ohio State University and his PhD in Pathology/Clinical Pathology from Kansas State University. A past president of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, he’s author of Dr. Kidd’s Guide to Herbal Dog Care and Dr. Kidd’s Guide to Herbal Cat Care.
First-Hand Knowledge
Anyone who has ever had bloat or torsion occur in their dogs should know that it can happen more than once, even after surgery to “prevent” this from happening again (see “What Promotes Bloat?” January 2005) .
I have a five-year-old, 136-pound Rottweiler, in excellent condition and very firm and trim for his weight. In August 2004, after just arriving home from the normal vet visit, Micah drank a large amount of water, then had his normal one cup of kibble. Within minutes, he started to vomit. Nothing came up, and right before my eyes his stomach started to swell. After a quick call to the emergency clinic and my vet, and an immediate trip to the clinic, he was in surgery for bloat and torsion. They tacked his stomach – “so this would not happen again” – and he came home the next day.
Five months after his first surgery, Micah bloated again. I rushed him to the vet, and they rushed him into surgery. Later, they sent Micah to Cornell University’s vet clinic due to his grave condition. He was in intensive care for eight days. The vets at Cornell told us that 95 percent of dogs never have torsion twice. Micah did.
Be on the look out for bloat and torsion, even if your dog has had a surgical procedure to prevent it from occurring again.
Gloria Treen and Katy O’Hora
via e-mail
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Crates and S.A.
I was disappointed by “Crate Difficulties” (May 2005). I am a longtime dog owner/trainer. My dogs have always been crate/kennel-trained. I found your advise not to crate panicky dogs a cop-out and potentially an excuse for owners who have reached their limits with a dog that has separation anxiety (SA) to send them packing to a shelter or worse – the streets! I realize that the article was not about how to crate-train, it was about how to help dogs find contentment in their crates. For SA-stricken companions, this is sometimes possible – not always, but sometimes. I have found the following simple steps to assist a dog with SA:
• Move the crate into a more central location where the family “action” is occurring (i.e., the kitchen), then place your puppy/dog inside with the door closed. While inconvenient for you to have to maneuver around, a few sessions of you preparing dinner or watching TV or folding the clothes while talking to the animal to keep her calm will allow the animal to understand that this is not a bad place.
• As the dog gets used to being inside, then the door may be left open so that the dog may enter/exit on will. Dogs like having a protected place to lie in while observing and being “near enough” to their humans.
• Crates can be progressively moved to less-chaotic areas of the house, but should never ever be in an isolated area and should always be available for the dog to take a nap.
• Dogs with SA often have a strong connection with their humans based on smell. The placement of a smelly piece of clothing into the cage can often work as not only an encouragement but a comforter.
• There are some pheromone-based solutions that come in a “plug-in” type form that are supposed to calm the dog.
Cathy Trent
Chester, NY
Training Editor and article author Pat Miller responds:
It has been my experience, however, that most dogs with full-blown separation anxiety cannot tolerate being crated, and that it takes far more than the simple steps you describe to help them accept close confinement. In most cases of serious SA, the anxiety disorder must be addressed before the dog can be crated. In those cases, crating is likely to exacerbate the dog’s panic and make the SA worse.
There’s a tendency in today’s dog world to overdiagnose SA. Dogs who are mildly stressed about being alone, or those who become destructive when alone due to lack of house manners, can benefit greatly from crating, and it was not at all my intention to discourage crating for such dogs. My apologies if I seemed to do so. Rather, I encourage owners of dogs with destructive behavior and/or mild anxieties to try crating.
I do stand by my position, however, that it’s inappropriate to crate dogs with a serious panic disorder, unless and until their anxiety is considerably lessened. I’ve seen dogs with serious SA who lost teeth from trying to chew their way out of a crate, and others who reduced their paws to bloody messes trying to dig out of a crate; nothing is to be gained by persisting in crating a dog with a panic disorder this strong.
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When It’s Not C.R.F.
I can’t express how much new information I have gleaned off the pages of WDJ. Your most recent article (“Not So Fast,” June 2005) has really put my mind at ease and answered many questions that my vet did not concerning kidney disease. Here is my experience:
About three years ago, my Lab, Lexis (then six years old), went into what I thought was depression (her playmate had recently died). The vet did a complete blood test and physical and the blood test came up with extremely high BUN. Right away my vet said Lexis had kidney failure and an infection somewhere. He prescribed antibiotics and a bag of Hill’s k/d (kidney diet).
I took her back about a week later for another blood test and an ultrasound. The blood test showed the BUN levels going down. We continued with the k/d and finished the antibiotic. About another two weeks later we did another blood test and everything was normal.
I started having second thoughts about the prescription food and six months later I weaned her off it. Again I took her to the vet for another checkup and all her blood levels were very good. Only then did I tell the vet that I had taken her off the k/d!
It’s now been almost three years since her initial diagnosis and everything is still good. She still gets blood tests every six months just to be sure no other problems arise. I am now convinced that she had some kind of renal or urinary infection, not renal failure, since she bounced back to her old self quickly.
Erika Reising
via e-mail
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Hypothyroidism
Your recent article on hypothyroidism (“Help for Hypothyroidism,” June 2005) deserves recognition. As a certified dog trainer dealing primarily with aggression cases, I found your article to be the most complete and informative that I have ever seen. I have collected information on medical issues that contribute to behavior problems (especially the hypothyroidism issue) for years. This article clearly put together the threads of information that have been “out there” for years in bits and pieces. I am passing this article on to the vets that I work closely with.
Julie Winkelman
Alpha Canine Academy, Durango, CO
Your article on hypothyroidism was almost a case study of Bari, our Golden Retriever. Through our own discovery of Dr. Jean Dodds via the Internet, we had him properly diagnosed with hypothyroidism in 2001 at age 21 months. Through daily thyroid medication, constant counter-conditioning, and daily medication for his seizures, we have an almost-normal dog. As your article mentioned, most vets don’t have a clue about aggressive behavior and its relationship to this disease.
We have been long-time subscribers of WDJ and in the early days scoured every issue from top to bottom in hopes for information like this. Even though the article wasn’t timely for us, the article will, I hope, help others like us that are currently looking for answers.
Nancy and John Evenden
via e-mail
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Vaccinations
Having lived with a vaccine-damaged dog for the past seven years, it breaks my heart to see or hear of people who willingly and unthinkingly vaccinate their dogs every year for their lifetimes, never thinking twice about the chronic diseases that may crop up in later life from the practice.
I am especially glad that you made the point that vaccinations are not for dogs who are not in prime health or who are elderly. Why is it that veterinarians don’t get this point and insist on foisting potentially dangerous vaccines on a dog whose immune system is already being challenged by health or age issues?
I do have one slight correction. Under your sidebar (“Opposed to All Vaccines?”) you state that “every state requires dogs and cats to be vaccinated against rabies.” Actually, at least one state leaves that decision up to local municipalities, cities, counties, etc., and does not have state laws requiring rabies vaccination.
Here in Ohio, there is no state law requiring rabies vaccination for dogs. The rabies vaccine is recommended but it is not required by Ohio state law. County or town governments may require rabies vaccinations, based on the recommendations of the local public health officials.
I have an elderly Dane who has seizures following vaccinations, and it took me a long time to find a vet who would admit that the rabies vaccine was not required by Ohio and “let” me not vaccinate my old dog.
Tammy Kinkade, Eyota Danes
Ohio
Thanks for your letter. We were not aware there were any states that do not require current rabies vaccines for all dogs. We’ve been trying to confirm whether there are any other states with laws that leave it up to local public health officials. We’ll let you know what we learn.
