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Holistic Dog Care and Holistic Checkups for Athletic Dogs

By
Nancy Kerns
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0

By Lorie Long

Being married to a NASCAR fan means that I spend a number of Sunday afternoons watching precision-engineered stock cars and their steely-eyed drivers burn up a race track for 500 miles or so, pushing the limits of man and machine.

A few cars crash in catastrophic events that render the vehicle totally unfit for future competition. Other cars get “tight” or “loose” in their handling, receive a ding or lose a body panel, and limp to the garage under their own power, misaligned but still operational. The top finishing cars escape such misfortune, careening over the finish line in apparently good form, but having been supported before, after, and throughout the race by a professional pit crew.

The NASCAR races bring to mind my agility trials and other canine performance events. At these competitions, handlers from around the region converge on the site, offering their canine partners the chance to jump, twist, climb, balance, and run at high speed through obstacle courses, catch an airborne Frisbee, rocket over jumps with a tennis ball in their mouths, or herd flocks of recalcitrant farm stock. Here, too, a spectator may witness tragic “crashes” and temporary setbacks experienced by some of the competitors.

I have become resolute in my desire to do all I can to prevent my performance dogs from crashes, burns, and burnouts. As the pit crew chief for my canine athletes, I have decided to take the steps necessary to responsibly prepare my dogs for their active lifestyles, utilizing the best supportive and preventative therapies.

I enlisted the assistance of Chris Bessent, DVM, a Wisconsin veterinarian who uses chiropractic, acupuncture, and Chinese herbs in her canine and equine sports medicine practice. I asked her to help me develop a routine maintenance regimen – a sort of “pit stop” program – for my Border Terriers competing in agility. Both dogs have good conformation, solid working ability, and a clean record (so far, no injuries!).

Dr. Bessent explained to me how she performs a thorough maintenance evaluation of her athletic canine patients and then applies holistic therapies to support them in their active lifestyles: chiropractic, acupuncture, nutriceuticals, dietary supplements, pharmaceuticals, Chinese herbs, therapeutic massage, and warm-up stretching exercises. The program that Dr. Bessent outlined to me could actually serve as a model for any canine athletic health-maintenance plan.

Thorough evaluation
It goes without saying that every dog should undergo an annual health examination, complete with laboratory tests to evaluate blood chemistry and composition. Hard-working dogs – whether they are athletes or used for emotional therapy work – should be taken to the veterinarian for additional exams if their performance or attitude sours.

In addition to conventional veterinary examination techniques, Dr. Bessent employs an age-old practice, taken from traditional Chinese medicine: tongue and pulse examination of the dog. Dr. Bessent checks the dog’s tongue, looking for a nice pink color. Any indication of bright redness, purple, yellow, or paleness of the tongue suggests a disharmony or imbalance of the energy flow in the dog’s body.

Dr. Bessent immediately follows the tongue evaluation with a pulse evaluation. Other assessments or holistic treatments, such as chiropractic or acupuncture, release endorphins into the dog’s system that can change the dog’s normal pulse rate and affect the quality of Dr. Bessent’s initial appraisal, so tongue and pulse evaluations are the first order of business.

With the tips of her fingers, Dr. Bessent feels the dog’s pulse at the top, midpoint, and bottom of the dog’s right and left hind legs, checking both the “deep” and the “superficial” qualities of the pulse. She carefully monitors the balance and harmony of the energy flowing through the “meridians” or energy pathways of the dog’s body.

A “tight” pulse, for instance, may indicate a stagnation of the energy in the liver. A “slippery” pulse, or one that “feels like a pearl” flowing through the body, may indicate excessive phlegm in the body. A pulse that is too deep may indicate an energy deficiency. In order to promote the free flow of energy, or life force, in the dog’s body, Dr. Bessent corrects any of these imbalances with acupuncture treatments and Chinese herbs.

In many cases, especially in dogs who are active and do not have a diagnosed injury, the pulse is already well balanced. For these dogs, Dr. Bessent recommends two Chinese herbal combinations that support general good health and athletic potential:

• Liu Wei Di Huang Wan, also known as the “Six Ingredient Pill” with Rehmannia.

• Tangkuei and Rehmannia, which helps to tone the liver as well as the kidneys.

These herbal combinations, or decoctions, which Dr. Bessent calls “herbal Gatorade,” benefit the bones in the lower back and nourish the kidneys, thereby toning bodily fluids and rehydrating the dog. The kidneys, known in Chinese medicine as the “flame of life,” support the flow of energy and fluids in the body, which is helpful even for dogs that are not very athletic.

You can readily purchase these Chinese herbal combinations at Chinese pharmacies, Chinese pharmaceutical Web sites, and directly from Dr. Bessent (see sidebar, below). However, no supplement should be added to your dog’s regimen without some support and guidance from your holistic veterinarian.

Joint and muscle evaluation
After appraising the balance of the energy flow in the dog’s body, Dr. Bessent checks the dog’s joints in both his spine and limbs.

In a maintenance evaluation, the veterinarian watches the dog move, looking for any deviations from proper alignment or movement, like one hip placed higher than the other, pacing (walking with the two left legs and then the two right legs moving forward at the same time, rather than the normal diagonal movement of the legs), dog tracking (the two front legs moving on a different front-to-back plane than the two rear legs), roaching (a rise or hump in the dog’s back), or a visible limit in the normal range of any joint motion.

Then, while the dog is standing, Dr. Bessent feels each joint of the spine, starting at the atlas (the first vertebrae of the neck) and occiput (the back of the skull), and continuing all the way to the tail. She checks for a lack of normal motion, usually due to a subluxation (a vertebrae out of position), too much motion, sensitivity, or tenseness during the examination that may indicate discomfort in that area of the dog’s body.

With the dog lying on his right and then left side, Dr. Bessent examines each of the joints in the dog’s front and hind limbs, from shoulder to toes in the front, and from hip to toes in the rear. She checks for pathologies like crepitation, indicated by a cracking, creaking, or popping sound in the joints as they move. She notes any tendency of the dog to pull away when she manipulates his joints, or any reluctance to complete the full range of motion.

The causes of joint crepitation can be as simple as the presence of gas pockets in the joints or a decrease in the viscosity, or thickness, of the lubricating fluid in the joints. Healthy joint lubrication fluid is almost as thick as jelly, but can become more watery with age or overuse, thereby reducing its effectiveness as a protectant.

Dr. Bessent recommends a glucosamine supplement to help restore the joint lubrication fluid to a more normal viscosity. More serious and complex causes of joint crepitation include arthritis, tendonitis, and bursitis, which may benefit from regular chiropractic treatments, acupuncture, and a combination of supplements in addition to glucosamine.

Based upon her survey of the dog’s conformation, Dr. Bessent works with the dog’s owners to make training recommendations that will reduce wear and tear in areas of the dog’s body at risk for injury.

For instance, dogs who are high in the back end or straight in the shoulders will benefit from a training regimen that reduces stress to the dog’s front end. Handlers can limit the amount of jumping they ask of their dogs in their training sessions, or alternate training sessions at low jump heights with sessions at regulation jump heights. Handlers can also train their dogs to hit the flyball box straight on rather than at an angle that directs the impact at the same single shoulder joint each time.

Dr. Bessent says she sometimes notes obedience dogs, who are usually worked on the handler’s left side, may tend to curve their spines and necks up and to the right during heeling exercises. Dogs with a tendency to develop neck injuries, like Dobermans, benefit from performing their heeling exercises on both sides of the handler to balance the strain on their necks.

Supplements
One of the most popular nutritional supplements for the relief of joint and soft tissue pain and inflammation is MSM (methylsulfonylmethane), a natural substance found in food and in the body. MSM provides biologically active sulfur, a mineral that is deficient in many diets and certainly lacking in therapeutic quantities.

Taken orally in the form of a powder or in capsules, this substance provides excellent maintenance support, especially to dogs with an inclination to develop tendonitis and muscle strains. Most of the agility competitors I know take MSM for their own well-being in addition to including it in their dog’s diet. Dr. Bessent recommends the following maintenance dosages of MSM for her canine patients:

• For dogs under 45 pounds: ¼ teaspoon two times a day for seven days, then ¼ teaspoon once a day thereafter.

• For dogs 45-90 pounds: ½ teaspoon two times a day for seven days, then ½ teaspoon once a day thereafter.

• For dogs over 90 pounds: ½ teaspoon given as indicated above should be adequate, but more can be given, based upon the dog’s response, up to 1 gram per 45 pounds of weight per day.

MSM is readily available at health food stores, pharmacies, and from discount vitamin suppliers.

After several years of studying canine dietary supplements to find just the right ones to recommend for her active canine patients, Dr. Bessent personally favors Canine Platinum Performance® by Platinum Performance Inc. (Buellton, California), and The Missing Link® by Designing Health (Valencia, California).

Developed in 1996 by equine veterinarian Doug Herthel, Platinum Performance sped bone and tissue healing and reduced the swelling after orthopedic surgeries in thoroughbred horses competing on the racing circuit. Dr. Herthel found that the product aided in post-operative healing, and produced a decrease in allergic reactions and a boost to overall health and energy levels in the horses taking the supplement. He suspects that most horses have diets deficient in trace minerals and, especially, in Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids, a key ingredient in cell membrane repair. His investigations resulted in the Platinum Performance family of nutritional supplements for horses, dogs, exotic animals, and humans.

Canine Platinum Performance, a dry granular powder, is not a prescription drug, but is available only from a veterinarian or directly from Platinum Performance Inc. Although the company’s Web site states that an order requires a referral from a veterinarian, I purchased the product for my dogs simply by providing my primary care veterinarian’s name.

A one-pound canister contains a 60-day supply of the supplement for a 30-pound dog, and costs $15. Larger size containers are more cost-effective. The newest addition to the line is Canine Platinum Performance Plus®, with glucosamine added to the formula.

The Missing Link, also a granular powder, is more widely available from dog supply catalog houses and pet supply chain stores. It comes in a vegetarian formula, as well. A one-pound bag of The Missing Link costs $16 when purchased directly from Designing Health and will support a 40-80 pound dog for about 60 days.

Both supplements derive their Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids from flaxseed. If, at first, your dog develops stomach gas or other symptoms of not tolerating flaxseed well, Dr. Bessent suggests gradually building up the product in your dog’s diet or, if necessary, switching to a fish oil-based source of Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids.

Joint therapy
A less well-known but highly effective treatment for canine osteoarthritis and joint crepitation is Adequan® Canine (polysulfated glycosaminoglycan) produced by Luitpold Pharmaceuticals Inc. in Shirley, New York. Approved by the FDA and developing a following among small animal veterinarians as a preventative for highly active dogs at risk for developing arthritis, as well as a disease medication, Adequan Canine not only treats the pain of arthritis but also stimulates the cartilage repair processes.

Adequan has been used by large animal veterinarians on their athletic equine patients for many years. The drug is supposed to suppress the enzymes that eat away at joints, help to lubricate the joints, and reduce inflammation from overuse.

Adequan Canine is a prescription-only pharmaceutical administered by intramuscular injection. Many dog owners inject their own active and working dogs once a month, but others prefer that their veterinarians do the honors. Because of the route of administration, this drug is stronger and more effective than oral supplements like Cosequin®, but Adequan Canine also can be used in conjunction with these supplements. A single injection for a 45-pound dog costs about $20 – $25.

Physical therapy
Immediately before participating in a canine sport or performance activity, Dr. Bessent recommends working through some stretching exercises that take your dog’s joints gently through their range of motion. Here are a few exercises you can do with your dog:

• Straddle your dog behind his shoulders while he is standing, hold a treat in front of your dog’s nose and move the treat from side to side, encouraging your dog to bend his neck. Try to have your dog bend to touch your knee on each side.

• While your dog is standing, hold your hand against his chest and hold a treat in front of his nose. Encourage him to push against your hand and stretch his neck toward the treat.

• While your dog is lying on his right side, slowly stretch his left legs forward and back, holding each stretch for five seconds. Repeat with his right legs while lying on his left side.

• Teach your dog stretching behaviors like spinning in a circle left and right, bowing his head down, play bowing his entire front end on command, and “sitting pretty,” or “begging,” on his hind legs.

• Remember, never to force your dog’s body into any position or movement; just encourage comfortable motion.

After an agility-filled day, I enjoy giving my dogs a gentle rubdown. Indeed, therapeutic massage or hands-on soft-tissue work increases the flow of blood and lymph fluids to the large muscle groups of the body, carrying away the toxins and metabolic wastes produced by athletic activity. Massage also relieves tension, enhances muscle tone, and increases the flow of nutrients to the skin.

There are a host of different methods you can use, including direct pressure, stroking, kneading, compression, and cross-fiber massage. Dr. Bessent recommends enlisting the services of a professional canine massage therapist, both for therapy and to help you learn to perform the techniques that are most useful for your dog.

Some canine massage therapists offer massages at the site of agility trials and other dog sports events. As massage tends to relax muscles and sometimes makes dogs who are not used to having a massage “goofy,” Dr. Bessent suggests that handlers visit these massage therapists only after running their events. Actually, getting your dog used to a massage at home is the best way to gauge your dog’s reaction to a massage and to decide how to best incorporate it into your schedule. Stretching is the most appropriate warm-up therapy to engage in directly before participating in an event.

My new plan
After my consultation with Dr. Bessent, I have pledged to broaden the support therapies I offer to my dogs in order to sustain them both through many years of athletic activity.

In addition to the fresh, home prepared diet I regularly provide, along with pure, distilled water, my orders of Platinum Performance Plus and The Six Ingredient Pill with Rehmannia are on the way. I will begin sharing my own jar of MSM with my dogs in the future. After adding these supportive supplements to their diets I will consult with my veterinarian about incorporating Adequan injections into their healthcare routine when appropriate. And I’m committed to a monthly chiropractic adjustment and holistic evaluation for my dogs, rather than just the occasional visit.

As usual, I will retrieve my dogs out of their crates in plenty of time to stretch their muscles before an agility run. And they can both look forward to a rubdown when back at home or in the motel room, or perhaps enjoy a therapeutic massage at the site, after their events.

I hope to see you “in the pits” with your athletic, healthy canine companions.

Also With This Article
Click here to view “Selecting a Holistic Veterinarian”
Click here to view “Considering a Holistic Approach to Your Dog’s Health”
Click here to view “Non Traditional Treatments for Athletic Dogs”

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Lorie Long lives in Oriental, North Carolina, and is an avid agility competitor.

Whole Dog Journal Reviews Some “New and Exciting” Dog Toys

By
Nancy Kerns
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0

By Nancy Kerns

My husband is a diehard catch-and-release fisherman, and my Border Collie is a tennis ball maniac, so when I first saw Reel Dog, a toy that combines the concepts of fetch, tug, and fishing, I thought we had a real winner on our hands. I snapped one up and brought it home to try out.

Examining its packaging, I noted that its maker, Happy Dog Toys, of Phoenix, Arizona (a division of Farnam Pet Products), has created a small line of innovative interactive dog toys. I tracked down two more products from the line – Bubble Buddy and Tug Master– and tested all three.

I have some good news to report and some bad news. First, the good news: Happy Dog Toys is really on to something. Their products are highly appealing to playful people, so much so that they can’t wait to go try them out with their dogs. The concepts behind the toys are novel, creative variations on old favorite human/canine play themes: fetch, jump, tug. The company’s marketing and distribution network seems very advanced; the toys can be found in most of the “big box” pet supply chains and in many small pet supply stores, too.

Finally, Happy Dog Toys goes to the extra effort to conform to the ASTM testing standards of the toy industry, ensuring that the toys are as safe for your dog as they are for your children.

The bad news? None of the three interactive toys I tested performed quite as well as their packaging suggested. Each had a fatal flaw (or two) that kept me and my test dogs from fully reaping the riches of fun promised by the product’s design.

It’s my sincere hope that Happy Dog Toys continues to develop products like these, but my fear is that the toys’ shortcomings will discourage repeat purchases. Will the line of toys survive long enough to improve? I’ll have to wait and see. In the meantime, I have a lot of (I hope) constructive criticism to offer!

While I don’t often publish product reviews that don’t include at least one item that garners WDJ’s top (four-paw) rating (see sidebar, below), I’m doing that very thing this month. The Happy Dog Toys products are so engaging and so promising . . . and maybe other dog owners will find them less problematic than I did. Fortunately, the toys are not prohibitively expensive, so buy one anyway if one of them seems pretty fun to you, despite my criticism.

Reel Dog
The first Happy Dog Toy I saw in a pet supply store, Reel Dog is built along the lines of a child’s play fishing rod, but with a tennis ball (rather than some sort of hook or lure) at the end of a 30-foot line. The “fisherman” pulls the crank out a notch to release the line, and then casts the ball in the direction they want the dog to go. Ostensibly, the dog grabs the ball and the “fight” is on, with the fisherman providing resistance by pulling on the rod and cranking in the line, and the dog enjoying a novel game of tug.

The biggest problem I had with this toy is that it took only two games of tug for my canine “fish” to realize that they could win much faster if they grabbed the line, rather than the ball. Each of my first two test dogs (the ball-crazy Border Collie and a tug-crazy Lab) snipped through the line with their teeth within minutes. The line appears to be a cotton/poly cord, which proved very strong when reeling in even a large dog, but is not at all resistant to sharp teeth.

Also, while it’s nice that the toy contains 30-plus feet of cord, so a dog can enjoy a good dash on his way to fetch the ball, the reel that brings in the line is relatively small, so it takes a long time to land that fish! In addition, I found it very awkward to turn the crank that reels in the line with my left hand (since the crank is positioned on the left side of the toy handle); I thought it was due to my own inept technique. But my husband had barely touched the Reel Dog when he blurted out, “The darn reel handle is on the wrong side!” It wasn’t just me! It’s awkward for all right-handed fishermen.

On the other hand, perhaps the designers at Happy Dog Toys thought it would be easier for the average right-handed person to “play” the dog with his strong hand, pulling the dog toward him with the right hand and using the left hand to quickly wind in any line that is gained. I don’t know if this was their thinking, but after a little practice, I got the hang of it.

Happy Dog Toys also makes a huge number of simpler tennis ball-based toys, such as Tennis Bones (two balls affixed to either end of a plastic “bone”) and Tennis Buddies (tennis balls that look like little cartoony animals, with little arms and legs and faces attached). All these toys are constructed with specially made pressureless and double-thick natural rubber balls, which makes them virtually impossible to pop and chew.

Tug Master
If you’re like me, you won’t be able to get this phrase out of your head, once you’ve heard the recorded voice inside this toy repeat its eponymous refrain, spoken in a deep superhero voice: “Tug Master!”

Again, this novel toy has some engaging features. It has two handles: a hard plastic handle for a person to pull in, and a softer plastic one for a dog to grip with his teeth. A spring or similar mechanism provides resistance, so the handles can be (with great effort) pulled in opposite directions to effect greater or lesser scores on the “Tug-O-Meter,” a gauge that records the strongest tugs. (This toy, I should note, is intended for big, strong dogs.) As the handles are pulled, an electronic voice barks, exhorts the contestants to “Get tough!” or suggests “You’re the dog; you’re the big dog!”

Unfortunately, I couldn’t convince even Paws, my rowdiest Labrador acquaintance who is a huge fan of tug o’ war, to take hold of the end of the toy intended for him. He didn’t appear to be either put off or encouraged by the recorded noises; he just didn’t appear to be comfortable gripping the semi-hard plastic handle.

As soon as I tied a rope toy around his end of the Tug Master, however, Paws was off to the races. He pulled and pulled with delight . . . but he does that with any old rope. I tried to get several other dogs to play Tug Master with me, but couldn’t find a single one that would grip the hard handle. Maybe your “tug master” would’t mind mouthing the toy. You won’t know unless you try it.

Even though I’m not getting much tug-time, I like to keep the toy around, mostly so I can press the button that makes it chortle, “You’re the dog!”

Bubble Buddy
Even after the first two disappointments, I was certain that I would be pleased with Bubble Buddy. Many dogs enjoy leaping about and chasing bubbles, and, incredibly, Happy Dog Toys has developed edible bubble solutions that smell like savory bacon, peanut butter, or barbecued chicken. Wowee!

Well, the odoriferous bubbles are impressive, but the plastic “gun” that is supposed to produce them is not. Only a tiny reservoir is provided to contain the bubble solution, and within just a minute of pulling the trigger more or less constantly to manufacture enough bubbles for the dog to chase, I had to stop and refill it. Plus, the reservoir is not only too small, but also difficult to pour the bubble solution into without spilling. And, once it’s full, it’s hard to walk with the gun without tipping the solution out of the reservoir.

My advice is to buy the Bubble Buddy Replacement Bubbles (sold separately, $3 for two four-ounce bottles) and use an old-fashioned bubble wand – the little plastic circle you blow through. That is, at least until Happy Dog Toys redesigns the Bubble Buddy with a big, deep, spill-proof reservoir.

Happy Dog Toys is on the right track; if they keep improving the design of these innovative toys, and we’ll happily buy ‘em all, and recommend them to all our playful doggie friends, too.

Also With This Article
Click here to view “Super Durable Dog Balls for Fetching and Beyond”

 

Must-See Dog Book

By
Nancy Kerns
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0

Every month, I receive anywhere from a dozen to several dozen dog-related books, sent by publishers who are eager for a published review or just a casual editorial mention. My home office is pretty small, and already jam-packed with piles of press releases and boxes of products, but I do my best to find room on the already overflowing bookshelves. About once every couple of months, I weed through the stack, holding onto the most useful books and donating the rest to my local library.

Only rarely does a book arrive on my porch that immediately compels me to open it and read it right away; only once in six years of publishing WDJ have I received one that was so good that I couldn’t put it down until I had consumed the entire volume.

It shouldn’t be surprising to hear that the book that brought an abrupt halt to my work day is a product of National Geographic Books. Dog Stories is a 128-page softcover book featuring text and photographs by Richard Olsenius, an award-winning photographer, filmmaker, and former photo editor for National Geographic.

Dog books produced by outsiders journalists from the mainstream press often present a skewed look at our world. They tend to exaggerate the most eccentric aspects of our obsessions and overlook the serious, useful ways we benefit from our association with our dogs. However inaccurately portrayed we might appear, these books tend to look attractive and professional.

In contrast are the many book offerings from dog-world insiders. These publications, written or edited by dog breeders, trainers, judges, or veterinarians, are usually factually accurate, but sometimes lack graphic appeal or professional appearance.

Richard Olsenius does all the right things, and none of the wrong, in Dog Stories. Yes, he shows dog owners at our obsessive extremes, with pictures of dogs dressed in zany outfits, dogs enduring excesses of grooming in preparation for the show ring, and people who spend fortunes on medical marvels to extend their dog’s lives. However, these portraits are not made in fun or to mock us, but as a continuation of Olsenius exploration of the range and depth of the human/canine bond.

Olsenius also includes lush, gorgeous portraits of dogs who work sheep, assist disabled people, provide emotional support, sniff out drugs and bombs, and rescue disaster victims. Perhaps the most moving portrayals, however, are his written and photographic depictions of the relationships between ordinary people and their beloved canine companions. I promise; you’ll love this book.

-Nancy Kerns

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Hot Topics

By
Nancy Kerns
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0

All I can say about Training Editor Pat Miller’s article this month is that “This stuff really works!”

Like most dog owners over 15 years of age (younger owners have learned to train in a more enlightened time), I was taught to train dogs with a fair number of physical corrections and a certain amount of intimidation. Force-based training worked with all the dogs I ever lived with . . . except, of course, my parents’ tiny Yorkshire Terriers, who never learned a single desirable behavior, but they were dimwits. Punishment only made our Lab/Chesapeake-mix more aggressive, but he was pathologically angry, and had to be put down eventually. And it worked on Rupert, the 13-year-old Border Collie I still have today. Of course, he’s sort of a “soft” dog, and still tends to freeze (and maybe even snap) when he’s scared.

I’m being sarcastic, of course. Before I was educated and exposed to positive training, I really thought I had done well with the dogs in my life. If the dogs didn’t turn out, it was their fault, not how I handled them. Now I see how the force-based training methods I used failed again and again and again.

Today, I share my home with tiny Mokie, a young Chihuahua. He’s the first dog I’ve ever trained completely without force or intimidation, and guess what? He’s turning out so great. He’s confident without being pushy. He’s friendly without being rude. He’s obedient in a cheerful and happy way. And best of all, when he’s not sure what he’s supposed to do, he sits down and fixes me with an intent stare, visibly willing me to tell him what to do.

I’ll repeat: This stuff really works. Try it.

As a native Californian and lifelong dog owner, I’ve probably spent thousands of dollars at various vet clinics, having foxtails removed from various canine orifices. It’s taken me years to learn what author C.C. Holland passes along in her article on the noxious weeds in this issue.

My mom called me once at college, after her German Shepherd had been treated for an abscess (foxtail!) on his front paw. Our family vet gave my mother an Elizabethan collar and told her to put it on the dog if he started licking his paw, but she wasn’t sure how it was supposed to go.

In her inimitably sweet and concerned tone, my mom asked, “When I put the collar on him, is he supposed to look like a tulip or a prince?” I laughed, considering both images. To this day, I can still see my mom in my mind’s eye, giggling as she dressed up her amiable Shepherd as a tulip, according to my instructions. Goodness knows what she would have made of all the alternatives to the traditional “cones” we review this month.


-Nancy Kerns

Why Force-Based Training Methods Are Not Advocated

By
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
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0

By Pat Miller

Dominance has become something of a dirty word in many dog-training circles, and for good cause. Behaviorists once used the word to appropriately define a relationship between two individuals in a social group. However, over recent decades, the word has been warped and twisted to inappropriately describe an assertive dog’s personality.

Sadly, “dominance” has often been used as justification to inflict a litany of punishment on dogs, especially those dogs who react defensively to force-based training methods. In the past, if a dog responded to compulsion-based training or punishment by defending himself with a growl or snap, this was interpreted as dominance and defiance. In addition, many natural, normal dog behaviors, such as the desire to sleep on soft surfaces (beds and sofas), jumping up in greeting, and an eagerness to dash through doorways to get to the great outdoors, were also interpreted by some people as “dominant” behaviors that needed correcting.

According to these outdated theories, a dog’s owners should be the only dominant figures in the household, and they were exhorted to establish dominance over their dogs by being forceful. We were cautioned by our trainers and by the dog-training books of the day not to tolerate any of our dogs’ resistance – and warned that if we failed to fiercely squash any opposition, disaster would ensue. We were urged to leap to the offense if a dog objected to our rough handling, and told to apply violent techniques such as scruff shakes and alpha rolls if our dogs dared resist.

Some trainers went even further, advocating extremely abusive methods such as hanging a dog by the choke chain and leash, “helicoptering” him in the air at the end of a chain and leash, or holding his head in a hole filled with water until unconsciousness, for behaviors ranging from something as mild as digging to as serious as aggression.

We’re past that
Fortunately for dogs, modern behavioral science has moved past the simplistic notion that a dog owner’s absolute dominance will solve all (or any) of a dog’s behavior or training issues. This is especially true in cases involving a dog who “fights back” when physically hurt or frightened. Severe physical punishments may force a dog to comply, but this can cause the dog to fear the person meting out the punishment, or become violent in return.

Today’s positive trainers recognize the importance of the relationship between dogs and their owners, and realize that, while force-based methods can effectively train dogs, they also risk damaging the relationship between dog and owner, sometimes beyond repair.

Gentle, humane training methods are as effective as pain-based techniques (if not more so) and can accomplish the same training goals without force and the attendant risk of negative reactions such as fear and aggression that are possible whenever force is applied.

Learning to lead
A good leader doesn’t need to be violent – she simply needs to create an environment where it is easy and rewarding for her followers to comply with her wishes, and difficult for them to make mistakes. She helps them succeed. Attending a positive training class with your dog is a good place to start establishing yourself as a benevolent leader to your dog. A training class helps you and your dog understand each other better, and your trainer can help the two of you problem solve if the road gets bumpy along the way.

A successful leader/owner controls valuable resources, and shares them with her dogs generously and judiciously. Appropriate behaviors earn rewards. Inappropriate behaviors do not. If resources are consistently awarded on the basis of desirable behaviors, and withheld in the presence of undesirable behaviors, what dog in his right mind would not choose to be well-behaved? It’s no different than teaching a toddler that he has to say “Please” to get a cookie rather than scream “Gimme!” at the top of his lungs while his face turns blue.

Dominance myths
When the “you have to dominate your dog” concept was in vogue, many trainers instructed their clients to establish “dominance” (used incorrectly here) over their dogs. This was supposed to be accomplished by, among other things, eating before the dog eats, going through doorways before the dog, and routinely rolling the dog on his back in a show of force.

Fortunately, current and more in-depth behavior studies have shown that in wild and domesticated dogs, it’s not true that the pack leader always eats first, goes through doorways first, or routinely rolls other pack members onto their backs to keep them in line. She may be able to do all those things if she wants, but it really is in the pack’s best interest – and hers – to be in a state of equilibrium that doesn’t involve a constant show of force.

When there is plenty of food to go around, there is no need for the pack leader to assert herself at the feed trough. If she is eager to go through a door, she may choose to go first, in which case lower-ranking pack members defer to her.

And anyone who has ever watched dogs greeting and interacting quickly realizes that a “belly-up” posture on the part of a subordinate dog is usually voluntary. In fact, this voluntary submission posture normally triggers a response in the more assertive dog to call a truce. If one dog violently forces another onto his back and/or ignores the subordinate dog’s voluntary attempt at appeasement, the “underdog” is probably fighting for his life.

Similarly, the dog who is gets alpha-rolled by an owner may fear for his life and, terrified by his owner’s inexplicable violence, fight back accordingly.

Lower-ranking pack members show their deference to the leader with a number of body-language behaviors. Our Scottie, Dubhy, has learned the fine art of appeasing our very assertive Kelpie by keeping his eyes averted to avoid Katie’s intense Kelpie glare. As long as he avoids eye contact, she lets him pass without comment. He has, in essence, learned to say “please.”

Teaching your dog to “ask”
Your dog need not physically submit to you by offering his vulnerable underside – he only needs to defer. There are a number of quick and easy exercises you can insert painlessly into your daily routine to remind your dog that you are in charge of the resources, and he receives them thanks to your benevolence.

Say Please for Meals: It is perfectly okay to feed your dog before you eat your own meal – as long as you remind your dog that you control the food bowl. For starters, there should be no free-feeding. If your dog can pick from his dish whenever he wants, you allow him to believe that he controls the very valuable food-bowl resource, and you miss a golden opportunity to reinforce deference one or more times a day. (I feed my adult dogs twice a day.)

Each mealtime, after preparing your dog’s food, lift the bowl off the counter with his meal in it, and hold it at your chest. Wait for him to sit. If necessary, move the bowl over his head to lure the sit, or ask him to sit verbally. When he sits, tell him he’s a good boy and lower the bowl toward the floor. If he starts to get up, cheerfully say “Oops!” and lift the bowl to chest level again. Keep doing this until you can set the bowl on the floor without him moving. Then tell him “okay!” and encourage him to eat.

This is actually engaging in a little friendly food-guarding, a concept his canine brain should grasp easily. You are saying, “This food is really mine, because as leader all things belong to me, but because I’m nice I’m letting you have some of my food.”

Say Please to Go Outside: Anytime you are going to open a door to the outside world, ask your dog to “Wait!” (See “Wait a Bit, Stay a While,” WDJ, May 2001.) Open the door a crack, and if he starts to go through, say “Oops!” and gently close the door. Caution: do not slam the door on his nose! Then tell him “Wait!” and open the door a crack again. If he stays still, tell him he’s a good boy and close the door again. Gradually work up until you can open the door wide and he doesn’t go through unless you tell him he can.

Sometimes you will release him with an “okay” so he can run out the door into his fenced yard; sometimes you will go through the door and then invite him out; and sometimes you will go through and close it behind you, leaving him in the house.

You are telling him, “This is my door. I get to decide who goes through, and when. Sometimes you can go first, sometimes I go first, and sometimes you don’t get to go through at all.”

If you have more than one dog, vary the order in which you release them so that each goes first some of the time.

Say Please for Treats: Take advantage of every opportunity to instill “sit” as a default behavior – the thing the dog will do when he’s not sure what to do. Instead of popping a treat in his mouth just because he’s cute and you love him, wait for a sit – then pop the treat in his mouth. You are telling him, “These are my treats, and I will share them with you if I feel like it. You can make me feel like it by sitting.” A gratuitous treat is a missed opportunity to reinforce “sit” as his default behavior.

Say Please for Greeting: When your dog runs up to greet you, all excited because he hasn’t seen you for at least three full minutes, watch him closely. If he gathers himself to jump on you, say “Oops!” and turn your back. Watch him over your shoulder, and when he settles solidly on all fours, or even better, sits (because that has become his default behavior) say “Yes!” and turn back to greet him. If he jumps up, turn away again. Keep repeating until he will sit politely to be greeted.

You are telling him, “I am the leader, and as leader, my greeting is a valuable resource that I only give to dogs who are sitting.”

Say Please for Fun: Does your dog like to chase the ball? Play tug-o-war? Visit with his canine pals at the park? Go for a ride in the car? A walk on the leash? A swim in the pond? Precede all his favorite activities with a polite sit. “Sit” makes the ball go. “Sit” brings the tug toy to dog-mouth level. “Sit” gets the leash attached for a walk, or removed for a romp in the park. “Sit” elicits the release cue for a dive into the lake. “Sit” makes all good things happen.

If you want to take it a step further, “sit” makes the ball go, but the dog can only go when you give him an “Okay!” or “Go” release cue. Similarly, “sit” lowers the tug toy to mouth level, but he can only grab it when you say, “Take it!”

You are telling him, “I control all these wonderful resources – you can have access to them at my whim and pleasure, when I decide you can, and not before.”

Say Please for Attention: Rather than allowing your dog to demand your attention, make him ask by – you guessed it – sitting. If he is a big dog and you are sitting in a chair or on the sofa, a “down” is an even better “please” for attention.

You are telling him that this very valuable resource (your attention) must be earned with a sit or a down; he doesn’t get it on demand.

Kindly controlling
You should be getting the picture by now. The more assertive your dog’s personality, the more important it is that you control as many available resources as possible, and are consistent about paying them out for appropriate behavior. Whatever your dog’s personality, the better you are at controlling resources and awarding them for desirable behavior, the better behaved your dog is likely to be.

The benevolent leader concept comes naturally for some people. These are the folks who always seem to end up with well-mannered dogs without appearing to think much about it – it just happens. Either they were born with good “animal instincts,” or they had good human models to imitate from an early age. If it doesn’t come to you naturally, don’t despair, you can learn! Just start asking your dog to say “Please!” for everything you can think of.

-Pat Miller, WDJ’s Training Editor, is also a freelance author and Certified Pet Dog Trainer in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She is the president of the Board of Directors of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, and published her first book, The Power of Positive Dog Training, in 2001.

Commercially Produced Recreational Chew Bones

By
Nancy Kerns
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By C.C. Holland

With the third twist of the vise handle, the bone held snugly inside splintered along its length with a sickening crunch. Splinters and fragments sprouted from the crack like thistle.

The scene of a gruesome torture chamber? Hardly. Rather, this was a common result during informal testing conducted by WDJ in an attempt to ascertain whether certain types of “recreational” bones pose more hazards than others to the dogs who chew them.

First, some background. Our plan was to create a companion piece to an article about rawhide chews that ran in our May 2002 issue. We decided to take a look at the wide variety of commercially prepared bones available to dog owners in pet supply stores and catalogs. We hoped to learn whether these bones originated from U.S. livestock (which tends to be better safeguarded and regulated than animal products from some foreign sources) and what sorts of chemicals – if any – were commonly used in the preparation or preservation of the products. On both these counts, we heard good news.

Production methods
All the manufacturers whose representatives were willing to be interviewed told us that their companies obtain raw products from American slaughterhouses, and some (such as Abbyland Foods) get bones from their own slaughtering plants. Bones either were received frozen and thawed for processing or were processed fresh.

Production techniques were similar among the four companies whose representatives we interviewed, including Merrick Pet Foods in Texas; Redbarn in California; Abbyland Foods in Wisconsin; MI Industries (Nature’s Variety) in Nebraska; and Jones Natural Chews in Illinois. (Gimborn Pet Specialties in Atlanta, which sells bones through the Petsmart chain, declined our requests for an interview.) In all cases, creating the final product pretty much consists of simply cleaning and drying the bones in industrial ovens.

Some companies go the extra mile to ensure a quality product. Nature’s Variety – the only one of these companies that also sells frozen raw bones – prides itself on strict adherence to food-safety guidelines.

“We work in very close cooperation with the University of Nebraska food processing center,” says company president Bob Milligan. “They help us with processing techniques, selecting oven temperatures, testing for bacteria, and upgrading sanitation methods, things like that.”

Creating the cooked bones is a no-frills process. “We slow-roast them and then dry them down to a moisture content of approximately 10 to 12 percent,” says Milligan. “That allows them to be shelf-stable without having to add any preservatives, chemicals, or artificial colors. Our opinion, and that of our nutritionists and vets we work with, is that the product doesn’t need to have a smoked flavor to be appealing to the dog. And many times smoking is used to cover up an ‘off’ odor or condition.”

Other companies choose to add flavoring to the bones, either for marketing appeal or, in some cases, to prevent mold.

“We dip them in a solution of liquid smoke, for smell, and a marinate solution that helps inhibit mold growth,” says Jane Langman of Abbyland, which sells bones through Drs. Foster & Smith. “It’s an all-natural product – there are no preservatives.”

Most of these recreational bone manufacturers say preservatives are not necessary for bone products.

“Typically, with products under 10 percent moisture, there’s no need for preservatives,” explains Garth Merrick, president of Merrick Pet Foods. “Lack of moisture means a lack of protein to degenerate to the point where you get bacteria.”

But that doesn’t mean every finished product is immune. All it takes is the right conditions – such as damaged wrapping and humid weather. We’ve seen shrink-wrapped meaty bones (not produced by any of the companies listed here) laced with mold on the shelves of a local Trader Joe’s grocery store. Once moisture content rises inside the packaging, green fuzz can sprout.

“Also, where there’s enough moisture for mold to grow, you can have elevated bacteria levels,” adds Milligan. “You can have concerns about salmonella and E.coli.”

These issues are more likely to affect consumers and their food-handling practices, since healthy, adult dogs are usually unaffected by bugs that would lay humans low. Hand-washing is always recommended after touching a dog’s chew bones.

Well-dried bones in a dry environment can last a very long time on a shelf or in your pantry, which explains part of their appeal. Some owners trade weekly trips to the butcher shop for a box of dried bones. Others don’t have access to butcher shops, but can get dried or cooked bones from local pet stores.

Laura Herr of Jones Natural Chews said her company labels its products with sell-by dates, but it’s more to give the distributor, retailer, or consumer a benchmark than to warn against spoilage. “They have a very long shelf life,” she says. “We put our (sell-by dates) two years out. But we’ve had some bones in our testing area for eight years, and they still look beautiful.”

Additives?
By reducing the moisture content of their products, most of these companies are able to forego the use of preservatives to keep the animal-based products from decomposing. An exception is Redbarn, which uses preservatives in its “stuffed” bones, which have artificially flavored and colored filling. The stuffing is either cheese-and-bacon, chicken, beef, or lamb flavored.

Jeff Baikie, co-president of Redbarn, defends the filling, which is mostly meat by-products with meat or poultry meal and lots of sugars, salt, and other flavor enhancers, on the basis that it’s meant as an occasional treat. “I’m not saying you’d want to feed this as a full diet, but two ounces once a week isn’t a big deal,” Baikie says.

Stuffing a bone creates added value for the consumer, Baikie told us, because a dog will remain interested in it much longer. And the processing of the bones Redbarn uses – stuffed or not – is minimal, he says; they are simply cleaned and dried.

At WDJ, we’re not wild about these filled bones. For one thing, with so many all-natural, unpreserved, and uncolored treats available today, we think owners can afford to be choosier about their dogs’ treats. Filling aside, we’re even more concerned about the bones themselves.

Dental dangers
There are two main knocks on dogs chewing bones: dental and gastrointestinal concerns.

Frank J.M. Verstraete, DVM, a diplomate of the American Veterinary Dental College and a professor of dentistry and oral surgery at the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, agreed to evaluate a variety of cooked treat bones with regard to dental health. We brought him a bag full of commercial recreational chew bones to examine – roasted, smoked, dried, meat-on, hollow, stuffed, and so on. From his perspective, he says, none are safe for canine consumption.

“Basically, the main rule that we use is that you should be able to make an impression in the item with your thumbnail,” he says. “If you cannot, it’s too hard.” All the bones in our bag flunked his test.

Dr. Verstraete explains that hard, dried bones present an opportunity for dogs to crack premolars while gnawing. (There are four premolars on each side of the upper and lower jaws, directly behind the canine teeth.) Fresh, raw bones are preferable, but once they dry out they also pose a problem. In fact, on the day we interviewed him, he’d treated two dogs – both described by their owners as non-aggressive chewers – who had broken teeth on desiccated raw bones.

Nature’s Variety uses a slow-roasting process they say makes the cooked bone less brittle and hard. According to company president Bob Milligan, the final products have a moisture content of about 10 to 12 percent. “It probably is softer and contains more moisture at the time of manufacturing,” allowed Dr. Verstraete when he looked over some Nature’s Variety bones. “But once this has been on a shelf for a while, it’s too dry.”

Whether certain types of bones – say, ribs or bones from younger animals – tend to be safer is an open question. Dr. Verstraete says all evidence either way is purely anecdotal. But the extra-hard bones sometimes designated as appropriate for “aggressive chewers”? Steer clear. “Much too hard,” he says. “Good for a hyena, but not for a dog.”

While he is very critical of cooked and dried bones, Dr. Verstraete doesn’t go so far as to proscribe bones entirely, especially if a dog has been brought up on bones and uses them regularly for recreational chewing.

“As long as it’s a fresh bone, and an appropriate size and shape for the dog,” he says, letting your dog chew is fine. Dr. Verstraete recommends condyles (the lumpy knobs at the end of bones) over the tubular, middle portions of leg bones, because they are softer. Those leg bones are cortical bones, which have a high resistance to bending and torsion.

Cathy Dyer, DVM, a colleague of Dr. Verstraete’s at UC Davis, says the size of the bone is also very important. “For those people who really want to give their dog a bone – because let’s face it, it does really clean the teeth – I’ve always said give a great big bone, like a beef knuckle bone,” she says. The idea is to provide a bone that’s too large for a dog to get between his jaws and bear down, which could lead to tooth damage.

Splinters
In addition to posing dental dangers, bones can also do something else: splinter. The reality is that virtually any bone, cooked or not, can splinter or break in the right circumstances. However, the manufacturers we spoke with said complaints about splintering were virtually nil.

Bob Milligan of Nature’s Variety says the secret to safer bones lies in the selection. “We try to select bones like the ham bone, which is the main femur bone of the pig,” he explains. “That is a medium hardness bone, either in the raw or roasted state. We found that the slow roasting helps soften that bone so splintering has not been a problem. We sell literally hundreds of thousands of those bones and have not had problems. I should add we always caution the pet caregiver to supervise the pet with bones, whether the bones are raw or slow-roasted.”

Jeff Baikie of Redbarn says his company has fielded “a few” complaints. “Any manufacturer who tells you different is probably lying,” he says. “But it’s very, very limited. What you’re worried about is splintering, and splinters getting lodged in the dog’s throat or intestines. But for the number of bones we sell, we might get three complaints a year, and we’re talking million and millions of bones.”

Then again, some said they were aware of problems with certain types of bones. “We have had requests from some customers to make a sterilized bone; they want it boiled, free of meat,” says Milligan, adding that Nature’s Variety does not make such a bone. “The problem we had, and why we did not pursue it, is the bones became very brittle, almost like glass. You could literally drop them and they would break or crack.”

Breaking bones
That was certainly our own experience in our informal test lab – the backyard of the editorial office of WDJ. Just for kicks, we decided to subject a wide range of commercial bones and some plain old “butcher bones” to some admittedly unscientific tests, to compare how the different products responded to various physical pressures. We included raw frozen bones, raw thawed bones, and a number of commercially prepared bones, including those with attached meat and tissues, sterilized bones, slow-roasted bones, joints, long bones, and even rib bones. Some of these commercial products were from the companies whose representatives we interviewed, while others were either not labeled or were competing brands.

While we did not attempt to exactly simulate the forces applied by a dog’s teeth and jaws, we did subject each of them to a couple of light taps with a hammer, as well as a brief session of squeezing in a large iron vise. What we found was disheartening.

Every bone yielded to our tests – some even shattered like porcelain, leaving behind razor-sharp shards, and others resisted several whacks and/or turns of the vise before cracking. The raw bones were marginally softer, as was a ham bone from Nature’s Variety; these cracked and flaked apart. Still, they yielded small pieces. If ingested, what havoc could these splinters wreak on a dog’s mouth, throat, or stomach?

In the vise test, we wanted to approximate the pressure caused by a dog’s jaws closing down on a bone. Once again our test bones gave way – although the Nature’s Variety dry-roasted ham bone (which included condyles) did best, changing shape but not splitting or breaking.

When the bones cracked in the vise, they splintered. Some, like Smokehouse’s roasted rib bone, lost small, crumbly chunks; others, like Redbarn’s plain white bone, split up their length and fell apart. Even the moist raw bones split off sharp shards.

At the end of our experiment, sitting amid the rubble of broken bones and needle-sharp shards, we had some decisions to make.

We decided that it would be courting danger to recommend giving any cooked treat bones to a dog with large, strong jaws and an aggressive chewing style. Any of the offerings could be reduced to a pile of potentially harmful pieces or could cause a broken tooth.

For moderate chewers or small dogs, we could see giving them an extra-large bone – one that they couldn’t fit between their back teeth – and keeping a watchful eye on their activity.

Garth Merrick responded to our concerns by acknowledging that dangers do exist.

“There’s no question, if you break one it’s going to have some sharp edges,” he says. “If the customer will use common sense, I really think the amount of risk is minimized.”

Proper sizing, he says, is most crucial.

“If the people who buy the bones will size the bone to the size of the dog’s jaws and keep it big enough so they cannot fit it in and bear down with their back teeth, they cannot put enough pressure on it to break it,” he says. “Even though there is a risk, there are millions of satisfied people whose dogs have never had a problem.”

Laura Herr of Jones Natural Chews agreed that owner supervision and sizing were important, but also took it a step further, noting that certain types of bones are less prone to problems.

“There are several bones that do not splinter,” she says. “If you put a shank bone or a knee cap from the knee joint to your test, neither of these bones will splinter even for the most aggressive chewer. Any knuckle bone does not present danger of splinters. The bones that do splinter for the aggressive chewer are the straight bones, which we call center bones.”

Should you avoid bones entirely? There’s no easy answer, and it’s an individual decision. Some dogs will do fine on just about any sort of bone, while others will make mincemeat of even bones that are considered very safe.

After collecting chips, shards, and sharp fragments of bone from our testing grounds, we can’t help but think that sometimes it’s better not to give your dog that bone.

Also With This Article
Click here to view “Choosing The Right Dog Chew For Your Dog”
Click here to view “Feeding Bones or Raw Foods to Puppies”

-C.C. Holland is a freelance writer from Oakland, California.

Taking Your Dog to The Beach

By
Ann Fillmore
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DOGS AT THE BEACH OVERVIEW

What you can do. . .

– Ask your dog-loving friends about the location of dog-friendly beaches.

– Follow all posted rules at the beach, without exception.

– Call your dog back to you frequently, giving her a delicious treat each time she comes.

– There are many hazards at the beach, so keep a sharp eye out for sleeper waves, wildlife, and people who don’t like dogs.

Oh the joy of romping on a sandy beach! Splashing in the surf! Wind blowing in your hair, the smell of seaweed and wet sand and the cry of gulls! You and your best friend together regardless of weather.

Sounds romantic and it can be. Most dogs love the beach. If your pup is one of them, you certainly want to give him the opportunity. Besides, you can have a lot of fun, too.

dogs at the beach

But those of us who live near the shore know that there are also downsides and dangers to beachcombing with canine buddies. As long as you are aware of these, everything will be great. You’ll come home completely de-stressed, and accompanied by a thoroughly worn-out furry friend.

One of the reasons you go to the beach is because of the open space. You can walk and your dog can often run free. So, first thing, get solid ID tags. Even if your dog has an implanted identification microchip, make sure he is wearing easily readable ID tags on his collar. Dogs can get hypnotized by the endless rush of waves, blinded by the glare, and deaf to your calls.

Dogs have keen vision, but it’s better in dim light than bright light, which can nearly blind them. This doesn’t seem to bother them, as they also use their superior sense of smell and hearing to navigate, but it can make it difficult for them to see you if you allow them to get too far away, so keep them close.

Bright sunlight can also mean sunburn for eyes and pink noses and the skin of white short-haired dogs like Dalmatians, Staffordshires, or Boxers. “Doggles” are what you might guess (goggles for dogs), and offer excellent eye protection for the sandy bright beach and for riding in open vehicles. The maker also offers sunburn protection creme and other goodies for the outdoor dog; see www.doggles.com.

There’s no such thing as hearing enhancement for dogs, though. The wonderful susurrus of white noise caused by the surf can make your buddy deaf to your calls – another reason to keep your dog close by.

The beach and surf are chock full of alluring smells and if your hound is only an occasional visitor to the beach, these new smells are totally bewitching. Taking into account sight, sound, and smell, your dog can get high on the whole beach thing. It’s wise to have some ground rules before you go. This means doing some training.

Teach your dog to respond to hand signals (see “Teaching Hand Signals,” WDJ October 2002). Walking on the beach is much more relaxing once your dog knows to occasionally look back and watch you for the signals to come, down, or go play.

To entice your dog to return to you more quickly, keep doggie snacks in your pocket. I’d recommend the ones that don’t melt easily with heat or moisture. Just be ready to be the center of attention for every dog within scent range. You’ll be amazed at how many dogs you attract and how polite they can be if you offer treats.

Overcoming Irritations

Sand. That’s the biggest irritation at the beach. Regular beachgoers know they will never get all the sand out of their car, house, hair, and clothes. Dogs love to dig and roll in the sand and even throw it in the air. If your doggie will let you vacuum him when you get home, as my old Australian Shepherd did, that’s heaven. On hot days, you can rinse your dog with fresh water. Generally, though, you and sand will have to learn to co-exist. I draw the line at my bed.

Day-old seawater stinks, especially in the heat. An hour after you leave the beach your dog will reek. Luckily, when the coat dries, the smell usually goes away. The quicker your pup dries, the better. Keep a pile of old towels in your car to scrub the coat well. He’ll like this as dried salt itches.

Drinking seawater won’t hurt a dog if she just takes a lap or two. Bring plenty of fresh sweet water with you to the beach, and offer it to your dog frequently. Soon she’ll learn to come to you for a drink instead of trying the salt water.

Another good reason to keep your dog close by is to prevent them from rolling in dead things, which are abundant at the shore. Dead fish, birds, marine mammals, and even stinky dead sea plants are like perfume to dogs. GROSS!

Danger in the Dunes

At least reeking smells aren’t dangerous. Up to now, I’ve talked about irritations, but there are dangerous things on the beach – the tide being the first and foremost. You should always know the tide schedule before you go for a walk on the beach. Knowing the tide schedule is especially important if you’re walking along cliffs or undercut dunes where you wouldn’t be able to escape an incoming tide. One of the easiest ways to get the tide schedule for the day is to go online. Sports stores and marina offices will have booklets.

I personally love going to the beach on stormy days – wind, high surf – but keep your dog away from the water. Sleeper waves can snatch him away from you, and rolling logs can crush him. I’ve seen storm surges throw ton-weight stumps high up into the dunes like twigs. Very impressive. Very scary.

Dogs who are not used to ocean swimming should be introduced to waves on a calm day. Water that pulls and pushes is unsettling at first and the smallest waves can knock dogs off their feet and tumble them. Dogs who are natural swimmers learn to handle wave action quickly if given that easy time. My old Aussie became an excellent body surfer. That was his thrill. He turned into such a daredevil I’d put his life jacket on to keep him safe.

And, if the hot sand is too warm for your bare feet, it’s too hot for your pooch’s. His poor pads can burn and blister. Get him onto your blanket or into the water quickly.

You need to be the boss about where your dog can and can’t go. Be considerate and keep your pup out of tide pools. Like human kids left unmonitored, dogs will crush those fragile plants and animals. Often, tide pools are in rocky areas. Wet rocks are extremely slippery and razor sharp from barnacles. I always keep a first aid kit in the truck with a tube of antibiotic cream.

dogs at the beach

Dogs can be very destructive to wildlife. A dog on a mission can wipe out a dozen ground level nest sites in minutes. A quick Terrier can kill the fastest ground squirrel. Sea birds are safe unless they’re injured or sick. Don’t mess with sick critters. Keeping your dog away from them may be difficult because your pooch will want to investigate the smell, the movement, the sounds. But even an inexperienced city dog can draw upon his genetic heritage and do some serious damage to a “prey” animal, fast.

The opposite is true, too. A pair of Canadian geese will give way to a dog but a flock will turn and attack. It’s ugly to get pecked by a dozen big hissing geese. The one time my Dalmatian/ Aussie mix, Gryphon, met a black bear, thankfully, it was a second year cub and it ran. Talk about a heart stopping moment as I watched the black furry butt and the spotted white butt careening down the shore. Yes, the Oregon coast has a substantial population of black bears, most of whom avoid people and hate dogs.

A word about seals and sea lions. Early in the morning, at night, or during storms, seals will come into the surf line. On very isolated beaches, mother seals will leave the kids alone on the beach while they hunt. Even dogs who are calm and composed around “regular” livestock can go bananas when faced with the exotic sight, sound, and smells of marine mammals. This can be dangerous to the dog, of course, if the bull or protective mother attacks. It’s more likely that your dog will scare and even possibly wound a young seal, or frighten a mother into leaving her baby. If you see something that looks like a seal or sea lion off in the distance, head the other way, or put that leash back on, quick.

Leashes on the Beach?

For each dog owner who is overly obsessive about keeping his dog on a leash there is one who insists the dog run free no matter what. Both attitudes can get a dog and dog owner in trouble. Read and obey the signs at the trail head or beach entrance.

One note of advice: If you meet up with another leashed dog and there is acrimony, let the dogs off the leashes. For some reason, dogs on leashes will have at each other much more readily than free-ranging dogs.

Go ahead and leash your dog whenever you meet other people; never forget that some people have strong anti-dog attitudes. Offer your dog a treat every time you snap the leash on, and let him off again frequently; this way, he’ll learn that going on leash is just as enjoyable as getting let off.

Train your dog not to spontaneously jump up on people and to sit on command from a distance. That helps. Be wary of people walking along the beach without dogs. We have met vacationing individuals who are dog-lonely and love having a chance to catch up on dog smooches. Mostly though, people alone want to stay that way.

If a family with small children doesn’t have dogs with them, there’s a better than even chance that the little ones will be terrified of dogs. Then there’s the problem of the over-trusting child. If a child wants to romp with your dog, set rules and stick to them for the kid’s safety and for your legal protection.

All in all, just be aware. Not everyone wants instant friendship from an 80-pound Golden or even a 5-pound Peke. It’s no fun having a strange mutt rampage through your picnic. Practice those hand signals, or get your dog back on his leash.

After all these do’s and don’ts, if you’re righteously intimidated about exploring the shore with your doggie, that’s a good thing. Caution and care are important. Having a really good time is always predicated on feeling secure, being in control, and being prepared. Mostly, dogs on the beach just want to have fun.

Ann Fillmore is a freelance writer from Reedsport, Oregon. This is her first article for WDJ.

Beware of Foxtail Grass This Summer

By
C.C. Holland
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FOXTAILS AND DOGS: OVERVIEW

1. If you don’t know what foxtails look like, ask another dog owner to point them out to you.

2. Eliminate foxtails in your yard; organize a foxtail-pulling party at your local dog park.

3. At the height of foxtail “season” (when the plants are dry), avoid walking your dog in infested areas.

4. Thoroughly examine your dog after walks in foxtail areas.

One day in early May, my husband and I took Lucky, our 15-month-old Belgian Shepherd mix, for an off-leash hike at a regional park near our Oakland, California, home. Lucky was playing Fearsome Predator, stalking us in the tall grasses near the trail and then tearing off at full speed.

We were laughing at her antics when a fellow hiker stopped to watch.

foxtail awn

“That’s really cute,” the woman said, “but you should watch out for foxtails when the weather gets warmer.”

Huh? Foxes?

“No, foxtails,” she repeated. “Those weeds over there. When they get dry the seeds can get in dogs’ ears or up their noses, which means an expensive vet visit.”

She was gesturing to a stand of green, fuzzy, tall grass that looked distinctly unthreatening.

“Is this your first dog in California?” she asked at our perplexed looks. We nodded; both of us had grown up on the East Coast. “Foxtails get to be a big problem out here,” she explained. “Starting in June, I won’t be walking my dog here again until fall.”

We thanked her and she hiked on. Foxtails? Interesting. I resolved to learn more.

Three weeks later I did – the hard way. During another off-leash hike, Lucky chased a lizard and got a mouthful of that fuzzy grass, which was now turning brown and sere. After that, she kept trying to eat grass – the regular kind, not the foxtail. And in the car on the way home, she began hacking and coughing alarmingly. I called our veterinarian and told her what happened.

“Foxtails? Bring her in immediately!” she ordered.

When we arrived, an assistant gave me a rapid-fire explanation of what they might have to do: sedate Lucky, reach into her mouth and throat and attempt to remove any lodged foxtails with a special instrument.

Just then, Lucky vomited. Up came the grass she’d eaten – along with six prickly foxtail seeds. The veterinarian and her assistant were thrilled. A subsequent exam of Lucky’s throat and mouth suggested the coast was now clear. She was still hacking occasionally, but the vet believed it was just from the irritation the foxtails had caused. Any that Lucky had actually swallowed, she said, should pass through without too much trouble, although I was to keep a close eye on her.

The storm passed – as did another four foxtails! – but it taught me a lesson: these subtle little seeds could cause big problems. And many dog owners aren’t aware of the potential dangers: irritation, infection, chronic illness, and in some cases, death.

Foxtail Facts

“Foxtail” is a generic term that’s often applied to several species of wild grasses, but is specifically associated with a type of wild barley (Hordeum jubatum) that is indigenous to the western United States.

Foxtail is common all up and down the West Coast but has also spread across the country, according to the U.S. Forest Service, populating all but seven states: Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. It’s also found throughout most of Canada, as well as in some areas of Mexico.

The weed tends to grow in grassland areas and is common along roadsides, trails, and areas that include human disturbance, such as dumps. It also grows well along the edges of salt marshes, on flatlands and Western prairies, and in irrigated meadows.

Foxtails grow quickly with winter and spring rains. As they mature, a seed forms at the top of the stalk. With its, soft, bushy appearance, the seed, which is comprised of numerous seed heads, looks like a fox’s tail – hence the name.

As the plant begins to dry out in the summer months, the seed heads, also known as awns, become brittle and fall off the plant. As they continue to dry, the long foxtail breaks into smaller and smaller segments, with each sharp-pointed awn sporting a few long bristles. Viewed under a magnifying glass, each bristle is covered with an infinite number of microscopic barbs. If an animal brushes by the dry plant (or steps on it, sniffs it, rolls on it, lies on it, ad nauseum), the microscopic barbs catch on its fur.

Sometimes the awn falls from the animal’s fur on its own. However, if the awn doesn’t fall out, or it hooks into another area of the animal, that’s when the trouble starts.

Foxtails are Designed to Burrow

Catherine Dyer, DVM, diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners and a lecturer at the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, says it’s the barbs that make the awns so dangerous.

“Any kind of plant awn could potentially be a problem, but the classic foxtail seems to be the worst,” she says. “It has a point so it can penetrate and go up into little orifices, and it migrates in one direction – it doesn’t go backward.”

If you pick up a foxtail awn and stroke it with your fingers, you’ll quickly learn why this plant is so dangerous to dogs. The microscopic barbs facilitate the awn’s movement in one direction, following the sharp point of the seed. But you can’t rub the bristle the other way; the tiny barbs catch and prevent the backward movement of the bristle. If you force it, the bristle breaks off, leaving the rest of the awn behind.

Dogs often pick up foxtails between their toes; the flexing motion of the dog’s feet helps the foxtail work deeper and deeper between the toes, until it pierces the skin (and keeps going). It’s also extremely common for dogs to get foxtails in their nostrils as they sniff and smell in the grass on a walk. Other common foxtail sites for foxtails to embed include the dog’s ears, eyes, and throats.

“They can swallow them or actually aspirate them into the airways, which is very dangerous,” says Dr. Dyer.

Foxtails have also found their way into dogs’ anuses, vaginas, penile sheaths, or open wounds.

Once inside the dog, awns continue to burrow inward. If they’re not found and removed quickly, they can literally disappear, because they won’t show up on an x-ray. An awn that has crept into the dog will continue to travel throughout her body, often leaving a hollow tract behind it, until it either comes up against something it can’t go through (such as bone), or pops out through the skin.

Foxtails cannot be absorbed by the dog’s body, nor can they be broken down or digested, says Dr. Dyer, although if an awn is swallowed and reaches the stomach, it will probably just pass through. Foxtails that insinuate their way deep into the dog’s body can be there to stay. Autopsies have discovered foxtails in dogs’ glands, hearts, brains, lungs, livers, and other organs.

Detailing the Dangers of Foxtails to Dogs

The two main dangers posed by foxtails are foreign-body reactions and infections, says Dr. Dyer. The levels of the threat range from irritating, as when a foxtail invades the webbing between a dog’s toes and causes an abscess, to medical emergencies.

“What’s really dangerous is when they penetrate the body wall through the chest wall or the abdominal wall,” she says. “Those cases are life-threatening.”

Even if the body cavity isn’t penetrated, foxtails can lead to serious consequences.

Randy Acker, DVM, author of Field Guide to Dog First Aid: Emergency Care for the Outdoor Dog and owner of the Sun Valley Animal Center in Ketchum, Idaho, frequently treats dogs who’ve tangled with foxtails. He says even an awn lodged in the nose can be deadly serious if not removed.

“If foxtails get deep into the nasal passages, they can continue to travel into the brain and cause seizures or death,” he says.

Foxtails can also cause tissue necrosis.

“Then something like aspergillosis (a common fungus) can grow in dead tissues,” says Dr. Acker. “Once established, it’s pretty devastating; it can be as serious as cancer.”

Foxtails in the ears can rupture eardrums or cause chronic ear infections, while foxtails in the eye can lead to blindness. Inhaled foxtails can affect the lungs, causing infections and necessitating major surgery – including the removal of lung lobes.

Even if the foxtail doesn’t cause the problem, it can create a conduit for outside infection. Dirt-borne bacteria, such as Actinomyces bovis and Nocardia asteroides, can be introduced into the body cavity by a burrowing awn and can wreak havoc. Pneumonia is not an uncommon result when an awn enters a lung.

Discospondylitis, an infection of the spinal vertebra and intervertebral discs, can be introduced by foxtail migration, according to the Southern California Veterinary Surgical Group. Foxtails can cause conjunctivitis if they become lodged in the eye. And a number of other opportunistic infections, such as blastomycosis, can occur when an awn enters a dog’s body.

Which Dogs are at Risk?

Almost any outdoor dog can encounter foxtails. Dogs with long fur are more likely to pick up and retain foxtails than their short-haired brethren, although foxtails can latch on to the fur between any dog’s paws and are indiscriminate when it comes to nostrils and other orifices. Prick-eared dogs may be more likely to get foxtails in their ears than dogs with hanging ears.

At particular risk are dogs who spend a good deal of their time out in the field. Michael Guerin, a physician and hunting enthusiast who lives in South Dakota, discovered this firsthand a few years ago with his English Pointer, Tess. After a long and successful hunting season, he discovered a lump along the dog’s ribcage.

Guerin’s kept an eye on the lump, which he said felt rather hard, unlike a typical abscess.

“After a couple of days it was probably golf-ball sized,” he said. “English Pointers have a tendency to get rhabdomyosarcoma, so I thought, ‘Oh, maybe it’s cancer.’ ”

His vet removed the lump and a biopsy turned up no cancerous cells. The vet suggested there had been a foreign body in there but found no sign of it. But Guerin wasn’t satisfied and asked to see the pathology report, which included a reference to a tract. Something clicked in his mind.

“I’d never had a dog with foxtail, but I’d read an article probably 15 years ago about a dog that had a foxtail that came out the eye and it mentioned tracts,” he said. “So as soon as I saw that it said ‘tract’, I thought, I bet that’s what the dog had.”

Meanwhile, the wound wasn’t healing well. A small hole marked its center and it continued to drain fluid. Guerin brought Tess to another vet for a second opinion and shared his foxtail theory. Sure enough, in a five-hour exploratory procedure the vet discovered an awn lodged in the pleura of a lung – dangerously close to the lung itself.

The experience was a wakeup call for Guerin, and when one of Tess’s pups, Annie, developed a similar lump a year later, he didn’t hesitate.

“I found another vet who had had experience with foxtails,” he said. “So that dog was operated on by her and they got it out while it was still relatively shallow.”

Guerin has become far more vigilant with his hunting dogs as a result.

“As much as possible, I’ll avoid grasses that have awns,” he said. “But there’s always going to be some foxtail around there, and if they happen to be hunting in foxtail, I’ll check them over thoroughly afterward.”

How to Prevent Foxtail Problems for Your Dog

1. Avoid foxtail-infested areas in “foxtail season”- from early summer, when foxtails and surrounding grasses start to dry, until the fall or winter wet season eliminates the foxtail threat.

2. If you must walk your dog in areas where foxtails grow, keep him on leash and on the trail to help reduce his chances of encountering the awns.

3. To keep your dog from inhaling or ingesting a foxtail awn, don’t allow him to play fetch anywhere near foxtails. Don’t allow hunting or tracking dogs to sniff around foxtails.

4. If you have foxtails in your yard, keep the plants mowed while they are still green to help prevent them from going to seed. Better yet, pull the grasses up by hand and
deposit the whole plants directly into a garbage bag or compost bin.

5. If your dog is long-haired, trim all the hair between his toes, over the top of his toes and feet, from his legs, around his ears, his vent, and his belly. Short hair helps deny the foxtails the resistance they need to migrate deeper into the dog’s skin.

6. Keep your dog well groomed. Foxtails readily work their way into mats, but can be easily brushed out of a clean, untangled coat.

7. Most importantly, after every outdoor experience in a foxtail zone, check your dog from head to toe. Examine the space between each and every toe and underneath
his feet. Look in his armpits, groin, anal area, and ears.

8. Keep alert for suspicious lumps, bumps, or swellings on your dog. Look for limping or excessive licking of toes, head-shaking, sneezing, or a glued-shut eye.

9. If your dog exhibits any of the symptoms of having a foxtail, take him to a veterinarian as soon as possible – that day!

The Foxtail Reality Check

So how often does the worst-case scenario occur? While she has no hard-and-fast numbers on mortality rates as a consequence of foxtail-related illnesses, Dr. Dyer says the extremes are rare.

“Deaths would be the exception, although certainly we have them,” says Dr. Dyer. “Foxtails into the body cavity would probably be the least common problem we have.”

It’s much more likely for a dog to suffer a foxtail in the nose, ear, or paw.

“Depending on where it is in the body, many times you remove it and you’re done with it,” she says. “If it’s gotten inside and created an infection, then you often have to treat with antibiotics.”

However, when foxtails do dig deep, the consequences for a dog – and the veterinary bills – can become daunting.

The best way to eliminate foxtail danger is to avoid it completely. If that’s not possible, there are steps owners can take to minimize the risks (see sidebar, opposite page). But with even a minor foxtail incident, a quick response is the best medicine.

“Early intervention by your vet is important,” stressed Dr. Dyer – as is an awareness of the problem. Michael Guerin speaks soberly about what might have happened to his prized hunting dog if he hadn’t suspected a foxtail was behind her problems.

“In hindsight, I am so glad I had read that article about the awn,” he said. “And people should keep things like that in mind. If you have a little bit of an index of suspicion, that’s a good thing.”

C.C. Holland is a freelance writer from Oakland, California, who enjoys applying what she learns about canine health and behavior to her own mixed-breed dog, Lucky.

Post-Surgical Procedure Protective Collars or “Coneheads”

By
Nancy Kerns
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By Shannon Wilkinson

The lampshade, satellite dish, or cone – no matter what you call it, it is hard not to alternately laugh and feel sorry for any dog wearing one. Often used after surgical procedures, these cone-shaped collars are designed to keep dogs from licking sutures or wounds, potentially opening the wounds or tearing the stitches. They are also used to keep a dog with an injury or surgical site on his head from scratching it with his paws.

In most cases, dogs wear the protective collars for a few days post-surgery until the incision has healed. Other times, dogs wear them for longer periods to help with problems such as lick granulomas, excessive itchiness, hot spots, or other wounds that take longer to heal.

Some dogs are just fine with wearing these protective collars, and others go bonkers. My Boxer, Tyler, is one of those dogs that goes bonkers with a traditional Elizabethan collar. First he freezes. Then he starts pawing at it and fighting it until he threatens to hurt himself or someone else. It’s difficult to keep him quiet enough so that he can heal properly.

This past spring, after surgery to remove a growth on his elbow, we had the opportunity to try out a number of different types of collars and other products to keep him away from the incision. He came home from the surgery with the vet-supplied Elizabethan collar. But as soon as we unleashed him in the house, he started trying to remove the collar forcibly. Then we started exploring our options.

Following is a summary of the products we used to restrict access to his incision. We readily ascertained that all of the products were effective for certain purposes (thus our top rating for each), although Tyler was more comfortable with some than others.

When considering what to use for your dog, keep the location of his wound in mind (some products are better than others at preventing his access to different parts of his body). But also take into consideration his personality, energy level, and general ability to adapt to different circumstances. Consider, too, the other animals in the house, because some of these products can be helpful to the dog wearing them, but disruptive or “scary” to those around him.

Finally, if your dog has to wear some sort of collar for longer than a few days, you might want to try different products for different circumstances. For instance, one might work great when you are supervising him, another is better when he’s unattended, and another one might work best for sleeping. With a little experimentation, you’re sure to find a product that helps your dog heal in comfort.

Conventional cones
Veterinary clinics usually provide their clients with classic Elizabethan collars made of thick plastic. The cone-shaped collars fasten around the dog’s neck and are tied with a string or length of gauze. They can be made somewhat more comfortable by taping the sometimes sharp edges. Typically opaque, they limit the dog’s peripheral vision. Some dogs may bump into door frames or walls with the stiff collar, which can be jarring and noisy.

There are plenty of dogs that do just fine with a traditional Elizabethan collar. Unfortunately, my dog Tyler isn’t one of them. He fought this collar at every opportunity. It also upset our other dog, who acted wary of Tyler in the collar and startled at the noise it created when Tyler bumped against things.

The traditional Elizabethan Collar was provided by our veterinarian. On the advice of a friend, I looked for and found a very similar collar for less money at our local Petco.

The Pet Botanics E-Collar is a twist on the traditional Elizabethan collar. This version is translucent, so it does not limit the dog’s peripheral vision like the traditional opaque collars do. The E-Collar also comes in translucent colors such as blue and pink. It is padded with a layer of vinyl around the neck for increased comfort, and uses plastic snaps to close the collar at the proper size. The Pet Botanics’ collars are made of a lighter-weight (but still sturdy) plastic than the vet-supplied Elizabethan collars.

For some dogs, the E-Collar could be a good option because of the increased visibility and lighter weight. Tyler however, reacted to this collar much like he did the traditional model.

We purchased the E-Collar from a local Petco. They are also available from Petco’s Web site, where they range in price from $10.50 to $21, depending on the size.

Ring around the collar
A different take on the Elizabethan collar, the Soft-E-Collar™ looks more like a life preserver than a cone. It is a vinyl-covered foam pillow that prevents the dog from reaching his incisions or wounds. Because of its flat shape, it doesn’t obscure the dog’s vision the way a cone does, but does block access to his body and most of his extremities. This does depend somewhat on the flexibility of your dog and the length of his muzzle and tongue.

It is much easier for a dog to go about his normal business with the Soft-E-Collar. It doesn’t get in the way of eating or drinking. Your dog can still play catch, tug, and other games while wearing the collar. It also is less noisy and jarring if the dog bumps against anything while wearing it.

On the down side, the Soft-E-Collar, like traditional Elizabethan collars, ties around the dog’s neck with a string. When we tried this collar on Tyler, we made the mistake of looping the string around his regular flat collar. This nearly caused a serious problem when Tyler used both front paws to swiftly push the Soft-E over his head, which caused his regular collar to start to choke him. If your dog is really committed to trying to get the collar off, this is not the most secure choice.

Bracing difference
The Bite Not Collar closely resembles a cervical collar used for whiplash in people; in fact, its manufacturer says the collar can be used for a dog’s cervical stabilization. This well-padded plastic collar fits snugly around the dog’s neck, fastening with Velcro. It has a nylon chest strap that fastens behind the front legs to keep the collar properly in place.

The Bite Not collar works by limiting the extent to which the dog can bend his neck to reach various parts of his body. This means the collar works well to prevent dogs from licking their rear ends – back, rump, base of tail, flanks, chest, abdomen, genitals – but, depending on the flexibility of the dog and the length of his legs, he may be able to lick his feet. Also, this collar won’t keep a dog with a problem on his head (such as an ear hematoma or infected eye) from scratching or rubbing his head with his paws.

Tyler didn’t react negatively to this collar at all. He played tug with our other dog and even fetched his ball a few times while wearing it. The manufacturers say that the dog should be able to eat and drink while wearing the collar; Tyler couldn’t. He also was not able to lower his head much and therefore was not able to pick up anything from the ground. It’s possible that he would have more freedom of movement with a different size collar, although I’m not sure if a smaller size would sufficiently restrict access to his wound.

Bite Not Products sells its collars through veterinarians and through some catalog outlets. You can ask your veterinarian to order one for you; we ordered direct from the Omaha Vaccine Company at (800) 367-4444 or www.omahavaccine.com.

Something different
K9 Top Coat’s Lycra Bodysuit represents a totally different tack to take when trying to prevent a dog’s self-mutilation. As you might imagine, the Lycra Bodysuit is a full body suit made of stretchy Lycra, which completely covers the dog except for his head, paws, and between the legs (so it doesn’t inhibit elimination). It’s easy to put on and take off, machine washable, and very durable.

Given its design, the coat is not indicated for protecting head wounds or preventing paw-licking; the manufacturer recommends using it over dressed wounds and for allergy and hot spot control. An optional, detachable panel can be purchased to cover a spay or neuter surgical incision.

While we imagine that some dogs might chew themselves right through the fabric, this wasn’t the case with Tyler; even though he was obsessed with licking his wound when he was not wearing the coat, he seemed to forget all about it once the coat was on. What’s more, it didn’t irritate his wound, and Tyler was more comfortable, had complete freedom of movement, and looked cute!

The Lycra Bodysuit was the most expensive option we found, so it may be a better solution for long-term problems such as allergies than post-surgical healing.

In a few cases where the Lycra Bodysuit is indicated, a simple T-shirt might work, too. It depends on the location and type of your dog’s wound or problem. Many people use T-shirts on their dogs after spaying or neutering, and find it’s the only thing their dog needs to leave the incision alone.

We weren’t so lucky with Tyler. A T-shirt didn’t keep him from licking his post-surgery bandage. However, it worked for our Great Dane, Booker, after gastropexy (stomach tacking) surgery for bloat, even though the T-shirt covered only about half of his long incision.

Depending on the size of your dog, you might be able to use one of your own T-shirts, or use a child’s or infant’s T-shirt. People T-shirts fit best on dogs when they are put on so the tag is on the dog’s chest under his chin. Gather up the loose material around the dog’s waist and either knot it, or use a hair scrunchy to hold it gathered up on the dog’s back.

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

Training Advice

By
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
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What to do when spouses disagree about the dog
Help! I really need suggestions to help sway my 75-year-old husband toward positive training methods for our six-month-old puppy.

Before we got our pup, we agreed upon positive training, and even bought and read your book, The Power of Positive Dog Training, among others. Now, after three months, my husband has decided that the training methods we’ve been using don’t work because the pup still (in my words) acts like a puppy.

Here’s an example: The pup has been taught (when he grabs hats, gloves, shoes, and the like) to drop it and accept an exchange item (one of many toys lying around the floor, which I grab and use to initiate the exchange). He doesn’t play tug with the human item but gives it up freely, and I think that is success. I believe he’s beginning to know that the stuff he grabs is not for him.

My husband believes the pup is still grabbing the human items because he hasn’t been punished. Hubby has built a coin-can for the times the pup counter-surfs. You get the picture.

The pup already ducks his head when my husband moves his hands. Pup is a combination guy: cautious, fearful, bright, willful, willing, funny. Husband is classic senior male homo sapien – a bit impatient with occasional tendencies toward grouchy.

I fear that I might have to give up the pup rather than subject him to this. I am heartbroken and need suggestions. Each time the pup acts up it is a condemnation of my training.

 

Pat Miller responds:

Applause to you for using positive methods – successfully – with your pup! The trade game is a perfect solution to teach pups to bring us “forbidden objects” rather than carrying them off and chewing on them.

Your husband is, indeed, undermining your training program. The ultimate goal of positive training is to create a relationship with your well-behaved dog that is built on trust and respect. Your pup is learning that he can trust you, but not other humans – at least, not your husband. So, until we can convert your husband to a more positive training philosophy, you need to look for ways to better manage your pup’s behavior so your husband doesn’t have a chance to punish him.

For starters, I would pick up all the miscellaneous items to minimize the trade-game conflict between you, your husband, and the pup. Next, I would keep countertops and tables scrupulously cleared, so the pup has no reason to counter-surf. I would also use management tools such as tethers, leashes, and crates to manage the pup’s behavior and keep him safe from punishment when you are not there to supervise.

Deb Jones’ videos – especially “Click and Go” (basic clicker training) and “Click and Fix” (using clicker training to resolve behavior problems) are the two I’d suggest for showing your husband how clicker training works.

Another fun one to watch is Karen Pryor’s “Clicker Magic.” In fact, you might have him watch the Pryor video first; it’s very entertaining and a great overview of all the various things that clicker training can accomplish, while Jones’ are terrific “how-to” tapes.

Remember that your husband has probably been practicing these old-fashioned punishment-based training methods for 70-plus years. Well-practiced behaviors can take a long time to change, so be patient with him while you protect your puppy.

Also remember that positive reinforcement works beautifully with humans, too! Look for ways to reward your husband when he does use positive methods with your puppy, and remember to find and use rewards that are meaningful to him.

If all else fails, you might seriously consider rehoming the pup. I agree that I would not want to raise a dog in an environment that caused him to become fearful.

Good luck – and let us know how you do with turning your husband into a crossover trainer!

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Big dog gets more and more aggressive on walks
My friend got a very large mixed breed dog about a year ago. She lives in a condominium and has to walk the dog many times a day since there is no yard.

For about the first six months, all went well. My friend cannot point to an incident or recall anything that might have caused her dog’s behavior to change, but he has gradually become less able to pass other dogs without reacting. Every time her dog sees another dog while out walking, he becomes agitated, whines, barks, lunges, etc.

I’ve suggested trying to keep the dog at a distance from his triggers, desensitization, using the “treats from heaven” to try to convince the dog that seeing other dogs is a good thing, and even simply turning and walking the other way when they see another dog approaching. Unfortunately, this dog has to be walked in a neighborhood full of dogs; it’s not possible to keep him at a distance from his triggers. My friend is considering an electric collar, to my dismay.

Do you have any suggestions for positive training methods to use in this situation?

 

Pat Miller responds:

It’s unfortunate that your friend waited this long to address the problem; if she had used positive reinforcement all along there’s a good chance the problem behavior might never have occurred.

You can tell her that there are usually three causes of this behavior:

1. He wants to greet, visit, and play with the other dogs. She doesn’t let him (nor would I) or doesn’t always let him, perhaps even gives him collar “corrections,” so he gets frustrated and stressed, which expresses itself as aggression.

2. Her reaction to his stress and frustration is to verbally and/or physically reprimand him, which stresses him more, leading to more aggression, and convincing him that bad things happen when other dogs are around. This causes him to start to dislike other dogs.

3. At age one-year-plus, he is reaching maturity, which is when some dogs, especially assertive ones, may begin to exhibit signs of inter-dog aggression, even if they were neutered at an appropriate age.

I would suggest the following:

1. If the dog is not already neutered, do so immediately. It takes a few weeks for the effects of the hormones to subside, but the lack of testosterone definitely helps reduce a male dog’s “drive” to act aggressively.

2. If she has not already taken the dog through a basic good manners class taught by a skilled positive trainer, she should do so immediately. If she has already taken a basic class with him, she should enroll him in the next level.

3. If the dog is suitable, she should take him to a reputable doggie daycare facility two or more times a week, to give him the opportunity to interact naturally and freely with other dogs without the frustration of leash restraint. A good daycare facility, with knowledgeable, experienced managment, will be able to safely determine if he is a good candidate for socialized daycare.

4. If he does well at daycare, she should try to find a dog park to take him to at least once or twice a week in addition to the daycare.

5. I would also suggest that she read several good books on dog aggression and behavior, including:

• Aggression in Dogs, by Brenda Aloff
• The Other End of the Leash, by Patricia McConnell
• The Culture Clash, by Jean Donaldson
• Dogs Are From Neptune, by Jean Donaldson

6. Finally, as you suggested, I would suggest that your friend implement a program of counter-conditioning and desensitization to change the dog’s opinion of the presence of other dogs from stressful to positive.

Counter-conditioning and desensitization can work even if the reaction is triggered from time to time – it just may take longer. Tell her that using a shock collar is likely to just reinforce his current opinion that being around other dogs is a bad thing. If necessary, she should engage the services of a good, positive trainer who can help her modify this behavior – sooner, rather than later when it gets even worse and will be more difficult to fix.

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My two dogs can’t live together peacefully anymore!
I really need some advice/ideas/wisdom about my two dogs. Right now, I’m so discouraged about them.

I adopted Molly, age three, two years ago from our local Humane Society. If she’s not a purebred Mini-Aussie, there’s not much else in her. To say she is energetic doesn’t begin to describe her. (I joke that her anatomy includes a caffeine gland.) She’s very smart, and a super dog in her comfort zone, but her comfort zone is very small. My efforts to extend her comfort zone have ranged from mildly successful to nightmarish.

Her difficult behaviors range from acting like she wants to take the head off of someone at the door (though she’s never bitten anyone) to submissive urination. I’ve been able to marginally improve some of these things. She does get exercise, but probably not enough for her energy level.

About a year ago, I was very happy to be able to successfully introduce little puppy Cocoa into our household. This little cutie (who looks a lot like a pint-sized Chesapeake Bay Retriever) fought her way back from distemper, which ruined my early socialization plans, but I’m happy to say she loves dogs and people alike.

Molly and Cocoa are not exactly buddies, but they have coexisted mostly peacefully and will play together.  Now that Cocoa is an adult, however, their squabbles seem to be on the increase. Sometimes their squabble seems to be over me and this is solved if I walk away. However, they have had a few knock-down drag-outs that have resulted in blood (Cocoa’s; Molly is much quicker) and would have been truly frightening if they were big dogs.

The bad squabbles seem to occur when Molly gets very frantic about something and Cocoa, bugged at these shenanigans, will growl at her as if to say, “Knock it off, already.” Molly replies “Oh, yeah? Make me!” and they’re off.

I have read a lot about dog behavior, but lacking much experience, I can’t seem to figure out how to handle this correctly. I am very committed to both of these dogs.

 

Pat Miller responds:

Aggression between your own dogs can be incredibly stressful and heartbreaking. Good for you for your commitment to putting some serious work into fixing it!

It seems paradoxical that dogs, who are naturally pack animals, can have so much trouble getting along with each other. It is really very common, though, in part due to the fact that we keep them in such unnatural environments. We humans are a social species, too, and look how much trouble we can have getting along!

Several things about your dilemma:

It’s devilishly difficult to help diagnose aggression long-distance since there are so many variables in the behavior as well as the observer’s analysis of it. Without watching your dogs’ body language with my own eyes, it’s pretty tricky to make an accurate guess about what’s going on.

That said, I’ll give you my opinion anyway. However, I think you should seriously consider consulting a behaviorist who can see your dogs in action. Generally, the longer two dogs have a history of antagonistic behavior, the more deeply ingrained it is, and the more resistant to modification. Bringing in a behaviorist sooner, rather than later, increases your likelihood of success.

Remember to interview and investigate your behaviorist thoroughly. College degrees do not make or break a good behaviorist. There are Veterinary Behaviorists, Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists, and behaviorists – trainers who do behavior work but don’t have the degree. Any of them can be good or bad. Find one with a good track record, whose training and behavior modification philosophies match yours.

As for the dogs’ behavior . . . My guess is that Molly tolerated Cocoa until the puppy reached adulthood. As Cocoa matured and gained more confidence in her own position, she became less willing to defer to Molly. I don’t know when you had her spayed, but there is some evidence that spaying can increase female dog aggression because the female hormones are reduced, increasing the influence of the remaining testosterone in her system. I’m not convinced about that because the assertive behavior generally increases as a female reaches maturity – which coincidentally is the same time many people have their dogs spayed.

Either way, I would suggest creating a very calm, structured household, with rowdy play delegated to the outdoors where there is more open space, and where resource guarding of you is less likely to occur. Practice close observation of both dogs’ body language for early signs of tension. Intervene early, with a cheerful “Go to your place!” for both dogs, when you see tension building – not just for the one you perceive to be the aggressor. If early intervention doesn’t head off disaster, then a more formal (still cheerful) time-out for both dogs may be in order; send them to separate rooms for a short cooling-off period.

Better management of situations that are likely to cause conflict can help. For example, calm, controlled passage through doorways to the outside can reduce arguments – not because dogs hold doorways in such high regard, but because the excitement of going in and out is likely to generate high arousal, which can cause conflict.

I would also suggest veterinary exams for both dogs, including full panel thyroid tests (clinically normal but low thyroid levels may contribute to aggression) to be sure there are no medical conditions contributing to stress, which contributes to aggression. You could also explore lower protein diets, and discuss alternative approaches with a veterinarian who is comfortable with both Eastern and Western modalities of treatment, to see if there are any herbal, homeopathic, or flower essence remedies that might help your dogs be more compatible. Other possibilities to investigate that can be very helpful are related to touch: calming massage, acupressure, and/or TTouch techniques.

More exercise can help take the wind out of their sails. You may need to exercise them separately to prevent squabbles. Controlled exercise (rather than frenzied) is ideal, since it reinforces the dogs’ deference to you. For example: “Sit and wait while I throw the ball, go get it when I ask, bring it back, drop it, and sit and wait for me to throw again.”

I would also recommend reading Jean Donaldson’s two books, The Culture Clash and Dogs Are From Neptune, and either Brenda Aloff’s Aggression in Dogs, or James O’Heare’s Canine Aggression Workbook. All of these books can give you greater insight into the workings of your dogs’ brains, and the last two can help you set up specific behavior modification protocols.

One last note: Stay safe if a fight does erupt. Dog-dog aggression doesn’t usually translate to intentional aggression toward humans, but it’s easy to get bitten if you jump into the middle of a fracas. (See “Break It Up,” WDJ December 2002.)

 

 

Supplements and NSAIDs for Dogs

By
Nancy Kerns
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0

Dog’s Health and Vitality Gained from Supplements

I read “Securing Seacure” in the April 2003 issue with great interest. Our 10-year-old Lab, Annie, was diagnosed with mast cell cancer in February. Once we received the diagnosis, we brought Annie to a specialist to see if there was any treatment available. The doctor told us that there is really no effective treatment for her type of cancer for many reasons, including the stage to which her cancer had developed.

In your article on Seacure®, it was stated that Seacure alleviates nausea and vomiting, and possibly helps prevent or reverse cancer. We decided to try this product as we felt we had nothing to lose. We have gained two wonderful months with very limited vomiting, and lots of energy and enthusiasm from our Annie.

I have ordered another supply from Proper Nutrition. This company could not be more helpful and responsive. Ordering through their toll-free number is easy and the shipping is fast. I know that this is not a cure for Annie’s cancer, but so far, Seacure has improved her quality of life.

In the past, I have purchased many of the products that you have recommended and have not been disappointed in any of them, but Seacure is the one that has really made a difference in all of our lives.

-Linda King
via e-mail

My brother’s Lab retriever-mix was diagnosed with extensive cancer about a month ago. One vet estimated that she only had three weeks to live. My brother is not a very “alternative health” type of guy, but I remembered your recent articles about cancer (“New Hope for Treating Cancer,” May 2003) and the nutritional supplement, Seacure (“Securing Seacure,” April 2003). We put the dog on both Seacure and artemisinin. She got the runs at first, but now she’s almost back to her old self! Her appetite and activity levels are back!

We’re not going to venture to say that the cancer is in remission or anything, but she’s so much more happy and comfortable. Her arthritis even seems better. Thank you so much for your wonderful publication. Please keep on spreading the word!

-Donna Gatewood
Elkins Park, PA

I am a faithful reader of WDJ and I know that our pets have healthier lives as a result of your articles. In March we lost our 19-year-old, 65-pound mixed breed rescue, but he had been on somazymes and other supplements recommended in your articles. He lived a long rich life due to supplements that kept him healthy.

My most recent miracle was Candy, our 16-year-old rescue. She went in for her annual physical and her ALT liver enzymes were elevated. We tested again in a week and they were escalating at an alarming rate. We did a bile duct study, which was normal. And we were getting ready to have an ultrasound performed to determine whether there was liver cancer.

I went back to my archives of your articles, and saw that you discussed toxins in the liver in the July 2002 issue (“Milk Thistle”). My husband and I take milk thistle but I had never given it to our pets. We consulted our vet and gave her the article to read. She was very receptive, so we gave Candy 175 mg twice a day. She weighs about 45 pounds.

The wonderful news is two weeks later, Candy’s ALT liver enzymes were normal at 38 after being in the thousands. We will monitor her on a monthly basis, keeping her on the same dosage of milk thistle.

There was an obvious toxin in her liver, but the milk thistle has promoted new cells, and for now we have a healthy, happy dog. She has occasionally taken Rimadyl on cold, damp, winter days. If Rimadyl was the culprit, it would be wonderful to know milk thistle could combat any damage done to the liver by this medication.

I thank you for your wonderful guidance, as our pets are such treasures in our lives.

-Beth Hannon
Greer, SC

———-

The Truth About NSAIDs

How I wish “Administer With Care” (June 2003) would have been published three months earlier. If it had been, I would have read the information that could have prevented my four-year-old Beagle, K.C., from a dangerous reaction to a combination of NSAIDs, as well as an expensive hospitalization.

K.C. was being treated for a ruptured disc in March. An emergency room veterinarian prescribed EtoGesic and the next day her regular veterinarian prescribed Deramaxx, knowing full well that she was already on the EtoGesic. He did tell me to cut the EtoGesic dosage in half because the combination may cause ulcers.

Two days later K.C. was at the University of Minnesota because her condition had deteriorated significantly and she was scheduled for surgery. The veterinarian at UMN immediately took her off these two drugs, saying they never should have been used at the same time. Because of [the combination of] the two drugs, K.C. was in intensive care for three days, vomiting continually. After five days in the hospital, she came home and is still recovering from her ordeal. It if weren’t for the quick thinking and knowledgeable vets at UMN, K.C. might not be with us today.

Thank you for your wonderful and informative publication. You tell us what so many others won’t.

-Sue Marinkov & K.C.
Woodbury, MN

I enjoyed reading “Administer with Care,” about NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), in the June issue of WDJ. I found it to be extremely accurate, informative, and well-written.

I have practiced veterinary medicine with a boarded specialty in small animal medicine and surgery, since 1981. In these 22 years I have seen significant advancements in the treatment of canine osteoarthritis.

I first started to use Rimadyl in 1997 or thereabouts. I was aware of the side effects at the time, and always recommended a complete blood panel prior to its use. I also continued blood monitoring every three months while the patient was on this therapy.

I have numerous arthritic-type drugs and supplements on my shelves, from aspirin, glucocorticoids, and phenylbutazone (a horse remedy) to Arthri-Nu, Glycoflex, Cosequin, EtoGesic, Adequan, Osteocare, and now Deramaxx. When I first graduated from veterinary school, buffered aspirin and phenylbutazone were the only available NSAIDs, and corticosteroids were used for severe cases. There were no neutraceutical remedies that were used at the time.

In 2002, Time magazine published an article on osteoarthritis in humans. The authors analyzed the current rave in Cox-2 inhibitors, and also the non-drug or nutraceutical route. They ascertained that Cox-2 inhibitors were indeed functional in pain relief but had significant side effects, including many of the ones mentioned in your article. Of all the neutraceutical, herbal, and homeopathic remedies out there, the writer’s research found only the glucosamine and chondroitin supplements to be truly effective in both pain relief and maintenance of joint space width and functional mobility.

I have done significant research in this area and I have found that NSAIDs (including aspirin, ibuprofen, Rimadyl, EtoGesic, and the new Cox-2 inhibitors such as Deramaxx) definitely relieve pain – but they may also potentially damage the cartilage in the joint. The makers of Rimadyl, Etogesic, and Deramaxx claim that this isn’t true with Cox-2 inhibitors. They emphasize that as long as the recommended package dose (or lower) is maintained, their studies have not shown damage to the cartilage.

I have not seen those studies, but I have seen the human studies that show that although NSAIDs relieve pain and provide some anti-inflammatory effects, there is no evidence illustrating their role in arresting the progression of the disease. In fact, they may actually accelerate disease progression by slowing the rate of proteoglycan synthesis and exacerbating the loss of cartilage. Basically all this means is that the building blocks of joints are actually slowed in their rates of joining and that the cartilage in turn can break down easier.

I recommend NSAIDs for my clients as a very last resort, or prednisolone when the animal no longer responds to any of the neutraceutical remedies I use first. I use NSAIDs only when the patient’s blood panels are normal, and when the owner agrees to do monthly blood testing, has read the package labels regarding adverse reactions, and knows all the risks involved.

If I have a young or old patient with osteoarthritis or any congenital or hereditary disease, I generally start them out on Breeder’s Choice Active Care treats or biscuits or Breeder’s Choice’s Active Care diet. I talk to the owner about the need for the dog’s weight loss and slowly increasing activity and walking for increasing time periods daily to help build up the supporting muscles to the joint that is afflicted with osteorarthritis.

I recommend Cosequin, too, but I don’t always use this as my first neutraceutical because of the high levels of salt in the product. Most of my canine patients with osteoarthritis are older, and may have cardiac or renal disease. Salt levels need to be kept at a minimum in these patients.

I tell my clients not to use one of the generic glucosamine or chondroitin sulfate products because university studies have shown that when these pills are tested for levels of glucosamine or chondroitin they are often not there or nowhere near the levels stated on the label. Furthermore, shelf stability is poor with these products.

Cartilage foods, treats, and biscuits (such as those found in the Active Care products) are offered in their natural form and are not chemically manipulated to extract one or more glycosaminoglycan. I offer this line of nutritional therapy regularly and early in my patients’ lives. Cartilage has little or no fat or salt, which makes it an excellent supplement for all ages and breeds of dogs, especially when trying to minimize caloric intake for obese patients where weight contributes to osteorarthritis.

If the dog is in severe pain I will prescribe EtoGesic (or now Deramaxx) with a meal, along with a cartilage-based food or treat, until the dog’s symptoms improve. I have also had tremendous success with Adequan, an injectable form of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). This involves twice weekly injections for three weeks, then one injection every two to three weeks as needed. Generally I will use EtoGesic and a GAG product simultaneously for the rest of the pet’s life and recommend monthly blood testing or sooner if any adverse signs develop. In extreme cases, I still resort to glucocorticoids.

Putting dogs (especially those breeds that are most likely to experience osteorarthritis) on cartilage-based foods, treats, and supplements to help mitigate the potential onset of osteoarthritis is highly recommended and very good nutritional therapy, and illustrates yet another alternative to treating osteoarthritis in companion animals.

-Katalin Grant, DVM
Long Beach, CA

[Editor’s note: Dr. Grant is the consulting veterinarian for Breeder’s Choice, and is affiliated with Active Life Pet Products, maker of Osteocare, a GAG supplement. Active Life licenses its cartilage technology to Breeder’s Choice.]

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