Thank you for mentioning our product, Home Made 4 Life (“Food in the Freezer,” March 2000). Some important information was not mentioned in your article! We feel these key points set our companies and our product apart from our competition:
Home Made 4 Life pet food is formulated by professional animal nutritionists Jennifer Boniface, MS, and Trina Nowak, BScAgr, each of whom hold higher education degrees in animal nutrition.
Home Made 4 Life is the only international pet food of its type, with manufacturing taking place both in Maryland (Aunt Jeni’s Home Made) and Ontario, Canada (Pets 4 Life).
-Trina Nowak Ontario, Canada -Jennifer Boniface Aunt Jeni’s Home Made Temple Hills, MD
Regarding your “Top Dry Dog Foods” article in the February 2000 issue: I understand that our Eagle Pack Natural Formula did not make the Recommended listing because we use the term “animal fat” in our ingredients list. The fat listed is pure bacon fat (pork fat), melted from human grade bacon to reduce the fat content prior to being shipped to restaurants. We also include chicken fat, produced under USDA inspection, the same fat sold to human food companies worldwide. There is no further refining or rendering.
Until recently, we used a mixture of the pork and chicken fat. We have since discontinued the pork fat.The “meat meal” listed is pure pork, from USDA-inspected plants. We are now changing our ingredients listing to state pork meal and chicken fat. These items were not listed as species-specific previously, because of ethnic considerations.
We subscribe to the nutrition philosophies of WDJ. As noted, our meat proteins and fats are from USDA-inspected plants with product sold to human food companies. Our carbohydrates/grains are ground fresh. There are no pesticides applied from the day the seed is planted until harvest. To prove the depth of our commitment, we now include certified, organically grown chicken in our cat food. As supply of this ingredient increases, we will include it in our dog food.
-John Marsman, Director of Nutrition Eagle Products, Inc. Mishawaka, IN
We’ve heard from representatives of several companies whose products did not make our “Top 10 Dry Foods” list for various reasons. Most wanted to communicate their reasons for making the decisions they did for using certain products (ones WDJ does not approve of ) in their formulations, or to explain why the ingredients they use are better in reality than they appear to be on the lists of ingredients found on their labels. Each person hoped we could further qualify or explain the listings on their labels.
In good conscience, all we can say is this: Virtually no one from any agency “polices” either the verbal claims of the food companies’ representatives or the literature published by the companies in pamphlets or on web sites. On the other hand, what is printed on their products’ labels is regulated by Federal law. For this reason, we suggest that consumers continue to judge foods by the list of ingredients found on their labels.
But here’s a wrench in the works: We recently learned that companies have six months to change the label of a food following any change in its formulation. This ostensibly protects the company from the expense of “wasting” perfectly good (but inaccurately labeled) bags.
Unfortunately, this practice leaves the consumer without any certainty that what they see is what their dogs will get. Especially vulnerable are dogs who have food allergies or other sensitivities. Short of calling the company every time you buy a bag of food, how can you know that no changes have been made that may affect your dog?
We’ll be looking into this practice further in future issues.
–Editor
Why didn’t you include hypothyroid disease as a possible underlying cause of itching in your article, “Stop the Itch!” in the February issue?
My Akita went through a couple of years of almost constant skin infections. We’d get rid of each infection with antibiotics, only to have it come back again quickly. Her constant scratching and biting were tormenting for her after a while, and her sad eyes often reflected that. Her thyroid tests were coming back normal, but as I got more desperate I began researching on the Internet. Eventually it was determined that she did have the disease when she responded within weeks to treatment. She’s never had a skin infection or serious itching since.
One estimate says that more than 90 percent of Akitas will have the disease at some point in their lives. Some other breeds are especially prone to it, too.
I had to take the initiative with my vet by bringing her the information; she wouldn’t have treated her for the disease based on the tests. The results of treatment were truly amazing. If publishing this information could help even one owner and dog with this problem, that would be great.
For more information about hypothyroid disease and its diagnosis and treatment, go to the Delaware Valley Akita Rescue web site (www.dvakitarescue.org) and ask for the thyroid packet. Their postal address is PO Box 103, Carversville, PA 18913.
Let’s be clear about one thing right from the start. A muzzle won’t train your dog. It will not teach your dog to stop biting or chewing, nor will it teach him to love small children, tall men with beards, hats and umbrellas, or your veterinarian. A muzzle is a behavior management tool, properly used as a temporary measure to protect humans (or other dogs) when dogs have to be handled in situations that are too stressful for them to tolerate. A muzzle is also a flashing neon warning sign that it’s time to do some serious counter-conditioning and desensitization so the dog in question can be handled in normal situations without resorting to muzzling. Dogs should not have to be muzzled for basic vet exams, grooming, nail-trimming, or other routine maintenance procedures. (See “Dreading the Vet,” WDJ June 2000.)
However, there are times when muzzles are useful. Muzzles can keep our animal care professionals safe when an aggressive dog must (regrettably) be treated prior to the successful completion of a behavior modification program. (Bear in mind that this is likely to cause a setback in the training program.) Even a well-socialized, friendly dog may bite when in pain, so a muzzle is always appropriate when handling a dog who is injured. Muzzles can also provide a safety zone within which we can implement desensitization and training programs for aggressive dogs without risking our own lives and limbs. Note: a dog who will wear a muzzle as part of a training program needs to be acclimated to the muzzle in the same way we would acclimate him to a head halter. (See “Head Halters Right and Wrong,” WDJ June 2000.)
Since we do need to use muzzles sometimes, we thought it appropriate to review some of the products currently on the market to determine what we like and don’t like about them. There are two basic types of muzzles – soft muzzles and basket muzzles – and a few that fall into a “miscellaneous” class. The important qualities of a muzzle are:
• Comfort for the dog
• Safety for the dog
• Ease of application and adjustment
• Security once in place on the dog
• Effectiveness in preventing biting
• Durability for long term use
• Cost
We evaluated eight different muzzles based on these criteria. In general, we found the soft muzzles far superior to the basket muzzles. Across the board, our test dogs all accepted the soft nylon muzzles much more readily than the basket muzzles. While none of the dogs looked happy about wearing something on their faces, most of them made active attempts to remove the basket muzzles, and just displayed a general air of gloom when wearing the soft muzzles. (We did not acclimatize any of our test dogs to any of the muzzles prior to testing.)
Safety first
Before we comment on individual products, we need to discuss the use of muzzles as it relates to our selection criteria. “Safety for the dog” is one of our most important considerations. However, we have ranked each muzzle for its safety to the dog if used properly. ALL muzzles present a high risk to the dog if used improperly.
None of the soft muzzles we examined seem to present a risk of injuring a dog who was trying to remove them, but all of the soft nylon muzzles restrict a dog’s respiration, which greatly compromises his ability to cool himself through panting. These muzzles should not be left on the dog for longer than 10-15 minutes at a time, less if the weather is warm and/or humid, or if the dog naturally has respiratory problems (such as the short-faced breeds, like Pugs.)
Advantages of fabric muzzles
Speaking of safety, we found it interesting that all of the soft nylon muzzles had packaging that contained instructions for proper, safe application and fitting, as well as appropriate warnings about not leaving muzzles on dogs unattended, or for long periods of time. In contrast, none of the basket muzzles came with any safety warnings or fitting instructions.
All of the fabric muzzles we examined are made of durable, washable nylon, with a simple nylon strap and plastic buckle that snaps close behind the ears. They can all can be shaped to stay open while the dog’s nose is slipped into the cone. If you adjust this type of muzzle to the dog’s approximate size before you slip it onto the dog’s nose, you can tighten the strap with relative ease while the muzzle stays on and prevents biting. When properly fitted, it is very difficult for a dog to remove any of the soft nylon muzzles we tested.
The soft muzzles are designed to allow the dog to eat and drink to a limited degree. This makes them ideal for use in behavior modification programs, since the dog can open his mouth just enough to accept treats. However, it also means that if a person were extremely incautious there is the possibility that the dog could pinch flesh with teeth and break skin, although probably not inflict a severe bite unless someone actually stuck their fingers in the dog’s mouth.
Fabric muzzle ratings
We can’t really say that either of our two top-rated muzzles is significantly better than the other; they both have unique features that we appreciated. Between these relative equals, we’d pick the Mikki Muzzle, which is widely available for a few dollars less.
The Mikki Nylon Fabric Muzzle, is made by Classic Products of Oxnard, California. The dog’s comfort, of course, is one of the most important selection criteria for a product such as a muzzle. The Mikki Muzzle scores high on this mark. While the product’s nylon is slightly stiffer than some of the other brands, this muzzle also has a soft strip of padding sewn on the inside of the front opening which offers an additional degree of comfort. As with all of the open-ended fabric muzzles, a dog wearing this muzzle can still eat treats and lap water.
The Mikki Muzzle comes in nine sizes, including one for Boxer-type brachycephalic dogs. The product is the least expensive of all the soft muzzles we examined.
However, the Cozy Quick Muzzle, made by Four Flags Over Aspen of St. Clair, Minnesota, may be more comfortable for the dog. Four Flags makes slightly greater provisions for the dog’s comfort, including the use of a softer (less stiff) nylon fabric. Also, the upper rim of the “sleeve” that fits over the dog’s nose (the part of the muzzle that rests below the dog’s eyes) is lined with a comfy piece of synthetic sheepskin to prevent rubbing. While the faux-sheepskin fluff could possibly get in the eyes of a shorter-muzzled dog, this can be remedied by trimming the fluff with scissors while still leaving ample padding on the inside of the muzzle.
The Cozy Quick Muzzle is available in an impressive 16 sizes; this wide range provides for a secure fit on any dog. While this product is slightly more expensive than the Mikki Muzzle, it is still reasonably priced.
Four Flags Over Aspen also offers a product called the Quick Muzzle – basically the same product as described above, without the coziness; we prefer the cozier model. This product lacks either the padding at the nose-end that the Mikki Muzzle offers or the sheepskin at the eye-end of the higher-priced Cozy Quick Muzzle. Like the Cozy Quick, this muzzle is constructed of softer nylon than the Mikki Muzzle. The Quick Muzzle, however, is offered in 18 sizes, including two sizes specially designed for short-faced dogs. Only the higher price keeps this product from our top rating.
The Pro-Guard Softie, made by the Custom Cable Company of Brooklyn, New York, offers the first big differences seen in the fabric muzzles. Instead of an open-ended cone, this product ends with a nylon mesh cup that fits loosely over dog’s nose. Because this muzzle has a screen sewn over the nose opening of the muzzle, it does not have to fit the sides of the dog’s muzzle as snugly as the other products we examined. However, the screen totally precludes its use as a positive training tool, since the dog cannot eat treats. For this reason, the Pro-Guard Softie would be a good muzzle to use for emergency protection, but not for a behavior modification program.
The design offers other advantages. First, the closed end minimizes the small potential for biting present with the open-ended muzzles. Plus, the looser fit allows for greater ease of panting than the more tightly fitting conical soft muzzles.
On the other hand, the product is available in only four sizes, which limits the accuracy of its fit. And in terms of durability, the design makes the product vulnerable to rips to the mesh screen, which would negate the muzzle’s value in bite prevention.
About basket muzzles
While the soft nylon muzzles seemed to be more comfortable – as judged by the reactions of our test dogs – basket muzzles offers one advantage to the dog that learns to accept them calmly: These products are designed to fit much more loosely around the dog’s muzzle, enabling him to open his jaws more widely to pant and breathe, while continuing to offer protection from bites. But dogs cannot drink easily while wearing basket muzzles, so, as with the fabric muzzles, these products should not be left on the dog for extended periods.
One danger of these muzzles – one not seen with the fabric muzzles – is that because of the pattern of openings in the wire, a frantic dog could easily get a toenail caught in the wire and rip it off. None of the basket muzzles we reviewed were accompanied by any safety warnings.
The biggest disadvantage of the basket muzzles is that most dogs object to wearing them much more strenuously than to the fabric muzzles, given that basket muzzles are rigid, and tend to bang around on the dog’s face as he moves.
Basket muzzle ratings
The banging action is least objectionable from the Polypropylene Basket Muzzle offered by J-B Wholesale Pet Supplies, Inc., of Oakland, New Jersey. Because this product’s basket is made of plastic, it wears more lightly on the dog’s face. It’s too bad that the product is available in only four sizes, especially because adjusting the fit is more difficult than it should be due to the use of a plastic slip buckle instead of a plastic snap. This could prove tricky with a struggling dog.
Once securely fitted to the dog, however, the Polypropylene Basket Muzzle offers a double safeguard against biting in the form of a plastic insert in the end of muzzle. A second layer of mesh, positioned about a half-inch from the end of the muzzle, puts a double layer of distance between the dog’s teeth and his intended victim. It does, however, make it very difficult to feed treats to the dog through the mesh, so its application as part of a behavior modification program is limited.
Unfortunately, while we liked this muzzle in terms of comfort for the dog (for a basket muzzle), its lightweight construction is much less durable than the metal baskets. Our test model arrived in a box with two of the plastic bars already broken. A dog who really fought this muzzle “tooth and nail” could probably destroy it pretty quickly. On the other hand, it was the least expensive of the basket muzzles we evaluated; you get what you pay for.
The Wire Muzzle offered by Jeffers Pet Catalog, a plastic-coated wire basket that fits loosely over dog’s nose, is more typical in terms of durability (good) and weight (too heavy). The product has a leather loop on the underside of the muzzle that a (narrow) collar would go through, and a leather strap that fastens behind dog’s head. Despite the extra fastening point, the weight of the metal basket caused our test dogs noticeably more distress than with the plastic basket. This could probably be overcome to some degree with proper desensitization before actually using the muzzle.
This product is available in only four sizes. The metal tongue buckle requires even more fussing to close than the plastic slide buckle on the Polypropylene Basket Muzzle. Also, the plastic-coated wire bars are spaced far enough apart that treats could be dropped through more easily than the plastic basket muzzle. (It would require some practice on the part of both dog and owner to perfect their treat-dropping/consuming technique). While this is a good thing in terms of using the muzzle for behavior modification, it also means that someone could conceivably stick a finger through the bars and be bitten.
We found more problems with the Wire Basket Muzzle sold by Drs. Foster & Smith, a bright silver-colored metal basket muzzle that fits loosely over the dog’s nose. Our test dogs hated the faux-leather strap that attaches to the top of the basket and goes straight up between his eyes over the top of his head, attaching to his collar. Another strap fastens around the dog’s neck. This is the heaviest and bulkiest of the basket muzzles, which must have had something to do with their strong objections.
We had objections, too. In our opinion, the wide gaps between the wire bars could rip a toenail or even trap an entire paw. And with only three sizes available, getting a secure fit might be difficult. Once on, it would probably prevent bites as long as you didn’t insert your fingers between the bars.
Other muzzle designs
In addition to the tried and true styles of muzzle design discussed above, we occasionally see muzzles with unique designs come onto the market – but we haven’t seen one worth its purchase price.
One such product is the Velcro Muzzle made and sold by Drs. Foster & Smith. It’s just two long Velcro straps connected by a wide, short elastic strap. One strap fastens around dog’s neck, the other fastens around the dog’s nose. Due to its minimal nature, our test dogs resisted this muzzle least of all the ones we tested. They could eat, drink, breathe – and we’re sure they could bite without impediment. The nose strap fits so high up on the nose that it does little to restrict biting. The only danger would arise from too-tight application of one or both straps. There are no instructions for use included in the packaging.
Perhaps this product would be useful when a muzzle is required by law (such as on public transportation) but absolutely not necessary (as with a well-socialized, well-traveled, friendly dog.)
You brought this wonderful puppy into your home and very quickly discovered two things: He has needle-sharp teeth. And he bites! Now you have two burning questions: Why does he do it? What should I do?
A puppys gotta chew Why does your puppy bite?
The simple answer is that puppies bite because they are genetically programmed to do so!
Remember, not too long ago (in evolutionary time) dogs were predators and scavengers who lived in groups. Puppies had to learn to use their teeth, mouth, and jaws as their most valuable tools for survival. They had to learn what is food and what isnt, how to kill prey, and how to chew and otherwise extract nutrition from solid food. Some tasks were more complicated and took a lot of practice to get them right, so Mother Nature endowed the dog with the insatiable desire to use those teeth and jaws.
Puppies also used their teeth and jaws as communication and social tools. They used their mouths to get another living creatures attention just clamp those needle-sharp teeth on the nearest flesh and apply some pressure! They also learned to wrestle with other puppies by using their teeth to grab, hold, and move around their playmates. Some puppies learned that if their littermate had a scrap of food or a bone they wanted, they could apply enough pressure with their teeth so that the other puppy would drop it.
Of course, our dogs today are no longer living in wild packs. But the genetic urge to use and practice their mouth skills is still with them; they cant help but chew and bite everything around them including you!
Given that most dogs eat commercially prepared food that is served to them in a bowl daily, dogs today dont really need to practice their chewing and gnawing skills in order to survive. But they still have to learn methods and rules of proper canine communication both with other dogs, and with their human packmates. Sadly, few puppies have the opportunity to grow up in a social setting where they can learn these important skills from their mother, siblings, and other grownup relatives.
Critical lesson One of the puppys most important lessons is learned at this trying time: how hard they should and should not bite, usually referred to by dog trainers and behaviorists as bite inhibition. They learn this from their littermates through trial and error. If you have ever watched puppies at play with their siblings, youve seen this lesson in action. The puppies roll around with each other, biting each other wherever they can get a grip. If they bite too hard and with needle-sharp teeth and jaws strong enough to crack bones open, too hard is not very hard at all their brother or sister will do two things: let out a loud shriek of pain and quit the game, leaving the biter alone and puzzled. Game over.
(Incidentally, young children do much the same thing: they grab their playmates, wrestle, and play-fight. It is extremely rare that they really hurt each other. Usually, they learn how to play so that they can get what they want and have fun. If they are too rough, other children cry and stop playing with them. Puppies learn the same thing.)
What pups learn by play-biting people After a few dozen repetitions, even the slowest puppy learns that good things come to an end when you bite your friends too hard. Its a lesson that will be with them throughout their lives and may even save their lives someday.
You see, bite inhibition is what keeps a dog who does bite someone another dog or a human from biting hard enough to seriously injure the victim. All dogs are capable of ripping another dogs throat open, or slashing your arm to the bone; they have all the equipment needed to do so. But when a dog with proper bite inhibition bites, the result is a hard pinch rather than a bloody tragedy.
A dog with poor bite inhibition, on the other hand, may spend his entire life as the most beloved, trusted, calm, and loving family companion, but if or when he decides to bite, the bite is severe and awful. Many a bewildered family has put their beloved dog to death because they couldnt understand how or why a usually perfect dog could inflict such a terrible bite. These poor dogs never learned how hard they should bite if they do bite; they lacked the subconscious knowledge of exactly what kind of bite pressure will do the job of controlling their immediate social environment.
Just because your puppy didnt grow up in a litter of playmates, however, doesnt mean he cant learn this critical knowledge. By simulating the proper responses, you can teach bite inhibition to your puppy.
Never say never Unfortunately, this means that at first, youre going to have to let your puppy bite and chew on you! (But not hard Ill get to that in a second.) If you, instead, tell the puppy, NO! every time he tries to bite or chew on you, you will deny him the opportunity to learn how hard social bites should be. This knowledge will be nowhere in his conscious or subconscious. And when the day comes that he is in a social setting (with other dogs or people) where he feels overwhelmed and upset beyond his ability to cope, hell bite because thats what dogs are genetically programmed to do. And that bite will be a bad one.
So, from the very first, you let your puppy bite and gnaw on you but not hard! When your little friend bites to the point that it hurts you, do what another puppy would do: Say Ouch! loudly and quickly, and end your petting or play session. Get up immediately, turn away from the pup, and pay no attention to him for a minute or two. Then, return to your normal interactions with him.
This can be done from the first minute you interact with your puppy until he decides play biting you isnt very rewarding. With patience and consistency (youll have to train all your friends and family to do this, too), your pup will gradually learn not to bite as hard and then not to bite at all.
Please note that I said gradually. It usually takes a few weeks of following the correct procedure before you see a big improvement in this behavior. The reason is simple. Play biting is such an important, natural behavior, that we can not change it immediately unless we use harsh punishment. Dont use punishment to stop puppy biting. It will undoubtedly stop the biting but it also may make your puppy fearful or aggressive (that is, act in self-defense, which we often interpret as aggressive). It can also end all his opportunities to learn good bite inhibition.
A little relief Hopefully, you now understand why your puppy should be allowed to gently bite and chew on you for a critical period of time when he is young. But you hope there is something you can do right away to get your puppy to bite less, right? Happily, there is. While your first job was to teach your pup to inhibit the force of his bite, your next task is to work on reducing the frequency of his play-biting.
If you know that your puppy wants to interact with you whenever he has a chance, you can give him something else to do with you besides play biting. All puppies benefit from learning a few simple requests. Sit, Stand, and Down can all be taught in a positive manner using lure and reward, clicker, or any other positive, non-punishing method. If you are prepared, you can start training your pup before he starts to play-bite you. Some pups will play-bite every time they get a chance, some pups will do it only during high-activity periods. Pay attention to your puppy and always be prepared to engage him in a fun training session rather than letting him decide that nipping you is the best way to get your attention.
Start out by taking a small handful of your puppys food. Sit in a comfortable chair, rest your forearm on your thigh, say Take it! and give the puppy one piece of food. Close the rest of the food in your hand and say Off in a calm, gentle, sweet manner. Your puppy will probably try to get at the food by mouthing and/or pawing. Just keep that hand closed and wait. After a short period of trying to get the food, the pup will take his mouth off of your hand for a few seconds. When he does this, just say Take it! and give him a different piece of food from your other hand. It becomes very clear to the puppy in a short period of time, that when you say Off, if he does not touch your hand for three to five seconds, you will reward him by saying Take it and giving him a piece of food.
You are in the process of teaching your puppy that off means dont touch. After a few days of this exercise, you can start telling your puppy not to play-bite by saying Off before he gets a chance to put his mouth on you. It is very important that you give him something else to do at this time. Dont just keep saying Off! The puppy wants to play with you. Because you are using positive training methods, the puppy knows training is play and will be happy to have you start a training session. Make sure you do lots of short training sessions whenever your puppy gets to have some of your precious time!
What if this doesnt work? If these methods dont seem to make any difference to your puppy, then you have to figure out why he is still play-biting too frequently or with too much force. Here are some possible reasons and solutions:
You are saying Ouch! in a manner that excites your puppy and causes him to play- bite even more or saying it in such a normal tone that its indistinguishable from your normal interactions. Experiment until you find the pitch and tone that makes him stop.
You are not spending enough time training your puppy and he just has to get your attention. Have more training sessions. Teach everyone in the family to train the pup.
Your puppy is too overstimulated or over-tired. If you are doing lots of short training sessions, dont feel guilty about doing a time-out. Puppies are like children; when they get overstimulated or over-tired, the best solution is a time-out. Take the puppy out to potty, put him in his secure area where he cant play-bite you or anyone else, let him rest up in peace and quiet for a while, and then he will be prepared for the next fun training session and so will you!
Stay positive!
-By Joel Walton
Joel Walton, a founding member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, is a canine behavior consultant in the Washington, DC, area who specializes in aggressive behavior cases. His second book, Labrador Retrievers for Dummies, co-authored with Eve Adamson, contains lots of positive pet training advice.
There is absolutely no doubt in our minds that gentle training and holistic care (plus lots of love) works better than conventional care. Sassafras, one of our Golden Retrievers, proves this again and again.
In December 1998, my husband, Lane, and I adopted an eight-month-old Golden who had been abused and was about 20 pounds underweight. We werent really looking for another dog at the time we already had four! but she needed a home and once we met her, we had to take her home. She was one of the sweetest Goldens we had ever met, and we are big fans of the breed. We named her Sassafras, which we shortened to Sassy and youll see why!
At first, Sassy got along fine with the rest of our pack, which included an elderly Vizsla; an even older Weimaraner; Daisy, a six-year-old Golden Retriever-Labrador cross; and Jasmine, a Golden Retriever who, at one year old, was closest to Sassy in size and age. All of the dogs are spayed females.
However, it didnt take long for our newcomer to begin displaying some extreme symptoms of separation anxiety. We couldnt understand this, considering Sassy had so many playmates, and such a large, dog-friendly environment. We spent a small fortune replacing all the things she chewed through while we were at work new drywall and carpeting in the house, and even new siding on the outside of the house.
I had read about medications used to treat separation anxiety, and asked my local veterinarian if he would prescribe Clomicalm, which was advertised as being just the thing for this troublesome behavior. The vet was unfamiliar with the drug, but agreed that it sounded like just the thing to help Sassy until she was settled into our household.
Clomicalm (clomipramine hydro-chloride) is made by Novartis Animal Health. Its mode of action is not sedative; as a tricyclic antidepressant, it works by helping two neurotransmitters work more effectively in the brain. In humans, the underactivity of these chemicals has been implicated in depression and other disorders.
At the time, we werent aware that Clomicalm is not suggested as a sole treatment for separation anxiety, but is intended as only one aspect of a treatment program that includes training and behavior modification.
The Clomicalm did reduce Sassys separation anxiety; however, it also seemed to make her lethargic and decreased her appetite. We werent happy with these changes, but we thought she would improve with time.
Anxiety turns to aggression Unfortunately, things got worse. Sassy got along with our other dogs just fine, but began having more scuffles with Jasmine, and the fights got progressively worse. One night in August 1999, Sassy tore up Jasmine badly; our veterinarian had to stitch up some ugly wounds.
The veterinarian suggested that we try another medication, Elavil. It, too, has side effects, but we thought we owed it to Jasmine to give it a try. Unfortunately, the Elavil only aggravated Sassys symptoms of lethargy and decreased appetite.
Loyal to our other dogs, some of our friends suggested that we get rid of Sassy. That might have been an option for some people, but we loved Sassy and were committed to finding a solution that we could all live with in peace and safety. Finding out that Sassy had been rejected by another adoptive family firmed our resolve.
Trying to buy time, Lane and I decided to fence off a part of the yard just for Sassy, so the dogs would be separated when we were gone.
We also contacted the veterinary school at the University of California at Davis, looking for a behaviorist who might be able to help us. (We live in Elko, a very small town in a remote part of Nevada; there arent any animal behaviorists around here!) They instructed us to videotape our dogs in all sorts of situations: playing with us in the yard, at the groomers, feeding time, etc.
After we sent the tape away, I scoured a catalog of dog books, looking for books and videotapes about canine behavior problems. I bought several that I had seen mentioned in Whole Dog Journal, including books by Dr. Ian Dunbar, Dr. Nick Dodman, and Dr. William Campbell. There are lots of opinions, but all of the books were helpful in some ways. Dr. Dunbars videotapes on biting and fighting to be especially helpful.
New orders Then we received an answer from Dr. Melissa Bain, the behaviorist from UC Davis. She had seen quite a bit more in our videotape than we imagined! For example, we taped (and saw) the dogs playing; Dr. Bain saw Sassy struggling to assert her dominance on the rest of the pack (especially Jasmine) with little effect.
Also, Dr. Bain noticed that my husband and I failed to impose much in the way of pack rules on our dogs. She suggested that we start asking for our dogs to follow a lot of rules, all of which would help establish us at the top of the pack hierarchy, and Sassy as next top dog. We had always treated the dogs as equals and we had bent over backward to be as undemanding as possible toward Sassy, because we felt sorry for her. At Dr. Bains suggestion, we began setting more limits on the dogs behavior, and began actively supporting Sassys status as top dog. Sassy was the first dog to be fed, petted, given a treat, let out the door, and so on. Because getting up on our bed had always been something to fight over, we banned the bed for both Sassy and Jasmine, establishing safe spots for them on either side of the bed; they were compelled to stay on their own cozy beds with a six-foot leash fastened to an eyebolt in the wall.
Dr. Bain also suggested that we use muzzles on both Jasmine and Sassy when they were together. She recommended basket-type muzzles, but neither dog tolerated them very well, so we tried soft fabric muzzles. Jasmine continued to show a lot of distress wearing a muzzle, but surprisingly, Sassy seemed perfectly comfortable wearing her fabric muzzle, which enabled her to eat grass, drink water, and even carry a toy around but she couldnt bite Jasmine. We found that as long as Sassy couldnt bite, Jasmine wouldnt bite, so we stopped using the muzzle on Jasmine, and all was well.
We also used the head halter made by Gentle Leader on both Jasmine and Sassy. The halters enabled us to control the dogs without a struggle while increasing their exposure to each other. We would walk the dogs back and forth past each other, rewarding them for calm behavior, and increasing the distance between them when one started to get stressed out.
In case of emergency, if another big fight did break out, Dr. Bain recommended that we use a product called Direct Stop, a citronella spray that comes in a pressurized can. We keep a can handy at all times, and have used it several times to break up a fight (and once when a stray dog attacked Sassy when we were walking). It has worked every time without anyone getting bitten.
These things all contributed to making an immediate difference in reducing conflicts between the dogs. Because things were going so much better, we stopped giving Sassy the Elavil; she had lost so much weight. However, she immediately became more aggressive again. One step forward and two steps back!
Holistic resources It was about this time that I remembered an article about flower essences that I had read months before in WDJ. I went through my back issues and found an article about flower essences (March 1999), and a case history that mentioned an aggressive dog who had become more calm when given a flower essence remedy.
I called Chamisa Ridge, a company that sells flower essence remedies and other herbal preparations for pets, and asked for a catalog. They carried an herbal preparation that sounded like just the thing for Sassy. Temperamend is a valerian mixture made by an English company, Hilton Herbs, and it has proved to be a lifesaver for Sassy. She really responded to the herbal mixture, and unlike when we were giving her sedatives, she didnt seem lethargic, just relaxed.
Around the same time that we were experimenting with the Temperamend, I decided to call Rafaela Pope, a telepathic animal communicator mentioned in another article in WDJ. Our consultation was interesting, but the most useful part was that Pope mixed up a custom blend of flower essences for Sassy and this mixture had an immediate positive influence on the dog. We later ordered a custom blend for Jasmine, which seemed to help even more.
Today, neither dog seems to need the flower essences, but Sassy still gets the Temperamend; we had stopped it for a period of time, but she had a fight not long after. Its worth it to us to keep her on it. We recently had a complete exam and blood panel tested to make certain that the herbs were not having any ill effect; she is gloriously healthy.
Hard work pays off Its been a year since the big fight when Jasmine was hurt. Im happy to report that things are just about normal around here. Recently, for the first time in a year, we have begun to take the muzzle off when the dogs are playing with us outside. We carefully supervise their activities, and so far, there havent been any steps backward.
Its taken a lot to get to this point, and weve learned a lot along the way. No single product or training method has worked all by itself; weve had to use a little bit of this and a little bit of that to get where we are today. This has been a tough year, but we think its been worth all the trouble.
Following a rash of reports of puppy deaths at the hands of their trainers, the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) released a statement denouncing any training methods which cause physical harm to dogs.
The last straw for APDT members was the news report of a trainer in Raleigh, North Carolina, who allegedly killed an eight-week-old Shar-Pei puppy by repeatedly using a choke collar and pinning the puppy to the ground to correct it for “puppy biting.” The pup died at its vet’s office, reportedly from damage to the trachea.
The APDT was already aware of at least three similar cases: Some weeks prior, two puppies (one in Virginia and one in Hawaii) died when their trainers stuck their fingers down the dogs’ throats attempting to stop them from nipping. And a trainer in Florida slung a Basenji puppy wearing a prong collar across a cement floor because he wouldn’t lie down. Suffering ruptured internal organs, the pup died at its veterinarian’s office three days later.
For these and many other similar cases, there will be no prosecution against the trainers because the owners of the puppies have declined to press charges.
“Tragic stories like this often don’t receive a lot of media or legal attention,” says APDT President Allan Bauman. “Many dog owners don’t realize that there are other ways to train dogs. They assume that the trainer is the expert and that harsh training methods are the norm. But there are effective and humane ways to communicate with our four-legged friends. There is absolutely no reason for any dog to die in the course of learning to be a well-behaved family companion.”
Founded in 1993 by Dr. Ian Dunbar, the APDT is a national, non-profit organization that promotes dog-friendly dog training methods. The group boasts more than 3,000 members around the globe, the majority of whom eschew the use of forceful training methods and tools such as physical punishment, choke chains, and shock collars.
The APDT Code of Ethics includes a statement that: “The practices of hanging, beating, kicking and all similar procedures causing the dog great pain, distress and imminent potential for physical harm are inconsistent with humane dog training. These procedures represent a serious violation of professional ethical conduct and will not be tolerated.”
“Our condolences go out to these puppy owners, as well as others who have lost their dogs to harsh training methods,” Bauman says. “Losing your dog can be like losing a member of your family. We hope humane training methods, other dog owners won’t have to experience this tragedy.”
Several APDT members have participated in the development of humane guidelines for dog training, a project of the American Humane Association that is funded by Delta Society. The APDT offers a searchable list of APDT member-trainers and tips for choosing a dog training professional on their Web site at www.apdt.com.
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Researchers find diet can affect effectiveness, toxicity of phenobarbital used to control epilepsy
Results of a study on the effect of diet on the dosage of Phenobarbital for controlling epileptic seizures were published in the September 15, 2000 issue of Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA). Researchers at the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, discovered significant differences in the effects of the same dosage of Phenobarbital between dogs fed a “maintenance” diet, a low-protein diet, and a low-fat, low-protein diet.
According to the study’s authors, epilepsy constitutes three to five percent of all diseases seen in dogs. Phenobarbital is the most commonly used drug to control seizures; the drug is routinely administered to affected dogs daily, often for the life of the dog.
Unfortunately, the ideal dosage of the drug – one resulting in maximum seizure control with minimal liver toxicosis – can be difficult to determine, and can change over time. Body composition and metabolic rate have been known factors affecting the drug’s distribution and metabolism, and thus, its clinical effectiveness or toxicity. However, until this study, no one was aware of how much the dog’s diet could influence the drug’s metabolism.
More research is needed to address the therapeutic implications of this study, for example, to determine what would constitute an optimum diet for minimizing medication dosages while maintaining control of seizures in an epileptic dog. However, this study suggests the need for owners of epileptic dogs to apprise their veterinarians before changing their dogs’ diet, and to consider monitoring the dogs’ serum Phenobarbital concentrations when altering the type or amount of the dog’s food.
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Antimicrobial resistance is causing concern about the safety of the food supply
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other agencies are investigating methods of curbing antimicrobial resistance in food animals, saying that it’s only a matter of time before antimicrobial-resistant bacteria could threaten the lives of the humans – and pets – who consume or otherwise come into contact with contaminated meat and poultry.
“Scientists generally agree that the development of resistant bacteria that are foodborne pathogens is most likely due to the use of antimicrobials in food-producing animals,” says Linda Tollefson, DVM, Director of the Office of Surveillance and Compliance at the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine.
Antimicrobials are routinely fed to food animals in order to promote growth and feed efficiency. The drugs work by inhibiting bacterial growth, or by killing the organisms outright. Unfortunately, due to genetic mutations, a tiny number of the bacteria often survive the onslaught of drugs, going on to develop new, drug-resistant bacterial strains. Humans and/or animals infected with drug-resistant bacteria may languish without drugs to control the new strains.
To track emerging resistance, animal-origin Salmonella isolates were chosen as a “sentinel organism” at the USDA Agricultural Research Service, Russell Research Center in Athens, Georgia. In 1998, there were 3,318 Salmonella isolates of animal origin tested, representing a broad range of species and point of origin. While all isolates were susceptible to antimicrobials Amikacin and Ciprofloxacin, 38 percent were resistant to Tetracycline, nearly 35 percent to Streptomycin, and just less than 33 percent to Sulfamethoxazole. Scarily, a whopping 40 percent of the Salmonella isolates tested in 1998 were resistant to two or more antimicrobials.
One of these multiresistant isolates, Salmonella typhimurium DT104, has caused some concern worldwide. The organism has a pattern of resistance that includes Ampicillin, Chloramphenicol, Streptomycin, Sulfonamides, and Tetracycline. Five percent of the Salmonella isolates showed this resistance pattern.
If you are ever in California, you might want to make it a point to visit Carmel Beach, at the end of Ocean Avenue in Carmel Village, Monterey County. Carmel Beach is a canine utopia. Dogs are allowed, even encouraged, to run off-leash along a breathtaking Pacific Ocean backdrop. On any given day, at any given time, you’ll see Golden Retrievers racing along the sand after tennis balls, Labradors fetching sticks from the surf, Border Collies herding shorebirds, and any and all varieties of mixed-breeds and purebreds romping together in happy groups. Rarely, if ever, does a fight happen. Oh, an occasional brief scuffle maybe, as two ball-obsessed Aussies squabble over possession rights. But it’s hardly ever serious.
Thus the community of Carmel was shocked two years ago when a Pitbull terrier attacked and killed a small Poodle. What happened? Why was there bloodshed on the normally peaceful Carmel Beach?
Dogs are pack animals. Their wild ancestors necessarily had to get along for the very important purpose of survival. Even after thousands of generations of domestication, most dogs still play well with others of their species. When they don’t, it’s usually for one or a combination of three reasons: genetics, learned behavior, or poor socialization.
It’s in the genes
Sadly, humans have bred some dogs for dog aggression, most notably the Pitbull. Dogfighters deliberately selected for dogs who were willing and eager to fight with their own kind until, over time and generations, the quality that they call “gameness” was deeply instilled in the gene pool. A litter of puppies from fighting lines must often be separated by the age of seven weeks or they will fight with each other and cause serious harm. Chances are the tragedy on Carmel Beach was a result, at least in large part, of those genetics.
Other types of dogs were bred for the exact opposite quality. Because they hunt in packs, scent hounds such as the Beagle, Bloodhound, and Foxhound were bred to be exceptionally amenable to pack life. (This is one of the reasons Beagles are often the breed of choice for research colonies.) Other breeds fall on a continuum, from the relatively gregarious sporting breeds like Labrador and Golden Retrievers who are generally good with other dogs, to the guard-type dogs like Rottweilers and Chows, who have a greater tendency to be dog aggressive.
Learned behavior
To some extent, the natural tendencies bestowed by a dog’s genetic package can be influenced by learning. Beagles can be made to be dog aggressive under the right (wrong!) circumstances. Some Pitbulls can be raised peacefully with other dogs, providing care is taken to avoid exposing the individuals to incidents that might turn on their fighting “lightbulb.” This is why it is critical to raise your dog in an environment that doesn’t allow him to be teased, tormented, or attacked by other dogs. Tying a dog up or fencing him in a location where other dogs can agitate the confined one, is a classic recipe for dog aggression.
Poor socialization
But by far the most common cause of inadvertently induced dog aggression is lack of proper socialization. While some veterinarians still urge their clients to keep their young puppies cloistered until they have completed their vaccination series at age four to six months, more and more animal care professionals are recognizing the importance of early socialization with other puppies and dogs in a controlled environment.
Playtime with other puppies and non-aggressive adult dogs gives a puppy the opportunity to learn how to talk and read “dog-ese” through appropriate interactions with and responses to other dogs’ body language. If this doesn’t happen during the pup’s critical learning period, well before the age of six months, you may end up with a canine social nerd whose inept use of the dog’s physical and postural language consistently gets him trouble. This happens either because he sends inappropriate messages or fails to respond appropriately to another dog’s message.
As with virtually all dog behavior problems, prevention is a far better approach than rehabilitation. If you have the luxury of working within your puppy’s critical learning window, you are light years ahead of the game. The more your pup’s breed characteristics and individual personality predispose him to dog aggression, the more critical it is that he be socialized during the learning period. The following steps can maximize his opportunities for socialization while minimizing his exposure to disease:
• DO keep him current on his vaccination schedule. (Some people vaccinate their dogs far more aggressively than others. See “Current Thoughts on Shots,” August 1999 and “Reduced Vaccination Schedule,” September 1999. Also, see sidebar below.)
• DO invite friends over with their healthy puppies and gentle adult dogs to play with your puppy.
• DO enroll your puppy as soon as possible in a well-run puppy class where classmates are allowed to play together. Again, people vary in their willingness to vaccinate their dogs. Most trainers require proof of vaccinations for all participants. People who use fewer than the usual number of puppy vaccinations may have difficulty finding a trainer who understands and accepts this approach.
• DO talk to the trainer and watch the class first. Puppy play should be closely monitored to avoid bullying of small or timid puppies by bigger, older ones. The facility should be clean indoors and out, and training techniques involving the use of choke chains, prong collars or physical force should not be permitted.
• DO intervene if another puppy starts to bully yours. A pup can learn to be defensively aggressive if he is frightened by the intensity of another pup’s play.
• DO intervene if your puppy starts to bully another. A gentle interruption of the behavior every time it occurs combined with brief time-outs if necessary, offset by praise and treat rewards when he is playing well with others, can keep him on the right track. A time out is what behaviorists call “negative punishment.” The puppy’s behavior (being too rough or aggressive) makes a good thing (playing with other puppies) go away. If you are consistent he will learn that he has to be nice if he wants to keep playing.
• DON’T intervene if two pups are engaged in mutually agreeable rough play. Rough play is perfectly acceptable if both pups are enjoying it. Do keep an eye on the participants to make sure they are both having fun, and gently intervene if the tone of play starts to change.
• DON’T take your puppy to dog parks or public areas where lots of dogs congregate. He faces a much greater risk of exposure to disease in those environments.
• DON’T allow your puppy to sniff piles of feces from unknown dogs when you take him for walks around the block.
• DON’T allow your pup to interact with any dogs or puppies who don’t appear healthy, and don’t allow the owners of sick dogs or puppies to play with yours.
If you follow these simple guidelines, your chances of having a well socialized dog are high, and your disease risk is very low. Remember: Far more dogs face tragic ends to their lives due to poor socialization than to illnesses encountered in well-monitored puppy play groups.
Predictors of success
What if you’re not so lucky? Maybe you already missed your puppy’s learning period, either because you weren’t aware of the importance of socialization, or because you adopted a pre-owned older dog. If this just meant that the other dogs wouldn’t play with yours on the playground, it wouldn’t be a big deal. But the most common behavior problems manifested by a dog who is poorly socialized with other dogs are fear and aggression.
Is she doomed to a life of isolation from other dogs because she responds intensely and negatively when she sees other dogs, or because there have been incidents of aggression when you have allowed her to play off-leash with others? Not necessarily. The following factors will be key to the success of a rehabilitation program for your dog:
1. How old is she? The younger she is, the better the prospects for rehabilitation. The older she is the more likely that the behavior has been happening for a long time and is a deeply ingrained habit.
2. How intense are the fights? The more serious the intent to do harm, the more difficult the behavior will be to change, and the more at risk you are (and other dogs are) when a fight does occur.
3. How capable are you of preventing fights? If you cannot control the environment to prevent her from getting into fights while you work to correct the behavior, chances of successful rehabilitation are low. If the kids leave the gate open and she gets out, or if you aren’t willing to curtail your off-leash walks and she continues to get into fights, she is reinforcing the undesirable behavior far more effectively than you are working to change it.
4. What are her breed and temperament predispositions? A submissive young Beagle whose occasional bouts with other dogs are triggered by fear and defensiveness is easier to rehabilitate than a poorly-socialized but dominant Pitbull, Rottweiler, or Akita with a history of violent encounters.
5. How much time are you willing to dedicate to changing your dog’s behavior? This is not an easy fix. Successful aggression behavior modification through counter conditioning and desensitization takes time and patience. Beware of any trainers who offer to fix an aggression problem overnight. Chances are they are likely to use coercive techniques that may drive the aggression underground temporarily but not truly change the dog’s mind-set about other dogs. You must be willing to invest a significant amount of time and effort, maybe even money, if you want to succeed.
Remedial socializing
The more positive answers you had to the above five questions, the better your chances are of ending up with a dog who “plays well with others.” If the problem is still in its embryonic stages you might be able to accomplish the desensitization and counter conditioning on your own. If the problem is more serious, you might want to make use of the services of a competent professional who uses positive methods to work with aggression problems. You will need to be realistic about your goal. Most dogs can be taught to walk calmly on leash around other dogs. Some will eventually be safe off-leash around other dogs, but not all.
Caveat: If at any time you don’t feel confident in implementing the next step of the following training program, you should seek professional help. Similarly, if you feel you are not making progress, or if your dog’s aggression or fear reaction is triggered frequently, look for a trainer to help you. Some trainers offer group classes specifically for dogs with aggression and socialization problems. (See “A Class of Their Own, February 1999.)
Step 1: Counterconditioning
You want your dog to think that being around other dogs is a wonderful thing, not something to be feared. Start by finding a location where you can control the distance between you and your on-leash dog and other dogs in the vicinity. A training class in a park is perfect – you know the dogs will stay in their class location and you can position yourself as far away as necessary. Another potential location is a large parking lot outside a pet supply store.
Find the distance that is far enough from the other dogs that yours doesn’t feel threatened. Setup a lightweight lawn chair (or sit on a park bench) and hang out there for at least 20 minutes. If there is likely to be canine foot traffic passing by, set up signs politely asking people to keep at a distance with their dogs because you are training yours. DO NOT do this in a location where loose dogs are likely to run up to you.
While you are sitting in your chair, toss your dog a steady stream of the most irresistible treats you can find. Take a huge supply with you so you don’t risk running out. Right now, she is conditioned to think that dogs are dangerous, something to be feared. By pairing the presence of other dogs with extra-yummy food, we can counter-condition her to think that the presence of other dogs is a good thing.
At this point, don’t wait for “good” behavior or pair the food with a reward marker such as a Click! or a “Yes!” We are not trying to train a behavior, we are just trying to change the way her brain involuntarily reacts to the presence of other dogs.
Note: Many dog-aggressive dogs will get so tense and wound up over the sight of other dogs that they will ignore your usual treats. This generally means two things: First, you also might have to work a little harder, or be a little more creative in your search for irresitable treats. Then, if especially yummy treats such as pieces of hot dog, meatballs, ham, or smelly cheese aren’t working, it’s a sign that the situation you have built is still too stressful. Increase the distance between your dog and the other dogs until he will take the treats, or consider finding an entirely different, even less stressful environment in which to work.
Also, some dogs will become so stressed by the mere sight of distant dogs, that they will forget their usual treat-eating manners and snap at the treats, endangering the treat-feeder’s fingers! Rather than put yourself in a position where you might feel compelled to verbally “snap” back, toss the treats on the ground in front of the dog. Or, if he’s too preoccupied with the other dogs and doesn’t notice the treats on the ground, wear gloves when you hold the treats near his muzzle! Remember: you want this to be a pleasant experience for the dog. Don’t “correct” his lapses in behavior at this point; it will only confirm his negative feelings about other dogs.
Step 2: Densitization
Desensitization is the process of gradually increasing the intensity of the stimulus that causes a reaction. It often goes hand in hand with counter conditioning. When your dog is eagerly looking forward to her trips to the park, very gradually start moving your chair closer to the training class – or other controlled source of dog presence – until you can sit next to the class and watch without a negative reaction from your dog.
The speed with which you do this will vary, depending on your dog’s response. If she starts acting uneasy when you move five feet closer, you may need to move in one-foot increments. If she is totally sold on the concept of “treats + other dogs = great stuff,” then you can move more quickly. You will still shower her with treats to continue the counter conditioning. You can also, at this point, Click! and reward specific good behaviors, such as a tail wag or happy glance at you when she sees another dog. The reaction we are looking for is, “Cool!! There’s another dog!!! Where’s my treat?”
Step 3: Interacting with others
If and when you get to this point, find a friend with a very calm, easygoing dog, and introduce the two off-leash, in an enclosed, controlled, neutral environment. Many dogs will fight on-leash and be perfectly fine off-leash. This is due in part to something we call restraint frustration (when the frustration of being restrained by the leash raises the dog’s level of arousal, making a fight more likely) and in part to the fact that the owner’s control of the leash inhibits a dog from displaying normal body language signals.
Your dog should now be relaxed and happy when other dogs are around. Let her see the other dog with both dogs on leash, and if her reaction is positive, release both dogs and let them greet each other.
Note: We suggest that you put soft nylon muzzles on both dogs before releasing them for the first time, as an added precaution. Both dogs should be conditioned to wearing the muzzles prior to meeting, so the extra equipment doesn’t add stress. If there is a scuffle with muzzles on no one will be hurt, and you can give them a bit of time to work through the disagreement. If it doesn’t resolve itself after 10-20 seconds then break it up and remove the dogs.
This first meeting should be relatively short. You want to end on a high note so your dog goes away with a positive experience. It is important that you remain calm during this interaction and that any verbal communications with your dog are done in a relaxed tone of voice. This is not easy to do when you are wound tight in anticipation of a possible fight, but any tension in your body or voice will be transmitted to your dog, and increase her level of tension.
Assuming positive results from the first interaction, schedule several more of gradually increasing length. Meanwhile, seek out people with dog-friendly dogs, people who are willing to participate in your training program. When you find yourself relaxing while your dog plays with her first canine friend, it is time to introduce her, one-at-a-time, to other play partners. Once she has several congenial friends you can try a threesome, then gradually increase the size of the playgroup.
Your dog’s reaction to the increased levels of arousal in larger groups will help you decide if she will ever be ready for off-leash play at Carmel Beach, or if discretion dictates that she restrict her recreational activities to pre-screened pals. Whichever you decide, she will have come a long way from where she started, and be able to reap the physical and mental benefits of interactions with others of her own kind.
-By Pat Miller
Pat Miller is a freelance author and a professional dog trainer in Fairplay, Maryland.
Recently, we had to make a very difficult decision concerning our two-year-old German Shepherd, Shadow. He was diagnosed by an animal behaviorist as territorial aggressive, and we were advised that he would become more aggressive as time passed. We were also told that there is no method or medication that can be given to control this behavior it is in the genetics.
Also, since our decision, several people have advised us that all German Shepherds are unpredictable and may turn at some point in their lives. Is this true?
-Name withheld by request
Pat Miller, WDJ’s Dog Training Editor, answers this question for us. Miller, a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, offers private and group dog training classes from her base in Fairplay, Maryland. For contact information, click here.
Miller responds:
I’m sorry that, in my opinion, you have received some bad information. There are lots of things that can be done to modify aggressive behavior, territorial or otherwise. Positive training protocols that use counter-conditioning and desensitization are frequently successful in reprogramming a dog’s brain to respond positively rather than negatively to the stimulus that causes the aggression in Shadow’s case, someone intruding in his territory.
It is not always an easy thing to accomplish, however. A successful aggression modification program requires exquisite management on the part of the dog owner to prevent the dog from putting human life and safety at risk while the owner works with a competent positive trainer or behaviorist; a long term and serious commitment to the training program; and a willingness and ability to make environmental changes to prevent the dogs ongoing exposure to the offensive stimulus. In other words, you cant leave a territorially aggressive dog loose, in a fenced yard where he is subjected to teasing and tormenting, running at large on your property or in the neighborhood, or tied on a chain, and expect the behavior to improve.
I take it that you decided to have Shadow euthanized. In an aggression case, whatever the classification or classifications of aggression, the prognosis depends in large part on the owner’s willingness and ability to comply with the training protocol, how intense the aggressive response is, how successful the behavior strategy (aggression) has been for the dog in the past, and how much practice he has had how many incidents have occurred, and for how long.
Prevention, not treatment
Medications can be useful in some cases, but should be used as part of an ongoing behavior modification program; they dont change behavior all by themselves. Working with a trainer for the long period of time required for success can be costly. If there are young children in the home it is not appropriate to put them at risk. It may well be that your set of circumstances were such that it would not have been possible to implement a successful behavior modification program. If that’s the case, then, in my opinion, euthanasia may well have been the most responsible and appropriate decision.
The tendency toward aggression is not necessarily genetic, although genetics can impart a predisposition toward aggressiveness. However, environment also plays a very important role. A dog that is from a 10-generation family tree of friendly dogs can be made aggressive through poor handling and/or a lack of socialization, and a pup born with genetics for more aggressive behavior can, if properly raised, be quite friendly and safe.
The best way to cure aggression is prevention lots of early socialization and good management of the environment so the dog is not put in a position where he feels compelled to have to defend his territory. (See Canine Social Misfits, February 2000.)
As for your question about whether all German Shepherds are unpredictable and will turn on you at some point, I can only say…absurd! There are probably hundreds of thousands of trustworthy, non-aggressive German Shepherds in the world. I have had the privilege of knowing and loving several myself. Anyone who would believe or say otherwise is badly misinformed.
In an effort to keep me from feeling so alone with Rupert, my 10-year-old Border Collie who is suffering from terrible allergies, many of you have shared stories about your hard-luck dogs. Ive been struck by the dedication and commitment that WDJ readers devote to trying to make their beloved companions well. It helps put Rupies itching in perspective and teaches us never to take a healthy dogs vibrancy for granted. Here is an extraordinary letter:
Regarding Nancy Kerns editorial about the problems she has gone through with her dog, Rupert, theres not much I can say except I understand. Im doing just as you are for my dog, Finn, who is only 4 1/2 years old. Hes got all of the same health issues youve described with Rupert, plus, starting at age three, he became (urine) incontinent.
After thousands of dollars in tests and more tests over the past 18 months, we have yet to find a cause for his problem. According to all manner of veterinary tests, he is as healthy as can be. So, while I continue in my quest to solve the itching-diarrhea-incontinence problems with regular vets, board-certified specialists, holistic vets, acupuncture, chiropractic, Chinese herbs, raw foods, TTouch etc., I also try to balance my efforts with lots of love and good old fun with Finn. Hes a flyball fanatic, an agility whiz and an obedience flop!
We tried chiropractic with good results; for two whole months he was completely cured. I was in heaven, and bragged to anyone who would listen! Then it began to happen again. Back we went to the chiropractor. The treatments still worked, but for less time each treatment. It was a mystery and very disappointing. Still, we do go for adjustments every three to four weeks because Finn feels so much better afterwards.
We also tried acupuncture, but with awful results. After those treatments, he peed all over the place all the time, in spite of being on PPA at night. I know sometimes things have to get worse before they could get better, but that was just too much for me. And to pay $50-70 per visit and then have to clean up pee all over the place! We have scrubbed rugs and washed dog bedding until we are about ready to rip out all the carpets and start over with easier-to-clean floors. Thank God my husband is willing to go to any kind of expense to make things better. He even wondered if we could get Finn a kidney transplant back when we thought it was kidney disease!
The final diagnosis from the internist is this: Psychogenic Polydipsia Polyuria. Ill bet you can figure that out, even if you havent heard of it: he likes to drink a lot of water and so he pees a lot. And so here we are. Sometimes itching less, sometimes more, battling diarrhea with every new change to his diet to try top help the itching, and the one dependable, always present symptom is the incontinence. I have to admit I dread the thought of another 8-10 years of this, since my educated guess is it will not be getting better as he gets older.
I also wanted to let you know that after almost 18 months of cooking and then trying the raw diet, I am back to feeding kibble. His digestive problems were getting worse and worse on home cooked and then raw foods and I simply could not figure out anything my little guy could eat. He was wasting away before my eyes.
I read that you considered the Innovative Veterinary Diets foods to be superior to the Hills Science Diet foods, so I had my vet order a bag of the Duck and Potato for Finn. Within two days, Finns stools are as normal as my other dogs and better than they have been in his whole life. His scratching is less, too! Its been about two weeks now since hes been on this food and he seems to be doing great. I know there are some true believers out there in the raw diet, but for us, it simply was not the right choice.
Ive never been so frustrated, nor have I ever loved a dog as much as I love Finn. Though Ive had dogs all my life, he is the one. So with that extra specialness of spirit comes this terrible puzzle of his health.
Even if I cant try all of the things I learn about in WDJ, I have found an amazing amount of help and information in the issues each month. Good luck, and give Rupe a hug from Finn and me.
We have a dual mission, here at WDJ. First, we promote the use of anything that can make a dog healthier, whether its conventional medicine or alternative care; in most cases, we advocate the judicious use of both!
Second, were here to spread the word about positive training building a relationship with your dog that is all pleasure, and no pain. Dog training shouldnt make you feel like a child abuser or an Army drill Sergeant. Education should be fun for you and your dog!
We are aware that some readers come to us primarily because of our outspoken stand on positive training. At first, they might not really appreciate our articles on natural diets, herbal supplements, massage and chiropractic, etc. In contrast, other readers subscribe specifically because they have learned that they cant find in-depth information about alternative and complementary therapies anywhere else. Often, these people dont really pay any attention to the training articles and product reviews.
But then a funny thing happens: Over time, many of our readers realize just as I have in the three years I have been editing WDJ that health and happiness go hand in hand. A dog who understands and complies with his owner without a trace of anxiety or conflict will truly become a healthier animal. And dogs who have continual access to superior nutrition and health care learn faster and have fewer behavioral problems. This results in the whole dog we refer to in our title.
So, if youve come to WDJ for our training articles, for instance, to learn how to resolve behavior problems through intelligent management and to discover new, fun activities to enjoy with your dog, good for you! But keep an open mind about our articles on raw homemade diets, changing views on vaccination protocols, and hands-on methods of healing.
And if you subscribed to WDJ for the raw recipes, healthy food reviews, and tips on treating canine disease with conventional, alternative, and complementary medicine, thanks! But consider giving the lure/reward method of teaching your new puppy to sit and lie down, even if youve taught puppies to sit by pushing their little bottoms down your whole life. The speed and joy with which a positively trained dog learns will amaze you.
Dog Training Editor I have to take a moment to thank Pat Miller for her extraordinary contributions to every issue of WDJ. Miller is a kind and devoted professional dog trainer, and how she manages to run a training business and write so prolifically and well, I dont know. Im simply grateful for her support and gentle direction, as she keeps WDJ positioned at the cutting edge of positive training techniques and theories.
Effective with this issue, weve formalized this relationship, making Pat our Training Editor, and asking her to solicit articles from other top positive trainers in addition to her own contributions. With typical competence, Pat has thrown herself into her new duties, so stay tuned for an exciting series of articles from some of the most charismatic and talented teachers and dog trainers in the country.
And, finally, a brief update on my allergy-stricken Border Collie, Rupert:Hes doing better, incrementally. His scratching is definitely decreasing, though he still is apt to chew himself when hes alone. The bare patches where he rubbed all his hair out are growing back in, and hes gained a couple of pounds (back up to his ideal weight). Ill keep you posted as to whether our current regimen of a new diet, homeopathy, and occasional herbs does the trick. Thanks for your continued support!
August, 1991, was a fateful month for Betty King, a volunteer for Woods Humane Society in San Luis Obispo, California. That was when King first met Daymie, a dark gray miniature Poodle.
“When the gal at the shelter held him up, he started coughing. He just looked awful,” recalls King, who was taking photographs of adoptable dogs for the humane organization. “I knew he would be euthanized if he didn’t get well,” says King. So she decided to take the sickly Poodle to a local veterinary clinic for treatment, get him well, then find him a home. “Who wouldn’t want to adopt a beautiful little Poodle?” says King.
King brought him home and made him a bed in the garage, away from her other dogs, Bonnie, a Springer mix, and Scubby, a Lab mix. “I didn’t allow him in the house with my other dogs since I didn’t know what he had,” she says. The Poodle coughed and coughed, sat with his head hung down, wouldn’t wag his tail or come when called. He didn’t bark or make noise, other than coughing. He had some other unattractive signs of ill health, too. He licked his penis constantly, which caused sores, and when he stood it would not go all the way back into its sheath. He also suffered diarrhea and vomiting. “He was pathetic,” says King.
Right away, King made an appointment with a veterinarian in San Luis Obispo. Daymie was treated for kennel cough and received an injection of antibiotics. “He got a little better within the next few days,” says King. But days later, Daymie’s condition worsened again. Daymie was treated again. At first, the vet suspected a collapsed trachea, but this didn’t prove to be the case.
A few visits later Daymie was still ill, and still coughing violently, so King tried another veterinarian. Daymie was given a cough suppressant, tested for internal parasites and given more antibiotics. “It was frustrating for me because at this point this was just a dog I was going to foster,” says King. “I was just trying to the best for the dog. But I saw no improvement.”
“We’ve come this far” By this time, Daymie was seen by a vet every week, either for the coughing, diarrhea, vomiting, lethargy, or for the sore penis. “At that point, I remember coming in the house and sitting down,” says King. “I was real frustrated and upset. I told my husband, ‘I can’t get this dog well. I don’t know what to do. We may have to consider having him put down. My husband said, ‘No, we’ve come this far, lets give him a chance’.”
So King officially adopted the sickly Poodle and gave him a name, Daymie. It proved to be a huge commitment and expense. King describes the next six years with the Poodle as “a constant stream of medications for coughing, internal parasites, infections, fevers, eye problems, and liver problems.” He ate poorly, and often vomited what he did eat. “It got to the point where we would feed him anything he would eat,” says King. “He would always eat a lot of lettuce and cabbage.”
During this time, while he did enjoy brief periods with relatively few symptoms, the Poodle seemed to ride along a virtual roller coaster of poor health. He had periods of horrid coughing that would keep the household awake at night. He often vomited or had diarrhea. He would go for days without eating and running a fever, only to have the condition resolve itself as mysteriously as it appeared.
One valley on the roller coaster occurred in October 1996, when Daymie underwent a liver ultrasound and biopsy and was diagnosed with an enlarged, inflamed liver. The veterinarian prescribed medication made for humans. “I remember we were going to drugstores to get this stuff. It was $75 for a little bottle of pills,” says King.
Another major dip occurred in June 1997, when Daymie was diagnosed with progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), which usually leads to blindness. It is found in many breeds of dogs, and is prevalent in toy and miniature Poodles. This genetic condition affects the entire retina and is the canine equivalent of retinitis pigmentosa.
But the deepest valley on the health roller coaster occurred in January 1998, when Daymie’s health declined dramatically. He underwent another liver biopsy, which showed that his liver had atrophied; the functional liver tissue had disappeared and been replaced by scar tissue.
Daymie’s last chance? About this time, King happened to watch a television show in which the host was interviewing a holistic veterinarian. “At that point,” says King, “I decided I would seek out a holistic vet. I was really impressed. I thought we would give it one more try. Nothing else was working with this dog. I didn’t want to give up on him. He’s been through all this. He deserves to have another try. We had pretty much given up on regular vet care.”
King looked up the directory of members of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association (AHVMA) on the Internet, and found the name of a nearby holistic veterinarian, Dr. Diana Bochenski, at the Buellton Veterinary Clinic in Buellton, California. Dr. Bochenski is a licensed veterinarian and is certified in classical homeopathy by the Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy. King had all Daymie’s medical records sent to Bochenski, and she prepared a detailed medical and behavioral history for the doctor’s review prior to Daymie’s appointment.
Dr. Bochenski met with King and Daymie. “She spent one and a half hours talking to us and examining Daymie,” says King. Shortly thereafter, Dr. Bochenski recommended a specific remedy. “Almost immediately (after taking his first homeopathic remedy), Daymie’s energy level picked up,” says King. “He began eating a little bit more food.”
According to veterinary homeopaths, when the correct remedy is given to a patient, it stimulates the body to put itself back in order, to restore the body’s own natural homeostasis. Dr. Bochenski explains the process in simple terms: Basically, you administer a tiny, tiny dose of a substance that, in high doses, would cause symptoms similar to the symptoms that you see in the patient. The entire body mounts a response to the remedy, “resetting” the systems that were out of whack.
“This is the thing that led me to study homeopathy in the first place,” says Dr. Bochenski. “In allopathy, there is really nothing that will stimulate the body to actually heal. A lot of these diseases that we deal with are very frustrating because there is no known cure. However, homeopathy will stimulate a curative response the body to repair itself if there’s enough functioning tissue present. With homeopathy, you have a chance to actually make the disease go away. I would encourage everyone to keep an open mind about alternative methods of treatment because there usually is a good, sound basis for them.”
Daymie continues to improve under Dr. Bochenski’s treatment. In the last two years, he’s received two more doses of the same remedy, and, with Dr. Bochenski’s help, she has formulated a special diet for Daymie, which includes organic mixed grains, vegetables, cooked turkey and chicken, and supplements such as wheat germ, yeast and bonemeal. King has discovered Daymie is allergic to rice, oil and milk products – these foods all make him start coughing.
However, for the past two years – in marked contrast to the previous six years, Daymie has not received any traditional medications. In fact, King feels certain that it was the never-ending stream of drugs, given in response to the signs of disease he displayed, that damaged his liver.
King did obtain a special exemption to her state’s requirement for a rabies vaccine for Daymie, due to his liver condition, so that his already vulnerable system need not be further challenged by the vaccine.
Daymie’s allopathic veterinarian is amazed the miniature Poodle is still alive, says King, but she doesn’t let this triumph go to her head. With Daymie, she says, “We take it one day at a time, and we’re always happy when he eats a meal and greets us at the door with a wagging tail.”
-By Virginia Parker Guidry
Virginia Parker Guidry is a freelance writer from San Diego, CA.
Sixteen years ago, Karen Pryor’s paradigm-shifting paperback book, “Don’t Shoot The Dog,” made an unobtrusive entrance into the dog training world, drilling the first noticeable hole in the massive dike of traditional, force-based training. Over the years, dog owners and trainers with positive training philosophies thirsted for more information. The response was a maddeningly slow trickle of books and videos, most notably from Ian Dunbar, Karen Pryor, and Gary Wilkes. By the time Jean Donaldson’s landmark book The Culture Clash hit the presses in 1996, the trickle had grown to a steady stream.
In 1999, the dike burst. Positive trainers are being swept into the year 2000 on a virtual flood of books and videos that promote the modern, scientific and humane principles of positive reinforcement. It was with great pleasure that we reviewed a large selection of new releases and found none for our “Not Recommended” category. So turn on the video and the reading lamp and let yourself be swept away with your selections from the following great list while you wait for the spring thaw.
For a long time, pet food manufacturers have been accustomed to making their products without much scrutiny; for many years, they seemed to feel that all consumers need to know is that the food passed somebody’s tests as to complete and balanced nutrition.
The food makers have gone along with labeling requirements to include the ingredients (listed in descending order of weight), as well as the least nutritional information imaginable: minimum amounts of crude protein and crude fat, and maximum amounts of fiber and moisture. But they don’t, with very few exceptions, publish the information of most significance to most people who are concerned about what they eat, things like vitamin, mineral, calorie, and carbohydrate levels.
But as we, the dog-owning public, become progressively more educated about the foods we are feeding our beloved companions, we have demanded to know more and more and the makers frequently don’t want to tell us what we want to learn. They often explain that pet food manufacturing is an extremely competitive business (what isn’t, these days?) and they can’t share the information with you for fear that the knowledge will spread and this will result in some sort of advantage by their competitors.
The truth is, most are afraid of being caught doing what pet food makers have always done: using second-class (or much worse) ingredients, sometimes in shoddy, second-class manufacturing plants. If you think we’re exaggerating, ask a company representative, What exactly is the source of the animal proteins in this food? Where exactly do you buy your chicken, or beef, or lamb? Or even, in which plant in which state is your food manufactured? See if you can get a straight answer.
Quality is expensive
If we were just shopping for the cheapest 50-pound sack, or case of cans, of any old food that met the minimum standards for basic nutrition, to throw out to the nameless mutts tied out behind the barn, this might go over. But we don’t know anybody fitting that description.
Dog owners today are increasingly emotionally and financially invested in their companion animals. And as those investments grow, people are starting to suspect that there might just be a connection between the endemic levels of disease dogs suffer from things like allergies, itching, ear infections, hot spots, vomiting, and diarrhea, not to mention arthritis, lupus, cancer, diabetes, Cushings disease, Addison’s disease, etc., etc. and the commercial food they eat on a daily basis.
Unfortunately, the veterinarians who know enough about nutrition to be able to help us help our dogs to greater health are few and far between. We don’t commonly find vets who have taken advanced studies in nutrition, in order to augment the little they learned about nutrition in veterinary school. Many vets seem to be content to repeat the bromide, Feed a complete and balanced (commercial) dog food and your dog will be fine. There are numerous veterinarians who will tell you because this is what they were told in school, and they really believe it to be true that feeding your dog “people” food like real meat and poultry and vegetables will hurt him.
(Do we sound paranoid? Maybe we are. But are you aware that pet food makers give free or vastly reduced-price foods to veterinary students for their own pets? It’s a gesture of goodwill that is surely meant to get the young vets familar with and hooked on those brands. And did you know that the largest pet food makers in the world are also among the biggest financial contributors to vet schools, and underwrite many college veterinary textbooks? It’s no wonder that the standard veterinary opinions on nutrition closely mirror those of the manufacturers!)
Pet food revolution
But there is some good news: Increasingly, there are people coming into the pet food industry who want to provide more than just another dog food; in today’s market, we are seeing more and more gourmet dog food makers who are out to make and sell the best food they can make. It really doesn’t matter whether they are attracted to this industry by the potential for making money at producing the most expensive food in the world, or because they really love animals and want to make a difference.
We care more about the fact that the innovators in dog food are incrementally improving what dogs eat, by using whole meats and meat meal made from whole meats, rather than cast-off meat by-products. They are using whole grains, vegetables, and fruits in their formulations. They (ever so rarely) might even use organic foods.
While there are still far more low-quality commercial dog foods available to consumers than there are good- or high-quality foods, it’s still rather amazing to us that there are high-quality foods out there. The catch is, they are expensive. You must realize that by utilizing high-quality ingredients, the price of these foods is going to be higher. Cheap foods contain inferior ingredients; there is no getting around that fact. You can’t put high-quality or even good-quality meats into something that will sell for $10 for 40 pounds or 39 cents a can. It can’t be done.
This really does represent a revolution. There is no way that even, say, 10 years ago, a company could ask for a $1.50 or more for a small can of dog food. Few people would have understood why or how a food could be that expensive, and why they should even consider buying it for their dogs.
But, today, we’re making the connections. Now we’re beginning to understand that we can consider the price of high-quality, high-cost foods as preventing high veterinary bills later on. As the bones and raw food people say, You can pay now, or you can pay later!
Canned food facts
Despite the common perception that canned foods are chemical soups, as a general group, they actually contain way fewer chemical additives than dry foods. Artificial colors and flavors are much less common in canned foods than they are in their dried food equivalents. Preservatives are unnecessary and rarely seen, due to the sealed, oxygen-free environment that a can offers. (Because of the lack of preservatives, canned foods must be kept refrigerated after opening, just like any other fresh food. And if a dog doesn’t finish all of his canned food immediately, the food must be discarded. Harmful bacteria can quickly develop in meat-based foods that linger at room temperature.)
The most common chemical additives in canned food are stabilizers, emulsifiers, and thickening agents, which are used to make canned food hold together in a more attractive fashion. These include carrageenan gum, guar gum, vegetable gum, potassium chloride, dicalcium phosphate, and calcium carbonate. We’re not aware of specific health hazards associated with these additives, but our attitude toward all additives that are not nutritive is, “Can’t we do without this?”
Most other ominous-sounding chemicals in canned foods are vitamin and mineral sources. Some of the most commonly seen include: choline chloride, a dietary supplement in the B complex; ferrous sulfate, a nutritional iron source; manganese oxide, a nutritional manganese source; and calcium pantothenate, a B-complex vitamin.
Our selection criteria
We required the following for a product to make it into the running for our Top 20 Canned Dog Foods:
We will accept no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.
We rejected any food containing meat or poultry by-products. This eliminates most grocery-store food, as well as the foods long regarded by pet store managers as premium (read, Expensive, due to extensive advertising, not due to superior ingredients). We’re talking about Iams, Science Diet, Nature’s Recipe, etc.
We want to see quality, whole meat, fish, or poultry in the top two ingredients; in canned foods, water is usually the first or second ingredient. We prefer to see meat first. We also like it when a nutritious meat, poultry, or fish broth is used in place of water.
We would like to see whole grains and vegetables, rather than a series of reconstituted parts, i.e. rice, rather than rice flour, rice bran, brewers rice, etc.
We award theoretical bonus points for foods that offer the date of manufacture (in addition to the usual “best if used by” date), nutrition information beyond the minimum required, and any organic ingredients. Sadly, these innovations are rare.
Finally, be aware that there are no perfect foods. Not a single one meets every aspect of our selection criteria. We would suggest using price, local availability, and your own dog’s response to the food as your final guide.
Crude Protein: Minimum percentage
Crude Fat: Minimum percentage
Crude Fiber: Maximum percentage
Moisture: Maximum percentage
I have never owned a dog with separation anxiety, thank goodness. The condition is hard on the dog who suffers from the condition and hard on the dog’s caretakers, too, including owners, vets, groomers, pet sitters, and dog walkers. Care must be taken to prevent triggering the dog’s panic at being left alone—in severe cases, even just long enough for the person caring for the dog to use the restroom!
