Dogs love to chase toys! You can almost see their eyes light up with excitement as they race back to you so you can throw it again! Credit: Anda Stavri Photography | Getty Images
Chase games are a fun way to play with your dog and take the edge off those high-energy adolescents! Add in some training and mental exercise, and you will have your dog snoozing in no time. Remote-controlled toys can add a level of excitement, if the toy is sturdy enough for your dog.
Best Dog Chasing Toys
Balls and flying discs are the crowd favorites that we all think of when choosing toys for our dogs. The best toy for your dog to chase is:
Safe
Durable
Floats (if using in or near water)
Attractive to your dog
Dog chase toys should be made of materials that are safe for dogs, especially if your pup is a chewer. Avoid hard, brittle plastic that could cut your dog’s gums or shatter when chomped on, and avoid thin, flimsy plastic that will break or tear easily.
Soft toys can be used for games of fetch too! Choose one that is the right size for your dog and throw it out when your dog starts to tear it up.
Balls should be safe. They should be large enough so the dog cannot accidentally try to swallow them, and they are best if they allow your dog to breathe through them. We like the Chuckit! Air Fetch Ball. Chuckit also makes a great flying disc that is soft and easy for your dog to grab.
Check out the balls from Planet Dog and flying discs and other toss-able toys from West Paw.
Remote-Control Dog Chase Toy
Some fun remote-control toys out there are now designed specifically for dogs. As with any dog toy, be sure the toy you purchase is sturdy enough for your dog’s play style. Always supervise your dog when she has access to remote controlled toys, as chewing on batteries or other electronic parts can be very dangerous.
Flirt Poles
Flirt poles aren’t just for cats! Dog flirt poles are larger and sturdier and have a ball or tug toy on the end instead of feathers or catnip mice.
These toys are fun because you control how fast and where the toy goes. Flirt poles are also a great option for dogs who tend to play keep-away instead of retrieving, as you are always connected to the toy.
Keeping Play Safe
Chase games are fun for both us and our dogs, but they can also lead to injuries. This is especially true for puppies and intense dogs who get extremely wound up when playing fetch.
Keep play fun and reduce risk of injuries by following these suggestions:
Play in an area with good footing, such as grass or packed dirt, so your dog doesn’t slip.
Make the first sessions short, even just a few minutes at a time at first, gradually increasing as your dog builds stamina.
Avoid hills and slopes, especially if the ground is wet.
For dogs who scramble and dive, hold onto the collar and don’t release until the toy has stopped moving. This eliminates the “panic” part of chasing and will reduce strain on your dog’s joints.
Quit before your dog slows down. Continuing to play until fatigued makes your dog much more susceptible to injury.
Roll balls instead of throwing to get a straighter toss without any risk of crazy bouncing.
Throw discs long and long to reduce jumping.
Tiring Your Dog Out
High-energy dogs can be difficult to tire out. Hours and hours of physical exercise start to just increase their stamina, plus may not fit into your daily schedule.
Add mental exercise to your dog’s playtime! Working his brain will wear him out much faster than physical exercise. You can do this in many ways:
Hide your dog’s toy for him to sniff and find himself.
Ask your dog to do tricks before each toss of the toy.
Use the chase toy as a reward during training sessions. Practice a new behavior, and then throw the toy for a job well done.
It looked like Junior had superballs stuck on the back of his hocks. In horses, we’d call this “capped hocks,” but I have never seen it in dogs, much less a puppy.
Early in July I mentioned a litter of puppies I was fostering for my local shelter, and mentioned one pup I was particularly worried about finding a home for. She was a particularly aloof, un-social pup, and I was worried that no one would want to adopt her.
As it turned out, she was the first of the four pups in her litter to get adopted – and when I heard that she had been selected by a family with kids, I was immediately suspicious that she had been chosen because she seemed to be the “quietest,” calmest pup in the group. The problem is, she’s not calm, she’s terribly shut down and avoidant of people. Taken into the “get acquainted room” at the shelter with her littermates, her MO was to sit in the corner, averting her eyes, while the three other pups jumped happily on any human visitors, begging for affection. Shoot!
I saw her photo posted on the shelter’s Facebook page as “adopted” and I wrote a note on the post for the adoptive family, letting them know I was her foster provider and if they had any questions or concerns about her behavior, to please let me know. I was concerned, but I had to stop there. I’ve had my hands absolutely full of family drama; I had to let the puppies go.
Fostering again
But the three boy pups sat and sat in the shelter. As weeks ticked by, I checked the shelter website every day and saw DOZENS of other puppies arrive on the pages of “available dogs” at the shelter – and then saw them pictured as “adopted!” on the shelter Facebook page. The pups who were all flying off the adoption shelves were all fat, chunky, Pit/Lab types who were going to be big dogs. But there were no takers on the three small, lean, leggy pups. I stopped by the shelter a few times when I had a spare hour, to bring them into the get acquainted room, let them play with toys, and remind them that if they sit politely, they get treats.
One day, in mid-August, I stopped by the shelter with my dog-loving grandson to see the pups and found one of them with a bleeding cut on his hind leg, and a big swelling on his other hind leg that looked like he had a big round liquid-filled superball on his hock. He also had a pretty deep cut on his chest. What a mess! I brought the affected pup, whom the shelter had dubbed “Junior,” into the veterinary treatment room at the shelter, and the vet tech looked him over. Separated from his brothers, we could see that he was limping on the leg with the weird round swelling, and his patella on that leg seemed to be somewhat luxated (the vet tech palpated it and it popped right back into place – hmmm). She cleaned his cuts, stapled the cut on his hind leg, and put a needle in the swelling to see what sort of liquid came out. Fortunately, it didn’t look infected, just filled with mostly clear fluid. She measured out some antibiotics and some Metacam (an anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving medicine), and (as you might have guessed), I brought the pup home with me for some rest and relief from getting beat up in the shelter pen with his brothers.
My grandson was overjoyed to get to spend time with Junior. The puppy is very sweet and smart, and absolutely remembered all of our past lessons about offering a “sit” whenever he wanted attention or a treat. He decided that Boone was his favorite dog to follow around and play and sleep with – which was great, because it gave me and my now-oldest dog Woody some time to spend together without Boone being jealous.
But the next day, both of Junior’s hocks had big swellings on them. Then they started to shrink, but a few days later, one of his elbows developed a big swelling. And a day later, his other elbow swelled, too.
The hocks started to shrink once Junior was sleeping on a thick bed in my home (not on the concrete floor of the shelter anymore), but then his elbows filled with fluid. Once I realized that this was caused by impact with the floor, I padded the floor of my office to give Junior and my dog Boone a safe “wrestling” area.
I brought him back to the shelter several times over the next two weeks for the vet tech and then the vet to see these developments, and eventually he was diagnosed with elbow hygroma – a condition that can affect more than just elbows. For reasons that are poorly understood, some dogs develop swelling over the point of bones that come into contact with hard ground. Articles about the condition always suggest that it will likely go away as long as dogs have nice thick beds to sleep on. Spending all day on the concrete floor of the shelter certainly must have caused the problem with his hocks – but it was a lot of playing with my young dog Boone in my office that was likely causing the problem with his elbows. Boone was being a great sport, “self-handicapping” himself in play by laying on the ground for wrestling matches with the pup, but the pup was doing a lot of “play bows” as he darted toward and away from Boone – with his elbows banging on the hard floor of my office. Ugh!
I pulled out every spare carpet, rug, quilt, and blanket in my house and covered my office floor with them. I also stopped the dogs from playing in the house at all – I have only one rug in one room in the house, and they always seemed to initiate play on the hard tile floor of the kitchen. I shooed them out to the lawn whenever they started wrestling. And, over a series of weeks, the swellings all subsided. Finally!
Then I got word that the second boy pup got adopted – yay!
Update about the girl pup
Then I got a message on Facebook from someone who said they adopted the autistic-seeming girl pup, and wanted to know if we could talk. I was so happy to hear from that family – only it wasn’t the family. It seems the puppy had been returned by the family, and adopted again almost immediately by the woman who contacted me. She observed that the puppy was very quiet, and looked through the shelter’s Facebook page of “adopted” photos to see if she could learn anything about who had adopted the pup previously. When she saw that the pup had been adopted by a family with kids, she surmised that the environment was likely too busy or loud for the pup – and then she saw my comment offering help and she reached out to me.
I called the adopter, and we talked for a long time. I told her about the pup’s history, and she told me about how the pup is doing now. She indicated that the pup is still very reserved with humans, much more comfortable with dogs (she owns one older dog), but that she will approach and sit for treats (brag: this is a hallmark of time with me). She told me that she has all the time and patience in the world to teach the pup that she can be trusted and she’s not going to force or push the pup in any way. I am so relieved and grateful that this pup found the right home after all!
A troubling diagnosis
Finally, all of Junior’s various swellings were nearly gone and his kneecap hadn’t luxated for weeks. It was time to start advertising for a home for him. I didn’t want to take him back to the shelter, but hoped to find someone in my social network to adopt him, so he wouldn’t have to go back on concrete! I took some cute pictures of him and asked my friends to share his information on social media.
I also encouraged the two young dogs to play outside, rather than indoors on my hard kitchen floor. I might have been irritated with their choice of this muddy spot for wrestling if I hadn’t been so happy that they found a soft place!
Within a week, we had a bite: A super nice family from a nearby town wanted to come meet him. They have two boys, 14 and 7, and the mom works for my friend’s dog daycare business! Hurray!! He would be able to go to work with her each day! What a lucky puppy! They came to my house to meet him, and I told them all about the issues we had been through. He also had a new cut on top of his head, which didn’t look very nice, but it was small enough that I didn’t think it needed any attention. I know they were listening to my recitation of Junior’s issues, but they were also very impressed by his now-very-solid sits and downs on cue, his recall, and even his skill at playing fetch (and bringing the toy back every time!). While he tends to jump up on people once when he’s excited, if you just pause a moment without petting or talking to him, he quickly remembers that he’s not supposed to do that and quickly plunks his butt down into a sit. He was impressive, and they were impressed! I allowed them to bring Junior home to their house to spend the rest of the weekend with them, and I was thrilled to hear at the end of the weekend that they wanted to adopt him.
However, we couldn’t go to the dog daycare with his new mom until he had received some more vaccinations (for Bordetella and influenza) and had a clear fecal test – just like all of the client dogs’ requirements. I told the family I would be happy to hold him for a few more days so I could bring him to a local vet for an appointment to get the vaccines and to bring in a stool sample. By a miracle, I was able to score an appointment with a local vet almost immediately.
But right away, this veterinarian noticed the baggy skin on Junior’s elbows, the last remnant of his hygromas – as well as his sometimes-luxated kneecap, and the cut on his head, and the remnant of the cut on his chest and the one on his hind leg. She said, “This looks a lot like Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome…”
I said, “Say what?” I have never heard of this.
Apparently, the veterinarian has a friend, someone she went to vet school with, who both has this condition and studies it at a university– that’s partly why the veterinarian recognized Ehlers-Danlos. It’s an inherited condition of connective tissue disorders resulting in defective collagen synthesis – and fragile skin, poorly healing wounds, and hypermobility of joints are all symptoms of this condition.
Uggghhhhhhh!
I asked the vet what she thought about adopting such an animal. She said, “I think everyone deserves to adopt a healthy dog…”
Of course, I think that, too – but I also didn’t want to see this pup not get a home! What if the family didn’t want to take this on?
I wrote a long email to the family explaining what the vet had said, and including some links to articles about the condition. Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome can be definitively diagnosed with a biopsy, but Junior’s symptoms are rather classic. He will require close supervision so he doesn’t play too roughly, supervision to prevent over-zealous activity that could contribute to joint luxation or skin tears, and special care of any wounds or skin tears he receives. And I told the family that I would not blame them one bit if they decided that Junior had more problems than they wanted to take on.
I was on pins and needles waiting to hear what they would decide – and also trying to figure out how on earth I was going to be able to find another home for him! My friend Leonora, who previously owned a dog with special needs, bravely declared that she would adopt him if the family would not, which made me cry, I was so touched.
Great news for Junior
Junior is such a happy, sweet, smart dog. I’m thrilled that he’s found a home with a wonderful family who appreciates what a special guy he is, and is ready to appreciate him in spite of his physical challenges.
But fortunately, the family is awesome. The dad told me that the whole family talked about it, discussed how they would have to be careful with Junior and that he might have health problems from time to time – and decided that they wanted him anyway. “We haven’t heard anything at this point that would prevent us from adopting such a sweet and wonderful boy,” he texted me. “We understand the potential complications and would like to get more information, but at this point, we all feel pretty strongly that Junior belongs in our family.”
That’s been the best news. I am so grateful that such big-hearted people are willing to give this sweet pup a tremendous opportunity for a happy, healthy life with them….
And now I have to think about whether I’m going to bring home the fourth pup in the litter, who at five months is still at the shelter – and who has big swellings on his elbows and cuts from playing with the non-related puppies he’s been housed with. Arghh!
You never know what you’re going to get when fostering for a shelter or rescue. All I know is that when this litter’s lives are all sorted out, I am going to take a break!
This Boston Terrier is clearly using a play bow to show her desire to play ball. Credit: CBCK-Christine | Getty Images
A play bow is one of many unique canine behaviors and gestures dogs use to communicate with each other and their humans. The classic play bow stance serves as an invitation from your pet to engage in playtime. The play bow is a distinctive posture that a dog assumes by lowering their front end while keeping their rear end raised and is often accompanied by tail wagging.
When observed during playtime, the play bow acts as a signal to other dogs, and humans, that your pet would like to engage in friendly, non-threatening, interactions. In the canine world, most communication between dogs occurs through body language, and play bowing is a prime example.
Interestingly, while many people like to compare dogs and wolves, researchers found that play bow is not used similarly by wolves. The study found that dogs use play bows after a brief pause in play while in an active play state, however, “While the relative number of play bows and total observation time was similar between dog and wolf puppies, wolves did not follow this behavioral pattern, as play bows were unsuccessful in eliciting further play activity by the partner. . . . It appears that play bows may function differently in wolf puppies.”
Engaging your dog in playful fun is a great bonding exercise for you and your dog. Throwing balls or discs can elicit the excited “play with me more!” play bow. Learning how your dog communicates can further enrich your relationship. Learn about other signs of happiness in your dog, which include play dance, excited barks, and of course happy tail wagging.
Be wary of scented candles. While they may smell good to you, the oils included could irritate your dog’s throat or cause even more worrisome problems. Chiara Benelli | Getty Photo
Bronchitis is an irritation of the bronchi, the tubes that lead into your dog’s lungs. You will most likely notice your dog is coughing, as that is the main symptom of bronchitis. Treatment includes soothing the dog’s throat, which may include a cough suppressant medication from your veterinarian and treating the cause.
Bronchitis Symptoms in Dogs
While coughing is the No. 1 symptom of bronchitis in dogs, depending on the cause of your dog’s bronchitis, she may also:
To soothe your dog’s airway, your veterinarian will prescribe treatment for the underlying cause and possibly a cough suppressant to stop that cough.
Keep your dog calm and encourage her to rest while she recovers. Heavy breathing during play and exercise can exacerbate the cough and will slow the healing process. Your veterinarian may also recommend bringing your dog in the bathroom when you shower so she can inhale the steamy air.
Other treatments will vary depending on what caused your dog’s bronchitis. Antibiotics will be prescribed for bacterial infections, while most viral infections are treated with supportive care and symptom management. Allergies can be treated with medications and/or immunotherapy. If your dog has heart failure or cancerous tumors in her lungs that are causing the cough, she will receive medications to manage those conditions.
Chronic bronchitis in dogs will require long-term vigilance. Keep your dog’s living environment free of airborne chemicals and fumes as much as possible. Use scent-free cleaning products as much as possible. Avoid spraying air fresheners. Essential oil diffusers can also be irritating for dogs with bronchitis. If anyone in your household smokes, consider quitting or at least smoke outside to limit your dog’s exposure to secondhand smoke.
One of the most obvious problems with free feeding dogs is that dogs are not big on sharing food. Credit: Vychegzhanina | Getty Images
Filling a large bowl of food for your dog to eat at will sounds convenient, but for most dogs it doesn’t work. Free feeding can quickly result in obesity, which is already a huge health problem in pet dogs. A dog who is at a lean weight, is happier, healthier, and more active than his chubbier friends. But obesity is just one reason free feeding doesn’t work for dogs. Other problems with free feeding include:
It will take longer for you to notice appetite changes. A sudden increase or decrease in your dog’s appetite can be an early indicator of a health problem. If you feed your dog measured meals, you likely will notice if she is gulping her food down immediately and still super hungry, or if she is not finishing her meals.
Dogs don’t always share. If you have multiple dogs, one may hog the food bowl and eat too much while another may not get what she needs. This can be a problem for both dogs.
Different dogs have different needs. If you have multiple dogs, they may need to eat different foods. For example, puppies require more nutrients than the average adult dog, and dogs with some health problems may need a prescription diet. Feeding meals ensures that each dog is eating only the food he or she is supposed to eat.
Leftover food is more likely to spoil. Dry food doesn’t stay dry once you feed it. Exposure to air, your dog’s saliva, and potential spills can cause that large bowl of kibble to harbor thriving bacterial and mold colonies, which can make your dog sick.
Unless your veterinarian specifically recommends free feeding your dog, feeding measured meals is the best way to go.
How Many Times a Day Should a Dog Eat?
Puppies should eat three to four meals a day to keep their blood glucose levels stable and help support growth. Toy breed puppies in particular need frequent meals.
Senior dogs may require frequent small meals, and breaking up meals can be helpful to get your dog to take multiple medications throughout the day.
For adult dogs, there isn’t a simple answer. Historically, most veterinarians and nutrition experts recommend feeding two meals a day. This schedule is convenient for most owners and well tolerated by dogs.
Considering Once-a-Day Feeding?
A recent study published by the Dog Aging Project Consortium found that pet dogs who only ate once a day had fewer health problems. This was an initial finding, so more work needs to be done to determine if the once a day feeding schedule was the actual cause of better health. Talk with your veterinarian before making this change.
For now, the most important thing is to determine the amount of food your dog should eat each day, and then break it into the number of meals that works best for your schedule. Your veterinarian can guide you if your individual dog might benefit from feeding more meals or less frequent meals.
You might think the dark debris in your dog ear is ear mites, but it isn’t. It’s the damage left behind by feeding mites. Mites look like white, tiny specs and are difficult to see, unless you notice them moving. Credit: Evgenia Glinskaia | Getty Images
When you look in a dog’s ear to see ear mites, you might spot tiny white pinprick-size creatures moving around. These are mites, but they’re not easy to see. You’re more likely to notice dark debris that looks like coffee grounds. The dark specs are made of skin from mite irritation and defecation, plus added ear wax as the ears try to protect themselves.
Mites are an external parasite you would prefer to avoid. About half of the cases of ear mites in dogs are caused by Otodectes cynotis. Often these are shared by your cat or pet rabbit with your dog, especially if your cat goes outdoors, so if you suspect one pet has mites, you likely need to treat them all.
Signs of Ear Mites
The most common symptoms of ear mites are the dog shaking his head, scratching at his ears—even putting his paw into his ear—rubbing his head against the floor, ground, furniture, or you, and smelly, dirty ears. Rarely, you might notice irritated areas of the skin on the head and neck.
If your dog has secondary yeast or bacterial infections, the ear may be red and moist or have a purulent discharge.
Proper Treatment
Treatment can be straightforward, but many of the home remedies you see online may not fully address the issue, leaving you frustrated, your dog still scratching, and both of you disappointed and annoyed. Instead, if you suspect mites, take your dog to the veterinarian and get an effective medication.
To treat ear mites in dogs, ears need to be properly cleaned. If you’ve taken your dog to the vet, he will get a thorough ear cleaning that will directly remove many of the mites.
Your dog will need ear drops or ointment, especially if he has secondary bacterial or yeast infections in the ear.
The next step is often a topical medication that will attack the mites as well as fleas and ticks, such as Revolution, which requires a veterinary prescription. More than one treatment is generally required.
It is very important to treat all your pets at the same time. Otherwise, your cat may reinfest your dog or vice versa. Other dogs and rabbits can share the mites, too.
Most dogs shake the water off after getting wet, but if a dog continues to shake his head be sure to check for water in his ear. The sooner it’s removed, the better. Credit: Quicksnap Photos | Getty Images
Just like us, dogs can get water in their ears during swimming or bathing. While this isn’t a big deal, it can be uncomfortable and can increase the risk of ear infections. Water in dogs ear doesn’t need to be a problem. You can easily dry your dog’s ears out at home.
How to Get Water Out of a Dog’s Ear
If you notice your dog shaking her head or tilting it to the side after swimming or a bath, she may have water in her ear(s). Start by drying her head and the outer part of her ears with a towel so that more water doesn’t drip in.
Next, place a cotton ball inside the ear and squish the ear gently. The cotton ball will absorb the water. Repeat with several cotton balls to ensure the ear is dry. If you don’t have cotton balls handy, gauze or a clean towel can do the job in a pinch.
Extra Steps for Dogs Prone to Ear Infections
For most dogs, this will be the end of it. Your dog will shake her head and go on with her day. But if your dog is prone to ear infections, you should take some extra steps. Purchase a dog ear cleanser from your veterinarian or a pet-supply store and use that to flush and rinse the ear, following with dry cotton balls.
The ear cleanser is a worthwhile step because these products contain a drying agent that helps to reduce moisture inside the ear. Regular ear cleaning is a great way to prevent ear infections in dogs who are prone to them, especially if they enjoy swimming.
Never place anything else in your dog’s ear unless your dog has been seen by a veterinarian. While your dog’s head tilt or ear shaking may indeed be caused by water in the ears, these behaviors can also be a sign of infection. If the infection has perforated your dog’s ear drum, any product that you put in the ear can get through. Some ear medications and home remedies can be harmful if they get through the ear drum, even causing deafness.
Preventing Water in Dog’s Ear
You can prevent water in dogs ear during a bath by placing a cotton ball in each ear before you turn on the water. This method doesn’t usually work well for swimmers because the cotton balls can easily get dislodged during play, and then you will need to retrieve and dispose of them properly.
In our opinion, this is the very picture of good training: gear that simply keeps the dog and handler together, but doesn’t cause pain; a handler who is mindfully keeping the connection loose and non-coercive, and a dog who is relaxed and engaged with his handler in what appears to be a joyful mood. Photo by Photo by alexei_tm, Getty Images
The dog-training world can be a confusing jumble of words, tools, methods, and training philosophies – with a total lack of standardization and regulation. Here are our definitions for the terms you will encounter when looking for a dog trainer.
Force-Free Dog Training
Force-free trainers commit to using humane, non-coercive training tools and methods, focusing primarily on the “positive reinforcement” quadrant of operant conditioning, in which the dog’s behavior results in good/enjoyable things for the dog. (All four quadrants of operant conditioning are explained here.)
Force-free trainers take care to manage the dog’s environment well to be sure their dogs don’t get reinforced for unwanted behaviors. They may occasionally use “negative punishment,” where they take away something the dog enjoys when the dog exhibits an undesired behavior (for example, you stop petting your dog when he jumps up on you). They’re also likely to use counter-conditioning – using something wonderful to change a dog’s opinion of (association with) something from negative to positive.
Note that a trainer who is truly force-free will not use prong collars, shock collars, leash jerks, verbal or physical punishment, flooding, or “corrections” to try to change a dog’s behavior. Ever.
Balanced Dog Training
The term “balanced” has become a common euphemism for training that embraces a wide range of training methods, from positive reinforcement all the way to the most aversive tools and techniques. Balanced trainers may sometimes use treats and/or other reinforcers, but they are just as likely to use aversive tools and methods.
Recent studies tell us that positive reinforcement training generally works more quickly than a coercive approach. However, it can sometimes take longer to accomplish behavior goals using only force-free methods (especially if the dog has negative associations with things or situations that require counter-conditioning and desensitization).
In our experience, when faced with a training challenge, balanced trainers tend to resort to quick fixes that always have negative repercussions for the dog, even when it appears to achieve the training goal in the moment.
Positive Dog Training
Thanks again to the absence of standardization of dog-training terms, “positive training” can mean almost anything. There are excellent force-free trainers who call themselves “positive.” But trainers who use aversive methods have realized the marketing value of the term “positive,” and many use it in their promotional materials, even if their methods also include coercion and the infliction of pain or discomfort.
The term “force-free training” provides less wiggle room than “positive training.”
Clicker Training for Dogs
Clicker training means using a clicker or other reward “marker” (such as a tongue click, a whistle, marker word, or a thumbs-up gesture) to communicate to the dog that the behavior she just did earned a treat or other reinforcement. The marker is also called a “bridge,” because it bridges the delay between the dog’s behavior and the handler’s delivery of a reinforcer. It buys you time to get the treat to the dog so she understands it was her behavior at the time of the click that earned the reinforcement, not what she was doing several seconds later when you delivered the treat.
While the majority of clicker trainers are force-free, balanced trainers may also use clickers. A trainer who advertises clicker training may not fully embrace a force-free philosophy.
Relationship-Based Dog Training
One might think that a training program that emphasizes “relationship” would focus on humane methods that foster mutual trust, cooperation, and respect between dog and human. Indeed, many organizations and trainers who promote this method do just that.
Sadly, others do not. Some trainers perceive the ideal dog-human relationship to be one where the dog is subjugated by the human. They may talk about “relationship” on a website that promotes shock and prong collars, and methods intended to force dogs into submission rather than inviting cooperation. Use of this term should invite caution.
E-Collar Dog Training
“E-collar,” “electronic collar,” and “computer collar” are all euphemisms for “shock collar.” Trainers who use any of these terms will explain that the collars they use deliver just a “stim,” “static,” or a “tap” – not a shock. They may even try to convince you they are using positive reinforcement because they pair the shock with a treat.
What they often fail to mention is that they will readily turn up the intensity of the shock when the dog doesn’t respond to the lower levels. Don’t let these people fool you; shock collars hurt.
Polar opposite: This picture, taken 20 years ago at a successful dog training school, shows what old-fashioned training often looked like. Every dog is wearing either a pinch collar or choke chain (some are wearing both!). Every dog looks fearful, stressed, confused, and unhappy. Photo by Nancy Kerns
Alpha/Dominance Dog Training
This is what I politely call “old-fashioned” training, espoused by those who openly and unashamedly cling tightly to the scientifically debunked and horrendously flawed theory that dogs are pack animals, that they see us as part of their pack, and that as pack leaders we must forcefully establish dominance over our dogs using punishment (“corrections”) and intimidation. They may couch their sales pitch in pretty terms – some even claim they don’t use punishment! – but if you browse their websites you will likely see myriad photos of dogs wearing prong and shock collars.
Science-Based Dog Training
As you investigate and evaluate the training options available in your community for you and your dog, keep in mind that the best modern dog-training professionals are paying attention to behavior science. Recent studies have demonstrated clearly that coercion and intimidation-based methods have significant long-term negative consequences for a dog’s emotional and behavioral health.
True science-based trainers have taken that to heart and commit even more adamantly to force-free methods and philosophies. Trainers who still use coercive methods either aren’t keeping up on the science or are deliberately turning their backs on the evidence that current science provides.
Yes, physical punishment and intimidation can work to shut down a dog’s unwanted behaviors and to compel your dog to obey for fear of the consequences if she doesn’t. But is that what you want for your dog?
Before I knew better, I used many old-fashioned methods (though I never used prong or shock collars on my dogs). I loved my dogs, and they were very well trained. I believe and hope that they loved me too and forgave me for my inappropriate behavior. But you couldn’t pay me enough to go back to those methods today.
I like to say that we, as the supposedly more intelligent species, should be able to help our dogs cheerfully cooperate in our training efforts and happily and willingly do what we ask of them. Isn’t that what you want for your dog?
A diabetic dog needs correctly timed meals. Around 10 to 12 hours apart works best, says the Cornell Riney Canine Health Center. Credit: Domoyega | Getty Images
The primary treatment for diabetes in dogs is insulin injections, usually administered twice daily in conjunction with meals. Dog insulin is almost exactly the same molecule as porcine (pig) insulin, so that is usually what is used. Unfortunately, for dogs, there is no alternative to injectable insulin (for diabetic humans and diabetic cats, there is an alternative).
The Cost of Insulin for Dogs
Insulin is not inexpensive. The American College of Veterinary Pharmacists estimates that insulin for a large dog could run $150 per month, saying costs have tripled since 2002.
The FDA-approved insulin for dogs is Vetsulin, which comes in a 10 mL vial and require syringes specific for insulin of this strength (40 units/mL). A VetPen (insulin pen) is available with 2.7 mL cartridges.
The average cost of Vetsulin is $70/10 mL vial or $230/10 – 2.7 mL cartridges (the VetPen starter kit is about $180).
How long a vial or cartridge lasts depends on the individual patient, with larger dogs generally needing more insulin per dose. The choice of which insulin to treat a diabetic dog is determined by the dog’s veterinarian.
Do Not Swap Insulin Types
While it is possible to use an insulin labeled for humans, it isn’t likely to save you much money. Humulin-N (100 units/mL) can range in price from $100 to 170 for a 10 mL vial. Critical note: Humulin-N is a different concentration from Vetsulin and requires different syringes for administration; do not just swap insulin out without checking with your veterinarian.
A proper diabetic diet can help decrease a dog’s insulin requirements, but dogs do not go into remission based on dietary therapy alone.
What Is Diabetes?
Diabetes mellitus is a hormone deficiency that leaves a dog unable to regulate his blood glucose (sugar) properly. This can result in clinical symptoms that include increased drinking, increased urination, weight loss, cataracts, and other metabolic abnormalities that can result in severe illness and death.
The primary problem is a lack of insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas. Normally, the pancreas releases insulin into the bloodstream to control the use of glucose, the preferred form of fuel used by the cells of the body. Without insulin, the cells cannot access to glucose in the bloodstream, and that glucose, which comes from digested carbohydrates or released from storage within the body, builds up to abnormally high levels that can damage the dog’s other organs.
Problems that can cause a dog to walk crooked run from pain to tumor to a simple ear infection. Credit Bluecinema | Getty Images
If your dog is walking sideways all of a sudden, is walking crooked, or otherwise has recently developed an abnormal walk, your dog may be showing signs of neurological problems. Suddenly walking sideways can indicate other health issues as well, but the bottom line is that if your dog has started stumbling, dragging his feet, circling, or walking crooked, it is time for a veterinary visit.
Causes for a Dog Walking Sideways and Crooked Gaits
If your dog has always walked kind of crooked or it came on gradually in a young pup, it could indicate a bone or joint abnormality. Nutritional deficiencies can lead to weak or malformed bones, which may change how your dog walks as he grows up.
And conditions like severe hip dysplasia can be extremely uncomfortable, causing your dog to walk abnormally to relieve pain. It could even be due to weakness in the hind end.
For adult dogs who suddenly start walking crooked or gradually worsen, other conditions like neurological problems are more likely. These include:
Your veterinarian will start by doing a thorough physical exam, including feeling your dog’s legs and joints and testing some basic reflexes, such as fixing her foot if your veterinarian places it upside down. The ears will be checked for signs of infection.
Blood tests can help to reveal if your dog has an infection or organ damage that may have caused a seizure or stroke. Radiographs (X-rays) and ultrasound might be used to look for problems in your dog’s bones, heart, lungs, and abdominal organs.
If a brain issue is suspected, your dog will probably be referred to a neurologist for a full neurologic exam and advanced imaging such as an MRI. An MRI will show if there is a brain tumor and can also show signs of strokes, inflammation, trauma, or infection.
Signs of Neurological Problems in Dogs
Walking sideways is just one sign of a neurological issue in dogs. Other signs that can indicate a neurological problem include:
Stumbling
Circling
Head pressing against walls or other objects
Dragging feet
Paralysis of one or more legs
Seizures
Sudden blindness
Tremors
Head tilt or head shaking
If your dog is experiencing one or more of these symptoms, he should see his veterinarian as soon as possible.
It’s obvious that dogs want in or out when they scratch at the door, and their reasons for wanting in or out are all valid. Fortunately, it’s easy to teach them a more acceptable and less damaging way to request your door-opening service.
Photo by Rosmarie Wirz, Getty Images
Dogs who scratch at the door want to go outside or want to come back inside – that much is obvious. If we can learn why he wants to go through the door, and meet those needs, we can more easily change his behavior – in this case, ceasing to scratch at the door.
Humans will always accept “I need to go to the bathroom!” as a valid reason for a dog wanting to go outside. But we often make judgments about our dogs’ other motivations for door-scratching – which isn’t quite fair!
If he’s bored or lonely, try giving him interactive toys to play with in the yard, or go out and play with him instead of expecting him to entertain himself. If he’s hot or cold, bring him inside your temperature-controlled home. If he’s stressed or anxious (whether due to scary noises, separation distress, or anything else) minimize exposure to his stressor(s) while you do behavior modification to ease his distress – and accept that he may never be a dog you can just leave outside on his own.
Teach an Alternative Behavior
Regardless of your dog’s motivation for wanting the door to be opened, it’s easy to teach him a new way to ask you for this service, such as ringing some jingly bells or pressing a touch-activated noise-making button. Just remember that door-scratching works for him because he’s learned that you come quickly because you don’t want your door scratched. You’ll need to respond just as quickly to the button or bells!
First, teach your dog how to activate the sound device by shaping him to touch it with a nose or paw. Every time he manages to trigger its noise, mark the event (with the click of a clicker or a verbal marker, such as the word “Yes!” and give him a treat. Then add a verbal cue. For example, you could say, “Door?” and encourage him to activate the noise. When he is successful at ringing the bell or pressing the button, mark (“Yes!”), open the door, and give him a couple treats outside (or inside – whatever is the opposite of where you started). Gradually, you can stop delivering treats for this behavior; getting the door-opening service is his reward!
As with all behavioral issues, management will be key to your success in dealing with this behavior. While you’re teaching your dog that a bell or button is the better communication tool, you’ll need to protect your door(s) so you don’t have to come running if he starts to scratch. Here are some management tools:
Dog scratch door protector: There are various commercial products you can use to protect your door from your dog’s claws – everything from protective tape to vinyl covers to hard plastic shields, depending on the intensity of your dog’s scratching.
Exercise pen: You can set up a temporary exercise pen around your door(s) to block your dog’s access to the door while he learns to express himself in a more acceptable way.
Avoid the trigger: You could simply choose not to leave your dog on the other side of doors while you are training him to use a more acceptable means of communication and/or helping resolve his anxiety about being left alone.
In many cases, a dog’s scratching behavior is modifiable. However, if your dog’s isolation or separation anxiety is significant, you may need to accept that you’ll always stay with him in the yard.
Dogs who drink from mud puddles or shared public water bowls are at a higher risk of contracting disease. Credit: R.A. Kearton| Getty Images
Your dog can get sick from drinking out of a dog-park water bowl or water fountain, although it’s rare. Dogs have strong immune systems. If your dog is healthy, and not a puppy or an old dog, he should be fine.
Water Bowl Dangers
But here’s what you need to know: Infectious and contagious diseases may be left in a water bowl by a sick dog’s saliva. Dogs also can contaminate bowls by stepping into the water with a paw that has feces on it. Your dog could contract canine flu, internal parasites, Giardia, kennel cough, salmonella, and more from a shared water source.
Other dogs or rodents can leave parasites behind. Just leaves falling into a bowl that hasn’t been cleaned for days could have bacteria that could make your dog sick. Clean water sources are important.
Leptospirosis
Natural sources of water, like ponds and puddles, can contain the bacteria that causes leptospirosis, as well as other potentially harmful organisms. Leptospirosis is spread through the urine of wildlife and, while dogs can pass it to each other, it’s not likely, unless, of course, an infected dog pees in the water bowl, which can happen.
When to Avoid Shared Bowls
We recommend you avoid allowing your dog to drink from a shared bowl but not at the expense of his health. If it’s hot, he needs to drink. Don’t dehydrate your dog in the process of trying to protect him because chances are he will be fine.
So, you don’t need to live in paralyzing fear of communal water bowls or puddles, just avoid them whenever you can. If you know your dog may need water while you’re out, bring it with you. There are many dog-friendly portable water carrying devices.
Worrisome Home Bowls
A 2011 study done by NSF, a consumer-protection group, showed that dog bowls are among the top five dirtiest objects in most homes. When NSF certified a stainless-steel bowl from the WeatherTech PetComfort Feeding Station as meeting human standards for safety, Lisa Yakas, senior certification project manager for consumer products at NSF, said: “Pet bowls, in particular, have the potential to be harmful if they are made with materials that can leach harmful chemicals into your pet’s food and water.” Clearly, your dog needs clean, fresh water, preferably in a quality stainless-steel bowl that is washed regularly.
I’ve had a number of older owners book lessons with me lately—more than half a dozen individuals and couples in their 70s and even 80s, all wanting some training help with their new dogs or puppies.
