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Heart Murmurs in Dogs

By
Dr. Eileen Fatcheric, DVM
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Veterinarian examining cute puppy
Most puppy heart murmurs do not shorten life expectancy. Credit: Zoranm | Getty Images

Many dogs with heart murmurs have no symptoms. Most heart murmurs in dogs are picked up by the veterinarian during routine physical exams on apparently healthy, asymptomatic dogs and puppies. Many heart murmurs in dogs will never cause a problem. For those that do, medications can help.

Heart Murmurs in Puppies

Benign or “innocent” murmurs in puppies do not shorten life expectancy. There are, however, some cardiac birth defects in puppies that are bad. These puppies will not thrive, and many will not survive without surgical correction of the defect. Thankfully, these cases are few and far between.

Treatment

Most dogs with heart murmurs can live long and healthy lives, but it depends on how early the murmur is identified and how carefully the dog is monitored.

Monitoring dogs with heart murmurs includes frequent physical examinations and echocardiography at least once a year. The earlier any evidence of heart disease is identified, and treatment initiated, the longer the dog will live, with many surviving five years or more.

From Murmur to Congestive Heart Failure

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is what happens most commonly when a heart murmur in a dog becomes problematic. Watch for these symptoms:

  • Cough: Usually a soft, wet-sounding cough from the chest, may be worse after lying down or first thing in the morning
  • Difficulty breathing: Heavy breathing, rapid respiratory rate, anxious panting, distressed appearance.
  • Exercise intolerance: Doesn’t want to go for walks or quits after a short time; walks take a lot longer than usual as the dog cannot walk as quickly as before.
  • Restlessness when laying down: Fluid builds up in the lungs when the dog is inactive so the dog may shift positions frequently to find the position that best helps him breathe.
  • Bluish or grayish color to the tongue and gums: Due to the low blood oxygen levels that occur when the heart no longer efficiently pumps blood through the lungs and body.
  • Low energy/fatigue
  • Fainting/collapse

CHF Treatment

Treatment for CHF in dogs typically include varying combinations of medications to move fluid out of the lungs (diuretics); medications that make it easier for the heart to pump blood through the vessels (blood pressure drugs); and pimobendan, an inodilator that both strengthens the heart muscle and dilates blood vessels, significantly improving overall cardiac function.

Dog Eye Ulcer

By
Dr. Debra M. Eldredge, DVM
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A dog eye ulcer is a seriour concern that needs treatment.
This dog appears to have an ulcer in his right eye. A fluorescein stain will highlight areas of damage so the veterinarian can get a better look. Credit: F.J. Jimenez | Getty Images

Early signs of an eye ulcer include your dog squinting one eye. The eye may appear “cloudy” and is painful if you try to examine it. The conjunctiva may be red, with tearing or even a pus-like discharge.

While it could be a scrape or an ulcer—a scrape is superficial while an ulcer is deeper—any eye problem can go from minor to severe very quickly. Get to the veterinarian immediately. Some ulcers can go right through the cornea if not treated.

Treatment

Your veterinarian will verify the corneal damage with a fluorescein stain and then send you home with antibiotic eye drops and/or ointments. This is intensive care. The medications must be applied multiple times a day, so you may have to leave work to do it. Many dogs will need to wear a cone to protect the eye in case they try to rub. Note: Recent research shows PRP therapy may become an option for treating ulcers in the eye.

Healing Stages

As the cornea becomes clearer, the redness will fade away. Your dog will stop squinting and obviously feel better as the pain recedes. The ulcer is healing.

You may notice some red lines on the cornea. While the cornea itself does not have blood vessels, during the healing process, blood vessels migrate across the eye bringing nutrients and oxygen.

Most superficial corneal ulcers heal in a week or less, but you should continue to treat it as directed by your veterinarian until a vet recheck shows that the injury is healed.

Serious Ulcers

Severe corneal ulcers may require surgical treatment. Your veterinarian may gently scrape the surface to encourage healing or even pull up some conjunctival tissue or the third eyelid as a flap to provide a physiological bandage for the injured area.

Special contact lenses can be placed to aid in healing as well. Even with surgery, an injured eye will need frequent topical treatments. Oral antibiotics may be added to the treatment regimen.

When Can Puppies Leave Their Mom?

By
Dr. Debra M. Eldredge, DVM
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Dog birth
Nursing is a factor in deciding when to wean a puppy, but momma dog does a lot more for her puppies than just feed them. Taking a puppy away from the mom too soon is not good for anyone, especially the puppy. Credit: Jodi Jacobson | Getty Images

A mother dog provides more than milk to her puppies, so be patient while waiting for your new family member. The decision on when to wean a puppy involves more than determining how long a puppy should nurse.

The ideal nutrition for very young puppies is mother’s milk. The longer they can nurse, the longer they get that perfect food. Some puppies will nurse up to 8 weeks or longer if mom allows it. If she can’t nurse for any reason, the breeder will use a puppy milk replacer to be sure the pups get a balanced diet.

When Do Puppies Stop Drinking Milk?

Puppies start to get teeth in at about 3 to 4 weeks of age. At that point, it can become uncomfortable for the pups to nurse. The dam starts to spend more time away from the pups, often cutting back their nursing time on her own.

Many breeders start to offer food as a slurry at this age to compensate if the bitch cuts back. With a big litter, this is especially important as the nutrient drain on the mother is high. Most pups will continue to nurse a bit along with taking semi solid food until 5 to 7 weeks of age. Puppies who are hand-raised often shift to “real food” right about 3 weeks old.

Remember to provide water as well. With the shift to solid food, puppies need liquid.

The Decision to Wean Puppies

The time with mother and siblings is incredibly important for puppy social development. Puppies should stay with their dam until 8 weeks of age, and many breeders will keep puppies until 10 weeks of age or older, if a toy breed. (One study equated puppy cuteness with weaning time.)

While the puppies may no longer need their mother for nutrition, behavior input is extremely important at this time. The dam will discipline interactions and model behavior with and toward people and other dogs. A good mother will play with her puppies and provide support in new situations. Don’t rush this important time in a puppy’s life.

Why Is My Dog Twitching in His Sleep?

By
John Strassburger
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Beautiful purebred jack russell terrier.
Dogs twitch and dream while sleeping, just as we do. Credit: Evrymmnt | Getty Images

Dogs twitch in their sleep. You may have even be awakened by your dog whimpering and moving his legs, as if he were chasing something. This lasts for 10, maybe 15, seconds; your dog takes a deep sigh; and then he goes back to a sound, peaceful sleep. This is simply twitching, not a seizure.

But, still, you may wonder, “Why does my dog twitch in his sleep? Is this normal?”

The answer is, yes, it’s normal. Most mammals–including humans–dream, according to what was called a landmark study in 2001 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The study used rats, but it was groundbreaking.

Further research shows that not all mammals dream. Only predators sleep deeply enough to dream. The mammals they prey on stay alive by not sleeping so deeply that they can’t sense movement or hear a twig break.

Mammalian sleep consists of three phases: wakefulness (when they first go to sleep and are easily aroused), the rapid-eye movement phase (the phase of deep sleep, when dogs and humans dream), and the non-rapid-eye movement phase.

The rapid-eye movement phase usually happens about 20 minutes after your dog falls asleep, and you can tell the dog has entered this phase by seeing his eyeballs move, his legs twitch or move, and taking shorter breaths. That’s because he’s dreaming.

And this is the phase in which legs twitch or lurch and in which they can have night terrors. These are most common in puppies and old dogs, because the pons – the part of the mammalian brain that controls large-muscle movement – is not yet fully developed in puppies or is decaying in old dogs, according to research by Dr. Stanley Coren, professor emeritus at the University of British Columbia. You can read more in his book, “Do Dogs Dream? Nearly Everything Your Dog Wants You to Know.”

Other research shows that large dogs, like German Shepherds or Great Danes, are a bit more likely to have vivid dreams or night terrors than small dogs, like Dachshunds or terriers, because they tend to have longer, more complete dreams.

What Do Dogs Dream About?

If we accept that dogs do have dreams, that leaves us to wonder what do they dream about?

Dog behaviorists at the American Kennel Club say that dogs don’t have the imagination that humans do, so their dreams cannot include monsters or frightening events that haven’t really happened.

They say that a dog’s dreams are likely an interpretation of events that have previously happened. They’re that dog’s memory of losing his bone, of another dog taking his food away, or of a fun walk he took last month.

That means that night terrors are your dog having a bad memory. He’ll likely whimper, or even bark or howl. His eyes could twitch or roll. The large muscles of his shoulders and hindquarters may twitch, his legs could even move as if he’s running.

You’ve heard the expression, “Let sleeping dogs lie.” It comes from moments like these. When a dog is having a night terror, he’ll probably awaken startled and disoriented, which could cause him to lash out and unintentionally bite or scratch you.

So it’s best to leave him alone until his dream ends. Don’t worry – he’ll be OK.

How Often Should You Brush Your Dog’s Teeth?

By
Cindy Foley
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Dog and toothbrush in white background, concept of pets dental hygiene
Start by letting the dog lick the toothpaste off the brush. The whole trick to getting to where you can brush your dog’s teeth is to progress slowly and reward him with lots of treats. Credit: photoboyko | Getty Images

Everyone should brush their dog’s teeth every day. It even helps with a dog’s bad breath! If you need more motivation than that, regular brushing can save huge (huge!) amounts of money later by avoiding expensive, painful dental surgeries and tooth extraction. Although daily brushing is statistically proven to make the most difference, as the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) advises, any brushing is better than no brushing. If weekly is all you can manage, that will still help your dog.

Keeping your dog’s teeth brushed regularly helps avoid tooth loss, heart disease, diabetes, and sinus problems that are caused at least partially by bad dental care. Dogs also get periodontal disease just like we do, from neglected teeth. Periodontal disease painfully destroys the bone and gums that hold the teeth in place. A dog with painful teeth won’t eat well, if at all.

Toothbrush Choices

It’s best to choose a brush made for dog, but many people successfully use a child’s toothbrush on a small dog and an adult toothbrush for a larger dog (soft bristles only). Pay attention to the size of the brush you choose. An oversized brush will be uncomfortable for a little dog, and a tiny brush will be inefficient for use on a larger dog. Always clean the brush and allow it to dry out thoroughly between brushings, just like you do your own. Note: The finger brushes really don’t work well.

Dental Chews

The VOHC list of approved products includes some dental chews. While some people may scoff at the effectiveness of dental chews, a study published in the Journal of Veterinary Dentistry disagrees: “Adding a dental chew to the diet results in statistically significant reductions in plaque and calculus accumulation, and oral malador while improving gingival indices.” In other words, dental chews help.

Use Toothpaste for Dogs

Toothpaste made for dogs includes enzymes that help destroy bacteria in the dog’s mouth. Bacteria is what promotes plaque, and plaque hardens into sticky, destructive tartar. The enzymes in the toothpaste are powerful. A few dogs who absolutely refuse to allow a toothbrush in their mouth can be helped at least somewhat if you can just rub the toothpaste on their gums. Again, daily is preferable.

Usually the toothpaste is flavored, and most dogs like it. (Human toothpaste is made to be spit out, not swallowed; never use human toothpaste for your dog.) Try to choose products that are accepted by the VOHC because that means there is proof that the products work.

Technique

Start slowly, and be patient. Let the dog lick the enzymatic toothpaste off the brush—if that’s all you can do, that’s fine for a start. If you can get the brush in the dog’s mouth, just brush a few of the dog’s teeth. don’t fight him. Be gentle. Reward your dog frequently and richly with treats and praise. For a thorough lesson on technique, watch this video from the University of California, Davis, Veterinary School.

Finally, when you brush your dog’s teeth, pay special attention to the outer surface of the upper teeth, cheek side, which accumulates a great deal of tartar. “Dental plaque and tartar accumulate most rapidly on the buccal (cheek) surfaces of the upper teeth,” according to the VOHC.

Why Do Dogs Bark?

By
Dr. Andrea Lee, DVM
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Dog barking at a Cat, cambering up a Garden Fence
If your dog is barking, there’s a reason. And, while this is a trespassing cat, could as well be wild animal or human. Credit: Catherine Falls Commercial | Getty Images

A dog’s bark might not communicate specific information, but research indicates that barks can reflect the emotional state of the dog. A study on hunting dogs found that a dog’s bark can vary depending upon what they see in the field. For example, say the researchers, the most distinctive barks were produced during encounters with the most dangerous animals, such as the wild boar. It pays to listen to your dog’s barking.

Dog Barks Vary

Sometimes barks can be emitted singly, but often are  repeated in chains that are noticed by humans. Some dog breeds do less of what is classically thought of a bark and have other sounds in their vocal repertoire, such as the Beagle’s bay, the Husky’s howl, and the Pug’s alien scream.

It’s true that some breeds of dogs that are known to bark more, including Shetland Sheepdogs, Australian Shepherds, Pomeranians, Yorkshire Terriers, and Dachshunds. If you are interested in a quieter breed, consider the Basenji, Chow Chow, or Greyhound.

Types of Dog Barks

Barks can vary in pitch and the duration of the vocal outburst in different situations. Contexts for dog barking include:

  • Fear – Strangers, loud noises
  • Alert – Someone’s at the door, the dog in the yard next door is outside, the stray cat just walked across the yard
  • Anxiety – At home alone, not enough attention, not enough exercise
  • Work – Dogs trained in protection are taught to bark in specific circumstances (police dogs, guard dogs), some herding dogs bark when moving or protecting livestock
  • Excitement – Play, anticipation (food, freedom)

Do Dogs Bark for Attention?

If you own a dog who barks excessively, consider whether the dog’s needs for attention, exercise, and environmental enrichment are being met. Chances are good that they are not. Work with a certified fear/force-free trainer to develop a behavior modification program that will reduce your dog’s reactivity in specific situations, such as guests at the front door.

Camping With Your Dog

By
CJ Puotinen
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Dog sitting outside pitched tent with Tent Seebensee in background
With their incredible noses, our dogs are aware of much more going on in our surroundings than we are. On a camping trip, observe your dog carefully – and look where he’s looking, or in the direction he’s sniffing. You will likely observe far more wildlife and birds than you were able to detect without your canine companion. Photo by Westend61, Getty Images.

Camping with a dog, with or without an extended family, can make your experience extra fun or stressful. Here’s how to prepare for overnight adventures with your dog in the great outdoors.

Start with research

Search online for “dog friendly campgrounds” and you’ll find family installations, state and national parks, and RV parks in addition to the wilderness and your own neighborhood. Study a map or guide to your destination’s layout and amenities (including fenced dog parks or play areas), and. Campgrounds that allow dogs often have regulations and leash requirements – and may have restrictions on certain breeds. For a relaxing experience, make reservations early and organize your route to accommodate frequent rest stops.

It’s a great idea to locate the nearest emergency veterinary clinic to your destination, and keep its contact information handy. Snake bites, porcupine encounters, and heatstroke are just some of the potential hazards of camping that might necessitate a rapid trip to a vet; it helps to be ready.

Last but not least, check the weather forecast, so you’re prepared for rain showers, freezing or extreme heat, and other impactful weather conditions.

Get your dog ready

Schedule a veterinary checkup and discuss your plans with your vet to be sure the destination and planned activities are appropriate for your dog. Dogs can get lost on camping trips, so a microchip (registered with your current information), ID tag with your cell phone number, and current photo are recommended. Bring a correctly sized harness, spare leash, and other up-to-date equipment. If your dog needs a training refresher, practice loose-leash walking, recalls, and other basics before you leave. Aggressive dogs are not permitted at pet-friendly campgrounds, so consider leaving your dog home if travel, other dogs, new people, and unfamiliar surroundings create stress and reactive behavior.

Pack for your dog

Start a checklist so you’ll have the essentials, including food, water, and treats; prescription medications, if any; bedding; extra towels; pickup bags; and other equipment like a grooming brush, doggy daypack, rain jacket, paw protection, first-aid kit, outdoor dog toys, and a stake or tether. Bring an extra copy of your dog’s health records. Keep these items in a separate pack or bag.

Be ready to provide shade and shelter from hot summer sun with a canopy, a designated area in your tent, or portable crate.

Practice before you go

To prepare yourself and your dog for the trip, add extra walks, longer walks, and loose-leash walking to your daily regimen. If your dog doesn’t already spend time outdoors, start hanging out in the yard or nearby parks. If your dog doesn’t interact much with other dogs, set up play dates or visits to dog parks to help her feel comfortable around fellow canine campers. If you’re going to spend the night in your car or RV, make the back seat or dog sleeping area comfortable with familiar blankets, pillows, favorite toys, and a spill-proof water bowl.

If you’re camping in a tent, set it up in your back yard, keep your dog secure on a leash, prepare your own and your dog’s dinner just as you will on your trip. You might also invite friends to join you and spend the night with your dog in the tent or car or RV, making the experience as realistic as possible. This way you can address potential behavior challenges, or, at the least, help your dog acclimate to sleeping outdoors before you’re dealing with an aroused, wide-awake dog while surrounded by other sleeping campers.

With careful planning, you and your dog can enjoy a safe, fun, rewarding vacation and create a lifetime of camping memories.

Boundary Training

By
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
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dog winter portrait
We do not recommend the use of shock collars, or, as they are euphemistically called by the shock collar manufacturers, “electronic collars.” Some dogs respond to shock with serious unwanted behavioral side effects, such as fear-based aggression – and there is no way to know if your dog will be one who develops life-long behavioral side effects until after you’ve tried it. Photo by Anna Orsulakova, Getty Images.

Yes, it’s possible to train a dog to stay in your yard. But you must accept the fact that this training cannot be relied on to prevent your dog from leaving your yard if faced with something that’s tempting enough. Nor will it protect your dog from being attacked by another dog or wild animal, nor stolen by an admiring passerby. A physical fence is the best protection from all of these threats!

Even with these limitations, however, training your dog to stay within certain boundaries is a worthwhile project – especially in those neighborhoods with homeowners’ associations that prohibit fences. Just understand that you must ask for this behavior only when you are present, so you can take immediate steps to retrieve or protect your dog if needed.

We recommend approaching this training goal like any other behavior: by using positive reinforcement to teach the dog where we want her to be.

Boundary Train Your Dog

Here’s how to boundary train the force-free/pain-free way:

  1. Mark the corners of your yard with stakes. Attach a long rope (or ropes) around the perimeter to create a visual barrier.
  2. Have a selection of high-value treats in your treat pouch.
  3. Attach a long line to your dog’s collar or harness. Walk around the yard with her on a loose long line – no pressure on her collar – but short enough you can restrain her if she’s about to cross the boundary.
  4. Choose a new cue that means “stop and come back” – one specific to the boundary – not one you already use for training. Some suggestions: “Edge,” “Fence,” “Wall,” “Brink” – anything you want, it doesn’t have to literally mean “boundary.”
  5. Walk with your dog near the barrier. Anytime she approaches the rope use your cheerful “Fence!” cue and feed her a tasty treat. Soon you’ll see her perk up and look at you when you say “Fence!”
  6. Gradually move farther away from the boundary. When she approaches the edge, give your cheerful “Fence” cue and run a few steps toward the interior of your yard (away from the boundary). You want “Fence” to mean “Stop what you’re doing, come get your treat and have a party!” – similar to a happy recall. In time you’ll easily be able to ask her to move back from the border, and eventually you may not have to call her back at all – she’ll know to stop of her own accord. (You can still reward with a treat!)
  7. Next, add distractions – such as a person walking by – then try it without the long line.
  8. When she’s very solid, gradually lower the rope barrier, then remove it altogether (or leave it up if you want!).

With your very useful boundary cue installed you can be in your unfenced yard with your dog off leash and be reasonably confident she’ll stay in the yard, perhaps with an occasional “Fence!” reminder. Just remember: You should not expect this to work when you aren’t present. Sooner or later there’s a distraction tempting enough to compel almost any dog to cross that line.

Yorkshire Terrier Dog running on the green grass
You can teach your dog to stay in your unfenced yard, but you should expect to use this cue only when you are present. Photo by Yevgen Romanenko, Getty Images.
No shock collars

We do not recommend the use of any collar-based “training” systems, whether a buried wire or GPS is used to establish the boundary. The manufacturers have tried countless ways to convince people that these devices don’t hurt the dog, but face facts: They wouldn’t work at all if they weren’t painful – and no amount of pain can prevent some dogs from running through the shocking boundary zone if they are motivated enough. Countless stray dogs turn up in animal shelters wearing those devices. There’s currently a class action lawsuit filed in a California Federal court against Radio Systems, manufacturer of the PetSafe shock collar, in which the plaintiff claims the company falsely markets the collars as safe and harmless to use on animals, when they in fact harm pets.

Fido, Clean Your Room!

By
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
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The more toys your dog has, the more useful it will be to teach him to put them all away! Photo by Anda Stavri Photography, Getty Photos.

Are you tired of finding dog toys strewn across your house? You can teach your canine pal to pick up his toys using “shaping” and “back-chaining.” Shaping involves breaking a behavior into very small steps. You train starting with the smallest step and build to the full behavior. Back-chaining links a series of behaviors together, starting at the end of the chain and working backward. Here’s how to use these training techniques to teach your dog to put his toys away:

  1. Select a receptable for your dog’s toybox. Put his toys in it and place it in an accessible spot.
  2. Pick up a favorite toy and hold it over the center of the box. When he glances at it, “mark” the behavior with a reward marker, such as the click of a clicker or a verbal marker (such as the word “Yes!”) and then give him a treat.
  3. Continue to mark and treat any attention to the toy, very gradually raising the criteria for which behavior you mark and treat. For example, after several repetitions of marking and rewarding your dog for glancing at the toy, hold out for a few moments longer, waiting for your dog to move his nose toward the toy a little – then mark and reward that. After he does that a few times, hold out for a little more movement toward the toy. Eventually he’ll touch the toy for a mark and treat. (For more guidance on this, see “Raising Criteria,” below.)
  4. When he consistently touches his nose to the toy, raise the criteria again. Now he must open his mouth a little. Then a bit more, and more, until he takes the toy in his mouth.
  5. Next, let go of the toy when he takes it. Mark, and when he drops the toy to take the treat – Voila! – it drops into the toybox. Milestone!
  6. Begin adding a toybox-specific cue such as “Clean up!” just before you offer the toy, continuing to repeat Step 5.

Now for the back-chaining part:

  1. After numerous repetitions of Step 6, gradually move the toy closer to the edge of the box. As you get close to the edge of the box, only mark/treat if the toy actually lands in the box. You’re helping your dog realize he must get the toy in the box to earn his treat.
  2. When he’ll deliberately move the toy to make sure it lands in the box, offer it just outside the box edge, then gradually farther away from the box.
  3. When he’ll drop the toy in the box from a few feet away, begin offering the toy to your dog with the toy held close to the floor, eventually setting it on the floor before you give your “Clean up!” cue.
  4. Last step – add a second toy, then a third and more, until he’ll pick up all his toys and put them away for you.

Congratulations, you’ve done it!

Raising Toy Box Criteria

Be sure to slowly raise the criteria that earn your dog a mark and reward. If you raise criteria too quickly, your dog no longer gets reinforce; he’ll think the game is over and will likely quit. Behaviors that aren’t reinforced extinguish, and you don’t want to do that!

It’s helpful to write out a shaping plan with many small increments in the program. Attain multiple repetitions at each step in the plan, and when you are ready to raise criteria, do it on an intermittent schedule of reinforcement. This means that when your dog offers his Step One behavior, you don’t mark, but rather wait to see if he offers a little more. If he does, mark and treat the “more” behavior, and then go back and mark/treat several repetitions of Step One before holding out again for a little more. Raising criteria gradually and continuing to randomly reinforce the lower-level behavior keeps your dog engaged and working. That’s what you need and want.

Your Kindness Is So Appreciated

By
Nancy Kerns
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32
He didn’t actually walk on water – but he was a very good dog. Photo by Nancy Kerns

As one could predict, I was a bit of a mess last week. Making the euthanasia appointment for my beloved Otto, and being with him until it was time for the final injection, was just impossibly hard. It was the second-guessing that was most torturous – wondering at the moments when he seemed to be doing well whether this was the right decision.

I’ve had several friends whose dogs were suddenly stricken with a condition that either killed them or had an impossible prognosis, making immediate euthanasia the only rational choice. Is it bizarre to say that, as Otto passed his 15th birthday, I started to wish for such an event, a crisis that would take the “Is this the right time?” euthanasia decision out of my hands? But no such event occurred; I had to take full responsibility to decide whether and when Otto’s bad days were outnumbering his good ones. Making life-or-death, suffering-or-release decisions should be difficult, but man, was it taxing. And over the course of the week following I did all the things that humans tend to do when overwhelmed with grief: locked my keys in my car while getting ready for an early-morning walk with Woody and Boone (fortunately at home, where my husband was available to help sort this out once he woke up), couldn’t eat, then ate too much, burst into tears at random moments . . .

Maybe not completely random. Some of the puppies I haven been fostering for the past six weeks for my local shelter had neuter surgery and were up for adoption at the shelter. Two days after my husband and I buried Otto, I was training some new volunteers at the shelter when a young couple and their five-year-old daughter came in, looking for a puppy of a small-to-medium size to adopt. I raced to gather “my” puppies for them to meet in the shelter’s “get acquainted room”– I was disappointed that none of them had been adopted the first day they were available, and any one of them would be perfect for this family. Happily, the family chose one of the pups, and I got to see them preparing to carry him out of the shelter – the whole goal of my fostering and volunteering efforts, right? I said, “Wait! Let me say goodbye!” and I ran over to hold his little face in my hands and kiss him on the nose and say, “Be a good dog! Have a good life!” But then my face immediately crumpled and I barely choked out the words, “Thank you!” before rushing out of the shelter lobby, tears flowing. I wanted that adoption to happen – I practically forced them to take one of the puppies! – but the whole idea of just launching that little life out into the world with unknown people and an unknowable future … it just overwhelmed me for a minute.

People’s kindness also is overwhelming when you’re feeling raw. I would be perfectly functional, and then would receive a text or call from a friend saying, “I’m so sorry to hear about Otto!” and BOOM, the tears would flow freely again. I had cancelled a dog-training class I was supposed to teach the day before Otto’s appointment, and, early this week, thanked the class for accepting the postponement of that session. After class, some of my students (a couple) handed me a gift bag that held a bottle of wine and a fine chocolate bar – and immediately, again, I could barely choke out my thanks. They said, “We know what it’s like, we’ve lost some fine dogs over the years, it always hurts!”

All of your comments and messages, too – thank you, I so appreciate your kind remarks and remembrances of some of Otto’s early exploits. I have been reading them in short spurts, because it’s so emotional. It’s obvious that you guys get it, you’ve been there. Many of you shared stories about your own lost, sainted dogs, and those stories are painful and wonderful, too.

When we make the decision to love a dog, most of us expect to outlive them; the difference in our usual lifespans makes our surviving their death an almost certain event. We know what we’re getting into – that we’re signing up for some future pain – from the outset. And the more we love them, and the more that they love us, the more pain we can expect! So, I’m rolling with all of it – the sudden face-crumpling, on-and-off crying jags, and even the locking-my-keys-in-the-car moments – in memory and celebration of my very good dog. Thank you for allowing me to share him with you for all of these years, and for your appreciation of him, too.

Kong Filler Ideas

By
CJ Puotinen
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1
The best kong filler ideas are both tasty and nutritious for your dog.
Looking for more Kong-filler ideas? Credit: The Kong Company

At some point, all owners of bored, anxious, or destructive dogs are told to try giving their dogs a food-stuffed Kong or Toppl – but unless the toys are properly packed, the food will be consumed too quickly, or not at all. Here’s how to fill the interior of the toys and tasty and nutritious Kong filler ideas so your dog will be motivated to work at the task of getting all of the food out – and so the process will take lots of time and diligence, which provides mental stimulation, relieves boredom, and keeps the dog from eating too fast.

What to put into a Kong or Toppl

To make a stuffed toy interesting, go beyond your dog’s usual kibble and peanut butter and employ a variety of healthy, delicious ingredients – and for maximum appeal, assemble the ingredients in layers. You can also stir the ingredients together before stuffing, but we’ve found that packing the various ingredients into the toys in layers keeps a dog engaged to the very end. Try different combinations of these canine favorite foods:

  • Unsweetened, salt-free peanut or almond butter (check labels to avoid xylitol, which is toxic to dogs).
  • Plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, or cream cheese.
  • Mashed, plain cooked sweet potatoes, carrots, peas, or green beans.
  • Baked sweet potato chews or crunchy crackers.
  • Chopped hard-boiled eggs.
  • Plain unsweetened applesauce.
  • Chopped or ground beef, turkey, chicken, or fish.
  • Canned dog food.
  • Fresh fruits like blueberries, strawberries, apples, bananas, or melon, cut into chunks or pureed.
  • Shredded coconut.
  • Any favorite kibble or dog treat.
West Paw also offers recipe inspirations on its website: westpaw.com/pages/toy-of-cooking. Photo courtesy of West Paw.

If assembling a toy to serve to your dog immediately, you can keep things tidy by temporarily sealing the top layer with a flat piece of cheese or a layer of nut butter. If you have time, or are filling a number of toys for use over a period of days, finish the preparation by putting the food-filled toys in the freezer. Frozen treats last longer and satisfy dogs by revealing layers of flavor a little at a time.

How to serve a food-stuffed toy

Depending on the hollow toy’s size, you can feed an afternoon snack, dessert, or even part or all of your dog’s dinner. Use appropriate proportions and ingredients for your dog’s size and feeding schedule.

Your dog’s crate or another protected location lined with a towel or mat is ideal for feeding a well-stuffed hollow toy. Colorful ingredients can stain floors and fabrics, and frozen treats can make a mess as they melt – and your dog will enjoy every minute!

The Best Dog Toys for Filling with Food

The classic Kong is a red, snowman-shaped rubber toy for medium-chewing adults (sizes XS, S, M, L, XL, and XXL), but today, the Kong also is available in a soft blue rubber for teething puppies, a tough black rubber for serious chewers, and a more flexible purple rubber for seniors.

West Paw offers two toys that are ideal for stuffing with food: the open-topped Toppl and the oval-shaped Rumbl. Both are made of Zogoflex, the company’s proprietary, nontoxic, durable, latex-free, recyclable, safe-to-chew material. Two Toppls of adjacent sizes (S and L, or L and XL) can lock together to form a more challenging puzzle. The bouncy Rumble has a unique “fish trap” opening that holds kibble and other dry treats in place.

Why Do Dogs Eat Cat Poop?

By
Cindy Foley
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2
Man picking up some dog poop
Apparently, dogs find poop particularly attractive no matter where they are. Credit: Antonio Diaz | Getty Images

You can stop your dog from eating cat poop by not letting him near the litter box. Sorry, but it’s as simple as that. Studies show that dogs who like to eat poop are going to eat poop, if they have access.

Mostly, cat poop is not going to harm your dog, but the litter that goes with it could. Clumping litters are extremely dangerous as they will expand inside the dog’s stomach. And other litters, although nearly always deemed “non-toxic,” may have crystals or scented flakes that could make your dog ill. A few pieces may not be a problem, but a consistent habit could bring you a big veterinary bill, especially if he gets an intestinal blockage.

Move the litter box to a place your dog cannot access it by using cat doors or a baby gate to prevent the dog from getting to the box. Some people place the litter box in the basement. Others sacrifice a bathroom cabinet with a small access hole in it that the dog can’t use. A simple method is a baby gate that the cat can easily leap to access his box in one room. Most dogs won’t jump the gate.

Medication Doesn’t Stop Poop Eating

Fortunately, not all dogs eat poop, but enough of them do for manufacturers to develop products to deter them. Save your money.

A 2008 study by researcher Broox Boze determined that available medications and poop treatments to stop dogs from eating poop are not effective, although the younger the dog, the better your chance the medication may help. According to Boze, the only reliable recourse is human intervention. Keep your dog away from the poop (or litter box).

A 2018 study published in Veterinary Medicine and Science from Dr. Benjamin Hart tried 11 different products designed to stop poop eating and found none were effective. In tabulating the results from their study, the researchers determined that most dogs who eat poop are greedy eaters, a behavior that is difficult to change, and that age of the dog has nothing to do with it. You may be relieved to learn, however, that most dogs ate fresh stools, which were defined as no more than two days old.

Why Dogs Eat Cat Poop

Cat poop may be especially, well, tasty, because cats are often fed a high protein/low fiber diet—they are, after all, obligate carnivores—and, according to a 2013 study in PLOS ONE, that results in poop with a high protein content. Protein will attract your dog, especially the one who really loves to eat, umm, whatever.

Dr. Hart’s researchers hypothesized that dogs eat poop due to an ancestral behavior designed to keep the wolf den clean and free from parasites, so it may be due to an instinctual drive to clean up the litter box and help keep your home clean.

Of course, dogs don’t just eat cat poop. They also eat horse poop, wild animal poop, and even their own poop and that of their friends and not just at home. There are a lot of other theories floating around with no consensus beyond keeping your dog away from poop.

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