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Acupuncture for Dogs

By
Dr. Jennifer Bailey, DVM
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5
senior dog receiving acupuncture
It’s common for dog owners to learn about acupuncture when their dogs are seniors and suffering from arthritis pain and a general loss of energy and vitality. Acupuncture advocates appreciate the physical and emotional, energetic lift their dogs experience from acupuncture. Photo by Nancy Kerns

Acupuncture can be a useful tool for managing pain in dogs with osteoarthritis and certain neurologic and musculoskeletal disorders, improving their comfort and quality of life. It’s particularly effective when used as a complementary therapy – in combination with other tools and modalities such as analgesics (pain medications), laser therapy, massage, and physical therapy.

Acupuncture originated around 100 BC as an important tool used by practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It is still used today for human and veterinary medicine, guided by the original principles of TCM, as well as others who find it to be effective for reasons other than those explained in TCM.

TCM Explanation of Acupuncture for Dogs

Traditional acupuncture is considered an alternative medical modality; the explanations that direct its use do not correlate with modern evidence-based medical practice.

In TCM, everything in nature (including humans and animals) contains a life force energy known as Chi (sometimes spelled as “qi” but always pronounced as “Chee”). Chi is said to travel throughout the body via a system of meridians or pathways. Meridians are not discernible structures in the body like blood vessels or nerves; they are intangible pathways through which the vital life energy flows. The meridians for dogs, like humans, are named and mapped, and each has an influence on certain organs and physiological functions in the body.

Chi has two polarities, or opposites, called Yin and Yang. A healthy and harmonious body has a proper balance of Yin and Yang. Think of the polarities on the ends of a battery. One end of the battery is the positive terminal and the other end is the negative terminal. When you insert the battery into a device, like the remote control for your television, electricity flows from the positive terminal through the circuits of the remote to the negative terminal. The flow of electricity is constant and balanced, much like Yin and Yang in a healthy dog or human.

In TCM, illness and pain is said to result from an imbalance between Yin and Yang. The flow of Chi through a particular meridian may become congested, blocked, or stagnated. This might lead to more Yin and less Yang in that meridian.

Acupuncture is the insertion of very fine needles into the skin to stimulate specific locations (called acupoints) along the obstructed meridian/s to allow Chi to once again flow freely and restore balance between Yin and Yang. Acupuncturists learn and memorize the name and influence of each acupoint that are present on the 12 meridians in the body, in order to both treat specific illnesses and injuries, and to promote wellness and prevent illness.

Canine Acupuncture Techniques

In classic acupuncture, very fine needles are inserted into acupoints that are associated with certain health conditions and are left in place for 10 to 30 minutes during the therapy session; this is known as dry needling. Other forms of acupuncture include:

  • Electroacupuncture, an enhanced form of dry needling in which a low electrical current is applied between acupuncture needles.
  • Aqua-acupuncture, the injection of very small amounts of sterile fluid into acupoints.
  • Moxibustion, the application of heat to acupoints by burning small cones of dried herbs (moxa) near acupuncture needles.
  • Laser acupuncture, the use of a low-intensity laser to stimulate acupoints. Laser acupuncture may be a good modality for dogs that do not tolerate the insertion of needles.

What To Expect During a Veterinary Acupuncture Visit

In a visit to a veterinarian who practices conventional Western medicine, the vet will ask you questions about your dog’s appetite, drinking habits, and energy level. She’ll want to know what you feed your dog, and whether her elimination habits are regular and normal. The vet will usually ask these questions while performing a physical examination of your dog, looking into her eyes, ears, and mouth, palpating her abdomen, and listening to her heart and lungs.

Veterinary acupuncturists will ask some of the same questions – but add others that might seem odd to you. For example, they might want to know whether your dog prefers to sleep in warm or cool places, and whether she prefers a hard bed or a soft one. And when they perform their physical examination of your dog, they will do things that conventional medical practitioners do not, such as feeling (not just counting) the strength and speed of your dog’s pulse in a variety of locations, especially the femoral artery (inside each of the dog’s hind legs near the groin), and looking at your dog’s tongue.

dog sleeping during acupuncture
Despite his usual anxiety about veterinary appointments, senior dog Otto falls fast asleep within minutes of having acupuncture needles in a number of locations on his body. Photo by Nancy Kerns

Using the additional information about your dog’s health gathered by these alternative diagnostics, veterinary acupuncturists decide where your dog’s Chi is blocked or stuck, and which acupoints they need to stimulate in order to restore the healthy flow of Chi.

Usually, the acupuncturist will insert needles in as few as six and as many as 30 locations on your dog. Dogs nearly always grow very calm as the effect of the treatment takes hold, and many dogs sleep for the 20 or so minutes that the needles are left in position.

While positive effects may be seen as soon as the same or next day, generally acupuncturists recommend bringing the canine patient back for at least six or eight sessions of acupuncture, scheduled at least once or twice a week for a few weeks, and then at longer intervals.

Modern Medical Interpretation of Acupuncture

Western scientists have found no evidence to support the existence of acupuncture points or energy meridians in the body, and studies of the modality’s efficacy are generally inconclusive. However, there is enough anecdotal evidence to support its ability to produce improved outcomes in treated humans and animals that many practitioners use the modality without necessarily believing the TCM concepts underlying the practice.

Today, the increasingly popular term, “Western Medical Acupuncture,” indicates the complementary use of acupuncture with conventional medical diagnoses and treatment.

Modern scientists have searched for alternative explanations for the effectiveness of acupuncture, speculating that while they are not yet appreciable with existing diagnostic tools, acupoints and meridians do exist along key aspects of the neuromuscular system. Acupoints have been found to correlate with where nerves enter muscles, along superficial nerves and at nerve plexuses, and muscle/tendon junctions. And TCM maps of meridians – those pathways through which Chi flows – often follow the same pathways as peripheral nerves.

There is ample evidence, however, that the body responds in observable ways to the stimulation of acupoints; there is a release of endorphins and endogenous opioids that can have an analgesic (pain-relieving) effect. Blood flow to the area around the acupoints increases, bringing anti-inflammatory mediators (known as cytokines) to the region. This reduces inflammation and promotes healing.

Recent studies have shown that acupuncture can be an effective complement to conventional therapies for certain medical conditions. Treatment of musculoskeletal and osteoarthritis pain with acupuncture combined with physical therapy and analgesics may improve a dog’s comfort and mobility more than just analgesics and physical therapy alone. And electroacupuncture may improve the outcomes for dogs with decreased or lost mobility due to intervertebral disc disease (IVDD).

How to Get Your Dog Started With Veterinary Acupuncture

If you are interested in adding acupuncture to your dog’s therapeutic plan for osteoarthritis, musculoskeletal pain, or IVDD, look for a veterinarian that is certified in veterinary acupuncture. Veterinarians certified in this field have undergone an intensive study in veterinary acupuncture and how to integrate it into Western medicine.

The International Veterinary Acupuncture Society maintains a directory of certified veterinary acupuncturists on their website at ivas.org/vets/. The American Academy of Veterinary Acupuncture also maintains a directory on their website at aava.org.

Vitamins for Senior Dogs

By
Dr. Debra M. Eldredge, DVM
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2
vitamins for senior dogs
Supplements like fish oil can help keep your senior dog moving better and even thinking better, so you can enjoy many more playful years together. Credit adamkax | Getty Images

Not every senior dog needs every supplement. For example, dogs with any chronic eye condition or cataracts may benefit from OcuGlo, an eye supplement designed by a veterinary ophthalmologist. But if your older dog had normal vision, it’s a waste of money.

Joint supplements for senior dogs are an entirely different story, however. Virtually all senior dogs can benefit from joint supplements, and there plenty to choose among. The ingredients glucosamine, chondroitin, fish oil, and green-lipped mussel products have long histories of safe, effective use in dogs. They can help maintain, and in cases, even increase mobility. Look for joint supplements for dogs with these ingredients that have a National Animal Supplement Council (NASC) seal on them. The NASC membership ensures, among other things, that the products are monitored to be sure they include the ingredients on the label in the amounts listed.

Fish oil has the most research-supported evidence that it works. Fish oil is a major source of the omega 3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are shown to help preserve healthy joints and may minimize cognitive problems in older dogs.

Probiotics for Dogs

A good probiotic made for dogs can encourage a healthy gastrointestinal tract. Don’t use a human one as the microbiomes are different.

Stress Supplements for Dogs

Some senior dogs may do better with supplements for anxiety or stress. Melatonin can often help with sleep problems at night. Dog pheromone products such as Adaptil can also help older dogs who are struggling. For serious anxiety issues, discuss the problem with your veterinarian. There are anxiety medications that can help, too.

In general, remember that supplements may take time, like four to six weeks for most joint supplements, before any changes are noted. Always check with your veterinarian about compatibility between multiple supplements as well as supplements and any medications your dog is taking. Don’t overdo supplements. Too much of a “good thing” can be a bad.

Rat Poisoning and Dogs

By
Dr. Jennifer Bailey, DVM
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0
rat poison bait box
Tamper-proof bait boxes like this one on the outside of a building are meant to protect children or dogs from the rodent-killing poison inside – but bait can be carried out of the bait box and dropped by a rat or mouse. Dogs who find and eat the bait or rodents who have died from eating it can get sick and die if their symptoms are not recognized and treated quickly. Photo by John Williams, Dreamstime.com

Home infestations by mice and rats cause problems for millions of humans – but the poisons that are frequently used to control these incursions are deadly for our dogs. If you use rodenticides – chemicals that are used to kill mice, rats, voles, and other small mammals after they ingest the chemical – or if rodents are a problem in your neighborhood (and a neighbor might be using rodenticides), you should learn the signs of rodenticide poisoning and know what life-saving treatment is necessary if your dog consumes some of these deadly chemicals.

Rodenticides are added to food that will appeal to the rodents and formed into blocks and pellets. These baits have an attractive odor and taste to encourage the target animal to ingest the chemical, leading to his demise.

Dogs typically ingest rat poison bait by chewing open a bait refill pouch or canister, chewing open a tamper-proof bait station, eating a bait that has been carried by a rat or mouse out of a bait station and then dropped, or eating a rodent that ingested rodenticide.

Rodenticides are regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA has mandated that all rodenticide baits used inside the home by consumers be placed in a single-use or refillable bait station. Bait stations must be tamper-resistant to minimize the risk of exposure to children and pets.

Rodenticide bait refills are sold to consumers in resealable pouches or tubs. Unfortunately, these containers are not tamper resistant and must be stored where children and pets do not have access to them.

Dogs find rodenticide baits attractive for the same reason mice and rats do: They smell interesting and taste delicious. And because dogs are mammals, just like mice and rats, the active ingredient in the bait has the same mechanism of action in our dogs that it does in rodents.

Types of Rat and Mouse Poison: Symptoms and Treatment for Rat Poisoning in Dogs

There are three types of rodenticides available for purchase by consumers that can be lethal to our dogs: first-generation anticoagulants (warfarin, chlorophacinone, and diphacinone), bromethalin, and cholecaliferol (vitamin D3).

Anticoagulant rodenticides

These work by inhibiting an enzyme that activates vitamin K (see sidebar). In an animal who has eaten this poison, the initial clinical signs include bruising and petechia (red pinpoint hemorrhages, or dots, on the skin).

Without treatment, these clinical signs progress to coughing, vomiting, urinating and pooping blood, followed by uncontrolled internal bleeding and death. Since a dog’s body typically contains a small storage of activated vitamin K, it can take 36 to 72 hours following ingestion of an anticoagulant rodenticide to show clinical signs.

Treatment for dogs who are not showing clinical signs of anticoagulant rodenticide ingestion is straightforward. Your veterinarian will prescribe a course of vitamin K1 to be given for up to 30 days. The length of treatment depends on which anticoagulant was present in the bait. If your dog is showing signs of uncontrolled bleeding, he will need to be hospitalized to receive one or more blood transfusions and injections of vitamin K1.

Bromethalin

This is a neurotoxin that can cause tremors, seizures, and paralysis that progress to coma followed by death. Ingesting high doses of this rodenticide can cause clinical signs to appear within four to 18 hours of ingestion. Ingestion of lower doses may take one to seven days for clinical signs to manifest.

Bromethalin is metabolized by the liver into metabolites that are more toxic than bromethalin. Treatment for ingestion of this poison includes giving one or more doses of activated charcoal to bind the chemical and its toxic metabolites. If more than one dose is required, or your dog is showing neurologic signs, your veterinarian may recommend hospitalization of your dog to monitor and treat for seizures, tremors, and cerebral edema.

Cholecalciferol

This is better known as vitamin D3, an essential vitamin that helps maintain calcium and phosphorus balance in the body. Dogs lack the ability to synthesize vitamin D3 from exposure to sunlight (as humans do). Their daily requirement for vitamin D3 is met in the food they eat.

Cholecalciferol rodenticides deliver a toxic dose of vitamin D3. An overdose of vitamin D3 causes an increase in the calcium levels in your dog’s blood. This leads to mineralization of their internal organs and acute kidney injury. Even ingesting small amounts of bait can cause clinical signs. A toxic dose of cholecalciferol for a 50-pound dog is just one half of a one-ounce bait block.

Treatment for cholecalciferol ingestion includes giving one or more doses of activated charcoal and monitoring your dog’s kidney values and calcium and phosphorus levels once a day for three days post-exposure. Your veterinarian may recommend hospitalizing your dog for treatment of acute kidney injury if any of these values start to increase and become abnormal. If your dog starts to drink more water and urinate more and starts to vomit and not eat, then hospitalizing and treating for acute kidney injury may also be recommended.

Cholecaliferol can persist in your dog’s body for weeks following ingestion. If your dog becomes clinical for cholecalciferol toxicity, he may require weekly monitoring of his kidney values and calcium and phosphorus levels for three or more weeks. Dogs that have been hospitalized and treated for cholecalciferol toxicity can suffer a relapse of elevated calcium in the first few days following discharge from the hospital and need to be closely monitored.

Treatment for unknown poisons

Other rodenticides can be used by commercial pest exterminators or in agricultural situations. These include second-generation anticoagulants (brodifacoum, bromadiolone, difenacoum, difethialone), strychnine, and phosphide rodenticides. Second-generation anticoagulants are more potent than their first-generation cousins but the antidote is the same: administration of vitamin K1.

Bait stations are not required for baits located indoors where no children or pets have access (attics, for example) or that are buried below ground; unfortunately, baits that are packaged in easily chewed pouches or trays are all too often placed in cabinets or drawers that kids or pets find their way into.

The active ingredient of rodenticide bait cannot be determined by the bait size, shape, or color. If your dog ingests rodenticide bait and you do not know the active ingredient, then your veterinarian will need to treat for all three of the most commonly used residential rodenticides: anticoagulants, bromethalin, and cholecalciferol. Treating for one type of rodenticide exposure can be costly, but treating for all three types can be quite expensive!

Vitamin K1 and anticoagulant rodenticide toxicity

Vitamin K got its name from the German word “koagulation,” meaning to turn a liquid (like blood) into a solid or semi-solid (like a blood clot). Your dog’s liver (and yours, too!) produces clotting factors that are necessary to stop bleeding in the body. The liver needs activated vitamin K to make these clotting factors.

The process of making clotting factors oxidizes (deactivates) vitamin K. An enzyme called “vitamin K epoxide reductase” reduces (activates) vitamin K so that it can once again help to make clotting factors. Chemistry buffs will recognize this as an example of a reduction-oxidation, or redox, reaction.

Anticoagulant rodenticides inhibit this enzyme, leaving your dog with a whole lot of deactivated vitamin K that cannot be reactivated. That’s why your veterinarian will prescribe vitamin K1 to give twice a day; this is the activated form of vitamin K that your dog’s body needs to produce clotting factors.

How to manage a rodent infestation when you have pets

There are other methods for managing rodent home invasions, including sealing entry points in your home and the use of live capture traps. If you feel that you must use rodenticides in your home:

  • Use only tamper-resistant bait stations as required by the EPA.
  • Place bait stations only where your dog does not have access.
  • Secure bait refills in a locked cabinet.
  • Keep a binder containing information about all of the toxic products you use in your home. Add the rodenticide packaging information to this binder. If your dog ingests rodenticide bait, bring the packaging with you and your dog to the veterinary hospital.

Following these steps when using rodenticides will help to keep your family safe and minimize the risk of accidental exposure.

Dog Songs and Singing to Your Dog

By
Nancy Kerns
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34
Singing to a dog.
Photo credit Catherine Falls Commercial, Getty Images

How many of you sing to your dogs when you’re alone together? I sure do. I sing to my dogs when we’re in the car, when we’re hiking together, and when I’m fixing their meals. The best songs are ones about dogs, or with dogs prominently mentioned in the lyrics.

One song from my childhood that I absolutely love to sing is “Blue” by Peter, Paul, and Mary, a folk trio that had a number of hits in the 1960s. They sang the song as a joke, where they’d change the tempo and words of the song. But the way they always started the song was pretty:

I’ve got a dog and his name is Blue
I’ve got a dog and his name is Blue
I’ve got a dog and his name is Blue,
I betcha five dollars he’s a good dog, too
Singing, ‘Here, old Blue, you’re a good dog, you.
Old Blue comes when I blow my horn
Old Blue comes when I blow my horn
Old Blue come a’running through the yellow corn,
Old Blue come a’running when I blow my horn
Singing, ‘Here, old Blue, you’re a good dog, you.

That song may or may not have been based on an old folk tune, recorded by Pete Seeger, Old Blue. If you have a dog who recently passed, or is close to the end of life, don’t try to listen to this song unless you are ready to cry buckets.

A recent favorite is Buck Up by Carsie Blanton, a song that’s not about a dog, but the wisdom imparted in the song’s lyrics comes from the artist’s dog, who responds to the artist’s world-weary angst with the advice to:

Buck up, baby, come on, sic ‘em
Make ‘em laugh if you can’t lick ‘em
Keep on shinin’, like you know you should
Keep on shining, that’s the way you’ll get ‘em good!

My other favorites for singing to the dogs include:

I Love My Dog, by Cat Stevens

I Wanna Be a Dawg, by Dawg Yawp

I Want My Dog to Live Longer, by Curtis Salgado & Alan Hager

My Dog & Me, by John Hiatt

And of course, no list of dog songs would be complete without the classic, Who Let the Dogs Out, by Baha Men.

Do you have a favorite dog song, or song you sing to you dog? Please share! (Our website doesn’t allow links in the comments, but list the artist name and song, so we can Google them!)

Dew Claw Removal: Are Dew Claws Neccessary?

By
Dr. Eileen Fatcheric, DVM
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1
Dew claw removal is controversial. Some dew claws are necessary. Others serve no purpose other tan to be damaged.
This Great Dane’s front dewclaws seem too high off the ground to ever come into contact with the ground – but if you saw photos of the same dog running and/or turning, you’d see that the claws do come into play during these activities. Photo by Nancy Kerns

A dog’s front dew claws are analogous to your thumbs. But people often have a dog’s dew claws surgically removed – so, you may wonder is dew claw removal needed? Do dew claws do anything?

The best answer to this question is… sometimes. The importance of dew claws to an individual dog depends mostly on the dog’s lifestyle and activities – and who you talk to. Some experts take dew claw removal seriously, reminding owners that it is a surgical amputation; others make dew claw removal sound no more harmful than trimming a dog’s nails. Who should you believe? Should you care whether or not your dog has dew claws?

If the only exercise your dog gets is controlled walks at the

dog doing an agility tunnel
Dogs who participate in sports that require speed and agility definitely benefit from having front dewclaws for stabilizing the foot during turns and landing from jumps. Photo by Nancy Kerns

end of a six-foot leash, the controversy over dew claw removal is somewhat immaterial. If, however, your dog engages in athletic activities that involve hunting, running at speed or making sudden, tight turns and changes of direction, the topic is far more consequential. These activities include not only formal events like agility, flyball, lure coursing, fast CAT (coursing ability test), disc dog sports, hunting, and tracking, but also fun, informal athletic activities like running off-leash, hiking, playing with other dogs, and chasing balls.

What Are Dew Claws and What Do They Do?

For a long time, experts believed that dew claws served no purpose. They’re located higher up on the limb than the other toes and make no contact with the ground when the dog is standing. As such, it became routine to remove the dew claws to prevent injuries that dogs sometimes suffer when the dew claw catches on vegetation as the dog runs, lands from jumps, and turns. The thought was, “If the dew claws don’t have a function, we might as well get rid of them so that they can never become a problem for the dog.”

This sounds practical, but if you ask veterinarians how often they see dew claw injuries, they will say hardly ever – or certainly no more frequently than injuries to the other toes. This prompts the question, “If the dew claws rarely present a problem, why put the dog or puppy through an unnecessary, painful procedure?”

However, if you ask hunting dog breeders or trainers, they will likely say that their dogs suffer dew claw injuries out in the field frequently enough to warrant surgical removal. Most hunting dog and retriever breeders have their puppies’ dew claws removed.

Labrador Retriever breeder/trainer Renee Adsitt-Pettey of Peak Performance Labradors in Chaumont, New York, explains: “We remove dew claws with the sole purpose of preventing torn dew claws out in the field.” When dogs have dew claws, she says, “We deal with fairly frequent dew claw injuries when hunting out of the boat, hunting through thin ice, and wooded marshes.”

Adsitt-Perry adds that dew claws, at least on her dogs, don’t seem to be as “tight” to the foreleg as they once were, which makes them generally more of a hassle than a help for her dogs.

In contrast, if you ask breeders, trainers, owners, and handlers of agility dogs, they will tell you they never remove dew claws on their canine athletes. Most agility competitors believe strongly that the dogs’ dew claws play an important role in helping these athletes safely perform tight turns at speed, help stabilize the limb when the paw contacts the ground after jumps and during turns, and help prevent both acute injuries and the development of chronic arthritis in agility dogs.

How Bad is Dew Claw Removal?

All dogs are born with front dew claws. (If your dog has no front dew claws it is likely they were removed soon after birth.)

There is more variability in hind dew claws. Hind dew claws are absent in most dogs. In certain breeds, however, hind dew claws are not only present, but are of impressive size, sometimes double, and are considered functionally important to the breed’s intended purpose (see, “Dog Breeds with Double Dew Claws”).

dewclaw scars
The scars from having their dewclaws removed are visible on only some dogs (like this one), but if you palpate the area, you can usually feel a small pit where the dewclaw was removed. Photo by Nancy Kerns

However, on the hind legs, sometimes the dew claws are “attached” just as they are on the front legs – connected to the adjacent bone by a joint. In other cases, the hind dew claws have no underlying bony attachment at all; they are joined to the body only by skin. These are called “unattached” dew claws.

Because unattached dew claws are loose and floppy with no underlying connection, their functionality is questionable. This is in direct contrast to attached dew claws, whose functionality is a hot topic among dog breeders, trainers, and veterinarians.

The easiest time to remove dew claws is two to five days after birth. Virtually none will have bony attachments at that point so it is fairly simple to just snip them off at the base.

Some breeders do this themselves; however, it is best done by a veterinarian who can provide local anesthesia.

For control of bleeding, breeders may use styptic powder. Veterinarians will either place a dissolvable suture to close the wound or use electrocautery, which stops bleeding by mildly burning the tissue. High-end general veterinary practices and specialty practices may have laser surgery, which is the quickest, safest, least painful way to remove dew claws from newborn puppies.

Some dog owners request the removal of dew claws on their older puppies and/or adult dogs. Veterinarians will usually provide this service for puppies at the time they are spayed or neutered. In adult dogs it can be performed at any time.

With adult dogs, it’s relatively simple to remove unattached dew claws; however, it requires general anesthesia. An elliptical incision is made in the skin around the base of the nail, isolating and ligating any blood vessels, removing the nail, and suturing the skin. Most veterinarians will bandage the wounds for a week or so. Some will prescribe antibiotics to prevent infection as the nail is difficult to completely sterilize for surgery. All will send patients home with pain medication.

It’s more difficult to remove attached dew claws with adult dogs. This is an orthopedic amputation. The incision is bigger, the procedure takes longer, and there is more potential for post-operative pain.

If dew claw removal is not done properly, the nail may grow back in its entirety, or it may grow back as a misshapen stump. This may be unsightly, but it usually doesn’t cause problems for the dog.

Care For Your Dog's Dew Claws
broken dewclaw on dog
Photo © bgwalker | Getty Images

If your dog has dew claws, remember to pay close attention to trimming them as needed. They may grow faster than your dog’s other nails, as they don’t experience the same wear on the ground as the other nails. Long nails catch on vegetation and break more frequently than short nails (see photo). Also, sometimes dew claws grow in a curve. If allowed to grow too long your dog may suffer from a painful ingrown toenail.

Dew Claws Do Have a Purpose

So, do dogs need their dew claws? Little scientific research is available to support or refute the importance of dew claws in dogs. Most of the discussion is based on general principles of physics and anatomy and anecdotal experience.

The argument that dew claws have a function is supported by photos and videos of dogs

dewclaws on a basset hound
The dewclaws of short-legged dogs like the Basset Hound are positioned much lower on their legs and come into contact with the ground under much less rigorously athletic movement. Photo by Nancy Kerns

running and/or turning at speed. These images show that dew claws contact the ground and likely function as a stabilizing force. Stabilizing the foot during these activities helps minimize twisting and over-rotation of the limb, which creates unusual torque and stress on the joints. These forces eventually result in chronic arthritis, particularly in the carpus or “wrist” in dogs.

The dew claw’s contact with the ground also provides extra traction for the dog to help prevent injury from slipping, helping dogs safely navigate uneven, rocky or icy terrain, and climb steep embankments.

Anatomically, there are five tendons that attach to the dew claw. When the dew claw is intact, the muscle bellies of these tendons are well developed, implying they are used on a regular basis. If the dew claw is removed, these muscles become atrophied. This finding argues toward the dew claw being an active appendage, not just a useless ornament. Many dogs, even if not athletically inclined, use their dew claws to grip toys or things they are allowed to chew.

What’s Best For Your Dog is Your Choice

Many breeders and trainers form opinions based on their own experiences, like Adsitt-Pettey and her Labrador hunting dogs. And, there are agility competitors who have had dogs both with and without dew claws who have repeatedly experienced the development of chronic carpal arthritis in their dogs without dew claws. While this is not scientific proof, the value of experience gathered by professionals over time with multiple dogs is nothing to ignore.

We all want what’s best for our dogs. Sometimes the answers are not clear cut. In those instances, the best you can do is gather as much information as you can from reputable sources like your veterinarian, your trainer (particularly if you do dog sports), and your potential breeder. It’s up to you to make the best, most educated decision for your dog.

Dog Breeds With Double Dew claws

Most dogs with double dew claws on the hind limbs were bred for guarding or herding livestock. Historically, these extra claws helped them navigate difficult mountainous terrain. The American Kennel Club (AKC) considers double dew claws a breed standard for the Great Pyrenees, the Beauceron, and the Briard.

double dewclaws
The Great Pyrenees has double dewclaws on his hind feet; that’s a lot of extra nails to keep trimmed! Photo by Nancy Kerns

Double dew claws are frequently seen in the Icelandic Sheepdog, Anatolian Shepherd, and the Spanish Mastiff but they are not considered necessary to meet breed standards.

The Saint Bernard, historically bred for rescue work in the Swiss Alps, frequently has single dew claws on the hind limbs, occasionally double. While these dew claws are not a disqualification from AKC competition, they are considered undesirable in this breed.

For some reason, the Bouvier des Flandres, a herding dog from Belgium, must have hind dew claws removed to meet AKC breed standards.

The Norwegian Lundehund has the most interesting feet of all. Bred to hunt puffin birds in Norway, these dogs would scale rocky cliffs to raid the nests. They have at least six toes on each foot to help them grip the slippery surfaces they climbed. This polydactylism is described in the AKC breed standard for the Norwegian Lundehund.

Celebration and Birthday Cake Recipes Your Dog Will Love

By
CJ Puotinen
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1
dog birthday cake
No matter the occasion, your dogs will anticipate and enjoy the opportunity to savor a special treat made just for them. ©Nancy Kerns

Create a custom cake by assembling your dog’s favorite ingredients, such as peanut butter, bananas, apples, pecans, walnuts, unsweetened shredded coconut, carrots, bacon, chicken, fish, eggs, or cheese – or add whatever your dog most enjoys to any of the following!

To make a fast, no-bake cake for dogs:

  • Mix 1 cup of dry dog food with
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened (xylitol-free) peanut butter and
  • 1 or 2 mashed ripe bananas.

For a larger cake, double or triple these ingredients. Shape the mixture as a ball or flat square or circle.

To bake a custom dog-friendly cake:

  • Mix 1 cup all-purpose, almond, or gluten-free flour with
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and set aside.

In a mixing bowl combine

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup pureed apple (unsweetened applesauce is fine)
  • 1/2 cup plain canned pumpkin (not canned pumpkin pie mix)
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened peanut butter or almond butter, and
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cooked bacon.

Add the flour mixture, mix or beat well, pour into a greased 8-inch round or square pan, and bake at 350ºF for 25 to 30 minutes or until done. Cool on a wire rack and remove from baking pan.

dog birthday cake recipe ingredients
One cup of your favorite healthy flour (whether all-purpose, gluten-free, almond, chickpea, oat) is the base for the egg, oil, pumpkin, and nut butter for a dense and delicious baked cake for your dog. ©Nancy Kerns

To decorate your cake, place it on a serving plate.

decorated dog friendly cake
©Nancy Kerns

Mix 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt and 4 tablespoons room-temperature cream cheese (double the recipe as needed).

Apply the frosting with a spatula or drizzle it over the cake. You can also press bone-shaped dog biscuits or dog treats on the top; sprinkle colorful berries, chopped nuts (like walnuts or pecans), or bacon bits all over the top; and/or arrange small carrots like candles onto the frosted cake. Slice and serve.

For a festive meatloaf cake recipe for dogs:

  • Mix 2 cups (1 pound) low-fat ground beef, chicken, turkey, or other meat with
  • 1 egg and
  • 1/2 cup chopped or grated cheese.

Shape and serve raw or bake in a loaf pan at 350ºF for 40 minutes, then cool and remove from pan.

Leftovers of all cakes should be covered and refrigerated for serving later.

How to Treat Cysts on Dogs

By
Dr. Eileen Fatcheric, DVM
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Cysts on dogs can occur for several reasons. They're usually benign but they can be annoying and unsightly.
A cyst is a skin gland that’s gone a little crazy. It’s harmless, but it can be annoying when it ruptures and drains or is in a bad location, like between the dog’s toes. Credit: marcoventuriniautieri | Getty Images

Cysts are firm bumps that appear either in the skin or under the dog’s skin. They are, in a basic sense, a skin gland that’s gone a little crazy. They can appear pretty much anywhere there is skin. You may hear them called lots of different things like epidermal cysts, inclusion cysts, follicular cysts, keratinizing acanthomas, sebaceous adenomas, or pilomatricomas. But at the end of the day, a cyst is just a cyst, and it is a benign lesion, which means it is not harmful.

 

 

How to Treat Ruptured Cysts

Cysts can become problematic, however. Sometimes they break open and ooze or drain. Sometimes they get infected. Often, they are filled with cheesy-looking material (sebum). If you squeeze the cyst and it appears to empty, don’t expect it to go away. The lining of the cyst is still there and that is what produces the secretions that fill the cyst.

Leaking secretions allowed to build up around the cyst will irritate the surrounding skin. If your dog’s cyst is draining, be sure to keep the surrounding skin clean and dry. If your dog’s cyst becomes infected, your veterinarian will usually prescribe oral antibiotics. Warm compressing several times a day will help the infection drain.

How to Remove Cysts

Cyst removal on dogs involves surgery, and it is the only way to permanently get rid of a cyst. It is usually a simple procedure. Your dog will have stitches, may need to wear a cone around his neck to stop him from bothering the area, and will have to have restricted exercise for 10 days or so until the stitches are removed.

For sizable cysts, this procedure is usually done under general anesthesia, so if your dog needs his teeth cleaned ask if you can have this done at the same time. For smaller cysts, and for older dogs for whom general anesthesia is considered too risky, your veterinarian may be willing to remove the cyst with a local anesthetic.

Why Won’t My Dog Eat Out of His Bowl?

By
CJ Puotinen
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dog not eating from bowl
If your dog is reluctant to, or refuses to eat from a bowl, he’s likely got a good reason for his apprehension: pain, fear, or past trauma related to a mealtime. Photo by Fresh splash / Getty Images

Animal behaviorists are familiar with dogs who refuse to eat from their bowls and prefer to be hand-fed. Here are some reasons why your dog might not be eating out of their bowl:

  • Underlying health problems like arthritis, nausea, gingivitis, or other painful conditions can make eating uncomfortable.
  • Separation anxiety and the stress of being alone or in unfamiliar surroundings can cause a dog to seek the reassurance of close personal attention.
  • Your dog may associate her bowl with a traumatic or negative event that took place while she was eating.
  • Your dog’s bowl may be in a noisy or uncomfortable location. Bowls that slide across a tile floor may frighten your dog.
  • Your dog might be overfed and not hungry or may be bored with the same food all the time.
  • Your dog’s bowl may be the wrong shape (too deep), wrong height (too high or low), or wrong material (plastic or metal) for comfortable dining. Tags on the dog’s collar may clang unpleasantly against the bowl or a long-eared dog may dislike having her ears in her dinner.
  • Other animals in the home can generate competition for attention or disturb your dog while eating.

How to help your dog eat from a bowl

Some experts discourage consistent hand feeding, saying that it interferes with the development of a dog’s self-sufficiency and creates problems for the dog when circumstances change, as they invariably do.

If there are physiological reasons for your dog’s hand feeding preference, they deserve attention. Address underlying health problems with a visit to your veterinarian and correct environmental problems such as the feeding bowl’s height, shape, material, and physical location. Remove a noisy collar at dinner time. A snood or ear wrap can protect long ears from falling into food bowls.

In multiple-pet households, feed animals separately. Adjust feeding time to when your dog is most relaxed and hungry. Add variety and interest to your dog’s dinner by alternating dog foods, protein sources, and add-on ingredients. If your dog simply isn’t hungry, reduce the number of meals per day or the number of snacks you offer.

The fastest way to break an otherwise healthy dog of the hand feeding habit is to feed him once a day in a bowl placed in a safe, quiet place where he can eat uninterrupted. After 10 to 15 minutes, remove the food and don’t feed him again, including snacks, until the next evening. When he eats from a bowl, reward him with praise and a special treat, also offered in a bowl.

A final reason some dogs insist on hand feeding is that they love the bonding and intimacy it provides. With patience and imagination, you and your dog can enjoy emotional closeness without your having to be an on-demand food dispenser.

How Often Should Your Wash Your Dog?

By
CJ Puotinen
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how often should you wash your dog clean dog in a bed
Dogs who are the most integrated into our lives – and beds! – probably get bathed most frequently than dogs who sleep only on dog beds and are never allowed on the human furniture. But no dogs should smell bad, leave your hand greasy after petting, or appear dirty; if any of those statements are true, the dog needs more frequent bathing! Photo by Sabena L / EyeEm, Getty Images

How often should you bathe your dog? Depending on which expert you consult, the answer could be every day, once a week, once a month, every three or four months, every six months, whenever the dog is muddy or dirty, whenever he smells bad, or never. The correct answer for you and your dog is probably somewhere in the middle.

How often can I bathe my puppy?

A puppy who truly needs a bath, such as to remove dirt, flea infestations, or fecal matter, can be bathed whenever necessary. Use a gentle shampoo that’s formulated for puppies, rinse thoroughly, dry the pup well, and keep her warm. Too-frequent bathing or the use of a harsh shampoo can result in dry white skin flakes or itchy scratching.

For more on puppy baths, read “How Often Can Puppies Take Baths.”

How often should I bathe my adult dog?

Again, it depends. Obviously, you’ll want to keep your dog clean, but you can accomplish part of that goal with daily brushing. For best results, use a brush that matches your dog’s coat or is recommended for your dog’s breed.

Your dog’s activity level is a factor because dogs who spend hours outdoors may need a weekly bath while more sedentary indoor dogs might need a bath only once a month.

How frequently should I bathe my short-haired (or long-haired) dog?

The length of your dog’s coat isn’t as important as its density. Some breeds, like Weimaraners and Greyhounds, have single-layer coats that don’t shed much and are easy to wash, rinse, and dry. Bathing is more time-consuming for dogs with dense, wiry, or curly coats. Consult with a groomer to learn what products work well for your dog, everything from shampoos and conditioners to detangling sprays, medicated rinses, or finishing sprays, and follow label instructions or advice from your groomer or veterinarian regarding their use.

How can I make my dog smell fresh between baths?

Dry shampoos, also known as waterless or no-rinse shampoos, are powders, mousses, or sprays that absorb excess sebum, an oily substance secreted by glands near the paws, chin, back of neck, and tail. Dry shampoos are recommended for dogs with itchy skin or skin allergies, to provide a quick touch-up with spot cleaning, to clean dogs whose healing wounds should stay dry, and to clean dogs and puppies who don’t like to be bathed. Look for natural ingredients and avoid products that contain parabens, alcohol, sulfates, or synthetic fragrances.

Warm water rinses between baths can help keep your dog smelling fresh between baths. A deodorizing grooming or freshening spray can be applied after or instead of a plain-water rinse.

Pet wipes designed for dogs remove dirt and dust and they help deodorize coats. Should your dog have a skin or paw infection, check with your veterinarian about antibacterial wipes and other options.

Contain (and train) your dogs

By
Nancy Kerns
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dog chasing chicken
Most dogs will chase chickens if not properly introduced and trained to leave the birds alone – and some dogs will chase chickens even after training, if given any opportunity to do so. Dogs should be securely contained and unable to chase a neighbor’s chickens. However, free-range chickens are at risk of being killed by many animals and birds of prey, not just dogs, so chicken owners who value their birds beyond all measure should have them safely contained. (NOTE: This is not the dog involved in the incident described in this article. Stock photo by Danita Delimont, Getty Images.

The rural/suburban interface contains no end of potential conflicts for the humans who choose to live there and the animals they own, and perhaps no animals are more commonly at the center of neighbor disputes than conflicts involving uncontained dogs and livestock. Many people like living on large lots, but fencing is costly, so loose dogs are a frequent concern in areas where people keep chickens, rabbits, goats, sheep, and other animals.

A friend forwarded a January 3, 2023, article to me from a newspaper that serves the semi-rural community where I went to high school. The article tells the story of a tragic event that occurred in mid-September 2022, about a family whose dog was accidently let loose by the owners’ grandchildren, who tried in vain to call the dog back. Within minutes, the dog wandered to the unfenced yard of a next-door neighbor, where he began chasing the neighbor’s chickens, catching and killing two of them.

As the dog raced about, chasing the squawking chickens, one of the dog’s owners, a woman in her 70s, pursued the dog with a leash, calling his name – and then, seeing him actually grab one of the chickens, began screaming at the dog in horror. She has limited mobility, however (she had hip replacement surgery the previous month), and fell at several points in pursuit of the dog. Hearing the hubbub, one of the owners of the chickens ran outside and began screaming at the dog’s owner in anger – and was quickly joined by her husband, an off-duty police officer, who emerged from his house with a gun and began chasing the dog, yelling. The owner of the dog manages to grab him, and fasten a leash to his collar, but he was still fixated on the chickens and managed to pull away from her, and she fell hard on the ground again.

At that point, the couple that owned the chickens were both screaming, with the wife yelling at her husband, “Shoot it! Shoot the f***ing dog!” With the dog’s owner still on the ground, and the dog about 20 feet away, the husband shot the dog three times, angrily yelling, “That’s my right! That’s the law! F*** this!” as the dog’s owner sobbed.

All of this was captured by the chickens’ owners’ home security cameras, and submitted to the newspaper by the chickens’ owners.  The newspaper released the footage in a link. (Warning: Though you hear but do not see the dog get shot, the footage is extremely upsetting.)

As the newspaper article said, “Not surprisingly, the [families involved] don’t agree on what happened before, during or after the shooting.” The shooter claimed that the dog had previously menaced him on other occasions when it was loose, and that the dog turned and lunged toward him. The dog’s owners say the dog never moved toward the shooter, and was shot in the back, and that the shooter’s children had played with the dog previously. Whatever the facts are, the most indisputable is that the dog is dead. His dog’s owners transported him to a veterinarian, where they made the decision to have him euthanized due to his extensive injuries.

To make tensions between the neighbors even higher, two weeks later, the owners of the chickens set up a macabre “Halloween” scene in their front yard approximately where their neighbor’s dog was shot: a plastic skeleton of a dog sitting up, in a howling-at-the-moon pose, and a plastic human skeleton lying the ground next to the dog, with a leash in its hand, in their front yard. Woof.

Lessons, but only for those who will learn them

I’m sorry for everyone involved here: the dog, his owners, their grandchildren, the chickens, and even the chicken owners, despite the violence of their act and the needless and insensitive display in their yard. The anger and bitterness between all the surviving parties is sure to last years – and it was all avoidable. Here’s how:

  • If a dog has escaped his enclosure even once, serious steps must be made to prevent this from happening again. This is especially true if there is livestock in the area and/or if the dog has shown any interest in chasing birds or other animals in the past – or if the dog has ever chased a human or another dog with aggression. The dog owners had a fenced yard where the dog is ordinarily secure, but something happened when the grandchildren were outside with the dog. Keep gates securely locked – like, with a padlock – if there is anyone present who may be unable to prevent the dog from slipping out, or is not 100% able to manage the gate. Or install an “airlock” – a system of two gates that prevents an accidental escape. If the dog climbs or jumps over, or digs under, fences, he needs to be secured in a small covered pen on concrete when he’s not on leash.
  • Train your dog! In my opinion, teaching a dog a reliable recall, “proofed” under conditions that are made progressively more difficult for the dog as he learns and succeeds, should be the responsibility of every dog owner. No dog is perfect under all conditions, but a decent recall saves lives.
  • If someone (especially someone you know) is chasing their loose dog in obvious distress, help them catch their dog or chase it away! It’s highly upsetting to lose your chickens or any other pet or livestock, but the lack of empathy shown to the dog’s owner (shooting her dog in front of her, while obviously injured, she sobbed helpless on the ground) in favor of protecting the chickens, is absolutely inhumane. Once the loose-dog incident was over – had the owner of the chickens helped the dog owner catch or chase away the dog – all of the humans could have made a plan to keep everyone safe in the future. Surely, a peaceable relationship your next-door neighbor is more important than acting rashly on your righteous anger.

It’s much better to prevent dog-related disasters than to deal with their aftermath. Owners need to take full responsibility for damage inflicted by their loose dogs – and this can involve far more than dead chickens. Any rancher in California will tell you that they lose more sheep, goats, and even cattle to loose dogs than to coyotes or mountain lions. I read one account where a human lost their life in a car accident, swerving to avoid hitting a loose dog. Please, do everything in your power to contain and train your dogs!

How to Bathe Your Dog

By
CJ Puotinen
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0
dog getting a bath how to bathe a dog
Using a rubber bathtub mat in the bottom of the tub will make your dog feel much more secure and calm in the bathtub or shower stall. Dogs who slip in the tub never look this comfortable! Photo by Manu Vega, Getty Images

Don’t wait until your dog needs a bath to create a comfortable, relaxing routine for this important ritual. Plan ahead by organizing the products and equipment you’ll need, and if you’re new to dog bathing, rehearse the steps, which are:

  1. Dry brush your dog
  2. Wet with water
  3. Shampoo
  4. Rinse
  5. Apply conditioner
  6. Rinse
  7. Dry your dog
  8. Brush while drying

What bath products do I need?

The best dog shampoos and conditioners are made with gentle ingredients that remove dirt without irritating your dog’s skin. Depending on your dog’s coat, you may need a detangling spray, a rubber bathing brush for working shampoo through the coat, fast-drying towels, a hair dryer that dries dog hair quickly without feeling hot, and the right brush for your dog’s coat. Consult a groomer if you need help getting started.

dog getting dried after a bath
It’s important for the health of the dog’s skin that he’s dried thoroughly after a bath (especially for long or thick-coated dogs). To dry a dog thoroughly after a bath, groomers use special dryers that provide a cooler and more powerful jet of air than human hair dryers. The strong air flow forces the moisture away from the dog’s skin and out of his coat; the cooler air ensures that he doesn’t get overheated. If you use a human hair dryer on your dog, use it on the coolest setting possible. Photo by Siro Rodenas Cortes / Getty Images.

Where to bathe your dog

The best place for your dog’s bath might be your sink, bathtub, walk-in shower, outdoor wading pool, or back yard. Your water supply should be lukewarm, not hot or cold. If you’re using a bathtub, be sure your dog can climb in and out, and place a rubber bathtub mat (or at the very least, a towel) in the tub to keep your dog’s feet from slipping.

You’re probably going to get wet, so wear appropriate casual clothing. Use treats and encouragement to position your dog.

Start with a dry brush on your dog’s coat

Begin by brushing your dog’s coat to remove loose hair, burrs, sand, dried dirt, and other debris. If there are mats in your dog’s coat, save the brushing for later as a bath may loosen the matted hair. In that case, spray or apply a detangling product to the hair mats following label directions and then shampoo.

Dilute your dog shampoo

We, humans, are fond of frothy bubbles, so we tend to over-soap our dogs. While that may look efficient, it’s better to use fewer bubbles and more water. Grooming experts recommend diluting equal parts water and shampoo to blends as dilute as 1 or 2 tablespoons shampoo in 2 cups water. The dilute solutions reach all parts of the coat quickly and rinse out faster and more thoroughly than full-strength shampoo. Dilute your conditioner, too.

Step-by-step dog washing

Use a gentle stream of water to thoroughly wet your dog’s coat. Keep shampoo out of your dog’s eyes and ears as you apply it from neck to tail, then gently massage the shampoo into every part of your dog’s coat.

After that, rinse and rinse and rinse some more. Apply a diluted coat conditioner, if you’re using one, and rinse again. Use a finishing spray or other products as needed, then blot your dog’s coat with towels. If you have one, dry your dog with a dog blow dryer. Finish by brushing your dog’s hair while it’s still slightly damp.

For more detailed instructions, see “Waterworks: Tips and Techniques for Bathing Your Dog,” WDJ November 2014, and “When Can Puppies Take a Bath?”

Why Do Dogs Shiver?

By
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
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why do dogs shiver
It’s generally easy to determine if your dog is shivering due to happy anticipation or something less positive. If his body language is tense and hunched as he’s shivering, he needs some help! The context can help you; in a crowd like this, the shivering is likely related to fear and apprehension about the crowd. Photo by Javier Zayas Photography, Getty Images.

You are right to be alarmed if you see your dog shivering. It is not normal for a dog to tremble and shake; it can mean something is significantly wrong. There are several reasons why your dog might be shivering or shaking, and some of them need to be addressed quickly.

Cold Shivers

The simplest explanation—and easiest to fix—is that your dog is cold. The answer—warm him up! If bringing him indoors near a heater and covering him with a blanket doesn’t quickly stop the shivers, he may be hypothermic, and a prompt call to your veterinarian is in order. (Next time you take him outside on a cold day, put a jacket on him!)

Medical Reason for Shaking

Dogs can also shake or shiver due to a number of medical conditions including:

  • Pain
  • Seizures
  • Neurological disorders
  • Nausea
  • Muscle fatigue or weakness
  • Illness

If you suspect one of these is the cause, again, it’s time for a prompt call to your veterinarian. There are effective medications for pain and seizures, and your vet will be able perform diagnostic tests to determine if there are internal medical conditions causing this level of distress.

Anticipation Shivers

Sometimes dogs shiver because they are very happily anticipating something—like going for a walk, greeting a loved friend who is approaching, or chasing a ball that you are about to throw. No response (on your part) is called for unless they become more exuberant than you like. If that’s the case, you can employ behavior modification to tone down their happy excitement.

Behavioral Shivering

Behavioral shaking is most likely caused by stress and/or fear. Begin by calmly comforting your stress-shaking dog. No, you won’t be reinforcing his fear; you cannot reinforce emotion. While you comfort, try to determine what’s stressing him and implement management to reduce or eliminate his exposure to the stressor(s). Then seek the assistance of a qualified force-free behavior professional to help change his association with stressors that can’t be eliminated. Your behavior professional may also suggest you talk to a veterinary behaviorist or behaviorally knowledgeable veterinarian about anti-anxiety medications to help your dog cope with his stressful world.

Whatever the cause of your dog’s shaking, you can and must help him. Figure out the cause and do the right thing as quickly as you can!

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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.
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