The short answer to how hot is too hot for dogs is, it depends, but if you think it’s hot your dog thinks it’s hot.
Right away, let’s be clear about things that are too hot for dogs: There is no excuse for leaving your dog in a locked car on a hot day. A car, with all its windows up, in 70°F weather heats up to 100° in 25 minutes, according to the National Weather Service. That’s too hot for any dog. So, if the temperature is, or is going to be, more than 70 degrees, leave your dog at home.
Dogs, unlike humans, can only sweat through their pads (feet). They cool down almost exclusively by panting, or exchanging heat with their environment, which is not efficient. So, when the ambient or surrounding temperature is overly hot, dogs have difficulty cooling themselves. A dog’s tongue will lengthen and widen in an attempt to maximize its cooling capability.
That means that the temperature dogs can endure also depends on the humidity, because they can’t exchange heat as well if it’s humid. Outside, a dog in the deserts of California or Nevada (where the humidity is less than 10% on hot summer afternoons) can withstand a higher temperature than a dog in Virginia or New Jersey (where the humidity is 90% or higher in the summer).
A dogs’ comfort in heat also depends on other factors: their breed (brachycephalic breeds like Pugs, Bulldogs, and Boxers, as well as northern breeds with thick coats, like Malamutes, do far less well in heat), age, obesity, lack of shade or water, fitness, and type of exercise are important. But, just as with humans, it also depends on the individual.
A dog’s normal body temperature is 101 to 102.5°. If their body temperature exceeds 105°, and they aren’t otherwise sick, they are suffering from potentially fatal heatstroke, which can cause lethargy, their gums to turn bright red, excessive panting, and even vomiting or diarrhea.
What should you do if your dog gets too hot? First, move him somewhere cooler, like to shade or an air-conditioned room or the car AC. If available, put him in a cool pool or tub of water or hose him with cool—not icy cold—water, focusing on his groin area, feet, and neck (you can wet his entire coat if you want, but most of that water will just roll off). Offer frequent sips of water. If he still doesn’t cool down, he needs to go to the veterinarian.
A good guide is, “If you think it’s hot, it’s too hot for your dog.”
The ultimate goal of any “leave it” exercise is teaching your dog that he can glance at something in his environment that he finds stressful or exciting, but that if he then looks back at you, you will reinforce that very good choice very richly. The Engage - Disengage game teaches him to do this without a “leave it” cue from you. Photo by Jennifer Burns
Almost 20 years into my dog training career, “Leave it” is probably one of the cues that I say the least – and yet, how to train a dog to “leave it” is one of the most-wanted behaviors that people wish their dogs could learn. Why do I not teach the use of a “leave it” cue? Because by the time you can even verbalize the word “Leave,” your dog has likely already made the decision to go for whatever “it” is; the cue is often too delayed. Moreover, the “leave it” cue is often over-used and under-rewarded.
Over-use of a cue leads to learned irrelevance – which means that the cue means nothing to the dog – or an unreliable behavior, with the dog deciding each time he’s been cued whether it’s more rewarding to just go for “it” than to “leave it.” I often see people repeating “Leave it! Leave it! Leave it!” – and when the dog does leave it, I rarely see the dog rewarded for his effort.
But “leave it” is absolutely a valuable skill for dogs to have in their behavioral repertoire. Instead of teaching it with a verbal cue, though, I teach it by using the sight of the stimulus (the trigger, object of interest, or thing that you want the dog to “leave”) as the dog’s cue to disengage with the thing and check back in with you.
For example, to teach a dog to not chase a bird, I use the sight of a bird as the cue to check back in with me. In my experience, teaching “leave it” this way is more successful than with a verbally cued “leave it.”
Identify the goal or end-game behavior you want
As with all training, the first step is to be clear about the behavior you want your dog to display in a given situation – the “end game” or target behavior. For example, when my dog sees a bird, I want him to disengage from the bird – to refrain from chasing it – and make eye contact with me. My goal is to build and reinforce a “check in with me” behavior that will replace his natural response of fixating and chasing birds that he sees. However, I want my dog to offer the check-in behavior without any cues from me; in this case, ultimately, the cue will be the sight of a bird.
Eye Spy: Teaching your dog to check in with you
To teach this, I start by playing a game called “Eye Spy.” To play, start indoors, with your dog in front of you. Place a small (pea-sized) treat halfway between you and your dog and centered between your feet and their paws. Allow your dog to eat the treat and wait, watching your dog. Almost always, your dog will look at you for more information: “Are there more treats?”
The moment your dog makes eye contact with you, mark it with a clicker or the marker of your choice (such as the word “Yes!”) and then place another treat in the same spot as before. You want the treat between the two of you, so that it’s easy for your dog to take the treat and then look up at you. This prompts a pattern: Your dog looks down (at the treat) and then up (at you), down, up, etc., on repeat.
Keep marking (click or “Yes!”) and putting treats down and repeat about 10 times. Now try the exercise in three new locations.
Teach the first step of “Engage-Disengage” (Engage)
This is step one of the “Engage-Disengage” exercise. We approach a novel stimulus (in this case, a pet pig) at a distance close enough to capture our dog’s attention, but far enough so he’s not already over-threshold with excitement. He’ll naturally look at the stimulus, and when he does so, we mark that moment of engagement with the click of a clicker or a verbal marker, such as “Yes!” Photo by Jennifer Burns.
Next, teach your dog to “engage” as the first part of the classic “Engage-Disengage” game (also known as “Look at That”). I prefer to use a novel stimulus to initially teach this, but you can use anything your dog is unfamiliar with. This could be a kid’s toy, a remote-controlled car, or even food on a paper plate. In this game, to “engage” means to look calmly at a novel stimulus.
With your dog on a leash in front of you, place (or have a helper place) the novel stimulus perpendicular to where you are, so that your dog must swivel his head 90 degrees to look at it. You can do a “temperature check” at this point (see sidebar below) or you can wait for your dog to look at the novel stimulus. Either way, mark the moment that your dog looks at the stimulus (click or “Yes!”), and then feed your dog a treat in the opposite direction – ideally by tossing the reward away. By tossing the treat away from the stimulus, you start to add “movement away from the stimulus” as part of the target behavior.
At this juncture, use a 1:1 ratio of reward to behavior for each time your dog looks at the stimulus; this means your dog will receive one reward every time he looks at the stimulus. As with the Eye Spy game, mark each behavior (looking at the stimulus) and feed for position (give him a treat in the opposite direction as the stimulus). Repeat for a minimum of two sets of 10 to 15 repetitions.
The second phase of Engage-Disengage (Disengage)
When you mark the moment that your dog looks at the stimulus, he’ll naturally look back at you with a “Where’s my treat?” expression. Feed him a treat (or toss it away from the stimulus). Note that if you are too close to the stimulus, it might be difficult for your dog to disengage from the stimulus, so back up! Photo by Jennifer Burns
When your dog can engage with a novel stimulus consistently and reliably, start withholding the marker for two to three seconds. When your dog looks at the stimulus, wait two to three seconds before doing anything. If your dog checks in with you (looks at you), reward him for disengaging with the novel stimuli – but now, rather than rewarding him on a 1:1 ratio (one behavior = one treat), use an average ratio of 1:5 (one behavior = an average of 5 treats, fed consecutively, one after another).
How do you give your dog an “average” number of treats? If you give him three treats consecutively this time and seven the next time, it averages out to about five treats per behavior. You want the behavior of disengaging with the stimuli and checking in with you to be, on average, five times more reinforcing than it is to look at the novel stimulus.
If your dog does not check back in with you, take a few steps away from the stimulus and try again, starting with the 1:1 behavior:treat ratio. The same process will apply when you take this outdoors into the real world. If you are too close to the tempting or distracting stimulus, it will be more difficult for your dog to take his eyes off of it and look at you instead. Distance is what I refer to as the “X factor” – it can make or break the outcome of a situation.
Taking Engage-Disengage into the real world
When your dog is ready to take this exercise to the next step, identify which stimulus you plan to address. Is it birds, squirrels, dogs, or something else that grab his attention? Scout out a location where this stimulus will be present – but be sure to choose an “easy” environment – where you can get far enough away from the stimulus to move freely. This should be a familiar location for your dog with few other distractions or triggers.
Any time you venture to a new location, do some temperature checks (see sidebar, “Take Your Dog’s Emotional Temperature”). Can your dog offer behaviors that are reliable, is he able to play the Eye Spy game, will he take a treat from you – and if he will take food, does he take it in the same manner with which he normally takes food?
This is key to making the most of the learning opportunity. If your dog is too stimulated or triggered, it’s unlikely that any quality learning will occur. Do not skip the temperature checks. These are a crucial to ensuring that your dog is primed to learn.
Be aware that just because your dog knows this game at home, there is no guarantee that he will be immediately successful elsewhere. Adjust your criteria; start by expecting less and rewarding more. Return to the first phase of Engage-Disengage by just marking and rewarding your dog as soon as he registers the stimulus.
If your dog repeatedly turns to look at the stimulus right after taking a treat, just keep marking and rewarding these engagements and continue the process. It is totally normal for a dog to glance at real world stimuli multiple times in a row. Remember that each look starts a new repetition. The number of glances per stimulus will reduce as you continue the process and is also how you will know he is ready to transition to the disengage part of the exercise – where he’ll earn an average of five consecutive rewards for looking away from the object and at his handler instead.
Many people get discouraged when their dog won’t disengage from the triggering stimuli and check in with them. I encourage them to just keep repeating the “engage” part of the exercise – and to notice that their dog is no longer lunging, pulling, vocalizing, fixating, freezing, avoiding, or speeding up when they see the object of interest.
This process is fluid. On some days, your dog may be perfectly able to consistently disengage from the birds, squirrels, other dogs, etc. On other days, your dog may be prone to reacting or require more distance to be successful. This is totally normal. Here are some general guidelines to help you decide when you should revert to marking and rewarding for just the engage, even if you were previously able to work on the disengage phase. Go back to working on just the engage phase if:
It is taking more than 2 or 2.5 seconds for your dog to disengage, and/or
Your dog is displaying the initial signs of a reactive display, and/or,
You cannot guarantee that your dog will check back in, and/or
Your dog rehearsed the behavior you are trying to modify (i.e., chasing or obsessing about a bird) before he was able to disengage.
Progress is perfect
There are many factors that may affect your dog’s reaction: the speed or intensity of the stimulus; your dog’s distance from the stimulus; trigger stacking (stress on top of stress on top of stress for your dog); fatigue; weather; the dog’s baseline that day; the direction that the stimulus moved; the value of your rewards that day; the dog’s reinforcement history; the dog’s overall mental and emotional state; and more!
But throughout this process, you will start to notice that your dog is increasingly capable of disengaging when he sees the stimulus. So rather than barking, lunging, chasing, etc., he can now simply look at the stimulus, disengage from it, and check back in with you. Hurrah! The trend is improving.
Remember that practice makes progress; consistency, patience, grace, and time are essential to any process. The learning process is not linear. There will be great days and then there will be other days that crush your soul but remember that on those hard days, your dog is having a tough time. View those situations as neither good nor bad but simply experimental data – more like a science experiment and less than a reflection of you!
Last, be sure to celebrate the small wins and have fun along the way. Make time to engage in activities that your dog enjoys and to find mutually enjoyable activities to keep both of your emotional cups full. Finding joy in the journey is one of my favorite parts of living and working with animals. It is so much less about the destination and so much more about what we learn along the way.
Take Your Dog’s Emotional Temperature
Whenever you go to a new location, do a “temperature check” with your dog to see how he’s likely to handle being with you in the new environment. This will give you information about any adjustments you might need to make in order for him to succeed before you head down a trail together.
If your dog takes treats readily and gently at home, but lunges or grabs at treats – or won’t take treats at all – when he’s in a new environment, you have been given valuable information that he’s overwhelmed and stressed. In order for him to be able to learn or meet your behavior expectations, you need to give him more space and/or time in that new environment. Photo by Nancy Kerns
Is he “running hot” – so overwhelmed or overexcited that he can barely acknowledge you? If so, the likelihood of your success handling him in that environment is low; it may be wise to reschedule your walk. Or is he just nicely “warmed up” – excited but still able to check in with and respond to you? If so, you can start down the trail, but keep taking his temperature and adjust your plans according to his ability to work with you.
One way you can do a temperature check is to offer him a treat to see if he takes it and how he takes it. Ideally, he will take the food as he normally does at home; that’s a nice, cool temperature, indicating that he’s ready and able to learn.
However, the emotional temperature of many dogs will rise in an exciting new environment. What should you do if your dog:
uses more teeth than usual to grab at the food?
takes the food intensely?
inhales the food when he normally chews?
These are signs that your dog needs more time to settle, sniff, and reset into a more neutral head-space so that you can start working together.
Another way to check your dog’s temperature is to wait to see if he checks in with you without any prompting. You could also ask your dog for an easy behavior with a cue that is already reliable, and observe whether there is any delay between your cue and when he offers the behavior. If he can check in with you without prompting and respond quickly and accurately to your cues, he’s at the perfect “temperature” and ready to work with you!
What’s the best way to travel long-distance with a dog? When deciding whether it’s best to drive or fly with your dog, here are some things you should consider:
Is this trip right for your dog? Think about how the travel and subsequent circumstances will affect your dog. How does your dog handle short car rides? Can she relax in the car? Does she willingly relieve herself when she’s away from home?
Overall, ask yourself whether your dog is generally confident and able to go with the flow in most situations, or whether she is a creature of habit who finds change terribly stressful? If she meets the latter description, and you’re not relocating, your dog might find staying home with a pet sitter less stressful than going with you.
What will you do when you get there? Will you have a jam-packed schedule? Will any of your activities accommodate your dog? Is your dog likely to enjoy whatever you have on the agenda or might she find it overwhelming? If the latter, do your plans have the wiggle room you’ll need to bow out of an activity or adjust your schedule so you can attend to your dog’s needs?
Consider your dog’s breed and overall health. These are especially important if you’re considering air travel.
Most airlines have breed restrictions that disallow brachycephalic breeds such a Pugs, Boston Terriers, and Lhasa Apsos, along with many strong, powerful breeds such a Mastiffs, Cane Corsos, Chow Chows, and American Staffordshire Terriers. Air travel also requires that dogs be at least 8 weeks old, and a veterinarian must certify that they are healthy via a physical exam and health certificate issued within 10 days of travel.
Of course you’ll want to make sure your dog is healthy before embarking on a road trip, too! In the case of older dogs with arthritis, can you keep them comfortable confined to the car for long periods? Does your dog get carsick? Will you encounter any extreme temperatures along the way that might make potty stops more challenging? How will you safely handle it? Will your dog’s life be in jeopardy if your air conditioning goes on the blink or your car breaks down?
Once You’ve Made Your Travel Choice
If after you consider these points, you decide to travel with your dog in a car or recreational vehicle, see “Driving Long-Distance with Your Dog” for more information about safe travel on the road.
If, instead, you decide that it might be better to put your dog on an airplane, instead, see “Flying With Your Dog” for tips on air travel with your dog, whether in-cabin or as cargo.
These Variocage crash-tested crates are designed and manufactured with a dog’s safety foremost in mind, complete with “crumple zones” that will absorb a limited amount of pressure while protecting the dog. They must be strapped down using the car’s anchor points. Photo by Tim Steele.
If you’ve made the decision to drive long-distance with your dog, you should be aware that there are a number of factors that can make car travel fairly dangerous for your dog. Keep your dog safe during car travel by employing the following travel tips:
Make sure your dog is safely restrained in a quality pet-restraint car harness and seat belt or a properly strapped-down travel crate. This keeps everyone safer, as your dog can’t accidentally interfere with the driver, and your dog is considerably safer in the event of an accident. (See WDJ’s dog car harness review in the May 2021 issue. Owners of small dogs should check out “Small Dog Car Safety” for a review of the safest small dog car seat on the market.)
The safest travel crates differ significantly from ordinary household crates, and are designed to withstand being crushed or flying apart in car crashes. Some have “escape doors” built into the front sides, in case the back of a car has been hit in a rear-end collision. All of them are meant to be used in conjunction with a car’s safety anchors. These crates provide the maximum security for a dog in a car.
Make sure your dog is wearing current identification and has a microchip registered with your current information.
Carry a copy of vaccine records, medical history, and a current photo – just in case your dog needs medical care, or worse, is lost while traveling. Research options for veterinary care at your destination in advance.
Keep your dog on a leash whenever you are outside of safely enclosed areas. You never know what might frighten away or attract your dog in a new place.
It should go without saying, but do not leave your dog alone in the car in warm or hot weather. It’s best not to leave your dog alone in the car at all, but if you must, for very short periods, only do so in cool weather, and make sure your dog will remain safely in the vehicle.
Offer frequent potty breaks and opportunities for your dog to stretch his legs. Consider splitting long trips into shorter stops that allow you both to enjoy the journey a bit more.
If spending several days on the road with your dog seems like it would be hard on him (or you!), you may want to reconsider air travel. See “How to Travel With a Dog on a Plane” for more information.
Statistically, it’s safer to fly than drive across the country, so if you have a long-distance journey to make with your dog and want to save time, you may decide to book a flight for the two of you. Here’s what you need to know when it comes to how to fly with your dog.
How to Fly With a Dog in the Cabin
If your dog is small enough to fit in a carrier under the seat in front of you, he can usually accompany you in the cabin as your carry-on item. You’ll need to notify the airline that you’ll be traveling with a pet—check the pet policy for the specific airline you’ll be flying as they vary between carriers. Also, you’ll be charged a pet fee, which typically costs $100 to $200 each way. Book the flight and make these arrangements early, as most flights will accommodate only a few pets in the cabin.
Be aware that there is no cut-and-dried rule regarding the size of dogs who can be carried on a plane. Most accurately, the limiting factor for which dogs can be carried onto a flight is the size of the dog’s carrier, and how well the dog appears to fit inside it. Every airline has different maximum dimensions for carriers—and airlines sometimes have different maximum dimensions for the various types of airplane that may be employed on your journey. Confirm that your carrier meets the airline’s requirements for under-seat pet carriers for all legs of your trip.
The airline will have other rules and regulations regarding vaccines, a health certificate from a veterinarian, and other paperwork for your dog. Read the rules carefully and get all your ducks (dogs!) in a row well in advance; health certificates can’t be prepared too far in advance of travel, so you’ll need to schedule a vet visit within a certain timeframe before your trip.
On your travel day, allow plenty of time to check in with your pet. In some cases, you’ll need to drive your pet to a special cargo area first, and then proceed to the passenger terminal to check in yourself. Make sure to have all required paperwork ready and accessible.
In addition to guidance you’ll receive from the airline, air-travel-savvy dog owners we spoke with recommended the following:
Consider your dog’s temperament. Air travel can be stressful for humans, and we understand what’s going on! If your dog struggles with “stranger danger,” is sensitive to unknown sounds, or is generally fearful and anxious, we’d recommend flying the dog only if no other options exist.
As with car travel – and just plain old common sense – make sure your dog has current identification and a working microchip registered with your current information.
Should You Medicate Your Dog Before Flying In the Cabin?
Do not sedate your dog prior to air travel. Sedatives can affect heart rate and respiration and can throw off a dog’s equilibrium. Also, most airlines will not accept a pet that has been knowingly sedated.
How to Fly With Your Dog as Cargo
If your dog does not meet the in-cabin size requirements and is not a task-trained service dog, he’ll need to travel in the cargo hold. Live animals flown as cargo are loaded into a pressurized and temperature-controlled area.
Not all planes are designed to transport live animals and space is limited. In addition, different airlines have different policies and restrictions for how larger pets are transported. For example, in the United States, Alaska Airlines will transport larger dogs as “luggage” (in the temperature-controlled section of the cargo hold) for $150 each way. American Airlines accepts checked pets only for active U.S. military—all other large dogs must be transported through American Airlines Cargo, which is considerably more expensive—often more than the cost of the human’s ticket. United Airlines also no longer transports pets that don’t meet in-cabin travel requirements unless the passenger is traveling as active-duty military or with the State Department.
Airlines have varying requirements regarding the maximum size of the pet carriers they will allow onboard; sometimes these will vary according to the size and model of the aircraft! Be sure to confirm that your dog’s carrier will meet the requirements for each leg of your flight – and, as always, be sure to practice at home in advance to habituate your dog to spending time in the carrier. Photo by Nancy Kerns
Once you’ve made the decision to ship your dog as cargo, prepare for the big day with these tips:
Triple-check crate regulations well in advance of travel. Airlines often require that dogs fly in crates that are large enough for dogs to stand up and turn around comfortably. Make sure your dog is very calm and comfortable in a crate long before he’ll need to fly in one.
Bring nylon cable ties to further secure the door of the crate after airline personnel have inspected the dog and crate. Many airlines do this anyway, but if not, it’s good to be prepared.
Airlines require crates to have a food and water dish attached on the inside of the crate. Freezing water in the dish makes it more likely your dog will be able to enjoy hydration during the flight, rather than having most or all of the water spilled in transport.
Airlines require that you have “LIVE ANIMAL” and “THIS END UP” stickers and the dog’s and/or owner’s itinerary/s affixed to the dog’s crate. Consider adding some additional stickers or photos to make your dog’s crate easier to spot if you’re watching from the airport or airplane window. Fun decorations or amusing information about your dog are also likely to put a smile on the faces of the ground crew transporting your pet. If something about your dog makes them smile, they might be more likely to go the extra mile while he is in their care.
Remind the gate agent that you’re traveling with a pet in cargo and ask to see your dog loaded into the plane. Consider including a cute photo of your dog and a $5 Starbucks gift card as part of your “ask” to encourage cooperation!
If you can’t personally see your dog loaded into the plane, ask flight crew to radio ground crew for confirmation. Again, it never hurts to pair your request with a cute photo and a gift card.
The Importance of Early Planning When Flying With a Dog
In short, you’ll want to do your research ahead of time and plan carefully. Things can get tricky, especially when you’re trying to coordinate a significant relocation of your own. If the rules, regulations, and challenges related to flying your dog leaves your head spinning, consider working with a reputable pet relocation company whose employees are well-versed in the ins and outs of pet transport, and who can take charge of helping you safely get your four-legged friend from Point A to Point B as part of your move. Visit the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association for more information about working with a pet relocation company.
Under the federal Air Carrier Access Act, service dogs (dogs trained to perform tasks to assist a qualified individual with a disability), regardless of size, may travel in-cabin with their disabled handlers, free of charge. In contrast, emotional support animals (ESAs) whose primary function is to provide emotional support, comfort, or companionship via their presence—as opposed to performing specific trained tasks that mitigate a disability—are no longer covered under the Air Carrier Access Act and must travel as pets. Airlines are not required to accommodate ESAs.
It always makes me happy when scientists substantiate something about dogs that any loving dog owner already knows – but it’s icing on the cake when we learn exactly how this happens. A study, published in PLOS One in late September, has confirmed that dogs can detect when humans are stressed. Who hasn’t received devastating news via a phone call, email, or letter and immediately, before we could say a word, had our dogs approach us and attempt to comfort us? This sounded like a no-brainer.
But the most exciting and intriguing news from the study concerned both how dogs can do this – and that they can detect stress signals from people they don’t know and will never meet – by sniffing scent samples taken from the humans. Wow!
First, dogs were trained to identify sweat and breath samples from human volunteers who had participated in a mental arithmetic exercise designed to induce stress – specifically, enough mental stress to increase their blood pressure and heart rate. (The many steps involved in teaching the dogs to detect samples from people who were stressed, and to distinguish between samples from the same person at a normal baseline and a stressed state, are described in the study; it’s a fascinating, many step process.) The researchers, from Queen’s University Belfast school of psychology, started the work with 20 dogs who had been recruited from the Belfast community; four dogs participated through the end of the trials.
In the double-blind testing phase of the study, each dog was presented with breath and sweat samples from the same participant before and after experiencing stress. The dogs correctly alerted the researchers to each person’s stress sample in nearly 94 percent of the 720 trials.
Photo from the study, “Dogs can discriminate between human baseline and psychological stress condition odours,” by Clara Wilson, Kerry Campbell, Zachary Petzel, and Catherine Reeve. Each dog performing their alert behavior to indicate their choice on the three alternative forced choice apparatus. Top Left: Soot (stand-stare), Top Right: Fingal (stand-stare), Bottom Left: Winnie (nose-on sit), Bottom Right: Treo (nose-on sit).
The study concludes, “These results suggest that there is a VOC [volatile organic compounds, how odors are described] profile associated with acute psychological stress that is detectable by trained dogs. Having established that this odor is detectable, further investigations may wish to apply this to real-world settings.” As some examples for potential use of this research, the study says, “Service dogs for those with anxiety, panic attack disorders, and PTSD are growing in popularity and the results of this study confirm that trained dogs are able to detect the physiological processes associated with an aspect of these conditions from odor alone.”
Again, while this study suggests that there are endless potential applications for us to harness the extraordinary ability of dogs to detect odors, I am personally thrilled to have information about exactly how dogs can detect and identify how humans are feeling – even humans they don’t know.
As just one silly example, this helps dispel that old trope about how dogs just “know when you’re scared of them” – especially since people who imparted this “wisdom” historically suggested that a person needs to dominate the dog as a response, lest the dog use his information about your fear to dominate you. What a bunch of bull! The study suggests that dogs can literally smell the compounds emitted by a stressed person; can you imagine how scary and/or strange it must be for dogs to meet humans that smell (to them) scared out of their minds? I wonder if a person who seems outwardly normal but is experiencing all the physiological symptoms of stress, seems to a dog like a human who is in full panic mode seems to us!
The Bow Wow Buddy isn’t perfect, but it’s a very useful tool for people who give bully sticks to their dogs to chew. Securing a bully stick in the device definitely reduces the chance that a dog will choke on the end of the stick. However, as with all toys or devices that can be chewed by a dog, close supervision is still required to preserve the product’s safety.
I was quite enthusiastic the first time I saw an ad for the Bow Wow Buddy, a hard plastic device that secures the end of a bully stick, preventing dogs from choking on the tail end of the chew. I would think that a product that increases the safety of chews that virtually all dogs enjoy chewing would be welcome in most dog owner’s homes. Then I saw the price tag: nearly $28 for the extra small size, and nearly $38 for the extra large! Well, I thought, my dogs have lived without it so far…
But that was before I adopted a third dog – and a puppy at that! My next-youngest dog is 7 years old; I have forgotten the extraordinary value of any tool that helps to safely occupy a bored puppy or adolescent dog who is teething. What’s more, this particular adolescent has strong resource-guarding tendencies; if he suspects that another dog has designs on his chew-item – or that I am about to trade him some treats for his dangerously swallowable bully stick – he will often try to run away and swallow his prize, rather than risk losing it. Suddenly, $30 or $40 seemed like a really good investment in Boone’s safety.
That investment also helps stretch my expenditure on bully sticks, which are not cheap. Without the Bow Wow Buddy, I end up throwing away at least four to six inches of every bully stick I buy, just to keep Boone from trying to hurriedly hoard them, risking a semi-certain death by choking on those last few inches of chewing enjoyment. That’s about half of the more common, short bully sticks. Throwing away that many inches and hours of expensive canine enjoyment and occupation just seems wrong.
Bow Wow Buddy Works Best With Thick Sticks
This is a not a chew toy. The Bow Wow Buddy is made of hard plastic, and if a dog is left unsupervised to chew it after the bully stick is gone, this is what will happen. The gnawed furrows in the plastic are sharp and hazardous for dogs and humans. Photo by Nancy Kerns.
I don’t often buy bully sticks for my dogs (see “Bully for You?”), but when I do, I try to buy the very largest, longest bully sticks I can find. And because all three of my dogs are large (or will soon mature into a large dog), I bought the large size Bow Wow Buddy.
Unfortunately, the only bully sticks I had on hand when the Bow Wow Buddy arrived were long but very slender – and slender sticks just can’t get gripped by the Buddy.
Had I examined Bow Wow Labs’ website more carefully before I ordered, I would have ordered some bully sticks from them. The company is obviously aware that the Bow Wow Buddy works best with thick bully sticks, and now that I’m aware of that, too, I regret my purchase elsewhere of very long but thinner sticks.
Bully sticks are held in place in the center of the device by pressure provided by a single, pointed, plastic peg, which presses the stick against some tiny plastic spikes on the other side of the stick chamber. The pressure is adjusted by turning a knob on one end of the Buddy.
I beefed up the end of a slender bully stick by wrapping it in cardboard, and then tightened the knob with a pair of pliers, taking care to not overtighten and break the device. Buying thicker sticks would work better. Photo by Nancy Kerns.
The slender-stick problem is aggravated by the fact that the pointed peg can only be screwed so far; it goes only about two-thirds of the way across that gap. So if the stick isn’t thick, it won’t be firmly gripped, rendering the device useless – at least, unless you are willing to do a little tinkering.
I was able to wrap some thick cardboard around the end of a thin bully stick to make it thick enough to be held securely by the pointed peg. However, I accomplished this tightening only with the help of a pair of pliers; I couldn’t tighten the knob enough to hold the cardboard and stick securely by hand alone. Sure, I’m almost 60, but I’m still pretty strong and I needed the pliers.
Supervision always required
Bully sticks are inserted through the center opening, and then held in place between the peg (orange in this size of the Bow Wow Buddy) and the small spikes on the opposite side of the opening. A knob on one end of the device is turned to tighten and loosen the peg.
As with all items that are given to a dog to play with or chew, the Bow Wow Buddy isn’t indestructible. If you space out and allow your dog to continue to try to extract that last little bit of bully stick in the center, eventually, your dog will start to chew on the hard plastic device itself. I think we are all aware that when hard plastic is chewed by a dog, it creates very sharp furrows that can cut your dog’s lips and your own hands, the next time you try to load it. (Ask me how I know this – no, wait; you don’t have to.)
The Buddy does not replace the need for supervising your dog while he’s chewing a bully stick, but it at least allows you to take your eyes off of him for a few minutes at a time.
A final note: It’s not necessary to buy the largest sizes of the Bow Wow Buddy; you could triple the size of the largest bully stick I have ever seen and it would still fit in the large size of the device. I bet even the small size would work well to hold even very large bully sticks.
Bow Wow Buddys (and appropriately sized bully sticks) are available in pet supply stores, online pet retailers, and directly from BowWowLabs.com.
Bully for you?
I haven’t yet met a dog who doesn’t like chewing on bully sticks. But the dried beef penises, processed goodness knows where, don’t agree with all dogs – or maybe it’s some chemical used to prevent pathogenic bacteria from growing on the dried meat that disagrees with some dogs’ tummies. Either way, I won’t defend the practice of giving bully sticks to all dogs; I use them only very sparingly, and only when I need extraordinary help to occupy a bored, restless, and potentially destructive dog – a dog who seems to have no trouble digesting them, that is. I also use other food-filled puzzles and chew items as time-fillers; I don’t depend on bully sticks alone. But when I do use one for this purpose, I will likely use it in conjunction with the Bow Wow Buddy from now on.
An owner’s relaxed mental state contributes hugely toward an engaged, successful, fun training session, as seen here. If you can’t shake a bad mood, skip training that day. Photo by Kathy Callahan.
Quick: Who was your favorite teacher? Chances are it was somebody charismatic and warm, who had a confidence that made you want to play along.
You know who it was not? The stern lecturer who always seemed a little annoyed at the students, or the muttering substitute who was thrown off by the class clown.
A great teaching vibe goes a long way toward switching on the light in any student. Want your dog to learn fast? Focus on the attitude you’re projecting. What can you do with your voice and your body language to create a great learning environment?
If you’ve ever watched a trainer get an amazing response out of your dog three minutes after they’ve met – when you feel like you do the exact same thing with zero results – this is likely a big part of what’s happening. The trainer has a wonderful teaching vibe, and you can learn that too.
INVITING TONE OF VOICE
At my first-ever dog-training class, I watched the instructor bellow “COME!” to my puppy in a “do-it-or-else” voice. My usually exuberant pup held back, then crept toward him very slowly. I was just 12 years old, but even I knew that felt wrong.
Fifty years later, I sound like a happy cartoon character as I call dogs in a high, cheery tone. It is a sound that promises good things – not a sound filled with threats regarding non-compliance.
Even though dog training has come a long way, people often instinctively boom “Come!” “Leave it!” “Down!” in a big, stern, intimidating voice. That may seem effective in the moment, but in the long run the sensitive-to-tone canine starts to link his owner and training with the feeling of “uh oh.” That makes him less eager to engage and less likely to offer the behaviors you’re hoping to see. Training tends to dwindle off, because nobody’s having fun.
It’s so easy to do it differently! Just keep that voice light. We’re going for the voice of a teacher, not a drill sergeant. It should be strong and clear – no mumbling, no lack of commitment – but keep it inviting.
CLEAR BODY LANGUAGE
When your dog is trying to figure out what you’re asking for, his first stop is going to be your body language. That’s the most fundamental way dogs communicate with each other. Getting your body working for you – rather than against you – will turbocharge your training success.
When people are new to training, their body language usually telegraphs uncertainty. They slouch, they look around, they fumble. Not sure what you look like? Prop your phone up to record a few minutes of your training session. If you’re like the rest of us – even people who train for a living! – you’ll want to improve on what you see.
Here’s how: First, take a deep breath and think through what you’re about to ask of your dog. Have a plan:
What’s the verbal cue?
What’s the hand signal?
When will you mark and reward? If you and pup aren’t successful on the first try, how can you decrease the distance, duration, or distractions to create a win?
The 20 seconds it takes to ponder that will show up in how you hold yourself and give direction, making learning so much easier for your dog.
Other than conveying general confidence, you want your body to be in sync with the specific request you’re making.
If you’re teaching a beginning recall (“Come!”), but you’re standing stock still, you’re sending a mixed message. To a dog, that tall, immobile posture is the opposite of inviting. Think about this: What do dogs do when they want another dog to run toward them? They get low, wiggle some, wag around, and maybe start the running themselves. Mimic that, and watch your dog happily figure out exactly what “come” means.
Conversely, are you having trouble getting your dog to learn “stay”? Check your own body. If you’re slouchy or moving it’s confusing. You can often hold a dog in a stay just by keeping your body utterly still, leaning forward a bit, with eye contact.
When attempting to encourage their dogs to move forward on leash, I see people standing up straight and pulling the leash. That’s working against you! Use your body, not leash pressure, to get your pup going. Bend your knees, get your face closer to the pup, and do some quick dancing steps to engage him.
Whatever you’re trying to teach your dog, remember that it’s largely your body that’s going to communicate it. What can you do with the way you’re holding yourself and moving that will make it clearer to your dog what you’re looking for?
STRESS-FREE ATTITUDE
Now that you’ve got your voice and your body working for you, it’s time to get your emotions on board. Do a quick gut check before you pick up a leash: Are you in a good place? If not, can you take a minute and re-adjust after that bad day at work, or that unsettling conversation with your mother-in-law? If you’re still feeling off, don’t train with your dog. All of that stress is going to go straight into your session, and it will set you back.
Even if you’re feeling fine at the start, frustration can soon set in if you don’t guard against it. Maybe two days ago you’d worked up to a one-minute, 10-foot stay, and today your dog is acting like she’s never heard that word. The worst thing you can do is to get cranky and insist on making that stay happen again.
Instead, take a deep breath and laugh it off, then back up to something that’s an easy win – maybe that’s a string of touches, spins, and sits. If you’re ready to tackle stay again, then start at the easiest level possible: Step back two feet and immediately return. She did it! Ta-da! Now build slowly from there.
For you and your dog to grow as a happy, in-sync team, the key is to delight in small victories. If you do that, training will keep feeling light and fun for you both. And if that happens, you’ll likely opt to train again tomorrow and the next day. You know what that means? That reliable long “stay” really is right around the corner.
The original Furminator de-shedding tool was first brought to market in 2003. Its inventors sold a majority stake in their company five years later for an estimated $50 million. Yes, the de-shedding industry is that big! But some owners, groomers, and dogs dislike the Furminator. Humans say it can abrade the coat, removing its shine; some dogs are uncomfortable with how it pulls their hair.
Your dog is shedding, but there are so many different types of brushes and combs, and it’s difficult to know which work best for your dog’s type of coat. Here’s how to decide which grooming tools work best for your dog’s daily or seasonal hair loss. (If your dog’s shedding seems particularly excessive, see “Why Does My Dog Shed So Much?”)
What is the best brush for shedding dogs?
That depends on your dog’s breed. Single-coated dogs like Poodles, Boxers, Dachshunds, and Greyhounds shed only a little and do well with the most gentle brushes and tools. Double-coated breeds like Retrievers and Shepherds shed noticeably all year round and lose extra hair in spring and fall. Their double-layered coats are thick and dense, requiring extra strength, depth, and performance in grooming tools.
What tools or brushes are best for my single-coated dog?
Silicone grooming gloves have rubber tips on the palms and fingers that collect loose hair and combine grooming with petting. They help manage the hair of single-coated dogs and can polish the coats of all dogs.
Dual-action brushes usually have with tipped pins on one side and bristles on the other.
Dual-action brushes feature stainless steel pins on one side and nylon bristles on the other. The pins, which often have safety tips, remove tangles and excess hair while the bristles redistribute natural oils that help coats shine, especially on single-coated dogs.
Slicker brushes are densely packed with rows of angled stainless steel or plastic pins that gently detangle mats and remove dead hair from all breeds and hair lengths, both single- and double-coated.
Bristle brushes work best for dogs with short hair because they stimulate blood flow, separate hair follicles, and remove dead hair.
What is the best de-shedding tool for my heavily shedding dog?
De-matting rakes contain sharp blades that will cut through tangles or mats. Some groomers eschew these tools because they can cut the hair, but that’s the very reason that some time-pressed owners appreciate the tool: It cuts through mats quickly.
Rubber or plastic currycombs can be used wet or dry to scrub away dead skin, loose hair, and dirt without painful pulling. They also work well to massage shampoo into your dog’s coat.
Undercoat rakes are metal brushes that reach well into the undercoat of double-coated dogs to remove dead hair. Often called de-shedding tools, their rounded metal teeth gently disassemble tangles and knots, eliminating dander and trapped dirt. They are recommended for dogs with thick, dense coats and for shaping and thinning hair to create a soft, smooth, shiny coat.
Perhaps the only undercoat rake that has brand-name recognition with pet owners is the Furminator. This tool has doesn’t have individual teeth like a comb or conventional coat rake; instead, individual “teeth” were cut into a single steel bar. The gaps between the teeth are very tight, so the dog’s loose undercoat “catches” between the teeth and is easily and productively pulled out in a volume that pleases dog owners (but not all dogs). Some dogs find the sensation of being brushed with a Furminator highly uncomfortable; others seem to like it. It helps to have the right size of Furminator’s de-shedding tool; the spaces between the teeth and the length of the teeth vary in order to best de-shed dogs with short, medium, or long coats.
Some owners and groomers intensely dislike the Furminator, claiming that the tool is abrasive and shears the dog’s coat. The company says that when the Furminator is used as directed (one to two times a week for 10 to 20 minutes total, and never on wet hair), it does not damage the coat.
Furminator foes prefer de-shedding rakes with rounded stainless steel teeth and sharp interior blades, which break up knots and tangles while being gentle on the skin, making them especially effective for long-haired breeds.
Can you wash shedding away?
Classic undercoat rakes have round, tapered, and sometimes rotating pins for “teeth.” These features help to remove tangles and mats without snagging and causing discomfort for the dog.
Several shampoos and conditioners claim to control or reduce shedding, most of which contain herbs like aloe vera or green tea, natural oils like shea butter, nutrients like vitamins A, D, and E, and omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. Do they work? No shampoo or conditioner will prevent your dog from losing dead hair, but when combined with regular brushing with appropriate tools, shed-control grooming products can help your dog maintain a healthy coat while helping you maintain a (mostly) shed-free home.
Senior dogs tend to grow thicker coats than they did when they were younger. They also tend to hold onto their coats longer into each season than their younger counterparts. More frequent brushing sessions are needed to keep the coat clean and tidy. It helps a lot when they enjoy their grooming sessions, so pick a comfortable spot and encourage the to relax while you brush. Photo by Nancy Kerns
All dogs shed, losing old hair as new hair grows in. Some dogs noticeably shed all year round, some blow their coats (heavy shedding) once or twice a year, and a few dogs shed only a little. Understanding your dog’s shedding can help you manage it.
Why do dogs shed in winter or when seasons change?
Hair growth and shedding cycles coincide with seasonal shifts, such as winter to spring. Dogs tend to shed least in summer months. Shedding increases in autumn as the incoming winter coat loosens old hair follicles. Shedding is usually moderate during the coldest months of the year but toward the end of winter, shedding increases to its maximum as spring approaches and dogs lose their winter coats. Seasonal shedding lasts two to four weeks.
Dogs who live outdoors experience more extreme seasonal shedding than indoor dogs because artificial light and controlled indoor temperatures disrupt natural cycles associated with weather and daylight changes.
Why does my dog shed so much?
The rate at which dogs shed depends on their breed. Double-coated breeds tend to shed year round because their undercoat and topcoat layers are constantly replaced. Double-coated breeds include Huskies, Retrievers, Shepherds, Sheepdogs, Beagles, and other breeds from cold climates. Their undercoats give them important insulation.
Single-coated breeds don’t have an undercoat, only a topcoat, so they shed less than double-coated breeds. Afghan Hounds, Boxers, Chihuahuas, Dachshunds, Dalmatians, Greyhounds, Poodles, Whippets, and Yorkshire Terriers are examples of single-coated breeds.
For both coat types, frequent brushing removes old, dead hair and aerates the coat by allowing air to flow through it. This helps keep the coat healthy and reduces shedding. Special grooming tools help remove old undercoats from double-coated dogs and disentangle mats and snarls.
Why is my dog shedding more than usual?
When a dog’s regular shedding pattern is disrupted by unusually heavy hair loss, look for underlying contributing causes. For example:
Shedding can be triggered by trips to the veterinarian (especially if past visits have been unpleasant for the dog); relocations or evacuations; changes in the home environment, such as remodeling projects or long-term visitors; the loss of a human or animal companion; the addition of new family members; or unfamiliar activities, including training classes.
Allergies. Reactions to grooming products, medications, household cleaners, the environment, or certain foods can cause allergic reactions that trigger hair loss. The allergen can be topical (applied to the skin), inhaled (pollen or other irritants), or ingredients in food, treats, or supplements.
Skin or coat issues. Sparse hair, bald spots, or sudden hair loss can be caused by parasites like fleas, lice, or mites; fungal infections like ringworm; or underlying immune disorders or illnesses.
A good groomer can help when your dog’s shedding overwhelms you, and your veterinarian can help when underlying conditions contribute to unusually heavy shedding. However, having the right de-shedding tools can help you keep from getting buried in a hair-storm. If you are a do-it-yourselfer, see “Brushes and Tools for Shedding Dogs” for recommendations for the best de-shedding tools.
Imagine having a severe case of athlete’s foot – on four feet instead of just two! Dogs with pruritic pododermatitis lick their feet constantly in an effort to stop the painful sensation, but the moisture and abrasion caused by the licking makes matters even worse. Photo by Catherine Ashe, DVM
When your dog’s paws seem to be severely itchy – so much that he wakes you every night with slurping sounds as he endlessly licks his paws – and the skin between his toes is red and inflammed, he’s likely suffering from a condition known as pruritic pododermatitis. Pruritic means to be itchy, podo refers to feet or paws, and dermatitis is inflammation of the skin.
There are a few causes of pruritic pododermatitis:
While many owners are tempted to try home remedies for their dogs’ itchy paws, it’s best to have your dog seen by a veterinarian so the root cause can be treated and resolved. If only the symptom is addressed, the problem will recur again and again, putting the dog through needless distress and discomfort.
Here’s how the most common causes of pododermatitis are diagnosed and treated:
Dealing with Demodex
While the presence of Demodex mites is normal, a population overgrowth can cause serious problems in dogs including itching, inflamed skin, and hair loss. Credit: praisaeng | Getty Images
Demodex mites can cause a dog to become itchy when their populations suddenly increase. These mites live in the hair follicles and sebaceous glands of your dog’s skin. They are usually a commensal mite; this means that they live on and benefit from your dog without causing your dog harm.
Puppies are more prone to developing pruritus caused by the Demodex mite because of their young age. Adult dogs can also develop demodicosis, but there is often an underlying immunocompromising condition that allows the Demodex mite to proliferate. Demodex mites are not contagious to other dogs.
To confirm the diagnosis, your veterinarian may want to complete a skin scrape test to look for Demodex mites.
The only medication that is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for demodicosis is a dip treatment called amitraz (brand name Mitaban). There are side effects to using amitraz, and the odor of the dip is quite noxious.
Other treatments for demodicosis are not FDA-approved for this purpose but are effective at treating the condition. These treatments include:
Ivermectin (an oral medication)
Milbemycin (found in several heartworm preventatives)
Moxidectin (found in some topical flea preventatives)
The fluralaner class of drugs (found in several oral flea/tick preventatives)
Discuss with your veterinarian which treatment option is best for you and your dog.
Hookworm
Hookworms can cause intense pruritic pododermatitis in dogs if they penetrate the skin of the feet. Credit: Cherish Gonzales | Getty Images
Hookworm can also cause pruritic pododermatitis. We often think of hookworm as being an intestinal parasite. Puppies can get hookworms from their infected mothers when they are in utero, or from their infected mother’s milk. Hookworm eggs are shed from an infected dog in its feces. The eggs develop into larvae, which infect other dogs when they are swallowed (often when the dog is grooming himself) or penetrating the dog’s skin, typically the underside of the webbing between the dog’s toes. When it penetrates the skin, hookworm causes an intense pruritus.
This parasite can be treated with several different anthelmintics (dewormers), including fenbendazole, milbemycin oxime, moxidectin, and pyrantel pamoate.
Canine Atopic Dermatitis (CAD, a.k.a. Allergy)
Allergies can cause pruritic pododermatitis in dogs, often leading to excessive chewing or licking that can make paws red and tender. Credit: cheong loksi | Getty Images Pic for Demodex: https://www.gettyim
CAD is a diagnosis of exclusion, which means that other causes of pruritic pododermatitis are first investigated, treated, or ruled out before concluding that a dog has atopic dermatitis. It is caused by hypersensitivities to a combination of contact, inhaled, and/or food allergens.
Treatment options for CAD include medications, diet, and immunotherapy.
Treating CAD with Medications
Some of these treatment options—like prescription medications Apoquel and Cytopoint—target a process in the body called the itch cascade. The itch cascade is a series of reactions that begin when a dog is exposed to an allergen. This series of reactions ends with the dog feeling itchy and licking or scratching at whatever is pruritic. When the itch cascade is interrupted, the dog does not reach the stage of feeling itchy.
Medications that modulate the immune system’s response to allergens—such as prednisone and Atopica (modified cyclosporine)—are another treatment option for CAD. There are potential side effects for both of these medications. Baseline bloodwork and periodic monitoring may be necessary when using prednisone or cyclosporine.
Addressing CAD Through Diet
A prescription diet that addresses sensitive skin or food hypersensitivities may also be beneficial for dogs suffering from CAD. Itchy dogs who do not have known food hypersensitivities may benefit from a diet that promotes a healthy skin barrier and flora. This type of diet is available from both Hills and Royal Canin and can be ordered through your dog’s veterinarian.
Dogs with known food hypersensitivities may benefit from a limited ingredient, novel protein diet. Hills, Royal Canin, and Purina all have specially formulated diets that meet these criteria. Unlike limited ingredient diets that are available to purchase without a prescription, these diets are produced separately from other foods to eliminate cross-contamination with proteins that may cause an allergic reaction.
Immunotherapy Treatment for CAD
Immunotherapy is another treatment option for CAD. This involves exposing a dog to low doses of allergens to retrain how the dog’s immune system responds to exposure to those allergens. Testing is completed to determine what a dog is allergic to and how severe their response is to those allergens. Allergy testing can be completed by a blood test or by an intradermal skin test. An immunotherapy serum is created specifically for each individual dog and can be given by injection weekly or by mouth daily. Immunotherapy is continued for at least a year and sometimes longer to achieve a positive effect.
Bacterial and Yeast Infection that Cause Pododermatitis in Dogs
Often signs of an underlying skin condition, bacterial and yeast infections can cause red, swollen, and itchy paws. Credit: PTG PRO | Getty Images
Another common cause of pruritic pododermatitis is caused by an overgrowth of a yeast called Malassezia pachydermatis. Your dog’s skin naturally has yeast and bacteria growing on its surface. This population of yeast and bacteria is called the normal skin flora. It is part of the skin’s immune system and keeps yeast and bacteria from growing on the skin surface that can cause your dog harm. An infection with Malassezia is often secondary to another underlying skin condition, so it is important to complete a diagnostic workup with your dog’s veterinarian.
Pyoderma is a bacterial skin infection that can cause itchiness of your dog’s paws. Pyoderma can either be superficial or deep. Superficial pyoderma is often caused by an overgrowth of the normal flora on your dog’s skin surface but can be caused by other bacteria that are not part of the skin flora. Deep pyoderma is a bacterial infection that is within the layers of skin. Diagnosing the cause of deep pyoderma may require obtaining a small biopsy sample of the affected skin. The skin sample is submitted to a laboratory for a bacterial culture and sensitivity to identify the bacteria and the appropriate antibiotic.
Like Malassezia dermatitis, pyoderma is often secondary to another underlying skin condition. Both Malassezia dermatitis and superficial pyoderma can be treated with a combination of medicated shampoos and oral medications. Deep pyoderma typically requires a several week course of one or more antibiotics.
Inflammatory Pododermatitis
There is another cause of seriously itchy paws that is much less common than mites, hookworm, allergies, and yeast: chronic inflammatory pododermatitis. Dogs with this condition may have small swellings between their toes that rupture and drain. The underlying cause of chronic inflammatory pododermatitis is not known, but is thought to be more prevalent in dogs with carpal valgus (front paws that turn outward) and those with a deep bacterial infection of the skin or an immunosuppressive disorder. Treatment is aimed at identifying and treating the underlying cause of the condition.
Don’t Wait; See a Vet!
Itchy paws are annoying for both you and your dog, but appropriate solutions will provide relief. Make an appointment with your dog’s veterinarian to determine the underlying cause and start down the path toward itch-free paws.
In order to determine the reason that your dog is pooping blood, a veterinarian needs to take a medical history, including information about your dog’s diet and medications, and perform a thorough physical examination. Some causes of bloody stool are simple to remedy, but further tests or imaging may be required to diagnose more serious causes. Photo by Getty Images.
If your dog is pooping blood, he should be evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible, because some reasons for bloody diarrhea and vomiting are serious, such as a clotting disorder. There are also simple and straightforward causes for a dog’s stool to contain blood, even if he’s acting completely normal otherwise. After taking a history, including questions about any other symptoms the dog may be having, such as diarrhea or vomiting, and conducting a physical examination, the veterinarian will recommend a diagnostic and treatment plan.
Causes for pooping blood and diarrhea
Inflammatory colitis causes chronic diarrhea, sometimes accompanied by bloody stool. An infection or food intolerance may cause damage to the mucosa (the inner lining of the colon), resulting in the development of scar tissue and ulcers. Ulcers and scar tissue impair the colon’s ability to absorb water and increase the muscular contractions of the colon, resulting in diarrhea that is sometimes bloody with an increased urgency to defecate.
It may appear that your dog is pooping blood clots. This is likely blood mixed with thin layers of the ulcerated mucosa due to inflammation.
An infection with an intestinal parasite called whipworm can cause diarrhea that is streaked with blood and mucus. Your veterinarian may want to submit a sample of your dog’s feces to a laboratory for a fecal analysis to look for whipworm eggs. Bring a stool sample with you to your dog’s veterinary appointment, if possible. Because whipworm eggs are not shed in the feces all the time, it may take a few consecutive fecal analyses or the submission of a diarrhea panel to diagnose whipworm. If whipworm is suspected, then your dog may be prescribed a broad-spectrum dewormer, such as Drontal or Panacur. Most monthly heartworm preventatives are also effective at treating and controlling whipworm infections.
Certain bacterial and fungal infections can cause bloody diarrhea. Bacterial colitis infections with Campylobacter and Salmonella can result from consuming undercooked meat or drinking from contaminated water sources. Salmonella infections are seen more often in dogs who eat a raw food diet. A bacteria called Clostridium perfringens can produce toxins that may result in bloody diarrhea. These bacteria and the clostridium toxins can be detected on a special fecal test called a diarrhea panel. Histoplasmosis is a fungal infection that can cause bloody poop. It is caused by a fungus found in soil contaminated with bird or bat manure and is most prevalent in the Mississippi and Ohio River valleys. Histoplasma capsulatum can often be found on a sample taken from the wall of the rectum.
Blood in poop with vomiting
Parvovirus is a life-threatening viral infection that typically affects young puppies and adult dogs who have either never been vaccinated for parvovirus or have had an incomplete vaccination series. Puppies and dogs infected with parvovirus will often have bloody diarrhea, vomiting, and will be lethargic and not want to eat or drink. A rectal swab test is effective at identifying parvovirus but may be negative in the early stage of the disease. Parvo is a serious illness, so your veterinarian will likely recommend hospitalizing your pup for treatment.
Other causes of bloody poop
One of the simplest causes for this condition is an anal sac infection. Dogs have two anal sacs, located just behind their anus, which are lined with glands that produce a foul-smelling liquid. When a dog has a bowel movement, the stool applies pressure to the sacs as it passes through the rectum, pressing the liquid contents of the anal sacs onto the surface of the stool. When an anal sac becomes infected, there is increased blood flow to the area to help battle that infection. This can result in the spread of blood and pus onto the surface of the stool along with the anal sac secretions.
Your veterinarian may recommend lancing the infected anal sac to drain and flush it. Sometimes this may require giving your dog a light sedative to make him more comfortable for this procedure. An antibiotic and an analgesic (pain medication) also will likely be prescribed.
Polyps or masses in the rectum or colon can cause bloody stool. If they are located in the rectum, your veterinarian may be able to feel them on completion of a digital rectal exam. If they are located in the colon, then they may be visible on radiographs but will likely require an abdominal ultrasound or a colonoscopy to locate precisely. Biopsy samples of a colonic polyp or mass can often be obtained during a colonoscopy.
Sometimes bloody stool can be caused by eating non-food items. Foreign material, such as sticks, wood chips, bones, aluminum foil, or anything with sharp or rough edges, can cause blood in the stool. Your veterinarian will likely recommend abdominal radiographs (X-rays) to determine if any foreign material is present in your dog’s small or large intestine. Sometimes radiographs are not conclusive for identifying foreign material or a gastrointestinal obstruction and an abdominal ultrasound may be recommended.
Dogs with a dietary intolerance or a sudden change in their diet may develop blood in their stool. The food we eat does not always sit well with our dogs, especially foods that are high in fat or grease, so sharing portions of our meals can cause diarrhea or bloody stool. Blood in the stool can also be caused by suddenly changing your dog’s diet. If you need to change your dog’s diet, transitioning from the old diet to the new diet over a period of five to seven days will help minimize the risk of developing diarrhea.
Coagulation disorders that interfere with a dog’s ability to clot can cause blood in the stool. Ingestion of an anti-coagulant rodenticide (rat poison), liver disease, medications that interfere with platelet function, and immune-mediated thrombocytopenia can affect any dog. The liver is the primary organ for producing clotting factors, so any acute or chronic liver disease can result in bleeding. Medications such as aspirin can interfere with platelet function. Immune-mediated thrombocytopenia is a condition in which the dog’s immune system erroneously attacks and destroys his platelets.
Rare hereditary disorders can interfere with a dog’s ability to clot as well. Hereditary disorders include forms of hemophilia and a condition called von Willebrand disease. It is important to note that coagulation disorders frequently cause other signs in addition to bloody stool, including blood in the urine and unexplained bruising of the skin. Your veterinarian may recommend bloodwork, including a complete blood count, chemistry panel, and a coagulation panel to determine the underlying cause of your dog’s bloody stool.
Diagnosing the cause of blood in the stool
A diagnosis of inflammatory colitis is made by first ruling out other more common causes of bloody stool, such as bacterial, viral, and parasitic infections. A dietary food trial with a prescription diet, such as a gastrointestinal or novel protein food, may be tried. Abdominal ultrasound will allow your veterinarian to see if there any lesions or masses in the colon or if there are enlarged regional lymph nodes. A colonoscopy to visualize the mucosa of the colon and obtain biopsy samples may be necessary to obtain a diagnosis.
Although there are many causes of bloody stool, an examination by your dog’s veterinarian and diagnostics should help to determine the cause and get your dog back into good health.
I recently fostered a dog who first greeted me at the shelter that I sprung her from by jumping up on me. I spent the first two days with her almost exclusively working on preventing her from jumping. When I introduced her to a friend, my friend immediately held her arms out and greeted the dog’s enthusiastic jump up with a big hug, petting, and cooing
