Dress for Success

         DRESS FOR SUCCESS!

Written by:  Becky Hall, Assistant Dog Trainer

My Best Buddy Dog Training

 

I'm sure you've all heard this term. Here's how it applies to dog training. We just started three new puppy classes and while talking to all the new people about socialization and how to do it, I started thinking about some of the things I always do to make socialization easier on me and more effective for the puppy. This goes for all training times, not just socialization.

Here's my tip: DRESS FOR SUCCESS! By this I mean that doing something as simple as dressing more effectively for puppy class, at home with your puppy, or when going on a socialization outing, can make a huge difference in your training. Since puppies nip and jump, and have sharp teeth and nails, even when it's hot weather, I always wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants. When it's hot I just wear cooler versions! A must for me, ALWAYS, is wearing safe, enclosed shoes with good traction, such as sneakers with the laces double knotted, or well-fitting slide-on sneakers (like Vans) for times when my puppy is in the "shoe-lace-tugging" phase. Avoid wearing clothes with "flowy" hems or items that can be snagged. 

It's so much easier to focus on working with your puppy when you aren't worrying about being nipped, scratched or losing your balance. And since puppies are easily distracted by just about everything, at least you can control what you are wearing and remove those distractions! So Dress for Success and see what a big difference it will make this week!

Note the handler (my husband Kirk Hall) has on long pants, long sleeved shirt, safe shoes and a training treat pouch filled with training treats, dog's shot records, poo bags.  Back pack contains water and water bowl, extra food and a small blanket for Penny to settle on.  He's ready to train!

 

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Product Review - Glow in the Dark Fetch Stick

   Canine staff member Libby reviews the fetch and glow stick!

 

PROS: 

• Great catch and toss/fetch toy. Fetch is my fav!
  

• Good size for large breed dogs to catch. For me, it's "pawfect"!
  

• Light enough for medium dogs to catch. But too big for the littles!
  

• Easy to catch and easy to pick up from the ground when my human does a lousy toss!
  

• Soft, flexible material is easy on my toofers when catching it! 

• Good for a gentle game of tug between me and my person.
  

• Glows in the dark.  That's way cool! It's something fun to do when it's startin' to get dark, they call that "enrichment"!  You can recharge the glow with your human's phone flashlight!  I found it in the dark when my human tossed it a short ways away.  I think that's "pawtastic"!
  

• Non toxic - safety is important!
  
  

CONS: 

• Not for UN-supervised play NOT a chew toy!!!   It's only for fetching!
  

• Too soft for UN-attended play!  Gotta supervise!
  

• Dogs with strong chomping habits might inadvertently bite off a chunk while catching it!  Lucky for me, I am gentle with my toys!
  

• Not for two dogs playing tug - I had to tell my sister this is not the toy for that! But I got my human to gently tug with me and that's ok!
  
  
• The glow doesn't last too long...bummer!

 

Overall, I give it four paws up!  I like catch-able toys and I really like that it is easy to see in the dark!

 

 

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Dogs and the Holidays

 

It's the holiday season.................oh boy! Don’t worry!  Your dog(s) and the holidays don’t have to be mutually exclusive! 

Here are things you can do to help ease the stress at this time of year.

• Stay on a schedule: Keep the daily routine the same as much as you possibly can. Feeding, walking/exercise times and playing with your dog at the usual times.
  
  
• Offer a comfort/safety zone: Provide a safe place for your dog(s) to escape to. Perhaps a bedroom where your dog can go to get away from the holiday commotion and be alone with something to chew on may help to alleviate holiday stress.
  
  
• Meet and greet with caution: Don’t force your dog to interact with people or other dogs they do not know. Allow your dog to initiate the contact.  Set your dog up to succeed.  Babygates are you rfriend!
  

 Holiday decorations - be safe!

The holiday season presents safety concerns that you need to keep in mind. Decorated trees help make the season bright, but care needs to be taken to be sure  they are not a safety hazard for your dog(s). Some dogs like to hide under or play around indoor trees - can become a den-like area for them.

Decorations, flashing lights, tinsel, shiny objects, presents and extension cords can be mistaken for toys or something novel they want to investigate. Not only are ribbon, tinsel, lights and ornaments a big choking hazard, consuming them can cause serious intestinal blockages. 

A few more rules:

Limit your dog's access, make sure your tree is very stable and be mindful of what you have hanging as decorations.  Do not put presents containing food under the tree (tempting!).

 

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Temple Grandin on Fear in Animals

 

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The single worst thing you can do to an animal emotionally is to make it feel afraid. Fear is so bad for animals I think it's worse than pain. I always get surprised looks when I say this. If you gave most people a choice between intense pain and intense fear, they'd probably pick fear.

I think that's because humans have a lot more power to control fear than animals do. My guess is that animals and normal humans are opposites when it comes to fear and pain, and for roughly the same reason: different levels of frontal lobe functioning. This idea first popped out at me when I read two studies back-to-back on the frontal lobes in pain and in fear. What struck me was that while an active prefrontal cortex was associated with increased pain, it was also associated with reduced fear (though not with reduced anxiety). Pain and fear, at least in these studies, were opposites.

The story isn't that simple, of course, but it's close enough that, until we learn more, I believe animals have lower pain and higher fear than people do. My other reason for believing this at least provisionally is that it's the same with autistic people. As a general rule, we have lower pain, higher fear, and lower frontal lobe control of the rest of our brain than nonautistic people. Those three things go together. (I'm not saying that autistic people have no pain at all and don't need painkillers. I don't want to give that impression.)

You almost have to work with animals to see what a terrible emotion fear is for them. From the outside, fear seems much more punishing than pain. Even an animal who's completely alone and giving full expression to severe pain acts less incapacitated than an animal who's scared half out of his wits. Animals in terrible pain can still function; they can function so well they can act as if nothing in the world is wrong. An animal in a state of panic can't function at all.

I also think intense fear is an easier state for animals to get into than it is for normal human beings -- a lot easier. Animals feel intense fear when they're threatened in any way, regardless of whether they're predators or prey.

While all animals can be overwhelmed by terror, prey animals like cows, deer, horses, and rabbits spend a lot more time being scared than predators do. You've heard the expression "like a deer caught in the headlights" -- that pretty much sums up the prey animal's psyche. They are very nervous animals, because the only way a prey animal can survive in the wild is to run. Since a prey animal has to start running before the lion does, that means it has to be hyper-alert all the time, keeping a watch out for danger. Click here for full article.

 

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Ultrasonic Bark Devices

"
I asked Rain Jordan, a professional dog trainer, who specializes in helping fearful and traumatized dogs what she thought about ultrasonic training devices. “The sound emitted from the devices is punishing dogs by startling and/or causing discomfort,” she told me in an email.
These devices punish any bark that comes out of a dog’s mouth and can’t discriminate between appropriate/happy/excited barking and “nuisance” barking. Barking is a perfectly normal, even necessary, dog behavior and is only a nuisance relative to human preferences.

When normal behavior is discouraged and suppressed, you “risk either learned helplessness, on the one hand, or aggression without warning on the other.” Dogs wearing e-collars don’t necessarily understand why they are being punished, and even if they do know why, they eventually habituate to the punishment and the “problem” behavior returns. Owners, then, are tempted to up the ante by increasing the volume button on the ultrasonic device or moving to something more extreme, such as a shock collar."  Click here to read full article.


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On Leash Dog Greetings: Yes or No?

 by Laurie Luck


A colleague posted an interesting question on her Facebook page last week: “Do you let your dog greet other dogs on leash?”

The question wasn’t as interesting as the trend the answers took. There were almost 200 responses at last check. Most of the responders were professional dog trainers, although I’m sure there were a few pet owners responding, too.
The interesting thing was that the answers followed a trend: dog trainers were emphatic that dogs shouldn’t be meeting on leash, whereas dog owners were either neutral or liked the idea of dogs saying hello while on leash.

Why the discrepancy?

The differences were clear. The pet owners didn’t see anything wrong with letting dogs greet on leash (some even encouraged it), while professional dog trainers rarely let their own dogs greet other dogs while on leash. I think it’s because trainers have thousands more hours experience reading dog body language and can tell, sometimes before the dogs even get to greet, that the interaction won’t be a pleasant one. Many dog owners think that their dog should like — and want to greet — every dog it runs across, when in reality lots of dogs don’t really want to meet (or shouldn’t meet other dogs). Think of it this way: do you want to shake hands with every person you come across in the mall? Probably not — and neither do most dogs want to sniff up another dog.

What are the risks of on leash greetings? Click here for full article.

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It's Not How They Were Raised....

 DINOS

It’s Not How They’re Raised, It’s How Dogs are Managed That Matters Most 
By Jessica Dolce, Dogs in Need of Space 

How many times have you heard someone say about a dog, “It’s all how they’re raised”? Probably a lot. If you own a pit bull dog, probably a lot more.I hear pit bull advocates saying it all the time, as a way to defend our dogs. I hear other saying it as a flippant remark about dogs in general. This phrase gets tossed around all the time, but no one seems to be aware of what they’re really saying....and how damaging it can be.This saying does have a kernel of truth in it, of course, but ”how they’re raised” is just one of the factors that contributes to who our dogs are. It’s not the whole story. When people believe that “It’s All How They’re Raised”, there are some real-life consequences for the dogs. So we need to check ourselves. 

 Here are a few ways our words hurt:  Click here for full article.

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Pet Safety

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Collar vs Harness

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Sudden Changes in Behavior

 By:  Nicole Wilde

I recently received an email asking for a training referral. The sender had two senior dogs, and the younger of the two was suddenly attacking the older one. There had been problems between the two when they were young, but they’d been getting along for many years. While I did find a trainer for the woman in her city, I also advised her to take both of the dogs in for a complete veterinary exam.
You might be thinking Hmm, a sudden behavior change could be linked to aggressive behavior, but why would she need to take both dogs in? Surely, it’s only the younger one who needs to be seen.

While it’s true that the dog who is displaying the aberrant behavior should be thoroughly checked, sometimes the reason the dog has suddenly become aggressive is because the other dog, unbeknownst to the owner, is ill. Think about how in a group of dogs or wolves when the one in charge becomes sick or weak, another member might take advantage of the situation and challenge for rank, especially if his own standing has been suppressed for a while. Dogs often know when another dog is in decline before we do.

Both dogs should have a thorough blood panel done. Vets who are knowledgeable about the effects of physiology on behavior should know what to look for, but it doesn’t hurt to do a bit of research on your own and to share that knowledge with your vet. Check out the link between thyroid levels and aggression, including the work of Jean Dodds, DVM. Look into how issues with the liver can affect canine behavior. Beyond that—and this is something I don’t hear discussed often—I recommend having the dog checked out structurally beyond what normally happens in a cursory veterinary exam.

Canine chiropractors are specialists who are much more likely to be able to discern whether a bone is out of place, a nerve is pinched, or something else is happening that’s causing pain or discomfort.
Maybe it’s because I’ve had so many issues with my own back that I understand all too well how, when something is out of place structurally and pain and inflammation strike, anyone can become cranky. Dogs are easily irritated when they’re in pain, and it’s unfortunate that a chiropractic approach is so seldom considered. When my mother was in a nursing home in her late 80s, she kept complaining that her neck hurt. She was clearly in a lot of pain and distress, and though she was normally pleasant and friendly, it made her grouchy and irritable. Who could blame her? The staff kept insisting it was part of what happened “at her age” and just kept pumping her full of pain pills. I told them she needed to see a chiropractor. They wouldn’t listen, and I finally arranged myself for her to be taken to one. One adjustment later and whaddayaknow! The pain was completely gone and she was back to being her own happy self. Doesn’t it stand to reason that something similar could be going on with a dog who was formerly happy and well behaved and is suddenly cranky and aggressive?

Of course, not all sudden aggression has a physiological cause. Changes in the household or the dog’s routine should be considered as well. For example, did someone the dog was close with move out of the home? Did someone new move in? Did a baby arrive on the scene? A change could also be environmental, like a construction site springing up next door. I’m very noise sensitive and can easily understand how a dog who was the same would becoming anxious and might take it out on a canine companion. And what about other senses? Even something like a new cleanser being used in the home could affect an odor-sensitive dog. Chemicals give me raging headaches, and although I haven’t seen any research on the subject, I would think it’s possible that it could happen to dogs as well. And, by the way, it’s not only aggression that can manifest suddenly. If a dog who has seemed fine when left alone is suddenly showing signs of separation anxiety, it may be that he’s feeling needier because he’s unwell or anxious.

Again, many times sudden behavior changes do have roots that are solely behavioral. But when the cause isn’t clear, it’s always best to do some sleuthing to rule out possible underlying factors. After all, if there is a non-behavioral cause, applying behavior modification alone isn’t going to solve the problem. When it comes to sudden behavior changes, a holistic view is always best. And if there’s fighting between your dogs that truly is behavioral in nature, check out my latest book Keeping the Peace for more help. Full Article

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Safety Rules for Worried Dogs

Simple Safety Rules for People Who Live With a Worried Dog
By: Ilana Reisner, DVM, PhD, DACVB

 1. Recognize your dog’s “circle of trust” (CoT). It might include only you; it might EXclude the neighbor your dog sees every day.

2. Don’t let people outside the CoT interact directly with your dog. That includes bending over him, putting a hand out for him to sniff, petting him on the head, or the back, the side, or the chest. No looking at him face to face; no hugging or kissing. If they manage to get a touch in there, stop them because prolonged petting is threatening, too.

3. If you have company in your house or yard and are distracted, see #2.

4. If your company is not reliable (ie, you hear them say, “but I love dogs” or “but dogs love me”), leash or separate your dog. Hold the leash and keep a safe distance from your visitors.

5. If your company includes children until 12 years, leash or separate your dog. Hold the leash and keep a safe distance from your visitors.

6. If your dog wags her tail and seems thrilled to see everyone, see #2. She might bite, anyway, especially if they bend down to say “hi”. Worried dogs sometimes seem "extra" friendly. It's not an invitation to stroke them.

7. Practice separating your dog. You can use a gate, crate or separate area of the house. Get her used to being there, and always include some white noise, comfortable bedding and an irresistible, frozen food-filled toy.

This is over-cautious for many dogs, but it is the only way to really decrease any risk of biting. Worried dogs will protect themselves if the threat is threatening enough (see #2).  Read more about Dr. Reisner, Click Here

“The principle of self-defense…has never been condemned, even by Gandhi.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.



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Choke, Prong and Pinch Collars..yes or no?

What Do the Experts Say?

Respected veterinarian and thyroid expert, Dr. Jean Dodds, recommends against choke or prong collars “as they can easily injure the delicate butterfly-shaped thyroid gland that sits just below the larynx and in front of the trachea. These collars can also injure the salivary glands and salivary lymph nodes on the side of the face underneath both ears.”

Bestselling author and canine behaviorist, Jean Donaldson, says: “These devices (choke and prong collars), when they work, do so to the degree that they hurt. With the advent of modern methods and tools they are irrelevant.”

According to veterinarian and veterinary behaviorist Dr. Soraya V. Juarbe-Diaz: “Using punishment to stop behaviors is not new. Notice I say ‘stop’ rather than ‘teach’ — I can stop any behavior, but I am more interested in teaching my students, animal or human, to choose the behavior I want them to perform because they can trust me, because I do not hurt them and they are safe with me, and because the outcome is something they enjoy.”  Click here to read more.

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