Genetics are the building blocks for everything from looks to body function to behavior. My goal with this blog, was originally to find harmless to mostly harmless mutations in a variety of pets and showcase the more interesting ones, but it seems that cats have an advantage when it comes to very interesting mutations with little to no side effects, so here are some of the more interesting anomalies that I came across:

Polydactyly—This refers to extra toes. Most cats have five toes on each front paw and four toes on each back paw, but it’s not uncommon for cats to have extra toes, especially on the front paws, and some cats have a whole extra set of toes! Some things to watch for though are nails that grow at odd angles and/or toes without bones. Combine a toe without bones with a claw that can’t retract, and the vet may recommend removal of the extra toe so it doesn’t get snagged.

Male Tortoiseshells— Usually a male cat has one female chromosome and one male chromosome (XY). Black and orange colors are on the female sex chromosome (X), and each chromosome only has one color, so a male torti has to have two female chromosomes and a male chromosome (XXY) or a combination of female/male chromosomes (XY) AND female/female chromosomes (XX) in his body. Most male tortis are healthy other than the fact that they are sterile and cannot have offspring.

Color Variations—There are three main unusual color variations. Vitiligo refers to a cat losing skin pigmentation and turning white over time. The second has to do with a black cat that looks white. If your cat has white hair with green or dark gold eyes and black eyelids, it is actually genetically a black cat with a big white spot! Lastly, a white cat with blue eyes is actually an albino cat or a cat without any pigment at all.

Manx—These cats are born with very short tails or without tails. It can be difficult to tell if a cat was actually born without a tail or lost its tail due to injury unless you know your cat’s entire medical history. Some Manx cats can have issues with their spine and back legs and may have issues with urination and defecation, depending on the severity of the mutation.

Ears—Scottish Fold cats have become more popular recently due to the cute effect of their ears folding over. This is due to a genetically-based cartilage defect. Two cats with folded ears should not be bred together though. One-fourth of the kittens born from two Scottish Fold parents would have scoliosis (curvature of the spine), joint issues, and other cartilage-related problems. Another ear-related issue is cats that seem to have four ears. There are really only two ears with an extra appendage on or next to their actual ears that looks like an ear.

Dwarfism—Aka Munchkin Cats, these cats have short legs and are super cute. There is some controversy with breeding them intentionally though, since they have a harder time running, jumping, and climbing than their full-legged counterparts. Other health issues, such as spinal deformities, bone deformities, and arthritis, may also be an issue, but the conditions that have appeared in Munchkin Cats also have appeared in other cats, so the jury is still out about whether the health issues occur more often in Munchkin Cats.

Janus Cats—These cats have two faces. Their health depends on the severity of the facial separation. Some do require extra healthcare. The oldest living Janus Cat lived to be 15 years old.

Two More Breed-Specific Anomalies—The first breed-specific anomaly is found in Rex Cats. They have adorable curly hair. Second, many Siamese cats have a condition called pendular nystagmus which means that their eyes seem to vibrate. I have seen this in a Siamese that I had. To know that it’s there, you almost have to hold his or her head still and watch the eyes (not something most cats enjoy).

Have you ever had a pet with an unusual genetic condition that wasn’t harmful to the pet? What was it? Did you have to help your pet by providing minor treatment? Let us know!

 

 

I have three stories to share with you for this blog. I am presenting each story as factually as possible. I don’t want to focus on blame; I want to focus on solutions.

Story 1

A dog was rescued from a reservation in South Dakota. Many of the dogs from the reservation have lived tough lives with little to no human interaction; it’s survival of the fittest for them. The members of the rescue who worked with her knew that she needed slow introductions to other dogs, but she was able to live in a foster home with other dogs without issues.

She was adopted to a family that had been vetted to the best of the rescue’s ability. The adoptive family knew her history as a reservation dog and that she needed slow introductions to other dogs. One of the family members walked out the front door. This door didn’t latch properly, and the dog got out. She went up to another dog and there was a fight. The reservation dog came out of it just fine physically. The other dog had to go to the vet for stitches. We don’t know who started the fight or why. But the loose dog shouldn’t have been loose, and the dog on a leash was hurt the worst. This reservation girl now has a “potentially dangerous dog” label that may follow her for the rest of her life.

Mentally, this girl doesn’t trust anyone or anything easily. She loves people and loves to play with cats, but she is afraid of most dogs now and thinks that no one should play or be rowdy.  She is in training to try to show her that the world of dogs is not as scary as she thinks. But her current feelings toward other dogs and her “potentially dangerous dog” label will make it harder to adopt her again.

Story 2

This case made national headlines. A woman was attacked and killed by her dogs while walking in the woods. The dogs had lived with her, but she had taken them to her dad’s house while she worked out some personal issues. It was reported that her dad didn’t feel like the dogs were his responsibility. The dogs were kenneled outside and interaction with people became sporadic. They may not have even been fed daily. Their owner was walking alone in the woods with them when they attacked her so no one really knows what precipitated the attack. The dogs were euthanized shortly after they killed their owner.

Story 3

A Rottweiler and a Boxer were on leashes on a walk with their owners. They were pulling the owners down the street. My business partner asked if she could pet the dogs. The owners said yes and that they were friendly with people. Both owners expressed some frustration with trying to walk their dogs. The Rottweiler’s owner said that his dog didn’t like other dogs. Some people were walking their own dogs down the street toward these dogs. My business partner realized that the Rottweiler was becoming agitated and started to move away from the Rottweiler, but not quickly enough. The dog lunged at her and grabbed her arm with his mouth. There was only minor bruising—this time.

All of these dogs have behavioral issues. All of these dogs are showing signs of aggression. Why are they showing aggression? Can aggressive attacks be prevented? If they can be prevented, how?

In Story 1, the dog ran loose during her younger years with little or no human interaction. Dogs that run loose develop their own social systems without humans, must hunt for food in order to survive, and must defend their young and themselves against outside threats. This is very different from the environment provided for dogs by people.

When people care for animals, people determine the social structure and provide food and safety. Human intervention dampens dogs’ prey drives and their fight or flight mechanisms. (We encourage dogs not to develop fully.) That does not mean that those drives are erased. As naturally social creatures, dogs naturally desire a social structure, so they adapt easily to our environment, but they remain carnivores.

In a situation like the one in Story 1, this dog was able to defend herself and puppies and survive on her own. When she was rescued, she had to learn to coexist in closer proximity with humans and other dogs. She had to learn that she would be safe. When she escaped and encountered another dog and things didn’t go well, she easily reverted to her wilder instincts and protected herself. This encounter also set back her progress on trusting humans and dogs. She has only recently been allowed to interact freely with two of my dogs after months of being able to see and smell them.

In Story 2, the dogs were abruptly uprooted from their known social structure that included humans and regular meals. This change could result rather quickly in the dogs tapping into a survival of the fittest mentality, especially if food was truly provided inconsistently. They would have developed their own social structure without humans. Their behavior wouldn’t be the behavior of a loving pet; they would be more like wild/feral dogs. People who knew her and her dogs expressed shock that her dogs killed her; they didn’t understand the changes that can happen when dogs are no longer regularly cared for and protected by humans.

The Rottweiler in Story 3 displayed what’s known as redirected aggression. Redirected aggression is the term used to describe a dog who becomes frustrated but cannot reach the object of their frustration; they turn their frustration toward a closer target, whether it’s another animal or another human. She wasn’t agitated by my business partner, but she was unable to get to the approaching dog, became frustrated, and turned to bite my business partner.

That covers the “why” in each case—low socialization, a sudden change in environment from being a family pet to being more isolated, and frustration. The why becomes very important when dealing with dogs with a history of any sort of aggressive behavior; the root of the problem shows a trainer or an animal behaviorist how to address the aggression. If there is a “why” other than aggression for aggression’s sake, there is also a solution, and in my opinion, very few dogs are aggressive just to be aggressive.

I would argue that all of these cases began with socialization issues. First, we need a definition of socialization? Dictionary.com defines socialization as “a continuing process whereby an individual acquires a personal identity and learns the norms, values, behavior, and social skills appropriate to his or her social position.” I love how this definition starts—a continuous process. Socialization needs to start young and keep going! Puppies need to have positive experiences with a variety of environments, people, and animals very early in life and must continue the process for their lifetime. The formative years are the most important, from the time that they are born through two years of age.

How can you socialize your pet? Take your pup on walks and/or hikes; go to the dog park; provide lots of toys that require interaction and have different textures; go to pet-friendly stores and restaurants; join a dog club; take your pup on playdates with other dog parents. Most dogs develop very well when they are exposed to new objects, people, and situations early and often.

What if you have an adult dog that already has behavioral issues like growling, lunging, and/or snapping? What if you have a dog that has already found trouble? Can poorly socialized dogs be helped and be safe members of society? There’s no way to get those formative years back, but, yes, in most cases, dogs can be rehabilitated. It takes dedication to the dog’s training and a lot of time. The goal isn’t to “make the dog like (fill in whatever results in aggressive behavior).” The goal is to redirect the dog’s attention back to the handler, instill in the dog that, whenever he is unsure of what to do, he looks to his handler, and to develop an iron clad “come” cue. Giving the dog a safe way to be near other dogs and people generally also results in calmer behavior and may eventually result in a dog that tolerates or even likes other dogs and/or people. This all takes time and should be done with professional guidance.

If you’ve read other blogs that I’ve written, you already know that I don’t vilify any particular breed, but I will say that size (and strength) definitely matter! Any animal that is bigger and stronger than a human has the potential to be deadly. (People have died while interacting with horses, for example.) Chihuahuas and Dachshunds are far more likely to bite than bully breeds, but they are not likely to cause fatalities in humans. Anyone who chooses to have a large pet, especially a large carnivore, is taking on a responsibility to socialize and train that pet. Not all attacks can be prevented, but  most of them can. Please remember that, if you have a large pet, he needs to know the rules and needs to be socialized throughout his life with other pets and people. The bigger and more powerful your dog, the more you owe it to his safety, your safety, and the public’s safety to have a well-trained and well-adjusted dog.

I remember growing up on a farm with an “outside dog.” He was a Collie and had access to his dog house and a barn with lots of hay and straw. When it got really cold, he got to come in for the night. (He also was allowed in when I wanted him to be in and my mom wasn’t home. Sorry Mom!) But with all that I know now, I wouldn’t allow any of my dogs to be unsupervised outside for very long for a variety of reasons. One of those reasons is cold weather. 

Defining “too cold” for a dog isn’t as straightforward as it would seem. Some dogs, like Huskies and Saint Bernards are going to do well in cold weather due to their size and coat types. Dogs that are meant to be out in the cold tend to have two coat layers and longer hair. Others, like Chihuahuas and Boxers, aren’t going to do as well due to short coats and/or small stature. Little dogs tend to have a harder time staying warm even in moderate temperatures. 

So how do you tell when it’s too cold for your dog? In general, if it’s too cold for you in a coat, it’s too cold for your dog. That said, however, most dogs will tell you through use of their body language and behavior. For example, my Labradoodle gets really excited when temperatures are at 25° F and loves to play outside in that sort of weather. On the other hand, the Boxer that I am training looks at me like “Riiiiiiight” and only goes outside when it’s absolutely necessary. Other signals that may indicate that your dog is cold may include shivering, picking up a foot and holding it up, or a dog who normally loves being outside wanting to come in right after eliminating.  

Even if your dog is one of the breeds meant to be out in the cold, remember that every creature hits a point where it’s just too cold. Frostbite for humans can happen in 30 minutes in temperatures of -5° F and 10 mph winds. And animals can definitely get frostbite! The most likely places that your dog may show signs of frostbite include pads of the feet, tips of the ears, and tip of the tail. Symptoms include pail or grey skin, coldness, hardness, and or swelling. If you suspect frostbite, contact your veterinarian immediately. 

If you and your dog love being polar bears, there are ways to decrease the risks. One of the ways is to dress your dog in a jacket or sweater and booties. Even if your dog is made for this weather, it’s really important to protect the pads of their feet. (Imagine walking in sandals or barefoot on the snow in freezing temperatures!) I saw a large white fluffball on a walk today holding up his front paw while standing at a street corner; it was 20°. 

If your dog is going to be outside for any amount of time unsupervised, remember that they need access to shelter and clean water even if they love the weather. Provide your dog with a dog house with clean blankets and/or hay or straw that’s free from fleas, ticks, or other pests. The best choice of dog house would include insulated walls, a floor that is raised off of the ground and that requires the dog to turn to get into the area they are meant to lay in. (The turn helps block wind.) If you have the option, face the opening of the dog house away from the wind. To keep the water from freezing, provide your pup with a heated bowl or a water tank with a heater in it. Check for the lowest temperature that the heater is designed to function at and check it at least daily to make sure that it’s working. 

Lastly, when your dog has access to the outdoors in this weather, ensure that their coat is in good condition. If your dog has matted fur and/or ice in his fur, his coat won’t hold heat as well. Give him a good grooming and periodically bring him in at least long enough for the ice to melt and his coat to dry. Also check between the pads of his feet for ice and mats and remove any that you find. 

Most of all, bundle up, bundle up your dog, and go have fun!

 

What could these two pictures have in common? Read on to find out!

It may seem counterintuitive to admit when something didn’t go quite right—especially when starting a business, but “mistakes” are often our greatest teachers. With that in mind, I would like to share a story with you about a pet sitting that didn’t go as planned and what I have learned from it.

I was hired to help take care of a cat, *Bunny. Her owner, *Melissa, had Alzheimer’s. One of her daughters picked out the cat from the Humane Society to keep her mom company. They chose Bunny, because she appeared to be calm and was older, so it seemed to be a good fit.

The original request from the family was to help them with some “minor” health issues that Bunny had and to check in about 3 times a week to make sure that Bunny was getting fed and the cat box was getting scooped.

Bunny had had exploratory thyroid surgery, and she was having quite a bit of gastrointestinal upset. She had been turned over to the Humane Society, had surgery, sent to a foster home, and then returned to the Humane Society. The thyroid was ok, and it was plausible to believe that she would get better when she was settled into a home. Give her medicine for her gastrointestinal upset and her health issues would clear up, right? 

Instead of getting better, though, things began to get worse. Melissa began telling me that the cat was yowling at night. She didn’t like it at all; who likes to get woke up at all hours? But she was unable to describe the yowling. Was it loud? Well, yeah, sort of. Was it pain? Well it could be, but I’ve never heard a cat sound like that before. We had suspected hip/lower spine pain, because the cat would hiss when petted there. I went to the vet for pain medication and joint supplements. The pain medication and joint supplement did seem to help with the pain but not with the yowling.

After starting the supplements, Bunny’s poo became very dark and sticky. I was thinking that she was bleeding in her upper gastrointestinal tract. I had the presence of mind to talk to the veterinarian about whether the supplements could cause this change. The vet didn’t think so but asked what supplement I had. They had sent home the wrong supplement, and it was the supplement that was causing the poo to be dark and sticky. It was a relief that at least Bunny didn’t have another health issue!

At some point in this whole process, Bunny had begun occasionally pottying and pooing out of the litter box. I helped clean up Bunny’s messes, and suggested to the family that the box be cleaned daily which they agreed to. (Often cats potty and poo out of the litter box, because it’s not clean enough.) A cleaner box did help initially but not for the long run.

By now the owner and the cat are super unhappy. The family decided that Bunny should go back to the Humane Society, but I couldn’t do it. The Humane Society wouldn’t have told me what they planned to do with her. One of the biggest reasons that cats are turned in to a shelter is for urinating and/or defecating outside the litter box. I didn’t want this 10-year-old cat who had been through so much already to be put to sleep. I asked the owner if I could take her to my house to try to sort out her health and behavioral issues. They agreed.

The first step was to destress this poor cat. I put her in the basement all by herself. I went down there often to feed her, pet her, and check on her, but she had free run of the basement and no other animals to deal with.

I did notice, while I cared for Bunny at Melissa’s house, that Bunny was jumpy. I would walk up to her to pet her and she would jump and make a loud, surprised sort of meow. I really thought that I just surprised her while she was sleeping. She continued this jumpy, loud meowing in the basement as well. If she wasn’t looking in my direction, it would scare her when I touched her.

It finally clicked! Could this cat be hard of hearing? I had never dealt with a hard of hearing animal before. I did some research and discovered that cats can get hard of hearing with age just like people and they tend to be very loud or completely nonvocal. I started to pay closer attention to her body language and realized that her ears never twitched at voices at normal volume. Nor did she turn to look at me when I walked into a room—ever.

I began to flip the lights on and off several times before going downstairs. She didn’t always turn to face the direction of the stairs, but she quit jumping, and she quit making the loud surprised meow. I started to hear purring every time that I went downstairs, and she rubbed against me more. The consistency of her poo began to be less extreme. She wasn’t being scared all the time! Poor kitty!

I also further tested her hearing. I got a package that happened to have large air tubes for packing. They were super loud when I popped them. The pets upstairs were so freaked out that I could only do it twice. She didn’t twitch when one was popped at the top of the stairs or when a second one was popped halfway down the stairs. Her ears finally moved when one was popped at the bottom of the stairs, and by the next one that was about five feet closer, she was finally really annoyed. That should have been scary from the start! 

I have also discovered that Bunny cares about how and when she is petted. Melissa used to pet Bunny the opposite way that her hair laid. This seemed mildly annoying to Bunny, but she didn’t protest other than to turn her ears. When she rubs on me now and I pet her (mistakenly thinking that her rubbing means “pet me”) she often gives me warning bites. She’s not very into petting (much less petting the wrong way)! She does love to snuggle at times, but even that isn’t necessarily and invitation to pet. (When she wants to be petted, she gets in my lap or looks at me, and that doesn’t mean to pet her indefinitely!)

But all of this analysis means nothing unless I decide how to handle the next similar case that is stumping me. I don’t believe that I am just there to do what I’m told and go home. I am there as a resource for my clients and to improve the relationship between the pet and pet parent. So what happened here?

I clearly was unable to put all of the pieces together until the cat was in my home so that I could observe her more closely, but that isn’t good enough. How could I have discovered this while she was in her original home? How could I have improved the pet/pet parent relationship or was that even an appropriate goal in this case?

 It can be very difficult to know what an animal will be like once they are not petrified, like many pets are in a shelter. (She didn’t show me her likes and dislikes about petting until I was able to communicate with her without scaring her, by turning the lights off and on and/or moving so that she can see me before touching her.) Part of her unhappiness was that she was scared of people just coming up and touching her; part of it was that she didn’t want to be handled the way that she was. She seemed to tolerate the petting and the fear fairly well. In reality, she was miserable and too scared to show it. That’s just a fact to be aware of when you adopt. Some animals freeze when they’re afraid.

My bias toward keeping the pet in their home and not getting them landed in the shelter is usually justifiable, but, in this case, it wasn’t helpful to anyone. Once I saw that the cat’s symptoms were not resolving and that the cat and the owner were getting more and more miserable under the same roof, I should have recommended getting another cat, and I should have suggested that I help them pick out an appropriate companion. If I had done that much sooner, the owner wouldn’t have felt like she failed, and a cat (albeit a different cat) would still have had a nice home.

For the next pet pairing that doesn’t go quite right, I will also get video and audio equipment. Seeing the cat’s fearful reactions, hearing the yowling, and  seeing it all in context helped me to put together the fact that she wasn’t hearing well enough. And I will have this experience to go forward with as well.

Even though this is not what I would have liked to have happened, I value the experience and the lessons that I have learned. I am still invested in keeping pets in their homes, but I have to be aware of the blind spot that that can create, and I have to remember to ask myself ‘Would it be better to put this pet in a different environment?” Not all matches are going to work.

How is the cat fitting in at my house? I definitely don’t regret taking this cat home; that’s how I figured out what was bothering her. I would love to say that all is harmonious, and I could say that, but it would not be the truth. It turns out that this little girl has quite the attitude! My cats have lived with lots of cats their whole lives and don’t understand why this new kitty doesn’t want to be their best friend. But they are starting to give her more space, and she is starting to realize that they aren’t going to hurt her. Their introduction to each other has been long and slow, but it is moving forward. 

*The names have been changed to protect my customer’s privacy.

 

 

 

 

Thanksgiving and Christmas

General Precautions

• Be careful about Christmas trees; they can fall over if your pet runs into them or climbs them. Tying them to something sturdy can help prevent injuries.
• Water additives for Christmas trees can often be poisonous to pets; it’s best to use plain water.
• Ornaments can be hazardous if they are breakable or made out of salt dough.
• Tinsel can cause blockages and/or wind through the intestinal tract.
• Electrical lights, candles, and potpourris are also dangerous. All of them can cause burns. Potpourri is also very toxic to pets.
• Be sure that your pet cannot run out of doors when they are opened for guests.
• Microchipping is an excellent way to identify your pet if they do escape; ask your veterinarian about this procedure.
• Have your veterinarian’s phone number and your local emergency veterinarian’s phone number easily available.

Foods

• Popular holiday foods NOT to give your pet include: turkey and turkey skin, onions, raisins, grapes, chocolate, and yeast dough.
• Plain pumpkin is good for dogs and cats! Up to two tablespoons a day for a large dog can help with constipation or diarrhea and is loaded with essential fatty acids and antioxidants. It is also low in calories. (If you feed them canned pumpkin, be sure that the only ingredient is pumpkin. Spices like cinnamon and nutmeg are not safe for your pet.)
• Plain sweet potatoes, baked potatoes, cucumbers, carrots, green beans, unsweetened cranberries, bananas, and apples are all good for your pet. (If your pet is not used to these foods please introduce slowly or give small amounts.)
• Be sure to put food away once you are done and to keep scraps and other garbage out of reach of your pet.

Plants

• Poinsettias can cause gastrointestinal symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea and can cause skin irritation, but are generally not fatal.
• Holly and mistletoe are much more toxic than poinsettias. Along with gastrointestinal discomfort, mistletoe can cause a severe drop in blood pressure, breathing problems, and hallucinations. If enough is consumed, it can lead to seizures and death.

Travel

• Traveling with pets can be great fun! Just remember that they should be secured like any other family member. To find safe pet restraint information, head over to centerforpetsafety.org.
• If you’re taking pet(s) with you during the holidays, remember to pack for your pet(s)! Food, water, dishes, leashes, harnesses, and/or head collars, as well as any medications or supplements that your pet gets regularly.

Have a great time during the holidays and keep your pets safe!

(I am going to say dog in this article because that is the most commonly trained pet, but much of this blog applies to other pets as well.)

There are a lot of trainers out there, but they are not all created equally. There are no requirements for being a dog trainer. Anyone can hang a shingle and say that they’re a trainer. How do you know if your trainer is right for you? How do you know that they’re any good? You have the right to ask them questions (and you should).

The Trainer’s Education/Background

A great place to start is the trainer’s education and background. Certifications and/or degrees don’t guarantee a good trainer, but it does show that the trainer is taking their profession seriously. The same is true of belonging to professional organizations and attending continuing education events and trade shows. Professional organizations also generally have standards and may have their own certifications.

Questions to ask about education and background:

• What certifications and/or degrees do you hold?
• What is your training experience?
• Do you belong to a professional training organization? If no, why not?
• When is the last time that you attended a dog training trade show?
• When is the last times that you attended continuing education for dog trainers?
• What did you learn from attending your last event?
• Do you have references?

If the trainer belongs to a professional organization, you can go to the organization’s website and check their list of trainers for verification.

Training Philosophy

Trainers should be able to discuss their philosophy with you. First, though, consider how you think that your dog should be treated. Is coercion okay (forcing the dog to sit or lay down)? Are prong collars and shock collars okay? Would you rather treat your dog more gently? Is yelling ok? What kind of yelling is ok? It can range from a firm “no!” to towering over your dog and yelling for an extended period of time. This isn’t about judgement. Find your comfort zone, and then stick to it.

There is a whole continuum of philosophies about training, but let’s start at the extreme ends. On the one end, are the trainers who use prong collars, choke chains and shock collars as first options. This equipment is designed to inflict discomfort, if not outright pain. These trainers may force dogs into a sit by pushing on their rump and then force the dog into the down position by pushing on their shoulders. At the other end of the continuum are those who believe that only positive training is okay. They don’t believe that you should ever raise your voice or use any of the equipment above. The dog is never forced to perform any behavior. Most trainers are somewhere in the middle. Again, decide where your comfort zone is and stick to it.

Questions to ask about philosophy:

• How do you teach dogs to sit? Down? (Pick any behavior)
• What do you do if the dog doesn’t respond? What if the dog still doesn’t respond after you’ve tried that?
• What collars, leashes, harnesses do you use regularly?

Explaining the Philosophical Differences

In the past, it was thought that there had to be a pack leader and the way to be the pack leader was to “pin” or “alpha roll” a dog which meant forcing the dog to lay on its back while being held down. This has been proven to be misguided. In reality, this creates fear and anxiety in the dog which results in the dog freezing, fleeing, or fighting back. Behavioral study has shown that dogs (much like people) respond much better to rewards. Instead of a fear reaction to training, the dog starts to offer behaviors that you have already shown that you want. Consider the following scenarios:

The trainer shows you how to teach the dog to roll over. The dog has been taught “sit” and “down” by being jerked and/or pushed into a sit and into laying down. When the dog figures out that the trainer will be “teaching” him something, he walks slowly over to the trainer with his tail between his legs, his body lowered and his ears down. He is forced to lay down and physically rolled over.

Now consider the same scenario taught differently. The dog has been lured into sits and downs with treats and also rewarded with excited praise when he is correct. When he is not correct, the trainer turns her back, taking the treat with her. The trainer gets her treats and calls the dog to learn to roll over, the dog bounds over to her and is jumping around (not on) her. He is confused about this new trick, so he begins to sit and down and do any other tricks he knows that have resulted in praise and treats in the past.

Which scenario would you prefer?

Why Rougher Training is Used Still and Why It Shouldn’t Be

Some trainers have been in the business a very long time and haven’t kept up with changing practices. Some have been taught by the people who haven’t kept up to date. Unfortunately, those methods often work and quickly. For some, that is enough reason to continue to use them.

One of the biggest problems with the harsher methods (other than the fact that it’s harsh) is the fear and anxiety that it creates in the dog. Some dogs will cower and “take it,” but many dogs lash out at some point which means that they end up attacking someone. They are protecting themselves, but they will be blamed for the behavior created from being treated roughly.

Goals for Your Dog

Next consider what you need to accomplish. Do you want your dog to have basic manners? Do you need help with more serious issues, like your dog bit someone? Let the trainer know the whole truth about the situation. Do you want the whole family to be involved? For example, some trainers don’t want to work with a dog who bites. Some trainers only work with dogs who bite. Some trainers work with younger clients, some don’t. Does the trainer have a special focus or preference? It’s important to find a trainer that is willing to work with you and meet your needs and your dog’s needs.

Questions to ask about goals:

• Have you ever worked with a dog that _(fill in the behavior that you need to work on)_?
• Do you have any specialty areas? If yes what are they?
• Do you work with dogs that aren’t in your area of specialization?
• What is your experience in working with dogs in that/those area(s)?
• What kind of classes do they offer? Private? Group? Special classes?
• Do they work with children/whole families?

Where We Stand

Brynn’s Critters starts with the least intrusive style of training. If it can be done relatively easily on a regular collar and leash, in a positive manner why start with anything more harsh? We believe that dogs that think that training is fun will be more likely to want to work for you and with you.

Dogs also need clear messages about what is “right” and what is “wrong.” Are they on the right track? If yes, reward the progress with enthusiasm and a reward! If no, let them know. Often saying “eh-eh,” turning your back and taking the treat with you is enough to result in a new behavior. But saying “no” or “eh-eh” with the same voice that you praise with is confusing for the dog. We vary our tones to make our desires more clear.

As far as equipment, we start with regular collars and leashes and evaluate from there. Preferred equipment also includes no-pull harnesses and head collars. We take the use of harsher equipment seriously and only discuss harsher equipment rarely and only if absolutely necessary. Our goal is that you can put on a leash and walk your dog!

Remember to have fun with your pup!

Is your dog prone to running all over the house? Have you resorted to leaving her outside, because she’s crazy when you bring her in? You’re definitely not alone! Here are some ideas to try to encourage calm behavior from your dog.

First, make absolutely sure that your dog is getting enough exercise. The bare minimum is two 20-minute exercise periods a day. This does not mean that you have to walk your dog every time. While daily walks are an excellent form of exercise and can help you train your dog to calmly walk with you and obey commands, it’s a good idea to do different types of exercise to keep it fun for both of you. Some different ideas for exercise are agility courses, fetch, go to the dog park, take classes at a local dog training center or shelter, rally, fly ball, or tracking, just to name a few. (Lincoln has two public dog parks. One is just south of 1^st and Cornhusker and the other is near Holmes Lake off of 70^th St.) Mental stimulation, like that required for many of the above activities, tends to tire them out more quickly, and a tired dog is a happy dog—and a good dog.

Sometimes dogs get very excited by the simple act of being brought in the house. It’s a change of environment and allows her to be with her people again! Please avoid the temptation to leave her outside. Most dogs need their people. This is especially true in some breeds like German Shepherd Dogs and Border Collies as they were bred to work closely with people. Leaving them outside means that they don’t get the attention that they crave and can lead to fence aggression and other bad behaviors. There have also been cases where dogs have been injured, gotten out of or are even stolen from the yard. And it doesn’t solve the excited behavior that resulted in her banishment.

So what do you do? Here is a list of ways to encourage your pup to calm down:

• Avoid the temptation to chase your unruly pup if she dashes around the house; that’s fun!
•  Every time that you are about to bring the dog in the house, put a leash and collar on her before bringing her in the house. Supervise her and leave the collar and leash on until she settles down.
• Right when the dog enters the house, take her on a calm tour around the house. Do not let her drag you!
• Teach an alternate behavior, like down-stay on a mat. The mat should be in the room that you are in, and the dog should have toys to occupy her attention.
• Reward calm behavior in the house, and do so often. This can be with a simple pat, a “good dog,” or a treat.
• Provide a variety of toys to chew and toys that require thought. Even daily food can be dispensed from a food-dispensing toy.
• If your dog does something inappropriate, say “eh-eh,” and lead your dog away from the area and back to her mat and give her an appropriate toy.
• Tether your dog near her mat to encourage her to stay put. (Only tether when  you’re able to supervise 100% of the time!)
• If your dog won’t settle, consider a short game of fetch or other form of exercise outside.

Remember that training takes TLC: Time, Lots of Patience, and  Consistency. Your dog is not trying to make you angry or to spite you. She is simply being a dog and being herself. All dogs, like all children, need guidance to know how you would like them to behave. And they will make mistakes, and it will take time and repetition.