You want to have an enjoyable walk with your dog, while Sparky has other ideas. Your dog may lunge, growl, snarl, and bark or try to pull in the opposite direction. You are aware of the looks from people as they cross the street to avoid Sparky. You are told your dog is dominant or defiant. You are told to get better control. You are told you dog needs more exposure to things. Let’s face it, life with a reactive dog is stressful and embarrassing. Having lived with reactive dogs, I personally understand what my clients go through.
Reactivity is not dominance or defiance. Reactivity is often rooted in some level of emotional distress or conflict. The dog wants to increase the distance from a stressful situation. Increasing distance decreases the threat level to the dog. Alternatively, he lacks impulse control. The dog wants to get to something and becomes frustrated. When dogs are behaving in ways we call reactive, they are stressed. Stress affects the work we do. Reactivity may become aggression if we are not careful. The worst we can do is add to our dog’s stress through punishing the behaviors or forcing the dog into situations before he is ready.
When working with a reactive dog, I recommend a decompression period. If the home has a yard, I have all walks stopped as we work to help the dog become more relaxed. However, sometimes stopping walks is not possible. If you live in an apartment, condo, or townhome without a yard, your dog must be walked. As we progress with relaxation and behavior modification, we can begin careful reintroduction into the environment. Walking a reactive dog requires planning.
Make a list of things that set your dog off. Early on, I work to avoid triggers until the dog is ready for careful exposure to things. Choose places where it is easy to increase distance as needed before your dog is set off. I like areas with open lines of sight to reduce the risk of a surprise encounter with something. Look for things you can use to block visuals to help keep your dog calmer: buildings, port-a-potties, dumpsters, parked cars, large boulders, dense bushes, walls, etc. Look at various parks in your region. Yes, this may mean driving to get your dog out for a walk. I had one client with a highly reactive dog. They lived in an apartment complex. Their community backed up to a commuter rail parking lot. Behind their building was a staircase to the far back of the lot. Around the area were open places with lots of grass and the ability to move away from people or other dogs. It was easy to determine and avoid busy times so the dog could relax. Another client lived near a large church and an elementary school. They used the perimeter of the church and school for walking their reactive dog.
Avoid places like trails with limited lines of sight. It is not fun to come around a bend in a path and come face to face with something that will spook your dog. Boardwalks do not allow for the ability to move away. The more open the area, the better for you and your dog. Remember, increasing distance helps increase safety and decrease your dog’s stress.
Your reactive dog is not trying to give you a hard time. Your dog is having a hard time and needs your help. There is no magic wand or pill that will fix your reactive dog. It takes time, patience, and careful planning for things like walks. The safer your dog feels, the more you can relax and hopefully, you will eventually be able to enjoy your walks.
The amount of information about pet heath studies on social media is astounding – and scary. One I have seen referenced a lot from late 2022/early 2023 is if your feed your dog twice a day, he is more likely to die younger. Another one going around currently (early 2024) is how certain dog foods are making dogs sick. As a result, people are suddenly switching foods and causing upset stomachs with their dogs. Ironically the brand of food being blamed is one I have fed more many years without incident. When I see studies “reported” or people making claims, I questioned are things a case of correlation or actual causation.
There is a difference between correlation and causation.
CORRELATION – These are associations between variables. When one changes so does the other. However, the relationship between the variables is statistical. This does not mean one variable CAUSES the other.
CAUSATION – A change in one variable will cause a change in the other.
An increase in ice cream sales means an increase in shark attacks. Does an increase in ice cream sales mean this will make sharks attack us more? This is a CORRELATION. During the summer, people are more likely to buy ice cream. We are also more likely to swim in the ocean. Therefore, ice cream sales increasing does not cause an increase in shark attacks. Both tend to happen at the same time of year.
Back to the opening study: dogs fed twice a day are more likely to die younger. Now, correlation or causation? I say correlation and here is why.
First the dog study is based on research performed on rats in a laboratory setting. There is greater control in a laboratory setting. Second, the dog data was gathered through owner surveys. This means a greater lack of control over subjects. Finally, it has not been peer reviewed. This means the study has been reviewed by others in the field.
The average pet dog I work with is overweight to morbidly obese. The people often say the dog eats once a day. However, the dog is getting far too much food. I had one client dog that was over double a healthy weight for his breed. He was fed once a day. Obesity shortens life spans. The average dog in my experience is overfed no matter how many meals a day the dog gets.
My personal dogs are fed twice a day. I also use food in enrichment activities and reinforcements during work. Two of my dogs are a good weight while two are a little underweight. I know many dogs fed two and three times a day that are in excellent shape. So, is it the number of times a dog is fed in a day or the overall amount of food the dog gets in that day that is a concern?
Were other factors considered? Large to giant dogs tend to live shorter lives than smaller breeds. Was there anything else that could have shortened the natural life span of the dog? How many dogs were studied? The smaller the study, the less accurate it may be. There are so many questions I have about how the study was done that I have yet to find solidly answered. How is research interpreted? Last year a study came out that if you read the highlights share on social media, by training groups, and the media, the impression given was far from what the actual research discovered. Yes, I read the entire research paper.
What about the dog food making dogs sick? Is it actually the food or something else? Has a laboratory gotten involved and tested the food? Is it the food or how it is stored? I purchased a couple bags of food from a big box supply store. When I opened the first bag, it was full of bug and mold. The company went into action within 24 hours to make sure the issue was not on their end. They checked with the store. It was learned the store had the bags long past the sell by date AND the food was not properly stored. It had nothing to do with the company making the food. Another brand of off was blamed for making dogs sick. It was learned that a distributor stored pallets of bags under a leak in a warehouse roof. The bags became damp and the food went bad. However, the 2007 pet food recalls were found be contaminated with melamine. “Melamine, an industrial chemical, and its related compounds have no approved use as an ingredient in animal or human food in the United States.” (FDA.gov)
So, what is my take on this? I will always use food as a training and enrichment tool. My dogs will eat twice a day. I will work to keep my dogs at a healthier weight for their size. My dogs will keep eating the brand of food they have eaten for years (and I do add things to their kibble including home cooked things). They have never had an issue with this food.
For other research I see mentioned on social media, I will encourage people to look closer and question what they are reading.
I don’t think a week goes by where we do not hear of one scam or another. Some of the scams getting the least amount of attention target people who love animals. According to the Better Business Bureau Scam Tracker, in 2022, approximately $2,000,000 was lost in pet scams. The average financial loss per person was $850 with some losing up to $3,000.
Two of the more common scams target people looking to buy or adopt a pet. The most common animals used in the scams are smaller breeds of dog or designer crosses. In 2021, pet sales scams made up 34.5% of reported sales scams (BBB).
Bait and Switch – With this scam, you purchase a pet online, but the ordered animal does not exist. I had a client taken by one of these scams. A Midwest kennel posted Maltese puppies for sale. What arrived was a senior terrier with significant behavioral issues. A variation of this scam is the broker calls and claimed the puppy is no longer available, but would you like to get a slightly older puppy? When you agree, the dog sent is still nothing close to what you bought.
No Pet – This is another scam revolving around people looking for a pet. In this scam you find a pet for low cost or even free. All you have to do is send money for shipping. You send the shipping fee and wait. In reality, there is nothing for sale or adoption. Several friends of mine uncovered one of these scams when they found pictures of their puppies being used to build a fake sale site. Another variation is a deposit to a business that has many puppies available. Send a deposit and shipping, the balance is due when you receive the puppy. People I know in dogs have found older pictures of their dogs used on these scam sites as “examples” of what the business has available.
Next are the scams focusing on human desire to help needy animals.
Please Donate – These scams are often associated with sad stories of abused and neglected animals or ones that have suffered severe injuries. Donations are needed to help pay for expensive bills. Sadly, the pictures are often taken from other sources. One picture was of a severely injured dog. Many of us recognized the picture as being used by different people asking for help over the years. Another popular donation scam revolves around animal rights organizations or people claiming to be part of such an organization. Even if the organizations are real, the way they ask for donations is not fully honest. One uses pictures from puppy farms in other countries. Another has used pictures that are over 20 years old.
Finally, are the scams targeting people who have lost a pet or read someone has found a pet and are trying to get the critter home.
Lost/Found Pet – Some target people who have lost pets. The scammer claims to have found the pet and if the owner pays for shipping, pays the reward, etc., the pet can be returned. The stories may vary. The pet was found far away, or the person wants the reward before returning the animal. In reality, they do not have your lost pet. If money is demanded before returning the pet or the fake finder suddenly becomes hesitant when you offer to travel to pick up your pet, this is a red flag. There is an increase in “Help me get this hurt animal back to his family” posts. Someone has found a pet but the family lives far away. The finder is trying to raise funds to ship the pet home. There is no found pet.
Educate yourself about animal related scams. Take steps to make sure no one takes advantage of you or your family.
Stress manifests itself in many ways: aggressive displays, reactivity while on walks (lunging, barking, growling), shut down (often mistaken for relaxation), manic/out of control behaviors (often mistaken for trying to play or the dog not getting enough exercise), behaviors often referred to as “dominant.”
Stress impairs the ability to learn. Behavior modification programs are not as effective when dogs are stressed.
Stressed dogs are not trying to give us a hard time or dominate us. The dogs are simply trying to cope, and they do not know how to function. The expressed behaviors often lead people to resort to the use of aversive training devices such as prong or shock collars, shake cans, throw chains, etc. Though the visible behaviors may ease up for a bit, the stress is building. When happens when the stress becomes too much for the dog to manage? Think of it as a time bomb with a long timer. Instead of carefully working to diffuse it, I break the timer. The bomb is still going to blow, I just have no way of knowing when.
In reality, the dogs need to decompress, relax, and feel safer. Once dogs have a chance to spend time recovering, relaxing, and feeling safer, learning can begin.
What needs to be done and to what extent will be determined on your individual situation. I have worked with dogs that have needed several months of extreme decompression. Others simply a little tweaking to their environment.
Frost is certainly decompressed (c) West Wind Dog Training
How long should you work on decompression?
I recommend at least 4 weeks. Some dogs may need less, others may need more. If you have multiple dogs, I recommend decompressing all of them.
What should happen during decompression?
Your dog should not leave the property for anything except a veterinary appointment.
Stop the use of all aversive training methods including yelling.
Learn the subtleties of dog communication.
No visitors during decompression.
Reduce your dog’s confusion.
Manage access to other pets in the house.
All people living in the house must respect the dog’s emotions and follow protocol.
Provide a safe, quiet place in your home for your dog.
Play games that are calmer and not repetitive.
Prevent your dog from barking at windows, running along the fence and barking at things on the other side, etc.
Now let’s break these down.
Your dog should not leave the property for anything except a veterinary appointment.
If you have a fenced yard, this is easy to do. Even if the yard is small, you can meet a dog’s needs in the yard. The goal here is to avoid situations where your dog is stressed. Though you may assume your dog likes dog parks or day care, your dog may be giving stress signals. If your dog is barking and lunging at things while on walks, your dog is stressed. If you do not have a yard, then you MUST find quiet areas to walk your dog. This needs to be an area where you can avoid people, dogs, and general commotion. This will mean getting your dog to your vehicle as quickly as possible and driving.
Stop the use of all aversive training methods including yelling.
Science has repeatedly shown that methods using pain (shock, prong, choke chains), fear (showing your dog who is “Alpha”), and outdated dominance theories make the emotions causing the behaviors you see to worsen. These methods suppress the dog’s body language while increasing stress. I cannot get a dog to trust me if I am using methods that cause pain and fear. Also, the dog may associate what they see with something bad happening, therefore, the dog becomes more reactive towards things.
If your family tends to be naturally loud and yells back and forth, please stop this as well. Loud households can be stressing and aversive for many dogs.
Learn the subtleties of dog communication.
Long before a dog is vocalizing, lunging, trying to bite, your dog most likely has given many stress signals. We need to respond at the early signs of stress. The more we allow stress to build, the harder it will be for the dog to maintain and for us to work.
Some of the subtle signals to look for are:
Stiffness – either pausing briefly, a prolonged hard stare, or maintaining a stiff posture while moving.
Dog is “lined up” – You can draw a line from the head, across the back, to the tail – there are no curves in the body language.
Ears pitched forward or pinned back – in drop eared dogs look at the base of the ear.Hyper-vigilance –
Looking around nervously like a cheerleader in a slasher film.
Whale Eye – whites of eye showing sometimes with “side eye” – head turned away, but eye directed towards something.
Panting when not hot or trying to cool down.
Looking away/avoiding gaze
Moving away from something.
Leaning away from something.
Crouching down – dogs trying to make themselves look smaller, often tail tucked.
Up on toes, whole body stiffened and leaning forward, tail raised above the horizontal line.
Piloerection – Hair at the back of the neck standing up – may continue down the spine to the tail.
Vocalizing – whining, growling, barking.
Yawning when not tired.
Tongue flick/lip lick
Refusing to take food – even high value things.
No visitors during decompression
Even if the guest is someone the dog knows, the excitement of a guest before the dog is calmer and has begun to learn better greetings, can be stressing. Many guests want to enthusiastically greet a dog which can undo behaviors. If a dog is confused about greetings and gets overwhelmed, the dog is stressed.
If your dog is not comfortable with people in the house, then having guests at this point is not going to help the dog feel safe.
If you MUST have someone in the house like a repair person, then safely confine your dog well away from where the person will be working. Give the dog a food stuffed toy or a good chew to work on, turn on a radio to soft talking or soft music (or use a white noise machine), and close the door.
There can be no unannounced people coming to the door. This means if neighborhood children like to come to ask a child to play, they need to call or text, and your child meets them outside. Delivery people are a different topic. Many are not ringing doorbells or knocking when making a delivery. However, if yours do, leave a note on the door asking them not to. If you live in an area where there are door to door solicitors put up a “no soliciting” sign to hopefully reduce their numbers.
Reduce your dog’s confusion
Confusion brings out a lot of undesired behaviors. Not because the dog wants to give you a hard time, rather the dog is having a hard time and does not know what to do. Be clear and concise with your expectations.
Being predictable can help. Pattern Games are based on ones created by Leslie McDevitt in Control Unleashed. There are many pattern games that can help build routine and predictability. A few pattern games you can do are:
Counting
First make sure your dog associates the word “treat” with food coming. Take 10 – 15 high value treats (small pieces) and say the word “treat” in a happy but calm tone. Give a treat after the word. Repeat until all treats are done. Take a break and repeat. Do this several times. Now start counting. You will count out loud and say “treat”, give the dog a treat.
One – treat (repeat 5 times) One, Two – Treat (repeat five times) One, Two, Three – Treat (repeat five times)
Now go back to One – Treat.
Look Down – Look Up
With your dog in front of you, place a treat on the ground. When your dog looks back up at you, repeat.
Back and Forth
Start with your dog in front of you. Toss or roll a treat to your right. Not far. Just a few inches to start. When your dog gets the treat and looks back at you, roll a treat a few inches to your left. The act of looking at you gets the next treat rolled.
Scatter
Take a handful of treats, kibble, etc., say the word “scatter” and scatter the food for your dog to pick up.
Give Me A Break
Take a chair you can easily move. Walk a few feet away and place a treat on the ground.
While the dog is eating the treat, go back to the chair and sit.
When the dog comes to you, walk a few feet away and put down another treat.
Repeat the process.
After a bit, remove the chair and begin standing in the spot. Repeat the process but now you are standing.
Manage access to other pets in the house
The more you learn about the subtleties of body language the more you may see how other pets add to the stress. Decompression protocols may include strict separation and no visuals between your pets for a few weeks and gradual reintroduction following a careful protocol.
Depending on your individual home, you may have to get creative with rotating dogs between rooms. Using things like baby gates, privacy screens, closed doors, make sure all visuals are avoided. Rotate walks and playing in the yard. Do not allow dogs to be close to each other’s crates or areas used to separate dogs.
All people in the house must respect the dog’s emotions and follow protocol
It does not take much to increase the stress level in some dogs. Whatever protocols you have put in place are there for a reason. If your family refuses to follow the plan, this will not help the dog. Sometimes it is hard to get the family doing what needs to be done, but it is not an option. When guests are able to visit, the same goes for them. Do not give into the assumption that “Just this once” will be OK.
Observe your dog’s body language when interacting with family members. The moment you observe low level stress signals, you must intervene.
Provide a safe, quiet place in your home
Dogs are not den animals as humans define den animals. Even wild dogs rarely use dens. The difference between a crate and a den is a dog can leave a den at will. A crate can be a scary trap for dogs who are not comfortable in one. I like all my personal dogs to feel safe and calm in a crate. I have had my dogs go into their home crates on their own to hang out and rest. They use crates at dog events and in hotels. It is important they feel safe and are not annoyed by people or other animals when crated.
In you home, a crate in a quiet area, a back room, or even a portable exercise pen set up in an out of the way location of the house will all work. The rule of this safe place is when the dog is there, no one is allowed to bother the dog.
Play games that are calmer and not repetitive
Before I continue, repetitive games are not the same as pattern games. Pattern games are part of a behavior modification process. I am talking about high arousal games like fetch. Fetch is repetitive and can lead to over-arousal in dogs. Dogs that are over-aroused my look like they are having fun when in reality they are not. Some ball-obsessed dogs become so focused on the game they forget everything else. They will play until they are either exhausted or injure themselves. Some dogs will ignore injuries. Many people like using flashlight beams or pet-lasers for their dogs to get chasing. These are frustrating as the dog never gets the end – the catch.
Activities where a dog gets to walk, and sniff can help with decompression. An easy activity is sniffing. This can be done in different ways. The easiest one is hiding kibble for your dog to find. In the beginning when your dog is staying on your property, place things in your yard that your dog can go sniff. Do not use essential oils as many can be toxic to dogs or very strong for their sensitive noses. You can put drops of vanilla extract in your yard. Hide freeze dried foods in places. My dogs love various freeze-dried meats: salmon, shrimp, minnows (often sold as cat treats), liver, and chicken. If you make yourself a tuna sandwich, save some of the juice. Place some drops in your yard. You can even get odors use to train tracking and hunting dogs
When you are able to leave your yard or if you live in an apartment or condo with no yard at all, take your dog to a very quiet location away from people and other dogs, put your dog in a 15 – 20-foot leash and allow your dog to range around and sniff. Do not use a retracting leash for this. These leashes are not as safe and remain taught. The feeling of a constantly tight leash is not relaxing.
Avoid food releasing toys that are frustrating. Opt for toys that are easier to manipulate. West Paw Toppl toys are one of the easiest toys. Put kibble or other treats in the cup, cover with canned food and freeze over night. Dogs spend time working through the frozen top and get to the loose kibble. You can make this toy easier by not freezing. There are various bones you can stuff with wet food, treats, and other things.
Prevent your dog from barking at windows, running along the fence and barking at things on the other side, etc.
This will mean things careful monitoring of your dog when outside, “white noise” machines, covering windows with opaque film or curtains, etc. If your dog is stressed about things outside, decompression inside will be harder.
Final Thoughts
When it is decided your dog is ready for reintroduction into the world, remember this needs to be done slowly. Start with out of the way areas with few to no people around. Allow your dog to sniff and poke about, do some of the pattern games, work on making being in the world positive. Do not fall back into old habits. If you fail to keep recognizing the need for the ability to relax, you may end up finding yourself and your dog back where you started with a stressed dog.
This may be reproduced or shared with credit to Karen Peak, West Wind Dog Training. www.WestWindDogTraining.com
“Harnesses teach dogs to pull! Do not use them!” This argument is made because sled dogs wear harnesses while they pull.
“Harnesses teach dogs not to pull. You need to use them if your dog pulls!” The argument is harnesses change the physics of a pull therefore training dogs not to pull.
First, why do dogs pull? Three main things I see with client dogs are the dogs:
Want to go some place. I pull, human follows, I get there.
Want some thing to go away. I bark and lunge at some thing I do not like and it goes away.
Confusion. The dogs have no idea what to do and bounce all over. This may be caused by different things the human did or did not do.
Dogs that pull on walks are frustrating for humans. Frustration leads people to seek devices to stop the behavior: choke chains, prong collars, and shock collars are commonly suggested by people who do not understand the science behind training. These tools all work with various levels discomfort to pain. This can lead to other behavioral issues down the road. Dogs may stop pulling but if they always have an annoying to painful response from us when they see something, there is a good chance the dog will associate the thing they see with what happens. Though they may stop pulling, stress builds and aggressive responses (to drive the thing away) may occur.
A friend of mine who is a trainer and who has adopted many difficult dogs shared this story with me. She lived across the street from a large field where many would walk their dogs. A gentleman in her neighborhood used a prong collar to stop his dog from pulling. The dog was a large German Shepherd Dog. The dog would try to pull towards another dog and he would pop the leash. My friend saw this happen many, many times. She offered to teach the man (for free) different methods because she knew what the fallout could be. He refused. Eventually the dog stopped pulling. This is where people assume the prong (or choke or shock collar) works. He stopped using it and put the dog on a buckle collar. My friend was out and the person told her he taught the dog to stop pulling just fine with the prong collar. At that moment, the dog saw another dog. He leaned forward then flinched back waiting for pain. When did not happen, the dog lunged hard and violently attacked the other dog. The Shepherd had nothing painful to stop him and was associating other dogs with pain. Now there was nothing to stop him from attacking. Here is a wonderful blog from Eileen Anderson on this topic. Why “Red Zone Dogs’ Need Positive Reinforcement.
Prong, shock, and choke collars MAY temporarily stop pulling but do not teach better manners. There is a difference. We can stop behaviors all we want but are we truly teaching better ways? Are we addressing the emotions behind the pulling? No.
Head halters are often recommended as a more humane way to teach a dog not to pull. Head halters can be stressing for some dogs. They can cause irritation to the area near the eyes. If a dog lunges or the human pulls the head halter, neck damage can occur. Many dogs learn to pull while wearing a head halter. Head halters require acclimation to the device or they can become negative for dogs. I have watched too many people put one on a dog and then try to walk. The dog starts to pull back, paw at his face, roll, and try to get it off. Eventually the dog may stop fighting and shut down. Is this really acclimating or has the dog given up? I have watched dogs lunge against head halters. Then the head comes to a sudden stop and the body whips around. This may injure the dog. I have worked with dog that learned to pull against them because the people did not teach good walking. The people hoped the head halter would stop the pulling. Short term the device worked (I should put that it quotes, “worked” because it was an illusion) until the dog figured out how to pull to get at things.
Even regular collars cause neck damage and affect breathing when pulled against. These risks lead to the recommendation of harnesses. However, are harnesses miracle fixes for your pulling dog? The short answer is “No.” BUT I still like harnesses for dogs that pull. Why? Because I know how to teach a dog to stop pulling while wearing one and my job is to teach humans. Then humans need to do the work.
There are so many different kinds of harness on the market, how should you choose?
Choose a harness with a Y shaped front and two points of connection: front and back.
A harness should not ride under the front legs in the “arm pits.” Freedom of movement is important. Many no pull harnesses only have a front clip and ride under the front legs.
Some of the harnesses I recommend are Balance, Freedom, Kurgo, Roughwear, and Rabbitgoo. They all have front and back clips and openings that allow for normal movement.
A front clip harness may help change the dynamics of a pull but will not teach a dog not to pull. I have had many client dogs learn to pull against front clip harnesses after a short time of seemingly good walking.
Back clip harnesses do nothing to stop pulling. However, contrary to popular graphics going around, they do NOT TEACH PULLING. The picture going with the graphic is of huskies. I used to skijor with one of my dogs. He wore a sledding harness. This dog also used to pull a cart. I have a weight pull harness and would like to try to get into the sport. I have friends who are trainers who do sports like cani-cross and urban mushing.
Since painful training methods are to be avoided and harnesses are no magic leash walking fix, what can you do? You need to learn how to teach leash manners in humane ways that teach a dog staying close to the human will lead to great things.
I begin with meeting the dog’s needs without walking. What I teach a client to do to meet the dog’s needs depends on the environment. We do not even walk at this point. I teach the dog staying with me will bring good things. You can do this with a harness – even with large or leash reactive dogs.
I address the environment and teach keeping dogs below threshold. When the dog does not feel the need to pull, I can begin teaching better manners. Then as the dog is ready, we can begin working around gradually increasing distractions.
Once you know how to increase the value in staying with you and how to set up for training success, you can teach a dog to walk nicely without painful tools. Look, if I can teach a 140 lb Cane Corso who was very leash reactive how to walk in a neighborhood and use a harness, anyone can learn to teach this.
Why do more people advise against harnesses? Simple, they see out of control dogs on them and assume the harnesses are teaching the behaviors. No. What is teaching the behaviors is the human’s lack of work and the dog having various natural reinforcers in the environment. How many times do we watch people allowing dogs to pull them over to a good sniff or to greet someone? What does the dog learn? I pull and I get to see what I want. Pulling is rewarded by getting to the thing the dog wants. If a dog is fearful and leash reactive, lunging and barking often gets scary things to go away. Therefore the behavior is reinforced when the scary goes away. It is not the harness that is bad. The harness is only
Learn how to teach good walking manners. Teach desired manners from the beginning and do not let pulling become a habit. Teach that NOT pulling is what will get a dog able to go check something out. Teach waiting for a cue before the dog gets to go see something.
Many families bring home dog at the end of the school year. They want to take the summer to spend time with the new pet. However, within a couple short months, the school year is back in full swing. Then what? Have you considered what impact your children returning to school will have? What if you are a teacher and will be going back to the classroom? Remember, changes in a dog’s life and environment can result is behavioral regressions.
What are some things you can do to help your pets adjust when school is back in session?
Decide what routine changes will happen.
Who will be out of the house during the day?
Does a return to school mean adults will return to work?
How long will your dog be home alone during the day?
Will your wake-up times be earlier?
Will your pet’s mealtimes change?
If children were the main source of exercise and interaction for the pet, who will take over?
Once you have figured out the changes to your pet’s life, begin schedule changes a couple weeks or longer before school begins. Gradual change is easier for most pets to handle than a sudden shift.
If your pet cannot have free-range of your home, teach her to be comfortable in a safer space. I teach this separately from my leaving whenever possible. I want my dogs to be comfortable confined even when I am home. I do not want them to associate crating only with my leaving. Multiple times a day, practice leaving and returning. At first keep your time away from your pet very short – just a few moments as you close the door, walk a few feet away and return. Gradually extend the duration and sometimes leave for only a few minutes. Enrichment toys, such as those you can put part of their daily food ration in, can help alleviate boredom. Meeting your pet’s morning exercise needs before you leave home is important. When you leave, keep things drama-free and low key. Fussing over your pet as you try to reassure her you will be back or screaming at your children to hurry up does nothing to make your leaving calmer.
If your children were the main source of activity for your dog, what happens when they return to school? If you will be at home, take the time to meet the dog’s needs. If you will be returning to work, adjust your morning routine to meet the dogs needs before you leave the house. Food releasing toys will help meet some physical and mental needs; however, they are not a replacement for human-led activity. If this is not enough, hire a carefully chosen dog walker. If your yard is fenced, the dog walker does not have to walk your dog. A good play session in the yard is fine.
It may be tempting to leave your dog outside during the day or install a doggie door so she can go in and out as she pleases. Leaving a dog outside when no one is home to supervise can lead to problems. Dogs may become nuisance barkers or escape artists. They are at greater risk of theft. One woman I used to train with had indoor/outdoor runs that were covered and double fenced. Her neighbor was terrified of her German Shepherd Dogs and one day tossed a lye stuffed bone into the runs.
Please do not walk your dog to school or the bus stop with your children. Many schools do not allow dogs that are not service animals or on the property for a program on site. It is a liability. I have watched multiple, visibly stressed dogs lunge and snap at children. The same at a bus stops. Also, not all children are comfortable with dogs nearby. After you drop the children off, go home and do something with your pet.
Back to school does not have to be overly stressing for your pet if you are willing to help your pet through the adjustment. If you have any questions, please reach out to a positively-based trainer to help.
This is a longer version of a piece written for Inside NoVA news.
If you ask one hundred different people what the best chew for a dog is, you will get two hundred different answers. What is OK for my dogs may not be for yours and vice versa. There are things my dogs can have when unsupervised (when I am not home). Some chews they can only have when supervised. Others we do not allow at all. It is possible to write volumes on the topic of dog chews. I am going to give you a brief look at some of the more popular chews on the market.
RAWHIDE: Rawhide is a byproduct of the leather industry. It is one of the more controversial chews. Rawhide, especially foreign made, may be produced using harsh chemicals. Therefore, purchase only US made rawhide to reduce that risk. Chews made of stuck together pieces (looks like particle board) break easily and can be swallowed in chunks. If you use rawhide, look for heavy, compressed bones properly sized for your dog. If in doubt of sizing, go larger. Rolled rawhide should be tightly rolled and from a thicker piece of hide. Avoid thinner rawhide and flat pieces, they tear and mush up easier making it easier to ingest. Throw rawhide chews away before they become small enough to swallow and potentially choke. Do not give rawhide chews unless you are able to watch your dog. Some dogs chew aggressively and can quickly wear these chews down to an unsafe size. Others try to gulp them quickly.
NATURAL BONES: Some dogs can chew natural bones with no problem while others break teeth, splinter the bones, ingest shards, etc. Not all bones are the same. Smoked and baked bones tend to be brittle. Bones that are too small pose an ingestion risk. Bones with holes too large can get stuck over a dog’s jaw. Some species bones may break easier than others even if from the same body part (think shank bones from cattle vs pigs). Many people recommend raw bones, but bacteria may be a concern for some owners.
HOOVES, HORNS, ANTLERS: Like natural bones, some dogs are fine with them while others are not. If you choose to use antlers or horns avoid ones that taper to a point (even a blunt point). Hooves can easily be bitten into shards. If you decide to try these, choose thicker, heavier items, watch for tooth damage and cracking of the chews.
OTHER BODY PARTS: Bully sticks, ears, snoots, dried muscle, dried tendons, trachea, etc., are popular chews. Some are softer and easier to chew, or rip apart, like pig ears. Others are dried and may crunch, like lungs. Others are harder like dried tendon. Some dogs are fine with these chews while others gulp down chunks or snap into shards. Hooves are smaller and could be swallowed by larger dogs.
RUBBER AND NYLON BONES: Often sold as ideal for hard chewing dogs, some dogs can chew chunks off the rubber bones or crack nylon ones. The nylon chews can develop sharp ends over time. Avoid bones with openings that could trap your dog’s jaw such as figure 8 shapes. Dogs can crack teeth on nylon bones. Some rubber bones have openings for inserting different treats for dogs to work out, which many dogs love.
OTHERS: These chews can include dried cheese, wood pulp or starch-based bones, “edibles,” etc. Some of these chews can last a long time while others can be eaten fast. Some break into large chunks dogs may swallow.
ROPE: Rope chew toys can cause a lot of damage if eaten. Many dogs can untie the knots or shred the bones. This can lead to serious intestinal damage. Save them for playing fetch or tug.
Spend time looking at different chew options and the observe your dog in action. There is no 100% safe chew no matter what anyone says. You need to learn what is safer for your individual dog.
What do I use with my dogs? My preference is toys I can stuff with food and freeze. Currently my four dogs are what I would call moderate chewers at the most. I have had dogs who were aggressive chewers and would snap natural bones, destroy even large, hard pressed rawhide, crunch hooves, etc. These dogs did best with food stuffed toys I would freeze. My current four beasts are good with Himalayan Yak chews and bully sticks (I watch the size and they only get them when I can observe). They love Toppl toys I layer with various things and top with canned pumpkin or wet dog food then freeze. There are various other toys I do this with as well.
Toys stuffed with kibble, squirt cheese, dried fish and jerky – property of West Wind Dog Training
Toppl with kibble, dried fish, and canned pumpkin. – Property West Wind Dog Training
Nylabone Durachews I stuff with various things then freeze. Property West Wind Dog Training
Jumping is often an attention getting behavior or dogs learn this is what they must do to get attention from us. When your dog jumps on people, attention happens. Other times dogs may learn they can create a game of irritating you by jumping. Sometimes we teach dogs in order to get a treat or other reinforcer, they have to jump then sit. Jumping is one of the top canine complaints I get from clients.
The best way to stop jumping is to teach a better way to get attention or to greet – the dog gets attention for the better behavior. Even better is to teach an acceptable attention getting behavior from the start – SIT! SIT GETS ME WHAT I WANT! PLEASE NOTE – if I have a lower confidence dog, one who is older, one who may have aches and pains, obese, etc., I will have them stand with all feet on the floor – it is saner for them). So how to I do this?
Instead of waiting for you dog to jump, get proactive. When your dogs comes to you, ask for a sit (or at least reinforce when all four feet are on the floor) before a jump happens. What we are doing is showing your dog that putting feet on humans gets no attention. Feet off humans and butt on the floor (or at very least all four feet on the floor) will get him attention, food, play, etc. If your dog keeps jumping on you and harassing you as you try to walk away, step over a baby gate, go through a door and close it behind you, remove yourself from the dog’s presence. Give three to five seconds, return, and try again..
Now, let’s look at a behavior chain: dog comes up, jumps on a human, then immediately sits. The dog is often doing what in his mind he has been taught to do to get a treat or pat. This can happen if we treat fast after a jump and a sit. This is something common I see with client dogs especially when humans were told after the dog jumps, tell him to sit, then praise/treat. If your dog does not sit or keep four feet on the floor, he gets NOTHING. You are not ignoring the behavior, you are not giving him something for an undesired behavior.
Imagine a bubble around you. As your dog crosses into your bubble, you will tell him to sit before he gets to you – before he gets that jump started. This is important to get in the habit since we did not call your dog; pup was approaching to see you. Your dog still needs to give us the same behaviors whether he was coming to us on his own or because we called. If you have trouble imagining that bubble in the beginning, stand inside the center of a hula hoop and use that as your perimeter.
This is the goal: a dog who comes to us and sits (or at least stands with four feet on the floor) waiting for the next direction or attention.
For greeting other people, I put greeting and not greeting on cue. This helps alleviate confusion. If my dog shows me it is OK to greet someone through their body language and the person wants to greet my dog, I set parameters:
1 – walk nicely up to the person
2 – keep four feet on the floor
3 – greeting is kept short and calm to reduce the risk of the dog getting too excited and beginning to mouth or jump 4 – if at any point I start walking towards the person, my dog starts to pull, lunge, bark, etc., I walk my dog away and the person is asked to turn around. IF my dog does not follow, have the helper walk away only. I do not want to drag my dog.
BE PROACTIVE! It is OK to tell people the rules of greeting your dog and what to do if your dog starts to give undesired behaviors. I do not care if a dog is a tiny Chihuahua or a giant Great Dane, dogs need to be taught good and safer greeting. If your dog’s body language indicates they do not want to greet then
(I will be doing a future piece on what to look for and ask about with a rescue.)
The choice of where to obtain a dog is personal. I recommend only two places: a carefully researched breeder and a carefully researched rescue. If you choose the breeder route, it is important to know what to look for in a breeder. You may be thinking “But I only want a pet. Why should I care about all of what you are going to say?” Well, you deserve a chance to get the best for your home. Not all breeders are the same. Even people breeding for show will have dogs that are not going to fit the breed standard. These will go as pets to carefully chosen homes. So, what should you look for in a breeder?
AKC/UKC Grand Champion Celtic Cross Into Darkness, DCAT, FDC, CGCA, SPOT
Knowledge of breed history and predispositions
Breeds were developed for different jobs. Even breeds we consider companion only breeds may have working histories. Yorkshire Terriers are a great example of a breed considered only for pets having a working background. Though often thought of as show dogs and pets, Yorkies were originally vermin hunters. Standard Poodles are not fluffy show dogs. They are one of the early gun dog breeds. Many are still used as retrievers in the field today. I am always wary of anyone breeding dogs who say their dogs are perfect pets for any situation. A good breeder will tell you the pros and cons of their breed so you can make an educated decision.
A good breeder will know where their dogs fall within expected traits based on breed. I know a woman who breeds working Shetland Sheepdogs. Her dogs are all around farm dogs. They work a variety of livestock. She is not a breeder I would send someone to if they were looking for a pet and a Sheltie they can dabble in Agility or Rally with. Her dogs would be too much for the average pet owner. However, she is someone I send people to if they are looking for a working farm dog or serious herding competitor.
Good breeders will know that not all dogs will fit the predicted standard. A good breeder breeds for correct type and temperament within the breed to the best of their ability.
Knowledge of the standard
A good breeder knows the standard and will not intentionally breed for colors outside that standard. In the United States we have two main all breed registries: The American Kennel Club and the United Kennel Club. Many breeders also register their dogs with the Canadian Kennel Club (do not confuse with the Continental Kennel Club – if you see CKC, you must ask Canadian or Continental). Though each registry may have some differences in standards (such as how much white on Shetland Sheepdogs or allowing multicolored poodles to be shown or not) a good breeder breeds for dogs within standard of the main registries in their country. It is your job to know the bogus registries that were developed to give fake credibility to less than ethical breeders.
Good breeders understand that sometimes off colors show up due to the genetics of dogs that went into breed development such as brindle points or black and tan Labs, they will not intentionally breed for these off colors. They will also know that some color genetics do not exist in their breeds. Blue merle is not a color pattern found in Poodles, Schnauzers, French Bulldogs, American Pit Bull Terriers, and other breeds. Silver Labs are not purebred labs. The genetics that create that color came from Weimeraners.
Avoid breeders using catch phrases such as rare colors, teacup, mini, micro, giant, etc. No good breeder breeds for trends or fads.
found online – open range goldens – not sure of original source
Researching lines before breeding
A good breeder researches. A careful breeding is more than just grabbing two purebred dogs or two dogs you think will make cute puppies and putting them together. A good breeder will check out everything from health testing and screenings, to temperament, to what has been produced by dog they are looking at breeding and the dogs to which they are breeding.
Proving their dogs are good breed representatives and breeding to good breed representatives
Proving a dog is a good breed representative ideally involves showing their dogs not only fit the standard but have brains. This means showing in conformation shows and some form of event where dogs can show their skills. Just because someone says their dogs are good, does not mean the dogs truly are. Conformation showing is where dogs compete against others of their own breed at the beginning levels. The dog who eventually takes best of breed is the dog who closest fits the breed standard at that point. Then dogs go on to the group level and the best in each group goes to the best in show ring. Dog shows were originally to help highlight breeding stock.
Breeders will also get some form of other titles on their dogs such as obedience, rally, agility, coursing, barn hunt, herding, drafting, dock diving, or one of the many sports open to dogs. Even one of the evaluations such as the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen (CGC) or the United Kennel Club’s version Socialized Pet Obedience Test (SPOT) shows the breeder is doing something outside the conformation end of competitions. In the American Kennel Club, conformation titles are before the name while other sport titles are at the end. In the UKC, all titles except SPOT are before the name. Look what dogs produced by the breeder are doing too.
Chesapeake Cardigan Welsh Corgi Club
If a breeder is doing absolutely nothing with their dogs, this is a breeder I would avoid.
Health Testing
Every dog, purebred or not, runs the risk of inherited issues. Some have definitive tests (genetic) while others have screenings because there is no genetic test at this moment. A good breeder will test for various health concerns. There is no such thing as true hybrid vigor in crossbred dogs. Domestic dogs are all the same species. Poodle crosses are very popular at this point (Labradoodles, Goldendoodles, Bernadoodles, etc.) and they can have a host of inherited issues for which there is testing and screening. Anyone saying their dogs have no health issues or are healthier because they are X and therefore, they do not need to test is a breeder to avoid. Along this thread is the “Well I am only breeding for pets, so I do not have to test” lie. Some medical concerns that can be tested for can be very costly to manage or treat for the pet owner.
Early Socializing
Every year a new catch phrase for puppy raising and evaluating comes out. Just as not enough early social experiences are bad, too much too fast can be just as detrimental. Puppies should be handled, exposed to new surfaces, given the chance to explore different things in the home and yard, hear and see different things, etc. This includes new people. Breeders saying puppies need to suck things up and deal with life may not understand how fears work. Forcing things on puppies may make them fearful of it later. Breeders who refuse to expose puppies to things increase the risk of fears developing. Puppies must have early socializing. Body handling, having different surfaces to explore, sounds, sights, new people, etc., can all be done safely at the home. As puppies grow, simple things like going for car rides, learning to be crated alone, etc., can all increase the chance of puppies better able to handle new homes. Puppy raising programs are a great guide depending on how well the developer knows behavior and how well the breeder implements the program. You want to look for someone who knows the importance of early work with puppies and is carefully doing it.
A couple red flags: (1) Puppies sent to homes before 8 – 9 weeks of age. Many states have laws saying not before 7 weeks. Puppies sent home too young increases the risk of behavior concerns. The first 16 weeks (give or take) is important for development. Some breeders hold puppies longer as they grow them out and evaluate them for working and show potential or toy breed puppies due to the risk of hypoglycemia. This is fine if they are doing the work during these weeks to help prepare a puppy for possible new home. People placing puppies at five and six weeks of age do not understand development. (2) Breeders who do nothing for handling the first weeks stating that the mother will reject or kill them if people handle puppies before their eyes and ears are open. Puppies begin learning from the moment they are born. Early handling is important.
Remains a resource
Good breeders stay a resource for the life of the dog. Though they may not be up on behavior and training, nor are they veterinarians (unless the breeder happens to be a vet as well or a good trainer or behaviorist), a good breeder has an interest in the entire life of a puppy they place. Also, they will contract to have the dog returned at any point if anything happens.
This week, I was presented with several stories of dogs biting and evening seriously mauling people “without warning.” There is always warning. There is always a build-up to a bite. There is always something. We just may not see it coming. We may see the later signs and respond in ways that cause a dog to learn to stop giving warning – but we are not addressing the stress. No matter what is reported, however, there is ALWAYS warning. Or at least there was before we stopped the warning.
Humans tend to respond when a dog is growling or snapping. Long before, the dog was probably giving subtler signals he is getting anxious or upset about a situation.
First, familiarize yourself with the Canine Ladder of Aggression.
I was working with two lovely dogs. They were older and now in a home with a lot of stressing situations. Mom reported that one dog was snapping at the children and there was little warning. I observed the dog and the child. As I suspected, the mother was allowing the children to do things that dogs do not like (hugs, hard pats on the head, leaning on their backs, running up to their faces, taking things, jumping over them while sleeping, running around the dogs while they were eating). I sat down and observed the humans interacting with both dogs. Oh there was warning, the dog who was reported to be the snapper-without-warning was actually giving a lot of signals he was upset. His tolerance level was outstanding from my perspective. The other dog was also giving signals she was upset. She just had not snapped yet. Mom did not see any of thesignals because she had no idea what the early signs were. These signals are often fast and missed. They include:
Lip licking
Eyes wide (white of eye showing)
Stiffened face
Looking away
Leaning back or away
Pausing (can be fast)
Pausing and lifting a paw
Ears back
Forehead smooth and face looking tight (not relaxed)
Pacing
Glancing around rapidly with little body movement or looking like a cheerleader in a horror movie
Freezing/body stiffening/not moving
Lowering front end to the ground but tail not happily wagging, no play yips or other indication of desire to play (this may be mistaken as a play bow).
All these are early signs a dog is not happy with a situation. We have to respond at these early ones. If we fail to appropriately respond, the dogs may escalate to growls, snarls, snaps and bites. Sadly humans often respond to these actions by punishing the dog. Now what?
Poor dog learns humans are scary and to suppress the signals. Now what? We have a situation with a dog who is even more afraid of us. They learn to stop the outward signals. They start with the ones humans often recognize first (backing away, growling and snapping). These are often the LAST stress signs a dog shows. So the dog has learned that stress signs are bad. He stops. Owner deems dog is fixed but there has been no addressing of the underlying emotional state. Now what?
We have created a worse situation and a lot more work to try and rehabilitate the dog. Should the dog bite again, bite seriously, etc, the dog may pay with his life because of a behavior that could have been prevented with human education and management.
I ask that you please check the following resources for pictures and video of various dog body language.
West Wind Dog Training 
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