Evidenced Based Medicine

 Ever hear the saying “you are what you eat?” It is a very simple statement with a lot of truth behind it. It applies, not only to your pet’s physical well-being, but to its mental health as well. The pet food industry is an extremely competitive market. It is estimated that Americans spend 17.4 BILLION dollars a year on pet food. With this amount of money being spent, it’s no wonder why companies are trying desperately to convince you that their product is the best. Some of the claims out there are true, some are outright false, and some are purposely meant to deceive you. I will do my best to clear things up.

First, lets start with a little background. Definitions and statistics can be a bit boring, so please bear with me. I’d like to talk about the quality of information (see page 2 of the link) that we come across (that we are bombarded with would actually be more accurate). Lets start at the bottom, Category 4. Category 4 information is the weakest category. It includes research from other species, pathophysiological rationales such as basing decisions on basic scientific information without experiments to prove its validity, and research performed in a non-live animal model like test tubes and cultures in a laboratory setting. Also included in this category are the opinions of others, such as friends, relatives, people who have “had dogs that lived to be 30 years old and ate table food all their lives,” and the 18 year old kid that works at your local pet store. Just because you hear something from someone you like, love, or trust, does not make that information accurate.

The next category would be Category 3. This category includes case reports (detailed report of the symptoms, signs, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of an individual patient), case series (medical research that tracks patients with a known exposure that are given similar treatments and the outcomes are examined), and models of disease (comparing a disease in humans to the same or similar disease in animals).  This is where a significant amount of veterinary evidence comes from.

Category 2 information includes epidemiological studies like cohort (an analysis of risk factors), cross-sectional and case control studies. These are studies of groups of people and they analyze how they respond to various changes.

Category 1 is the best, and the strongest form of evidence we can gather, the double blind study. A double blind study is an experiment that tests a hypothesis. The person who collects the information has no idea which subject received which treatment, and neither do the test subjects.

So, what does all this boring stuff mean? Let me give you an example, say a food company tells you that their food is the best because it is as close to a wolves diet that can be replicated. Their platform is that dogs are descended from wolves, and we believe them. By the way, dogs were domesticated of 15,000-50,000 years ago, and medical knowledge doubles at a rate of every 8 years, A LOT has changed over those 15,000-50,000 years . This is category 4 evidence. This is opinion based and it is based on another species.

Okay, say you read an article in Dog Fancy that says food X is what you need to feed because it made a certain number of dogs have a shiny coat. This is Category 3 based evidence, a case history.  Remember, this is where most of our information in veterinary medicine comes from.

Now, say you come across an article that says an experiment was done on 500 dogs and they were all fed the same diet over the past 4 years. Over that time span, a certain percentage of them developed disease X while eating this food. This is Category 2 evidence and there is a much stronger link of cause to effect than in Categories 3 and 4.

Category 1, the double blind study, is the gold standard, but is expensive to perform and therefore is not always accomplished. An example would be if you were to take 100 dogs with dental disease and feed half of them diet X and the other half diet Y over a period of one year. Obviously the dogs will not know which food they are eating, but neither do the people who are judging tartar reduction or build up. There is no bias or opinion in this, just fact. Is there more or less tartar than when we started and which food was better? Hopefully this would carry more weight than a cleverly put together TV commercial with lots of fancy words like “holistic” or “all natural.”

Helpful Definitions

 Carnivore – An animal subsisting primarily on animal tissue.

Herbivore – An animal subsisting primarily on plant tissue

Omnivore – An animal subsisting on both animal and plant tissue.

Dogs are omnivores, but cats are true carnivores. Cats do not need ANY carbohydrates in their diets. Most dry foods out there are between 30-50% carbohydrates. No cat should ever be fed dry food.

Organic – Grown with only animal or vegetable fertilizers, such as manure, bone meal, compost, etc. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) rules, the term “organic” may only be applied to pet food labels that meet regulations.

Natural – 1) of or arising from nature; in accordance with what is found or expected in nature. 2) Produced or existing in nature; not artificial or manufactured. According to the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), the term “natural” requires a pet food to consist of only natural ingredients without chemicals.

Holistic – There is no legal definition of this term under laws devoted to pet foods. Any manufacturer can make claims of “holistic” in literature and brochures regardless of ingredients chosen.

MYTH – Natural means organic. The terms are not interchangeable. Other truthful claims, such as free-range, hormone-free, and natural, can still appear on food labels. However, do not confuse these terms with “organic.” Only food labeled “organic products” has been certified as organic in accordance with USDA and AAFCO regulations.

Under the new regulations, four categories were created for the term “organic”:

• 100 Percent Organic – May carry the new USDA Organic Seal.
• Organic – At least 95% of the content is organic by weight (excluding salt and water) and may carry the new USDA Organic Seal.
• Made with Organic – At least 70% of the content is organic and the front product panel may display the phrase “Made with Organic” followed by up to three specific ingredients. This product cannot carry the USDA Organic Seal.
• Category 4 – Less than 70% of the content is organic and may list only those ingredients that are organic on the ingredient panel with no mention of organic on the main panel. This product cannot carry the USDA Organic Seal.

By-Products – Secondary products produced in addition to the principle product.

MYTH – Pet foods containing ingredients listed as by-products are inferior.

By-products are common ingredients in both human and pet food. A by-product is simply something produced in the making of something else. Common examples include:

• Vitamin E – A by-product of soybean processing.
• Vegetable Oils – Flaxseed oil, corn oil, and soy oil are all by-products extracted from the seeds that are processed for consumption purposes. Fish oil is also a by-product.
• Chicken Fat – A by-product of the chicken industry.
• Mixed Tocopherols – These are a by-product of the soybean industry and are used as natural preservatives of food.
• Pork, Beef, and Chicken Livers
• Beet Pulp
• Tomato Pomace
• Jell-O
• Beef and Chicken Bouillon

Preservatives – Having the quality of preserving, e.g. a substance added to a food to keep it from spoiling.

• Natural preservatives include tocopherols (Vitamin E), spice extracts, and citric acid
• Antioxidant preservatives function to stabilize fats and fat-soluble vitamins against oxidation, which leads to rancidity and loss of nutritional value.
• BHA and BHT are examples of synthetic antioxidant preservatives. Many human foods, such as bread, cheese, margarine, potato chips, meat, and frozen and dried fruits contain BHA and BHT.

Pet Food Labels

 Pet food labels can be very “misleading.” I put misleading in quotes because of the way companies market their ingredients. They are intentionally deceptive in their marketing. I will get to how the deception occurs, but for now, lets talk about the government’s role in the pet food label. The government regulates information on the label, therefore there are things that can and cannot be on the label. These regulations have absolutely NOTHING to do with advertisements and marketing campaigns.

The first thing you need to look for is the AAFCO statement. AAFCO is the Association of American Feed Control Officials and is a voluntary membership association of local, state, and federal agencies that regulate the sale and distribution of animal foods and drugs. They define the ingredients and the nutritional requirements for pet foods. While this may seem like a good thing, and for the most part it is, their nutritional guidelines have not changed since 1985 when the organization was first founded. Medical knowledge doubles at a rate of every 8 years. It’s time for an upgrade. Every container of pet food will have an AAFCO statement and the wording is strictly regulated. Foods are formulated to meet AAFCO standards for a specific life stage, or for multiple life stages, i.e. puppy, adult, or senior.

The best way to figure all this out, on the food company side, is to perform a feeding trial (Category 1 info). If the food is tested in this manner, it will say so on the AAFCO label, and by the way, there are only 2 companies of the hundreds of companies out there that do this, Hill’s and Purina. AFFCO food trails require that pets need to be fed a diet for 26 weeks (6.5 months). The company must show that the animals that are fed diet X are growing and doing well on the diet. There are foods out there that do not meet AAFCO standards.

The next part of the label that is of importance is the ingredient list. Ingredients are put on the label in order of weight with the ingredient weighing the most being first on the list. This is where the manipulation of the consumer (you) comes into play. For example, companies would have you believe that if chicken is listed first on the list that it is the “main ingredient.’ However, the ingredient list is weighed BEFORE processing. That means before the water weight is removed. All meat, chicken, beef, lamb, fish, whatever, is 75-80% water! If you remove the water weight, all of a sudden that ingredient slides way down on the list and, more than likely, the carb source will really be what’s first on the list. The only difference between chicken and chicken meal is that the water has been removed from the chicken before processing with chicken meal. So if chicken meal is the first ingredient you truly have a food that has a protein source as it’s first ingredient and it is likely of higher quality than a food with chicken as the first ingredient (the rest of the ingredient list is important).

The last thing to look at on the label is the guaranteed analysis. This will list the protein, fat, moisture, and fiber content of the food. Add these numbers and subtract from 100 to get the carb content. The carb content of most diets is almost the same at about 30%, no matter what the first ingredient on the list is.

Ingredients

 The food label is a legal document; therefore all ingredients have a legal definition. Take the term ‘organic” for example. The legal definition of organic is foods that are produced using methods that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using radiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives. Any food company can put that word on the bag or can and be perfectly within their legal right to do so. However, unless the label, not the bag, has a USDA organic seal, the ingredient may not really be organic at all. It is very difficult to formulate an entire diet from organic ingredients because they are expensive and difficult to come by. So even if the meat in the diet is organic, it is likely that the rest of the ingredients are not.

For an ingredient to be considered organic, it must come from a USDA inspected source. This means that animals that come into a USDA slaughterhouse for human consumption are killed and their carcass is broken down. The human food goes one way, and the pet food ingredients go another. For an ingredient in a pet food diet to be considered “human grade” it cannot leave the USDA distribution chain until it reaches your home. That means a USDA inspected slaughterhouse, packing plant, transportation system, manufacturer, and distributor. This simply does not happen. So if you see this claim on a package of food, it is an outright lie.

There is a class of animal food protein source that falls below the USDA standards. For an animal to be inspected at a USDA facility, it must be able to walk. Cows, for example, that are too ill to walk are called Triple D cows, which stands for diseased, down, or dead. A renderer can buy these cows and then sell them to be used in pet foods. This is perfectly legal, so the company you choose is very important. Reputable companies get their ingredients from reputable sources, not form renderers.

Now that we’ve gotten all the boring legal and terminology aspects covered, let’s talk about specific ingredients. Think about this logically, say chicken is the first ingredient on the list, do you really think that a whole chicken or just the chicken breast is what goes into that food? The Blue Buffalo commercial (I’m not suggesting that Blue is bad, it’s not) that is out at the moment comes to mind. They show a whole chicken being washed under a faucet while talking about the ingredients that go into their food. That is an outright lie and is intentionally presented in a way as to deceive you. Beef is an even better example. Think about how expensive a good cut of beef is. Do you really think that a filet, rib eye, or brisket cut is what is used in pet foods? Pet food companies would certainly have you believe so, but it’s just not true. Remember the USDA slaughterhouse where human food goes one way and pet food goes another? What goes to the pet food side are the cuts, trimming would actually be more accurate, that are not consumed by humans. Very few people would be able to afford pet foods made with the best cuts of meat and producers would make far less money if they sold these cuts to food companies. This is the simple truth.

So, what exactly goes into pet foods as far as meat is concerned? Meat is legally defined as striated muscle (filet mignon, rib eye, chicken breast, etc..) tongue, esophagus, and diaphragm. These are all good sources of protein, just not what we (some of us anyway) typically think of as appetizing.

Anything left over after the meat is removed is called a by-product. Today’s marketing gurus would have you believe that by-products are the devil, but that is not the case. By-products, when talking about pet foods, includes the intestines, skin, organs, and in the case of chickens, feet, and rib bones. Intestines are made of smooth muscle and are, on a cellular level, just as good as striated muscle as far as nutrition goes. Organ meat is also very nutritious.

When you see chicken as the first ingredient, it is not the entire chicken, or even the chicken breast. Those go to the human side of the house. The AAFCO definition of chicken is “the clean combination of flesh and skin with or without accompanying bone, derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken or a combination thereof, exclusive of feathers, heads, feet, and entrails. Basically, it’s what is left over after the human food is removed, the rib cage and whatever meat is left over (stuck to the ribs) after the breast is removed. So, I ask you, what is more nutritious? The little bit of meat that’s left over after processing, or the “by-products”?

Another note on by-products is that they can, and do, vary in quality. The way to tell is by looking at the ash content, 5% is acceptable. Ash in a pet food comes from bones, both in the chicken feet and ribs/breast bone. Food made with by-products that has a high ash content has a lot of feet and ribs and is not of good quality.

Remember the water weight issue? If the water weight is not remove before processing the protein source will surely be first on the ingredient list. If the water weight is removed from the protein source before processing, it is known as meal. So, if you see chicken meal, or chicken by-product meal as the first ingredient you have a food truly has a protein source as it’s first ingredient. Plus, if chicken (without any bones) is the first ingredient, bone, more more like bone meal, will have to be added because this is an important source of minerals in the diet.

Lets talk about fat and fiber next. Fat can be derived from animals (saturated fats) or plants and they provide an excellent source of energy in your pets diet. They also provide the important vitamins A, D, K, and E. Also, fat tastes good! So it plays an important role in palatability (acceptable taste). While fat does all these good things, it does have a down side. Too much fat will cause your pet to become overweight or obese (so will too many unused calories from carbs and protein). Obesity in pets carries all of the same detrimental health issues that it does in people. Fat will also spoil easily and needs to be preserved. Historically this has been done with 2 chemicals, BHT and BHA. Neither of them is very healthy as they are known to cause cancer, but they are cheap. Today, tocopherols, which are natural antioxidants and a source of vitamin E, are used in many foods as a preservative. Foods preserved with tocopherols have a shorter shelf life, but are usually of much higher quality.

Fiber is an important component of a diet. Fiber can be soluble or insoluble and is derived from plants. Rice millings, grain hulls, (wheat, corn, rice), bran, peanut hulls, and beet pulp are examples. They help to regulate glucose uptake, provide an important source of pre-biotics (healthy GI bacteria that aid in digestion), and helps maintain normal gut motility. It also helps our pets, and us, feel full.

And last, but certainly not least, lets talk about carbohydrates. This includes all grain sources, like corn, barley, oats, and rice, as well as potatoes. It is not possible to make dry foods without them (except for a couple prescription diets that use soy instead). Carbohydrates are what cause the kibble to stick together and it would be impossible (for dogs) to have a nutritionally balanced diet without a carbohydrate source. Cats are carnivores and they do not need ANY carbohydrates in their diets. 35-50% of most pet food calories come from a carbohydrates source. These are commonly referred to as “filers”, but they are anything but. They are an important source of energy in any diet (except for cats, of course).

Corn has been in the media a good bit and many people feel that it is a bad ingredient to have in pet food. There are numerous claims about why it is bad, one of which is that it is poorly digested. This is true if you, or your pet, were to swallow a whole kernel. However, if you chew the kernel, it is actually highly digestible. Most diets contain cornmeal (remember what meal means, think powered) or corn gluten meal. These forms of corn are highly digestible. Corn should not be the first ingredient on the list, but having it in the diet is not a bad thing. Another claim is that of allergies. Dogs and cats, as well as people, are MUCH MORE likely to develop allergies to a protein, rather than to a carbohydrate. Gluten, corn or wheat, is the protein component of these grains. It is extracted from these grains and is much more concentrated than how nature originally created it. When you see corn gluten on an ingredient list, it is there as a protein source, not a carb source. This is why some people have trouble eating gluten, because it is protein! If an individual does not have an allergy to gluten, it is nutritious and is not a bad thing to have in a diet.

Now the big question, what food do I feed my dogs and cats and what foods do I recommend. I feed my dogs Science Diet Healthy Advantage and my cats Hill’s M/D dry (this is one of the foods that uses soy vs corn to hold the kibble together). There are MANY foods out there that are considered premium foods, here are a few: Eukanuba, Royal Canin, Blue Buffalo, certain lines of Science Diet, Innova, EVO, Canine Caviar, Wellness, Solid Gold, and Eagle Pack. There are many others. A general rule of thumb is pricing. If you are looking at a food that is in the same price range as the above-mentioned foods, chances are it is a good food.

So there you have it, the truth about pet food diets. This is a highly competitive market and the companies that make these foods will try very hard to convince you to buy their product. As with any other purchase, buyers beware. The most dangerous thing to many of these companies is an educated consumer. Now you know the truth about pet foods. Armed with this knowledge, you will be much more able to sift through all the marketing and manipulation.

Most of the posts I have on this site are instructional, a collection of “how to’s” if you will.  I’d like to change gears a little with this post and make it mainly an informative one.  I’d like to talk a little about realistic expectations, or maybe unrealistic ones.  Many people get a dog and put very little thought into the decision.  They see a breed that looks cool or appeals to them in some way and that’s about as much thought that goes into the acquisition.  There are SO many other things that should go into this decision.  First, why do you want a dog?  Some common answers to this question are for my kids, for protection, to breed puppies, or because a certain breed is “cool” or some how strokes the persons ego.  These are poor reasons to get a dog.  The kids will lose interest, a home alarm system is much more practical for protection (even if you have the time, money, and patience to provide structured protective training), breeding puppies is just not practical if you are not in the breeding circle, and doing anything because it’s cool or because it strokes your ego is never a good thing.

So, considering these common reasons for people wanting a dog, is it any wonder that behavior problems are the number one cause for euthanasia?  That’s right, NUMBER ONE, more than all other disease processes combined.  It is unrealistic to think that your kids are going to be able to, much less want to, give this dog what he needs in order to be happy and healthy for it’s lifetime.  The same really goes for all of the above listed reasons that many people use to justify getting a dog.  All of these reasons have a “honeymoon” period that will wear off.  It is unrealistic to think that you will remain happy with a protection dog if you never go through obedience training and protection training with him.  Dogs have genetic predispositions to be protective, depending on the breed, but controlling this behavior requires training.  It is unrealistic to think that you will make tons of money breeding dogs.  Good breeders breed dogs because they love to, not to make money.  Puppy mill type breeders make money, but is that what you really want?  If it is, chances are you will not be reading this post because these type of people care very little for the dogs in their “care.”  There is a lot of time, money, and effort that goes into dog breeding.  Breeding is simply not for the average owner and should not be taken lightly.

It is unrealistic to see a certain breed in a movie and expect that this breed will behave the same way in your home.  First of all, the dog you are seeing in the movie is HIGHLY trained.  Many people think that what they see is their natural temperament, when in fact it is likely anything but.  101 Dalmatians comes to mind here.  Dalmatians are a working breed.  Think about it, where did you normally see this breed before that movie?  In firehouses and in Budweiser commercials .  After the movie, however, there was a boom in the sale of this breed, and many of them ended up in shelters or pounds.  When people take a working breed, bring it into their home, and expect it to be a couch potato, they are being unrealistic, plain and simple.

Which brings me to the most unrealistic expectation of all, lack of exercise.  Many people feel that having a big backyard is enough to have a properly exercised dog.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.  Having a large yard, even acres, is not the same as going for a walk with your dog.  After a while, usually a very short while, your dog knows the backyard like the back of his paw and gets bored here very easily.  Sure, when you’re out there interacting with him he will get excited, but when there is not another person, or dog, out there with him he will get bored quickly.  Also, running a couple of laps around the yard is NOT adequate exercise.  Just like with people, dogs need sustained cardiovascular activity for at least 20 minutes a day (and that is not nearly enough for most dogs).  It is important for them physically (40-50% of my patients are overweight or obese) as well as mentally.  Endorphins have a calming effect of the brain and they are a by-product of exercise.  If you skimp on exercise, expect to have to deal with bad behavior to varying degrees, period.

This reminds me of a behavior client of mine who wanted a German Sheppard.  He is a very successful guy with tons of money, and tons of time.  He did his research and found a puppy that came from a champion bloodline in Schutzhund training.  This is a VERY active dog with VERY high drive.  Even though this guy had the time and the money to properly exercise this dog, he did not have the desire.  His father had come to me with concerns about the dog’s increasingly bad behavior, but the son was not interested because HE would have to put the time and effort into modifying the dogs behavior.  SO, he sends the dog off to obedience school for 4 weeks.  The dog came back to him very well trained, he was a smart dog that wanted to learn, but was still poorly behaved.  He knew all of his commands, but would still destroy anything he could get his mouth on, maul (affectionately) anyone who entered the house, and steal random objects throughout the day in the hopes of getting his owners attention.  This guy got what he was looking for (a dog from a championship line), but his expectations of this dog being calm and mellow without proper exercise was, and is, unrealistic.

Another common situation I see is the mismatch.  For example, I have a client (a couple) who had an old, overweight, arthritic Shepherd mix.  When the time came to euthanize their dog (she had cancer), they were very upset.  They loved her very much and they loved having a dog in general.  They are great owners and they took very good care of her, right up until the very end.  Once she was gone, there was a bit of a void in the home and they decided to get another dog, a German Shepherd puppy.  They figured that the new dog would behave similarly to there other dog, boy did they get this wrong.  They went from an old dog that had a very low exercise requirement to a young one that had a very high exercise requirement, and all sorts of behavior issues stemmed from it.  The couple is in their mid 60′s and both of them have health issues that include bad back, hips, and shoulders.  They were unable to provide adequate exercise and mental stimulation for their new dog, and it is unrealistic to think that they would have been able to do so.  I’m, not picking on Shepherds here, you can insert any active, high drive, working breed here and the unrealistic expectations remain.

Next comes the fearful dog.  A very common request I get is to help someone take a very fearful and timid dog and transform him into a happy-go-lucky social butterfly.  This is unrealistic.  Many people feel that a dog is this way because of some type of abuse that has happened in the past.  A fearful/timid demeanor has been shown to have a very strong genetic component.  In other words, they’re just born that way.  Couple that with poor socialization, especially with puppy mill dogs, and with the inadvertent reinforcement of that fearful state of mind (for years in many cases) and you end up with a dog that is extremely anxious and fearful.  Think about it on a human scale.  Many people see a psychiatrist once a week for YEARS and still only make minimal improvement with their fears and phobias.  The best that we can hope for, in most cases, is progress, not perfection.

Now, say someone has a dog that’s “misbehaved” and either they have, or someone gives them the idea, that adding another dog will make things better.  Well, it is unrealistic to think that bringing another dog into a home that has a dog that is out of control is going to help.  It is more likely that the new dog will imprint on the behaviors of the current dog, and now you have double the trouble.  If someone did not have the time or the motivation to get their first dog’s behavior under control, why would they possibly think adding another dog would make things better?  I don’t know why, I guess it’s one of those “it seemed like a good idea at the time” things that eventually many people come to regret.  Good ole’ 20/20 hindsight .

There are many more situations out there that fall into the unrealistic category; the above examples are only a few.  The good news is that there is help out there.  These dogs need training AND behavior modification along with proper mental and physical stimulation in order to be happy, healthy, and balanced.  It is never too late to start and you absolutely can teach an old dog new tricks; but remember, progress, not perfection.  Thanks for reading

Photos courtesy of Kira Okamoto, dingatx, Sailing Footprints Real to Reel (Ronn ashore), and davipt via Flickr

Have you ever wished that your dog could talk to you?  I’m sure, like millions of others, myself included, that you have.  Well, I have good news for you, dogs to “talk” to us, and they do it a lot.  There are 2 forms of communication, verbal and non-verbal.  We are constantly communicating to our dogs, whether we know it or not, through non-verbal communication (body language).  Humans mainly communicate verbally.  We use non-verbal communication as well, but by far our primary method of communicating is verbally.  Dogs, however are just the opposite.  They mainly communicate through body language.  They communicate verbally through whining, growling, howling, whimpering, etc.., but their primary method is through body language.

When interpreting what a dog is saying it is a MUST to take context into account.  A dog can display the same body language in 2 different situations and she is not saying the same thing, even though it may look like she is.  Context is everything when interpreting what your dog is trying to tell you.  The body parts you need to pay attention to include the mouth, eyes, ears, position of the head, whether the body is stiff vs relaxed, hair along the top of the back (piloerection), and the tail.  All of these must be looked at together.  For example, a dog that has his ears up and forward could be curious or be in a heightened state of attention and on the verge of aggressive behavior.  It depends on what the rest of her body is doing.  I will start at the head and work my way back.  Remember, one body part will not give you a truly accurate assessment of what your dog is saying without looking at all the parts as a whole and without considering the context in which the signals are given.

Mouth

• Generally, an open mouth/relaxed jaw indicates a relaxed dog.  On the other hand, a closed mouth can indicate a heightened state of attention and possibly, but not necessarily, impending aggression.
• If your dog is panting and suddenly closes his mouth, with ears erect and forward, something has likely caught her attention and she is focusing on it.  This does not mean aggression, but things can go in that direction depending on the situation.
• The mouth can also give you clues as to what the underlying motivation is when your dog is growling.  Is she fearful, or is she confident?  A fearful dog will trying to show all of her teeth (incisors, K-9′s, and molars) when she growls (as in the picture here).  It’s kind of analogous to a bluff in humans.  She is saying “look at all my big scarey teeth,” but thinking “oh my God I hope this thing leaves me alone.”  A dog that is confident will only show the incisors and K-9 teeth when growling.  This is a dog that is not afraid of the situation.  This is the growl of a dominant (confident is actually a better term) dog.
• Other body parts will help you to interpret mouth position.  Ears that are up and forward indicate confidence or curiosity.  Ears that are down and back indicate fear and/or anxiety.
• Yawning is a sign that she is uncomfortable and/or tense.

Tongue

• More specifically, licking of the lips.  Dogs that are uncomfortable will often lick their lips.  Usually, this type of lick is a quick lick.  The tongue barely comes out of the mouth and goes back in really quickly.  This is a signal of submission/appeasement/acknowledgement.  For example, say you have caught your dog in the act of doing something she should not be doing, you say “no!” to her, and she looks in your direction and gives one of those quick licks.  She is saying, “okay, I understand that you are upset, please calm down now.”  If you continue scolding or punishing her, you will likely make her fearful of you because she is giving you submissive signals that are being ignored.
• A lick that is more pronounced is usually an indication of moderate to severe stress.  With this type of lick, the tongue travels all the way back to the corner of the mouth.  This is much more obvious than the quick flick.

Eyes

• It’s been said that the eyes are the windows to the soul.  Well, when interpreting canine behavior, they are also a window into the mind.  What you need to pay attention to is the direction of the gaze, the position of the eyelids (open wide vs squinting), and pupil size.
• Dogs that are uncomfortable will often squint and look away from whatever is causing the discomfort.  A very common example of this is picture taking.  Your dog may be looking at you and you see the perfect picture, but the second you raise the camera, she looks away.  The camera is making her uncomfortable and she is trying to tell you that.
• If her eyes are wide open and she is looking directly at something or someone, she is at attention and may be issuing a challenge or threatening someone or something.  Again, this doesn’t mean aggression, but she is closer to aggression than she was just a few seconds before.
• Pupil size can indicate calmness or stress (fear, anxiety, aggression).  Obviously ambient lighting affects pupil size, so lets say that there is normal room lighting.  Under normal room lighting conditions, dilated (large) pupils indicates arousal or stress.  Normal pupil size indicates relaxation.
• Scanning of the eyes, looking back and forth and all around, usually while panting, with the ears back, and the head held low, is another sign of stress/anxiety.
• Blinking is a sign of submission.
• In general, the larger the eyes are, the more confident/threatening the dog is.  Conversely, the smaller the eyes are, the more submissive/fearful the dog is.

Ears

• A dogs ears say a lot about it’s state of mind.  The 2 extremes of ear position are straight up and slightly forward, which indicates confidence and attention (see Picture), and back and glued to her head, which indicates extreme fear and anxiety.  What happens in between those 2 extremes is an indication of the intensity of the emotion she is feeling.
• Ears that are erect and as forward as they can be (often accompanied by bared teeth and a wrinkled nose) indicate that one should choose their next move carefully.  This is a confident dog that will fight/bite if pushed too far.
• Ears that are erect and slightly forward indicates curious attention.  Often the jaw is relaxed and open, but could be closed as well.
• Ears that are slightly pulled back and kind of splay out sideways indicates a suspicious/cautious emotion.  She is not quiet fearful, but she is a bit uneasy about the situation.
• Ears that are pulled most of the way back can mean several things and other parts of the body must be considered when interpreting this position.  If the teeth are not visible, eyes are slightly closed or squinting, the tail is tucked, and the head is held low, often accompanied by the quick lick, this is a sign of submission or she is signaling that she is not a threat.  If the tail is held high, eyes are open, and the mouth is open and relaxed, this is a friendly posture and she is likely signally playful behavior.
• Ears that are pulled all the way back and are glued to the head, accompanied by a head that is held low, a tail that is tucked all the way under, and eyes that are squinting and scanning, indicates extreme fear/submissiveness.

Tail

• A wagging tail does NOT mean a happy dog.  You must look at the position of the tail and the character of the wag.
• A tail that is held straight up/slightly curved of the back of the dog indicates attention and confidence (see picture).  This dog is not at all afraid of what she is seeing.  Often the tail will be stiff or have a slight wag that usually only involves the tip of the tail.  This is not a happy dog.
• A tail that is held straight back/horizontal to the ground and is stiff/not wagging is signalling attention, but is a less aggressive posture that if it were held straight up.  This is a cautious position and maybe a mild challenge to a stranger.
• If the tail is held horizontal, but not stiff, it is a sign of relaxed attention.
• A tail that is held just below horizontal, but not tucked between the legs, with an occasional relaxed wag that originates from the base (near the rear end) of the tail indicates a calm/relaxed dog.
• A tail that is near the legs, but not tucked in between, with a slight wag that involves mainly the tip of the tail, indicates insecurity/slight fear/slight anxiety.
• A tail that is tucked between the legs indicates a fearful dog.
• A tail with bristled hair down it’s entire length and is held upright indicates a threat/challenge.
• A tail that is bristled just at the tip indicates stress.
• A tail that is wagging from the base, usually the butt is wagging to, indicates a happy dog.
• A tail that is stiff, and just the tip is wagging, indicates a dog that is at attention.  This is the wag that is present when I hear “I can’t believe he bit me!  He was wagging his tail!”
• A special note is needed here:  some dogs naturally carry thier tails low when relaxed (Greyhounds) and some naturally carry it high (Akitas).

Body

• A dog with stiff legs, an upright posture, with slow and/or stiff movements forward is telling you that he is very confident.  This is an active aggressive signal from a confident dog that is willing to assert himself.  He is not necessarily being aggressive, but things could go that way if he is challenged.
• If hair is standing up on the shoulders and down the back, coupled with a stiff and upright body posture, watch out.  He is a serious dog and you should choose your next move carefully.  This is a sign of increasing aggression from a confident dog.  An attack could stem from this.
• Hair that stands only on the shoulders, and not down the entire length of the back, indicates fear.  Usually the head will be held level or low and the ears will be back.  This dog will bite if pushed.
• A lowered body posture with a upward gaze indicates active submission.  This is often accompanied by the quick lick discussed earlier and the ears are usually pinned back.
• If a dog sits when approached by another dog, but allows the other dog to sniff her rear end, she is saying that she feels they are pretty equal and is giving a slightly submissive signal.  This could also be somewhat of a calming signal if she is uncomfortable with the other dogs’ approach.
• If a dog rolls on her side, avoids eye contact, and exposes her underside, she is displaying passive submission.  This is the equivalent of groveling in humans
• If a dog stands over a dog that is lying down, or places her chin or paw onto the back of another dog, she is asserting dominance over the other dog.
• If a dog turns her side toward another dog she is saying that she has a slightly lower social ranking than the other dog.  There is no fear, stress, or anxiety involved in this.  This dog is confident and is okay with the hierarchy.
• If a dog is challenged or threatened by another dog and suddenly begins to sniff and/or paw at the ground, stares off into space, squints the eyes, or scratches herself, she is displaying calming signals to the other dog.  She is not submitting.  She is just telling the other dog to calm down.
• A dog that is sitting with one paw raised is signalling insecurity and mild stress.
• A dog that rolls on its back and rubs her shoulders back and forth on the ground is signally happiness and contentment.
• A dog that crouches with it’s front legs, but has her rear end up in the air is signalling the desire for play.
• In general, when a dog tries to make herself look bigger (standing tall, hair raised, head up) she is confidant and is displaying dominance signals.  When a dog tries to make herself look smaller (crouching low, rolling over) she is being submissive.  Pointing the body, head, or eyes in the direction of another dog indicates confidence and maybe a threat.  Turning the body, head, or eyes away from another dog is a calming signal to the other dog.

Remember, and this is PARAMOUNT, when interpreting a dogs’ behavior, context is EVERYTHING.  All of the surroundings must be considered and, in many cases, tiny details of the surroundings must be considered.  Also, look at the entire dog.  If you make a decision as to what your dog is saying, it should always be followed by “because his mouth was X, his eyes were X, his ears where X, his body was X, and his tail was X,” not just because of one or two of these.  Happy conversing!

The drawings below are from “How to Speak Dog” by Stanley Coren

Pictures in the post courtesy of Kenski1970, Boccaccio1, Greencolander, max_thinks_sees, and Airplane Journal via Flickr

Having a baby is an exciting time for everyone.  There will be lots of changes in your life, especially if this is you first child.  For your dog, it can be more stressful than exciting.  Thankfully, there are many things that can be done to make this transition much easier for your dog.  If you are a person who has had a dog fill the role of a child, and you are having your first human child, you need to start working on this ASAP, pretty much as soon as you find out you are pregnant.  The sooner you institute the following, the better.

• Enroll your dog in an obedience class.  If your dog has already been through one (or several), now (before your baby arrives) is a good time for a refresher.
• As soon as possible in the course of your pregnancy, you need to start adapting your dog to what her new schedule will be.  Dog are creatures of habit and do not like abrupt changes and random events.  Try to mimic, as much as possible, what your routine will be when your baby comes.  You will inevitably be spending less time with your dog, so start to ease her into that now.  You will still need to provide appropriate exercise for her, so think about how you are going to accomplish that with a new born in the picture.  You should also include 10-15 minutes of play time that is devoted entirely to your dog.  This time devotion is important and should be consistent, even once the baby has arrived, and even if the baby is crying (have your spouse handle the crying baby situation if it occurs during this time).  This time with your dog can also serve to give you a break and as a chance to relax.
• Begin to walk your dog on a schedule that will be realistic to maintain once your baby has arrived.  I prefer first thing in the morning.  This will help to burn off excess energy that your dog may have and will help her be calmer throughout the day.  This is also a great time to hone your dog’s leash manners.  Remember, once the baby comes it will likely be you, your dog, and your baby in a stroller that are going for a walk.  A dog that has bad leash manners can be difficult in this setting, to say the least.  Get your dog under control now, not once your baby is in the picture.
• Allow your dog to become familiar with your baby’s room and all of the new things that will be in there, such as diapers, lotions, powders, etc…  Do not allow your dog to take over the room and be sure to reward calm behavior.  If your dog becomes over excited, remove her from the room and try again later.  Do not encourage over excitement, sometimes your “happy voice” can do just that.  Do not allow your dog to take over the room by spending time in it unsupervised or by sleeping in it.
• If you have been using stuffed toys as toys for your dog, change to a different type of toy.  Asking your dog to differentiate between her soft fuzzy toys and your baby’s soft fuzzy toys is too much to ask.  Make the change now.
• When you, or your spouse, is in the hospital delivering your baby, have your spouse bring some article of clothing with the baby’s scent on it home to introduce the baby’s scent to your dog.  Do not make a big deal about it by creating excitement.  Just place it somewhere that your dog can approach and investigate.  Don’t forget to reward calmness.  If your dog gets over excited, remove the item and try again later.
• Arrange before hand for someone to care for your dog while you are in the hospital delivering your baby.  Frantically trying to find someone at the last minute will be noticed by your dog and may cause unnecessary stress and anxiety.  Try to avoid kennels/boarding facilities as many of these will put your dog in a stressful state of mind.
• When returning home for the first time with your baby, have someone hold the baby outside of the home while you go in and greet your dog.  This will eliminate the potential risk of injury to your child that an excited dog can inadvertently inflict.  This will also allow your dog to smell the baby on you.  If you have a dog that likes to jump, be sure he is on leash and being controlled by someone else.  Do not try to introduce your baby to your dog when she is excited.  Many people make the mistake of thinking that if they just let their dog see/sniff the baby their excitement will go away.  Do not fall in to this.  Introducing your dog and child when your dog is excited will only serve to have your dog associate excitement with your baby.
• The formal introduction to your baby should proceed as follows:  Someone sits on chair or couch with the baby, you will be responsible for controlling your dog.  Your dog should be on leash and preferably be wearing a Gentle Leader.  Do not dangle your baby in front of and above your dog, this will encourage jumping up and lunging.  Allow your dog to calmly approach and sniff your baby.  Do not allow excessive licking.  Be sure to reward calmness.  The formal introduction occurs ONLY after your dog has demonstrated that she can be somewhat calm around your baby.

If your dog growls at your baby, DO NOT tell her that “it’s okay” or have a conversation about it with her such as “mommy and daddy still love you” etc…  Also, you DO NOT want to correct the growl.  This is a warning signal that says your dog is uncomfortable.  We want a warning.  Don’t take the growl personally, many people do and then become angry at their dog.  This will not help and will make matters worse.  Just calmly remove your dog from the situation and start over later.  The next time, go slower and remember to reward calmness.

Under no circumstances should your dog be allowed to sleep in your child’s room and/or bed.  Your infant will not be able to move if your dog lays directly on him/her.  Do not allow this to happen.

If your dog shows aggression towards your new born, get help from a behaviorist immediately.  Do not think that your dog will “out grow it” or that time alone will make it better.

Thanks for reading and please do not hesitate to ask questions

Pictures courtesy of Clover_1, overdrive_cz, and redjar via Flickr

Interdog aggression is a very common problem that I am asked to help with.  I am speaking specifically about dogs that live in the same home, not the dog aggressive dog that wants to go after every other dog he sees who does not share the same address.  I have known people with multiple dogs that are never allowed to be around each.  This one’s in the garage, that one’s in the bedroom, and the other one is outside.  They all rotate places/positions through out the day, but they are never in the same place at the same time.  What a miserable way to live!

The most common time/age of onset for this issue is when a dog reaches 2 yrs of age (give or take 6 months).  A 2 year old dog is the equivalent to an 18 year old human.  This is when they, and we, reach social maturity.  Many people get lulled into a false sense of security with rambunctious young dog by thinking, “he’s just a puppy, he’ll grow out of it.”  Unfortunately, this is not the case.  Little problems end up becoming big problems when dogs reach social maturity.  The reason being is that these dogs are in a struggle for status and control within the group in which they are living.  Notice I said THESE dogs and not ALL dogs.  Not all dogs are struggling for status, I am speaking only of those that are.  The issue can be initiated by a younger dog that is reaching social maturity and who wants to move up on the “chain of command,” or by an older dog in the household that sees a younger, maturing dog as somewhat of a threat.

Context is everything when interpreting canine behavior.  For example, if dog A reacts to dog B as if there is a challenge being presented, but dog B is simply approaching to greet dog A, dog A is acting inappropriate and out of context.  If dog B, however, is staring, has his hackles up, is putting a paw on the shoulder of dog A, is growling, snapping, and snarling, then dog A’s reaction would be considered appropriate for that given context.  Make sense?  Now, the degree of dog A’s reaction must be taken into account.  If dog B simply stares at dog A, and dog A goes into attack mode and wants to rip dog B’s head off, this is inappropriate and out of context.  A stare should only evoke another stare, or maybe a slightly more intense response like lifting of the head and a stiffened body posture, raise hackles, growl, scratching on the ground, etc… not an attack.  Dogs have social rules just like we do.  This would be analogous to walking over and punching someone in the face because they looked at us.  Huh, come to think of it, that does happen in humans, and it is certainly considered inappropriate by most.

The most common scenario that leads to interdog aggression involves a younger dog that had no obvious problems as a puppy, but is now reaching social maturity and begins to challenge an older dog in the household.  There is almost always no history of abuse or neglect involved what-so-ever.  Many of these challenges are subtle and may go overlooked by owners.  They include, but are not limited to, lying on the other dogs bed or “space” or blocking access to these areas; stealing food, treats, bones, or toys; pushing past the other dog to get in or out of a desired space (house, car, etc…), or standing perpendicular to the other dog (the 2 dogs make the shape of a T) with a stiff posture and resting the chin or paw on the shoulder area of the other dog.

Alternatively, the younger dog may not do anything at all.  The older dog in the household may sense the changes that the younger dog is going through and preemptively begin to react and assert status and/or become aggressive.

In general, a dog that is challenged can react in 3 different ways:

1. He can defer/submit to the dog issuing the challenge by rolling on his back, urinating, avoiding eye contact, licking his lips while holding his head low, and allowing the other dog to do things first and have the best resources.  I want to stress that this dog is happy and content with the arrangement.  It’s the humans that have issue with it.
2. He can fight back and one of the 2 dogs submits and the end result is accepted by both dogs.  There may be a “changing of the guard,” or there may not be.  Either way, the boundaries are tested and both dogs are fine with the out come.
3. Both dogs can continue an ongoing struggle for status and neither one are willing to “give up.”

I would like to take a moment now to discuss the popular view point of “dominance” or “alpha dogs.”  While there is some validity to this mind set, it is not absolute and there are MANY variables involved in canine relationships.  Remember when I said canine behavior needs to be interpreted IN CONTEXT?  Well, context is constantly changing.  One dog may be “in charge” while the dogs are indoors, but another dog takes over when they are outdoors.  One dog may assert himself more when people are around, and be more submissive when there are no people around.  There is even variability concerning which people are present.  Dogs can react one way when “mom” is present verses when “dad” is present.  Also, as the dogs ages and health status’ change over time there can be changes in who is the top dog.

One special note about people.  Many times we cause problems by meddling in our dogs’ affairs.  For example, we have a dog and decide that he needs a companion.  So, we go out and get another dog.  We want the new dog to “feel at home” and to feel loved, so we shower him with attention and give him free roam of the house right away.  If our older dog takes a toy away from the younger one, we take it from him and give it back because “that’s rude.”  This can be the other way around as well.  The younger dog may take a toy away from the older dog and we intervene because of the social rules that we HUMANS follow.  Both dogs are more than likely okay with whatever was taken from him, but we start to impose out social norms on the situation and cause confusion.  The bottom line is, in the beginning, stay out of it!  Let the dogs work it out on their own.  Resist the urge to play referee by enforcing the rules of fairness .

So, what do we do when we have dogs that live together, yet want to fight all the time?  The first thing is to start to reinforce the position of the dog that is best able to hold his social status in the event of a fight.  In other words, reinforce the biggest and baddest.  Well, not always the biggest either, intensity and confidence also play big roles.  This may not be the dog that YOU think should be on top.  Leave your personal feeling out of it because that will only lead to a serious fight, potentially to the death.  Give this dog attention first, affection first, feed him first, etc…

Two cautions need to be issued here.  First, never, under any circumstances, should you physically punish these dogs.  This will only serve to increase their levels of stress and they could come back at you.  Once a dog figures out that teeth are pretty motivating when they touch human skin it can be difficult to get them to not use this against us.  Second, never reach between 2 dogs that are fighting.  You will get bit, you will get hurt, period.  If you have dogs that you know could end up fighting, always have them on leash when they are interacting, preferably muzzled or at the very least a Gentle Leader.  Have a broom, tennis racket, or some other such object to place between them.  A bucket of water or a hose also helps.  Also, throwing a blanket over them helps to separate them.

General Rules to Follow:

1. All dogs involved should be separated and confined separately when not directly supervised.  The aggressive dog should be confined to the less desirable space (i.e. a spare bedroom vs. your bedroom or the basement vs. the kitchen).  All other dogs should have free reign of the house.  If there is more than one aggressive dog, they should be kept separate and the non-aggressive dog/dogs are given free reign of the house.  If they are all aggressive, they should be crated in different rooms or confined in different rooms.  Do not crate dogs that are aggressive towards each other in the same room.
2. Put bells that sound different on each dog’s collar.  This is a great way of keeping track of who’s where without having to actually have your eyeballs on them constantly.  This doesn’t mean relax your supervision.  It just means that you can now employ your ears to help supervise .
3. Choose the order in which you are going to reinforce.  You may need the help of a behaviorist to assist in making this decision because it is a critical one.  Remember, what you think is fair is irrelevant.  Here are some hints to help you with this decision:

• If you have a young dog that starts to slightly challenge a slightly older dog, the older dog snarls and does not back down, AND most of the time the younger dog withdraws the challenge and backs off.  The older dog is larger, stronger, and of equal health.  Reinforce the older dog over the younger.
• The older dog thinks the younger dog is challenging him, but the younger dogs is not.  The older dog is much older, weaker, and smaller than the younger dog.  Reinforce the younger dog.
• The younger dog IS actually challenging the older dog and is becoming aggressive about it.  The older dog fights back and does not want to defer, yet the younger dog still does not back down.  The older dog is arthritic and a bit weaker, but they are pretty even in size.  Reinforce the younger dog.
• One of the dogs is actively challenging the other, but the receiver of the challenge does not go back at the challenger.  In fact, the dog that’s being challenged defers by rolling on his back.  The challenger then proceeds to go in to the kill even though the other dog is obviously submitting.  This is a dangerous situation.  The dog that submitted needs to be reinforced (feed this dog first, let him outside before the other dog, giving him a treat or toy first, walking him first, playing with him first, grooming him first, and so on.  You can also have the dog sleep in a crate or on a bed in your room or on your bed, whereas the other dog is banished to a room or crate outside your room) in this situation.  This will not be easy to do, but if you cannot give this dog some status he will eventually get, at the very least, severely injured.  This type of aggression is abnormal.  It is inappropriate and out of context.  Do not take this lightly!  I have seen dogs kill each other in this situation.  If you cannot give the submissive dog some status you have 2 choices: #1 these dogs are to be kept separated at all time or #2 you need to find a home for one of them.  If the challenger is placed in another home he is to be the only dog in that house.

4. All dogs should be fitting and desensitized to a Gentle Leader face harness.  The Gentle Leader is a great training tool that will give you great control over the muzzle of all dogs involved.  The dogs should be gradually reintroduced to each other while no special attention is being given to any of them.  Having them sit together (but far enough apart that they cannot connect if one decides to try) in the same room is a great exercise.  Be sure to reward the dog that is relaxed and non confrontational.  If the aggressive dog stares at the submissive one, mild aversive therapy like a water gun or foghorn can be used to discourage that behavior.  If the submissive dog stares at the aggressive dog, ignore it and allow it to happen as long as the aggressive dog does not growl.  If the aggressive dog growls, use the water gun or foghorn.  If the aggression gets worse, remove the aggressor and and put him in a “time-out”.  If the submissive dog stares at the aggressive dog and the aggressive dog looks away, reward (with a food treat and praise) the aggressive dog for deferring AND reward the submissive dog as well.  This is the behavior that you want from both of them.

One final note.  There are many people out there that are not all that familiar with dogs and have never really seen 2 dogs REALLY playing.  Dogs can spar and wrestle with one another, with growling, and teeth baring.  This is normal.  A lot of people misinterpret this rough play as aggression.  This is a video of my guys, Gus and Roxy playing.  This is a very tame play session.  The dogs in the title picture of this post are just playing .  It is important to not over react to these situations.  Your stress/tension can be misinterpreted by one or both/all dogs involved.

These are the general rules to follow when dealing with interdog aggression.  In order for true progress to be attained, you must also have all dogs consistently deferring to you.  Sign up for my tips at the top right hand corner of my home page and I will send you a copy of my book How Dogs Learn and How to Actually Get Your Dog to Listen to You.  This will cover deference and how to achieve it.  All dogs should also be examined by a veterinarian to insure there is not underlying medical cause that could be responsible for seemingly sudden behavior changes, properly exercised and have undergone obedience training.  Thanks for reading and please do not hesitate to ask questions .

Pictures provided by alexisfisher, dotanuki, Eloise Mason, helixblue, librarygrrrl, Max xx, and zoomar via Flickr

This is one of the most common questions I get, and one one the most disgusting topics as well.  The simple fact of the matter is that coprophagia, for a number of reasons, is a normal canine behavior.  Female dogs will instinctively remove their puppy’s waste from the nest in order to keep the nest clean.  Females will also stimulate urination and defecation in their pups by licking their genitals.  Okay, so we can somewhat make a case for why females would do it, but why not all females?  Some do, some don’t, right?  And what about males?  What about puppies of both sexes?  In this post I will try to shed some light on why dogs engage in this behavior and what you can to to stop it.

Many people feel the reason that dogs eat poo is because they have a nutritional deficiency.  This would be an easy fix, but unfortunately this is just not the case.  There are MANY reasons proposed as to why dogs engage in this lovely behavior, here are the most common:

• Anxiety, stress, or boredom
• If a dog was punished for defecating in the house he will eat his stool in order to hide the evidence.
• It tastes good! (to your dog anyway)
• Exploration of their environment
• Your dog may be trying to clean his environment, which you should be doing.
• Mimicking the behavior of other dogs
• If your dog eats a diet high fat.
• Certain medications and dietary supplements can change the taste for the stool and make it more appealing.
• Overfeeding
• Only feeding your dog once a day (hunger)

So what can you do to help prevent coprophagia?  The ONLY way to get a 100% sucess rate in treatment of this issue is to pick it up as soon as it hits the ground.  Also, direct supervision is a must because some dogs will eat it as it is coming out!  There are several things that can be attempted if, for some reason, supervision and immediate pick up are not practical.

• Be sure to have your dog examined by your veterinarian and have his stool checked as well.  All dogs should be dewormed monthly.
• Be sure to feed a high quality, nutritionally balanced dog food that is formulated for his age, breed and size.
• Do not overfeed your dog.  40-50% of my patients are overweight or obese.  There is A LOT of overfeeding going on out there.
• Feed your dog twice a day.  If he is thin, feed a little more.
• Have your dog on a leash and wearing a Gentle Leader head harness.  This way you will be there and able to control what happens after he has a bowel movement.  Be ready to distract him and reward him for leaving the poo and focusing on you .
• If your dog comes across some other dogs’ poo, the Gentle Leader makes it incredibly easy to control your dogs’ muzzle and prevent him from consuming it.  You will then be in a better position to redirect his focus and reward him for doing something good.
• If he’s defecating in the house, there many be several reasons.  Improper house training, separation anxiety, and a number of illnesses could be responsible.
• There are several items that can be added to his food, Coproban, canned pumpkin (1-5 tablespoons), canned pineapple, pineapple juice, meat tenderizer, MSG and spinach to name a few.
• You can also try to have your dog develop a taste aversion by sprinkling hot sauce, bitter apple, or lemon juice on the stool.

A special class of dogs with this problem does exist.  Dogs that are products of puppy mills and that are confined in small cages while awaiting a home will often develop this habit out of necessity.  It can be very difficult to get these guys to stop this behavior and a multi-modal approach that includes diligent clean up and monitoring will give you the greatest chance for success.

Most of the time, coprophagia is not a health issue to your dog, especially when it’s his own.  They can get parasites and other infections from eating the stool of other animals.  But lets face it, it’s nasty!  Most dogs are going to try to lick your face sooner or later.  The last thing I want to worry about is the topic of this post.  Getting started on the right foot is paramount.  It’s always easier to shape than it is to undo.  Thanks for reading!

Photo courtesy of iansand via Flickr

At the heart of all of my recommendations for behavior modification is exercise.  One of the best forms of exercise is walking with your dog.  Not only is it great cardiovascular activity for both of you, but it CAN be great bonding time as well.  I all caps CAN because, for many of my clients, walking their dog is a nightmare filled with stories of bad shoulders and backs and pulling.  This type of walk is anything but pleasant.  Luckily, there is a better way.  There are many ways to tame your sled dog in training, I will discuss the easiest, fastest, and most human of these, the Gentle Leader.

The Gentle Leader is a head harness made by Premier Pet Products (they make no pull body harnesses as well for flat faced breeds) that will get your dog to stop pulling nearly INSTANTLY with relative ease.  I will be focusing on the head harness in this post because it can be tricky to figure out (it was for me the first time too) and it generally requires some introduction for my patients to accept it.

Proper fit is very important because if the harness is uncomfortable your dog will definitely protest more to the introduction.  The neck strap should be very snug (you should be able to fit only one finger under it) and be positioned on the highest part of the neck, just behind the ears.  The nose strap should be adjusted so that it can move forward to the point that it can just touch the skin part of the nose, but not slip over the end of the nose.  Your leash will attach to the metal ring under you dogs chin.  This is the same concept as a bridle for a horse, only without the mouth bit.  If we can control a 1,500lb horse with this type of equipment, think what it can do for a 50 lb dog .

In the beginning most dogs will resist this collar, to varying degrees.  It is best to introduce your dog to it in a manner that causes your dog to form a positive association with it.  In others words, break out his favorite treats!  DO NOT try to just put it on and go.  If he protests to the point where he gets it off after a stressful struggle, it will be 10 times more difficult to get him to accept it the next time.  Get your treats ready before you even open the Gentle Leader package.  Have your dog sniff it briefly and give him a treat BEFORE he has a chance to react negatively to it.  Use your happy voice and be upbeat.  Continue to take it out of the packaging, rewarding your dog with treats and praise for his curiosity.  After you have it out of the package and your dog has received several treats, put it away.  Later that day, get the treats and the Gentle Leader out again and repeat the process by letting him sniff it and rewarding calm behavior.  How fast you progress is up to your dog.  Next would come touching it to his nose by having him take a treat while your hand is through the nose strap.  The strap should touch his nose briefly in the beginning and should stay in contact with his nose for gradually longer periods of time.  When he is comfortable with the nose strap, fasten the neck strap.  Leave it on him for a second or two and then remove it and reward calm behavior.  When it is time to take him out for his first walk, be ready to roll right away.  Have yourself together (shoes, jacket, etc…), have the leash ready, and be AT the door that you will exit the house from.  Put the Gentle Leader on your dog and head out the door immediately.  This walk should be a short one.  If your dog starts to protest, gently pull the leash up towards your face and say “no” or “uh-uh” or whatever word you want to same and give him a treat AND release the tension the second he stops protesting.  This video covers this entire process.

Things to remember:

• Make sure the head halter is fitted properly.

• It should be snug around your dog’s neck and high behind his ears, but loose enough around his nose so that the nose strap can slide easily down to the fleshy part of his nose.

• A head halter is not a muzzle – the dog can still eat, drink, pant, bark and bite, if he chooses.

• NEVER use a hard jerk with the head halter.

• Do not use the head halter with a retractable lead. It not only teaches your dog to pull, but if your dog runs quickly to the end of the lead, he may give himself a hard jerk.

• Your dog should wear his head halter only during on-leash walks with you and/or when you’re directly supervising him. If your dog wears the head halter around the house, he’ll have plenty of time to work at getting it off, and will eventually succeed.

This collar is designed to teach your dog not to pull.  Over time you can stop using it and go back to attaching the leash to his collar.  This is a great training tool and it can be used in a variety of situations.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask and thanks for reading .

Pictures provided by Grant and Caroline’s pix, macwagen, and Automania via Flickr.  Thanks!

Visits to your dogs’ veterinarian can be a difficult and stressful event for all involved.  Not only are they “difficult” for you dog, they are often terrifying as well.  Even the most laid back and mellowest of dogs can be stressed in a vets office, throw fear into the mix and you are dealing with a dog that literally fears for his safety and well being.  There are several things that can be done to help things go smoothly.

Exercise, Exercise, Exercise

If you have been reading my blog I’m sure this is nothing new to you.  Set yourself, and your dog, up for success by properly exercising him before the appointment.  Running around in the back yard does not count, even if you have acres of land.  Fast bursts of running/sprinting are not the same as sustained cardiovascular activity for at least 30 minutes.  Walking is one of the best forms of exercise.  The walk should be one with a purpose, not a “sniff and pee” type of walk.  It is okay for your dog to sniff around on a walk, as long as you control when sniffing starts and stops, but the purpose of this walk is to tire him out.  Treadmills are excellent options for busy people.

Watch Your Verbal and Nonverbal Language

When our dogs are stressed and afraid, it is a very natural for us humans to try to some how convey to them that this really isn’t something to be afraid of.  Or in other words “it’s okay.”  Well, often times it’s simply not okay.  When a fearfully aggressive dog is trying to attack the vet tech or vet it is not okay .  I understand this approach.  In this time of stress (for the owner) owners are reverting to what they know, human psychology.  That may work is we are dealing with another human, although it didn’t seem to help much the last time I took my daughter in for vaccinations, it sends the complete opposite message to your dog.  The average dog has a very limited capacity to understand what you are saying.  This is not because they are not capable of learning, it is simply because they have not been trained or taught properly.  The time to do that training, or any training for that matter, is not when we need it.  Stress and anxiety inhibit learning.  For many dogs, a visit to the vet is one of the most stressful things they will experience.

Look at the situation from a dogs’ point of view.  The entire appointment is a scary threat.  He is anxious and stressed (I’m sure he even knows where he’s going before he gets there), strangers (vet tech and vet) are approaching, making direct eye contact, leaning over him, reaching over him, and are trying to poke and prod and restrain him.  Then, he looks to his owner who has suddenly has changed their body language from one that was relatively relaxed to one of concern and anxiety.  The concerned look the owner is showing is because they feel bad for their dog and they want to some how convey that concern to their dog, along with trying to relieve the stress the dog is experiencing.  However, the dog is interpreting that concerned body language to be motivated by the same thing he is concerned with, the big bad vet!  The behavior of the owner in this situation only serves to reinforce the fear that their dog is experiencing.  In some cases, it does seem that this behavior helps to calm the dog, but these are the exceptions.  The general rule is that this behavior makes the situation worse.

So, what should you do?  First, remain calm and make sure your body language and your facial expressions convey that.  Do not give that worried/concerned look, try to smile .  If your dog is freaking out and giving you the look for “please help me” as he is struggling and trying to escape, look away from him.  This will convey to your dog that you do not agree with the behavior he is displaying MUCH more so than anything you can verbalize.  When he calms down, then you can look at him, but not with the look of concern.  Remain relaxed and calm, or at least appear that way .  It is best to be silent.  He is already over stimulated.  Adding more sound to the situation only serves to add more stimulation, when what we need is less.

Your Veterinarian’s Behavior

Something you cannot control is how the vet and the vet tech behaves.  I will discuss this so you can have some insight into why some vets, with the kindest of hearts and noblest of intentions, make the situation worse.  Many vets just simply do not understand canine behavior.  This does not make them bad people or bad vets anymore than it makes your child’s pediatrician or your own family doctor a bad doctor for not having a complete understanding of human psychology.  It is simply a fact.  Many vets greet their patients the same way that many people greet a strange dog.  They walk in and immediately focus on the dog, saying his name in a happy tone, making direct eye contact, making a direct approach, reaching and leaning over the dog, and trying to “make nice” or comfort him by petting him.  The intention is one of kindness and compassion, but it is all wrong.

Another factor that plays into this type of greeting is the fact that many owners would think the vet to be cold if they do not greet their dog in this manner.  This absolutely plays a role in things.  If a vet is viewed as cold, it will affect the bottom line as many owners will find another one that will greet their dog in a warmer manner.  I’m not implying that this is a direct thought process in all cases, but this, at the very least subconsciously, plays a role.

There are a few things that I find go be helpful. When I see that a dog is fearful I will usually not say hello or try to interact at all in the beginning. I speak to the owners, get a complete history, set up my vaccinations, and basically do everything I need to in order to delay interacting with the dog.  Some owners will feel like I’m ignoring their dog and I can tell they may be a bit put off because I don’t give an overly exuberant greeting, but when they see how much better the appointment goes, and when I explain my approach, they usually get over it quickly. When I do greet the dog, I squat down, turn my body sideways so I’m not facing the dog head on, squint my eyes slightly while looking in their direction & avoiding direct eye contact, extend my hand palm open and up just above ground level and try to give them a moment to approach me. If they do not, I creep a little closer to them. Getting them to sniff you and allowing it to happen helps a lot. Then my assistant does the same type of thing. A lot of times less restraint is more. When examining the face and eyes, making my eyes smaller by squinting helps a lot. If they start to struggle while I’m handling their face, I’m already squinting, so I slightly avert my gaze downward and to either side. I always give them the option to sniff my scopes before I use them. They don’t seem to find them as scary if they say hello to them first. If they start to struggle during part of the exam, I do not back away. I hold what I have as gently as I can to maintain my hold, but I let up the instant they do, if they begin to struggle, I tighten up again. Sometimes I don’t really have a choice and have to left go, but that’s kinda rare. Silence is paramount. I have sent owners out of the room because they cannot overcome their compulsion to “reassure” their panic stricken dog with a constant stream of “it’s okay” or “you’re a good boy”. I don’t speak because I found that many fearful dogs react to the “ggrrrrr” sound in some of the words I say, same goes with “hhhmmmmm.”. Plus, it’s just another source of stimulation that their brain has to process.

Sedation

Many people are against sedation because of moral issues concerning “drugs.”  Drugs are not always a bad thing.  Millions of lives would be lost every year if drugs were not around, yet drugs that cause sedation are seen in a very negative light.  This is because many of them are abused by humans.  I’m not talking about turning your dog into a drug addict.  I’m talking about a legitimate use of a medication to help a panic stricken dog to relax.  This is a much better situation for all involved.  I have seen dog physically injure themselves in a number of ways trying to escape the clutches of the evil strangers that are accosting him, something that is definitely avoidable.  The medications I recommend in this situation are :  Benzodiazepines – Medications such as Valium, Xanax, and Klonopin.  They are anti-anxiety medications that start to work about an hour after administration.  I usually recommend giving them and hour and a half before the appointment.  Acepromazine is one that is very commonly dispensed, and one that I am NOT a fan of.  Ace does not help to decrease anxiety.  It just makes the dog unable to respond to the stress that he is experiencing.  His brain is under the exact same amount of stress, but his body is unable to respond.

Desensitization and Counter-Conditioning

In a perfect world, the gold standard for helping a dog over come his fear of the vet would be to desensitized him to the event and counter-condition his response.  This is no doubt the best approach, however it is very labor intensive for the owner and the veterinary staff.  It would involve multiple visits to the hospital when we do not need to go.  I like to call them happy visits.  Basically you would bring your dog to the hospital and just hang out without getting an examination or shots or anything else that is scary.  This would have to be done several times a week, daily would be optimal.  The duration of treatment is highly variable and would depend on how fearful the dog is, how long the fear has been present, what happened (or did not happen) during the dogs’ critical socialization period, and how/if the fear has been reinforced just to name a few.  If you have a vet that is willing to work with you in this capacity and you have the time and patience to do it, it is definitely a great idea.  If you would like a detailed protocol on what should be done, let me know.

The world in general can be a scary place for some dogs, but the vets office is a special location that causes a great deal of stress and anxiety in even the happy-go-luckiest of dogs.  I hope this post will help you understand what goes on in the mind of your dog and how you can help him and not inadvertently make things worse.  Thank you for reading and please feel free to comment and/or ask questions .

Pictures provided by : otakuchick, normanack, stefernie, and Tobyotter via Flickr.

The subject of crate training can be a touchy one.  Many people feel it is a cruel thing to do, and depending on how it’s used, it can be.  It is cruel to keep a dog in a crate for 10 hours a day without exercise and very little interaction with her human family.  However, if crates are used properly they can serve as a source of comfort to your dog and can help her relax and keep her out of trouble.  Crates also play an important role in the house training of puppies.  It is nearly impossible to constantly keep an eye on a puppy and this is when “accidents” happen.  If a crate is seen as a positive thing by your dog it can help with the anxiety of car transport that many dogs experience.  With the busy lives that many of us lead, our dogs are going to be asked to spend a good portion of the day away from us.  If properly conditioned, the crate can have a calming effect.

Crate Selection

There are several different styles of crates to choose from.  There are the heavy duty plastic airline crates, or flight kennels.  These are mostly inclosed except for the door and a small row on both sides of the crate.  They are very heavy duty and sturdy, but can be difficult to take with you in a car for a trip.  Collapsible metal crates take up much less space in a car and can be taken on trips.  They are open on all sides, but can be a little flimsy.  If your dog is an escape artist, it may be difficult to contain him with this type of crate.  There are also collapsible fabric crates.  These are generally used for transport and are not meant for unsupervised confinement.  The crate should be large enough for your dog to stand up, turn around, and lie comfortably in.

The Process of Crate Training

Crate training can happen quickly, or it can takes some time.  It depends on the dog, her individual temperament, and her past experiences.  Some dogs will take to it naturally, and others may not.  It is important to form a positive association with the crate.  It should ALWAYS be associated with something positive and NEVER be used for punishment.  Go slow!  Trying to go too far too fast can cause your dog to become fearful and/or anxious about the crate.

Step 1  The Introduction – The crate should be placed in a room that the family spends a good portion of their time, such as the den or living room.  Make it comfortable and inviting by placing a bed or soft blanket inside.  Begin to interact with your dog in a calm, yet playful manner near the crate using your happy voice.  Begin to throw some of her favorite treats near the crate.  Use your judgement here, if she seems apprehensive about the crate, give her treats only when she is calm.  If she gets stressed, the treats go away, if she relaxes, the treats come back.  Then begin to put the treats just inside the crate door.  Be sure the door is securely fastened in the open position so it does not inadvertently close if your dog bumps it (bungee cords work well).    Gradually begin to put the treats farther and farther inside the crate.  If she seems apprehensive, do not force the issue.  Give a treat at a distance that she can relax and then try again later.  Once she realizes that nothing bad happened, she will be more likely to approach closer next time.  You can even try making a trail of treats that lead to the crate.  You can also use a favorite toy and toss it into the crate.  This process can take only a few minutes or several days, it will depend on your dog.  This is not a race, so go slow. Do not close the door on her at anytime during this step.

Step 2 Chow Time – After the initial introduction, AND after your dog is comfortable with the presence of the crate and going into it, begin to feed her inside the crate.  Start by placing the food bowl just inside the door.  Gradually, and slowly, begin to move the bowl farther and farther inside the crate.  Remember to fasten the door so that it cannot inadvertently close if your dog bumps it.  Once your dog is standing in the crate, eating, with the bowl all the way in the rear of the crate, begin to close the door.  In the beginning, close it without latching it shut/locking it.  The first few times you close the door, reopen it immediately.  Don’t make a big thing about it, don’t say anything, just close it and reopen it.  Gradually increase the amount of time that the crate remains closed while feeding.  At first, open the door as soon as she is done eating.  Then, start to keep her in the crate for a short period of time after she has completed her meal.  Again, go slow.  start with maybe 10-30 seconds and gradually build up to about 10 minutes.  If she begins to whine and paw at the door, the duration may be a bit too much too fast and will need to be decreased the next time.  If whining and pawing start, you must wait until they stop before letting her out.  If you open the door while she is whining and pawing she will learn that this is how to behave in order to get the door to open.  These behaviors only have to stop for a couple of seconds.  Getting her to sit and look at you before opening the door would be optimal.  Next time, try a shorter period of time.

Step 3 Conditioning for Long Periods of Time – After your dog is eating her meals in the crate and is relaxed in it afterwards, it’s time to start having her spend time in it while you are home and without being fed.  Call her over to the crate.  Use your happy voice and be sure to praise her and give her a treat.  Encourage her to enter the crate and begin to use the word you want her to associate with entering, I like “kennel.”  You can use what ever you want, just be sure it’s one word and one syllable.  After she enters, have her sit, then call her out.  Repeat this a few times randomly through out the day.  After a few days of this (maybe sooner depending on your dogs temperament and reactions) begin to close the door for a few seconds at first and gradually build on the time the door remains closed.  Sitting near the crate during this process will help your dog feel more comfortable, but gradually you will need to increase your distance from her.  Once you start to leave the room you will need to come back to the crate to let her out, but only when she is not pawing and/or whining to get out.  Once she can stay in the crate for about 30 minutes without issue, it’s time to start leaving her in it while you are gone for short periods and at night.  When crating at night, it is best to have the crate in your bedroom so your dog does not feel isolated.  Gradually, the crate can be moved to a different location.  At this point, the crate should be comfortable and inviting.  Place a blanket or bed inside.  A word of caution, beds and blankets will not be appropriate for all dogs.  Some dogs are chewers and will destroy anything left in the crate, even if a favorite toy is in with them.  Use your judgement and common sense and avoid items that can be swallowed and may need surgical removal.

Step 4 Crating While Left Alone – Once your dog is comfortable with all of the preceding steps, it’s time to start leaving her in the crate for longer periods of time.  Call her to the crate and use what ever command you have decided on to ask her to enter.  In the beginning, give her a treat every time, but eventually you will want to vary your rate of reward.  Always give praise, but keep it very subdued.  Too much praise can cause her to get excited, and that is the LAST thing we want to do before we leave her in the crate for a few hours.  You are going to want to vary the time that you put her in the crate during you routine for leaving.  For example, sometimes put her in the crate mid-way through your morning routine, sometimes put her in right before you leave, and other times midway between those two times.  Leaving a long lasting treat, like a food stuffed frozen Kong, can help keep her busy and distracted while you depart.  It is best to ignore her before leaving.  This may seem mean, but if you go to her crate and start apologizing for leaving her and telling her to be a good girl while you’re gone, etc… she will only see a look of concern on your face.  She will not understand why your body language has suddenly changed, she will just know that it has.  This will likely lead to her becoming excited and/or stressed.  If you feel bad or guilty for leaving her and you want to give her special attention because of it, take her for a nice long walk at least a half an hour before you leave.

Potential Issues/Pitfalls

• Too Much Time In The Crate – A crate can serve as a source of comfort and safety for your dog, but too much time in it can be a very bad thing and lead to stress, anxiety, and even aggression.  If your dog is crated all day while you are at work, then again all night while you are asleep, this is WAY too much time in the crate.  Many dogs live this life, without proper exercise, and it is just not right.  Dogs under 6 months of age should only spend about 4 hours at a time  in a crate.  If this is the situation you find yourself in, please make other arrangements like doggie daycare, having a neighbor come over and let her out/walk/play with her, or hire a professional dog walker.
• Whining/Excessive Vocalizing – This can be a tricky issue, especially in puppies and young dogs.  These guys can whine because they have to “use the facilities.”  A general rule of thumb to follow is number of hours per month of age, i.e. a 4 month old dog should be given the opportunity to eliminate every 4 hours, even through the night.  If the above process was followed and you are sure that she is not whining because she needs to eliminate, try to ignore it.  Most of the time ignoring will work.  She should only be allowed out of the crate when she is not whining or pawing at the door.  Yelling and pounding on the crate will not help and can make things worse.  If she wakes you in the middle of the night to eliminate, that should be all that happens.  It would be better for you to anticipate the need to eliminate and let her out before she starts to cry.  Bring her to her spot outdoors to eliminate and then right back into the crate.  Playing with her at this point can encourage her to seek your attention for play time in the middle of the night.  If the whining is not because she needs to go out, do not give in to it, otherwise you will inadvertently teach her to whine for longer and longer in order to get your attention.  If this becomes an issue, restart the crate training process for step 1.  Also, the underlying cause for the whining/vocalizing will need to addressed.
• Separation Anxiety – The crate is not a cure and is definitely not the only part of treating separation anxiety.  It may keep your dog and your belongings safe, but your dog will continue to suffer from panic attacks unless this issue is properly treated.

Follow these steps and you will be well on your way to making sure the crate is seen as something positive to your dog.  If the crate is seem as something pleasant, it can serve as a source of comfort and safety.  Many dogs have issues with car rides, but put them in a crate inside the car and the issue goes away because of the association they have with the crate.  The same goes for airline travel, hotel stays, etc…  Crate training will also GREATLY facilitate house training.  Please share your thoughts and comments, I’d love to hear them!

When most people think of aggression, dominance aggression typically comes to mind, especially these days when some popular trainers feel as though every abnormal behavior is a result of a dogs struggle for dominance and “pack” status.  Fear aggression, however, is MUCH more common.  There are actually about 21 different forms of aggression.  Not all fearful or fearfully aggressive dogs bite, they may only growl or bark aggressively in situations that upset them.  These dogs generally react inappropriately when they sense an intrusion and worsen if they feel cornered.

Many people feel that fearful or fearfully aggressive dogs have been abused or have otherwise suffered from some extremely traumatic event.  While this logic is reasonable and understandable, more times than not it is because something did NOT happen.  That something is socialization.  Improper socialization can make accepting new things difficult when dogs become adults.  Anything from a blowing leaf to hats to men to only men with beards, etc….  Socialization is SO important!

Signs of fear and fear aggression include head held low, wrinkling of the nose, lips curled with many teeth (front teeth and back teeth) showing as the corners of the mouth are pulled back, ears are back and usually pinned to the head, raised hackles, tail tucked, body lowered, and possibly fast panting.   The body language with dominance aggression differs in the following ways: head held high, just the front teeth (incisors and canines) show when lips are curled, ears are up and forward, tail is upright and stiff or with a slight stiff wagging motion, stance is upright and stiff, and usually the mouth is closed (no panting).  See the diagrams at the end of this post for examples.  It is paramount to differentiate between these 2 forms of aggression because they are treated VERY differently.  If you approach a fearful dog the same way you approach a dominant dog, you will likely end up with a fearfully aggressive dog that will eventually bite.  Teeth motivate people.  Once a dog figures this out, it can be really difficult to teach them otherwise, not impossible, but very difficult.

There are many triggers that can cause a fearful response.  Approaches from dogs and people are very common triggers.  Many dogs show a fearful, or excessively submissive response to people they know all of their lives. I must say, in all fairness to dogs out there, that many people just bring this response on themselves.  A large number of people greet dogs in a very threatening and unnatural way when looking through the eyes of the dog.  Picture the scenario, you see a dog that you think is cute, you get excited and make a beeline towards him, making eye contact, arms stretched out, high pitched/excited tone in your voice, reaching and leaning over him as you come up to him.  I’ve seen people go right up to strange dogs and try to kiss and hug them!  Guess what folks, a dog that is fearful in this context is displaying normal canine behavior.  Dogs that are taught that this approach is how we humans do it, may be okay and tolerate it, but even many of them show signs of stress when approached this way (turn their heads away, lick their lips,  avoid eye contact, or lick faces excessively).

For comparison purposes, I will discuss a proper/normal canine greeting.  When one dogs sees another one and BOTH want to meet, the approach will not be a direct beeline, it will occur in more of an arc, or c-shaped direction.  Next is the doggie hand shake.  You know what the doggie hand shake is, don’t you?  That’s right, they sniff each others butts!  Nose to butt, not nose to nose.  There is a greater chance of the greeting not going so well if it starts nose to nose in two dogs that are tense and excited.  Next, they sniff each others flank area (side of the body just in front of the rear legs).  NOW, it’s time for the nose to nose part of the greeting.  See the difference between how 2 dogs greet each other compared to how people greet dogs?  Most dogs bites are the fault of people, the law doesn’t see it that way, but that’s the simple truth.

Children will often  trigger a fearful response for several reasons.  Children don’t always make the best decisions and will occasionally pull ears or tails and poke eyes.  Their movements are uncoordinated and clumsy, and older arthritic dogs commonly display pain aggression because of this.  Children can also be at eye level with many dogs and make direct eye contact and stare, which can be viewed as a treat by any dog. Speaking of children making bad decisions….  I remember a story from a few years back (can’t remember how many years, they are all kinda running together these days).  There was a young to mid age St. Bernard, no issues ever, a family dog.  I can’t remember how many kids, but I know there was one because suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, the dog attacked the kid, and killed him.  It was all over the news.  People freaked out and wanted to give away or euthanize their St. Bernard’s because they were afraid that there was some genetic defect that the was causing them to snap and kill kids (talk about mob affect).  Well, come to find out, the kid had jammed a pencil into the dogs ear.  Moral of the story?  Don’t EVER leave children alone and unsupervised with any dog.  Things may happen that are not at all the dog’s fault, but tragedy is the outcome nonetheless.

Noises and noise phobias can certainly create a fearful response.  Many dogs are just naturally timid and fearful and will have difficulty accepting new things.  Again, socialization can help to either avoid or at the very least decrease the degree of fear that a dog experiences.

Your veterinarians office is another place that can illicit a very strong fear response.  We vets (in the eyes of your dog), I tell ya, are up to no good.  We are always poking and prodding and sticking with needles and sticking long plastic things in ears and trimming nails and squeezing anal glands, etc…  No matter how many times you or I try to convince your dog that we have his best interests in mind while I’m doing all these things to him, the message usually doesn’t get through.  Hell, it’s hard to get that message through to my head when I’m at the doctors office .  The best way to help your dog is NOT to freakout and say “it’s okay” over and over and over again for the entire appointment.  That goes for “you’re a good boy/girl” too .  This is application of human psychology at it’s finest.  What your dog sees is a change in you from a relatively relaxed body posture to one of concern.  You are concerned for him and his mental well being, but he thinks you are concerned about what he’s concerned about, me!  Lol.  The best thing to do is remain calm and avoid eye contact with him.  Absolute silence also helps TREMENDOUSLY.  I NEVER speak a word while examining an extremely fearful dog.  This is a big reason why I can examine dogs that many other vets need to muzzle without a muzzle.  Plus I know how to speak to them with my body language .

When fear turns into fear aggression a bite is the next logical progression.  Many fearful dogs go though years of giving fear signals and warning signals only to have them ignored, challenged, or suppressed.  A common way that fear aggression develops through the suppression of warning signals such as growling and baring of teeth.  Most people misinterpret these two displays as a threat or challenge that the dogs is giving them.  Our egos kick in and we essentially say “Oh no you don’t!  I’m not gonna let you get away with that,” and we either tell them to stop or punish them for doing it.  So, the dog is doing it’s best to say to the person that he is scared and uncomfortable and the human (inadvertently) tells him to shut it and stop giving warnings.  What’s a dog to do?  What’s left to convey that he likely fears for his safety, or even his life?  You got it, a bite.  This is why dogs “bite out of no where” or “turn on their owners.”  Plain and simple.

When fearful dogs bite, the mechanics of the bite/contexts are very predictable.  They will often choose escape if that is possible, but if they also have territorial/protective aggression, they may not.  These dogs often bite from behind, as you are turning to walk away or as you are walking away.  It is usually a “snap and retreat” type of motion, but there can be several bites involved or they can latch on and not release.  They also often will bite when they are cornered or when they are hiding under a chair or table and are being reached for to be pulled out.

There are many signals that dogs give us when they are uncomfortable.  These signals are called displacement behaviors, or calming signals.  They are very subtle, and many of them are either missed or misinterpreted.

• Head Turning – The turn can be to either side, right or left.  It can occur in a number of contexts, such as an approach from another dog or you pointing a camera at your dog.  It can occur quickly (and he looks forward again) or the turn can be prolonged and held.
• Squinting – This is a way of looking in the direction of something, someone, or another dog without making eye contact.
• Turning Away – This is just a further progression of head turning that involves turning of the entire body.
• Licking of The Lips or Nose – This will be quick, often missed, and is very common.  It is like a flick of the tongue, but can be more deliberate.
• Freezing – Stopping all movements
• Walking Slowly – Movement continues here, but they are in slow motion and are very deliberate.
• Play Bowing – When a play bow is used but the dog who is bowing has a relatively stiff or otherwise motionless body he is trying to convey a bit of discomfort, not necessarily “lets play.”
• Sitting or Lying Down – Either with or without giving you his back (turning away).
• Yawning – Most people associate this with being tired.
• Sniffing – Sudden sniffing either of the air or a spot on the ground.   This one is almost always missed or misinterpreted because this is what dogs do!  Right?  They like to sniff things, but in the context where something is making them uncomfortable, it is displacement behavior.
• An Arc (C-Shaped) Approach – A direct approach is more of a challenge or assertion of status.  A C-shape approach is less threatening.
• Lifting of One Paw – This is often used in conjunction with other signals, either while sitting or standing.

So, what to do, oh what to do?  Not so fast!  I want to talk about what NOT to do first.  Many people feel that all you need to do is bring the dog to the object or place him in the context that causes fear and keep him there until he is no longer afraid.  This is called flooding and, more times than not, has disastrous consequences.  It can be very difficult to prevent a dog from escaping when he fears for his life or his safety.  If you fail, and many more times than not people do fail, to will have taught him to be even more afraid than he already was AND you have damaged the trust he had in you.  Trust in a fearful dog is like gold, expensive and hard to come by.  Don’t chance losing it with flooding.

The cornerstones of treatment are desensitization and counter-conditioning (DCC).  During the DCC program it is important to NOT expose your dog to any of the stimuli that he is afraid of unless you are controlling the presentation.  Basically, this involves exposing your dog to the fearful stimuli, one at a time to begin and then in combinations, in a CONTROLLED manner, to a degree that does not illicit the fearful response.  Then, you reward your dog for remaining calm.  Start by carefully analyzing the situation that you want to work on.  Think about it step by step from start to finish.  As you do this, be very aware of what triggers your dog.  You want to be aware of the trigger as early in the process as possible.  Say your dog is relaxed, ears down (but not pinned to his head), panting normally with a relaxed jaw, and tail level.  Then, all of a sudden he looks up, stops panting, ears go up, tail stiffens and goes up OR tucks, and then the fearful behavior begins.  In the beginning, have the stimulus at a distance that causes your dog to just look at it/be aware of it.  Duration is the next variable.  At first let him see the stimulus, reward him for being relaxed, then make the stimulus go away or distract your dog and reward him again if he focuses on you and not the stimulus.  Over time, first allow for a greater duration of exposure, then start to close the distance.  When you close the distance, GO SLOW.  It is important not to rush because if he gets really frightened during the process he can loose ground.  If it happens, it’s important to remain very calm and go back to a distance that doesn’t frighten him.  Repeat the distance/duration process until he can be relaxed next to the stimulus or at least is manageable around it.

General Rules to Follow

• Avoid all situations that lead to aggression during the behavior modification process.  Dogs are very intelligent and they are masters at reading body language.  They will learn things from every interaction.  We do not want a dog that is learning to trust to have a reason to regret trusting.  It will be that much more difficult to get it back after something like that.
• Never reach over a fearful dog, especially if he is cornered or has no escape.  Instead call him to you as you squat down, turn your body sideways (so you’re not facing him), avoid eye contact (look at the floor near him, but not at him), and stretch out your arm with your hand held nearly at ground level, palm up and open.
• Never disturb a fearful dog when he sleeping.  Instead, call him from a distance, whistle, or make the “kissy” sound.
• Ask company to cooperate with you and avoid situations that make your dog uncomfortable.  This can be very difficult when dealing with family members that think they know better.  In these situations, it would be better to keep him in a crate in another room and just avoid the whole situation in the first place.
• Put a bell on his collar so you can know where he is without seeing him.
• Never pet him and tell him “it’s okay” or “you’re a good boy” or anything else in a soft calming tone while fear and/or aggression is being displayed.  Instead, wait for him to relax, then pet him and tell him he’s a good boy.  If the reaction is so severe that he will not relax, calmly remove him from the context.  Reward him when he does finally calm down.
• Never physically correct or punish him.  Any kind of harsh treatment will only serve to confuse him and damage the bond between the two of you.  Remember, trust and the bond are paramount with a fearful dog.
• Never leave fearful dogs (or any dog for that matter) alone with children.
• Do not allow strangers to approach your dog.  Instead, allow your dog to approach them, but only after you have instructed them to stand still and not look at him or speak to him in the beginning.  If petting is attempted, only pet under the chin and chest, never on top of the head or the back.  DCC is paramount in this context.
• Minimize sudden movements and loud noises.  Instead, keep it cool, calm, and collected .

Dog Language Diagrams

Fearful dogs are challenging.  They take time and patience, two things that many of us in this busy world are often short on.  A good number of people want quick fixes, kind of a “give it to me in pill form” type thing.  Create a way to loose weight that doesn’t require you to do anything different/require no effort, and you will be so rich you won’t need my advice .  Unfortunately, there are no short cuts.  In most cases great strides can be made, but many will never be normal.  Expecting an extremely fearful dog to turn into a happy go lucky stereotypical lab is unrealistic.  What is realistic is variable degrees of improvement.  I’d love to hear about your experiences, trials, and tribulations regarding this topic, please feel free to share.

Pictures provided by : Earthworm, eszter, mike_w40, Ross_Angus, metalhead, marnanel, grodt1987, biblicone, indichick7, lantzilla, Chris Barker, RonaldWong

Diagrams from “How To Speak Dog” by Stanley Coren