How to Prevent That Your Dog Gets Lost

Sparked by two lost dogs whose owners reached out, a few of my friends, realizing that there is very little, easy accessible information available, recently formed a Lost Dog Networking Group. It is an open group and you can find it at NSLDN@groups.facebook.com. Unfortunately, the group is growing at an incredible pace, even spreading to other provinces, and I say unfortunately because the reason that it grows so fast is because so many dogs bolt or wander away, and don’t find their way back home. Their owners now have a wonderful resource they can approach, and that is great, but ideally dogs shouldn't be lost in the first place.

Below tips hopefully prevent that you find yourself needing help to reunite with your canine companion.

- Walk your dog in your neighborhood, daily, and take different routes. Your dog should be very familiar with his surroundings and, from any direction, know where his home is. Put “find home” on command and test your dog. Make going home when you’re heading back a tracking game and let him lead you, and, by the way, do the same if you frequently visit parks and trails. Instead of "finding home", have your dog find the car in the parking lot. If something were to scare him, chances are he'll "flee" to the car and wait for you.

- If you own a wanderer, introduce yourself and your dog to your neighbors. Bring them a bottle of wine and attach a card to it with your phone number and instructions what do to if they spot Spot. Our very amiable Newf Baywolf, who rarely missed an opportunity to go socializing, was gone on rare occasions, but never lost, because our neighbors knew and enjoyed him, and knew us, and either brought him home or called. Having a collar and tag on your dog is a given, but if your neighbors know that your dog is friendly, and that you are too, they'll likely be more accommodating and helpful.

- If your dog has testicles, be extra careful of open doors and yard gate latches. I don’t share the popular opinion that everything on four paws needs to be neutered, but the fact is that intact dogs tend to have itchy feet – and a nose for a ready-to-mate girl dog.

- Be also extra careful with a new dog. DO NOT let your newly adopted dog off the leash the next day. He doesn’t know you yet, and has not formed a grateful bond to you in 24 hours just because you rescued him and gave him one bowl of kibble. From your dog’s point of view, you might be nothing more than just another transitory pit-stop, and he has no reason to stay put or listen to you. Social belonging isn’t automatic – it comes with time. You also know nothing about the dog. You don’t know what drives him and scares him; what he does when an environmental stimulus motivates him, or which way and how far he’ll run when something spooks him. Invest in a 30-50 tracking leash that allows you to find out more about your new pooch, and practice a really reliable recall, and then give him free reign.

- Don’t take your dog off the leash if she is skittish and timid – no, not even at the dog park. When we lived in Calgary, within a span of a few weeks, three dogs were lost in a popular park we regularly visited. One was scared by a train whistle and ran away, and two were bullied by a couple of out-of-control dogs. Two dogs were eventually found, one was never to be heard of again. All three dogs were described by their owners as timid and skittish by nature, and one was just adopted from an animal shelter a few days prior.

- Train a solid down position stay away from every entrance door, including the yard gate, and practice with the doors opening and staying open. Your dog should not exit the house, or leave his property, without a specific command, and only with his person. Condition that by practicing whenever you have a minute or two, at different times of the day, and always combine a specific word with your exiting the entrance points together. It’s doable. Really, it is. It just takes time and patience. If you are really ambitious, the door opening could become your dog’s cue to run to the toy box, or his crate, instead of outside.

- When you are out, your dog should be in. In the house, or at least in a secure and comfortable dog run, with a warm shelter to retreat to, and toys, and water. Treat a dog run as an outside home, used only when you are not home, and never as a place that isolates, segregates your dog. When you are home, your dog should be with you. I don’t care how many acres you own, your dog should never be roaming unsupervised, cause then roaming unsupervised becomes a habit. Trail your home range together, check the boundaries together, and you establish a solid social bond that increases the chance that your dog wants to stay on home turf voluntarily.

- Build a real fence, if you must, not an invisible one. I met numerous dogs who were so motivated by an environmental stimulus that they took the shock, and escaped the shock collar fence - and got into trouble, or lost. A dog trainer friend and rescuer wrote a fabulous blog post on shock collar confinement you can read at http://blog.gmds.ca. Dogs also escape when the battery goes dead and the warning beep doesn’t happen, and when the owner forgets to put the shock collar on the dog first thing in the morning. If you rely on a tool to keep your dog put, you’re dog will go when you don’t have the tool. Plus, in my opinion and based on my experiences, shocking a dog changes who he is, and the relationship with you, and by extension the place where he lives.

- You, your home, and property should always be perceived as a safe place; a refuge where never anything bad happens. Never. No shocking. No harsh training. No punishments. Escape is extreme avoidance, and I periodically meet dogs who feel, at least, ambiguous about their home base, and the people who live there. If you are, in your dog’s mind, a 100% predictably safe place to seek shelter with, he is more likely to stay put, or run to you, not away from you, when frightened.

Said all that, accidents happen. Even with all precautions taken, even with the nicest owners, and the best home, a dog might spook and bolt, or is enticed by a scent, sight or sound he'll curiously investigate, and then becomes disoriented and gets lost. In that case, it is critical that you get a sighting. You gotta know where your dog is before you have a chance to reunite with him. How to go about it is exactly the kind of information the Lost Dog Network can help you with, and is also available at www.lostdogsearch.com.

When you have a sighting, you need to be very careful that you don’t frighten your dog into bolting again, cause then you have to start from scratch. You might assume that your dog is as happy to see you as you are to see him, but that is not necessarily so. He could be confused, scared, panicked, suspicious, hurt or sore, and in that frame of mind is very sensitive to the slightest trigger, including you. He will continue to run away if someone, even you, is encroaching into his flight zone. The threshold how far you can safely approach is easy to determine. If your dog has you on his radar, but doesn’t increase the distance, you are good. Don’t try to get closer, but entice your dog to come to you. Say familiar words that elicit a positive emotion. Familiarity alone doesn't cut it; what you say has to feel good to your dog. Stuff like: “Wanna go for a car ride?” or “Wanna play with… (fill in the name if he has a favorite dog friend)”, are examples. Speak with your calm and casual voice, not a panicked one. Breath normally and keep your body loose, and don’t fixate on your dog or he’ll feel targeted and might, yup, run.

I know that is tough to do for an emotionally devastated owner, who, maybe after days of searching, finally sees his dog. But it is said that humans have a cerebral cortex that can overrule emotions, and convincing a confused dog to trust is a good time to apply that skill. Remember, one wrong step can cause him to bolt again, and then you have once more no idea where he is.

Other than familiar words and gestures, have your dog's favorite toy or blanket with you to trigger memory. And leave food, small pieces of delectable people food, and your smell, stinky socks, and retreat, so increase the distance to give your dog enough space to safely sniff and eat. Repeat leaving and retreating as often as you need to, and slowly, patiently, you'll trigger his curiosity and reestablish trust.

Any of the above can trigger your dog’s memory, and make him feel secure with you again, and then he’ll come to you, and you are reunited – a happy-end story everyone wants to see, and keeps the people with the Lost Dog Network motivated and in the game.

How a Dog is Raised and the Probability of Future Behavioral Problems

In “Early experience and the development of behavior” James Serpell and J.A. Jagoe show the relationship between problem behaviors in dogs and where they were raised.

Aggression was significantly more prevalent in dogs bought at a pet store, followed by:

Found – as a stray and kept.

Breeder – as in large breeder with pups raised in a kennel environment.

Shelter

Lowest in dogs bred in a home environment, including by a friend and family member.

Regarding social fears, the highest rate was again in dogs acquired from a pet store, followed by:

Shelter

Found and large kennel Breeder ranked about the same

Lowest again when bred in a home environment.

The authors didn’t elaborate on aggression and social fears, so we don’t know if the dogs threatened, bit, resource guarded or what. And of course, social fears can also be the root of aggressive displays, and the fact that they separated the two leads me to believe that it was timidness and nervousness they were referring to.

Can’t say that I am surprised by these findings. No pet should ever be purchased in a pet store, and I have a peeve with large kennel breeders, who have 2,3,4 or more litters going at the same time, year around. Even if the dogs and puppies live in a house, and not in a barn or outside kennels, the environment is stressful, and there isn't enough time in a day to give each pup the care she needs to turn into a well-rounded adult.

Shelter dogs having a higher rate of social fears is what I experience as well. I work(ed) with many rescue dogs, and rarely me(e)t one who is not on some level anxious or insecure. But don’t stop adopting, cause in almost all cases that can be fixed, and you end up with a wonderful companion.

The second highest aggression rate in found dogs could be explained with that they might have been ditched in the first place because they were aggressive.

That the lowest occurrences for both aggression and social fears were seen in dogs that were lovingly bred in someone’s home is food for thought, cause it, of course, includes people condescendingly trashed by many as back yard breeders.

I've never seen anything wrong with someone who has a really nice dog or two and wants to pass on the great genes, often keeping a pup for himself and finding homes for the others in their friend and relative circle, or even, arrgh, advertising it on-line. And I am so against on-line dog shopping. I really am. But there are exceptions and sometimes a lovingly raised pup can be found there. Doing the proper research are the key words here.

If I’d be shopping for a pup, I would not rule these people out. I would also not rule out breeders who have a more commercial business going, but would most certainly shop locally so I can see with my own eyes how the puppies are raised, and how their parents live.

But my heart is really with dogs looking for a second chance. I am a sucker for dogs who have social fears, cause there’s nothing more rewarding than when they overcome them and trust again.

Animal Control, Humane Societies and the No-Kill Movement

In another time, at another place, I was a little deeper involved in shelter politics than I am now. Time is one reason, but ego-driven managers, useless boards, nonsensical actions, and rules and regulations that don’t always prioritize animal welfare, distracted me from doing what I do best – working with dogs. So here and now, I give advice or assess a dog when asked, but other than that live happily in my tralalala world, distanced from the internal dramas and conflicts of the rescue circuit.

Not being involved doesn’t mean that I don’t care. I often ponder about the plight of animals nobody wants. A little while ago I read a couple of blog posts that caught my interest, plus I had private conversations about local dog politics, and as a result felt compelled to voice my opinions on homeless dogs and the institutions that deal with them, and what I think should and could happen, but not necessarily does happen, at least not everywhere.

I’d like to see Animal Control and Humane Societies under provincial, not municipal jurisdiction. That would streamline bylaws, resources and training, assessment and adoption guidelines, and offer consistency for people - and dogs if they have to be moved from one shelter to another.

Rules and regulations must ensure public safety, but the focus should be the animal. Child Social Services is about kids, health care about sick people, and animal stuff about animals. Lawmakers typically consult with experts before making decisions, and the same should be the case regarding dogs. Dog bylaws must be based on facts about dogs, and not public paranoia fueled by a media that sensationalizes isolated incidents.

A few years ago in Calgary, during a radio interview, someone and it might have been Bill Bruce but I am not sure, explained the different roles Animal Control and a humane society have in the community. AC protects people from animals and the HS animals from people. I quite liked that. It is clear, and a simple policy to implement. Unambiguity means that no pooch falls through the cracks. AC’s duty, then, would be to seize reported aggressive dogs that are owned, but also, in my opinion, gather up roaming strays for safekeeping and behavior-assessing. I like to see dogs kept for 10 days unless an escapee is claimed, at which point AC should check if the owner is capable of caring for his pooch properly. 72 hours is too short. One often doesn’t get an accurate personality evaluation in the first 72 hours cause the dog is too afraid, confused, stressed, hungry, or sore. Plus, a stray’s person might be out of town, unaware that his dog is missing and therefore unable to retrieve him within 3 days.

Humane societies would cover all dogs that can’t stay in their present homes because they are either mistreated, or unwanted. I believe that there should be at least one open admission shelter within a certain radius and populous; a place where no animal is denied entrance. Yes, that does enable callous people to dump the dog they messed up. Yes, it does provide an easy copout for immature and irresponsible humans whose lifelong companion doesn’t fit their lifestyle any longer. But the sad truth is that someone who wants to get rid of his dog, will. If the pooch can’t be surrendered, he might be ditched in a rural area, chained, shot or beaten, or passed on to a naïve softy who has the best intentions, but lacks awareness that a neglected or mistreated dog can come with emotional baggage, expressed in problem behaviors. The dogs, almost all of them, can get better and some people are committed to their new canine, and financially able to afford professional help, but others continue the cycle and get rid of the dog.

Suffering is a constant in many dogs’ lives, happens in many places, and often in people’s homes. To ease suffering, open admission is unavoidable.

AC and HU have different, but equally important roles in a civilized society, and both entities should receive public funding. No third parties. No tenders. Methinks it is easier to work together if there isn’t a juicy contract to vie for.

I get it: Non-profit and transparent government funded institutions that are managed by animal experts that deeply care is wishful thinking. Coming up with more money, when there are so many demands already, is a doozy for our politicians. No question, caring for the sick and poor, keeping roads and other infrastructure in decent shape, and educating our youngsters are paramount responsibilities. There is other important stuff, like building impressive structures and arenas, subsidizing for profit companies, and financing decades-long studies to scientifically prove common-sense knowledge.

And let’s not forget that the business of governing is not cheap. Our elected politicians need to be paid, and their expenses need to be paid, too, and their retirement has to be taken care of. They also need money to hire consultants that tell them how to govern better, pay committees of consultants for the same reason, travel to fancy places to see how others govern, travel to fancy places to conference how to govern better together, and travel to fancy places to make plans to meet somewhere else to discuss how to govern better. I am not kidding myself that compassionate animal welfare is anywhere remotely on the agenda of governments any time soon. But it should be. Cause people dedicated to improve the lives of animals in need should be able to focus on exactly that, and not be consumed with fundraising enough dough to stay afloat for another month.

With humane societies funded, the various rescue groups orbiting the big shelters would likely see more donations coming their way, and everyone could work TOGETHER – tralalalala.

Specialized rescue organizations are the best fit for specific dogs, and more money for them means that they are in a better position to help AC and HU when such a dog is seized, found or surrendered. Ideally, every pure bred dog should go to pure breed rescue, and I like breeders involved in that - and many good ones are.

But even without government funding, I wish people with a common goal, even if their personalities clash, could get over their antagonistic relationships and cooperate. Dogs don’t care who did what to whom 5 years ago. All they want is food, water, shelter and to feel safe, and they rely on humans to supply those things.

Enough wishful thinking, let’s talk about the reality I see. Presently, only a small percentage of all monies donated goes to animals, and many organizations, including humane societies, compete for the little that’s available, and that makes good PR a critical aspect. The PR buzz word for the last several years is No-Kill.

No-Kill shelters reject euthanasia unless an animal is too sick, or too aggressive to be adopted; aim, as far as I know, for a below 10% euthanasia rate. It is popular with the public, where donations come from, cause people hate when cute furry things die an untimely death; pity the down-trodden, sad-eyed dog and want for him to have chance in life – with someone else.

Okay, now is a good time to state unequivocally that I believe that no animal that can be treated and rehabilitated should be killed. Not one. My wish is for every dog (and cat, ferret, iguana, bird….) to feel safe and cared for, in a home or sanctuary. Is any euthanasia rate acceptable? No. Is the No-Kill movement the solution? I don’t think so.

As long as we have more animals produced than people wanting one, and as long as we don't have laws with teeth that ensure that dogs don't develop problems the average person can't live with, we have more needing help than available spots. And whenever that happens, shelters are between a rock and a hard place.

Dog: “My person doesn’t want me anymore. He frightens me when he gets angry with me. Can you help?”

Shelter staff: “No, sorry buddy. We would only have to euthanize you, and that would mess up our No-Kill statistics, and that would affect our donations.”

If I'd have a junk of money to get rid of, euthanasia statistics is the last thing I am interested in.

What matters most to me is that each and every animal that enters an organization’s door is treated with the utmost compassion, and consideration to what is in that dog’s best interest given the circumstances.

If the shelter claims No-Kill status, I wanna know how many dogs they turned away to, possibly, die elsewhere?

Do they have hard to adopt dogs wasting in kennels for months?

What are their adoption criteria? Are new owners carefully selected, or does quantity overrule quality?

Is anybody checking if the pooch is still with the adopter after a few months? A couple of years? How is he kept? What’s his quality of life? Remember, No-Kill doesn’t mean No-Suffering. Every adopted dog should get at least one follow-up check, and if he can't be traced, should be added as “euthanized” to the statistics.

Of course, quantity doesn't exclude quality. There are fabulous shelters that do both. They typically have progressive programs, public-accommodating opening hours and adoption guidelines, and knowledgeable staff that matches the dog with a compatible human.

If a shelter has a higher euthanasia rate I wanna know why.

Were dogs killed because they failed a small aspect of an unrealistic, only minutes long, temperament test that sets dogs up to fail?

Were they euthanized because the shelter doesn't have a training program and follow-up care for dogs with issues?

Are managers and staff incompetent, careless and rude, thereby driving the public away and creating bad PR?

Or do they have a large intake of dogs that are in bad shape?

Are they located in an area that provides very little resources?

How are the animals euthanized? Sedated and overdosed while someone caresses and talks to them? Or cruelly mass-gassed?

There are other aspects that determine if I support someone, or not.

A biggy for me is if animals are sold to a research facility. In my books, every dog has the same value. I don’t care if he is a pedigreed, once pampered surrender, or a flea-ridden mongrel trapped at one of Canada’s many rural garbage dumps. Every dog feels fear and pain, confusion, anxiety and panic, and the thought and knowledge that some are deliberately sentenced, for life, to experience any or all of the above, by the very same people who are suppose to speak on their behalf, is heartbreaking.

I also want to know where the dogs are spayed and castrated. The shelter I used to volunteer for sent dogs to a teaching college, and some came back with pretty severe behavioral, and occasionally physical, issues they didn’t have before. The dogs couldn’t tell us in words what had happened there, but their behavior indicated that it was traumatic. Based on that, the shelter stopped to supply the college with animals, even though it meant an additional financial burden. That’s compassion.

And I want to know, if the shelter has a training program, who works with the dogs. Shelters rely heavily on unpaid helpers, and there is nothing wrong with delegating daily dog training duties to volunteers. It can be a win-win-win if dogs receive mental and physical stimulation and learn manners that make them more adoptable, the new owners get a pooch who knows foundation commands they can build on, and people interested in dogs are given ample opportunities to learn more about their behavior.

It is a lose-lose-win if intimidation, force and pain increase fear and anxiety in the, due to past and present living environments, already stressed and confused dog. Dogs and future owners lose; the ones who win are upcoming shock collar trainers who get to practice their zapping skills, beginner handlers who become more proficient in pinning and punishing, and seasoned trainers who often drum up business through pro bono shelter work.

So, training yes, but the method has to be in place. Training guidelines have to be set by the shelter, and all volunteers must observe them.

In an ideal world every dog would have a place to live that is safe, and where his species and breed specific, and individual, needs are met. That place could very well be a sanctuary, where people care for dogs' physical needs, and compatible dog buddies provide social interactions. But it can’t be a cage or a solitary life on a chain, dog run or fenced yard.

We don’t live in an ideal world. Animal welfare organizations often don’t have enough resources cause governments on all levels don’t care, and wealthy philanthropists like to support causes that generate more recognition and media applause.

There aren’t enough sanctuaries for dogs that don't fit into society, and if the right person for an unwanted one isn't available, euthanasia becomes the most humane option. To prevent that dogs live the miserable life of permanent restraint, isolation or harsh treatment, shelters kill him. And if that is their motivation, they shouldn’t be judged.

I wish that nobody would get his pup from a pet store, pet broker or large-scale breeder, but I have nothing against people who purchase a blue-blooded pooch from a conscientious one. Really, I don’t. To the contrary, it benefits all parties when the person has a clear understanding what he desires in a dog, and where his personal limitations are. Owning an expensive pure-bred is okay, but then judging a shelter’s euthanasia rate, and withholding donations because it doesn’t match his perfect world, is not.

A life free of fear, stress and pain means more to a dog than the length of it. I am certain of that. Because it is important for them, it is priority for me. If you feel the same, ask a whole lot of questions before you hand over your hard-earned dollars. Look for an organization that treats each animal kindly - maybe for the first time, on the last day of his life.

Countdown the Ten Best Expert Tips

Like seeks like, and hence all my friends are in one way or another involved with dogs. No surprise that having dinner with them is a favorite pastime that fills not just my tummy, but also soul and brain. Soul and brain cause passionate dog people never tire talking shop, and that isn’t just mentally stimulating, but also makes us more proficient. You might expect that someone like me, who proclaims expertise and advices others, already knows all there is to know about dogs, but I confess that every time I am conferencing with other brainy dog folks I walk away with a new insight, or am reminded of something that slipped my mind, but is worth paying attention to.

As much as humans love to lay claim to unique, inborn talents and boast with original, groundbreaking ideas, the best pooch-professionals, including world-renowned authorities I met and learned from, continue to learn from dogs - and their colleagues. They go to seminars even if they give them, read what others in the field have to say and observe what they are doing, exchange thoughts and ideas, test and sometimes modify them, and then pass combined wisdom along to peers and clients - thereby making the world a better one for dogs and their owners.

For year’s end, I want to share with you 10 bite size tips – some original, others I picked up at a seminar, lecture, book, article or through networking dinners with friends.

Each one is specifically chosen, because it is easy to apply, yields great benefits and yet, I hardly ever see a lay owner do it.

10. Sandwich difficult exercises between easier ones. Especially sensitive and scatter-brained dogs can feel overwhelmed when training becomes increasingly more difficult, falter under pressure or mentally check out. Start with fun stuff, and end on a high note, and your pooch will forever be keen to learn more.

9. The more you do it, the better you get. Practice behaviors that are important to you whenever you have a minute or two, and in a variety of contexts. A dog trained 20-minutes each day learns to obey 20-minutes each day.

8. Toss a treat out for your dog to find – also outside. Encourage her to find it, make it a game , a fun interaction, maybe even help her, and you become the primary reinforcement, not the treat. It keeps your dog connected to you, and if you incorporate other objects into your fun interactions, you don’t become dependent on food rewards.

7. Be boring and inattentive after you released your dog from a practice session. Traditional correction training does the opposite: praise or play follows the dismissal, and the dog learns that training is a drag, and being released is pleasurable. If you aim for voluntary compliance that is a big hurdle, cause voluntary only happens when working with you is more rewarding than not working. To be very clear, withhold attention only for a little while; locking the dog in his crate for hours on end and depriving him of social contact in the name of performance is, in my opinion, abuse.

6. Use your body consciously. Move forward if you want your dog to stay and walk away when you call your dog. Running toward a dog is your invitation to playing chase, and she’ll tear in the opposite direction. Walk away from your dog, not toward her, if you want her to follow.

5. If your dog has a, well, strong developed sense of ownership over toys, have an identical one when you venture to the dog park. If a rude pooch snatches her beloved ball, prove how good of a provider you are when you dig up the replacement. It keeps your dog’s focus on you, and possibly prevents a fight.

4. Whenever someone comes head-on towards you, politely leash-guide your dog to the side and verbally cue, we like “over”, the behavior. Consistently applied, your dog will soon mannerly move “over” on command – on and off the leash, which potentially makes a situation less confrontational for the other dog, puts cynophobic people at ease, and creates passing space for cyclists and joggers.

3. Clip a leash on your dog until you have off-leash control. Yes, even in the house. Trust me, leash-controlling until your dog settles is way more productive than playing goalie with her at the door when the bell rings. Leashing does not mean jerking and correcting – it means keeping the pooch out of trouble until desired behaviors are reliable off the leash.

2. Combine a verbal “take-it” with releasing anything you give your dog he takes with his teeth. Treats, his ball, or the tug toy. Once the cue is conditioned, your dog will only take something out of somebody’s hand when commanded to, which prevents impatient and rough grabbing and snatching.

1. My number one, must have, behavior is voluntary connection. If you have your dog’s attention, you can teach anything else in a heartbeat. If you don’t have it, nothing you do has much of an impact.

Your dog offering eye contact should precede access to anything your dog wants. Attention before he gets his food, before you open the door, before you clip on the leash – or off at the park. When your dog understands that you’re her lifeline, connecting with you becomes a habit.

When I reflect on 2010, many joyous moments flash into my mind, and most include a dog or two. It was a good year and I wish it was one for you, too. May you and yours be blessed with peace, health and prosperity in 2011.

The Christmas Doggie Toy Box

All dogs should have a well-stocked toy box. Well, maybe not all. The ones that have a real job and daily mental and physical stimulation can contently live without it. However, most dogs in our society own a person who’s predominantly involved in human-only activities, which leaves the pooch on the sidelines, and that can lead to a variety of problem behaviors. Dogs that act out often do so to generate stimulation in a deprived environment, and a designated, always accessible – and that part is important, activity center counters boredom; offers mental stimulation.

Size, shape and contents of a proper toy box depend on the dog. Terrier types often like a deep basket filled with many things and a daily surprise they can dig up, for example a few special treats hidden underneath all the stuff or layered in between. Tons of stuff doesn’t mean it'll cost you tons of money. Provided your dog doesn’t swallow cloth, clean rags, holy socks or worn t-shirts, collected from friends and family, work wonderfully.

Very industrious dogs could find several stuffed Kongs in their play corner. In fact, most of their daily food ration might be served that way. I also like to put a few especially smelly treats in toilet paper rolls, fold the ends in to keep them in place and, again only if the pooch doesn’t swallow cardboard, hide them all through the house. That purposeful nose-work challenges even the busiest sniffer, and nicely tires her out.

Large, powerful dogs are often relentless chewers, so their toy box should include a variety of items that fulfill that need. Every good pet store offers advice what is delectable - and longer lasting with ambitious masticators. Bark and Fitz, and Global Pets are examples of a good pet store, and for dog’s sake, I never shop somewhere that actually sells animals, even if I could safe a coin.

Because the idea is to create self-reliant fun, anything in the box should be safe for the dog to have unsupervised. Said that, the wise owner does observe at first, and every time a novel item is added. You want to ensure that she doesn’t gulp down an antler chew, tied in two old cup towels, in one piece.

Does an always-accessible activity basket take the fun out of holiday gift giving? After all, the majority of owners include their furry family member into the Christmas Season, and we certainly belong to the majority in that regard. I say no to that question, and am sure that our dogs agree. With a little ingenuity one can find the perfect present even for the most indulged canine. I googled a bit and found a few things my pooches likely have on their Santi Paws wish list, and yours might be pleased with as well.

Nina Ottosson interactive dog toys are a hit with every dog, regardless of age, size, physical or mental abilities. You can check them out at www.interactivedoggames.com, and many pet boutiques, locally and on line, carry a variety. Don’t snitch it to Davie and Will, but I bought a “Tornado” at www.houndsaroundtown.com they get to gently unwrap on Christmas Morn. Your dog might even make it into the brainy-dog hall of fame, but keep in mind that games are for fun first, not competition.

Or how about home-baked cookies the little darling can sniff for under the Christmas tree. I found a great recipe at www.bullwrinkle.com I modified a little, cause I’m a health geek and white flour doesn’t enter my dogs’ tummies. Here it goes: 16 oz. raw liver finely processed – and you can substitute that with sardines or peanut butter, 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour, 8 oz. oat flakes, 3 beef bouillon cubes dissolved in app. 1 cup of warm water, 2 beaten eggs. Combine all ingredients, and for extra nutritional value I toss a handful of dried parsley in it, and add enough water to form a slightly sticky dough. Roll out on baking paper to about ½” thickness, cut out cookies in whatever shape you like, and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. You can fancy it up with bone or fire hydrant shaped cookie cutters, and you can find those at many places, for example at www.thecookiecuttershop.com. Our girls wish they had cat and veterinarian shaped ones, too.

Often overlooked are gifts that make the dog feel better. I found paw pads at www.pupgearcorporation.com our 12-year-old, arthritic Davie might find in her stocking this year. Our house is all matted out, but she still likes to travel with us and those pads might keep her from sliding on other people’s hard wood floors.

A gift that keeps on giving is a book. Not entirely for the dog, but indirectly because understanding canines makes you a better parent to yours. Dogwise.com is an on-line dog bookstore and has many great reads. Too many to list here, but two of my favorite authors are Suzanne Clothier and Patricia McConnell. I also like Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, and each year, the beginning of December, I dig up my copy of “Certain Poor Shepherds”. We sit on the floor, the dogs snuggled close, with me reading the doggie Christmas story to them. Of course they don’t comprehend the words, but they understand the warmth and peace I feel when we’re all enveloped in a special kind of quality time that does not always come about during busier times of the year.

And that’s really it, isn’t it? To give of oneself to loved ones – canine or human. So, it doesn’t matter if you shop for an interactive dog game, sign your pooch up for a fun group class, buy something that makes her feel better, or order a “how to teach tricks” book for your frisky dog - and actually use it.

With that, I wish you all a Peaceful Christmas, Hanukkah and Winter Solstice.

Back Off!

The last two months I published a couple of posts that addressed resources. One is called “The Hedonic Canine”, and the other “A Lesson in Resource Control”, and you can find them in the archive under August 2010 and September 2010. I talked about our pooches being pleasure-seeking animals that understand the value of possessions. Clever the owner who teaches the new furry family member that resources never run out, but that they are also under the control of people and that one must ask nicely to gain access. Starting puppies on the right paw is the easiest way to an adult dog who’s relaxed around stuff that matters to him. But what if a second chance rescue comes with deep-seated resource insecurity? What does one do with a dog who is convinced that a human near his valuables is bad news? What does one do with a dog who says: Back Off!

Resource guarding is a major reason why humane societies won’t adopt a dog out, even if he is great in every other way. Their unwillingness is understandable, because a possession-aggressive dog can inflict nasty injuries. There is the liability issue, but also a moral obligation to keep people safe, and for that reason most shelters’ temperament evaluation includes a food test. The dog is leashed and released to a dish with highly desirable canned food. As he gobbles it up, a person sticks a rubber hand, called an Assess-A-Hand, into the food, pets the dog, or moves the food bowl. A second person observes and evaluates the dog’s reaction on a scale from best – he’s surrendering the food, to worst – he’s attacking the person who operates the Assess-A-Hand, with a wide variety of behaviors in between: noticing the hand but not being bothered, eating faster, blocking the bowl, tension, growl but no bite, air snap, biting the hand, one bite and release, and repetitive bites.

Some shelters have zero tolerance for any level of resource guarding and proceed with euthanasia when the dog is tense, or blocks. More progressive ones, and our Metro SPCA belongs to them, recognize the problem but, depending on dog and intensity, are willing to work with him.

I am happy about that cause even though resource aggression is one of the more serious behavioral problems, it is also one that in most cases, if done right, can be permanently solved in a considerably short time.

A inherently flighty, commonly called submissive dog, surrenders a contested item or space. A confident one confronts anyone he perceives as a threat, real or imagined doesn’t matter. But just because a dog is determined to defend what he thinks is his doesn’t mean that the behavior isn’t rooted in fear. Both cautious and confident animals can have fears - the difference is how it is expressed. With resource guarding the fear is losing something important, and that is almost always based on experience. Food is a basic need every animal instinctively knows he needs for survival, and when it is taken away in the name of dominance, resource insecurity is instilled. The same happens if a dog has to compete for a limited supply of resources, which is not only food but anything he finds pleasurable and valuable. If he succeeds periodically, even just once, in keeping a rival at bay with aggressive displays, the behavior is powerfully reinforced. Aggression when in possession of a resource worked for the dog and he will do it again; aggression becomes his first line of action when someone approaches.

Whatever is considered valuable enough to defend depends on the dog. Often it is food, but it also could be a toy, bone, stick or garbage, a certain space like a crate or bed, the area where he is fed, or a sniffing spot at the dog park. You, the owner, could be regarded as possession, or any other family member, two- and four-legged ones. In fact, a dog who guards food during the Assess-A-Hand evaluation typically also defends other things, and just because one passes the test doesn’t mean that he won’t aggress when he has something that might be more important to him. That is why eliminating whatever a dog guards is not a practical solution, because he can always find something else, and you never know what it is. Unless the root of the problem is addressed, the dog remains unpredictable and potentially dangerous.

When I work with dogs, or write about them, I never add a disclaimer. Me thinks that demonstrating or advising something the lay owner can’t safely apply is a waste of time. It’d be like a Martha Stewart recipe that is too dangerous to be whipped up in your own kitchen. But never always has an exception, and mine is resource guarding, because it can lead to nasty bites when people misjudge the situation. For that reason, anyone who owns a possession aggressive dog should always, always consult with an experienced, but positive professional. Thus, the purpose for this post is not self-help advice, but hopefully prevent that things get messed up even more in the interim.

The popular response to a guarding, snarling dog is pinning and punishing him, removing the loot, or forcing him away from it. Although intuitive, all of the above is counterproductive because it confirms what the dog already feels: that he better be suspicious and worried about people around stuff he needs and wants. Even if you are assertive and strong enough to dominate your dog, success is typically temporary. The physically overpowered, but still insecure dog will retaliate sooner or later, against you or a weaker family member, and often with increased intensity.

Counterintuitive, but way more effective is to infuse resource security, because you are addressing the root of the problem. Once the fear is gone, the aggression also is.

Deprivation fosters anxiety and competition for the little that is available, so make sure that your dog lives in the land of plenty. Provide freely and offer many opportunities for him to “earn” stuff.

Once you allowed access to a resource, let him eat, chew and rest in peace. The last thing I want is someone pawing my chocolate cake I was looking forward to the whole day. Your dog feels the same.

Whenever he is unperturbed when you’re in the vicinity, add something extra yummy to what he already has. Yes, it sounds like overkill to toss a piece of cheese to a bone gnawing dog, but if you, the provider, is bringing more goods, your dog begins to anticipate your appearance happily, not suspiciously. He is changing his mind and that is what we’re after.

Another disclaimer here and why expert help is imperative. It is critical that you comprehend subtle signals; know when your dog becomes tense and his mind shifts, because you want to reinforce the desired behavior. In addition, understanding finer body language allows you to gauge distance accurately, and that will keep you safe during the retraining phase.

If you miss the point and your dog snarls or snaps, you’re in a Catch 22. If you back off, you reinforce intimidating aggression. If you encroach closer you take the conflict to the next level and that places you in danger to get bitten – and then, guaranteed, you will back off and thereby reinforce your dog for biting. My recommendation is to stay where you’re at, casually with a fluid body and relaxed breathing, until your pooch loosens up, and then you increase the distance. That way you are reinforcing relaxation with what he wants most: you getting lost. Another disclaimer. Only stay put when it is safe to do so. If your dog turns it up a notch cause you’re not leaving, calmly, while facing him, retreat. Don’t push it, and don’t worry what you are reinforcing at that moment. Your safety is priority.

Human and dog rules state that possession is 90% ownership. Once you have given your dog something, it is his. If you don’t want him to have it, control access with a leash or a well-practiced verbal “leave” command. Every dog should, and can learn to release something on command, or move on request, but that takes trust, training and is force free. Your positive dog expert can help you with that as well, and might have more ideas up his/her sleeve that changes your dog’s mind about people near his loot, and consequently his behavior - reliably and regardless how important something is to him.

Are Dogs Pack Animals?

Most everyone seems to think so, and an entire dog training methology is based on the believe that dogs live in hierarchical packs, with each aiming for alpha leadership. It is so ingrained, even with the non-dog owning public, that folks don’t realize that it is just a hypothesis, not truth. A seemingly no-brainer theory that, when questioned and investigated deeper, might actually turn out to be false.

Every species is unique in their behavior. That is how we tell them apart even if their anatomy is closely related. As such, humans and chimps are clearly different species, with a common ancestor, but only some common, primate behaviors. The same is true for dogs and wolves.

Behavioral variations happen when animals adjust to different environmental demands. Adapting to one’s Umwelt, the milieu she lives in, is evolutionary success. The big divergence regarding wolves and dogs is that dogs live on human waste, and non-captive wolves kill prey. Food seeking is a primal drive, and that makes that difference a profound one, because it means that wolves depend on one another for survival, and dogs don’t. They depend on humans.

Wolves are stronger in numbers, because they are not skilled enough to bring down large prey alone. In addition to cooperative hunting, wolves also benefit from pack support when raising their young. Wild wolves procreate only a small number of precious puppies once a year, and their survival is crucial for the species. Being cared for by a group increases the pups’ chance to reach maturity and contribute in the hunt, or procreate themselves.

The sole purpose of a pack is to thrive better as a group than an individual. That is clearly the case with wolves in their natural habitat. It takes a pack to raise a pup, and because nobody feeds them, they have to work together to kill big game for sustenance.

Dogs’, by nature, hang out where humans are. Not just the ones who claim a food bowl and leash, occupy the passenger’s seat in the car and sleep on our bed. In fact, most of our world’s dogs are feral born and strays, but still choose to live in the vicinity of humans because, since the dawn of agriculture and early settlements, that’s where their food is. Yes, occasionally one eats a rodent, but almost always when dogs kill it is either with the intent to eliminate and typically a controlled shake without a drop of blood spilled, or a hyper-aroused, out-of-control frenzied blood orgy; a rip fest that can leave many animals dead, but that are not consumed.

As a species dogs forage on what we dump, and forming a pack doesn’t make ecological sense for scavengers, especially if there is a limited supply of resources. Dogs also don’t rely on group cooperation to propel the species. As any rescue organization will attest, puppies are plentifully produced. A female dog comes into heat younger than a wolf, and more often. She can accept several suitors, even during one heat, and typically cares for her brood alone. Male dogs conveniently move on after mating; are the canine version of deadbeat dads.

Dogs don’t need a pack to thrive, but that does not mean they can’t enjoy inter-canine affiliations, or belong to a loose and transitory group when circumstances dictate or favor it, but they rarely depend on one another for survival.

Why does it matter to us if dogs are natural pack animals or not? Because it impacts their behavior and our life with them, that’s why.

Alike humans, dogs infest every corner of this planet to scavenge on waste we leave, or leftovers we kindly share. When resources are scarce, real or imagined, every other dog becomes a natural opponent. That means that dogs, inherently, drift toward competition regarding their own kind, not cooperation.

Indeed, a majority of my clients hire me because their dog aggresses against other dogs, and that interestingly is also the case with ones that were socialized properly. I pondered for some time why dogs that socially know other dogs well would proactively aggress, and came to the conclusion that it is because they have experienced dogs as resource competitors. For these dogs, more socializing in the usual way is not the solution. Quite to the contrary, it often overwhelms the dog, increases anxiety and makes matters worse.

Based on my experience, the awareness that inter-dog aggression could be the nature of the beast, not the pathology of a bad dog, makes many owners almost instantly more compassionate and patient, which allows them to approach the problem cognitively, and that leads to an improved relationship between dog and owner, which by itself can take the edge off aggression.

Regarding humans, strays are not connected to specific people, so no pack behavior there either. Hanging out in proximity does not make a pack - there has to be somewhat of a connection, which happens when we invite a dog into our home. The leash, house, fenced yard and crate eliminate her choices, and she becomes solely dependant on her person(s). The closest to what could be called pack belonging.

Does that mean that our canine companion needs a pack leader? Well, she certainly needs someone who explains how her world works; how she can belong, stay safe and access resources. How she can thrive through cooperation. And that someone has to be the human. The onus is on you, but an existing canine co-dweller who knows the ropes can certainly function as a great helper.

As far as humans are concerned, a dog, owned or not, is not a status-seeking opponent always vigilant for her chance to topple us, because directly, or indirectly, people supplied food since some 14.000 years, and people’s hands are able to hurt and harm. Dogs inherently know this, and that makes them, as a species, deferent to us.

If we translate pack leader into physical dominance displays and confrontational resource disputes, we create competition where there naturally isn’t one, and we run the danger that our dog becomes anxious, resentful and confrontational. Calling a human/dog group a pack, social unit, team or family is just semantics. What matters is that every owned dog has a person who educates, not dominates, so that she can thrive in the group she’s forced to live with.