Maclean's Article: When did crating your dog become a crime

When Maclean's asked me to contribute to an article about tethering dogs, I was beyond thrilled. I mean, it’s Maclean's calling. I was elated and appreciated the opportunity to have my voice heard in our national mag. The article is on the shelves now, and you can find it here.

It, the comments, and a radio interview with Charles Adler at CJOB 68 in Winnipeg that followed on March 19, you can find it on itunes under “the-new charlesadler.com/id319988668”, provoked me to open my mouth some more, or rather put my fingertips to the laptop.

Let me start by saying that I am not unhappy with the article, even though I doubt it’ll advance dogs’ welfare. I am not unhappy because at least it might get a broader discussion started. I reckon a national mag has to point out opposing views, be balanced so to say, and I speculate because I don’t know for sure. I am not a journalist, but when I talked with Alex Ballingall, the author of the article, my impression was that his interest was genuine, and yet the article, I feel, fell a bit short in exposing the reality of permanently confined dogs.

The title: “When did crating your dog become a crime”, was the first thing that annoyed me. I understand that a headline is supposed to draw readers in, but did it really have to be one that implies that a bunch of animal rights activists are out to criminalize dog owners for safekeeping the pup in a crate for a couple hours? And just to clarify, I am neither involved with PETA, nor an animal rights activist. You could say I am someone who respects all life, but has a very strong affinity for dogs. I am a dog advocate because I live with them and know their potential, and at the same time witness their suffering when humans mistreat them.

Mistreatment comes in many forms, but certainly includes solitary confinement on chains, and in crates and dog runs. Day in and day out, and at night, and for life is the reality for many dogs in North America.

There are 5 within a 15-minute walking distance from our home, which is situated on an acre lot, typical for our bedroom community of about 1000. One dog is chained, three are in tiny dog runs, and one in a larger fenced yard. None of them has a dog buddy outside, and none of them has a working job, but they are all fed, have water and a doghouse. There was one more chained dog, a German shepherd, but she was euthanized a couple of years ago because she “suddenly” turned vicious and attacked her owner: “Something wrong with her brain”, he said seemingly perplexed. She was 4 when she died.

The dogs in our ‘hood resemble the majority of dogs that are kept outside, and thereby segregated from the rest of the family. Most are not livestock guardians, herding border collies or driving cattle dogs, or happily running sled dogs you see on tourist brochures. Unlike these working dogs, the ones Joe Frontporch owns and keeps outside lack purpose and mental stimulation. They are usually alone, without the companionship of other animals, and they are denied social acceptance, inclusion and guidance, crucial for any social animal. Dogs like that have very poor welfare, even if they get physical exercise; fence chasing, charging after things whatever distance the chain allows, or running behind the pickup truck or ATV on a Saturday afternoon, can’t take the place of quality actions and interactions with members of the social group who owns him.

Unattended dogs are often taunted: deliberately by youngsters, or inadvertently by passersby, other dogs or wildlife. That instills fear and anxiety, and when it happens a lot the dog is sensory overwhelmed, becomes hypersensitive to any movements or sounds, and is in a constant aroused state expressed in reactive barking and lunging.

And that is not all. Dogs given a choice, and before they are damaged by life’s experiences, want to get closer to someone they see: to play, to greet, or to investigate. They seek to collect intelligence what this or that person or dog is all about, what meaning s/he has. A chain and fence disrupt that natural behavior, and if the dog is fitted with a choke or shock collar he, in addition, feels pain in association to people and dogs. Pain on home turf destroys a dog’s sense of safety, and lack of control causes restraint frustration, and extreme frustration is anger. The result: the initially friendly or curious dog becomes aggressive. When those dogs break free, and that happens more often than you might think, the risk is high that they chase, attack and inflict injury. Chained dogs are rarely trained, so won’t come on recall or heed any commands.

Of course, dogs forced to live outside are subject to the elements. Unless they hide away in their doghouse all day, they are exposed to scorching heat and freezing cold, hail, rain, snow and ice-pellets – and insects. In rural Nova Scotia black flies appear in May, sometimes earlier in the year, are followed by mosquitos and then pestering deer flies. Quinn, the dog mentioned in the article, had many infected sore spots all over his body. Biting and scratching, initially triggered by an itch, often turn into an unceasing, self-soothing habit the dog continues in the absence of insects.

Such neurotic, obsessive behaviors that include spinning and self-mutilation are also common with dogs that are crated for hours on end. The worst I witnessed was an adolescent border collie, surrendered to the humane society I volunteered with, who had chewed part of his tail off. An industrious dog bred to work, he was unfortunate to be born to the kind of breeder who doesn’t give a damn about his puppies and sold him to a family who didn’t have enough time for goldfish. They crated him for 10 hours a day, and all night, and drove him to insanity.

Around the same time two other dogs were surrendered: 18 months old littermate Australian shepherds. A local agility trainer acquired them for the sole purpose of competing in that sport, and kept them in separate crates unless he trained them. The puppies weren’t allowed to play with one another, and deprived of interaction with anyone else. When they failed to meet the owner’s expectations, he got rid of the two, by then completely socially incompetent dogs, and bought another pup.

People, not chains, inflict cruelty, was Shannon DeBruin’s opposing argument in the interview with Charles Adler with CJOB. True, but chains, and no law that prohibits or restricts their use, make it really easy for people to neglect and abuse a dog. Ms. DeBruin is a breeder and sled dog operator, and I think it is evident why she wants to keep the status quo. Chained dogs are her livelihood. I have no financial interest one way or another; just care about dogs I see, and trainers everywhere see, and humane societies see - and she might not see because it is not the crowd she hangs with. I want to state unequivocally that I don’t make a judgment about Ms. DeBruin. I never met her and have no idea how she keeps her dogs, but how some sled dog operations are run we all got to see in 2011, when the slaughter of 100 dogs in Whistler, British Columbia made the news.

What to do with chained dogs when their humans don’t want them any longer opens up another can of worms. Life circumstances sometimes compel people to find a new home for their pooch, but dogs owned by folks who made the deliberate decision to deny training, deny socializing, and generally deny what a dog needs to become a good canine citizen, are much harder to place.

These dogs are mentally and emotionally damaged: aggressive, reactive, anxious and skittish, and often afraid of anything new. Neophobia is the reason why a dog is unwilling to enter a house after he’s been rescued. It is not that he LOVES his solitary life outside more than being part of the family, but rather that it is the only life he knows. Dogs don’t daydream of a better tomorrow. They don’t think conceptually what life could/should be like, so crappy as it is on a chain, it is familiar, and everything unfamiliar scary.

Behaviorally problematic dogs owned by unscrupulous humans are shot behind the barn or let loose in the country. People with somewhat of a conscience attempt to make the mess they created somebody else’s problem and might place an ad on Kjiji: “Free to a good, loving home. Realized we don’t have the time our dog deserves.” Often they find a naïve, kind-hearted soul who takes pity, and if all goes well has the financial and intellectual means to rehabilitate.

Many dogs end up at a SPCA or rescue group, together with seized sled dogs who lost their job, and puppy mill brood bitches that are no longer profitable or sellable because the local pet store stopped selling dogs. The dilemma with an anti-tethering law is that it possibly would create an even bigger strain on these cash-strapped organizations. When a law forces owners to make changes how they treat their dog or else he’ll be seized, I bet that most opt for the latter. These type of humans are also unlikely candidates to contribute some money to the dog’s future care. That is left to others: the generous donating public, and staff and volunteers that tend to the physical and emotional needs these dogs have. Good foster homes do wonders and patiently bring out the trusting and attentive companion, the dog every dog is meant to be and has the potential to become. But it can take time: weeks or months.

Living with a dog in the house and including him as a member of the family has nothing do to with anthropomorphism, the attribution of human characteristics to non-humans. That is silly, but I was not surprised to find that word in the article. It is often used by people who recognize suffering, but rather not deal with it. Sure, dogs are a different species. Yes, they have different drives and rituals, sniff butts or might find poop tasty, but the fact is that they share most of our hormones, neurotransmitters, nervous system and brain structures. Thus, it is illogical to believe they wouldn’t feel pain, fear and anxiety, frustration and anger, sadness, defeat and perhaps even depression. They do, and they clearly communicate it with vocalizations and in their body language, visible to anyone who cares to listen and look.

Dogs also share our Umwelt; our lives and theirs are intertwined, but they are the ones who are dependent on us. A welfare law is there to ensure that people acknowledge their responsibility toward the dependent they chose.

Lobbying for an anti-tethering law is not about forcing cattle rancher Tom to bring his heeler into the bivouac at night. It is not about criminalizing people who let their pooch play in the yard, tether him while they work in the garden or read a book in the lawn chair, or use a crate to help housetrain the puppy. That is even sillier than accusing compassionate humans of anthropomorphism.

What it is about is putting a stop to continuous chaining and permanent confinement that forces the dog to exist lifelong without aspects critical for his wellbeing: social inclusion, emotional safety and mental stimulation. Presently, where I live, there is nothing I can do to help the 5 dogs in my neighborhood, because there isn’t a welfare law that actually cares about dogs’ welfare. And that needs to change.

Thanks, Scott Saunders for getting the ball rolling, and thanks Alex and Maclean's, for caring enough to run the story and furthering the discussion - hopefully.

Chase, Predation and Aggression

When Davie was 5 months old, 4 weeks after we had rescued her, she chased and nipped a jogger in the multi-use off-leash park we visited often. I was still fairly green then, and her action not only completely took me by surprise, but also concerned me. Was she an aggressive dog? As it turned out, in a different context she was that too, but her chase‘n’connect had nothing to do with aggression.

Aggression, in a broad sense, is a forceful, hostile action to make an object or subject disappear: drive it away or eliminate. Although that is the intent sometimes when dogs go after things, often it is not.

Harming or getting rid of the jogger was not the reason why Davie charged after him, and it is not why most dogs chase. To the contrary, they want to catch up, decrease distance, make it halt. To eat it? Is the chase drive predation? Not exactly either.

In ecology, predation is an interaction between two species in which one hunts and consumes the other. Although some dogs do consume a small animal they manage to catch, as a species they don’t hunt for food, but live on what humans provide – purposely when they fill the bowl with kibble twice a day, or unintentionally by leaving food waste behind. Even feral dogs prefer garbage to hunting prey, and only kill if there isn’t enough waste. During a three-year field study that observed a feral dog group, they were observed to break into a chicken coop twice, and hunted a red fox once - unsuccessfully. They did scavenge on already dead farm animals. (When livestock was killed, it was done by owned dogs, not feral groups.) They were playful with horses.

So, when dogs chase, despite common belief, it is neither aggression because the intent is catching up, perhaps even interacting, not getting rid of, nor predation because the kill’n’eat part is missing. What is it then? Play? Yes, indeed. Running away or towards is perceived as a strong play signal the dog, instinctively, responds to with chasing or darting off. Movement gets most dogs’ attention, and chasing after it is a strong biological impulse.

But now it gets complicated: although chase is play in its nature, it can result in injury and even death. During normal play, there is a behavior cycle of: arousing, running and calming. There is a brief pause after a chase, and play signals that start it up again. Some dogs, though, don’t play right. They lack self-control, become frustrated if they’re too slow, or so worked up that they lose inhibition and are handler unresponsive. Then, play quickly changes into something drastically more serious: all aspects of predation except consumption: catch up – hold on – rip – kill, but not eat. In addition, such out-of-control hyperarousal is contagious, which means that other dogs might join in a pack-like fashion, like humans do in a mob.

That predatory drift can also kick in if a socially inept, or small dog, panics during a social encounter and runs, yelps, squeals or struggles, and sadly also when young children run, screech, flail their arms or mock-fall. There was an incident a few years ago in Alberta in which two otherwise well-mannered German shepherds grabbed a toddler they knew, and were never aggressive with before, by the neck and killed him.

Having that awareness, the question arises if we should allow dogs to chase at all? I mean, we love to watch them having fun, but are they strengthening predatory skills? Are we fostering a heightened sensitivity to everything in motion? A trait some dogs are genetically already prone to.

In my opinion, good welfare includes running and playing; dogs have to be able to feel their legs every so often. Withholding it is denying them part of their nature. The crucial ingredient that prevents that play gets out of “paw” is, once again, training.

Davie’s jogger problem was quickly solved with a ball and Frisbee. We also worked on halt – my “freeze right where you are and wait till I get there” command, and on impulse control when she played with other dogs.

Herding is structured chase, and working dogs are extremely well trained and have a solid not-chase switch: a slow-move, halt or down position they wait in until released again. The dog knows that access to the flock, or herd, is controlled by the handler, and because he really really wants to be on the stock, the motivation to be receptive to and obey the human’s directions is high. Herding dog breeds, working or not, are inherently attentive to their people, and fairly easy to train. Davie was no exception. She was extremely biddable and eager to please us, and agreeable to chasing a ball instead of charging after running humans. Like the human shepherd who makes access to sheep contingent on the dog’s behavior, I controlled access to the ball. Sticks are everywhere, and that allows the dog to control the game. With a toy, the game is always under the person’s control, not the dog’s.

As a side-note, do not play laser games. It is a sure-fire way to make a dog a neurotic light seeker and chaser. In a flash he’ll fixate and react to TV flickers, light shining through blinds, doors that open and close, ceiling fans, and shadows.

Remotivation can be a little harder to attain when a dog has a one-track mind and is zoned in on the environment and reactive to wildlife or pets. The reinforcement for impulse control and obedience can’t be to chase a flighty animal, and yet that might be exactly the dog’s biggest motivator. Even then, with a combination of managing and coming up with something really special to reinforce NOT chasing - hint: a “good boy” and shoving a treat into his mouth likely won’t do, success is possible with most dogs.

I see nothing wrong allowing a well-trained dog to chase squirrels, provided it is safe for both animals. The pooch should not pull or whine, but offer attention and wait for a release command, and follow when his person walks on or at least come when called. A dog who is completely fixated, tuning everything else out and continuing to bark up the tree even when the squirrel is long gone, indicates that there is potential trouble brewing in other chase contexts as well.

Davie’s drive to chase was channeled into appropriate outlets and she never went after a person again for the rest of her life - or cyclists, skateboarders and cars. But she did kill once – a tame rat that unexpectedly appeared in our fenced-in yard. It was the day after we moved into our home. The previous owner did not own the rat, but had fed it regularly and did not inform us of its existence. The kill was not preceded by a chase, there was no arousal before and afterwards, and Davie didn’t try to eat it. She grabbed it by the neck, shook it, and then flung it at hubby Mike’s feet. It was: I belong here and you don’t. It was aggression.

Trainers and Methods on my Mind

There’s been a lively discussion on Facebook lately that started with someone posting that we, the positive reinforcement proponents, ought to be as positive with people as we are with dogs, and not say anything if we have nothing nice to say. It was an interesting thread and packed with, as it is typically the case in dog circles, polarized opinions. Some feel that if we don’t point out what compulsive and punitive treatment does to dogs, we become collaborators, enablers and facilitators. Others argue that we can accomplish more with educating instead of criticizing, and that we should keep the communication lines open. One person even questioned how credible a positive reinforcement trainer one is if she doesn’t extend those values to humans?

That one rang a bell. It’s true. Not all dog pros, and regardless what philosophy they follow, are pleasant with people. But when positive reinforcement trainers aren’t, there is a bigger contrast between how they treat dogs and how they treat humans, and the lack of people social skills becomes more obvious.

I pride myself in being my very best whenever I am with clients. My mission is that no dog should experience force, pain or intimidation at the hands of humans. I know, a lofty goal, but I am über-passionate about it anyway. Education trumps, and I am as patient, positive and gentle with people and their offspring as I am with their pooch, and don’t lay blame for mistakes they made in the past, because in all likelihood they followed somebody’s advice.

When I encounter colleagues who feel that I might have something to offer, I never hesitate to share what I know. And I do it nicely. I answer emails, return phone calls, meet for coffee and am welcoming when they attend my public speaking events.

That changes when folks try to convince me that dogs can’t be trained without corrections, discomfort and pain. No thank you. I’d be wasting my time, and theirs.

I have no interest in discussing their punitive and coercive ways, and I will also not stay silent. Why? Because I believe that punitive trainers cause, or contribute, to behavioral problems, violate the dog’s sense of emotional safety in his home, and do little to strengthen the relationship between dog and his people.

I am not alone. Scientific studies, published in Applied Animal Behavior Science, showed that aggression is a possible consequence of confrontational methods, both traditional - Koehler style, and hierarchical pack dominance – the stuff Millan does. Let’s have a detailed look:

With choke or prong collar corrections, 6% of dogs became aggressive.

Removing something forcefully from a dog’s mouth 15%; pinning, the alpha roll, 11%; hitting or kicking 12%, and I wonder if the “attention touch” with a foot or hand, the “bonker” with a rolled up towel or newspaper, and the “tap” with the flyswatter is included in that.

Millan’s famous tsst-sound that announces a correction unless the dog gets it together right away, 2% reacted to, and I suppose it might be the same with the warning tone that precedes a shock.

The stare-down was 16%; spray bottle 10%, and I suggest you quiz your dog’s daycare provider about that; yelling “no” 18%. Maybe it’s 18% with the shock collar tone as well, not 2%, or maybe somewhere in the middle.

The forced dominance down, which is when a leashed dog, typically on a choke or prong collar, is forced to lie and remain in that position for a set period of time, made 7% aggressive. The same with grabbing the jowls or scruff, and growling in the dog’s face was 9%.

Here is an interesting tidbit: During a 3-year field study in which a group of feral dogs was observed, the researchers noted that only 2% of hostility was directed against social group members. That indicates that aggression against someone the dog lives with is not normal dog behavior. Believe me that I meet many dogs that lash out against the people they live with; the adult male if the dog is confident enough, but more often aggression is directed toward the female owner, children, or other animals in the family.

Above study gives you a possible, I say probable, explanation. Dogs can become aggressive when confronted with intimidation and pain, and if they can avoid it with aggression, then aggression is powerfully reinforced. And keep in mind that only aggression was studied, not other anxiety expressions like emotional coma, hyperactivity and obsessive behaviors, inhibited learning and avoidance. Also note that you can’t predict the outcome accurately when you begin training.

Jim Ha, Research Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Washington, and one of only a few handful of Ph.D. Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists in the US, states that certain individual dogs of certain breeds develop no anxiety with aversive training, provided it is done by an experienced trainer who applies the right amount of punishment at the right time. Those people, according to Ha, are highly skilled professionals often found in the assistance dog and K9 fields. They select the appropriate dog for their needs, and reject all others, which are the majority; the assistance dog facility Dr. Ha visited rejects about 70% of their already intentionally, for the job, bred puppies.

Is your neighborhood traditional, hierarchical, balanced or shock collar trainer that qualified and skilled? Do you have the right individual dog who can handle aversive training? Are you savvy enough to select the appropriate dog for your needs?

My hunch is: No, No and No. Some trainers are very skilled handlers, but based on my experience, not one rejects a dog, but accepts everyone in his group class or for private training. They accept every dog because they have to make a living. It’s about money.

Ha argues, and most behaviorists agree, that in unskilled hands, which are almost all dog owners, aversive methods are disasters in the making.

One more thing: The highest level of anxiety was observed with dogs that were trained and handled with the punishment/reward combination, which is the way of “balanced” trainers: traditional ones that jumped on the bandwagon of increasingly more popular clicker training. Can’t say that I am surprised. If you needed to be on guard to gauge which of your partner or boss’s side you have to deal with at any given day or moment, you’d be stressed out too.

I am sure there’ll be more studies like these in the future that prove that correcting, intimidating, startling on purpose, and applying force and pain does harm to dogs, and people by extension – the ones the dog lives with and society at large.

Intentionally inflicting discomfort is unpopular with many people. Dog owners rather not punish their canine companion, and I opine that trainers know that, and therefore often don’t lay all the cards on the table for you. They are not always frank about what they do, and what potential fallout it has, and use deflecting euphemisms: vibration collar, balanced approach, following nature’s rules, discipline, leader of the pack, training collar, stimulus, rules and boundaries, attention touch – relaxed or calm even when the dog is visibly stress panting or exhausted.

Trainers go to great lengths to explain the low settings of a shock collar, even let you experience it on your arm, but rarely offer information what the high settings are for. Let me guess: A dog who doesn’t respond like a robot with the low settings.

They circulate YouTube videos of an “aggressive” German shepherd who is “cured” in 5 minutes, or a reactive mastiff miraculously pacified after a short time wearing the company’s own collar. Those clips show the before and after behavior, but not how they got from point A to point B.

Punitive trainers’ websites often don’t reveal the methods they use, or describe them as unique and secret but unbelievably effective, or they speak in tongue most layowners don’t understand, like: using operant conditioning, applying all four quadrants.

Membership with a professional organization might flag their homepage, but they won’t tell you that the association is all-inclusive to begin with, or doesn’t screen their members very thoroughly.

There are clever PR moves to attract clients. Some offer a free in-home consultation, which sounds great but in reality typically means that they diagnose the dog’s issues in 15 minutes or less, and spend the rest of the time promoting a costly training package.

Some trainers guarantee that the dog will be rehabilitated for good. Sounds great too, but being 100% rehabilitated is realistically impossible. Dogs are not programmable computers, but living beings with a nervous system and emotions. Nobody can guarantee their behavior 100%, and nobody can guarantee the behavior of people that interact with the dog. No psychologist or therapist would ever make that claim. That is not how experts behave.

I am sour about all that. It feels like someone’s pissing on my leg and tells me it’s raining. And so I speak up. Not because they get clients and make money – protectionism is something trainers who are openly critical of others are often accused of, but because they are hurting dogs and the average layowner doesn’t know they do.

My loyalty is with dogs and their people, not other trainers. I don’t willy-nilly bash local ones, but when directly asked, I will forward first-hand knowledge I have about that person. Only first-hand stuff I witnessed or heard from my clients, their failures and fallouts.

The famous TV dog wranglers are, voluntarily I should say, in public view several times a week and are, as far as I am concerned, fair game to be criticized like any other public figure. There has to be an equalizer to a show that demonstrates a person walking assertively into even the meanest dog’s home, forcing the even strongest dog into submission, subduing every undesired expression permanently with a few easy corrections, and having a well-mannered dog in the end, even if he has caused trouble for years.

Behaviorists know that what people watch is unrealistic and has side effects, and some high-profile ones say so. And they should. And now a number of positive reinforcement trainers suggest we should keep da gob shut? Under the guise of professional conduct we have doctors, lawyers, soldiers, priests, scout members, police, politicians and so on covering for each other, and we dog trainers should do the same? Not this one.

Of course education, informing people about the power and benefits of positive reinforcement, is the most important aspect in creating welfare; making life better for dogs. And I do a lot of that: Seeing clients, writing blog posts and columns, my book and an another one I am presently working on, radio shows and articles, and giving lectures and seminars. On that note, my spring lecture series is posted on my webpage.

But in itself, without weighing the potential fallout of compulsive methods against it, and pointing out people who made a conscious decision to use them, the public mind believes that one approach, one trainer, is a good as the next one.

Thanks to the above-mentioned study you have verification that that is not the case. You have an idea about the possible risks, percentage-wise, involved with aversive handling.

I admit, sorting out dog professionals is not an easy task. My advice is to ask your groomer, daycare provider and dog walker what they do if: Your dog doesn’t obey right away. Growls. Plays rough.

Check out dog trainers’ websites. You can glance over niceties such as memberships, certification from a private school – even if, no especially if it is from one the TV personality’s academy, and guarantees, but pay more attention to the training philosophy they believe in. It should be very visibly listed on their site. If not, ask. Don’t be intimidated. If you feel intimidated by a person, how you think your dog will feel? Ask. It is your dog; it is your right and responsibility. A trainer and behavior consultant should deliver answers honestly before you hand over hard-earned dollars. Ask, especially if you have a dog who already has issues.

My question would be: “What equipment do you use?” If it is anything that can deliver pain, I’d walk away. If the answer is: “Whatever you use is fine. I will show you how to use it correctly”, I’d walk away.

If your trainer doesn’t want your children present, ask why. A dog is part of the social group he lives with, and observing the dynamics and interactions of all members is important information for me. There might be a valid reason why the professional you selected doesn’t want children to be part of the consultation, but if it is because what he’ll do to the dog would upset the kids – walk away.

Ask: “Which of the four quadrants do you apply?” If they don’t know what you’re talking about, walk away. If the answer is: “All four” or “Whatever works”, walk away. All four likely includes pain, delivered before and/or after a behavior, and whatever works might work for the trainer, but rarely the dog.

A dog professional’s priority should be dogs’ welfare. What you want to hear is: Positive reinforcement/negative punishment combination. You also want to hear that it is up to you to put time and effort into modifying your dog’s behavior, that you might have to make a few changes, and that you probably will have to manage the pooch until new behaviors are established, but that you will get the skills and information, including ongoing support, you need to succeed. Those are the realistic expectations owners can have of a behavior consultant.

Fact is that not everything is fixable, and for sure not right away. In reality, we are not action heroes for dogs as implied on TV. We are normal people who know a lot more about dogs and behavior than you do, and help you with some M and M – manage and modify; help you understand your dog's behaviors and lay out how he can become the best pooch possible.

Here they are: my thoughts – my rant. Accuse me of not being collegial if you like, but I take offense being called unprofessional for speaking up. I am a dog expert and act on behalf of dogs. Yes, I could play it politically correct, and be critical of method and not the person who applies it, but you can’t really separate the two, can you. It is the person who makes a conscious decision to choose one method over the other.

Dogs and Babies

I confess: I am semi-addicted to Facebook. It is my social vice. I like keeping in touch with friends, clients and colleagues worldwide, and especially love the daily dose of dog-news: links to articles and video clips without having to comb the web.

Info seems to come in trends. Sometimes there is a cluster of training advice, then the topic is health and food, and recently there were a few youtube clips in a row of kids interacting with dogs. Little kids, babies and toddlers, and not so little dogs. In one, a mastiff had a bone and an about one-year old child kept on reaching for it. In another, a Bernese mountain dog frenetically licked a, crawling into his space, baby. Obviously, in each case there was an adult nearby - filming, and equally obvious unconcerned about the baby’s safety. Nobody interfered, not even when the dog with the bone briefly stiffened.

It is not unusual that situations laypeople find adorable or funny bristles dog pros’ neck hair. We see the dog’s discomfort in his body language - and a looming incident that always leaves both baby and pooch on the losing end.

How can parents be so oblivious? Well, some dog signals are easier to understand than others. Licking, for example, is typically interpreted as the dog loving the baby and kissing it in affection, but that is not necessarily the case. Yes, the dog might like the baby generally, but incessant licking indicates that, at the moment, he’d rather have some space. Some dog trainers use the term “kiss to dismiss” to illustrate the dog’s intention: wanting distance and peace, but communicating it in a much friendlier way than growling.

Whether a dog licks or growls depends on his personality. Naturally, humans understand a growl right away and take action – not always the right one, but at least they are aware how their pooch feels and ensure the little person’s safety. Anything less clear coming from the dog is often missed. But can a layperson be expected to comprehend subtleties in canine communication? Perhaps not, and hence the common advice is to never allow dogs and children to interact unsupervised. Except, in both clips they weren’t. Grown-ups were right there, but filming instead of intercepting.

A bite can happen a flash. There was another video making the rounds recently of a Malinois snapping at another dog 5 times in 2 seconds. 2 seconds is nothing; certainly not enough time to get a child out of the way even when you’re there. For that reason, many of my colleagues recommend to never allow dog and baby in face-to-face, or face-to-body, proximity. I am reluctant to go that far. There are dogs who really do love young humans and want to interact. I met them, and lived with them, and it would be a shame to withhold that. The solution, as I see it, is for people to learn more about dogs. Especially parents, and regardless if they own a dog or not, because the fact is that dogs are part of our society and everywhere. Fortunately, it isn’t that complicated. There is a fabulous website that illustrates when a dog is uncomfortable. Locally, here in Nova Scotia, one of my wonderful colleagues, Tamara McFarland, is holding a couple of Dog & Baby workshops this spring.

Between children, dogs and adults, only the grown-ups have enough reasoning capabilities to assess a situation accurately, and take charge when needed. Whenever a dog becomes stiff and still, has a clamped mouth and/or round, white-rimmed eyes, the problem is already a big one, and a bite might be imminent. Taking action, creating space, should happen when he yawns or flicks his tongue in and out, and when he tries to avoid: turns his eyes, head or body away from the child, and yes, also when he kisses to dismiss. Frenzied licking indicates that the dog is annoyed rather than affectionate. In fact, anything fast moving on a dog puts me on alert, including a fast wagging tail, and especially when only part of it wags. When a dog seeks friendly social contact, the dog wags, not just the tail.

Parents also should remember that dog/child interactions are dynamic. Just because the pooch enjoys the baby close by today, doesn’t mean he will tomorrow. The most difficult age I find is when a child is between 1-3 years old. They are mobile, but their motor skills not yet well developed, and they are too young to comprehend space politeness. Toddlers are unpredictable and uncoordinated and dogs know this. Especially more vulnerable tiny poochies, and older ones who might be a bit arthritic, can be quite guarded of themselves. Older dogs might also need more rest, and it is up to the owner to ensure they have a refuge zone where young humans won’t disturb them. Dogs, young or old, big or small, should always be given the opportunity to retreat when they have had enough. Many dogs are naturally curious about babies and want to sniff, but feel much safer when it happens on their terms. And please keep in mind that retreating can be an effort for older and giant dogs, and so they’d rather want the baby to create the distance, and they signal that with growling, or kissing.

Even if your dog is childproof, not every dog is and not all of the time, and it is crucial that youngsters learn to be considerate; learn manners and respect for other living beings. Their family pooch perhaps tolerates being hugged, pulled or slouched on, but their friend or neighbor’s dog might object. An average 3-year-old can comprehend basic dog language, and should be involved as “trainer helper”. Handing over a Smarty each time they point out “what the doggy is saying” correctly makes learning fun for everyone. The child is rewarded for giving the dog space, and that increases the likelihood that she'll be respectful with every pooch she meets.

Parents must model appropriate behavior. One would think that’s a no-brainer, but I remember a family of 4 we once encountered while hiking where that wasn’t the case. Davie and Will ignored them as they should, and the children ignored our dogs, but dad ran his hand over Davie’s back as he passed on the narrow trail. Davie was a small Aussie, and he had to bend down and make an effort. Duh! I complemented the kids for not patting a strange dog, threw dad the evil eye, and fed Davie a few treats for not biting the hand that rudely touched her.

The babies in the videos clips weren’t hurt. The dog with the bone loosened up again and left the scene, bone between his teeth. The Berner continued licking, too amiable to aggress. Dogs that are bonded to their social group members don’t want to injure any of them, including children, and try everything to avoid a bite. All adults need to do is watch and listen, and help the dog out when he feels overwhelmed. Not much effort for a huge payoff: a child not ending up in emergency, injured and traumatized, and a once beloved family companion not ending up at the receiving end of the euthanasia needle.





When Dogs Won't Eat

Eating was never a problem for our Newf Baywolf and Aussie Davie, or for any of our foster dogs. Many dogs like food; not just treats, but their daily dinners and gobble up eagerly what is served. Furthermore, many dogs - once again reflecting our society - overeat on empty carbs and are pudgy, of course not by choice. Dogs can’t research ingredients or read food labels, shop or prepare their own dinners. They depend on their people to do that, and because we did it conscientiously, our pooches were enthusiastic eaters, but never overweight.

Not all dogs, though, scoff their meals up with gusto. During our 15 years preparing dog food commercially, one recurring reason why owners approached us was because their pooch lacked appetite, and ironically our feral born and imprinted on garage dump waste Will is our own dainty diner. Then again, she does everything other than “educating dogs” delicately, so it is no surprise that she is her typical self when it comes to food. And it is not that she isn’t eating. She does: regularly twice a day plus snacks, provided we give her what she likes. If not, she walks away, or spits the veggies she objects to blatantly on the floor.

Will’s prissiness amuses us, but being fussy can reach a problematic level when a dog refuses food to a point that it affects her weight. Such was the case with my friends’ one year-old hound. Already a sleek breed to begin with, and although lively and healthy, she was eating so little during her developmental stages that my friends were a bit concerned, and asked for my input. Dog pros themselves, they had already addressed the issue from all possible angles, and so there wasn’t much I was able to contribute, but it reminded me of all the reasons I came across over the years that can cause food refusal; reasons often overlooked by laypeople.

An obvious one is that the dog doesn’t like it. Regarding some kibble, no surprise. Seriously, would you? I mean, kibble have come a long way and there are some very good ones on the market, but also some that stink going in and coming out. You might think that an animal that finds crap appetizing shouldn’t turn the nose up at cheap kibble, but fact is that many dogs do, despite the added-on fat as flavor enhancers.

Aside from smell and taste, kibble consisting of fillers and processed, unfit-for-consumption, junk can make a dog feel unwell after consumption. We know how unpleasant we feel after we wolfed down something that didn’t agree with us. Is it so far fetched to believe it could be the same with dogs? We can reject that food-thing in the future, although foolishly we don’t always do that and rather pop an anti-bloat, anti-cramp or heartburn pill that instantly takes the pain away. Allergies are easily detectable – scratching and biting paws are common indicators, but the signs of general malaise after a meal are not so clear, and dogs can neither voice their discomfort, nor open the medicine cabinet.

My advice always is to purchase the best dog food one can afford, while keeping in mind that just because it is expensive doesn’t automatically mean it is the right one for your pooch. Diet really is an individual thing – for people and dogs, and finding the perfect chow can take some investigating and experimenting.

Food refusal is not always physical in nature, but can have emotional causes. Competition, for example, can express itself in resource guarding, resource hoarding, or an unwillingness to eat when the dog is very nervous of another in the household. In our home, I make sure that dogs can eat feeling safe. I never take their grub away, but ensure that each one minds her own bowl until the others are done and leave. I don’t tolerate any type of bullying, but especially not around food, an existential need. Not even a wanting, dirty look in the direction of somebody else’s meal is allowed.

If a dog is really timid and scared, feeding her at a separate place can help. Another option is serving dinner in the each dog’s respective crate; a solution many of my multi-dog-owning trainer friends choose.

Some people, including breeders, make food accessible at all times. Free feeding is controversial; some arguing that dogs become fat and bratty, others that it prevents resource guarding. I am generally in favor, but concede that it is not suitable for every dog. My main pro argument is that, indeed, unlimited food availability creates resource security, which counters resource guarding. I met a good number of rescued dogs that came with food aggression issues and mellowed out when they experienced abundance. Things that aren’t a big deal typically aren’t defended – it can be that simple.

The practice of free feeding can cause a problem when the dog is switched to scheduled meals, for example when she moves from breeder or foster home into her forever one. Eating in a set amount of time is simply not in the dog’s behavior repertoire, and it can take awhile before she understands that the bowl disappears after 15 or 20 minutes.

Although I am a big fan of life in paradise, in the case of the finicky Fido small amounts at a time can be perceived as a limited resource, which might entice her to eat up when it is available. One way to accelerate a successful switch is putting a small amount of food in the dish, and adding more as soon as the last piece entered the gob. Incrementally, increase the portions until the dog devours the full ration in one setting.

You can also put part of the daily ration in interactive toys. I recommend that anyway for dogs that are easily bored or home alone a lot, but working for food can also hit the target with the delicate nibbler.

Eating out of a bowl not being part of the behavior repertoire was also my guess with a case I had recently. The dog, plucked off the streets, was eating anything, including stuff he found outside, but the food given to him twice a day in a dish. In addition, he had stinky farts, so the kind of food was likely not working for him either. Like our Will, who was born on a reserve outside of Calgary, in his mind being served was not the normal way of consuming food. For dogs who have a strong seeking desire because it is habitual, hiding food around the house and yard, and interactive food toys can satisfy that need.

And don’t forget that stray and feral dogs forage on human waste, not kibble. The humane society I volunteered for once trapped a dog who was very emaciated even though piles of donated kibble was left around the garbage dump site once a week. When these dogs are homed, some accept new foods readily, others don’t.

We always cooked for our dogs, using human grade, often organic, ingredients. It is probably the reason why we never had an eating problem. Except for Will who, in June, began to refuse her breakfast. We took care of a friend’s German shepherd during that time who is on top quality kibble, and free fed by the way. Will wanted what he had. In fact, she insisted to get what he had, and so for the first time I thoroughly investigated brands to find one our 10-year-old Will likes and I can agree with. I decided on Fromm, which has become Will’s breakfast, while her dinners are still home-cooked. She eats eagerly without being ravenous, her eyes are bright, her coat looks great and the poop does too, she has no body odor and is energetic, keen on joining me wherever I go. Those are all signs that the combination works. If food is a problem in your home, don’t be afraid to explore and make changes, even if your dog is older.

About Barking - Part 2

Two major reasons why dogs bark are because they are under-, or over-stimulated.

Under-stimulation is boredom, in other words. The dog barks to solicit for attention and interaction. The simplest solution is to provide more stimulation, and typically it is exercise of the mental kind they are more in need of. Especially sensory sensitive dogs, often ones belonging to the herding group, can be under-stimulated on one paw if all they ever get are mindless physical activities, and over-stimulated on the other with the many sights and sounds in the environment, and in that case venturing to the park more often can make matters worse.

Exuberant excitement is expressed in barking and jumping - another common nuisance behavior. The dog is so happy that he can’t contain himself and releases his joy in dog typical ways. It is a common scenario when a pooch’s beloved and sorely missed person comes home from work. He hears the key in the lock and promptly freaks out in his crate, or mobs his person at the door.

Now, we’ve been told for years by both traditional and positive reinforcement trainers that we should not reward lack of impulse control or demand barking. We are told not to give in to our dog’s soliciting behavior; his signal that he wants something from us, because then we would reinforce that, and the dog would bark more, and be out-of-control more, and demand more, and may even become – quiver - dominant and challenge us for the steak we have for dinner that night. Okay, that stretch of thought typically only traditional trainers come up with.

In any case, I disagree. For starters, in a functioning relationship each member should be allowed to solicit for what they want. It doesn’t mean they always get it, but they should be able to ask and be acknowledged. And yes, I too prefer a polite gesture to a spit-loaded bark in the face, but that can be taught. In fact, in a good functioning relationship dogs are generally subtler and polite(r). As far as excitement goes, of course dogs should be allowed to get excited. Cesar Millan’s expectation of “calm submission” at all times and in every circumstance is unrealistic, unreasonable and impossible for any organism. Once again, some people demand more from dogs than what we highly-evolved humans are able to do. Have you ever been in a hockey arena or football stadium? So, a dog sometimes being jubilant is normal, and we should neither ignore nor subdue him, but channel the expressions into ones that are less annoying and more acceptable.

There is another problem with ignoring barking when it starts. Rarely does a dog stop right away just because a person doesn’t pay attention to it. To the contrary, he becomes frustrated because nobody listens and turns it up a few notches, and the now more intense vocalization most people find difficult to ignore. In real life, at one point the person does give it attention, perhaps negative one, but attention is attention and maintains behavior, and when that happens the dog learns that “crazing out” is the way to get noticed.

Confined dogs, for example when in a crate, can be especially noisy because there is added restraint frustration. Eager to get out, the pooch quickly charges up when no one opens the door, and he might bark himself into state of extreme agitation. A layperson will be hard-pressed to tell the difference between a minor, passing tantrum and true anxiety that intensifies out-of-control behavior at the moment, but can also contribute to secondary problems. And even if the dog has learned that the door only opens if he stops barking, being quiet is nothing but a trick and not authentic calmness. It is fake, and typically followed by an explosion of unwanted actions as soon as he is freed: bark-bark-whine-bark-bark → quiet tension → you open the crate door → dog pops out and begins to mouth, bark and jump. So, nothing is accomplished.

I suggest opening the crate door immediately and regardless what the dog does, and then direct him into a short, interactive game. You can toss a handful of small treats away from you and tell him to find them, send him to the toy box to fetch a ball and then play for a minute or two, teach him to target your hand or perform a few tricks he likes. That is structured attention right away, gets your dog out of the barking and into the thinking mode, and brings four-paws-to-the-floor in a positive way.

And if you’re of the swift sort and manage to open the crate door after two or three barks, or are able to at least quiet your dog till you reach it, then barking two or three times, followed by patiently waiting till you set him free, becomes a habit. Everyone should be able to tolerate a couple of barks. If you can’t stand any vocalization, don’t get a dog.

The same rules apply when a dog just can’t wait to get out the door to have some fun with you. He might sit quietly, staring at the door for it to open, and perhaps is even trained to let you exit first, but if it’s just a trained trick and he is internally charged up, he will pull the moment he steps on the driveway or sidewalk. Again, you gain nothing. Instead, wait for attention and offered eye contact before you open the door, give the let’s go command when you exit together, and engage your dog right away into a quick game of chase, or find the treats, or target, or whatever you like, and then continue the walk with not only a calmer dog, but also one who is likely more focused on you.

Giving attention and redirecting into a fun and acceptable behavior after 2-3 barks works regardless why the dog is yapping it up. It doesn’t matter if he greets you cheerfully at the door, or sees someone walking by the house. In that case a “Brutus, it’s just aunt Jenny get your ball” can move and keep the dog away from the window. In the beginning, you might have to guide him away, perhaps with a leash, but if you use the same words consistently you’ll eventually be able to direct him from the distance. And if you always redirect into the same activity, at one point the whole sequence of: person passing by, dog barking trice followed by getting a ball, will be automatic.

True, in a technical, operant conditioning sense we reinforce an unwanted behavior – barking - if we pay attention to it and if the dog gets what he wants, but from a relationship point of view I think we should do it anyway. Baby Signs® found that crying and tantrums decreased when what babies and toddlers’ tried to convey was understood. I feel that is the same with dogs. Their frustration outbursts won’t escalate if we respond to the initial bark, instead of snubbing them and their attempt to connect with us.

Barking occurs when a dog perceives an associated cue that announces a fun event and he can’t wait to get on with it. Going for walks turns Will’s crank, and she has learned that me drinking coffee and then using the bathroom happens every morning just before we head out. As soon as the toilette flushes, Will starts barking, impatiently wanting to go outside. Because it annoys me, I ask her in a down position after two barks, and she obeys that because it is well practiced. Down is incompatible with barking – at least with Will, which means that when she follows orders she shuts up as well. Then I fit her harness on, reinforcing the quiet, and open the door. It didn’t take long before Will stopped barking altogether, as if to avoid the extra delay the down position brought on.

Events that the dog connects with another that follows are predictors of fun stuff, but also unpleasantness and discomfort, and that can also trigger barking. For example, putting on a certain kind of shoes, or grabbing the car keys, are precursors to your leaving for work and can provoke barking, jumping and nipping with a dog who has separation anxiety.

I am not discussing outside run or fence barking, and barking at the end of a chain, because I believe that dogs should not be put in situations, often constantly, that cause stress, anxiety and frustration they then release in behaviors nobody wants. It is not the dogs' barking that is the problem here, but peoples' uncaring actions.

Restraint frustration is often the underlying issue why dogs bark at the end of their leash, or flip out when grabbed by the collar. Primarily the root is fear and anxiety, but sometimes it is because the pooch wants to socialize, greet and play, or herd and control, and you and the leash are holding him back. Which one it is can be difficult to discern for the layperson, and I recommend hiring an experienced and positive dog pro to help you sort things out. I will talk about leash reactivity sometime in the near future.

One more reason for barking I want to point out is that a sense of competition towards another animal, commonly referred to as jealousy, can also provoke barking, jumping or general pushiness. In its root it is anxiety. I wrote a blog post about Intraspecific Competition and how to approach it.

And dogs also bark when they are anxious, or ambiguous about a person, including one they live with.

I had canine clients who bark a whole lot because several, sometimes all of the above, reasons apply. They are mentally under-stimulated and demand bark, but also sensory over-stimulated and in a chronically low-level aroused state, caused by where they live, and/or by the activities their humans choose for them to participate in. In addition, often they were given attention to when in a full outburst, when their people couldn’t stand it any longer, but the attention was punitive which created anxiety, or at least ambiguity, and that always compounds the problem. Ceaseless barking sometimes goes on for years and is a well-established behavior, and therefore not an easy task to modify. But I believe that even with those tough cases improvement is possible, but there is no quick fix. Modification requires a lot from people: patience, consistency and sometimes lifestyle and routine changes, at least temporarily.

All About Barking - Part 1

Last year in November I talked about why many dogs bark when the doorbell rings, and what to do about it. Of course, that is not the only reason why pooches yap it up.

Why do dogs bark? Because it is a normal part of their communication, that’s why. Anatomically, it is impossible for a dog to say: “Heya Bob, can you git over here and open that door? I gotta pee.”

Dogs’ vocalizations, for the longest time in our common history, came in handy. The watchdog let humans sleep restfully at night, and the guard dog deterred two- and four legged intruders from entering home turf. Barking benefitted us, and because we humans are so clever in manipulating environments to our liking, we selectively bred for that. Bred dogs that announce an unfamiliar noise or trespasser, announce that they found game, vermin or the scent of it, and vocally “tell” livestock animals where to go.

Nowadays, the behavior we once desired we don’t want any longer. Many of our modern dogs live in urban and suburban neighborhoods and are bombarded with sounds and motion all the time. Their endless announcing is bothersome at best, and a real problem at worst.

Dog owners and neighbors of dog owners want it stopped, and dog pros and manufacturers, sniffing easy money that can be made, eagerly produced a variety of ways to stop it - most unpleasant or painful for the dog, and typically unsuccessful. Unsuccessful, or counterproductive because constant sound and motion stimulation can make the dog irritable and permanently fired up, and punishing, intimidating or throwing something at him – making more noise - disquiets him even more.

The good news is that, like any other problem, excessive barking too can be modified in a dog friendly fashion.

Barking is dogs' default form of expression, some breeds more than others, and they do it for a variety of reasons, which I’ll discuss. All of them, or at least all I can think of, in this post and the next one.

One common motive is to be let outside, or back into the house. Because people like a housetrained dog, they initially obeyed the vocal request and opened the door, and each time that happened they reinforced the behavior they don’t want. The dog learns that barking works and will do it again, and soon not just when he has to potty, but whenever he is bored and wants your attention, check out a noise, or dig up the flowerbed. The catch is that, especially with a puppy or newly adopted dog, you don’t want to ignore the bark, because if he really has to go and nobody opens the door he’ll piddle on the rug, and thereby learns that there is an “appropriate” inside voiding spot.

There are two solutions to the dilemma: One is timing the dog and giving him ample opportunities to go outside. You decide, and before his bladder is so full that he can’t hold it any longer, you prompt your pooch to follow, then open the door and go out with him and mark “potty” when he does it, thereby putting it under command control. That is how we do it in our home.

The other is to hang bells at the door. A dog can’t say: “Heya Bob…”, but can learn to touch a set of bells with his nose or paw to signal that he wants the door opened. You might wonder what good that does? Instead of barking, he’ll now ring the bell nonstop, which is just as annoying, right? Wrong. You can’t remove the dog’s bark, or at least not without cruel surgery, but you can remove the bells and convey that you are temporarily unavailable. With consistency, you are teaching your dog an acceptable way to signal that gets him the desired result, but at the same puts you in control. Brilliant, eh – like we say in Canada. I wish I had thought of that, but the credit belongs to Suzanne Clothier who shared that, and many such wisdoms, at a seminar I attended a few years ago.

And, by the way, when you are available, it doesn’t matter why your dog wants to go out; if he really has to go pee, or wants catch a whiff of fresh air, bake in the sun, or play. You should open the door because he can’t and needs your help. Said that, I am not a fan of leaving a dog outside unsupervised for long, and also keep in mind that if he continuously pesters you, he might be bored and could benefit from mental and/or physical stimulation.

More about that, over-stimulation, excitement and anxiety in Part 2.