“Good girl, little Babushka!”

Recently, two of my coworkers attended a leadership training session and mentioned to me that they had learned that one of the qualities of a good leader at work is to remember to praise staff members when they are doing things right, not just to criticize them when they’re doing things wrong. This sounded an awful lot like one of the qualities of being a good pack leader to your dog.

Many people make the mistake of providing feedback to their dogs only when their dogs are misbehaving, and then they wonder why Fido is taking so long to learn how to behave nicely. Corrections let Fido know what we don’t want him to do, but how is he supposed to know what we do want him to do? Dogs aren’t born knowing these things. The trick is to get into the habit of praising him whenever he is doing anything that we appreciate, especially being mellow and calm. So if you walk into a room and Fido is relaxing on the bed and gazing out the window, it’s “Good boy!” Or if you’re outside and he’s lazily basking in the sunshine, tell him, “What a nice puppy!” You always want to praise and reward calmness and mellowness, never excitability, which can quickly spin out of control and turn into something much less pleasant, such as nipping or barking or knocking down small children.

Whenever I see any of my dogs playing nicely together or snuggling together or just being relaxed together, I throw up my hands and exclaim warmly, “Look how nice!” (”Nice” is our all-purpose praise word.) Praise for harmonious coexistence in the present will encourage and help to ensure future harmony.

Here’s another example of this concept in action from my household: When I feed my dogs, they all scarf down their food as quickly as possible—all, that is, except for Rowdy. Rowdy might take five minutes trying to decide whether to eat at all and then another 20 minutes actually eating. I always put up a doggie gate to separate him from the other dogs so that he can eat in peace. The other dogs, with their full bellies, line up along the gate to watch him eat. Now, what I want from them at this point is quiet, because if one of them begins to make a fuss, whining or barking, then there is a good chance that Rowdy won’t eat at all.

So as soon as they line up, before anyone has had a chance to start whining, I praise them in a falsetto voice that always gets their attention, “Good puppies! Mommy’s happy!” I don’t know if they’re familiar with the old adage that when mommy’s not happy, nobody’s happy, but they seem to get the underlying concept, because just a few repetitions of “Mommy’s happy!” at intervals keeps them calm and polite and allows Rowdy to finish his meal. You can choose alternate wording to praise your dogs that doesn’t sound as silly as mine, but the point is to dole it out liberally whenever you see your dogs doing good things, even if they’re just relaxing.

Soon it will become second nature, and you’ll notice that your dogs’ behavior is improving. That’s because you’ve become a better pack leader, showing them not only what type of behavior is against the rules but also what type of behavior is desirable.

Good pack leader!

Koro taking refuge from a storm
under the kitchen sink—she developed
thunderstorm anxiety in her twilight years.

The following post was originally published by Karen on KP’s Dog Blog, July 2007.

View tips for comforting your noise-phobic dog.

As a pacifist, I’m not really into explosive sounds that remind me of gunfire or bombs going off, so fireworks don’t do much for me. But this isn’t about me. This is about our canine friends. This past Sunday, a nearby neighbor started setting off fireworks (in anticipation of Independence Day, I assume), and little foster Chihuahua Sophia got a stricken look on her face. She’s not into loud noises, either, whether from fireworks or thunder. In fact, they terrify her. She was so scared that she followed me from room to room even while I was vacuuming, which is normally another sound that scares her.

I understand that people want to engage in festive activities and that fireworks are exciting and thrilling, but really, they are just a form of entertainment―nothing more. Whereas to wild animals and to our canine friends, they sound like the end of the world. Dogs have been known to run away, breaking through screen doors and even glass windows in the process. Some dogs end up running into the road and getting hit by cars, or they just go missing forever. Animal shelters report an increase in the number of lost animal companions after fireworks events.

I was very pleased to hear California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger discouraging Californians from buying fireworks. PETA sent him a letter praising him and suggesting that he go even further by promoting laser and light shows as a humane but equally impressive alternative to fireworks displays. Of course, his main concerns are public safety and the fire hazard of fireworks. But it would be lovely to see fireworks phased out of American culture altogether. I think the worst ones, from the point of view of dogs, are the ones that neighbors persist in setting off, because they’re SO close by. There’re only a few feet separating your dogs from that ear-splitting noise pollution. So it goes without saying that you should never, ever attempt to take a dog or any animal to a fireworks display―just the opposite: Try to shield them from the sound as best you can.

A close cousin to fireworks anxiety is thunderstorm phobia, and many of the same safety principles apply: Make sure Fido is wearing a collar or is micro-chipped just in case he should somehow get out and run off, and never leave him outside. Let him go outside to do his business before the start of the fireworks or the storm, if possible, so that he won’t have to go out during all the scary racket.

There is a great deal that you can do to comfort your noise-phobic dog.

•Some veterinarians will prescribe heavy-duty medications, such as Valium, Xanax, Buspirone, or Anafranil, but there is a natural supplement (available at any health-food store) called “melatonin” that can be equally effective. Melatonin is a synthetically produced hormone used by humans with insomnia to help them sleep. But in dogs, it can really take the fright out of thunderstorms and calm them right down. The dosage is 6 mg for 100+-lb. dogs; 3 mg for 50-lb. dogs; 1.5 mg for 30-lb. dogs; and 0.5 mg for 10-lb. dogs. A very small percentage of dogs might have the opposite reaction (excitement) when given melatonin, so test it out when there is no sign of a thunderstorm in sight. Another option is the flower essence Rescue Remedy for dogs who have a mild case of anxiety (also available at the health-food store).

•Behaviorally, the most important thing that you can do for Fluffy is to avoid “enabling” her, i.e., don’t validate Fluffy’s fears. Contrary to the way we primates operate, if you comfort Fluffy in a sympathetic fashion when she’s fearful, then she’ll feel that she’s right to be scared, and her fears will just get worse and worse with each new thunderstorm or fireworks event. Instead, you should go about your business normally and interact with her in an upbeat and confident manner so that she can see that there’s nothing to be afraid of. You might even give her a new toy beforehand to distract her with. If you can get her to show the slightest sign of calmness, such as wagging her tail, instantly give her a luscious treat to reinforce that behavior.

A few years ago on the Fourth of July, right after I had adopted Sunny and Dexter, I could see that both of them had the potential to become freaked out by noises, so we spent that warm summer evening outside on the deck and I clapped my hands and exclaimed, “Yay!!!” every time we heard an explosion. I am not kidding you. I’m sure my neighbors thought I was insane, but it worked and neither of them has fireworks or thunderstorm phobia to this day.

•As for the dog’s immediate environment, muffling the sound of the fireworks or thunder is very helpful. You can close all the windows and either turn on some white noise, such as a fan, or put on some canine-soothing music, such as the specially formulated music discussed in and produced by the authors of Through a Dog’s Ear. With regard to the lightning often accompanying a thunderstorm, some dogs do well if you turn all the lights on to mask it, while other dogs prefer to have their eyes covered. There is even a product called the “Calm Night Pet Hood” that is purported to calm dogs down via sensory deprivation. And many dogs seek out small rooms with no windows to hide in.

•And how about this? In response to a question about thunderstorm anxiety, in his June 24, 2008, column, well-known veterinarian Michael Fox suggests, “Wrapping a dog quite tightly in a thin towel or small blanket can do miracles, giving anxious dogs a feeling of security. Cut an old cotton sheet and get your dog used to being wrapped around the torso like a mummy. This action can help many dogs cope with thunderstorms and fireworks.”

•Dr. Nicholas Dodman, veterinarian and professor at Tufts University and author of the books Dogs Behaving Badly and The Dog Who Loved Too Much, has postulated that dogs are really freaked out by thunderstorms because of a buildup of static electricity in their coats that gives them periodic shocks. He says that this is why you will find that many dogs take shelter in bathrooms with tile floors during storms. He suggests several anti-static measures, including rubbing dogs down with anti-static laundry strips, making sure dogs stay on tile or linoleum, or just putting them in the car. All of these measures will keep the static electricity from building up and shocking them.

Sometimes you just have to try different approaches and combinations of approaches until you find out what works for your particular dog. I noticed that Sophia does much better if I turn the lights on (when a thunderstorm occurs in the middle of the night) and gets some comfort from soothing music and massage, but melatonin didn’t seem to have the desired effect on her. Recently, I was thrilled to receive this message from a friend who has been battling thunderstorm anxiety in her dog for a long time:

[We] have made it through two nights of thunderstorms without a glitch! I can’t freaking believe it, but I pieced together this part that worked a little and that part that worked a little, and we’ve gotten it down I hate to jinx it, but those were the calmest two nights of storms in almost four years. And one of them shook the house. … As soon as [my dog] wakes me up, which is typically before I hear thunder (I can tell what’s wrong by her state of panic), I praise her for waking me up (just as if she were waking me to go out or for an intruder), I turn on the overhead light to make it so bright in the bedroom that she can’t see the lightning (and sleep with it on), I calmly tell her we’re going to get her pill, she walks to the kitchen, I give her 1.5 mg of melatonin, I put her in bed with me (she typically refuses to sleep with me), I cuddle her close on one side and push a pillow up to her close on the other side, I cover her eyes with a dark T-shirt/towel and I pet/massage her and talk to her calmly until the melatonin kicks in. She’ll peek out a couple of times, and I let her and just tell her it’s OK. Then we both get to go back to sleep and she doesn’t move until the storm is over! WOW! Amazing. I was seriously at a loss for giving her any comfort at all.

And some dogs are fine with thunderstorms and fireworks all their lives and don’t have a single problem with them until they hit old age, when something changes along with their hearing. This is what happened to my sweet Koro. When she reached the age of 12, she suddenly developed geriatric thunderstorm anxiety and would hide underneath the kitchen sink when they approached.

As mere mortals who want to shield our beloved dogs from terror, there’s not a lot we can do to prevent acts of God, such as thunderstorms. Fireworks, on the other hand, are completely human creations and could be stopped tomorrow. What a wonderful thought!

Rogan: “Did somebody mention doggie treats?”

The following post was originally published by Karen on KP’s Dog Blog, December 19, 2007.

Did you forget to buy a holiday gift for Fido or Fluffy this year? How about trying your hand at these luscious goodies instead? They will not be disappointed.

Jones and Ellie’s Holiday Biscuits

Jones and Ellie secretly slip these delicious biscuits into the other PETA office dogs’ stockings around this time every year!

Ingredients

1 cup cornmeal

3½ cups whole wheat flour

1/2 Tbsp. garlic powder

4 Tbsp. Bac-Os vegetarian bacon bits

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1½ cups vegetable broth

Directions

•Preheat the oven to 350°F.Combine all the ingredients.

•Roll out the dough and cut with cookie cutters.

•Bake 35 to 45 minutes.

Makes 2 dozen medium-sized biscuits

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Molly’s Peanut Butter Popsicles

Molly recommends these on a hot summer day, but December works too.

Ingredients

1-2 Tbsp. peanut butter

Boiling water

Directions

•Mix a tablespoon or two of peanut butter with boiling water (just enough to make it a little soupy) in a small plastic dish (e.g., a used margarine tub).

•Freeze until solid.

•Serve outdoors (it’s too messy for indoors!).

Makes 1 popsicle

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Astrid’s Frosty Banana Treats

Astrid’s mom says, “We live in the South, so we have hot, humid summers, which aren’t great for dogs with lots of fur like Astrid. Even when she is shaved, her coat is too heavy for her to play outside for long periods during the hottest months. One of the treats that we really like to get her is the Frosty Paws that they sell at the grocery store (little tubs of doggie ice cream). A few years ago, I decided to make my own doggie ice cream instead of paying $4 for a four-pack and a ton of packaging. I freeze them in small bowls, but you can use an ice cube tray or a wide-mouth plastic container like margarine comes in. I like reusable containers because they make this a waste-free treat.”

Ingredients

1/2 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)

3 cups water

2 very ripe bananas

Directions

•In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mix the peanut butter and the water until well blended.

•Mash the bananas into the peanut butter mixture and blend until smooth.

•Divide the mixture among six containers of your choice.

•Freeze until solid.

Makes 6 servings

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Mante’s Peanut Butter Bliss

According to Mante’s mom, “Mante goes bananas over these biscuits. When he sees me pull out the fixin’s and cookie cutters, he sits at the edge of the kitchen, patiently waiting for the biscuits to be cool enough to eat. Whenever he gets these, he does his “happy dance.” He’ll carefully take the biscuit from my hand, then set it on the ground while he play bows and runs laps around it, all while leaping through the air. It is so silly and incredibly cute!”

Ingredients

3 cups oat flour or whole wheat flour

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2 cup organic creamy peanut butter

Egg-replacer equivalent of 1 egg

Water to moisten

Directions

•Preheat the oven to 325°F.

•In a large bowl combine all the ingredients. Add enough water to form a slightly sticky dough.

•On a floured board, roll the dough to a ¼-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes.

•Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until the biscuits are well browned. Cool.

Makes 1 dozen biscuits

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Bakers, Beware!
When doing your holiday baking, keep in mind that if a dog eats uncooked dough, the consequences can be very serious indeed―even life-threatening. Warm dough can expand to many times its size and, in the process, also produces alcohol, so dogs can fall victim to both severe stomach distension and alcohol toxicity. Symptoms include lethargy, vomiting, abdominal pain, bloating, disorientation, and depression. If the dog does not receive emergency veterinary care, which can include surgery to remove the dough, in short order, death can result, so do keep your dough out of your dog’s reach.

“Louie: “Let’s have fun!”

The following post was originally published by Karen on KP’s Dog Blog, December 12, 2007.

And they’re all free!

1.) A long walk every morning. With this gift, your dog is halfway to nirvana. A long walk promotes an enduring sense of well-being and contentment, and it’s great for every dog’s health. Walking together is also key to your bond with your dog.

2.) A calm environment. Pledge never to lose your temper with or in front of your dog. If you’re a drama queen, decide to stop being one now―hey, if I can do it, you can too. Dogs don’t do well with drama. Serenity is more their cup of tea.

3.) A holistic approach to veterinary medicine. Investigate chiropractic, acupuncture, homeopathy, herbs, nutrition, and all the other alternatives to the standard drugs and surgery that conventional vets offer. In most cases, these methods are less invasive yet more effective at promoting healing because they get to the root of the problem instead of just masking it or suppressing it.

4.) Commitment. Adopt a dog with the same kind of commitment that you reserve for marriage. You will part company only under the most dire and irreconcilable circumstances. Otherwise, never give up on your dog’s behavior problems―there is an answer out there. You just need to find it and implement it.

5.) Respect. Pledge never to disparage your dog. Don’t believe that your dog can’t understand what you’re saying. We vastly underestimate dogs’ comprehension―often they can pick up on the underlying idea. In all relevant matters, consider your dog’s point of view. This, of course, requires empathy, the ability to put yourself in your dog’s position and see things through his or her eyes.

6.) Quality time. Play a new game, like hide ‘n’ seek. Bring home a new toy or object of interest frequently. You get out more than your dogs do―so bring some of the world back home to them. It can be as simple as a pine cone or as elaborate as a fun, interactive toy from your local pet supply store. Hang out together and focus on Fluffy―don’t let thoughts about work or anything else creep in.

7.) Careful observation. Pay close attention to Fido’s appearance and demeanor. Look at him from all angles (his tummy, his paw pads, under his tail, under his lips). This is the best way to detect health problems early on when they are most treatable and least painful.

8.) Hands-on attention. Dogs are sensual creatures―most of them love to be massaged, scratched, and petted. Caress or scratch them the way they like it, not the way you like it. Some dogs like a good hard scratch on the butt, while others like a medium scratch on the chest. Some love a gentle caress, while others like a deep-tissue massage. Find out what pleases your dog.

9.) Some silliness. Dogs are never more photogenic than when they are being silly―a photo captures the sheer pleasure of playtime on their faces. So join them! Even initiate it. Get down on the floor and do a play bow. Find out what gets your dog in a goofy mood and do it every day.

10.) Unconditional love. Love your dog with the fullness of your heart, with every fiber of your being, every hour of every day. Dogs’ lives pass much too quickly, and before you know it, it’s time to say goodbye. Don’t waste a single moment!

These are all gifts that money can’t buy, yet they are the gifts that your dog will appreciate the most. Happy holidays!

Sarah and Theresa model matching pink thermal
underwear featuring a convenient opening in just
the right spot! I bet they’ll stay toasty this winter!

The following post was originally published by Karen on KP’s Dog Blog, November 12, 2007.

In our area of Virginia, the temperatures have started to dip into the 40s and even the 30s. This means that some dogs will already have started shivering. And when it comes to resisting the cold weather, size does not matter at all. The biggest, strongest, toughest-looking pit bull or Doberman can be seen looking hunched over and miserable outside because their short, thin coats are not doing it for them. This is one reason why it’s so tragic that Dobermans are often used as guard dogs. They have to endure loneliness and freezing-cold temperatures. My late Doberman, Shandy, was always a chilly dog in winter, so I bought him a sporty blue cape-like jacket from a greyhound catalog that made him look like Superdog. He loved it and seemed to walk taller in it too.

Many people don’t realize that some dogs need winterwear because they assume that a dog’s coat is sufficient protection against the cold. But look at it this way: Don’t you sometimes feel cold when you’re outside with a coat on? And it gets worse if you’re not given the opportunity to move around much, such as in the sad case of dogs who are chained or penned outside.

A good rule of thumb is this: If you feel comfortable in a light jacket and your dog has a medium-thick coat, everything should be fine. If you feel the need to put on a heavier coat and mittens, then start thinking about buying outerwear for your dog too. Don’t worry about it if you have a husky, collie, chow-chow, or other dog with a thick undercoat, but do worry about it if your dog has a thin, short haircoat or is old or infirm. Worry less if you’re going for a brisk walk or run that will warm you both up quickly, and worry more if you’re going to be standing around outside for any length of time.

Or you could just observe your dog and see if he or she shivers. Then get your dog some outerwear pronto!

You can knit or crochet your own dog sweaters—there are lots of patterns on the Internet. Teresa, the guardian of Joey and Chandler, whose picture accompanies this post, whips out dog sweaters like nobody’s business. And choosing your own colors can be a lot of fun. If you’d rather go with something store-bought, there’s a lot to choose from both online and at your local pet supply store: sweaters, coats, thermal underwear, sweatshirts—even boots to fend off snow and ice.

Boots are particularly good for dogs with furry feet who are going to be walking around in the snow. I remember my cocker spaniel Rogan accumulating little icy snowballs all over his fluffy feet when we walked in the snow the first time. Not too pleasant—in fact, he stopped walking altogether and made me carry him!

Kaiser never dwells on the neglect that
he suffered in the past when he was
nearly starved to death―for him,
it’s all about today!

Well, for starters, we don’t see many dogs or wolves climbing trees or walking around on their hind legs. But how about what’s on the inside? Specifically, what’s going on inside that canine brain that might be different from what’s inside our primate noggins?

Many dog guardians want to treat their dogs just as they would a human best friend. That does sound warm and fuzzy and appealing to us, but unfortunately, our dogs don’t always enjoy that role because of the way their canine brains are wired. Of course, each dog is different, but in general, dog psychology dictates that every dog pack, which can also include humans, has to have a leader (even a pack of two). A dog without a leader feels anxious and unprotected and thus takes steps to try to become the leader in order to fill that void. This can take the form of aggression, obsessive barking, inappropriate urination, and domination, among other things. Now, I don’t know about you, but as much as I dearly love my dogs, I don’t want them to be the boss of me anyway. So that means that I have to be the one to step up and fill the role of pack leader in order to fulfill my dogs’ psychological needs.

The appealing thing about having a pack leader, from Fido’s point of view, is that the leader provides protection as well as structure, boundaries, and rules―all of which make dogs feel secure. Does that sound familiar? That’s because children crave the exact same things.

A second big difference between canine and primate psychology is that whenever anyone gets scared or hurt, we primates jump in to comfort and console and make a fuss―that makes us all feel better, whether child or adult. However, with dogs it’s different. If Fifi gets frightened or hurt and you freak out, showering her with comfort and caresses, it will have the effect of highlighting and bookmarking the trauma, thus validating her fear, so that she will end up becoming even more fearful.

Instead, whenever there’s a mishap, even a serious one, the best way to react is to be calm and upbeat and confident. Say cheerful things, like, “You’re doing great, Fifi!” This will help her feel calm and confident too. Of course, get her to the vet if needed, but even then, do her a favor and avoid giving in to sobbing or hysterical exclamations of “My poor little BABY!!!”

Another thing that distinguishes canine thinking from primate (or at least human) thought―and one that makes dogs so endlessly appealing to us―is that they really know how to live in the moment. They are true Zen masters. But too many dog guardians, especially those who have rescued a dog from a terrible situation, inadvertently force their dogs to live in the past by not ever letting go of Bowser’s tragic beginnings. If, every time we gaze upon him, we think, “My poor sweet angel―you’ve been through so much in your life!” it will inevitably lead to permissiveness (lack of boundaries, rules, and structure―see above), way too many treats (can you say “obesity”?), and a general atmosphere of sadness and uneasiness.

We need to let go of the past and be here now―for our dogs as well as for ourselves! Regret has the effect of stealing our present moment away from us. Dogs don’t go there. They don’t dwell on the past and they certainly don’t worry about the future. They just take the present moment and make the most of it. So let’s learn from Bowser and forget about his awful past experiences. Just see him for who he is right now and treat him accordingly. He will be thrilled!

Dexter’s appetite is back to normal―no thanks to
synthetic chemicals.

As a person who has never had any trouble whatsoever questioning authority, it often shocks me to hear friends and acquaintances tell me that they just went along with whatever treatment their vet recommended for their dog without even questioning it. Often they’ll give their dog a medication without even knowing what it is or they won’t even know the name of the condition or illness that their dog has. They just leave the dog’s health and treatment in the hands of the almighty veterinarian. I think this blind obedience stems from the fact that a veterinarian is considered an authority figure, with lots of educational qualifications and experience. But many people fail to realize that vets are just people too. They can have their biases (veterinary surgeons like to do surgery, for example!), and they didn’t all graduate at the top of their class, either.

The importance of questioning authority cannot be overstated. Blind obedience to authority can lead to horrifying consequences, as was clearly demonstrated in the Milgram experiments of the 1960s, in which between 61 and 66 percent of people were willing to administer fatal shocks (450 volts) to another human being just because the authority figure told them that they must do it.

This is frightening on many levels, but for my purposes, I would like to focus on the implications of this mentality for our dogs’ health and well-being. Recently, my rambunctious, fun-loving, 5-year-old dog Dexter’s appetite started to go wonky. I would call him to come for his dinner, and he wouldn’t come! This continued and became worrisome, so I had blood work done, and the results showed a low thyroid reading. The vet recommended an “add-on” thyroid test, which also showed a low thyroid reading. She then strongly recommended that I go ahead and just put Dexter on synthetic thyroid hormone (thyroxine) for the rest of his life, based on the results of those two tests. So I consulted two other vets, including one whom I considered holistic because she does acupuncture and chiropractic, and all three of them agreed.

Because they all sounded so sure of themselves, I did it, but I was very uncomfortable doing it. Dexter didn’t have any other symptoms of a dog with low thyroid levels, and the thought of keeping him on synthetic thyroxine his whole life seemed rather drastic. Actually, it bothered me so much that I decided to seek out a fourth opinion from a holistic vet whom I knew I could really trust―Dr. Monique Maniet at Veterinary Holistic Care in Bethesda, Maryland. She used to be my vet when I lived in Maryland prior to 1996, and I know her to be a perfectionist with a thorough and up-to-date knowledge of all kinds of holistic treatments.

Well, that was the turning point. Dr. Maniet examined Dexter’s record and said, “He doesn’t have hypothyroidism.” She pointed out several reasons why it didn’t make sense and explained that a low thyroid reading could point to many different problems unrelated to hypothyroidism. And as a matter of fact, Dexter was experiencing some other health problems that could have contributed to this low thyroid reading, notably a chronic limp (which is another whole story for later). Dr. Maniet said to take him off the thyroxine, and she gave me a thyroid-stimulating herbal supplement to use for a little while instead. Now, three weeks later, Dexter is back to normal, eating like a champ―no hesitation whatsoever!

I just wonder what percentage of people would have simply acquiesced under pressure, as I initially did, and just put their dog on a lifetime of medication, which would have effectively shut down his thyroid, rendering him totally dependent on synthetic hormones. I’m guessing around 61 to 65 percent.

The moral of the story is this: Take everything your vet says with a grain of salt. You alone are responsible for your dog’s well-being, so if something in a treatment plan seems off, speak up! Ask for alternatives. Get a second opinion and a third and a fourth, if you have to, and by all means, check out the holistic alternatives and approaches. Go online and do some research on your own. You’ll be amazed at how much you can learn that way. Take charge of your dog’s health yourself. You, and not your vet, are your dog’s best advocate.

And in case any vets are reading this―I have nothing against vets per se. In fact, I appreciate vets very much. But I just think we need to view them in the proper perspective―as people, not gods.

,

Don’t be fooled: Dogs don’t really
like being couch potatoes.

The following post was originally published by Karen on KP’s Dog Blog, October 17, 2007.

Part of the canine psyche is a desire for gainful employment. Believe it or not, dogs who lie around getting petted all day are not feeling exactly fulfilled. They want to have something to do that makes them feel important. They want a job! The jobs can be simple or they can be more involved and require training. As a person who is not very creative, I have trouble thinking of jobs for my dogs, but luckily, they can sometimes come up with their own jobs. For example, Rowdy came up with the job of checking the perimeter of the fence every time we go out into the back yard. And Sunny created for herself the job of keeping an eye on me (i.e., guarding me) as I move from room to room within the house.

I did actually come up with Dexter’s job, which is to go out onto the front porch with me whenever I have to take out the trash or the recycling. As you may have guessed, the jobs don’t technically have to be useful; they just have to make your dogs feel useful. So to that end, you should always thank and praise them for their service each time they get the job done.

Dogs like Cato would prefer not to
have aggressive dogs menacing them!

The following post was originally published by Karen on KP’s Dog Blog, October 22, 2007.

If you ever find yourself in the path of a large hostile dog, conventional wisdom says that you should “make like a tree” (stand still and avoid eye contact), and if that doesn’t work, you should “make like a rock” (curl up on the ground, face down, with your arms covering your neck). However, if you have your dog with you, that’s not going to work because your dog will likely be the target. I’ve found myself in this tricky situation several times lately, and I’d like to share the two methods that I used to save my dogs from being mauled.

The first one was to throw a handful of treats straight at the dog as a decoy and then slowly back away. I always take treats with me to help with training my dogs, but this is another good reason to keep treats handy when out walking.

If that doesn’t work or you forgot your treats, try to “make like a wolf” and scare the dog away: You just puff yourself up, looking as imposing as possible, with a really mean look on your face, and you emit the most primal, deepest guttural sound in the most threatening voice that you can muster (for some reason, this comes easy to me!). Don’t worry about what the neighbors will think—your furry friend’s life could depend on it!

I can’t guarantee that these will always work, but they worked like a charm for me, and they’ll give you a fighting chance if you don’t have any other options.

TJ was rescued but not before his kidneys had
been damaged by a raging infection caused
by a lack of readily available drinking water.

I really like my neighborhood and the people in it. It’s a friendly place, and no two houses look alike. Many people know each other, and I’ve met lots of people who have lived in my neighborhood for 30 or 40 years―some have even built their own houses. The one thing that I don’t like is the way some of my neighbors treat their dogs. Their misguided approach to dog care is taken mainly out of sheer ignorance, not malice, yet it causes a lot of suffering.

Here is a rundown of some of the dog-care disasters that have taken place in my neighborhood just in the four years since I’ve lived there:

• Do-it-yourself ear-cropping. One of my neighbors took scissors to his dog’s ears when she was a puppy. He just cut the ends off, so now her ears hang over her forehead like bangs. I’ve run into numerous people in my area who think that puppies don’t feel pain so therefore it’s OK to hack off their tails or ears. It’s not even illegal in Virginia. But it should be.

• Providing no water and no relief from the heat on hot days. My former neighbors had a lovely, sweet sheltie with a very heavy coat. I was shocked when I discovered how matted he was and, worse, how bone-dry his water bowl was during the height of the summer heat! I managed to rescue this dog, but not before his kidneys had been damaged by a raging infection that had gone unnoticed. Also unnoticed: heartworms and hookworms and a dewclaw that had curled around and embedded itself in the dog’s toe. This kind of neglect is common in dogs who are forced to live outside, under the family’s radar. The man taking responsibility for this dog actually believed that you only have to take your dog for one initial vet appointment, and then the dog is good to go for life.

• Failing to provide dog food. By chance, I met some neighbors who were trying to find homes for their two puppies. I asked to see them and was shocked at how thin they were. I was told that the family had no money to buy dog food, so I took them some dog food to tide them over. When I went back 24 hours later, I was again shocked to see that the cans of food that I had donated to them were still sitting on a shelf in the living room! After receiving that wake-up call, I notified the authorities to come get the puppies. I still can’t explain that astonishing neglect, other than that it may have been caused by mental illness.

• Chaining dogs for long periods. In my community, perpetual chaining has been banned (thanks, PETA!), but people still attempt to do it. One neighbor chained two dogs outside with no shelter during a nor’easter! I recently called animal control on some of my neighbors who were chaining their two dogs on very short chains in their carport. So how did the neighbors respond? They just put up a privacy fence in front of the carport, I guess to hide the continued chaining and to discourage busybodies. Ha! They don’t know me (busybody extraordinaire!).

• Fencing that doesn’t keep dogs safe inside their own yard. Especially lately in my neighborhood, there has been a rash of incidents in which dogs jump fences and run right into the street. Some of the neighbors simply shrug and say, “Well, that’s how it is when you live with a beagle,” or whatever breed they happen to have. I’m sorry, but dogs can get into big trouble, especially with cars, when they’re roaming on their own, and I sure don’t want them chasing me or my leashed dogs, either!

• Leaving dogs in crates for long periods of time. Some new neighbors moved into a big house with a big yard recently, and right away they put in a swimming pool and lots and lots of lawn ornaments and outdoor furniture and decorative plants. They have four dogs, but do the dogs get to run around that well appointed yard? No, the dogs spend most of their time warehoused in stacked crates in the garage.

• Not providing adequate shelter. Two households in my neighborhood had doghouses for their dogs that consisted of a roof, a floor, and only three sides. There was no front wall at all! I was dumbfounded when I first saw that. (Needless to say, I arranged for better doghouses for both dogs.) On another occasion, I encountered a tiny little short-haired dachshund who had been left outside for the day with no shelter when it was around 40 degrees outside! I was livid. I think the dog would have frozen to death if I hadn’t intervened.

• Neglecting to spay and neuter. One of my neighbors had an intact female dog who lived outdoors, and I kept nagging him and nagging him to get her spayed. He kept procrastinating until―you guessed it―the dog got knocked up. The puppies were born into a “family” of dysfunctional, unemployed men, and the one taking responsibility for them was too poor to afford puppy food, to buy worm medication, or to take them to the vet. He had a very hard time adopting them all out, so he settled on homes that were inappropriate, such as the one across the street from him, described below:

• Adopting a puppy out to someone who is completely unable to manage his or her own life and who possesses a total lack of information about and knowledge of puppy care. This neighbor suffers from alcoholism, has been hospitalized for heart failure and a debilitating stomach ulcer, and is illiterate. He also has a temper, smokes like a chimney, lives in a filthy, cluttered house, and doesn’t have the foggiest notion of how to train, care for, or communicate with a dog.

I know that no one reading this would ever be caught dead doing any of these things, but the point is that your neighbors might. So keep an eye on them. Don’t assume that they know as much about dog care as you do just because they seem like nice people. A lot of old-fashioned customs die hard, even though they can be shocking to those of us who have kept up with modern attitudes about dog care. Be nosy, and ask questions. A great way to meet your neighbors and to check up on their dogs is to walk your own dogs all over the neighborhood every day. People will feel comfortable speaking to you because you’ll be so familiar to them. And if you discover something awful happening to a dog, please, intervene in whatever way you think will be the most effective. You may be that dog’s only hope. So be bold and make sure that all is well in your neighborhood from the dogs’ point of view.