RebeccaWalks....

Chewing Woodwork: Cayenne's the Cure

2010-10-15T21:09:00.010-03:00

None of the usual advice worked with our black lab rescue pup. He arrived fully formed at five months, and soon proved himself amongst the great chewers on the planet.

At seven months he merely chewed shoes. At eight months, he chewed all the woodwork in our kitchen, and then peed on it to boot. The house looked absolutely terrible.

The only solution: until he broke his habit, we painted the woodwork with a mixture of the spiciest cayenne you can imagine. The red stain actually improved the appearance of our woodwork, in the interim (it looked that bad).

Have a dog that continuously "explores the world with his teeth?" Here's the regimen I would suggest:

1.As a first step, you need to un-invite the pups from getting into things, by puppy-proofing the house. That means:
*putting a latch on all doors they have gotten into in the past
*getting a dog-proof garbage bin
*temporarily going minimalist with the coffee-table books
*Trying to remember to put all loose papers high up on the kitchen counters
rather than on that low coffee table
*keeping the bedroom door closed
*putting smooth pebbles at the base of any plants they might wreck.

2. To make your expectations clear (make it very clear to your pups that you have not invited them to chew away your house):
-Mix together the hottest cayenne pepper you can find, with water and a
lemon, to create a "basting sauce".
-Get together some old socks, some ruined shoes, even some cardboard boxes or whatever else you can think of that they like to tear up, and "baste" them with the cayenne mixture. Strew a bunch of the bait all around the front entryway where the dogs usually go nuts.This will teach them that chewing your stuff is not fun. (Along with the basting, I also recommend giving this a try).
-If your dog is going nuts on the woodwork, go right ahead and baste it - all of it.

3. ALWAYS offer alternatives. Now, next to this unpalatable stuff, leave them treats and bones and toys. Every time you catch them in the act, take their mouths off of whatever it is they should be avoiding, and place the kind of toy they are welcome to, in their mouths. What if they don't love the alternative? Baste their bones in something really tasty to the dogs, like barbecue sauce.

4. Finally, be certain your dog is getting enough exercise! None of the above will make a huge difference if your dog is idle, lonely, and looking for attention and an outlet!

Be patient! Punishment does not work with this kind of thing. A simple "no" and "tsk!" will get your expectations across. Do not expect them change their patterns immediately. The process may take a few months at least. Your furniture may get ruined, your living space taken over by your pooch! But if you're diligent about sending the right messages to your dog, he'll get over it, I promise!

Swimming in Humidity

2010-07-29T01:29:00.045-03:00

Hi all.... given the humidity and heat, I just wanted to post a quick reminder about the possibilities for dog-swimming at Prospect Park. Don't keep your dogs indoors! Just give her/him lots of water, sit in the shade a lot, and go swimming!

To reach Prospect Park Lake's paddling area, head to
the northwestern tip of the large body of water indicated by the map.
Dog Beach is at the northwestern (upper) tip
of the little body of water at the top of the map.

So, easiest to reach from Prospect Heights and Park Slope is Dog Beach. To get there, start at what is called the Tennis House, off of the 9th St. entrance, and walk to the foot of the path leading downhill. It's just a tiny little cove in which to take a dip and play a wee bit of fetch, and there are lots of other dogs there too.

However, for real swimming, and plenty of room for full-on fetching, and without competition for space with other dogs - I really like bringing my pups a little further into the park, to Prospect Park Lake, which has a less dog-visited beach.

I tend to bike my dogs down there, on the main biking/jogging path (down West Lake Drive).

Or if you know your way around the park, take Well House Dr. to get to the paddling spot more directly (near Peninsula off-leash meadow).

Hours for both spots are the same as hours for general offleash time. Dogs must be onleash (6ft or less) in all places, at all times between 9am - 9pm. Note: dogs must be on leash whenever you're in wooded areas - so that nesting birds and various creatures won't feel threatened.)

The Dominance Debate

2010-07-20T11:18:00.013-03:00

Dominance training is not en vogue. Twenty years ago it was, and positive reinforcement was a foreign concept in some circles. I'm not a fan of fads. My view is that it's best to err on the positive side, but an occasional dominance maneuver is not a terrible thing. There is no reason that you cannot mix and match positive reinforcement with dominance maneuvers - just be sure to use great care as you turn to dominating your dog - as a last resort, and only when you understand his/her character extremely well.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that dogs are profoundly sensitive creatures that pick up on the slightest gestures, cues, vibrations. Being alert and sensitive to their cues in turn is vital to becoming leaders they respect and adore and want to follow.

This pic by one of my favorite clients is entitled "mean-lookin softies". She uses positive reinforcement all the way, and she's definitely boss with her once-aggressive pit-lab mix.

First and foremost, being sensitive means paying attention to subtle body language. Theirs, ours, and that of the person passing by on the street. When we want to train a dog to follow specific commands, we tend to use sounds such as words and clicks. But when we want to communicate our general relationship to our dog, we use physical communication.

Here are some maneuvers that have been discredited with good reason, and which none of RebeccaWalks walkers would ever do (it goes without saying):

hitting or kicking a dog for undesirable behavior
growling at a dog
grabbing a dog by his jowls and shaking
alpha roll - flipping a dog onto its back and holding it down by force, sometimes followed by a nip to the neck

But while the above maneuvers may not work, we should not hesitate to own our dominant relationship with dogs. When we own our position as stewards and caretakers, our dogs are more at ease. They relax and allow us to lead the way (rather than pulling us down the street), and even protect ourselves (rather than attacking strangers, which some dogs think we want them to do). If we physically convey to them that we can take care of ourselves, as well as them, their aggressive and/or defiant behavior will ultimately subside.

We own our position physically, not verbally. Dogs don't communicate by talking, remember? When we "bark" orders at them with exasperation, from a position of weakness, they understand nothing other than that we are excited, scared, or looking to fight. The below physical maneuvers can be extremely helpful (some of them as a daily practice, and others, applied on an occasional basis):

Daily: Training them to function in human society, and maintaining your position as the leader

walk through doors first

eat before your dog; let them smell that you are eating, but do not share (do not tease either of course)

nuzzle your dog's nose, head, neck, body, in almost grooming motions, much like a parent dog would do to their puppy to clean them

kiss your dog all over

pet your dog on the top of their head (letting you do this is a sign of submission)

play with and gently pull your dogs ears

play with their feet

gently bite your dog's neck, arms, and legs

nibble on your dogs fur as if a parent dog picking out bugs or ticks; watch your dog nibble on their own fur to observe the motion

Occasional: Reminding them who's boss, when they seem to forget

open your mouth wide and put it over the top of your dog's nose, lengthwise (not front on. Again, just like another dog would, in play); or, put your hand(s) over the top of your dog's mouth like a muzzle (gently! it will hurt them if you are too rough.)

put your dog belly up and gently straddle them so that their legs are behind you, not kicking at you. The difference between this and the alpha roll is very simply - the application of force (or lack thereof). In my view, if the dog is going to start kicking you, then that is not a dog you should apply the alpha roll on. This is the maneuver I go to only when a dog is absolutely ignoring my commands in a serious situation. Furthermore, I only do this with a dog I know is comfortably submissive to me. This is a reminder of who's boss, like I said, in a serious situation, not a way to train a dog to become submissive. There will be some resistance from your dog, but it should not be a true struggle - otherwise the dog will interpret your effort to dominate them in this way as a shift towards fighting mode - and owners and their dogs should never cross that line - it sets a bad precedent in the relationship and with some dogs can be dangerous.

use a halti nose harness, which simulates another dog putting their mouth over your dog's mouth. I use a halti consistently for a few months when establishing dominance, and then only use one again when the dog has been a bit squirrely and needs to be reminded for an afternoon that, yup, I'm boss.

when your dog is standing or sitting, put your hand over your dog's paw so you are standing on it (but not putting pressure on it of course, just engaged in the act of covering it)

straddle your dog while standing, with your knees on the side of their back haunches, and walk forward with them playfully

We, as a species, basically co-created dogs with wild canines. In our relationship with each other, we must come their direction, using the subtle physical language of the pack, and they must come ours, learning to function as gentle creatures in delicate human company.

Dogs Define Home

2010-05-28T05:51:00.013-03:00

Are our dogs really "ours"? Not in my view. But since dogs help to define the space we call home, sometimes it can seem like they are one of the possessions our houses contain.

"Mine", directed by Geralyn Pezanoski, aired on PBS the other day. Pezanoski told Independent Lens about her time in New Orleans filming the animal rescue efforts after Hurricane Katrina, where custody battles were arising over other 'Katrina pets'....

One Katrina survivor described his dog as "the only thing I have left." His dog was not a "thing" to him, of course, but he had nothing left of his life and home before the storm, and the restoration of his dog would in turn restore some kind of continuity....

Then there was the Katrina dog adopter who would not return her dog to his former owner. "He's mine!" she could not stop repeating, insisting that had she not rescued him from the shelter, the dog would be dead now. She wasn't a bad sort. Maybe what she really meant was not just that the dog was more hers than the previous owner's, but that the dog had a new home and should not be displaced again.

It's hard to know exactly what "home" is, for a dog. But it's clear once we bring dogs into our home, they start to redefine it. First they sniff out the perimeter, mark their path. Pretty soon they are barking at those outside it...

A dog's home may shift, but always has an element of "this is the space which is mine" to it, it is always territorial and defined. Which brings to mind a whimsical article by Abdelfattah Kito, in a book about people displaced from their homes....

"Quick, what does a bedouin do when he loses his way at night in the desert?", writes Kito in "Dog Words". "What strategem does he use to find human habitation, and therefore find himself?"

"...So a man is lost at night in the desert and must find his clan at any price. During the day he may well have laid a trail of stones along the way, and his feet probably made prints in the sand. At night however, neither the stones nor the prints are easily perceived...."

"What does he do?...he starts barking (incredible but true)... As he walks about then, our nocturnal itinerant emits a few scattered barks. If there are any dogs in the area they will start to bark in turn and indicate human habitation...."

"One must bark to find one's way," Kito continues, "in order to become human one must first turn into a dog...."

Dog Kills Ball

2010-05-28T03:20:00.019-03:00

There are dogs that don't like to play fetch.

They prefer to chase and kill the bright red bouncy ball of a cute little tole-haired boy under the care of his nanny, as the case may be in Park Slope. Ah, what satisfaction to pounce on someone's else's ball, bite and puncture it, shake the air out of it, watch it deflate completely under paw, a little pathetic wheeze emanating from its plastic wounds.

Well, it's official: next week I will be focusing my training energy on a sweet pair of terriers called Peanut and Jimmy that relish nothing more than taking the squeak out of balls in the park.

Despite their current reputation as lap-dogs, the two belong to a breed typically bred for rat-hunting - thus even after training, they are likely to persist in their chasing to some extent. The trick is to get them to respond to their owners, me, even a stranger, if we tell them to desist.

I will begin with one dog indoors and one in the backyard, so as to keep the two of them from influencing the other, and keep them free of general distractions. They should both be free to focus on training. In both cases, they will be on-leash.

Indeed, until the training has been completed, these energetic creatures will not get to go off-leash, poor creatures. For about a week, I'll be waving a small ball in front of each of them, not allowing them to touch it with even the tip of their little wet noses. Sadistic, you say? No. Dogs love boundaries, and you know it. (They don't mind that we create boundaries for them in our own human way, any more than we mind the way they mark territory. Not only do they sniff out territorial boundaries, or guard them, they create them. But more on that in a future entry).

Stage One:

I'll start by teaching them that before they run off in pursuit of a moving ball, they have to wait ("stop", or "off") for a release command ("ok!). It should be clear to each of them that the "stop" command means that running after the ball is not allowed. Thus, the need for a leash, indoors.

I'll be rolling the ball to the far end of the room and letting them know that they can not chase or go after the ball, with a firm "stop". As they inevitably start to go after the ball, I will do a firm but gentle leash correction and use the "stop" command again. (I personally prefer "stop" to "off" because it can be used in a range of circumstances, such as when a dog gets started after a squirrel, when braking on a bicycle, etc.)

Each and EVERY time Peanut or Jimmy show that they know what "off" means, and adhere to the command, they will be rewarded with a treat.

Stage Two:

Once both dogs have learned the command to perfection, I'll be moving to bigger and bigger spaces, and add some distractions little by little. Once their obedience is consistent, we'll go off-leash in the original space.

Stage Three:

If I can get a friend or two to work with me on this, now will be the time to test the training. Several of us will play catch, and, keeping the dogs on a leash, it will be "off", and more "off", until it's a cheery "Ok!".

I'm pretty sure that, without the leash, Jimmy would be unable to resist chasing the ball back and forth into eternity, and I mean eternity (he's a terrier after all). And once Jimmy managed to secure it in his paws, Peanut would see absolutely no reason to resist puncturing it. That's how they roll, as a team. (Thus, once again, the need for keeping them on a leash and continuing to offer a gentle and consistent correction for every misstep.)

You might ask: If, after all that training, you predict that, much of the time they will continue to chase the ball, why bother?

Well, presently, they do not really understand what is goin on when I, or their owners, chastise them after they have successfully killed that little squeaky creature - what they were actually bred to do, by humans, over hundreds of years! We owe it to them to communicate our will to them, clearly, rather than punishing them seemingly randomly.

And, the chance of their puncturing a little boy's ball and bringing red tear-streaks to his cheeks, is going to be significantly reduced. Maybe your little terrier will actually decide it's more fun to let that ball live.

Starting Over With the "Come" Command

2010-05-16T15:14:00.071-03:00

My regular clients know that every week or so, their dog is going to get some kind of special treat - perhaps some off-leash time, perhaps an extra-long walk, perhaps a swim, or bike-ride (if that's what the owner wants).

Yesterday it was: "Iris!..... Iris!!!!....?.....IRIS!" I was fifteen minutes late for my next dog and starting to regret offering off-leash services.

Here's some background on the issue, a mix of my own approach and some straight-up plagiarism from some good websites. Underlined is the essence of what I would advise you to focus on. If you skim down to the numbered section, then you'll see in what order this process will go.

Problem:

Most puppies have a strong instinct to follow and stay close to their masters. They readily come when they're called. As they grow up, they start to think for themselves and become more independent. Busy exploring or playing, the dog ignores his owner's call. Why, s/he has better things to do!

Do you remember the first time this happened? What did you do about it? If you're like most people, you probably called to your dog over and over until the dog finally decided, in her/his own sweet time, to obey you. Did you know that you taught your dog a very important lesson that day? Without realizing it, you taught her/him that it was okay not to come when s/he was called!

When the owner repeatedly calls a dog and s/he does not come, then s/he is learning that s/he doesn't have to come - or at least s/he doesn't need to come until s/he is called umpteen billion times. The dog has now learned that ignoring the owner is infinitely more rewarding than obeying the owner. This is definitely a lose-lose situation. If the dog comes, he is punished for coming because her/his off leash fun is curtailed. If the dog doesn't come, s/he is learning not to come and s/he is being self-rewarded for ignoring the owner.

Because the owner does not know how to punish the dog while it is running away, the owner punishes the dog when he eventually returns. (DO YOU REMEMBER DOING THIS AT ALL?) The next time the dog will take even longer to come back because not only does it end the fun but it also now means outright punishment from the owner if s/he does comply.

The thing is, in Prospect Park, the dog is not in too much danger - but what if you end up in a place with streets nearby? This can be a very dangerous habit for your dog, not just an annoyance for you.

Solution:

Don't worry, you can fix things by starting over from the beginning.

Author and trainer Mordecai Siegal says "No dog will run to a human if he has experienced something unpleasant for his trouble".To get your dog to come to you, this time and every time, you have to make it worth his while. "Come" needs to be the sweetest word your dog ever hears; it should always mean love, hugs and rewards. Never, ever call your dog to you to punish him, to give him a bath or for anything he might think is unpleasant. "Come" must always mean that something good will happen to her/him, something far better than whatever s/he's doing at the time."

At home:

1. Throughout the day, stop what you're doing for a minute and call your dog. Reward her/him handsomely when he comes. It doesn't matter if s/he's three feet away, in another room or a different part of the house. Call and love her/him to death when s/he comes! Practice often and make coming when called the most enjoyable thing in your dog's life.

On the walk, Week 1

2. When your dog is coming happily to you the first time he hears you call at home, it's time to move your training outside where there are more distractions.Keep your dog on a leash! You must be able to enforce the come command if your dog doesn't obey. Without a leash, you have no control over the dog and s/he knows it. Always use a leash until your dog is more reliable.

3. With a pocketful of treats, go for a walk with your dog on a loose leash. Using a cheerful voice, stop and call her/him to you. Praise her/him to the skies, give him a treat and hug her/him when he obeys. What if s/he doesn't come or pretends he doesn't hear you? Tug sharply on the leash and walk backwards, calling her/him merrily the whole time. Reward her/him generously when s/he reaches you even though you had to make her/him do it. Return to your walk, stopping periodically to call your dog.

Week 2

4. As your dog improves, practice with a longer leash and play fetch. You can buy a 50-foot "lead" for 15$ at a pet store or just use a nylon clothesline for ten.

Let her/him explore, chase a stick or play with a ball....then stop playing fetch with her/him and call her/him to you. If s/he doesn't come, tug on the line and run the other direction, calling "Come, Come, Come!" Let her/him chase you and when s/he reaches you, reward her/him with praise and hugs. Make the training a game and make her/him think that coming to you is a much better game than s/he could think up on her/his own!

Week 3

5. When your dog will come each and every time, you can start working off leash but within a fenced area, the smaller the better at first. Do not trust her/him off leash in an unconfined area! Let her/him play, sniff, explore, then call her/him.

S/he didn't come? Don't try to catch her/him, instead resort to trickery. One trainer's favorite method is to "sit down right there on the ground and pretend to cry. If he doesn't hear you, cry louder, sob your heart out! He'll come running back to see what's the matter. Don't scold him for not obeying, just snap the leash back on and keep practicing. He's shown you he's not ready for freedom and needs to go back to the basics. Start his training over from the beginning and don't remove the leash again for at least a week."

Months and years down the road....

At any point your dog may get rebellious on you again - never fear, you can just snap the leash back on and start the reward process over again for a week or two, and your dog will get the message.

End of Winter Bath

2010-02-23T19:41:00.016-04:00

Our dogs' hindlegs have gotten smattered with winter rock-salt and sand, their paws are perhaps a bit salty even after a good paw-washing, and their coats are all-around smellier than we want to admit. It's almost time for that end-of-winter bath!

A lot of us have gotten behind on washing our dogs because as soon as we wash off all the gunk and the instant they have that nice silky fragrant coat again, they go pouncing in dirty puddles and shovel their way through telltale yellow snow-banks.

I've been adding ten minutes per dog for toweling off after walks on rainy days such as this one. And what dirty towels they are! Sorry, folks, for making you do more laundry than usual. Though we can all agree that extra labor is better than trying to clean a dirty couch or carpet.

Here are some tips for keeping your dog calm during a bath:

My main advice is that you use a rubber mat. Because this will prevent your dog from slipping, s/he will be much more secure, and therefore calmer, as you bathe him/her (which as you know makes the job go at least twice as fast).
Second, protect your dog's delicate eardrums from water by washing his face with a washcloth; don't pour water over his/her face. S/he will possibly even enjoy the sensation.
If possible, use a hand-held shower-head.
Make sure to comb out any mats beforehand, so that the tangling does not worsen and hurt your dog. Whatever mats you cannot get out, you may want to "spot-treat" and massage out with conditioner in advance.

Protecting your dog's skin:

If you don't have a good dog shampoo and conditioner on hand, the key is simply to go with the most natural, gentlest shampoo and conditioner you know of. Herbal shampoos with lavender or tea -tree oils can help stave off fleas and ticks, as well.
Just like with humans, you don't want to dry out your dog's skin too much - and there's no need to bathe your dog unless he's getting smelly. Better to just use that towel when you come in the door, until a bath is really necessary.

Drying off:

Use lots of towels, and dry your dog on an old blanket. The messiest part of the bath is often when a dog decides to engage in a nice, complete coat-shake. One dog-person says: "We bring him out onto the blanket immediately after drying with towels, we lay him down, and we kind of sit on him to keep him there. His first instinct is to run and find a good place to rub every inch of his body. But, his idea of a good place is on the couch or on the new bedspread!"

Stress, Boarding & Bloat

2010-02-18T04:30:00.005-04:00

When we first got Jet -- my childhood black lab -- from the pound, his eyes were not so much pleading, as full of fear. He had a clear history of abuse and neglect, and was such a nervous creature that a year after taking him home we were hardly able to touch his nose without a snap! Since I was a kid, I was able to spend hours every day with him, investing the time he needed to trust humans again. After a few years, he finally let me stroke his paws and his ear-tips. Like even the most adventurous human, he needed a calming, consistent environment, a sure sense of home.

When I was twenty, my parents moved to Chicago and took Jet with them. When they went out of town they boarded Jet at a kennel in the city. This made me incredibly nervous, since Jet was a biter and did not like other dogs, and I knew the kennel kept him caged pretty much at all times. I just could imagine him barking for days on end (he would bark so much his voice would get hoarse) - and my parents were away for two weeks.

And yes, he died of Bloat in there. I don't mean to be alarmist, but I have a strong feeling that it was the stress of being boarded in a kennel that triggered the attack.

I got a call early in the morning - Jet had exhibited severe signs of "dyspnea", the night before -- ie shortness of breath generally associated with accumulation of fluid in the lungs or chest cavity. It's kind of a gasping which leads the whole body to heave as the dog tries to catch some air. Very normal, but occasionally, it's an indication of a more serious condition....

Turned out to be a symptom of GDV, Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus, otherwise known as Bloat. Bloat can occur in two stages: gastric dilatation (swelling of the stomach from gas); or, gastric dilatation with volvulus, i. e., torsion, which occurs when the stomach twists on its axis. Often, both forms of bloat occur in a single episode with the second form quickly following the first. Jet would either need immediate surgery, or to be put to sleep before he suffered full-on torsion.

Most canine diseases (e. g., cancer, hip dysplasia, etc.) progress over weeks, months or even years - the owner has time to notice that his/her dog is not well, to take the dog to the vet, and to begin a course of treatment. But bloat is fatal within minutes. The only treatment is emergency medical attention, and once stomach swelling occurs, without or without torsion, the only treatment is surgery.

Jet had suffered through the stomach swelling, and the torsion was on its way at any moment. Jet was seventeen years old, arthritic, and it wasn't even likely that he would make it through surgery, due to his old age... So I made the call to have him put to sleep. I felt good about the decision because I knew he was suffering a lot of pain at that stage of his life. But I did not feel good about the fact that he died in that kennel, away from us, all alone! Since I lived in a different city, I never saw him again.

PREVENTION

Avoid highly stressful situations if your dog is at high-risk. Make meals a peaceful,stress-free time. For instance: Keep your dog as calm as possible throughout visits to the vet, mating, whelping, introducing a new dog into a household, changing routine...

Just as important - if you're worried that bloat could afflict your dog, a change in diet and eating habits could set you at ease. (Check out the previous entry, on the topic of Raw Food).

DO:

*Feed 2 or 3 meals daily, instead of just one

*Feed your dog more than an hour before or after drinking water

*Feed your dog more than an hour before or after exercising

*Keep a product with simethicone (e.g., Mylanta Gas (not regular Mylanta), Phazyme, Gas-X, etc.) on hand to treat gas symptoms, to buy time on the way to the vet

*Allow access to fresh water at all times, except before and after meals

*When switching dog food, do so gradually (allow several weeks)

*Feed a high-protein (>30%) diet, particularly of raw meat

*If feeding dry food, select one that includes rendered meat meal with bone product among the first four ingredients

*Reduce carbohydrates as much as possible (e.g., typical in many commercial dog biscuits)

*Feed adequate amount of fiber (for commercial dog food, at least 3.00% crude fiber)

*Add an enzyme product to food (e.g., Prozyme)

*Introduce herbs specially mixed for pets that reduce gas

*Promote an acidic environment in the intestine; try 1 Tbs of organic apple cider vinegar right after each meal

*Promote "friendly" intestinal bacteria, e.g. from supplemental acidophilus

DO NOT:

*DO NOT use an elevated food bowl (110% risk increase)
*DO NOT feed dry food exclusively
*DO NOT feed your dog foods that contain fat as one of the first four ingredients
*DO NOT feed your dog foods that contain citric acid
*DO NOT add water to dry food - in particular, do not pre-moisten dry food containing citric acid
*DO NOT feed dogs food with brewer's yeast, alfalfa, and soybean products *DO NOT permit your dog to roll over after eating (a possibe cause of torsion)
*DO NOT permit rapid eating or drinking Non-dietary risk factors:

Deep-chested dogs are the breeds at greatest risk. There is a 170% risk increase for each unit increase in chest depth/width ratio. Further, there is a 63% risk increase if your dog had a first-degree relative with Bloat, and a 20% risk increase for each year increase in age. They include, in order of greatest risk:

*Great Dane
*St. Bernard
*Weimaraner
*Irish Setter
*Gordon Setter
*Standard Poodle
*Basset Hound
*Doberman Pinscher
*Old English Sheepdog
*German Shorthaired Pointer
*Newfoundland
*German Shepherd
*Airedale Terrier
*Alaskan Malamute
*Chesapeake Bay Retriever
*Boxer
*Collie
*Labrador Retriever
*English Springer Spaniel
*Samoyed
*Dachsund
*Golden Retriever
*Rottweiler
*Mix
*Miniature Poodle

SYMPTOMS

*Excessive salivation/drooling
*Extreme restlessness/pacing
*Unproductive attempts to vomit/defecate. Note: If your dog throws up, s/he probably does not have bloat.
*Hunched up appearance
*Lack of normal gurgling and digestive sounds in the tummy (put your ear to your pup's tummy)
*Evidence of abdominal pain (whining and tenderness in the stomach area)
*Abdominal distension
*Rapid breathing/panting
*Cold/pale mouth membranes
*Collapse

IN AN EMERGENCY

Make sure you have access to an emergency clinic that KNOWS how to diagnose bloat and torsion. Have the phone number handy and a plan of attack worked out with your vet or a back up vet.
Insist on an x-ray when in doubt.
Time is of the essence.

If your dog has a high chance of having bloat and you feel confident that you understand your dog's biology, prepare a Bloat Kit.These are things to keep on hand just in case - talk to your vet and get full instructions for use, ahead of time. Recommended Bloat Kit Contents:

Instructions for Bloat Kit use (ask your Vet for details)
Stethoscope (to listen for gurgling in the belly - if there's gurgling, your dog's probably alright)
Rolls of tape (3 rolls, 1 in. x 10 yd)
Stomach tube (2) (different diameters). 5 ft. length beveled at one end, with two holes drilled in tube 2 & 3 inches up from the beveled end. Pre-measured and marked for each dog in household.
14 gauge or larger needles (2) (1 1/2" to 3" length)
K. Y. jelly
Gas absorbent (Digel, GasEase, etc - be careful with this one - some human meds are not at all ok for dogs, and also make sure you give the proper dose when using human over-the-counter medications)

First Aid when torsion occurs:

If your dog is at risk for bloat, ask your vet to demonstrate First Aid, which basically consists of feeding a tube into your dog's stomach, without forcing it down.

If you are about to have any problems with the technique, don't waste time trying to figure it out--get the dog to the hospital!!!
If you can realistically expect to receive veterinary treatment within 5 to 10 minutes, call the veterinarian and go--don't bother with first aid!

On the other hand, if you think it'll take at least 20 minutes to get there, then the few minutes you spend administering first aid could make the difference between life or death. The ideal situation is to have someone else drive you to the clinic while you administer first aid.

If I knew then what I know now, Jet would have had a much less traumatic end. If your dog seems to be at risk inform yourself!

Raw Food for Dogs

2010-02-17T02:24:00.007-04:00

Think about it: How long have dogs been eating dog food? About as long as we've been eating processed foods like Lucky Charms and Cheezits.

1978

After World War Two, the same consumption patterns which took hold of our culture, took hold of our dog's foodbowls.

1963

We have been feeding our dogs a lot of the same kind of junk we've been eating ourselves.

1982

Just like we ate raw, unprocessed foods for thousands of years, so did our dogs. There are countless reasons to feed your dog raw meat:

1. Raw food can greatly reduce the risk of your dog developing health conditions of all kinds, ranging from simple diarrhea to the greatest risk to dogs after cancer - bloat (see the next entry for more info).

2. Raw food is often less expensive than kibble. You need to feed your dog more kibble to satisfy her/his dietary needs. Over the course of a week, a healthy adult dog needs to consume about 15% to 20% of their body weight. If your dog weighs 20 pounds, you can expect to feed her/him 3-4 lbs of food each week.

3. Raw bones act as a natural tooth-brush, and fortify teeth with calcium. Adults love a good RMB - Raw Meaty Bone.

HOW TO FEED YOUR DOG RAW FOOD:

* Make an arrangement with a good butcher or local farmer for your meat source. If you have some extra freezer space, you’ll can work out good deals buying in larger quantities.

* Spread newspaper beneath your dog's bowl, to keep any mess under control

* The general rule with raw foods is to feed a healthy adult dog between 2-4% of its weight daily, and then adjust as needed. Puppies should be fed 2-3% of their expected adult body weight; they may require up to 10% of their weight.

* Rotate your dog's diet: Some types of meat are higher in iron, others are higher in vitamin A.

About 60% of their diet should be a rotation of chicken, turkey, beef, oxtail, rabbit, hen, quail and/or fish (canned sardines should be in water). You can feed them pretty much any part. In the beginning, introduce one protein source at a time. Feed chicken for a week, then beef for a week, and so on, to introduce these foods to your pet’s system, so as to easily detect any protein allergy.
Your dog needs organ meat - 10% of their diet should be liver or kidney.
Include vegetables, eggs, fruit, yogurt, etc. Eggs are a good source of calcium, good to use when you don’t have bones. Pumpkin is a good system regulator. (NOTE: No need for any grains. Commercial pet foods are grain-based, but dogs don't need grains - in fact they may be bad for them overall!)

* Feed whole carcasses whenever you can and otherwise base your feeding regime on raw meaty bones in large pieces from a variety of animals.

* For maximum dental benefit and to minimize the possibility of choking on small pieces, give your dog whole lumps of RBM. Important: Cooked bones run the risk of splintering- NEVER feed cooked bones!

* Give puppies non-weight-bearing bones, as their young teeth can’t handle thicker bones.

* Be aware that dogs tend to become protective of their bones - discourage young children from approaching dogs that are eating. For that matter, stay away yourself!

(A note on bacteria: Canine digestive systems have some natural immunity to bacteria; they can handle the ecoli, etc. in raw meat without issue.)

Blizzards and gizzards

2010-02-04T23:54:00.021-04:00

With a blizzard coming our way tomorrow, our dogs are probably going to be trudging through lots of driveways smattered with what looks like green-blue snow. This winter, antifreeze is everywhere undertoe, and we as owners should remember once more, that dogs lick their paws. Antifreeze tastes sweet! Because it's tasty, animals go looking for it. More than a few dogs are accidentally poisoned with automotive antifreeze each year.

If there is any sign that your dog may have ingested antifreeze, do contact your vet without hesitation. Just five teaspoons can kill a 10-pound dog!

Here's an after-hours vet in Park Slope should you need one....

Animal Kind Veterinary Hospital
365 7th Ave
Park Slope
718 832 3899
Extended evening Emergency Hours until midnight, with surcharge

Symptoms: Within thirty minutes after lapping up antifreeze, your dog will seem "tipsy", lasting up to six hours. S/he will drink a lot and seem very lethargic and wobbly. S/he may exhibit excessive thirst and urination, lack of coordination, weakness, nausea, tremors, vomiting, rapid breathing and heart rate, convulsions, crystals in urine, diarrhea, paralysis, depression, thirst and frequent urination. Once the appearance of drunkenness is over, however, your dog is not any better off. In fact, this just means his/her kidneys have now processed the poison, and significant kidney damage will occur.

Twelve hours later your dog may seem to be getting better. However two days later they can suddenly take a serious turn for the worse, becoming dehydrated, weak, and depressed. You might notice that they have mouth ulcers, have developed diarrhea, are suffering from rapid breathing or seizures. The tell-tale sign: their kidneys are swollen and tender.

Catch your dog within half a day: If you catch your dog while s/he still seems drunken, and s/he has not ingested a large amount of anti-freeze, your dog has a chance of full recovery. The vet will probably do three main things:

1. Give your dog TONS of water, external and intravenous;

2. Induce vomiting;

3. Give your dog activated charcoal tablets, to sop up the remaining poison;

4. And, believe it or not, they may go so far as to get your dog drunk.

Prevention: Aside from checking out the sidewalk and driveway for antifreeze puddles, consider doing your part to protect other dogs from your own antifreeze drippings. Switch from conventional ethylene glycol-based products, which are highly toxic and even fatal, to a coolant formulated with propylene glycol. They are still toxic, but far less hazardous, and they are biodegradable.

Other Streetdrinking issues:

Ever catch your dog sneakin a drink of a small standing pool in the street? Did you wonder if it was dangerous? Yes indeed: The urine of rodents infected with the bacteria Leptospira can contaminate those standing pools of water. Leptospira can survive for weeks or longer in a warm moist environment, and if your dog contracts leptospirosis -- whether by drinking, or via contact with open wounds or mucous membranes -- s/he can get severely ill. Symptoms may include: fever, vomiting, yellowing of the skin or eyes, refusal to eat, weight loss, decreased activity, muscle pains, or stiffness.

"Green" Dogtoys and Accessories

2010-02-04T03:16:00.121-04:00

I've lived in places where -- not only do dogs eat butcher scraps and chew on regular-old sticks, but -- people actually use what they own until it is completely beyond salvaging. Places where kids don't have stuffed animals, much less dogs. And here in New York, we give our dogs stuffed animals knowing full well that they'll rip them to shreds in twenty minutes, in search of the squeaky center!

With the heyday of the stuffed animal for doggies, even our dogs are generating lots of non-biodegradable waste. There's no need to involve our dogs in the mess we're creating of the planet.

The best way to go is to invest in durability as you buy pet toys, food bowls, sweaters and beds. Like everything else in the old days, the classic dog toy was originally longer-lasting and biodegradable. Rope toys can last much longer than plastic bones. Wool toys are far more durable and lasting than polyester ones.

Dogs don't really distinguish between, say, an old leather glove that's lost its other half, and a beautifully-crafted porcupine stuffed animal....Yet I have a loose wallet when it comes to my cares, and I find myself indulging in a frivolous pet present now and then.

So I've been giving new thought to "green" pet toys. My favorite kind so far (pictured to the right), are made of durable, biodegradable boiled wool, and come from A Cheerful Pet, which claims to be fair trade, "green" and to donate to a medical campaign in Nepal. I think they may actually be telling the truth, though at present I cannot verify that.

It should be no surprise, in this day-and-age of "green products" of every kind -- whether recycled or biodegradable, repurposed or salvaged -- that you can go green with any pet product. Consider seeking out locally-made toys, rather than buying online, to reduce the environmental cost of packaging and shipping. For that matter, make one yourself!

-Recycled plastic fetching balls and salvaged tennis ball tugs (If you play tennis yourself, and have an excess of balls, try sending them to a local dog charity)

-Fire-hose tugs, and re-purposed pant-leg tugs

-Recycled polymer dog beds, and recycled bottle dog mats

-Recycled plastic dog-bones

-Recycled cotton jackets and salvaged sweaters

-Re-purposed plastic bag braided leashes

-Repurposed sweatshirt bag-dispenser

-Re-purposed dog-carrier pack

-Biodegradable, disposable, on-the-road dog-dishes

-Recycled milk bottle frisbees

If you insist upon getting a classic stuffed animal, it turns out the American Kennel club makes plush toys manufactured from recycled insulation and packaged in recycled cardboard.

Just be careful to discern the difference between genuinely green, and "greenwashed", products. (Luckily, the Federal Trade Commission is finally starting to be on our side with this one.) Once you've done your research, found some truly ethical products, ask your local petstore to give some of the above a try...

Uncharacteristic "Pawz"

2010-01-13T21:21:00.014-04:00

Does your dog usually tug ahead of you? Is s/he suddenly full of uncharacteristic pause, footdragging and whimpering on walks?

Some possible explanations:

Frozen paws. If this seems to be the problem, gently wash their feet with warm (not hot or cold) water, so as to avoid injuring frozen paw tissue. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to get booties to stay on most dogs, but occasionally they work. Give your dog a quick test-drive at the pet-store to see if they seem to be a good fit.

Toenail pain. Notice a "click-click-click" as your dog walks? Time to trim your dog's nails. Just a simple broken nail can bleed profusely and put your dog in a lot of pain. At the center of each toenail is the blood and nerve supply for the nail, called the quick. Some tips:

If you have never done this before, reduce the possibility of traumatizing your animal -- which will make future nail trimmings much more difficult -- and ask your vet to demonstrate.
Use nail trimmers specifically designed for dogs, and cut dark nails in several small slivers to reduce the chance of cutting into the quick. Cut the nail at a 45-degree angle, so that it does not hang over, level with the paw. When your dog steps down, their nails should not touch the floor.
In the event that you make a mistake and cut the quick, use flour or cornstarch to stop the bleeding, or use silver nitrate products from your veterinarian's office or pet store. If the bleeding does not stop, bandage your dog's paw for about 15 minutes.
The more regularly you trim, the more the quick will recede into the nail, making your job easier over time!

Start Your Dog's New Year Off Right: Save Some Trees!

2010-01-01T02:54:00.063-04:00

Happy first day of the year! In this last year of the first decade of the new millennium, let your dog's New Years resolution be: "This year, I will not pee on trees!"

Most people think the term "Curb Your Dog" has two meanings: 1. To keep your dog under control and out of trouble; 2. To pick up your dog's scat.

But why is it that you usually see "Curb Your Dog" signs near trees? Dog urine and leavings are poison for trees, grass and flowers. Saplings and young trees haven't got a chance against a barrage of neighborhood dogs marking their territory.

For the past few years, the City of New York has been planting trees throughout the boroughs, through the MillionTreesNYC program. Citizens are taking advantage of its Putting Down Roots project, and requesting their very own tree, planting it, stewarding it.

Pretty much all of us "respect" those trees and the people who took the initiative to plant them. So what can we do to minimize the damage caused by our dogs?

1. Curb your dog, literally: It can take just a few weeks to train your dog to pee on the curb. When you see your dog heading for a tree or bush, give a quick sharp tug away. If s/he marks territory elsewhere, maybe the other dogs in the neighborhood will follow her/his lead.

2. Bring a water bottle: If you miss the opportunity to stop your dog from peeing on a tree, you can always douse the spot afterward, to flush and dilute the harmful elements. Diluted dog urine can actually be useful to plants - it is sterile, contains large amounts of urea, and is an excellent source of nitrogen for plants, phosphorus and potassium.

3. Mix a little tomato juice into food: The tomato juice neutralizes the acid which is so damaging to plants. For large dogs, 1/4 cup is good; for small dogs a tablespoon will do.

Being a conscious dog-owner encompasses more than just our relationship with our dogs. It includes our entire neighborhood of dogs and walkers and residents, out there enjoying Brooklyn's lush green streets!

Biodegradable Doo-bags

2009-12-11T18:58:00.031-04:00

Years ago, I collected a series of tiny little sturdy, re-usable, nicely-designed Reisenthel and Envirosax bags for grocery shopping, etc., so I never needed another plastic bag.

But when I started dogwalking, I had to collect a bin full of plastic bags to accommodate all my dogs. I hate throwing away all those plastic bags, don't you? So a few weeks ago I wrote to a compostable plastic bag company and they sent me some samples. I can report that they (BioBags) work really well, much better than using old bags from the grocery store.
Until we advance as far as European countries which boast special dog-waste bins on the streets, or meet San Francisco's foray into using dogdoo as a Biofuel, we might as well use compostable bags. Better yet, if you're lucky enough to have a yard, you can safely compost your dog-poo at home.

When you bag dog waste and send it to the garbageman, you subject sanitation workers to the nastiest stuff in the bin. You also doom totally biodegradable stuff rich with useful nitrogen to an eternity in a landfill.

I hope to be negotiating with the composting guru at Prospect Heights' local community compost spot about dropping the dog droppings there. We would have to set up a special spot for dogpoo composting, since dog remnants need to be composted separately from other types of organic materials.

A side note: Regardless of whether I succeed in my negotiations, you can compost your other organic matter too, at Saint Marks Community Garden between Underhill and Vanderbilt: I just freeze my organic matter in old yogurt containers and take it there weekly. In the winter, they are open between 11:00-1:00 on Saturdays.

Fussy, fussy

2009-12-05T03:24:00.018-04:00

Back when I walked dogs down the grassy streets of a medium-sized Midwestern college town, I used to assume that those people who cleaned their dogs' paws had a diagnosable disorder.

But like everything else, the definition of "disorder" is relative to context. Since I started walking dogs in Brooklyn, I've learned that what seems neurotic in a spotless environment, is common sense in a world of sidewalks strewn with the leavings of Brooklyn's thousands of dogs.

Oh my goodness, talk about a city full of dogs with fussy stomachs. What to do?

As far as treatment for the runny results of street-snacking goes, most of us know that plain yogurt or unspiced rice works for dogs just like it does for us. I've found that the only thing that will produce immediate results is a nice bowl of canned pumpkin.

As far as prevention goes, watching out for street-snacking is our first order of business. Walking dogs in Brooklyn requires sharp eyes. It's vital to keep dogs with sensitive stomachs away from those chicken bones and who-knows-what-else strewn from the trash cans to the gutter.

And washing a few sets of paws now and then can't hurt.

Is it Behavior or Genetics?

2009-10-09T06:31:00.014-03:00

Epigenetics. Check it out sometime.

When scientists in the field of epigenetics observed rat mommas that were nurturing, that licked their babies, in comparison with those that took a paw-off approach and did not, they noted the following:

The unlicked babies had higher blood pressure. Their bodies were flooded with more of the stress hormones that actively promote heart disease, obesity and diabetes. When the unlicked babies were later placed with licking moms, and compared with those that stayed unlicked, they grew up to have far less health problems. Through nurturing behavior, the moms sculpted the genome of their babies.

In turn, there is some evidence that "Genetic Memory" does indeed exist in some form. That our ancestors' life experiences impacts our health, has been proven incontrovertibly. For instance, if one's great-great-grandparent experienced the Irish potato famine, generations later this will impact how one processes food, whether one is overweight, and whether one can or cannot withstand fasting.

What your grandmother was exposed to gets passed down to you – stress, smoking, pesticides. We have a responsibility for shaping our epigenome and passing it down to our kids - preferably improved!

The exciting thing to think about is that: We can change. So can our dogs and cats. And if we change, they certainly will too.

Now, let's get them out in the open air to walk, maybe even play!

Fearing Freedom

2009-10-09T06:28:00.011-03:00

When monkeys raised in captivity, trapped their entire lives, are released from concrete and cages into open green spaces, they do not always know what to do.

One monkey, when released, paces back and forth on the narrow strip of concrete outside his trap door. He can't manage even the grass just beyond the concrete. He tries it out, but panics, returns to the concrete, pacing, anxious, finally recedes into the trap door.

Another monkey sees the open door to his cage, knows what to do, leaps past the concrete onto the grass, rolls around, sees the endlessness of the open space before him -- and the freedom he is about to experience -- and he does not hesitate, moves into the wide open, accelerating into a new life.

The Urge to Play

2009-10-09T06:27:00.007-03:00

The passion to play is a powerful learning tool. Animals tend to play in relaxed environments and don't tend to play with predators around. However, animals who live in high-risk environments know how to adapt, and often play in a high-risk way - this helps them to learn better how to contend with the risks around them.

Animals who don't learn how to play become rogues, and grow up to become aggressive and violent. Animals need to play daily, just like we need to talk to other people daily.

"Owning" A Beast

2009-10-09T04:51:00.005-03:00

Cats are like doorways,
the doorways they curl around,
because they exist on the edges,
between realities, this world and that,
civilized and beast.

They join us here for dinner,
while, with full bellies,
they nevertheless rip apart a mouse
for play.

They join us in our world, giving us the impression
they belong to it
and leaving suddenly to remind us
they do not.

When we try to coerce
their 'belonging' (or if they even sense we do)
if we forget, assume they are civilized,
their claws lash and eyes flash
in an instant to remind us -
they are certainly, indignantly, not,
not at all civilized.

How ridiculous. How perfectly preposterous.
Humans, such fools.

(Copyright, Refcah Manski 2009)