September 2008

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Building a Healthy Relationship With Your Dog
Like most positive dog trainers, I constantly remind my students that, whether they are conscious of it or not, they are training their dogs every moment they spend together. Whatever you choose to reinforce -- even when you’re not in a formal training session -- will affect your dog’s future behavior. The things that your dog does that you frequently reinforce are likely to increase, so it makes sense to reinforce him as frequently as you can for the behaviors that you enjoy. Here’s an interesting and powerful side-effect of frequent positive reinforcement: This practice can not only influence your dog’s behavior in a way that you like, but also improve your relationship in a sort of positive feedback loop. When a dog (or anyone!) is rewarded, it makes him feel good – about himself and the person giving the reward. And when your dog feels good about you, it tends to make him want to be with you more, and it motivates him try to earn even more reinforcements. Said simply, frequent positive reinforcements strengthen the relationship between you and your dog.

Pet Food Politics
Were you one of the millions of concerned dog owners who struggled to follow and make sense of the pet food recalls last year? If so (and what dog owner wasn’t), I predict that you’ll find Pet Food Politics: The Chihuahua in the Coal Mine to be the most riveting book you’ll read this year. Just released by the University of California Press, Pet Food Politics provides an in-depth look at the record-setting (and not in a good way) pet food recalls in 2007. We have a review of the book, and an interview with the author, renowned food industry expert Marion Nestle, PhD.

Tug O' War is a Fun Game to Play With Your Dog
Contrary to conventional wisdom in some dog training circles, tug is a great game to play with most dogs - as long as you and your canine pal play by the rules. Lots of my clients have dogs with aggressive, reactive, and other stress-related behaviors. One of the best ways to help reduce stress is to increase exercise. Tug is great exercise. I'm constantly encouraging my clients to play tug with their dogs. Inevitably when I suggest it I get a puzzled look and a tentative protest that "some trainer" told them playing tug would make their dog dominant and aggressive. I sure wish I could meet that pervasive "some trainer" some day and convince him/her otherwise. It just isn't so. Tug has a lot going for it besides just being good exercise. Most dogs love to tug. Of course, the caveat is that you play tug properly - with rules, which I'll discuss in a minute. Here are some of the many other reasons this game ranks high on my list of approved activities.

Pasture-Fed Animals Provide Healthier Meat and Dairy Products for Your Dog
For years its advocates have claimed that pasture feeding – letting farm animals live and graze on grass – results in meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products that are more nutritious than the same foods from grain-fed animals, especially those raised in confinement. Now the demand for “pasture-fed” or “grass-fed” meat is so high that last November, the U.S. Department of Agriculture implemented regulations for labels using those terms. However, the new standard was immediately criticized for being inadequate by the American Grassfed Association and other organizations. With confusion at an all-time high, how can consumers make the best ingredient choices for themselves and their pets?

Getting to Know Your Dog
It's going to be really difficult to stay caught up with everything we've been going through with our new dog, Otto. Every day brings new surprises and challenges, and these experiences are piling on at a quick clip. In the past two months, our major tasks have been to research and build a "healthcare team" (starting with a primary care veterinarian); make diet decisions; and figure out what sort of treats Otto would accept -- which led to figuring out why he was being so noncommittal about taking treats at all. Stress! Yes, our darling new dog is a little stressed.