While your dog licking a wound is a natural response that initially clears away debris, it is not the idea way to care for an open sore.
Credit: LovelyDay12 | Getty Images
Dogs lick their wounds because licking helps remove dirt from the wound and relieve pain. In addition, dog saliva is mildly antibacterial.
The act of licking physically removes any debris that may be contaminating the wound. This can include dirt, rocks, plant matter, hair, glass, and even dead and damaged tissue. It can also physically remove some bacteria that may be in the wound.
Wounds hurt because the damaged nerves in the area send pain signals to the brain. While it may seem counterintuitive to touch a wound to provide pain relief, overloading the nerves can decrease the overall pain. Your dog licks his wounds for the same reason that we rub at cuts, bumps, and bruises.
Dog saliva is antibacterial, but only to a point. Studies have shown that it has a mild antibacterial effect on a few species of bacteria. Unfortunately, dog saliva also has other types of bacteria, which can in turn infect the wound.
Should I Let My Dog Lick His Wound?
No, don’t let your dog lick his wound. Proper first aid and veterinary care will do everything that licking can do, but better. Dogs also tend to keep licking past the point of benefit and can damage the wound further and prevent it from healing.
For small wounds, you can gently clean them at home with a clean cloth, water, and a diluted antiseptic such as chlorhexidine. You can also try a natural antiseptic like a vinegar rinse. Deep or large wounds will require veterinary care to fully clean them and remove any debris, plus determine if sutures are necessary to promote healing.
Your veterinarian can also prescribe safe pain medications for your dog. These might include both oral pain pills and a topical numbing gel on the wound.
Your veterinarian may also prescribe appropriate antibiotics that will be effective against all harmful bacteria that may have contaminated your dog’s wound.
What to Put on Dog Wounds to Stop Licking
To prevent your dog from licking a wound, you can:
Use a T-shirt, surgery suit, or light bandage to cover the wound and prevent access
Spray something that tastes bad, such as Bitter Apple spray, on the area to deter your dog from licking
Remember that just because the wound has started to scab over doesn’t mean you can trust your dog yet. Scab formation can be itchy, enticing your dog to lick and chew at the area before it is fully healed.
Why Do Dogs Lick Human Wounds?
Our dogs can’t tell us why they try to lick our wounds, but it’s considered an instinctive response to an open wound. Dogs also lick us as a sign of affection or submission, and the act of licking releases the feel-good chemical serotonin in your dog’s brain.
Unfortunately, dog licking human wounds does not help healing. Just like our dogs, we are much better served by cleaning our wounds with proper medical supplies and seeking medical care for pain medications and antibiotics if needed.
Cute as this photo is, the potential Christmas hazards to this puppy are numerous. Christmas trees are not safe for an unattended dog.
Credit: Stefan Cristian Cioata | Getty Images
Chewing on Christmas tree branches can hurt your dog. While touching the tree here and there won’t harm him, ingesting the branches, needles, and/or sap can.
Signs that your dog may have tasted the Christmas tree:
Excessive drooling
Shaking head or pawing at mouth
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Irritated mouth
Not wanting to eat
Lethargy
Weakness
Dogs are more likely to experience stomach upset and other issues if they eat a large amount of the Christmas tree (or lick up a bunch of sap). Small dogs are, of course, at higher risk than big dogs.
If the Christmas tree sap or needles irritate your dog’s mouth, even a small amount can cause drooling and other signs of discomfort. This can also happen simply because your dog doesn’t like the taste.
Most mild symptoms should go away quickly. If your dog has diarrhea or is vomiting for more than a day, call your veterinarian to get medications to calm his system down.
The more concerning symptoms are ones that are more severe, such as both vomiting and diarrhea at the same time, muscle weakness, or symptoms that persist over time. Vomiting and diarrhea at the same time is an emergency due to rapid dehydration. If your dog has a poor appetite and doesn’t seem to feel well, he may have an intestinal blockage or perforation from the branches or pine needles. These problems will require surgery.
Pets Drinking Christmas Tree Water
Christmas tree water carries the risk of sap, but it can also contain worse things for your dog. These potentially dangerous toxins include fertilizer and preservatives intended to keep the tree alive longer, as well as bacteria and mold that can build up over time.
Avoid treating your Christmas tree’s water with any fertilizers, and if purchasing your tree off a lot, ask if it has been treated with preservatives. Change the water regularly to prevent buildup of mold and bacteria.
Artificial Christmas trees have some of the same risks if our dogs chew on them. Older fake trees may shed needles, which your dog might eat. Your dog may also choose to chew on the branches. Eating part of an artificial Christmas tree can cause injuries in the mouth and/or an intestinal blockage.
How to Keep Dogs Away from Christmas Trees
Need to keep pets away from your Christmas tree? Try these tips:
Use a baby gate to keep pets out of the room with the tree
Use a short decorative fence to keep dogs away from the tree and presents (this will likely not deter cats)
Place fragile and tempting ornaments (fuzzy animals, balls, candy canes, popcorn strings, etc.) high up on the tree where your dog can’t reach
Crate your dog in another room when you can’t supervise him around the tree
Have plenty of fresh water available in the usual locations so your dog isn’t tempted to try to tree water
Cover the tree water with a tree skirt or other covering
Fleas can withstand cold winter temperatures, waiting to catch a ride on your unsuspecting dog.
Credit: Roberto Machado Noa | Getty Images
Yes, dogs can get fleas in the winter. With the right conditions, dogs can still pick up fleas outside even in the winter. Freezing temperatures will slow down their life cycle, but there is still risk.
And your house is perfect for fleas all year round. Even if the outdoor weather is sufficient to eliminate fleas, every life stage will be nice and cozy in our warm homes that are complete with nooks and crannies to hide and hosts to feed on.
This is why indoor-only pets can get fleas, too. The initial flea might have hitched a ride on another pet or your clothing, or could have traveled from a neighboring apartment. And mice can bring fleas into our homes to infest our pets. And, yes, ticks are active in the winter, too.
The Flea Life Cycle
A flea’s life starts as an egg. Female adult fleas lay their eggs on their hosts and in the surrounding environment, so flea eggs can be both on your dog and in his bed, the carpet, your sofa… you get the picture. Eggs can hatch as soon as one day after being laid if the conditions are right. Other times they might incubate for 10 days before hatching.
When the egg hatches the flea enters the larval stage. Flea larvae live wherever their parents were hanging out, eating their feces (flea dirt) as well as blood. This stage lasts five to 20 days depending on the conditions.
Next the larvae spin protective cocoons and become pupae. Pupae are safe inside their cocoons and can stay like that for months. This is the primary stage that gets dog owners in trouble during the winter! You may think that all the fleas in your yard are dead because of the cold, but the pupae are still there, waiting for a warm day.
The adult flea waits to emerge from the cocoon until both the conditions are favorable, and a host (your dog) is nearby. All it takes is your dog lying in a pile of leaves on a surprise warm day in the middle of January to restart a flea infestation.
From there the adult fleas bite your dog to drink blood, mate, and lay eggs to continue the cycle.
Breaking the Cycle
If you find fleas on one of your pets, you will need to treat all pets in the household and your home itself for three consecutive months to break the cycle. Severe infestations may require longer if you miss some pupae when vacuuming and they hatch after you have stopped treating your dogs.
I usually treat my dogs and cat for fleas year-round. Even residents in the northern United States are seeing more popup days in the winter with temperatures above freezing. My dogs travel with me and attend dog shows, where they could potentially be exposed, and while my cat is primarily indoors, she does hang out on our screened porch. I would much rather prevent a flea infestation than have to try to eradicate one.
Swollen, runny eyes can be a sign that your dog is having an allergic reaction. Credit: Hugo1313 | Getty Images
Dogs can experience allergic reactions just like humans do. Often these are low-grade, chronic problems such as a food or pollen allergy, but dogs can have severe or anaphylactic reactions too.
Any time your dog is having difficulty breathing, it is an emergency and she needs veterinary care immediately. For mild allergic reactions, diphenhydramine (Benadryl) may be appropriate.
Allergic or Toxic?
Allergic reactions happen when your dog’s immune system overreacts to something that normally is not harmful. Toxicity, on the other hand, happens when your dog’s body is directly damaged by something harmful.
Many of the symptoms of toxicity and allergic reactions are the same, so it can be difficult to tell the exact cause of the symptoms.
If there is any chance that your dog consumed or came in contact with something toxic before she started showing her symptoms, contact your veterinarian or a pet poison hotline. Both of these services are superb:
These hotlines do charge a fee, but it gives you access to experts who know all of the latest details about what things are toxic to our dogs and how they can best be treated.
How Do I Know if My Dog is Having an Allergic Reaction?
Recognizing allergic reactions in dogs depends on what the dog is reacting to. Plants, bugs, household cleaners, and other chemicals are common causes of dog allergic reactions, but food and medications can also cause a reaction.
Dog allergic reaction symptoms include:
Red, irritated skin
Hives
Chronic itchiness
Sudden increase in itchiness
Itchy ears
Chronic ear infections
Runny eyes
Runny nose
Sneezing
Swelling
Difficulty breathing (severe)
Vomiting (severe)
Diarrhea (severe)
Pale gums (severe)
Abnormal heart rate or cardiac arrest (severe)
Collapse (severe)
Tremors (severe)
Severe allergic reactions can result in death.
Dogs who are allergic to something that they inhale from the environment or to a food item usually have generalized itchiness and skin irritation. Chronic ear infections are a classic sign of a dog with allergies. Even if your dog is being treated for allergies, she may have breakthrough reactions if she misses a dose of medication or if she gets a particularly big exposure. In most cases, these allergic reactions are not life threatening, but they can be annoying for both you and your dog.
When a Dog Allergic Reaction is an Emergency
A dog allergic reaction is an emergency if she has:
Difficulty breathing
Pale mucous membranes (gums)
Vomiting and diarrhea
Weakness or collapse
An abnormal heart rate
Severe swelling, especially if it does not respond to antihistamines
Unconsciousness
If your dog has any of these symptoms, contact an emergency veterinarian immediately. Your dog will likely need intravenous medications to stabilize her condition and prevent or treat anaphylactic shock, as well as supportive care to restore hydration and keep her comfortable.
What Can I Give My Dog for an Allergic Reaction?
If this is your dog’s first allergic reaction, or if it is more severe than previous episodes, we strongly recommend seeking veterinary care. Most allergic reactions that start out mild stay mild, but they can progress rapidly and put your dog in danger.
Antihistamines such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl), loratadine (Claritin), and cetirizine (Zyrtec) are safe for most dogs to temporarily alleviate allergic reaction symptoms. Call your veterinarian to get the right dosage for your dog. Always check the ingredients before giving any over-the-counter medication to your dog—avoid combination meds that contain multiple active drugs and avoid anything that has the artificial sweetener xylitol in the inactive ingredients, as these can be extremely toxic to dogs.
Diphenhydramine is typically given every eight hours until symptoms resolve or you have been able to get your dog to the vet’s office. This medication is generally very safe for dogs, but it is still always best practice to speak to a veterinarian before giving it to be sure it is appropriate for your dog.
For bug bites and stings, you can ice the area of the bite to decrease circulation in the area and relieve some of the discomfort and itchiness.
For contact allergies to something like a new laundry detergent or a floor cleaner, a bath with a gentle shampoo or with Dawn dish soap may be helpful to get the offending substance off your dog’s skin.
If your dog has previously been diagnosed with allergies and is experiencing a flare-up of her chronic symptoms, treat according to your veterinarian’s instructions. If you are out of meds and can’t get to the vet right away, a bath with an oatmeal shampoo can help to soothe irritated skin.
Even if your dog responds to treatment at home, touch base with your veterinarian to let them know what happened. She may be able to help guide you in identifying the cause of the allergic reaction or come up with a plan to prevent future reactions.
Common Canine Allergens
Flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) is a common allergy in dogs. These unlucky canines experience sudden, severe itchiness when even a single flea bites them. Dogs suffering from FAD often have red, bumpy, irritated skin, especially on the hind end. They may also have hair loss from all of the scratching and inflammation. Thankfully, FAD is easy to manage—treat all pets in your household for fleas year-round so that your allergic dog doesn’t get exposed to stray fleas. And be sure to treat the dog with FAD with a product that repels or kills fleas on contact and does not require a bite.
Household cleaners and chemicals usually cause reactions on the part of your dog that comes into contact with them. For these cases, your dog might have signs of a reaction on her paws, muzzle, side, or belly. For example, if she has an allergic reaction after lying on a bed washed in a new detergent, the redness and irritation will appear on parts of her body that touched the bed. Dog allergic reaction bumps may be itchy or may just show up as raised skin. Symptoms of the allergic reaction will go away once the dog is no longer exposed to the trigger.
Wasp stings, spider bites, and other bug bites typically cause localized reaction symptoms, but these can range from mild to severe. For example, one of my dogs gets big welts any time she is bitten by a bug. This is not an emergency, but it is uncomfortable for her.
Spider bites and severe reactions to wasp stings can cause dramatic allergic reactions in dogs, with severe swelling, difficulty breathing, itchiness, and even shock. The swelling from bug bite reactions is usually located right around the bite, but severe reactions can cause swelling throughout the body.
How quickly a dog adjusts to a new home and owner depends on factors including the dog’s personality and previous experiences. Credit: Catherine Falls Commercial | Getty Images
Adding a new dog to the family is an exciting time. It also has the potential to be a little stressful, especially as everyone is getting to know each other, or when you’re welcoming an older dog rather than a puppy.
Here are five ways to help smooth the transition:
1. Ease Into Things
When you first get home, do a little on-leash exploring of the yard and give your dog an opportunity to relieve herself outside. It’s understandable that humans in the household—especially kids—will be excited but aim for calm introductions and don’t smother your dog with affection. You know your dog will be your new best friend, but your dog is just trying to figure out what the heck is going on. Introduce her to canine housemates slowly and be prepared to separate dogs as necessary if your new dog looks overwhelmed by the interaction. Provide a comfortable spot to rest and respect the area as her personal space.
While you may ultimately want to change your dog’s diet, we recommend waiting until she’s a little more settled before introducing dietary changes. Speaking of diet, don’t be alarmed if she’s refusing treats and picks at meals or isn’t eating in those first couple of days—especially if she’s visibly nervous. Don’t make a big deal of it (that can make things worse!) and know that a healthy dog won’t starve herself.
2. Establish a Routine and Clear Expectations
Routines are comforting for the predictability they provide. Feed and take your dog out on a schedule to help set your dog up for housetraining success. Even if she’s older, or you’ve been told she’s housetrained, it’s best to approach the situation as though she’s a young puppy: closely supervise and take her out often!
Set clear expectations from the beginning. If you don’t want your dog on the couch, don’t invite her up as a special treat in the first week home because she looks sad and you think she needs a cuddle. (If she’s initiating a cuddle session, go for it! Just do it in a dog-friendly area.)
3. Train as a Bonding Opportunity
As you navigate your initial weeks together, reward generously if practicing simple obedience behaviors like sit or responding to her name—and anytime she’s doing something you like: lying calmly at your feet, not jumping on the counter when you’re in the kitchen, etc. Teach her you’re an endless source of good things.
Experiment a little to see what your dog likes best. Try different treats. Try different toys. Try different types of petting. Let yourself be a little silly and see how she responds. Be careful not to overdo it, especially in the beginning. It’s easy to come on a little too strong and accidentally overwhelm a dog we’re trying to connect with. Don’t get discouraged if your best attempts to connect seem to fall flat, especially within the first several months of the new relationship. You’re still getting to know each other!
Attending a well-run group training class is also great for bonding. If scheduling allows, I like to let dogs settle in for those first three weeks before joining a class. Schedules don’t always work out that way though, so if you’re attending sooner, be willing to adjust your expectations accordingly. That might mean you and your dog sit together and watch class more than you actively participate for the first week or so. That’s OK, it’s still a shared experience and an opportunity for you to learn more about what your dog needs to feel safe and relaxed.
4. Have Safety Precautions in Place
We recommend arriving prepared with a collar and ID tag as you pick up your new dog. I like to use nylon or cloth martingale collars for their limited-slip feature that allows the collar to tighten enough to not slip over the dog’s head—especially if they get happen to get spooked while on-leash—but not continue to constrict around the neck like a choke chain.
If your dog has already been microchipped, make sure to update the contact information. If your new dog has not been microchipped, have that done at a wellness visit with your vet.
If you have a fenced yard, be cautious about leaving your new dog outside unsupervised during the initial adjustment period. Many dogs who land in shelters or rescue facilities ended up as strays because of their escape-artist tendencies!
5. Be Patient!
Remember that all dogs are individuals with unique needs and different quirks. The time spent supporting your dog as she adjusts to her new home is an important part of getting to know each other, and it will help build a strong foundation for a wonderful life together.
How Long Does It Take for a Dog to Adjust?
It depends!
Some trainers refer to the 3-3-3 Rule when giving clients a general idea of what to expect in terms of the time it takes a shelter or rescue dog to adjust to a new home. In short, the rule suggests it takes three days for a dog to begin to relax, three weeks for a dog to feel settled enough to begin to show her true colors (the good and the bad!), and three months to feel bonded and able to really begin to enjoy life in her new forever home.
While some dogs may adjust in alignment with this schedule, it’s not the case for all dogs, and general concepts like the 3-3-3 Rule have the potential to leave us feeling like we’re doing something wrong if our new dog doesn’t seem to be adjusting according to the timeline.
In recognition of every dog’s unique temperament and life history, we prefer to describe adjustment in terms of phases, and without the potential pressure of a calendared timeline.
Caption: Studies have shown that dogs are capable of smelling certain types of human cancers. Credit: Joe McBride | Getty Images
Those of us who live with and love dogs, know they’re remarkable creatures. We’ve only recently begun to learn just how remarkable they are. With about 220 million scent receptors (compared to our own puny 5 million), dogs can smell things that are impossible for us to detect. By virtue of that astounding sense of smell, dogs have been trained to identify dozens of substances including drugs, explosives, arson accelerants, and human remains. In fact, we know that dogs can distinguish the smell of a rodent from up to 160 feet away, a wild tortoise from 200 feet away, decaying flesh from 600 feet away, and whale scat from more than a mile away.[i]
Countless studies also show that dogs can detect certain diseases like Parkinson’s and SARS-CoV-2, along with the onset of conditions such as seizures, low or high blood sugar in diabetics, and migraines. Now, mounting evidence suggests that dogs can also play a part in detecting human cancer.
But how is it that dogs can detect illness—specifically cancers—simply through scent?
The Scent of Disease
It all goes back to the makeup of the human body. Our bodies, along with almost everything else in our environment, emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs), a medley of organic chemicals that vaporize at room temperature and disperse in the air. Human beings continuously emit hundreds of VOCs through normal biological and physiological processes, such as when we ingest food or by the breakdown of certain bacteria in our bodies (for instance, the odor produced by sweat).[ii]
It was Hippocrates who, around 450 BCE, first identified several disease-specific odors in urine and sputum. But it took until the beginning of the 19th century before scientists began investigating the link between human odors and disease, and discovered that disease-related VOCs can diffuse throughout the tissue and be expelled in breath, feces, vaginal secretions, skin, sweat, urine, and blood.[iii],4 By the second half of the 20th century, gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy were being used to separate VOCs and identify cancer-specific substances in these human excretions.[iv]
How Dogs Sense Cancer
Then dogs entered the scene. The first known instance of a dog being able to detect cancer came in 1989, when two British dermatologists reported on how a patient’s dog repeatedly sniffed at a lump on her leg, even through her clothing, eventually prompting the woman to see her doctor. The lump turned out to be malignant melanoma.[v]
At first, scientists were skeptical, treating this anecdote for what it was: an anecdote. It wasn’t until the early 2000s that their interest began to overcome their skepticism, when additional studies validated earlier suspicions that dogs could indeed sniff out cancer. This included a 2004 experimental study which found that dogs’ ability to detect bladder cancer in urine was greater than would be expected by chance alone. Further, much to the researchers’ surprise, the dogs kept identifying the urine of one healthy participant as being positive for cancer. Concerned, the person’s doctor ordered additional tests and found that this “healthy” individual in fact had very early-stage kidney cancer.[vi]
In 2006, the first of what were to become dozens of high-quality, double-blind studies was published. (In a double-blind study, neither the dogs nor their handlers know which samples are cancerous.) In this first study, breath samples were taken from 55 lung cancer patients and 31 breast cancer patients. Specialized instruments were unable to detect anything in these patients’ exhaled breath . . . and yet dogs identified 99 percent of the lung cancers and between 88 and 98 percent of the breast cancers.[vii]
In the intervening years, an increasing number of studies have investigated the ability of dogs to accurately detect lung, breast, ovarian, bladder, and prostate cancer.[viii] For instance, in 2021, a British research team held a clinical trial with 246 patients ranging in age from 45 to 80 years, 41 of whom had been diagnosed with various stages of lung cancer. (The remainder were healthy individuals with no history of cancer.) In combined test results of both breath and urine, the dog correctly identified 40 of 41 cancer samples.[ix]
That same year, a multi-national team of scientists demonstrated that dogs can be trained to detect the most aggressive and lethal form of prostate cancer from VOCs.
The Dog’s Role in Early Cancer Diagnosis
Speaking of the prostate cancer study, Dr. Claire Guest, Chief Scientific Officer of Medical Detection Dogs said, “This study showed that a dog’s nose could hold the key to an urgently needed, more accurate, and non-invasive method of early prostate cancer diagnosis.”[x]
The need for accurate, early diagnosis of all cancers is equally urgent. Cancer is the second major cause of death worldwide. According to the National Cancer Institute, by 2040, the worldwide number of new cancer cases per year is expected to rise to almost 30 million, and the number of cancer-related deaths to more than 15 million.[xi] Early diagnosis is the single most effective way to reduce the risks associated with cancer and enable cancer victims to have the best chance for successful treatment and survival.[xii]
Despite all the strides that have been made over the last 40 years in the fight against cancer, early detection and intervention efforts are still lacking. The dog’s nose is playing an important role in the attempt to identify cancer earlier, once again proving that a dog is indeed a human’s best friend.
[iv] Shirasu, Mika, and Touhara, Kazushige. “The scent of disease: volatile organic compounds of the human body related to disease and disorder.” The Journal of Biochemistry, Volume 150, Issue 3, September 2011. https://doi.org/10.1093/jb/mvr090
For Linda Shear and windflower Townley, there was a lot to consider when deciding who to hire to drive their two dogs across the country. Credit: Mogeb Alomeri
It was one of the most challenging choices Linda Shear and windflower Townley (Townley spells her first name with a small w) say they ever had to make: Who would they hire to drive their two dogs, Emma and Skylar, across the country?
“We had to move from California to Massachusetts,” Shear says. “At first, we thought we would drive them in our car, but we realized it was just too far. We don’t like long-distance driving.”
They decided to fly, but their dogs were too large to fit in the plane’s cabin, and the couple didn’t want them to fly in the cargo hold.
So, they tried to find a reputable dog transport service. “It was really stressful,” Townley says. “We looked for weeks to find people we could rely on that offered a reasonable service at a reasonable price.”
They interviewed a couple of pet moving services, but after some quick internet sleuthing, they discovered horror stories. A dog died from heat exhaustion while in the care of one company they spoke to, and a driver for another was facing charges for causing a hit-and-run accident.
“It’s scary because, to us, our dogs are family,” Shear says. “I feel like we dodged a couple of bullets by taking the initiative to do some research.”
How do you find a trustworthy dog moving company? It’s essential first to understand how the system works.
The Rules of the Road
Emma and Skylar crossed the U.S. with Animal Logistics pet transport services owner Mogeb Alomeri. Credit: Mogeb Alomeri
Anyone hired to transport, handle, or hold dogs in connection with their trip must register with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as a carrier or handler. This includes large pet transportation services with multiple vehicles and employees as well as individual drivers with a van who operate their own pet moving companies.
However, the registration process doesn’t include animal or transport competency tests, criminal background searches, or driving history checks. Commercial driver’s licenses are not required; neither is knowing pet CPR, first aid, or having dog handling skills.
As part of the registration process, companies agree to obey the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), which sets regulations and standards for transporting and handling dogs. There are rules about feeding, housing, sanitation, ensuring dogs have adequate and secure crates, proper ventilation, and common-sense procedures like keeping aggressive dogs away from other animals.
But animal welfare experts say they are concerned about gaps in the regulations. “They only require carriers to clean urine and feces once every 24 hours, provide water once every 12 hours, and there are no required rest (bathroom) breaks for dogs,” says Morgan Boutilier, an attorney with the Animal Legal Defense Fund.
Unless a transporter gets pulled over by police or a major problem occurs, like a breakdown or a sick dog, no one outside the company may know what happens during a road trip.
The rules do allow the USDA to conduct unannounced inspections of companies’ facilities and take action if the businesses violate the AWA. You can check a pet transporter’s inspection and violation history and verify they’re registered on the agency’s website.
Though the USDA accepts and investigates complaints about pet transportation services, the feds don’t post those complaints–or even the number of complaints a company has–online. To find that out, you must submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, which can take 20 days to get a response and that response may not contain the information you need.
Growing Need for Safe Ground Dog Transport Services
Alomeri transported the dogs in Shear and Townley’s car. Credit: Mogeb Alomeri
Some in the pet transport business are calling for improvement in the industry, government regulation, and ways to make it easier for pet parents to find qualified movers to take their animals on the road.
“There are reputable companies, but the onus is on the individual that will be trusting their beloved pet family member to a transporter,” says Elizabeth Schuette, president and CEO of The Ark at JFK, a pet transportation company.
Schuette is also on the Animal Transportation Association (ATA) board of directors and a member of the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association (IPATA). Both professional organizations have standards and ongoing education for pet movers. IPATA has strict requirements for active members, including providing proof of their insurance, letters of recommendation, and taking a proficiency test.
But Schuette says she’d like trade groups to create special requirements and certifications specifically for companies transporting dogs by ground. These pet movers are in high demand because airlines are increasing restrictions on dogs flying in the cabin, and many dogs can’t tolerate flying in the cargo hold due to their breed (like brachycephalic dogs), behavior, health, and safety concerns.
“There’s a whole new business opportunity in ground transportation for pets, and it’s really a fledgling market,” Schuette says. “There’s a lot that goes into it and if you did engage a ground transporter, you could be confident that if they had these certifications, you were putting your dog in safe hands.”
Dog Transport Service Cost
If you do an internet search for pet transportation companies, you’ll see large and small businesses and brokers who offer your dog moving needs to different drivers who bid on giving your pup a lift.
Some movers use their own cars, others rent vehicles or mini-vans, and some have corporate fleets.
Many companies offer group or shared transports with other dogs. The price is often based on the size of your dog, their medical or behavioral needs, and length of the journey. Shared rides range from about $700 to $3000. Usually, these movers run weekly or monthly routes and pick up and drop off your dog along the way.
Some businesses offer private transport for your dog, which might cost from $1.75 to $3.00 or more per mile, depending on the services you request.
“If someone doesn’t want their dogs around other dogs, or they feel their dog is aggressive and can’t be with others, they ask us if we could just send an individual to pick up their dog and drive them,” says Mogeb Alomari, who owns Animal Logistics pet transport services.
Alomari’s company offers group and private rides. He drove Shear and Townley’s dogs across the country in the couple’s car as they flew to Massachusetts.
He tries to cater to his customers’ needs and offers relocation services for military members, rescue groups, breeders, and VIPs.
“We have athletes, we have celebrities, and usually their managers contact us and say, ‘During the off-season, they’re moving back to North Carolina,'” Alomari says. “I’d say that would cost anywhere from $4,000 to $8,000 depending on how many dogs and what the client wants. Some say, ‘I want you to rent an Airbnb every night and stay with my dogs.’ So, we have to factor all this in.”
Is Your Dog Right for a Road Trip?
Before hiring any pet transporter, you need to ask yourself tough questions, starting with: Is your dog the transporting kind?
It’s important to be brutally honest with any mover you interview and tell them about your pooch’s quirks:
Has your dog bitten or snapped at anyone? What were the circumstances?
How does your dog react to being handled by strangers?
Does your dog have health problems? Or anxiety?
Does your dog get car sick?
Is your dog fearful or a flight risk?
How is your dog in a crate?
Does your dog get along with other dogs?
You want to avert disaster and not put your dog or a driver at risk.
“We do a full evaluation of the client, a behavioral assessment of the dog, and make sure we have the right driver lined up to make the trip,” Alomari says. “There’s a lot that goes into making a trip successful.”
Before your dog goes on transport, they’ll need proof of a current rabies vaccination, an exam, and health certificate from a veterinarian.
Many transporters also recommend that dogs be up to date on parvo, distemper, leptospirosis, and kennel cough vaccinations. Your dog will be out of their usual environment and might be exposed to other animals during the trip, even stopping at rest areas to relieve themselves. Some states your dog travels through may also have specific vaccine requirements.
Make sure your dog is microchipped and your contact information with the chip company is up to date.
How to Choose a Pet Moving Service
Alomeri, Emma, and Skylar stayed at hotels along the way, getting to their destination in time to meet Shear and Townley. Credit: Mogeb Alomeri
To choose the right pet moving service, put on your pet detective hat and jump online. Ensure any company you consider is registered with the USDA and check out their violation history and inspection history. Google the company’s name and see what you can find. Search the Better Business Bureau’s website and even social media for complaints.
Check the ATA and IPATA listings of members who provide ground transport.
Once you contact a company, ask lots of questions. “Ask what their safety record is when it comes to driving? What is their contingency plan if a breakdown happens? Or their AC goes out? They need a plan in place. If someone says, ‘I can’t afford to fix this,’ or ‘I’ll call a tow truck,’ that’s what leads to disasters happening on the road with people’s pets,” Alomari says.
Other questions to ask a pet moving company:
What kind of vehicle would be used for your dog’s trip?
Is the vehicle climate-controlled?
Is there a fire and CO detector in larger-sized vehicles or trailers?
How often do they check on the dogs?
How often do they offer dogs food and water?
How often do they walk the dogs, and where?
What dog-handling experience do the drivers have?
What is the process for removing animals from their travel crate for relief purposes or an overnight stay?
Is the transporter experienced in controlling that environment?
How long is each driver behind the wheel?
Where and when will the drivers sleep?
Will the dogs ever be unattended?
Do the handlers know dog CPR and first aid?
What is the dog-to-handler ratio?
Do they have liability insurance if something happens on the trip?
Shear and Townley hired Alomari to drive their dogs to Massachusetts only after an extensive interview process in which they asked many questions.
Emma and Skylar arrived safely on the East Coast the same day the couple’s flight landed. They say their dogs had the road trip of a lifetime traveling with Alomari and staying at hotels along the way.
They’re so relieved their story has a happy ending; they did their research, and trusted their instincts.
“The fact that anybody with a van can do this, whether or not they have the competency and the capacity to get your animals somewhere safely, means you have to do your homework,” Shear says. “It’s better to regret that you put too much time into the vetting than to regret that you did not.”
This large stuffed version might be the only type of candy cane you should share with your dog.
Credit: Tianne Strombeck | Getty Images
Peppermint can be present in your house in many forms, especially during the holiday season. You may enjoy keeping a peppermint plant or have a stash of peppermint candies year-round. Many people also use peppermint essential oil for various purposes. And in December we can’t forget the classic candy cane.
Peppermint is never necessary for your dog, and it can be harmful depending on how much your dog is exposed to and any other ingredients in the product.
Peppermint Plants
Most dogs are unlikely to take a bite out of a peppermint plant in your house or yard, but some dogs are more adventurous than others. Chomping on a few peppermint leaves is unlikely to cause any harm other than possibly some stomach upset.
If your dog decides to consume an entire peppermint plant, he is more likely to experience vomiting and diarrhea.
Peppermint Candy
If your dog ate peppermint candy, check the ingredients for that exact product. A plain peppermint candy with sugar is not a problem for most dogs unless they eat a bunch of them.
Xylitol, or birch sugar, is a secret killer that may be lurking in peppermint candies. This artificial sweetener is extremely toxic to dogs, causing a dramatic drop in blood sugar, liver failure, and seizures. Depending on the dose and the size of the dog, consuming xylitol can cause death.
If the peppermint candy that your dog ate was sugar-free, contact your veterinarian or an emergency vet immediately.
Peppermint Oil
Peppermint oil is highly concentrated, increasing both the aroma we humans love and, unfortunately, the risks for our dogs.
If you suspect your dog has been exposed to peppermint oil or peppermint essential oil and he is showing any of these symptoms, contact a pet-poison hotline. The Pet Poison Helpline (855) 764-7661 and ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888) 426-4435 are both excellent and have all of the latest information on toxicity in pets. These services do charge a fee, but it is worth every penny.
The hotline will guide you on what you can do yourself at home and will also be available to guide your veterinarian with treatment decisions.
What to Do If Dog Eats Candy Cane
If your dog ate a candy cane, check the box for a full list of ingredients. Sugar-free candy canes are the most likely to cause harm to your dog, so be on the look for xylitol or birch sugar.
If the candy cane contains xylitol, call your veterinarian or an emergency hospital immediately.
If you are uncertain about the ingredients in the candy cane, call a pet-poison hotline. They will help you determine if your dog needs immediate care, a routine appointment during business hours, or if you can monitor at home.
If the candy cane does not have any toxic ingredients, you can keep an eye on your dog at home. He may experience a little stomach upset such as vomiting or diarrhea but may also be totally fine. Smaller dogs are at more risk of developing symptoms than larger dogs, and the amount of candy cane that your dog ate will also affect his risk.
This idealized Halloween picture is what many dog owners hope for: their dog, in partial costume, delighting visiting trick-or-treaters at the door. But short strangers in costume at the door terrifies many dogs! Photo by Aleksandar Nakic, Getty Images
People often talk about the stress that the firework holidays (Independence Day, New Year’s Eve) can inflict on our dogs, but Halloween can also traumatize dogs, or cause them to go missing (all those open doors and distracted door-answerers!). Here are some tips to make sure your Halloween is a safe and happy day for your dog.
Dog costumes
Many of us are amused by seeing a dog in a cute costume—and some dogs honestly love the extra attention they receive in a Halloween outfit. But if your dog gets growly or glum in his costume, take it off! Don’t force costumes on dogs ever! It’s not worth getting someone bitten over!
Human costumes
As funny as you might think it would be to film your dog’s reaction to you or your kid fully disguised in an elaborate costume, please don’t! Many dogs are terrified by Halloween costumes, and it’s just as likely that they will run away from you in fear as growl and perhaps even attack the scary intruder. If possible, let your dog see you getting dressed up and/or made up. Talk to them so they are sure to look at your face and see that it’s still you. Save putting on any masks for when you’ve left the house!
Similarly, don’t expect your dog to be able to happily greet trick-or-treaters in full costumes. If she rolls with all the aliens, witches, ghosts and more, great. But if she’s even the slightest bit apprehensive, follow the tips in the next section to keep her (and the trick-or-treaters) safe and intact!
Trick or treat!
Keep your dog confined. If you are going to be providing treats for trick-or-treaters, set up an “air lock” around your front door with an exercise pen, so your dog can’t approach (much less run out of) the front door when it’s open. Better yet, confine him to a part of the house where he can’t access the door area at all. If you have baby gates set up so that he can see what’s happening at the door, but can’t come to the door, that may be ideal.
Alternatively, consider setting up a trick-or-treating station in front of your home, on the porch or in the driveway. Grab some chairs and blankets and the candy bowl and sit outside for the peak of trick-or-treating traffic. That moves the noise and hubbub farther from the house, and eliminates the door opening and closing multiple times.
Of course, turning the lights off and NOT answering the door is a good option, too!
Given that there may be an unusual amount of traffic, noise, and strangers in your neighborhood, make sure your dog is wearing a collar with current identification. It’s always a good time to check the registration of your dog’s microchip, too, to make sure that the registry has your current contact information.
Above all: Keep candy out of reach!
Secure all candy—especially chocolates—well out of reach of your dog! Go beyond the middle of the dining room table or counter; think top-of-the-refrigerator or a high cabinet. Make sure your kids secure their candy stashes in a safe location, too. Hiding a bag of candy under their bed will not prevent your dog from finding and eating it, wrappers and all. Help your kids determine a dog-proof hiding spot for their sweet treasure.
Even preparing the Thanksgiving feast can be dicey for your dog, so your best bet is to keep your dog away from the food and not looking upon it wishfully.
Credit: Yin Yang | Getty Images
Dogs can enjoy many traditional Thanksgiving foods. The key is to let them indulge in moderation. That’s because Thanksgiving weekend is infamous in the veterinary world for bringing a huge spike in pancreatitis, vomiting, and diarrhea. These things happen when dogs eat too many (and too much of!) rich foods that they are not used to.
Sometimes dogs get into trouble because family members are sneaking them too many treats, but other times the dog helps herself to the counter, table, or garbage can. Either way, these “treats” can lead to temporary and even long-term illness in your dog.
We suggest that, to ensure that you and your dog are both able to enjoy the festivities in the moment, you:
Instruct guests to not feed the dog without your permission, especially dogs with known food allergies or sensitivities or a sensitive stomach
Set aside tidbits for your pup so you know how much she is eating throughout the day
Avoid fatty cuts of meat
Avoid dairy products
Stick to minimal seasoning on any food that you feed your dog
Secure the turkey carcass and other garbage in a can that your dog either cannot access or cannot open
What Can Dogs Eat on Thanksgiving?
Of course your dog can eat many plain unseasoned vegetables, but in case you’re wondering about Thanksgiving staples that your dog can have in moderation, we’ve got you covered:
Turkey: Offer your dog a small amount of cooked meat. The skin is typically higher in fat and salt/seasonings, making it less ideal for your pup. Gizzards and organ meat are tasty treats for dogs who tolerate them, but they are also rich.
Ham: Allow tiny pieces of cooked ham, avoiding fatty areas. Ham is typically both fatty and salty, so just give your dog a taste.
Mashed potatoes: Plain mashed potatoes without too many things added in are safe for your dog, though she may not enjoy them, but skip the gravy.
Carrots: Your dog can enjoy carrots cooked or raw! Ideally feed ones that are not heavily seasoned.
Sweet potatoes: Offer to your dog plain, with minimal seasoning.
Pumpkin: Plain canned pumpkin is an excellent healthy treat for dogs. Offer a teaspoon or so if your dog has not had it before. You can even make your dog’s own pumpkin treats.
Pumpkin pie: Pumpkin pie has a lot more sugar than plain canned pumpkin, but your dog can have a small taste.
Green beans: Plain, cooked green beans are an excellent snack for your dog.
Cranberries: Plain and cooked cranberries are safe for your dog. If your family uses the classic cranberry sauce recipe of just cranberries, sugar, and water, your dog can even have a small taste of cranberry sauce (don’t go too overboard because of the high sugar content). If you add additional ingredients to your cranberry sauce, your dog should skip this dish.
Thanksgiving for Your Dog: Caution
Always remember that, while there are many Thanksgiving foods dogs can eat, err on the side of caution. Offer your dog small portions that do not have extra sugar or seasonings and avoid fatty foods.
The simplest option is often to set aside your dog’s “meal” ahead of time so you know exactly how much of each thing she will be getting. And if your pup has a sensitive stomach, save your carpets by not giving her any foods that she is not used to.
It is often difficult to stop dogs from counter surfing once they get started given how rewarding even occasionally success can be. Credit: Olaia Salvador | Getty Images
While our pet dogs live pampered lives compared to their wolf ancestors, they’re still opportunistic scavengers, happy to consume a tasty morsel whenever the opportunity arises—from a bit of leftovers out of the trash can to the turkey sandwich you were about to pack in your child’s lunch!
When a dog successfully snags food (or other items) from atop the counter or table, trainers call this “counter surfing.” Left to their own devices, most dogs—at least those tall enough to reach the counter—will experiment with this behavior thanks to the never-ending supply of tasty tidbits we humans insist on keeping there.
Set Your Dog Up for Success
Dogs love to gamble. I mean, they REALLY love to gamble. If something works for them—even once—you can bet they’re going to try it again, especially when the payoff was great—like a sandwich. When your dog is young or otherwise new to your home, it’s wise to employ some management around the house to make it less likely she will have the opportunity to experiment with counter surfing. Nothing makes us tidier around the house than a dog in training! Avoid leaving items of interest on counters and tabletops, and casually redirect your dog’s attention to an appropriate object when she’s sniffing around surfaces you’d prefer she ignore.
Teach the Behavior You Want
It’s easy to identify what we don’t want our dog to do. We don’t want them to counter surf. Great. What should they do instead? Dogs repeat behaviors they find reinforcing. Counter surfing is self-reinforcing—a dog is reinforced by the item he helps himself to. When we reward dogs for behaviors that are incompatible with counter surfing, the unwanted behavior decreases. Here are two ideas:
Teach Your Dog to Stay on a Mat in the Kitchen: If your dog is busy gluing himself to his dog bed while in the kitchen, he can’t be hopping up to steal things from the counter. Teaching a dog to calmly remain in one spot (sometimes called “place training”) is useful in many scenarios. In this instance, the dog learns there’s no need to investigate the countertops for rewards—you’ll deliver rewards to his spot. Don’t be stingy about it. As your dog learns to stay on his bed, make sure you reward generously so that it remains worth it—in your dog’s mind—to play the game our way instead of following his instinct to see what goodies he can find and enjoy on the counter.
Actively Teach Your Dog to Ignore Food on Counters and Tables: Another great option is to reward the absence of interest in food on a table or counter. In this training set up, the dog is rewarded for not moving toward the easily surf-able food. In the early stages, the forbidden food should be low-value and the rewards are high value. Train on-leash, and at an initial distance where it’s easy for your dog to be correct. Trainer Emily Larlham offers a great explanation and demonstration of this method on her Kikopup YouTube channel.
Rehabbing a Successful Surfer
If your dog is an experienced counter surfer, you’ll want to employ a combination of training and management. Training will help teach the desired new behavior, but it won’t happen overnight. In the meantime, you need to drastically reduce your dog’s opportunities for counter surfing. Every time your dog successfully surfs, he’s self-rewarding and the behavior will continue.
When you’re not in the position to actively train for the behavior you want, make it nearly impossible for your dog to practice the unwanted behavior.
Pay attention to your dog’s behavior with the goal of interrupting and redirecting when you suspect surfing is imminent. For example, as your dog walks alongside the counter, head up, nose twitching, there’s a good chance jumping up will soon follow. Interrupt this behavior pattern and encourage her to run and get a bone or toy and praise your dog for engaging in that behavior instead.
Another option—especially in the early weeks of your rehab training—is to simply avoid the temptation by keeping your dog out of the kitchen, especially during high-temptation activities like meal preparation, and when you know your attention will be elsewhere and you won’t be able to keep an eye on your dog’s behavior.
Remember—every successful surf makes the behavior more likely. Even if you reprimand your dog when you catch him in the act.
A Word on Using Punishment for Counter Surfing
Verbally reprimanding a dog for counter surfing—if you catch him in the act—will interrupt the behavior in the moment but will also likely teach your dog not to counter surf when you’re around. Ideally, we want our dog to understand the better choice is simply not to surf in the first place, whether or not we’re watching.
That’s not to say I don’t interrupt dogs who counter surf—I do, and it’s in a tone that clearly indicates my displeasure. But when I do this, I know it’s a Band-Aid, and a clear sign I need to up my training and management game.
Some trainers recommend elaborate booby traps using soda cans strung together and interwoven among a treasure your dog would love to jump up and steal. The idea is that the ruckus of the cans falling will startle the dog enough to prevent future attempts. While this might work on the occasional dog, many dogs, once again, learn to avoid surfing when they recognize this type of set up, or they’re willing to risk the ruckus in order to reap the reward.
With a proper introduction, a crate can become a place to relax and rest for many dogs.
Credit: Christine McCann | Getty Images
Crates are management tools meant to help your dog feel safe during your absence and other times he may need to chill. Dogs who learn to love their crates use them independently for relief and safety from thunderstorms or fireworks, when they need a break from holiday commotion, hoopla of houseguests or even just because they like it!
How to Crate Train a Rescue Dog
Get a crate large enough for him to sit, lie down (full extension) and turn around. Match durability with your dog’s size.
Encourage him to enter the crate on his own.
Make it an inviting space with a bed/blanket, appropriate chew toys, treats.
Go slow. In small increments, work up from a few minutes in the crate to longer periods.
If your dog vocalizes or paws at the floor or is otherwise stressed, wait for the split second of calm before releasing so you reward calm behavior.
Tips:
If your dog is stressed in his crate, go back to shorter increments of time and build from there.
If he’s just not having it try a dog-proof room or area of the house and follow same steps.
Some dogs do not like confinement even for the briefest of times. In those cases, consider a house sitter, small scale reputable daycare or reach out to a professional rewards-based trainer.
Dos
Do find a long-lasting chew your dog loves: save it only for crate time.
Do exercise your dog first: set him up for success to rest.
Do put the crate in a low-traffic area for privacy and security.
Do see if your dog likes a blanket/cover over the crate to help create a safe space.
Do keep the door open all the time so he can go in at will and chill.
Do provide water.
Don’ts
Don’t go too fast. Allow your dog to ease into the idea at his pace.
Don’t immediately confine for long periods.
Don’t confine for longer than necessary. A full workday can be too much for any dog. See if a friend, neighbor or even qualified pet sitter can come give him a break.
Don’t force him into the crate.
Don’t use it as punishment. Ever.
How to Crate Train an Older Dog
Follow the same steps! Additional considerations should be given to padding and for space, particularly if your dog has arthritis or is showing any signs of lameness and especially if symptomatic of canine cognitive dysfunction (doggy dementia). Always good to check in with your vet here.
How to Crate Train a Dog with Separation Anxiety
If your dog already suffers from separation anxiety, or the equivalent of human panic attacks, crates are not the answer. Separation anxiety is a serious issue that needs serious help: call in the pros. You can find a certified rewards based CSAT (Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer) trainer here.
Crates can be a dog’s den or his dungeon. Create positive associations and give your dog safety and security and yourself peace of mind.
A couple of days ago, I received a text from a dog-training client, wondering about a video she had just watched—and which she linked in the text. “Is meat meal bad for dogs?” she asked. She followed that message with, “I get that she’s selling her own pet food, but is it (meat meal) that bad?”
