People who had a “perfect” dog in their recent past often get frustrated with their new puppy, for failing to live up to their memory of how good the last dog was. Our memories tend to be a little revisionist, when it comes to this. Remember, every dog is different—this naughty little puppy is going to be “perfect” someday, too. Credit: Irina Zharkova / 500px, Getty Images.
Earlier this week, I spent an hour with a lovely woman who bought an 8-week-old purebred puppy a month ago. She was at her wits’ end, she said. She wanted the puppy to stop constantly biting, stop digging in the backyard, stop jumping up on family members, and to stop grabbing things, like curtains and knickknacks on tables and shelves.
As I observed the puppy and surreptitiously worked to teach her to sit and lay down as I asked my client questions and listened to her describe all the things the puppy was doing that were vexing, I heard her say these things:
“Our last dog practically trained himself.”
“Our last dog never used his teeth on us, even as a very young puppy! This one draws blood on our arms or hands daily!”
“Our last dog would never dream of grabbing things off the side tables, or any table!”
“Our last dog was never a barker. Maybe one woof if someone was at the door, and that’s all.”
The “last dog” in question had died a few years ago, but his memory was alive and well—and was quite unfairly affecting my client’s relationship with this new puppy.
Maybe the last dog really was perfect—some dogs and puppies really are a dream, and adapt to life in our homes with hardly a toenail put wrong. But I tend to believe that by the time our dogs have lived a long life, and then passed away, we simply fail to remember any anxiety or trouble that they ever gave us. Oh, we may remember a funny quirk or two, something that they learned to do in a unique way, like barking at our laundry as it tumbled around in the glass-doored dryer, or chasing the shadows of passersby on the sidewalk at sunset, as those shadows are cast moving along our living room wall. These behaviors are remembered fondly, with humor—unlike the painful or messy behaviors we are dealing with our new naughty puppy. At some point, our “last dogs” become our sainted, perfect last dogs.
Here’s what I told my client: No dog is perfect. All dogs are different. This one is just a baby—and a stranger—whereas your “last perfect dog” was an adult with a long learning history that you’ve perhaps forgotten in the glow of your love for him and the pain of missing him.
I asked my client whether she had kids. Yes, two girls, she said, adults now. I asked, “Are they very different from each other?” She laughed and took the bait. “Oh my gosh yes,” she said. “One was solemn as a judge, it was like pulling teeth to get her to talk to me. The other one told me more than I ever wanted to know. When she called me from her honeymoon and said, ‘Mom, I have to tell you something,’ I told her ‘No! I don’t want to know!!’”
We had a huge laugh about that.
And then I brought her back to the puppy and Saint Last Dog. “Well, then, that’s how you know that we can’t blame this puppy for not being as easy as your last dog. She’s not a dud; I wouldn’t even say she’s naughty! But some dogs take more of our time and attention and patience to train than others, just like some of our kids take a lot longer and are harder to bring into responsible adulthood than others!”
Also, I told her, “All of the behaviors you described as so naughty are super typical puppy behaviors—and I can teach you how to manage them and direct her into behaviors you like better! But first we have to accept the idea that she’s actually quite a good puppy!” And by this time, I had the puppy offering sits and downs and lying calmly on the rug in front of us as we talked. I had started with using tiny bits of freeze-dried chicken treats to lure her into a down and then back up into sits, and then tossing the treats to send her away, and giving her tiny treats when she came back for more and sat politely without a lure. I hadn’t used a verbal cue, so the client barely noticed I was training her dog at all. And yet, there she was, lying quietly on the rug watching us.
She looked at the puppy as if she just noticed her there in the room for the first time. “My gosh!” she said. “How on earth did you do that?”
And with the discovery of the fact that this puppy, too, had the potential for greatness in her, we were able to get to work building the foundation of their new relationship—with no disrespect for the perfect last dog whatsoever.
Double-coated breeds like the Siberian Husky can shed a lot, especially during spring and fall. Credit: Niko_Cingaryuk | Getty Images
All dogs shed, but some shed a lot more than others. Shedding removes old, damaged, or excess hair in a natural cycle that regulates body temperature and maintains skin and coat condition. The rate and timing of your dog’s hair loss depend on age, breed, and overall health.
Breed Can Influence Shedding
Some dogs lose only a little hair throughout the year while others shed heavily when seasons change, and some dogs shed every day of their lives. Among purebred dogs, the heaviest shedders are:
Siberian Huskies
Alaskan Malamutes
German Shepherds
Golden Retrievers
Labrador Retrievers
Dalmatians
Akitas
Chow Chows
These dogs shed more because they are double-coated. The outer layer of a dog’s hair is the topcoat, also known as guard hairs. The topcoat is usually coarse in texture and effective at repelling water and protecting the skin. In addition, double-coated dogs have an undercoat of short, dense hair that traps air close to the skin, providing insulation and protecting against both heat and cold. Because undercoats grow quickly and shed dramatically, “blowing their coat” is an accurate description when dogs respond to seasonal changes in spring or fall by releasing no-longer-needed hair.
One popular belief is that long-haired dogs shed more than their short-haired cousins, which anyone with a Lab knows is a myth. Another misconception assumes that all Doodle dogs (Poodle crosses) are hypoallergenic and never shed. The truth lies in their DNA, where two key genes (MC5R and RSPO2) determine a dog’s shedding pattern by defining the shape and behavior of hair follicles. Goldendoodles, Labradoodles, Bernedoodles, and Aussiedoodles can shed just like their Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, Bernese Mountain Dog, or Australian Shepherd parents. Although many Doodles shed less than other dogs, there is no guarantee that their Poodle genes will control their coats.
Age, Health, and Hair Loss
Puppies shed less than adult dogs because their hair is fine and soft, but when their adult coats grow in, which usually happens by six months of age, puppies can lose a lot of hair.
Most healthy adult dogs develop a predictable shedding pattern and their coats’ behavior remains constant through middle age. In contrast, senior coats become thinner, less dense, and more prone to matting, all of which can change their shedding schedules.
If at any age your dog’s skin becomes flaky, discolored, or patchy, or if the coat becomes dull and dry, there may be an underlying medical condition. Skin parasites (fleas, ticks, or mites), hormonal imbalances, autoimmune disorders, bacterial or fungal infections, physical injuries, pregnancy, and even the stress of 4th of July fireworks, relocations, or other interruptions of a dog’s comfortable routines can trigger hair loss. So can environmental allergies to pollen or grass. Schedule a checkup if unusual symptoms accompany excessive shedding, such as weight gain, fatigue, excessive itching, or increased thirst or urination.
How Seasonal Changes Affect Shedding
Double-coated dogs, including those who shed every day, are notorious for heavy shedding as they react to changing daylight hours and warming temperatures by releasing their winter coats in spring. They may also shed as winter approaches and their bodies prepare for new insulating hair growth by releasing their summer coats. In other words, heavy shedding in spring, fall, or early winter can be normal and predictable.
What to Do with All That Dog Hair
Cleaning up after a shedding dog can seem an unending task, but technology helps. For the latest in vacuums that handle shed hair, see the Bissell Pet Hair Vacuum,
Tiny polyester fibers in Swiffer Pet Floor Sweeping Cloths and in other dry Swiffer cloths create a static charge that attracts and removes dog hair, dirt, and dust particles from hard floors. The highly rated Turbo Microfiber Mop Floor Cleaning System can be used wet or dry to trap and remove pet hair.
Since its introduction in 2012, the ChomChom Roller Pet Hair Remover has won rave reviews from Consumer Reports, the Good Housekeeping Institute, and other organizations for its effect on furniture, pillows, and even carpet. It’s the only tested tool that gathers and collects all the pet hair it touches with simple forward-and-backward swipes. For use on clothing, try the Evercare Extreme Stick Lint Roller. To remove dog hair from clothes in your laundry, try Bounce Pet Hair Mega Dryer Sheets, which out-perform other dryer sheets in pet hair laundry tests.
Can You Reduce Shedding at the Source?
Yes. You can often reduce how much your dog sheds by improving her diet along with doing basic grooming and routine maintenance such as regular brushing and bathing.
Nutrition and Shedding
Nutritional deficiencies contribute to shedding because the strength and flexibility of guard hairs and undercoat depend on the quality of protein and other nutrients in a dog’s diet. Adding fresh protein such as eggs, meat, fish, yogurt, or cottage cheese to your dog’s dry food, can help, and so can upgrading to foods whose first ingredients are meat and meat meal rather than corn, soy, wheat, or legumes. Food allergies or sensitivities can contribute to itchy skin, skin infections, and hair loss. Because dehydration contributes to dry coats and shedding, give your dog extra bowls of fresh, clean water and add warm water, bone broth, or goat milk to his dinner, especially when winter weather and indoor heating dry the air.
Brush and Brush Some More
Brushing can remove excess hair before it lands on your floor.
Slicker brushes, such as those from Chris Christensen, feature short, tightly packed wire pins that are angled to remove loose hair while avoiding the skin. Slickers are versatile and work well on different types of coats, especially wire-coated, curly-coated, medium-coated, and long-coated dogs. Some are self-cleaning, thanks to a button that retracts the brush’s wire pins.
Bristle brushes, like the Kenchii Boar and Nylon Grooming Brush, are made with natural or synthetic bristles and work well on short-coated dogs. Use as a finishing brush on double-coated dogs.
Pin brushes, like the Andis Medium Pin Brush, are covered with medium-spaced wire pins, often with rubber tips to prevent skin injury. They work well as finishing brushes for long-haired dogs and to remove tangles from wire-coated dogs. Some double-sided dog brushes, such as the Hartz Combo Brush, have pins on one side and bristles on the other.
Resembling curry combs for horses, shedding blades for dogs, such as the Frisco Shedding Blade Dog Brush, remove loose or dead hair and reduce shedding with a single metal blade that has coarse teeth for thick coats on one side and fine teeth for shorter coats on the other. The handle separates to create a single blade to cover larger areas.
The most popular and well-known shedding tool for double-coated dogs is the FURminator, whose stainless steel edge reaches through guard hairs to remove loose hair and undercoat without damaging the topcoat or injuring the dog’s skin.
HandsOn Shedding Dog Gloves are covered with non-abrasive, flexible rubber nodules that massage the skin while removing excess hair. They can be used wet or dry and are appropriate for all breeds, plus cats and horses.
Rubber or silicone curry combs or bath brushes, like the Kong ZoomGroom, double as massage tools and grooming brushes.
Stainless steel grooming combs, like the 10″ Andis Steel Comb, work well on wet dogs covered with shampoo or conditioner. In fact, combing your dog as you condition his coat can remove substantial amounts of soon-to-shed hair.
Bathing Helps Reduce Shedding
Several shampoos and conditioners claim to control or reduce shedding, such as
Follow your grooming product’s label instructions for best results. Most recommend that you brush your dog’s dry coat well, remove excess hair with a de-shedding tool, then bathe your dog. Follow shampoo recommendations, which may involve working the product into your dog’s wet coat and letting it stand for 5 to 10 minutes before rinsing. Do the same with a conditioner, if you’re using one. Rinse well and towel dry. A force dryer, such as the Shelandy Pet Dryer, can remove shedding hair while drying your dog. When the coat is dry, follow with additional brushing.
No shampoo or conditioner can prevent your dog from releasing dead hair, but when combined with regular brushing and appropriate tools, shed-control grooming products can help your dog maintain a healthy coat while you maintain a (mostly) shed-free home.
Dogs experiencing hypoglycemia may show signs of being lethargic, weak, and disoriented. Prompt evaluation from a vet is important to determine the underlying cause and best course of action.
Hypoglycemia in dogs is a condition in which your pup’s blood glucose (sugar) levels drop to below normal range. Glucose is a primary energy source in the body and without it or when left untreated, hypoglycemia can have serious or fatal consequences. Ensuring that you have a solid understanding of how hypoglycemia in dogs presents, as well as causes and treatment options, will yield better outcomes for your pup.
Causes of Hypoglycemia
Normal blood sugar levels in dogs range between 3.5-7 mmol/L. Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, in dogs is considered anything below 3 mmol/L. Causes of hypoglycemia can derive from either decreased glucose production, increased glucose use or excessive insulin.
Hypoglycemia can be caused by a variety of conditions including:
Understanding the signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia is the first step in identifying and treating the condition.
Signs that your dog is experiencing hypoglycemia include:
Lethargy
Weakness
Muscle tremors
Low appetite
Slow response
Seizures
Disorientation
Poor vision
Trauma
Diagnosing Hypoglycemia
Diagnosing your dog’s hypoglycemia and its root cause will be imperative for proper treatment and management, as well as having a complete understanding of their prognosis.
Using a glucometer is an easy and quick way to evaluate your pup’s blood glucose levels. A glucometer is a small, hand held device that can be utilized for blood glucose checks at home or in the hospital and is often used for diabetic patients. A small pin prick is all that is needed for evaluation and results are immediate. These results will help you and your dog’s veterinary team with next steps.
Further diagnostics may be necessary and include:
Bloodwork
Urinalysis
Abdominal ultrasound
Radiographs
Treating and Managing
If your dog is experiencing a hypoglycemia episode, he should receive immediate treatment from his veterinary team. Treatment will initially include stabilizing your dog’s glucose levels which can be achieved via oral or intravenous glucose administration such as corn syrup or intravenous dextrose.
Prognosis and future management of your dog’s hypoglycemia will be case specific and depend on your pup’s overall health and official diagnosis. For example, adjusting insulin dosage for your diabetic pup may yield more long-term treatment and management than severe liver failure. Work with your veterinarian closely during this process.
Establishing an emergency at-home plan for hypoglycemia episodes in your dog can be lifesaving.
A few considerations for your at-home emergency plan:
Knowing your pup’s most common signs and symptoms
Investing in your own glucometer and understanding how to properly use it
Establishing an at-home glucose administration plan
Easy access to your veterinarian and emergency clinic contact (including phone numbers, hours of operation and driving distance to each clinic)
When left untreated, hypoglycemia in dogs can be fatal. However, with early intervention and diagnosis, lifelong management and good quality of life are both possible. Utilizing an at-home emergency plan while remaining in constant communication with your veterinary team can be life-saving.
Does breed determine temperament? An upcoming study is trying to find out. Credit: Jaroslav Frank | Getty Images
If there is one thing that growing up around a breeding kennel has taught me it’s that every dog is an individual. In my experience, it’s possible to make some guesses about future behavior based on the breed of the dog, the temperament of the parents, the skills that run in the genetic line, and so on—that’s what selective breeding is all about—but there are still so many unknowns that go into how a specific dog acts and what she might need. At the end of the day, the trick to being a good steward to the dogs in your care is to pay attention to the dog in front of you rather than assuming she will act a certain way based on her breed.
While this has long been a discussion around the family dinner table, it came to mind again this week when I ran across a call for participants for a dog breed behavior study. The goal of the study, which will be conducted by Harvard University’s Canine Brains Project, is to investigate “behavioral traits in dogs from different breeds and lineages.” The data will be gathered via experiments designed to “emulate situations that dogs regularly encounter in their daily lives, including meeting a new person, interacting with their human, and solving food puzzles.”
“While it is commonly acknowledged that different dog breeds exhibit varying temperaments and behaviors, scientific research in this area remains surprisingly sparse,” the project says in its description of the study. “The Canine Brains Project aims to address this gap in knowledge with our Dog Breed Behavior Study.”
The description of the experiments to be conducted suggests that the study will focus primarily on personality traits like sociability, reactivity, communicativeness, and critical thinking ability rather than skills-based behaviors such as herding, tracking, or retrieving. To me, this divide is interesting in that it seems to set aside whether breed affects how well a dog can perform a specific task in favor of asking how much (if at all) breed determines temperament. As a side note, the Canine Brains Project is also doing research on how the dogs from historically working breeds use their brains that I can’t wait to see the results from.
There was a separate study, published in 2022, looking at how genetics might shape complex behavioral traits in dogs, which proposed that behaviors “perceived as characteristic of modern breeds” actually come from thousands of years of adaptation predating the formation of those breeds with “modern breeds distinguished primarily by aesthetic traits.” Interestingly, the study also noted that for “more heritable, more breed-differentiated traits, like biddability (responsiveness to direction and commands), knowing breed ancestry can make behavioral predictions somewhat more accurate” while for “less heritable, less breed-differentiated traits, like agonistic threshold (how easily a dog is provoked by frightening or uncomfortable stimuli), breed is almost uninformative.”
So how much of a dog’s personality can be attributed to her breed or family line? Anecdotally, I have met both timid Airedales and bold ones. The breed has a reputation for being aloof with strangers, but quite a few I’ve known have been gregarious lap dogs. I have also seen personality traits that show up in generation after generation of related dogs.
While no one scientific study is determinative—valid scientific research must be repeatable, objective, and broad (or narrow) enough to reasonably answer the question at hand—I’ll be interested to see what information the Canine Brains Project study brings to the conversation.
Oliver is one of many dogs up for adoption at the San Diego Humane Society (SDHS). Credit: SDHS
When Amy and Aaron Gelfand hear their phone ring or a text alert ping, they know their response might save a dog’s life.
The Austin, Texas, couple are foster superheroes—they’ve given a temporary home to more than 552 dogs in need. Their animal rescue journey started 12 years ago when Amy saw a desperate social media plea from a nearby shelter begging for fosters.
“The shelter was overflowing with dogs,” Aaron says. “They were going to have to start euthanizing for space purposes. We love our dogs so much that Amy said, ‘We need to save a life.'”
Molly was the first of many dogs fostered by Amy and Aaron Gelfand. Credit: Amy Gelfand
Amy drove to the shelter and returned with Molly, a kind-eyed, floppy-eared, quite adorable Shepherd mix. “Molly was already in the euthanasia room when Amy got her out,” Aaron says.
Fostering is one way to help during the current animal shelter crisis. By taking a dog out of a shelter and fostering, you may even save another dog’s life by freeing up kennel space in a facility.
Since Molly, the Gelfands have fostered senior and adult dogs and specialize in helping pregnant dogs and caring for puppies.
“If we didn’t foster, another 40 to 70 dogs and puppies would die every year because that is what comes through our house on average,” Aaron says. “Texas shelters are always in crisis.”
Nationwide Animal Shelter Crisis
Typically, Texas shelters are always jam-packed, but right now, the Lone Star State facilities aren’t the only ones in crisis. A perfect storm has hit the animal rescue world, and many shelters nationwide are bursting at the seams.
“We’re way over the normal capacity we’ve seen in the past,” says Nina Thompson, director of public relations at the San Diego Humane Society. “We have a large amount of dogs coming in who are stray and not being picked up by their owners.”
Damsel (SDHS)
Eevee (SDHS)
Hamis (SDHS)
Flower (SDHS)
Cotto (SDHS)
Diago (SDHS)
Best Friends Animal Society says that more than 207,000 adoptable shelter dogs were euthanized last year. Some shelters have lines of people stretching down the block to surrender their dogs; other facilities are so full they’re turning away animals.
Experts all have theories about why: the rising cost of food, supplies, and veterinary care, the housing crisis, a lack of pet-friendly rental homes, and families who adopted pandemic pups and now don’t have time for a dog.
On top of all of this, adoption rates plummeted.
“When adoptions are slow, shelters fill up,” says Brent Toellner, senior director of lifesaving programs at Best Friends Animal Society.
According to Best Friends, in 2023, nearly 2.5 million dogs in the U.S. ended up in animal shelters, the highest number in the last few years.
Data collected by Best Friends Animal Society from more than 7900 shelters and rescue groups.
“Some shelter staffs are struggling because they’re having to unnecessarily kill dogs and cats on a regular basis due to lack of space,” Toellner says. “Nobody gets into animal welfare because they want to kill healthy animals, yet that’s where a lot of shelters are right now.”
How to Help with the Animal Shelter Crisis
You can also be a lifesaving superhero by simply volunteering for an animal welfare organization. You can work in person or remotely from your laptop. “Different people have different skills,” Aaron says. “The thing to remember is shelters and rescues need help.”
Here are just some of the ways you can get involved:
Driving Dogs
The Gelfands are also volunteer rescue transporters. They pick dogs up from shelters and drive them to animal hospitals or other foster homes.
Flying Dogs
Many private pilots fly dogs from a shelter in one area to another region or even across the country, where a rescue group, adopter, or foster parent is waiting to give the pups a second chance.
Volunteering for a Shelter
There are many potential roles at most animal shelters, like walking dogs, cleaning kennels, taking cute pictures of dogs, writing their adoption bios, or greeting visitors. “Having someone to tell adopters what the process is or help introduce dogs to people are great volunteer opportunities,” Toellner says.
Volunteering for a Rescue
Contact local rescue groups and ask what help they need. Adoption coordinators are one example of a popular rescue (and shelter) role. These matchmakers work with adopters to pair them with a dog they hopefully fall in love with.
Spending Quality Time on Social Media
If you’re a social media whiz, use your skills to save lives. Shelters and rescues need volunteers to make cute videos and posts of dogs. “Even sharing an adoption profile on your social media pages might reach a different audience and end with an adoption,” Thompson says.
Fundraising
There likely isn’t a shelter or rescue that couldn’t use more donations. Food, supplies, and money are the keys to keeping the doors open. Organizations need savvy volunteers to help them apply for grants or hold in-person and online fundraisers.
Donating
Have some extra cash you’d like to give to a good cause? Find a shelter or rescue group whose work impresses you or a dog with medical needs that speaks to your heart and donate. Veterinary care is one of the most significant expenses organizations face. If you give to a nonprofit organization, donations are tax-deductible. (Depending on your tax situation.)
Starting a Pet Food Bank
Work with your community to organize and encourage people to donate pet food and supplies to dog and cat parents struggling to feed and care for their animals. This might also help keep pets from being surrendered to shelters. Check to see if an existing pet food bank in your area could use assistance.
Starting a Rescue
Now, this isn’t for the faint of heart. Animal rescuers say if they had to explain “how to start a dog rescue,” they’d warn you that running one is rewarding yet heartbreaking, even exhausting. It’s time-consuming—think emergencies, midnight phone calls, and struggling to pay the bills. Try volunteering with a group, learn the ropes, and then decide if starting a rescue is for you. (Which typically also involves applying to be a nonprofit.)
Spaying and Neutering Your Dogs
It can’t be said enough: Spay and neuter your dogs. One brief encounter between an unneutered male dog out looking for love with an unspayed female dog can result in a dozen unexpected puppies. “We have people coming to our doors with unwanted litters who are overwhelmed and can’t care for them,” Thompson says.
Adopting a Dog
Adoption is key to achieving the goal of no more homeless pets.
“Make adopting your first option,” Toellner says. “Every day you wait just increases the number of animals at risk.”
And you might be surprised by what you can find at local shelters.
“All the dogs that you may associate with having to go to a breeder are now at our shelter,” Thompson says. “We have a Doodle. We have a French Bulldog. We have a Golden Retriever. And if you think you can’t get a puppy at the shelter, we have 185.”
Fostering a Dog
Oh yes, here we are back at fostering, one of the top ways you can help during this animal shelter crisis.
Let’s break this down a bit more: fostering can be an hour, a day, a weekend, a week-long, or a months-long gig. Many shelters and rescues pay for all the dog’s veterinary care and supplies.
“We can learn so much about a dog in a foster home that we can’t in the shelter because the shelter is so unnatural for them,” Thompson says. “When you foster, you expose that dog to a new network. You might walk that dog in your neighborhood, and somebody falls in love with that dog and adopts.”
Yet that adoption part—the thought of saying an emotional goodbye to a foster dog often keeps people from fostering—they worry they would become too attached to a dog and heartbroken when they left.
Many rescues allow you to adopt your foster dog. But the Gelfands say if someone else adopts your foster, it doesn’t mean having to say farewell forever.
The couple created a private social media page to stay in touch with adopters of their foster dogs. Their new families share pictures, videos, and heartwarming stories of how much the dogs mean to them—and they’re so thankful the Gelfands played such a vital role in saving their dogs’ lives.
“You can love them and still be happy when they find their forever homes,” Aaron says. “One of our mama dogs got adopted by our next-door neighbor who lost her husband to cancer, and that dog has been her lifeline. We get to create these happily ever afters for people.”
The safety of feeding garlic to dogs is highly dose dependent. Use caution if you choose to feed it.
Credit: Barbara Rich | Getty Images
Many human foods are toxic to dogs, including grapes, raisins, onions, and garlic. But, you say, garlic has health benefits for your dog and you like natural alternatives. That’s great! So do we! However, research shows garlic can damage your dog’s red blood cells when fed in inappropriate amounts. So, is it OK to feed garlic to dogs?
“Garlic is a tricky one because when used topically and sprinkled over food, it is great for dogs,” says CJ Puotinen, a long-time Whole Dog Journal contributor and author of books on holistic pet care. “It fights ear infections, internal infections, boosts immune systems, and lowers blood sugar. But it also contains thiosulphate.” That’s the concern: Thiosulphate can damage red blood cells in dogs.
How Much Garlic Can Your Dog Eat?
Many holistic veterinarians believe that feeding doses small amounts of garlic are not likely to pose problems for dogs. Be aware of iffy dosage recommendations: While a snippet of garlic may be OK for your dog, garlic powder is concentrated and dangerous for your dog.
The purported benefits of feeding garlic to dogs may give you pause. For example, garlic is believed to combat high cholesterol in dogs. Maybe. But, if your dog is diagnosed with high cholesterol, you need to look at his diet. He’s probably eating too much fat. And a study from 2015 found garlic and onions can modify cancer risk.
Feeding garlic is highly dose dependent. “When used topically for wounds or ear infections, it’s harmless,” says Puotinen. When your dog eats it, that’s different. Puotinen writes that many veterinarians who prescribe garlic for dogs with fleas recommend 1/2 clove of fresh raw crushed garlic per 15 to 20 pounds of body weight. Again, safe in moderation.
Garlic for Warding Off Fleas
When introducing garlic to your dog, start with smaller amounts and increase gradually. Garlic doesn’t kill fleas, so adding it to your dog’s diet won’t make an immediate difference, but after a month of daily garlic, your dog should be far less attractive to fleas.
Of course, natural remedies like garlic for fleas are known to be limited in their effectiveness. If your dog is at a low risk of contracting fleas, it might help (check that dosage with your veterinarian, first, however). But, if you live where flea populations are high, you may want to consider a monthly preventative to kill fleas who jump on your dog and ward off flea infestations, which are notoriously difficult to eradicate.
A Toxic Reaction Is an Emergency
If your dog ever gets into something, garlic or anything else, and you are worried about toxicity, don’t take a chance. Call a pet-poison hotline for direction (there may be a charge):
Although there are many theories, there hasn’t been much conclusive research done on why some dogs circle before laying down. Credit: Shirlyn Loo | Getty Images
Some people say dogs circle three times before lying down. Others say they only do it once. And still others say they don’t do it at all. So, what’s the truth about whether dogs turn in a circle before they lie down? And if they do, why do they do it?
Even renowned scientists and dog behaviorists don’t know for sure. Oddly enough, even though this is a very common canine behavior, there have been almost no formal research studies on the phenomenon. (There is, however, significant research on excessive and prolonged circling that’s related to canine obsessive-compulsive disorder and neurological issues. More on that later.)
Of course, none of this has stopped people from speculating on the reasons for this behavior. One theory is that it’s a holdover from the domestic dog’s wolf ancestors, who needed to check their surroundings for threats before settling down to sleep. Another idea is that dogs circle to chase away any pests that might be hiding in the weeds that would disturb their sleep. Others believe that it’s because dogs need to flatten tall grass and underbrush to make a comfortable “nest” for themselves and their pups.
Let’s take a look at each of these theories.
Looking for Dangers
Dr. Leslie Irvine, who researches the roles of animals in society and is the author of If You Tame Me: Understanding Our Connection With Animals, relates it to instinctive wolf behavior. “In the wild, the circling would flatten grasses or snow and would drive out any snakes or large insects.” She also speculates that circling and flattening the area would have left a visible sign to other wolves that the territory was already claimed.
One reason the dog’s wild ancestors circled may have been to simply create a relatively flat, circular spot to lie in. In tall grass, circling could enable the wolf to pat down the area and scoop out any rocks or other uncomfortable objects with their paws to make a soft spot. Today, of course, most of our companion dogs have soft dog beds or blankets to lie on . . . but like so many instinctual behaviors, the impulse to circle remains.
The notion that dogs circle in order to get comfortable is supported by other animal experts, who are skeptical of the notion that scouting for threats and predators is the reason for this circling behavior. Behaviorist and veterinarian Dr. Christopher Pachel believes the behavior is most likely associated with preparing the ground for a comfortable resting spot. He adds that there could also be what he calls an “unwinding” aspect to circling, which dogs often display when they’re shifting from an awake state to a resting one.
This “nesting” instinct is supported by an experiment run by renowned dog behaviorist Dr. Stanley Coren. He discovered that when dogs are presented with a soft, uneven surface, they are much more likely to turn in circles before they lie down, and often scratch or paw at the material to arrange it to their liking. When are given a flat, smooth surface, far fewer dogs exhibited the circling behavior.
Controlling Body Temperature
After circling, many dogs choose to lie curled up rather than stretched out. This position helps them regulate their body temperatures and conserve heat around the core of their bodies, especially in cold climates. Many Huskies, for instance, curl into a ball to sleep in the snow to prevent heat from escaping; they usually tuck their noses between their hind legs and tails, and cover their faces with their bushy tails, which protects their noses from the cold and allows them to breathe in warm air. At the same time, other pack members will gather together in a tight circle to effectively share body heat.
Aligning with the Earth’s Magnetic Field
Chances are, this is something you didn’t realize (I certainly didn’t!), but studies have proven that under calm magnetic field conditions, at least 30 percent of dogs prefer to eliminate with their bodies aligned along the North–South axis. Why dogs choose to align with the earth’s geomagnetic field when eliminating remains a mystery: do they do it consciously because they can actually sense the magnetic field, or do they simply feel better or more comfortable when aligned to it? It has been posited that the same could be true of dogs’ circling behavior: a way to position their bodies in relation to the earth’s magnetic field. In fact, at certain times several species of mammals spontaneously align themselves with respect to the magnetic field lines, including grazing and resting cattle, roe deer and red deer, and hunting red foxes.
When Circling is a Problem
Usually, we find circling behavior simply curious and amusing, but there are times when circling can indicate serious problems. If you believe your dog is circling excessively or the behavior appears suddenly, becomes more pronounced, or shows up alongside other symptoms, consult a veterinarian.
A dog persistently walking in circles often signals a forebrain dysfunction, which can include brain tumor, stroke, brain inflammation such as encephalitis, or hydrocephalus (brain swelling from a buildup of cerebrospinal fluid).
Another cause of excessive circling can be canine peripheral vestibular disease, caused by lesions in the middle and inner ear that affect balance and can result in persistent circling. It can stem from ear infections, head trauma, tumors, or it may be idiopathic (having no identifiable cause). The idiopathic form is especially common in older dogs, hence the antiquated name, “old dog vestibular syndrome.” Today, however, we understand that this disease can occur at any age, so that term has been replaced by canine idiopathic vestibular disease.
Orthopedic disorders like arthritis, spinal cord, or back problems can also underlie excessive circling, since dogs in pain will often circle to find a more comfortable position.
Persistent circling has also been seen in dogs with obsessive-compulsive disorder, which is characterized by repetitive, exaggerated behaviors which interfere with normal, activities and functioning. The same is true for dogs with with Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome (CDS). As with human dementia, this is a condition related to the aging of the brain, and is most often seen in dogs nine years old and older. That being said, it’s important not to assume that your older dog’s behavioral changes such as repetitive circling are a result of CDS, since many dementia symptoms can be caused by other medical issues.
In the end, if your pup circles once, twice, or even three times before settling down for a nap, there’s no need to worry. We may not be able to explain exactly why they do it, but there’s no doubt that it’s very normal and predictable canine behavior.
Shelters are full of unplanned litters of puppies all over the country. What is being done in your area to reduce this tragic overpopulation? Credit: GeorgePeters, Getty Images
I was scrolling through social media one day when I saw a press release from a shelter that’s located in a nearby county:
AnimalSave, in partnership with the Center for Animal Protection and Education (CAPE) and Sammie’s Friends, is working to expand the number of low-cost spay and neuter appointments available to the Nevada County (CA) community. As a result, AnimalSave will be offering additional spay and neuter appointments through July, August, and September 2024, or until the current funding is exhausted.
My immediate response was jealousy, or perhaps it was envy. Three organizations—a lower-cost spay/neuter clinic (AnimalSave), a rescue and sanctuary group (CAPE), and the public shelter whose social media I follow (Sammie’s Friends), put together some funding to hire the additional staff required to increase the number of lower-cost spay/neuter surgeries that the clinic could perform on dogs and cats, and to offer lower-income owners vouchers that would reduce their cost of those surgeries (whether from AnimalSave or the owners’ regular veterinarians). I have to hand it to the folks responsible for this group effort to reduce the population of unwanted dogs and cats in their community. Why isn’t my local shelter doing something like that?
I often hear complaints from dog owners in my area that 1), It’s hard to get an appointment for spay/neuter at any of our local veterinary hospitals, waiting times are long, and 2), that these surgeries are prohibitively expensive—so much so, that many owners give up on the idea of birth control for their pets (and the inevitable unintended pregnancies and birth of unwanted litters occur).
Some communities are lucky to have lower-cost spay/neuter clinics available. Forty years ago, my sister married a veterinarian who specialized in opening clinics that provided only those services (and vaccinations). They referred sick animals to other practitioners and provided only high-quality, high-volume, spay/neuter services—and they were profitable, and the vets had reliable work schedules. (Veterinary school students, take note!) But my former brother-in-law retired ages ago and none of the practices he founded, or others like them, are anywhere near me.
Communities that have been successful in reducing the population of unwanted pets usually have employed various creative ways to increase the rate of spay/neuter of owned dogs and cats, as well as trapped/neutered/released feral cats. But in every community, this takes MONEY—for the establishment of facilities to do surgery and reliable staffing (or the regular engagement of mobile spay/neuter practices), and outreach to the community to let them know these services are available. Voucher programs that bring lower-cost services down even further, or to make these services free of cost altogether, might be needed to reach the very lowest-income population.
So why doesn’t my local shelter form partnerships that result in the reduction of unwanted puppies and kittens in our area? What it tends to come down to is a lack of personnel, paid or volunteer, to look for opportunities to apply for partnerships or grants. There are a number of organizations that offer grants to shelters or rescues that provide spay/neuter services— but my local shelter’s budget is too tight to employ someone to look for opportunities to reduce the need for sheltering and animal control services! It’s a Catch-22 that keeps the shelter full.
What is being done in your community to reduce shelter populations? Please share if you are involved in helping to reduce the overpopulation of dogs and cats.
Redness, crusting, and a thick discharge in your dog’s eye could indicate an eye infection like conjunctivitis.
Credit: hugo1313 | Getty Images
You may notice your dog’s eyes look red, and there may be some discharge. He might be squinting. How do you know if this indicates allergies or an eye infection?
Deciding if your dog has an allergic eye reaction or if he is starting with an infection is difficult. Unfortunately, eye problems can go from minor to very serious very quickly. Generally, you can wait overnight, but it is much better to err on the side of caution and schedule a veterinary visit as soon as possible.
Allergic Dog Eye Symptoms
The discharge from your dog’s eyes will vary with allergies versus infections. With allergies, squinting is not common. The usual signs include:
Rubbing his eyes with his paws or his face along the carpet or grass
Both eyes affected
Possible clear nasal discharge
Dog may sneeze
Allergies tend to be seasonal, just like in people, so think spring and fall for the big allergy seasons. Remember, however, that dogs can also suffer from nonseasonal allergies such as food, medications, and contact allergies, including from things like laundry detergent and household cleaners.
“In my clinical experience, allergic conjunctivitis is characterized initially by significant pruritus (itching) directed at the eyelids and periocular skin, often resulting in alopecia (hair loss), skin ulceration, eyelid swelling and chemosis (swelling of the conjunctiva),” says Thomas J. Kern, DVM, associate professor of ophthalmology at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. “Secondary chemosis and mucopurulent discharge due to secondary bacterial infection often accompany these other signs. Affected animals may have generalized cutaneous signs or signs may be localized to around the eyes.”
Infected Dog Eye Symptoms
Eye infections like pink eye tend to be painful. Your dog may resist if you try to clean them or look at them closely. With infections, especially if secondary to trauma, only one eye may be affected. Signs of an infected eye in a dog include:
Discharge is most likely to be mucoid, thick, and purulent (puslike), although it can be clear, gray, green, or yellow
Red, swollen, and inflamed conjunctiva
Dried crusts on the dog’s eyelashes
Dog may squint and avoid bright light, particularly if the cornea is damaged
He may rub his eyes, or his face just like with allergies
Causes of an Infected Eye in Dogs
Ocular infections can be caused by many things, often with associated damaged to the conjunctiva or cornea. Once those protective barriers are broken by trauma or foreign bodies, the tissues are ripe for bacterial invasion. Ocular viral infections are often a result of viral respiratory problems. Something as simple as shampoo on your dog’s cornea can lead to an infection and corneal damage. (Think how it stings if you get shampoo in your eye!) Eyelash and eyelid problems, like entropion and ectropion, may cause corneal irritation and lead to infection.
Dog Eye Discharge Diagnosis
If your dog has a veterinary appointment, do not clean his eyes before the visit. Your veterinarian may want to do swab the discharge to look for bacteria and other pathogenic organisms. A sterile swab of the discharge and any conjunctival fluids will look for bacteria, organisms like chlamydia, and cells associated with allergies such as eosinophils or infection like neutrophils.
A careful history is important, especially if you have changed anything in your household such as detergents and cleaners or switched to a new food. Your dog’s eyes will be looked at with a variety of ophthalmic instruments, including a slit lamp and an ophthalmoscope. If there is concern about glaucoma, a tonometer will be used to measure intraocular pressures.
An additional diagnostic test is the use of a fluorescein stain to evaluate the integrity of the cornea. First, a drop of local anesthetic may be put in, especially if the eye is painful, then the stain. As tears wash the excess stain away, any scratches or injuries to the cornea will remain bright green. Don’t be surprised if your dog’s nose drips some brightly stained liquid, too!
Your veterinarian will also do a Schirmer tear test to make sure your dog is producing enough tears to protect the cornea. Keratoconjunctivitis sicca, or dry eye, makes your dog susceptible to corneal damage.
Dog Eye Discharge Treatment
Treatment will be based on what your veterinarian finds. For allergic conditions, a corticosteroid or immune-suppressant medication is often recommended, e.g., cyclosporin or prednisolone. Your dog may require systemic medications in addition to eye ointment or drops if he has whole-body allergic symptoms.
Some antiviral eye medications can be used for cases associated with viral infections. Antibacterial medications will be based on what is identified via the conjunctival swab if possible. Atropine drops or ointment may be dispensed to help with pain control if your dog’s eye is painful as evidenced by frequent blinking or squinting. A word of caution: If your dog gets any atropine in his mouth, he may foam a bit as it seems to taste bitter.
Many medications come in both ointment and drop formulations. Which works better often depends on your ability to medicate your dog. Drops can be easier in many cases, as you simply “drop” in the dose from above while gently restraining your dog’s head. Ointments work best if you can gently pull the lower lid down a tad, so the ointment goes into the “shelf” provided.
Drops generally require more frequent dosing than ointments, which could be a problem if your work schedule keeps you away from home. Also, if your dog resists having his head restrained, less frequent treatments might be easier. Dogs tend to be more resistant when the eye is most painful. Many dogs on chronic eye medications, such as for pannus, are good about their daily treatments.
Clearly, the sooner you catch an eye problem, the sooner treatment can begin to prevent any permanent scarring or damage to vision. Untreated, problems like an eye ulcer can leave your dog with damaged eyesight.
Most trainers use the verbal word “down” and a hand gesture to teach a dog to lie down, but a recent study is pointing toward more emphasis on the dog’s ability to understand the spoken word.
Credit: Zbynek Pospisil
A study published in PLOS One on August 28 proved that dogs can recognize, comprehend, and respond to words from soundboards. The results open up a world of opportunities for expanding our ability to communicate with our dogs.
The researchers, from the University of California at San Diego, put together a carefully constructed study to determine if dogs can understand words like “play” and “outside” when the words come from a soundboard without any other clues. (In case you weren’t aware, canine talking buttons, or soundboards, are hot right now!) And, yes, the dogs in the study clearly demonstrated that they understood what the word meant.
Before your skeptical brain starts to think, “Well, sure, my dog knows what ‘sit’ means,” you should know that the researchers worked hard to ensure there were no other things involved, like the all-important aspect of body language (more on that below). And the researchers used two similar studies, both involving the same strict parameters and methods, to reach their conclusion. One of the studies was done by the researchers and the other by “citizen scientists” at home.
“This study addresses public skepticism about whether dogs truly understand what the buttons mean,” says Federico Rossano in an an interview on Science Daily. “Our findings are important because they show that words matter to dogs, and that they respond to the words themselves, not just to associated cues.” Rossano is a cognitive science associate professor at UC San Diego, the head of the Comparative Cognition Lab, and one of the study authors. (You may have seen Rossano on Netflix in “Inside the Mind of a Dog.”)
“Pet dogs can be successfully taught by their owners to associate words recorded onto soundboard buttons to their outcomes in the real world,” wrote the researchers, “and they respond appropriately to these words even when they are presented in the absence of any other cues, such as the owner’s body language.”
What about body language? In a 2017 study from the University of Naples, researchers proved that dogs respond to both words and body language. They determined that the fastest reactions were when both methods of communication were used at the same time. Not surprising. What’s fascinating, though, is that the researchers learned that if the dogs received conflicting information (as in the body language indicated one thing and the words something else), the dogs responded to the cue from the body language. In a nutshell, if your dog isn’t sure what you mean, he is going to follow the communication from your body. This is huge information for anyone who trains dogs!
The body language aspect is also why it was important in the soundboard study that the researchers ensured no physical cues were used. The researchers hope to expand the study to determine if dogs and humans can have “two-way interspecies communication” using the soundboard. I find the idea exciting—and maybe just a little scary.
I can testify that my agility dogs are very verbal, and I use a lot of words when training. One of the first things the dogs figure out is that “Yes!” means they did something right and a treat is headed their way. And heaven knows that my baby dog is aware that “hush,” even shouted from across the room, means stop barking. (Thank goodness, as she does like to bark.) I’m a little concerned, though, if I give them access to a soundboard what words they may choose to share with me.
: If your dog is chewing or licking his paw, inspect the dog’s nails and his paw to figure out why. If you find a problem, early treatment is best.
Credit: Cavan Images | Getty Images
Proper care of your dog’s nails and following treatment instructions for any injuries can help keep your dog on the run and allow problems to heal faster. If you and your dog participate in dog sports requiring speed, injuries are more likely, and 19% of those injuries occur in the paw or claw.
Some dog paw problems focus around the dog’s nails, or claws. Note: A dog’s nails are technically “claws” because they are pointed, curved, and grow out of the end of an appendage. Nails are flatter and more rounded and grow over the end of the appendage. We will use both terms in this piece, however, because “dog nails” is the more common term.
Overgrown claws. If your dog’s claws are too long, they change the way he stands and walks. Ideally, your dog’s nails should be short and close to the paw, so that they can be used to grip when needed but don’t get in the way the rest of the time. Some dogs wear their claws down naturally, but many require weekly nail trims to obtain ideal nail length.
Broken claws. If your dog catches her nail on something, it can break. If the break occurs in the keratinized portion of the claw, it will not hurt. But if it affects the “quick,” which has blood vessels and nerves in it, it will both hurt and bleed. Broken claws are more likely to occur if your dog has long claws that are not trimmed regularly. In some cases, you may be able to trim the broken claw yourself, but if it is bleeding or painful you may need a veterinary appointment for removal under sedation.
Ingrown claws. Untrimmed claws continue to grow and may eventually curl under and into the paw. This is painful, and the resulting wound is susceptible to infection. If your dog’s nails tend to curl (we’re looking at you, Pugs and Beagles), keep on top of regular nail trims. An ingrown claw will require a vet appointment to potentially trim the nail and clean the wound under sedation, plus prescribe antibiotics to resolve any infection that may be present.
Infected claws. Dog nails can become infected by yeast or bacteria. You may notice that your dog’s paws smell weird, and that the texture of the claws has changed. Infected nails may appear bloody, greasy, discolored, or feel soft when you try to trim them.
Symmetrical lupoid onychodystrophy (SLO). This is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation of the claw bed, which in turn leads to abnormal claws. Dogs with SLO often have sore, painful paws, and the claws frequently fall off and grow back with an abnormal shape or texture. This condition will require long-term medications and management to keep your dog comfortable.
Unhealthy Dog Paws
Claw problems aren’t the only things that may go wrong with your dog’s feet. Some potential dog-paw problems include:
Run off pads. Active dogs who like to run over hard surfaces such as asphalt, cement, rocks, or hard-packed dirt can damage the thick pads on the bottom of their paws. The friction between the paw and the ground causes the pad layer to separate from the sensitive underlying tissues. While this is not a dire situation, it is painful. Your dog will need to rest while the weak spots in the pad(s) heal and may need pain meds or antibiotics from your veterinarian.
Longhaired dogs seem to love to get things stuck in the hair between their toes, which can cause uncomfortable knots to develop. Carefully clip existing mats to relieve discomfort. Prevent future mats by keeping the hair on your dog’s feet trimmed.
Yeast and bacterial infections. Dog paws can be an ideal spot for microbial infections. Common signs include a characteristic “corn chip” odor, oozy or flakey skin on the paws, and licking or chewing. Your veterinarian will do a skin scrape to determine the cause of the infection and treat it with appropriate topical or systemic medications.
Dogs with allergies—especially environmental allergies—often get itchy feet. You will notice your dog constantly licking and chewing his paws, and the characteristic dark rusty staining of the hair from all the licking. Some dogs may feel better with just Benadryl, but many may need prescription meds such as Apoquel, Cytopoint, or allergy injections to quell the itch. Some dogs have seasonal allergies, while others experience symptoms year-round.
Paw lacerations.A cut paw hurts! Your dog will limp, and bleeding may seem excessive because of the many blood vessels in the paw. Initiate first aid by applying pressure to stop bleeding, then call your veterinarian to get the wound cleaned and some antibiotics.
Broken toes. Dogs can break their toes in many ways, even by getting a toe stuck in a crate door or by being stepped on. Most of these fractures can heal on their own with strict rest. If the bone heals poorly or continues to bother your dog, amputation may be the best choice. Dogs do fine with a missing toe or two.
Sarcoptic mange.The mites that cause sarcoptic mange like to live in dogs’ skin, and they cause an extreme itch along with red, irritated skin. Your vet can check for mange with the same skin scrape that checks for bacterial and fungal infections. Thankfully, sarcoptic mange can be treated with many of the same medications that we use to prevent fleas and ticks.
Keratin overgrowth. While most common in brachycephalic breeds such as Boxers or Bulldogs, some dogs have excessive growth of the hard keratin on their paw pads. Instead of being smooth with a slight cobblestone pattern, these dogs have long thin projections all over the paw pads. This condition is not usually painful but can impact how your dog walks. Excess keratin can be trimmed back by your veterinarian.
Interdigital furunculosis. This condition is most common in short-haired breeds such as Bulldogs and may be referred to as interdigital cysts, although the bumps are not true cysts. Interdigital furunculosis is when the hair follicles on the paw become inflamed, resulting in painful swelling on or between the toes. This condition is often related to allergies, and it can predispose the dog to deep bacterial infections in the paw that require long treatment courses with antibiotics.
Pemphigus foliaceus. This is an autoimmune disease that causes crusts, sores, and severe irritation on the paws. Dogs with pemphigus foliaceus may also have secondary yeast or bacterial infections, which make their paws even more uncomfortable. Your veterinarian will treat any infections directly and address the pemphigus with an immunosuppressive medication.
Truly unhealthy dog paws and unhealthy dog claws are not common, but they can be painful. Set your dog up for success by trimming his claws regularly and checking his paws any time you notice lameness or excessive licking and chewing.
Being together in the house usually isn’t enough to keep a dog entertained. Credit: AleksandarNakic | Getty Images
It can be a challenge to figure out what to do to keep a dog happy and engaged when you—and the dog—are stuck at home. For me, the thing that most often keeps me house-bound during the day is work. However, work hours mean very little to my young, extremely energetic dog. While I’m fixated on my computer screen, she’s hanging around getting bored. She’s learning the self-discipline to wait until it’s time to do something fun, but too much boredom ends with her getting frustrated and then finding some (usually undesirable) way to entertain herself.
We also live in an area that gets scorchingly hot during the summer. The pavement is often a burn hazard and, even with dog shoes, the temperature can make it unsafe for us to do much outdoors after about 10 a.m. Once again, this leads to sitting in the house with a bored dog who just want to do something fun. Fortunately, there are a lot of quick and relatively simple ways to entertain (and exercise) a dog without leaving the house.
How To Exercise Your Dog Indoors
Getting a good workout without being able to go outside isn’t always easy, but it can be done. If you live in an apartment building with hallways or a house with enough space, grab the leash and go on an indoor walk. It may feel silly, but being able to move will help keep your dog entertained. If possible, consider hiding treats or toys around the house for him to sniff out while you walk.
Exercises like puppy pushups are also a good option for burning off some excess energy without leaving the house. They can also be done in shorter sessions during work breaks. A popular training class exercise, puppy pushups are not only a physical workout but will help sharpen up basic cues as well. For those not already familiar, here are the steps to complete a puppy pushup:
Make sure you have a reward on hand such as treats or a favorite toy.
Cue your dog to sit.
As soon as he sits, cue him to lay down.
When his belly touches the floor, cue him to sit again.
Cue a stand.
Ask for one more sit.
Reward and repeat.
Bonus: For an added bit of fun, you can turn on some music and give the cues in time with the beat.
In addition to puppy pushups, I regularly set up obstacle courses around the house for my dog. I typically use plastic cones and bars to create low jumps and run agility tunnels down the hallway, but it doesn’t have to be that complicated. Even asking your dog to do figure-eights around a couple of chairs and crawl under a broom propped between the couch and coffee table can be good fun and good exercise. The trick with indoor obstacle courses is to build them with an eye toward safety. If your dog will be running or jumping inside, make sure he won’t encounter any slippery surfaces and isn’t in danger of crashing into anything if he jumps too enthusiastically or can’t slow down quickly.
As always with exercise, make sure your dog is physically capable of the activity before asking him to participate. If you aren’t sure your dog is up for a particular type of exercise, check with your veterinarian.
Games To Play With Your Dog In the House
Whether it’s a simple game of tug or a more elaborate round of find-it, playing with your dog is one of the best ways to keep them entertained when stuck in the house. There are so many good games to play with your dog indoors. Some of my favorites include:
Hide-and-seek: Sneak away when your dog isn’t looking, find a hiding spot, then call him enthusiastically. When he comes to find you, praise him and reward him with a treat or toy. If your dog hasn’t played before, pick easy hiding spots to start—such as stepping out of the room just beyond view. Gradually increase the difficulty as he begins to understand the game.
Find it: Start by hiding a treat in the palm of one hand, close both hands, and hold them out to your dog. When he noses the hand with the treat in it, praise him and let him have the treat. From there, make it more challenging by hiding a treat under a cup and letting him search for it among several similar cups.
Tug: While little explanation is needed for how to play—human and dog each grab one end of a toy and pull—there are few rules to keep the game from getting out of hand. Most importantly, tug is an ‘invitation only’ game. Your dog should understand that it’s only okay to tug on things when you initiate it. He should also have a solid ‘release’ cue and let go of the toy the moment you ask. As for health and safety considerations, tugging should always be done sideways, not up-and-down, to help prevent spinal injuries and should be kept gentle for puppies, elderly dogs, or those with relevant medical conditions. For more on how to safely set up a game of tug, see “Eight Rules for Playing Tug of War With Your Dog.”
Mental Stimulation Toys for Dogs
Interactive puzzle toys are a great way to provide some mental stimulation for your dog without leaving the house. While such toys often require supervision and assistance (particularly if the dog is inexperienced with puzzles), most dogs find a good mental workout to be rewarding—and exhausting! As discussed in “The Best Dog Puzzle Toys,” it may take a few tries with different toys to figure out the right difficulty level for your dog.
Similarly, snuffle mats, lick mats, and other food dispensing toys can very useful methods of doggy entertainment. My young terrier will happily spend up to 20 minutes engaged with her snuffle mat. If I have a meeting or just need some time without her “help” writing articles, I’ll set the mat out next to my desk and fill it with half a cup or so of her dry kibble. As a bonus, she often falls asleep after she’s done.
Don’t Forget About Training
Whether you are working from home or just stuck indoors with a bored dog, a few quick training sessions throughout the day can go a long way to entertaining your dog (and you!). A good session doesn’t need to be longer than 5 or 10 minutes to be effective. A short round of heelwork down the hallway or down-stays during lunch can make a big difference in both training progress and preventing boredom at home.
Online dog training classes are another way to keep engaged and discover new ways to work with your dog if leaving the house isn’t a good option. I spent the last heatwave teaching my dog to walk with me—her front feet on top of my feet—with the help of an online tricks class. It was great fun for us both and resulted in a really cute behavior.
As always when it comes to training, don’t forget to have fun! If the usual routine is feeling dull, consider teaching your dog a new trick.
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?”
