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Whole Dog Journal’s 2005 Canned Dog Food Review

By
Nancy Kerns
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The making of laws and sausage, goes the old saying, is better unseen. Apparently, the pet food industry feels the same way about “wet” food for dogs and cats. We haven’t yet managed to get into a cannery to see how the product is made (but we’re not giving up!). There are a few reasons for this.

The first has to do with the fact that there are very few wet food canneries in the U.S., relative to facilities that manufacture dry food. (As a matter of fact, the entire canning industry – of pet food and human food – has seen enormous consolidation in the last decade.

Many facilities have been acquired by foreign firms and then shuttered, with their operations being offshored.) The pet food industry giants – Purina, Hills, and the like – maintain their own private manufacturing facilities. (Representatives of both companies have told us that tours of their facilities are out of the question, although we know any number of veterinarians who were able to tour the plants when they were in vet school.) The vast majority of the companies that make the types of food we like, however, use independent, “contract” manufacturers, and there are only about half a dozen of these in the U.S. left. The result is, there is a relatively small pool of wet pet food makers we can ask for a tour.

The largest of these, Menu Foods, is the leading North American contract manufacturer of wet pet food products sold by supermarket retailers, mass merchandisers, pet specialty retailers and other retail and wholesale outlets; they make a great many of the foods on our “Top Approved Wet Dog Foods” list. By all accounts, they do a good job; they are trusted by many of the pet food companies we trust. But in many cases, not even the executives of these companies can get a tour of a Menu Foods canned food plant. And if they do get a tour, it’s on a night when the equipment is not operating.

We were told by a Menu Foods representative that the reason for this secrecy has to do with maintaining the confidentiality of Menu’s clients. If they allowed a tour of the plant, a rep of one pet food company could conceivably sleuth information about the proprietary formula for a competitor’s product or ingredients. Simply seeing a competitor’s labels on a pallet can confirm the competitor’s contract with Menu – something that is supposedly confidential.

We find this incredibly annoying, since in our experience, all the pet food executives already know exactly where their competitors’ products are made.

We haven’t yet asked the smaller contract manufacturers who make top-quality foods – Merrick Pet Foods in Texas, for example, or Evanger’s Dog & Cat Food Company in Illinois – for a tour of their facilities. They’ve been very forthcoming in the past, however, and the next time we’re in Texas or Illinois, we suspect, we’ll be able to fulfill our wish and see wet pet food get made.

Types of wet food
There are several types of wet dog food, and, as you may have gathered by our frequent use of the phrase “wet dog food,” increasingly, wet food is not canned but contained in pouches or trays.

The latter containers, especially in tiny serving sizes, are most popular with cat owners, since cats tend to be fussier about the freshness of their food. Plus, until recently, the only dog foods that are available in pouches and trays tend to be what we consider to be very low-quality products. The pouched products made by Kansas City’s Three Dog Bakery are a welcome and astonishing exception; the ingredients are of extraordinary quality.

No matter what package is used, all wet pet foods are heat-sterilized after the container is sealed. This process “cooks” the food, kills any pathogens, coagulates the proteins, and gelatinizes the starches, increasing their digestibility.

Pet food manufacturers divide wet food products into categories based on the food’s final form.

The most expensive to produce are the products described as “meat in jelly” or “meat in gravy.” These are comprised of chunks of “real” animal material in a sauce that has been thickened with either a gelling product (such as locust bean gum and carrageenan) or xanthan or similar gums; products whose matrix more closely resembles a gravy are generally thickened with guar gum or modified starches.

The not-very-yummy-sounding “meat analog” products are very similar to the products described above, with the difference being that the “meat” has been finely ground and restructured into chunks of the desired shape and size.

These chunks can be made out of animal products alone, or made with a combination of meat and cereal. Generally some sort of binder is required to help the manufactured chunks hold together – soy isolates or glutens are frequently used in this capacity; however, in some products, blood plasma and/or wheat flour are included to help bind the chunks, helping them retain a discrete shape. We were recently surprised to see a company whose products we used to like using blood plasma as a binder. Yuck!

“Loaf” products, which generally contain significant amounts of grain (for a wet product) are the least expensive to produce, grain being less expensive than animal products. Sometimes the loaf contains chunks of meat.

Recent innovations
Two very uncommon types of wet food appear on WDJ’s “Top Approved Wet Dog Food” list. One is Spot’s Stew, made by Halo, Purely for Pets. As the name suggests, this product most closely resembles a “chunk in gravy” product but it’s much more liquid, and there are a lot of vegetable chunks in it, too; it really is a stew.

The other unusual food type contains large chunks of poultry or fish, including their bones. These products were introduced to the market by Active Life Pet Products and have been more successfully copied in some formulas by Merrick and Evanger’s. Dog owners who are unaccustomed to the practice of feeding fresh, raw, meaty bones to dogs often panic when they detect the chicken leg bones in some of these formulas. However, the canning process softens the bones to a readily digestible texture that you can easily smush between your fingers.

The inclusion of vegetables, herbs, and even fruit has gained popularity, no doubt because the more of these ingredients there are listed on the label, the more it may appeal to the person who buys it for their dog. Undoubtedly the incorporation of these ingredients has presented pet food makers with manufacturing challenges; not only do they want the batter to be uniformly mixed, they have to worry about delivering at least some recognizable vegetable matter, too!

WDJ’s selection criteria
Here’s how we determine whether a wet food is truly “premium.”

• We eliminate all foods containing artificial colors, flavors, or added preservatives. Canned food should be high in animal proteins, and as such, plenty palatable without any added flavors. It also needn’t contain any preservatives, given its sterilized and sealed containment.

• We reject foods containing fat or protein not identified by species. “Animal fat” and “meat proteins” are euphemisms for low-quality, low-priced mixed ingredients of uncertain origin.

• We reject any food containing meat by-products or poultry by-products. There is a wide variation in the quality of the by-products that are available to dog food producers. And there is no way for the average dog owner (or anyone else) to find out, beyond a shadow of a doubt, whether the by-products used are carefully handled, chilled, and used fresh within a day or two of slaughter (as some companies have told us), or the cheapest, lowest-quality material found on the market.

There is some, but much less variation in the quality of whole-meat products; they are too expensive to be handled carelessly.

• We eliminate any food containing sugar or other sweetener. Again, a food containing quality meats shouldn’t need additional palatants to entice dogs.

• We look for foods with whole meat, fish, or poultry as the first ingredient (and perhaps the second and third ingredients, too!) on the label. (Just as with food for humans, ingredients are listed on the label by the total weight they contribute to the product.)

• We like it when a nutritious meat, poultry, or fish broth is used in place of the water that may be necessary for processing. Broth is obtained by cooking meat, fish, or poultry bones, parts, and/or muscle tissue.

• If grains or vegetables are used, we look for the use of whole grains and vegetables, rather than a series of reconstituted parts, i.e., “rice,” rather than “rice flour, rice bran, brewer’s rice,” etc.

• Speaking of grain . . . We’ve discussed this many times, but there is nothing that says a canned food has to contain any grain or carbohydrate source.

Grains originally found their way into pet food because they were less expensive than animal proteins; of course, their amino acid profiles are much less complete than those offered by animal-sourced proteins, so we’re not crazy about the use of any grain or grain fragment as a protein source.

And, unlike humans, dogs do not need carbohydrates to live; they can do fine with a diet that contains no carbs whatsoever. We strongly prefer dog foods that contain small amounts of grain or no grain at all.

Go forth and compare
In the chart at the end of this article, we’ve listed a number of canned dog foods that meet our selection criteria. It’s vitally important that you understand the following points regarding these foods:

• The foods on our list are not the only good foods on the market.

• Any food that you find that meets our selection criteria, outlined above, is just as good as any of the foods on our list.

• We have presented the foods on our list alphabetically. We do not “rank order” foods. We don’t attempt to identify which ones are “best,” because what’s “best” for every dog is different.

• The proof is in the pudding. If your dog does not thrive on the food, with a glossy coat, itch-free skin, bright eyes, clear ears, and a happy, alert demeanor, it doesn’t matter whether we like it or not.

Using the selection criteria we have outlined above, and perhaps taking into account some of the “extra credit” criteria listed in the “Further Attributes of Top-Quality Dog Food” sidebar, go analyze the food you are currently feeding your dog. If it doesn’t measure up, we encourage you to choose a new food based on quality, as well as what works best for you and your dog in terms of types of ingredients, levels of protein and fat, and local availability and price.

Our list of Approved “Top Wet Dog Foods” is offered as a starting place, and for its value as a comparison to other products you may find.

Also With This Article
Click here to view “Buying the Best Canned Dog Food”
Click here to view “The Benefits of Canned Dog Food”
Click here to view “WDJ’s 2013 Canned Dog Food Review”
Click here to view “Which is the Best Type of Dog Food?”

Minimizing Language Barrier Between Human and Canine

By
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
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Human-dog interactions can be more difficult than dog-dog ones, since our native languages are so different. Our series of three photos this month depicts a classic conflict between a canine and a human; the two are strangers and neither really understands what the other is communicating. Similar interactions are played out every day in communities across the country, in which well-intentioned humans do all the wrong things in their efforts to be friendly with dogs. Far too often, the failure of dog and human to understand each other and respond appropriately results in a bite – or several.

Last month, we ran photos of an interaction between a human and a dog. Did you spot signs of their mutual misunderstanding?

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PHOTO #1 ANALYSIS

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• Man – The man is bent over from the waist, directly facing the strange dog, making direct eye contact. He has observed the dog growling and barking at him, and he’s probably saying something like, “Here, boy!”

• Dog – Tail is stiffly erect, ears appear pricked forward, commisure (corner of lips) looks forward, body posture is tall and forward, and the dog is also making direct eye contact.

CONCLUSION
The man would like to meet and greet the dog, and is using appropriate primate body language to do so.

Bending at the waist is a human invitation to come closer. In our culture, a face-front greeting that includes direct eye contact indicates honesty, friendliness, and sincerity. The man is doing his best to entice the dog to come see him.

However, in the canine world, a full-front, bent-forward posture with direct eye contact is a strongly assertive threat, and the dog is reacting accordingly with defensive aggression. He may not be sure what the man is up to, but he’s sure he wants no part of it!

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PHOTO #2 ANALYSIS

288

• Man – Our human has straightened to full height and is stepping forward, still maintaining direct eye contact with the dog.

• Dog – Has moved off to the side, still carrying his tail high and maintaining direct eye contact with the man. His ears are pricked and his mouth appears puckered forward. It’s hard to tell for certain because of the angle, but his body posture still appears tall and forward.

CONCLUSION
The man has recognized that the dog is rejecting his advances, and is choosing to walk on. He has properly interpreted the dog’s aggressive posturing and has wisely given up making friends. While the human’s upright posture is less of a threat to the dog than his bent-over position in Photo #1, he is still making direct eye contact. The stick in his right hand is raised slightly. I’m curious as to whether he’s aware he did this – if he made this defensive gesture consciously, or if it was an automatic self-protection response.

The dog is still clearly aroused – keeping his eye on the man and his defenses up to see if the dangerous human poses any further threat.

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PHOTO #3 ANALYSIS

288

• Man – Has ceased interaction with the dog; walks forward, stick still slightly raised.

• Dog – In contrast, the dog continues to engage. He has circled behind the man and continues to show tension in his markedly forward posture, intense stare, and sharply pricked ears.

CONCLUSION
While the man appears to have dismissed the unfriendly dog and moved on, the dog isn’t yet done with this once-threatening human. Actually, the man is probably at the greatest risk at this moment in the interaction; defensively aggressive dogs are most likely to bite from behind or if cornered, and this dog looks likely to run up behind the man for a stealth attack. Something about the man’s posture suggests he may be more aware of the potentially threatening dog than it seems at first glance. Perhaps he belatedly realized that his eye contact was exacerbating the dog’s aggression.

Fortunately, this interaction ended without a bite. The man’s decision to break eye contact and move on worked. If he’s ever in a similar situation again, it might be wiser to stand still, turning slowly if necessary to keep his eye on the dog without making strong direct eye contact, until the dog relaxes and leaves or relaxes enough that the man can leave more safely.

 

Don’t Despair; Just Care

By
CJ Puotinen
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Cancer always sounds like a death sentence, no matter how the diagnosis is delivered. When patients are cured, they’re the exception rather than the rule – especially when they are very young or very old or when their cancers are well established.

“It’s true that some cancers have a high survival rate,” says Carol Falck, VMD, a holistic veterinarian in Pompano Beach, Florida, “but cancer is never good news, even if it’s easy to treat or detected early. Cancer is a chronic disease, an aberration of the immune system. Whenever and however it appears, it indicates that the body has been out of balance for a long time.”

Unlike conventional veterinary medicine (see “Conventional Cancer Care,” December 2005), which identifies dozens of specific cancers and treats each as a unique illness, holistic medicine takes a “whole body” approach.

“Holistic medicine does not specifically treat cancer,” says Dr. Falck. “Instead, it helps patients eliminate factors that allowed their cancers to develop in the first place. In holistic medicine, there are no specific protocols for different cancer diagnoses the way there are in conventional medicine. Rather, cancer is considered an imbalance that should be corrected so that the body can repair itself.”

Because cancer is such a frightening disease, it’s easy to panic and feel overwhelmed as you try to make sense of diagnoses and treatment options. “But you don’t have to decide everything that same day,” says Dr. Falck. “You have time to consult a holistic veterinarian or get a second opinion. And you don’t have to decide on a 100 percent conventional protocol or a 100 percent natural protocol. Integrative or complementary medicine combines the best of both worlds. In addition, there’s a lot you can do at home with holistic therapies to help your dog heal.”

Complementary medicine
Although the terms alternative, natural, complementary, integrative, and holistic are often used interchangeably, they have slightly different meanings.

“Alternative” is a catch-all phrase that describes any treatment that has not been endorsed by conventional medicine. “Natural” therapies are based on centuries-old botanical, nutritional, and physical treatments, most of which are gentle as well as effective, though they work more slowly than conventional treatments. “Complementary” and “integrative” describe the combination of natural and conventional therapies. “Holistic” applies to any treatment plan that considers all of the factors in a patient’s life, not just his lab test results.

In contrast, conventional or orthodox medicine trains its practitioners to identify specific diseases and treat them by attacking their symptoms. This approach is also called “allopathic,” which literally means “symptom-suppressing.” The downside of conventional medicine is that it seldom addresses an illness’s underlying causes, so it does not correct or eliminate the illness at its source. Treated illnesses often continue to progress, even while their symptoms subside temporarily. This is why recurring cancers are so common and so serious. Another problem with conventional medicine is that its treatments can cause side effects more painful and incapacitating than the illness itself.

“In addition,” says Dr. Falck, “conventional medicine usually ignores the emotional aspects of disease. I think holistic medicine does an excellent job of incorporating physical and emotional aspects into a treatment plan.”

Specific treatments that fall under the holistic/alternative umbrella include diet, nutritional supplements, homeopathy, herbal medicine, aromatherapy, flower essences, chiropractic, acupuncture, acupressure, massage, and several others. In complementary or integrative cancer care, these treatments are used to improve the results of conventional therapy and counteract its adverse side effects.

For example, acupuncture and medicinal herbs help alleviate the nausea caused by chemotherapy, while nutritional supplements help restore lost hair. Aromatherapy and herbs speed the healing of surgical wounds and help prevent skin damage caused by radiation treatments. Herbs, aromatherapy, and flower remedies alleviate stress and help bring emotions into balance. And an improved diet supports all cancer therapies.

Diet
The cornerstone of every holistic cancer therapy is diet – but which diet remains a subject of controversy.

Most conventional veterinarians prescribe commercial pet foods for dogs with cancer, or they encourage owners to feed the patient whatever he or she will eat. In contrast, holistic veterinarians often recommend a home-prepared or raw diet that does not include grains. Cancer cells metabolize carbohydrates quickly, so grains and other carbohydrates are problem ingredients. However, cancer cells do not metabolize fats, so fats are “safe” ingredients, although hydrogenated, partially hydrogenated, highly refined, and rancid fats should be avoided.

The list of recommended fats includes all animal fats, including fish oil, as well as coconut oil, which has its own cancer-fighting ingredients (see “Crazy about Coconut Oil,” October 2005).

As described in “Feed the Dog, Starve the Cancer” (November 2003), cancer researcher Greg Ogilvie, DVM, Dip. ACVIM, and colleagues at Colorado State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences recommend a diet of less than 25 percent carbohydrates, 35 to 48 percent protein, and 27 to 35 percent fat, with more than 5 percent of the total food comprised of omega-3 fatty acids and more than 2 percent arginine (dry weight measurements).

Protein is a crucial ingredient in any canine diet, for dogs, like their wolf ancestors, are best adapted to protein foods. Meat, eggs, poultry, and fish that are organically raised, pasture-fed, or caught in the wild are best for cancer patients. Meat and eggs from factory farms and fish from fish farms are far more likely to contain harmful bacteria, prescription drug residues, or contaminants that interfere with immune function. (See “Upgrading to Pasture-Fed,” July 2003.)

Supplements that improve the assimilation of food, such as digestive enzymes, can be an important addition to any dog’s diet. Powders such as Prozyme can be sprinkled on food before serving, or digestive enzyme capsules or tablets can be given with meals.

Patients undergoing chemotherapy may lose their appetite, making any nutrition challenging. Freezing the dog’s food can reduce its odor, which seems to improve some dogs’ appetites. Toward the end of Bullet’s two-week fast (see sidebar, above), Kaplan bought a package of frozen smelt, and after she coaxed one of the fish into Bullet’s mouth, he began to chew. She later discovered that massaging inside his ears after placing his food bowl within reach triggered a reflexive eating response.

Seacure, the fermented deep sea whitefish powder described in “Securing Seacure” (April 2003), is an excellent supplement for cancer patients because it speeds tissue repair, helps alleviate the side effects of conventional treatment, and is immediately assimilated. Seacure powder can be added to food or simply mixed with water, and Seacure wafers can be fed at any time. Store this extremely fishy product in the freezer to reduce its odor.

Getting cancer patients to drink sufficient water can be as difficult as persuading them to eat. Filtered water added to food or squirted into the dog’s mouth, meat-flavored broth frozen in ice cube trays for easy dispensing, or meat-flavored gelatin can all increase a dog’s hydration.

Whether vegetables belong in a dog’s diet is another hotly debated topic, but when it comes to treating cancer, certain vegetables have been shown to fight the disease. In Germany, lactic acid fermented vegetables like sauerkraut are an integral part of some cancer therapies because these foods are “hostile” to cancer cells.

It’s easy to puree carrots with fresh ginger and other vegetables, add some powdered acidophilus and a sprinkling of unrefined sea salt, and press everything under a weight overnight or until the vegetables’ juices separate and they develop a piquant flavor. (See “It’s All in How You Make It,” March 2001, for directions.)

In addition to increasing their vitamin content and assimilation, lacto-fermented vegetables support beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract. Replacing the vegetables in any canine recipe with pureed lacto-fermented vegetables is easy and sensible.

Supplements
In The Healthy Pet Manual: A Guide to the Prevention and Treatment of Cancer (another recommended resource), Deborah Straw describes several supplements that are appropriate for canine cancer patients.

First on the list is vitamin C, which may be the most-researched cancer supplement. As Straw explains, “Vitamin C may protect against cancer because it acts as a cellular antioxidant. It enhances the immune system by detoxifying certain carcinogens and by blocking the formation of various carcinogenic compounds created when certain foods are digested.”

The suggested dose varies by expert, with many recommending dosing to “bowel tolerance,” as loose stools result when the body has ingested more vitamin C than it can utilize. However, proponents of whole-food supplements argue that megadoses aren’t needed if the vitamin comes directly from food, as does the vitamin C in Cataplex C from Standard Process and Food C from Wysong. Or you can simply provide foods that are rich in vitamin C, such as small amounts of lacto-fermented vegetables.

Other key vitamins are B-complex, E, A, D, and K, all of which are important for overall health. Vitamins from whole-food sources are well tolerated, easily assimilated, and provide an entire complex of nutrients.

Bones provide minerals such as calcium and magnesium. For those who don’t feel comfortable feeding raw bones, look for supplements from companies, such as Standard Process, that make supplements from pasture-fed organic bones. Or, ask a local butcher who carries organic meats to grind fresh bones after he removes the meat for your dog’s meals.

Selenium, another important mineral, has been shown in human population studies to significantly protect against cancer.

Discuss appropriate dosages of these and other mineral or vitamin supplements with your holistic veterinarian.

Don’t neglect your dog’s beneficial bacteria. Probiotic supplements such as acidophilus, freshly prepared yogurt, and other beneficial bacteria improve digestion and bolster the gastrointestinal tract.

L-glutamine is also a very important supplement for dogs in chemotherapy. It helps the intestines and minimizes treatment side effects.

Herbal support
One of the most famous herbal remedies associated with cancer is Essiac, a tea developed by Renee Caisse, a Canadian nurse. A blend of burdock root, sheep sorrel, slippery elm bark, and turkey rhubarb root, Essiac tea can be added to food or drinking water or squirted directly into the mouth.

Essiac is said to be most effective if given on an empty stomach. The recommended dose is about 1 teaspoon per 10 pounds of body weight or 1 tablespoon per 30 pounds.

Beverly Cappel, DVM, recommends Essiac tea as a support therapy for cancer. “I give it to every animal I treat because it’s not going to hurt and it flushes them out,” she says. “Some reports say that it kills cancer. It does not kill cancer; it just cleans the body out. We’ve had success with animals that have melanomas, suspicious-looking basal cell tumors, or even mast cell tumors of the skin. We put them on Essiac once or twice a day and the tumors shrivel up within a couple of weeks.”

Aloe vera is another popular support remedy for cancer patients. Aloe vera juice or gel can be given internally with food and applied externally to growths and tumors. In his book Cancer Therapy: The Independent Consumer’s Guide to Non-Toxic Treatment and Prevention, Ralph Moss, PhD, reports that both aloe and its cousin garlic are widely used as adjuvants, or helpers, with other therapies.

Taken internally and applied topically, aloe may help prevent infections, increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy, protect against radiation therapy skin injury, and support the liver during detoxification.

Emotions
Anyone who thinks that dogs don’t have feelings just isn’t paying attention. These creatures are emotional sponges.

“It’s so important to keep our own emotions under control,” says Dr. Falck. “If you panic, your dog is going to feel your stress and anxiety, and those emotions are not helpful. My suggestion to owners who are dealing with cancer is to focus on things that you can do, things that are helpful and positive, not on things that leave you depressed or worried.

“For example, if your dog has a good appetite, here’s a chance to upgrade her diet. You can do research and learn about her illness and things you can do at home to support her or make her more comfortable. You can also keep a journal in which you record everything your dog is experiencing, from symptoms to supplements to special events or activities. This is an excellent way to document her progress. Instead of just worrying, you can channel your energy into something constructive.”

Dr. Falck recommends turning your attention away from the dog’s present symptoms by focusing on memories of her healthy past. “Keep her favorite activities in your mind as a mental image,” she says, “and let those thoughts carry you to thoughts about the best possible outcome.”

Flower essences or flower remedies, including the famous Bach Rescue Remedy, can help canine patients and their human companions cope with emotional stress. “Rescue Remedy is the all-purpose formula,” she says, “but you can refer to books or symptom charts to select other essences that address specific emotions.”

Prepare a flower essence dosage bottle by mixing 2 to 4 drops of Rescue Remedy (or 2 drops each of up to 5 individual remedies) with 1 fluid ounce (2 tablespoons) filtered or spring water in a small glass bottle equipped with an eyedropper or spray top. The standard dose is 4 drops of the diluted remedy, which can be added to drinking water, dropped directly onto the nose or into the mouth, massaged into the ears, applied to paw pads, applied to bare skin on the abdomen, or sprayed in the air or directly on the patient. The secret to success with flower remedies is frequent application, so do this as often as possible, several times per day. And dose yourself, too. Anything you do to bring your own energy into balance will help your dog.

Calming essential oils and hydrosols (see “Smell This, You’ll Feel Better,” December 2004, and “Essential Information,” January 2005) are a boon to cancer patients and their families. For an excellent guide to this subject, see Holistic Aromatherapy for Animals by Kristen Leigh Bell.

Whatever protocol you choose for your dog, holistic support therapies can make a world of difference. These gentle, nontoxic, whole-body treatments invite the participation of everyone in the family and promise your dog a more comfortable, happy, active life.

-A long-time contributor to WDJ and author of The Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care, Natural Remedies for Dogs & Cats, and other books, CJ Puotinen lives in New York with her husband, a Lab, and a tabby cat.

Canine Adoption Advice

By
Mardi Richmond, CPDT-KA
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Adopting a new dog is exciting, wonderful, and a happy time. But bringing a new dog home is also an uncertain time. What will your dog be like? Will he be a good match for your family? Will he be everything you hoped for?

Bringing a new dog into the home can also, quite frankly, be a rather shocking time for you and your family. Suddenly your life will be compounded by the energy and needs of the new family member. Everyone will go through an adjustment – dogs and people alike. What can you do to ensure that you and your new dog will settle into a long happy life together?

Newly Adopted Dog

Expectations count
“Have realistic expectations,” says Joan DeNeffe. “And be prepared!” DeNeffe has done volunteer work in animal rescue for over 25 years, and is one of the leaders of a monthly coaching group designed to help people with shelter and other rescue dogs start off on the right paw. According to DeNeffe, expecting an adjustment period can be key.

“If a dog is going to be returned following an adoption, it is often in the first three weeks – usually because behavior issues come up that people aren’t prepared for and don’t know how to deal with,” says DeNeffe. But having realistic expectations can help you get through the adjustment period – when behavior issues often peak – with the least stress and the most success.

What will the adjustment period be like? How long will it last? The answer to these questions is simply: It depends – on the dog, on you, and on your environment.

“Every dog is different! Every black Lab and Golden Retriever is different,” says DeNeffe. Helping a dog adjust to a new home is a process that can take weeks or months, but the outcome of having a dog who is comfortable and happy is definitely worth the effort.

Truthfully, some dogs come home from the shelter or other rescue situation and settle in with few problems; their adjustment period is brief and unremarkable. Many dogs are even on their best behavior – a honeymoon period – for several days or weeks. They may experience stress, but they deal with it by being cautious and responsive. But other dogs may deal with the uncertainty of being in a new home with other, more obvious stress responses. Some of those may include:

• Pacing and other overactive behavior;
• Attaching to one person in the family, but being very shy of others;
• Mouthing people, jumping up on them, barking, and chewing; and
• Trying to escape or hiding.

Don’t panic if your new dog behaves in a less than desirable manner. In spite of the initial stress response, over the course of a few weeks or months, most dogs settle in and become wonderful companions. What happens in the first few days or weeks is not necessarily indicative of what life with the dog will be like longterm. But how you handle the stress response can certainly affect the long-term outcome.

Equally important to remember is that while there may be a significant adjustment period, it is usually much shorter than the several years it takes to raise a puppy! And there is a whole lot you can do to make the transition easier. By being aware, modifying and redirecting any unwanted actions from the start, you can help your new dog become a good citizen.

Plan and prepare
Just like when you bring a new puppy home, when you bring home an older or rescue dog, being prepared is key.

Make sure you have basic supplies – like food, bowls, collar and leash, bed, and toys. (See “Pre-Puppy Preparation,” September 2005, for details on supplies and equipment.)

In addition, you will want to decide on and set up a confinement area, a place your dog will stay when you cannot provide supervision. It is important to recognize that the dog will be new to your environment and giving him too much freedom too soon can set him up to make behavior mistakes (such as having an accident in the house or chewing the wrong thing). By giving the dog a safe, confined place to be when he is not being supervised, he will be able to make a gradual and successful transition.

Make the confinement area the place where your dog gets his meals and his favorite toys. Make it a safe place he can call his own. Ideally, the confinement area will be in the same part of the home that you spend time together. A crate works well, but you can also use baby gates or an exercise pen to section off a small safe section of your home.

Get the whole family involved in deciding what the rules and routines will be for your dog and help him learn those rules from the first day home. Will he be allowed on the furniture? Where will he sleep (ideally in the same room with you)? Providing structure helps a dog learn the house rules and helps him feel safe.

“These rules will be a goal,” says DeNeffe, emphasizing that it will take time for the dog to learn what is expected.

Start a housetraining routine right away, too. It is safest to assume your dog is not housetrained. Even if he was housetrained in his last home, time in a shelter or simply being in a new environment can mean that he will not understand when and where he is to go now.

Just as you would with a puppy, set up a routine, confine your dog when you cannot supervise, take him out on a regular schedule, and praise or reward him for going in the right place. Adult dogs will often housetrain faster and easier than puppies because their bladders are mature and they can “hold it” longer.

De-stress!
In general, keep stress to a minimum for the first few days or weeks. How long depends on the dog’s personality. Keep in mind that just the act of moving into a new home is stressful for most dogs – not to mention the stress he may have experienced before coming into your home. It can take several days or longer for the dog’s stress hormones to return to normal levels once he feels safe and calm.

Take your time in introducing your new dog to friends, friend’s dogs, and the local dog park. Remember that you will have this dog for the rest of his life; there is no rush! Give him time and space to settle in and bond with you before he is exposed to the world. Have him play and exercise in your yard and take him for walks in a quiet low stress area for the first few days or weeks.

Timing is everything

If at all possible, allow extra time in your schedule to help your dog adjust. At minimum, bring your dog home before a weekend so you can spend extra time helping him settle in. Ideally take a few extra days or a week or two off from work.

But that doesn’t mean spend every minute with your dog (even though you’ll want to!). In fact, it is best to get your dog used to short absences within a few hours of bringing him home. Soon after you bring your dog home, take him for a short walk or bathroom break. Then introduce him to his confinement area. You can give him a great chew bone or a stuffed Kong and leave him in his crate or exercise pen for a few minutes.

Throughout the first few days, leave your dog alone in his confinement area for several minutes at a time. Vary the time you leave him from 30 seconds to 20 minutes. Start by leaving him in the confinement area for a few minutes while you are home, and gradually build up to leaving him for 10 to 20 minutes or so while you leave the house. By keeping your absences short, matter of fact, and pleasant, your dog will learn that being alone in the new home is safe.

You can also make your departure a good thing for your dog by giving him a food-filled Kong each time you leave him.

Train for confidence
Basic training – sit, down, stay, come, and walking on a leash – can begin the day you bring your dog home. Use positive training methods such as clicker training. You can get started by referring to a book or video. Beginning training right away can help dogs understand that you will be taking care of them, and that they are safe. It will also help build confidence. For many dogs, training games will help them de-stress and settle in quicker.

Some dogs, however, will be “shut down” at first and may have a hard time learning a new behavior or even doing something they already know. Don’t worry if your dog is not as responsive at first as you might like. If your dog seems reluctant, just make training games very easy, fun, and rewarding.

Try working with one simple behavior, like sit, and practice that until he seems ready to experiment with other behaviors. Or, if that seems too much, you can begin by simply hand feeding a portion of your dog’s meals to help him learn to trust you.

While training right away is beneficial, wait a few weeks before taking your dog into a class if he is stressed at all. For some dogs, you may even want to wait a little longer as training classes can also be very stressful. DeNeffe notes that for her dog Barkley, a month and a half was way too soon after re-homing to start a training class. “He needed to relax into his world first,” says DeNeffe.

If you need help right away, consider having a trainer come to your home instead of starting a class. Waiting to start a class until your dog has settled a little, and you have had time to bond can help you both get the most from the experience.

With most dogs, bonding takes time. While a dog may form an attachment to a person quickly, he or she may not be bonded to the point of trusting that person to provide safety for several weeks.

Make no assumptions about socialization
Most dogs that are adopted through rescue groups, shelters, or private re-homing have had at least some socialization. With some exceptions (for example, puppy mill breeding dogs), many rescue dogs have lived in homes and have had exposure to people, daily activities, and common noises. But each dog’s experiences are different.

One of my dogs, for example, originally came from a ranch. She had wonderful socialization around animals, people, and children. But because she had lived in an outside run in a quiet country setting, city noises (like cars) and even common household sounds (like the phone ringing), were initially very frightening when she came to live with us. Conversely, for a dog used to the city, a country home – sheep, cows, and tractors – might seem foreign and scary.

It is nearly impossible for a dog to be socialized to all experiences. If you start off with the assumption that your dog is not socialized, you can expose him gently and gradually to new things. As you get to know your dog better, you will learn where and with whom he is comfortable, and where you will need to provide more socialization to help him settle into his new life with you.

Watch for issues
According to the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy, the top several reasons dogs are given up to shelters are because of moving, landlord problems, cost, and lack of time, not because of behavior problems.

That being said, all dogs have behavior quirks or issues. With a puppy, you learn about their issues gradually, as they grow and develop. This gives you time to adjust, accept, and/or train to resolve the problems. When you get an adult dog, you may suddenly be facing an unexpected behavior quirk or issue. This can understandably feel more overwhelming than the gradual process of discovering behavior issues in puppy hood.

By being alert to any issues your new dog may have, you will also be able to address them as soon as they arise, before they become a habit. Dogs can be very impressionable in a new environment, especially the first time they try a behavior. Setting your dog up for success, rewarding the behaviors you want and redirecting those you don’t want from the first day home, can make a huge difference in the long run.

Learning about a new dog’s behavior issues and quirks often triggers a common emotional response, “But he’s not like (insert other dog’s or past dog’s name here).”

It is human nature to compare your new dog to other dogs you have had, to the dog you had as a child, or to your neighbor’s dog. In some cases, a new dog will bring up feelings of grief and loss of a dog that has died. It is normal to have these feelings.

If you find yourself comparing your new dog to another dog, try to keep some perspective, especially if the new dog isn’t measuring up. With time, you can (and will) develop a deep and meaningful relationship with your new dog, too. In fact, over time, he will probably become the dog that you later say, “But he’s not like . . .”

Be patient
Give your newly re-homed dog more time than you think they need to adjust. Wait until their stress hormones return to normal before taking them to places that may produce even more stress. Keep them on leash in open environments until they are trained and you are sure they will stay with you. Use your confinement area longer than you think necessary. Then slowly and carefully give your dog more freedom as he can handle it.

“Try to think from the dog’s perspective,” says DeNeffe, talking about looking at the re-homing process from the dog’s point of view. While we can never really know what goes on inside a dog’s head, it can be helpful to imagine what their experiences may have been.

Imagine what your emotional state might be like if you were suddenly plucked from your current life (leaving everything you know and love behind), put into a shelter environment where you were forced to live with noise and uncertainty, then suddenly placed in a new family where you not only don’t know anyone, but you don’t know the rules or speak the language.

Be patient with your new dog. Give him the best start possible in his new home. And remember, with time and patience, everyone will settle in.

-Mardi Richmond, MA, CPDT, is a writer and trainer living in Santa Cruz, California. She is part of an ongoing training panel, helping people with shelter or rescue dogs start off on the right paw. She is also the coauthor of Ruffing It: The Complete Guide to Camping with Dogs and the author of numerous articles on training and behavior.

The Canine Aging Process

By
Randy Kidd
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By Randy Kidd, DVM, PhD

Aging is a natural process of all animals, and of all cells, tissues, and organs within the animal. Every individual animal ages at a different rate, and each type of tissue or organ system has its normal rate of proceeding through the aging process.

Geriatrics is the branch of medicine that treats all problems peculiar to old age and aging, including the clinical problems of senescence (the process or condition of growing old, especially the conditions resulting from the transitions and accumulations of the deleterious effects of the aging process) and senility (the physical and mental deterioration associated with old age).

Death, dying, mortality, and immortality are prime fodder for philosophers, poets, musicians, and spiritual gurus. In our Western culture we tend to want to keep it that way. Until recently, most scientists and health professionals have been loath to discuss death or dying, leaving these subjects to mystics and philosophers.

Recent years, however, have produced a spate of interest in aging and anti-aging medicines. Geriatrics as a specialty is only 20 or 25 years old, and research interest in aging goes back only another 15 years before that. This newfound interest has created fertile field for anti-aging innovations – as well as the perfect weed bed for charlatans who will try to convince you they can lead you and your pets to the fountain of youth.

How and when dogs die
Not too many years ago, the two main reasons for the death of pet dogs were trauma and infections. Better hygiene, an understanding of proper nutrition, and better healthcare in general have all worked together to lessen the impact of infectious diseases, and leash laws and better training methods have helped to keep traumatic causes of death to a minimum.

Today our primary concern for the aging animal is chronic disease, but while chronic diseases do have their impact on lifespan, we also need to consider that many of these diseases and life itself simply wear out the cells of the body, and eventually the body itself.

In addition, we need to remember that the number one killer of dogs in this country is euthanasia – most often due to behavioral problems that the dog’s caretaker couldn’t or wouldn’t take care of. Every year millions of dogs are killed before they could reach old age because it was felt they did not fit into our society. This is an unfortunate fact of life in this country.

Finally, another fact of life is that we can never know exactly when our best buddies are going to die, nor when we will die. For some folks this is sheer misery; for others it is reassuring – and it is this very fact of life that makes some of us two-leggeds want to live every day the way our pets who don’t know about mortality do: fully, with joy and unreserved passion.

The natural process of aging
Common diseases of the geriatric dog (i.e., diseases that seem more prevalent in the aged dog than in younger critters) include diabetes mellitus, prostatic disease, obesity, cardiovascular disease, cataracts, dental disease, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, hypothyroidism, urolithiasis, hyperadrenocorticism, anemia, urinary incontinence, hepatopathies (liver conditions), chronic renal disease, and a long list of chronic degenerative diseases.

While this list may seem daunting, a closer look reveals that almost all the “diseases” are caused by diminished function of one or more organ systems – the inevitable and natural consequence of aging. Further, almost all these diseases can be slowed in their progress, and in all cases there are certainly ways to ease your dog through the disease and help provide a decent quality of life.

Some “geriatric” symptoms include:

• Weakness, lethargy

• Coughing, difficulty breathing, or exercise intolerance; seems winded after walking or playing

• Increased thirst and/or increased urination; has frequent accidents or urinates in his bed while sleeping

• Stiff, has difficulty getting up or down, or is sore after running and playing

• Seizures

• Poor haircoat – dry and brittle skin and/or haircoat, flaky skin

• Eating habits have changed – perhaps due to a poor sense of smell and/or taste

• Sudden weight loss or gain

• Bad smelling breath and/or red and irritated gums

• Sometimes seems disoriented or is slow to respond

• Crotchety attitude in a normally pleasant dog; doesn’t want to be bothered, and lets you know it

• Just isn’t acting like him/herself

Part of the problem with trying to define old age is that each organ system has its own timeline for aging, and each will exhibit its own way to show it is growing old. Following are some examples of how specific organ systems tend to age.

• Skin: As the skin ages, it becomes less pliable or elastic. The human face demonstrates this “hardening” of the skin with the appearance of wrinkles. The surface of the dog’s skin also tends to dry out, and the hair begins to gray, usually beginning at the dog’s muzzle and eyes. These changes make the skin more susceptible to outside irritants, and minor skin irritations are more likely to create a population of skin cells (keratinocytes) that grow into tumor cells.

• Eyes: Many older dogs develop a cloudiness of the eyes (senile cataract) that is the result of a disruption of the normal arrangement of the tissue fibers in the lens. This creates a loss of transparency and reduction of vision. This cloudiness varies in intensity, and the lens opacity may eventually proceed to the point where the dog is blind, although most dogs, even when almost totally blind, seem to deal with their diminished sight with little or no problem.

• Ears: Presbycusis is the fancy name for the decline in hearing associated with various types of auditory system dysfunction that accompany aging. It is common in geriatric dogs, and it is a progressive disorder.

• Nose: As dogs age, they begin to lose their acute sense of smell. A dog’s scenting ability is his entryway into his surrounding world; dogs especially rely on their sense of smell to find (and enjoy) food. As a result of the naturally diminishing ability to smell, older dogs may grow increasingly less venturesome and more cautious, and they are likely to lose interest in eating, especially bland foods.

• Hormones: As hormonal systems tend to wane in their strength of output, this ebb of ability affects other systems. One of the most noticeable of these systems is the skin, and older dogs may develop any number of hormonally related skin conditions.

The thyroid, pancreas (especially as related to insulin production for glucose metabolism), and adrenal glands are of particular concern with aging, and they should be routinely monitored in the geriatric dog.

The dramatic decrease in estrogen that is seen in menopausal women oftentimes creates bone thinning as a result of reabsorption of bone calcium. Although we might expect a similar condition to develop in our spayed dogs (or in elderly intact bitches with decreased production of estrogen), it has not been reported as a problem.

• Joints: Older joints are less well oiled, and this lack of lubrication can be painful when the animal moves. In addition, wear and tear of the joints’ surfaces begins to take its toll, and inflammatory changes and/or bony growths may occur.

• Brain: Nerve cells are not especially good at reproducing themselves, and as an animal ages, its amount of brain tissue shrinks. Along with this shrinkage of cellular mass comes a shrinking of cognitive abilities. The aging brain may also develop sclerotic plaques, and the neurons may, as they do with Alzheimer’s, tangle into a web of dead neurons.

Diminished brain function (cognitive dysfunction) may lead to apparent memory loss or disorientation, sleep disturbances (either waking at the wrong time or sleeping unusually deeply), and loss of interest in social activities with the family. (In one study, 32 percent of dogs 11 years old were affected by this syndrome and 100 percent of dogs 16 years of age or older were affected.)

• Urinary System: Age-related dysfunction of the urinary system can cause or contribute to incontinence or inappropriate urination. The underlying cause of the dysfunction may be one of several sources. These include increased volume or frequency (as a result of diminished renal function, the dog may drink more, resulting in increased urinary frequency); discomfort during urination; or decreased control (due to faulty innervation to the bladder or sphincter muscles of the bladder).

Decreased functional capacity of the kidneys themselves can be monitored via periodic urinalysis and blood chemistries. Keep in mind that most of the older tests detected damage only after both kidneys had lost about 60 percent of their functional capacity; newer tests are much more sensitive. Check with your vet.

• Cardiovascular: While decreased func-tionality of the cardiovascular system occurs with some frequency in dogs, it is not typi-cally associated with the atherosclerotic plaques seen in the human animal. Most severe problems related to the aging heart can be detected via an annual (or semi-annual) physical that includes listening to the heart with a stethoscope.

• Lungs: Lung tissues tend to become less elastic as an animal ages, resulting in a diminished functional capacity – and a dog that would rather not exercise to extremes. The lungs are also a common site for the occurrence of tumors that have spread from other areas of the body. Any time your dog is reluctant to exercise or has difficulty breathing or walking long distances, have your vet listen to the lung sounds, and a follow-up chest radiograph may be indicated.

• Liver: The liver is the primary organ of detoxification, and even though a healthy liver has tremendous regenerative powers, a liver that has been exposed to an overload of toxins over the years will eventually wear out. A decline in liver function can be subtle; an annual blood chemistry will help detect early problems.

• Behavior: There are several behavior problems that are prevalent in the geriatric animal, and many of these can be attributed to the diminished ability of other organ systems. With all their senses dulled, many older dogs become “crotchety,” and they would often prefer to be left alone. The disorientation and memory loss associated with cognitive dysfunction may make them seem “spacey” at times, and their sleep irregularities may affect the whole family. In addition, body thermoregulatory mechanisms seem to deteriorate in many dogs, and older animals will not be able to tolerate the same extremes of heat or cold they once could.

Anti-aging basics
Fortunately, there are many things we can do to make older dogs more comfortable and healthy in their senior years.

• Avoid stress. Extremes of heat and cold, hordes of visitors (especially rambunctious kids), changes in routine, or even a new pup may be too stressful for some aged dogs.

• Provide a top-quality diet – preferably a home prepared diet, but certainly one that is highly palatable, contains a high quality and readily digestible protein, and meets the increased needs of the aging animal. You may need to tempt your dog’s appetite with frequent diet changes and/or a top-dressing of herbal spices, which are also an excellent source of antioxidants.

• Supplements may be helpful, especially any of the antioxidant supplements such as vitamins A, C, and E; herbal antioxidants; omega-3 fatty acids; etc. Specific supplements to treat for such problems as cognitive dysfunction, cataracts, arthritis, and inappropriate elimination are available; check with your holistic vet.

• Alternative medicines may be helpful, especially for particular conditions.

For example, I’ve found nothing better for treating arthritic joints than a combination of acupuncture and chiropractic, perhaps with glucosamine, MSM, and Omega-3 fatty acids added to the diet. In my experience, kidney problems seem to respond well to acupuncture, and the herb gingko has been shown to help both memory loss and some of the causes of deafness.

Herbal remedies often are high in antioxidants, and can be selected to target organ systems that are shown to be at risk in the individual. Homeopathic medicines can often be helpful, and they have much less risk of adversely affecting organ systems with age-related diminished capacity.

• Avoid toxins – environmental, dietary, or those related to drugs and vaccines. The older dog’s diminished capacity in many organ systems does not allow for adequate detoxification or elimination of substances that he readily dealt with in his youth.

• Target organs at risk. Use prevalent symptoms and a complete veterinary work-up, including blood chemistries, to diagnose the organ systems that are not functioning properly. Then . . .

• Treat the organ systems holistically. Look at the big picture: the quality of life during the last period of the individual’s lifetime. This “big picture” look may or may not require any intervention, and it certainly requires a long and hard look at any potential intervention that may adversely affect the individual.

• Moderate exercise is a mandatory “medicine” for any and all critters, and for each and every organ system of the body.

• Exercise the mind. Don’t believe the old saw, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” In fact, the more we stimulate a dog’s brain – with new teachings, new places to see and smell, new things to do – the better chance we have to help him maintain normal cognitive function.

• Keep your hands on your dog. A daily massage is magical medicine for the aged animal.

• Stay positive. Maintain a positive outlook on your dog’s prospects and life in general; your dog will pick up your positive vibes. But . . .

• Remain skeptical. No one yet has found the fountain of youth, nor have they come up with a magic anti-aging bullet. Suspect anyone who tries to tell you otherwise.

We are beginning to understand some of the ways the body goes through the process of aging, and come up with ways to enhance the quality of life during old age. While death will eventually catch up to us all, we can help ease the process of getting there, and help aging be a more pleasant reality for our best buddies.

Also With This Article
“Caring For Elderly Dogs”
“Spending the Golden Years with Dogs”
“10 Ways to Make Your Old Dog Comfortable”

-Dr. Randy Kidd earned his DVM degree from Ohio State University and his PhD in Pathology/Clinical Pathology from Kansas State University. A past president of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, he’s author of Dr. Kidd’s Guide to Herbal Dog Care and Dr. Kidd’s Guide to Herbal Cat Care.

Download The Full January 2006 Issue PDF

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Nancy Kerns
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Always More To Do

By
Nancy Kerns
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The end of the year always seems to come too fast. I’m way behind schedule and have too much to do. I’m lucky in one respect, however. Lately, I’ve been buried in excellent articles contributed by some of WDJ’s most passionate and informed expert/writers. The next year will offer a treasure trove of articles on hot topics, including heartworm prevention and treatment, helping re-homed dogs adjust, alternative treatments for cancer, puppy training, and more.

Unfortunately, I have a ton of “homework” to do! I’m still buried in research for our annual frozen, canned, and dry food reviews, and drowning in terrific products – many of them suggestions from our readers – to introduce in our annual installment of “Gear of the Year.” I promise I’ll catch up, and all of these articles will appear soon!

This issue is full of fascinating information. Longtime contributor CJ Puotinen, who lives in New York, near the front lines of the canine flu, starts us off with a timely list of practical methods for keeping your dog protected from viral infections. I don’t know how she found the time to write this while researching and writing her in-depth series on canine cancer; the second installment, on conventional and cutting-edge medical treatments, is in this issue.

Also in this issue, Santa Cruz trainer Mardi Richmond explains how to enjoyably teach our dogs a reliable recall. My Chihuahua has a good recall – laboriously cultivated over the first six months I had him – but Mardi’s article was a good review. Like many owners, I don’t work as consistently as I should to preserve this skill.

Our Training Editor, Maryland resident Pat Miller, offers another illuminating lesson on canine body language, and a review of her favorite positive training books of all time.

Finally, Shannon Wilkinson writes from Seattle about the controversy over docking tails, cropping ears, and removing dewclaws. I was familiar with the objections to cosmetic surgery on dogs’ ears and tails, but the arguments against removing dewclaws were new (and persuasive) to me. (And I speak as someone who recently paid for a visit to the vet after Mokie halfway broke off one of his dewclaws right at its nerve-filled base.) Dewclaws can be a pain, literally, but I’m convinced that on most dogs, they are there for a reason.

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The Rabies Challenge Fund
I’m hoping that WDJ readers will throw their generous support behind the following project:

World-renown vaccine research scientist, W. Jean Dodds, DVM, and pet vaccine disclosure advocate, Kris L. Christine of Maine, have established The Rabies Challenge Fund to raise money to fund a seven-year rabies vaccine challenge study in the United States.

In addition to the challenge study, the fund will finance a study of the adjuvants used in veterinary rabies vaccines and establish a rabies vaccine adverse reaction reporting system.

Researchers believe the rabies vaccine causes the most and worst adverse reactions in animals. The Rabies Challenge Fund has been founded to improve the safety of rabies vaccines and to determine, by challenge, if they confer immunity for five, six, or seven years.

Despite overwhelming moral support from pet owners, only a trickle of financial donations has been received.

Let’s get this thing funded so the work can start. Could your training club sponsor a dog wash, with the proceeds going to the Fund? Could you ask every one of your dog-owning friends and relatives for a dollar apiece for a great cause? Can you think of better ways to raise money, and send them to me?

Donations can be sent to:

The Rabies Challenge Fund
c/o Hemopet, 11330 Markon Dr.
Garden Grove, CA 92841

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Correction
In “How to Choose a Food,” which was published in our July issue, we stated that Science Diet’s Nature’s Best dog food contains artificial colors. That statement was incorrect; the food is colored with a natural substance. We regret the error.

-Nancy Kerns

Fending Off the Flu

By
CJ Puotinen
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The headlines would frighten anyone. “Mysterious Dog Flu Found in Boarded Pets,” said the front page of New York’s Westchester/Rockland County Journal News on September 24, 2005. “Virulent Dog Virus Hits Area Kennels,” warned the New York Times a day later.

In less than two weeks, the Times ran five news stories about the illness. “Dogs Stay In as Rumors Run Free,” its October 7 feature, summed things up. Frightened New Yorkers were keeping their dogs home while buzz about the new disease spread faster than the virus that caused it. Radio stations, TV networks, newspapers, Web sites, and online chat rooms picked up the story.

And it’s a scary tale. In late August and early September, 100 dogs at Best Friends Pet Care Center in Chestnut Ridge, New York, and another 40 dogs at Graceland Kennels across the Hudson River in North Castle, New York, developed what veterinarians at first assumed was kennel cough. Instead, they had a new form of influenza. Several developed pneumonia and had to be hospitalized. One of them died.

By all accounts, the virus developed in Florida. On August 12, shortly before the New York outbreak, Cynda Crawford, DVM, PhD, an immunologist at the University of Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine in Gainesville, issued an advisory warning that “outbreaks of canine influenza virus, which causes an acute respiratory infection, have been identified in dogs in shelters, humane societies, boarding facilities, and veterinary clinics in Florida.”

By October 15, cases had been reported in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Washington state, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. By the time you read this, the list will be longer.

Viral activity
That’s because canine flu has a very high infection rate. “Dogs have no natural immunity to the virus, so virtually every animal exposed will be infected. About 80 percent of dogs that are infected with the virus will develop symptoms,” says Dr. Crawford.

Although most common where dogs are in close proximity – in kennels, shelters, dog parks, grooming salons, training schools, and dog shows – canine flu can be contracted through the air or through exposure to contaminated surfaces. Anyone and anything that has been in contact with infected dogs can be a vector. Some Florida kennel workers carried the virus home with them and spread it to other dogs.

“Think of this as the canine equivalent of colds and flu that people get,” says Carol Falck, VMD, in Pompano Beach, Florida. “It spreads in just the same way, through direct contact, through the air, and through exposure to whatever the virus touches.”

The symptoms are similar, too, with infected dogs developing a runny nose, fever, and a persistent cough that can last for two to three weeks. But the severity of symptoms varies. “That’s because there are two forms of the illness,” explains Dr. Falck. “The mild form can come and go unnoticed, but the dog will still be a carrier. In fact, you can’t tell anything about a dog’s canine flu status by its appearance, because a dog can look and act perfectly normal and still have an active infection. The more severe form of canine flu has obvious, acute symptoms that can turn into pneumonia.”

According to Debbye Turner, DVM, a consulting veterinarian to CBS TV’s Early Show, the canine flu’s signature cough is different from kennel cough. “Kennel cough is a hacking cough, and the dog usually feels fine otherwise,” she explains. “With canine flu, you’ll see a soft, moist cough. You’re also going to see a high fever in the dog; nasal discharge; rapid, shallow breathing; loss of energy; and loss of appetite.” These last symptoms manifest when the illness progresses to pneumonia. Canine flu does not tend to produce vomiting, diarrhea, or other intestinal problems.

The canine flu virus is not related to human flu or to the avian (bird) flu that has killed people in Asia. No humans have been infected with the canine flu.

New and fatal?
With veterinarians claiming a 100 percent infection rate, canine flu sounds like the human flu pandemic scientists have been warning us about, something that could kill just about any and every dog.

In truth, the canine flu’s mortality rate is very low, with most estimates at around 5 percent. Those at greatest risk of developing complications are older dogs, young puppies, and any dog with a weak immune system.

And yes, it’s new – but not that new. According to Edward Dubovi, PhD, director of Cornell University’s Animal Health Diagnostic Center’s virology laboratory, the illness was first identified two years ago.

In January 2004, 22 Greyhounds in a Florida racing kennel came down with an unusual respiratory disease and eight of them died. Dr. Crawford sent tissue samples from the infected dogs to Dr. Dubovi, who isolated the influenza virus. Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, then typed and sequenced the virus. It was found to belong to the H3N8 virus strain, which causes influenza in horses.

In 2004, 14 Greyhound racetracks in six U.S. states reported outbreaks of respiratory disease, as did 20 tracks in 11 states during the first nine months of 2005. Although researchers did not investigate every outbreak, they found evidence of H3N8 wherever they looked.

Is your dog at risk?
The short answer to this question is yes. Even if canine flu hasn’t infected your neighborhood, it eventually will. When researchers tested dogs in shelters and at veterinary clinics in Florida and New York, they found that up to 97 percent already had antibodies to the H3N8 virus.

“This suggests,” says Dr. Falck, “that it’s far more widespread, at least in affected areas, than most people realize. If you live near an outbreak area, the odds are very high that your dog has already been exposed or soon will be. Wherever you live, this flu will eventually arrive.”

The virus is airborne and spreads easily. Most dogs who develop symptoms do so within 24 to 72 hours of exposure, although the exact incubation period is unknown. An infected dog will be contagious for at least a few days and possibly weeks. No one knows how long the virus is viable on surfaces, but it probably survives for 24 hours and may live much longer.

The risk of infection is obviously highest where dogs are in close proximity, especially if they are under stress. This is why dogs in shelters, grooming salons, training schools, shows and competitions, and boarding kennels are so vulnerable.

At People Training for Dogs in Nyack, New York, eight miles from the Chestnut Ridge outbreak, trainer Nancy Strouss has been educating clients about canine flu. “I suggest that they not board their dogs in a stressful kennel and consider hiring a housesitter or finding someone who boards dogs in their home,” she says. “I also suggest that if they must go to the vet, that they leave their dog in the car until the vet is ready and then take the dog directly into the exam room instead of sitting in the waiting room with unknown dogs.”

She also screens dogs to help prevent exposure. “I tell clients that if their dogs have even a mild cough, runny nose, or other respiratory symptoms, they should not come to class but contact their veterinarian and me immediately. Dogs who were recently purchased or adopted from shelters must wait at least two weeks before starting class, to be sure they don’t have symptoms.”

An ounce of prevention
Florida veterinarian Mary Foster, DVM, has not yet had to treat canine flu, but she is busy with prevention.

“Everything comes down to the dog’s immune system,” she says. “There is no vaccine for the canine flu, but even if a vaccine were available today, I would advise my clients not to use it. Even conventional veterinary textbooks now recognize that vaccines can suppress certain immune functions, and researchers find that skin conditions, cancers, and other chronic problems are most common in dogs who are frequently vaccinated.

“The other key factor is diet. You can do a lot to improve your dog’s immune system just by improving the quality of his food,” she says. Like many holistic veterinarians, Dr. Foster recommends feeding a raw, home-prepared diet that does not include grains.

When it comes to supplements, Dr. Foster avoids synthetic vitamins in favor of whole-food supplements such as those from Standard Process.

“The products I use most for preventing viral infections are Thymex, which is a thymus gland supplement that stimulates an immune response, and Cataplex A-C-P, which is an antioxidant-bioflavonoid blend that increases white blood cells and improves lung-related respiratory diseases.” Dr. Foster adjusts the dose according to the dog’s size.

She also looks for zinc deficiencies because zinc helps protect the body from viruses. “The Standard Process product Trace Minerals B12 contains a little of everything,” she says, “and it helps dogs maintain proper zinc levels without causing any long-term harm.

Dr. Foster says calcium is important, too. “When calcium levels are low, you become more susceptible to infections, whether bacterial or viral. Calcium lactate is more quickly absorbed than calcium carbonate or other calcium supplements. When a dog is stressed, such as when you’re going to a dog show or taking a trip, make sure she has plenty of available calcium. I use Standard Process calcium lactate tablets, anywhere from three to six per day depending on the size of the dog. If the dog does get sick, I’d give two every hour. Calcium works best when given on an empty stomach, an hour before feeding or two hours after.”

Dr. Foster’s other favorite supplement is Pet’s Friend Immu GO, which contains dessicated spleen, thymus, and bone marrow and which she considers a powerful immune system booster.

An herbal classic
Juliette de Bairacli Levy, the famous herbalist whose Natural Rearing philosophy has improved the health of dogs for more than 60 years, is best known for advocating a raw, home-prepared diet. She suggests protecting dogs against viruses with an herbal compound that contains garlic, rue, sage, thyme, eucalyptus, and wormwood – all serious infection fighters – in a base of vegetable charcoal.

According to her Complete Herbal Handbook for the Dog and Cat, these stimulate immunity, maintain health, promote healing in infected animals, and prevent infection if used before and after exposure to other dogs.

Coconut oil
Dr. Foster recommends feeding coconut oil to dogs as a flu preventive, and coconut oil expert and book author Bruce Fife, ND, agrees. “Taking coconut oil every day, preferably two or three times per day, is an excellent way to prevent infection,” says Dr. Fife. “The medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil kill most strains of flu virus and, taken daily, should be effective against the canine flu.”

“What interests me most about coconut oil,” says Dr. Foster, “is that it actually attacks viruses that are lipid-coated. I suspect that because the H3N8 virus is lipid-coated, it is especially susceptible to the medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil.”

The recommended dose is 1 teaspoon per 10 pounds of body weight daily, or 1 tablespoon per 30 pounds. It works best in divided doses, and it’s a good idea to start with smaller amounts to let the dog’s body adjust without causing diarrhea. Coconut oil can be added to any meal; most dogs so enjoy the taste that they’ll eat it off the spoon. (For more information, see “Crazy About Coconut Oil,” WDJ October 2005.)

Gastrointestinal support
According to San Diego veterinarian Stephen R. Blake, the most important defense against any infection, whether fungal, viral, or bacterial, is the gastro-intestinal system. “Since 70 percent of antibody-producing gamma globulin comes from Pyres patches in the intestinal tract,” he says, “and 90 percent of all toxins, bacteria, viruses, and fungi enter the body through the gut, it only makes sense that we should concentrate our effort on this organ system.”

Dr. Blake considers vaccines inappropriate for acute viral infections that have a high rate of infection and low mortality rate. “Our efforts should be on supporting the immune system through a healthy GI tract, not injecting more toxins into the system, which will stress it even further.”

Dr. Blake’s favorite supplement for immune support is bovine colostrum from New Zealand from pasture-fed, organically raised cattle. Colostrum is the “first milk” a cow produces after giving birth, and it contains all the immune support a baby calf needs to avoid infection. Cows produce colostrum in far greater quantities than their calves can consume, so the excess is collected and powdered for supplement use.

“I recommend a dose of 500 mg colostrum per 25 pounds of body weight once or twice a day, depending on the dog’s risk factor,” says Dr. Blake.

Other supplements that support the gastrointestinal tract include probiotics, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus and other “friendly” or “beneficial” bacteria, which help make up the body’s first line of defense against viruses and other pathogens. (Interestingly, this year scientists at Seoul National University in Korea isolated nine strains of Lactobacillus bacteria in kimchi, that country’s famous spicy sauerkraut. One strain proved so successful at preventing and treating avian flu that it is being tested as a commercial feed supplement.)

Acidophilus supplements are especially important for dogs who have been treated with antibiotics, as antibiotics destroy these beneficial microbes. Several probiotic supplements have been developed for dogs and are sold in pet supply stores or veterinary clinics.

Aromatherapy to the rescue
The use of essential oils and hydrosols derived from the leaves, roots, bark, and blossoms of aromatic plants is becoming increasingly popular among holistic veterinarians (as described in “Smell This, You’ll Feel Better,” December 2004, and “Essential Information,” January 2005).

For example, Dr. Foster applies 1 drop or less of lavender essential oil to the paw pads of dogs who are under stress to help them relax and to help prevent infection. Like many essential oils, lavender has antiviral properties.

Dr. Blake combines essential oils to protect dogs at risk of infection. “I mix 10 drops of frankincense, 2 drops of lemon essential oil, and 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) of water,” he says. “Massage this blend into the paw pads and around the head and neck, keeping it away from the dog’s eyes. You can repeat this process throughout the day, depending on the risk and how the dog responds. Frankincense and lemon are both bactericidal and viricidal. Keep a vegetable oil handy in case any essential oil accidentally gets in the eyes. Essential oils are not water-soluble, so you can’t rinse them off with water.”

Dr. Falck relies on blends from Aromadog, which makes a variety of therapeutic and grooming products. Her favorite for canine flu prevention and treatment is Cough Drop!, which her clinic has been testing for several weeks.

“We’ve used it for a variety of respiratory conditions, possibly including canine flu, and the results have been phenomenal,” she reports. “We spray it around dogs so they can breathe the mist. Cough Drop! is handy because you can take it with you and use it whenever needed. You can take it to the groomer, or if your pet’s being boarded, you can ask the kennel to use it as a preventive. It helps prevent and treat kennel cough, too.”

To create Cough Drop!, Aromadog founder Faith Thanas blended ravensara, Eucalyptus radiata, spike lavender, and African sage essential oils, all of which have significant antiviral properties.

“It’s important to shake this blend vigorously to remix and reactivate it,” she says, “then thoroughly mist the air around your dog from a distance of two to three feet, including over the dog’s head. Repeat every two to three hours, and spray doorknobs, walls, and infected surfaces, too. One of the greatest advantages of this blend is its quick response time. Breathing passages open up, and this is so soothing for the chest. It brings immediate relief.”

Don’t panic
As the canine flu virus spreads across North America and the world, it will continue to generate confusion and distress. “Headlines and rumors always paint a worst-case scenario,” says Dr. Falck, “but they don’t have to apply to your dog. With a little help, your dog’s immune system can respond efficiently to any contagious disease, including canine flu.”

-A long-time contributor to WDJ and author of The Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care, Natural Remedies for Dogs & Cats, and other books, CJ Puotinen lives in New York with her husband, a Lab, and a tabby cat.

Training Your Dog To Come When Called

By
Mardi Richmond, CPDT-KA
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By Mardi Richmond

When it comes to learning to come when called, not all dogs are created equal. Some dogs learn the “recall” very easily. They seem to know instinctively that coming when called is to their advantage. Others will come when called most of the time, perhaps more reluctantly.

For some dogs, however, coming when called is the most challenging behavior they will ever learn – especially when faced with choosing between complying with the request and distractions like squirrels, cats, balls, or other dogs.

But if your dog is having trouble learning to come, don’t despair. Teaching a dog to come when called (also known as the “recall”) is not as difficult as you may think. It takes time, enthusiasm, and lots of practice, but even the most reluctant dog can a reliable recall in most situations.

Getting started
In brief, for your dog to have a reliable recall, you will need to follow these steps:

• Teach your dog the initial behaviors (coming when called is really a series, or chain, of behaviors).

• Make your dog think coming when called is the best thing that happens in life.

• Practice, practice, practice.

• Increase distractions gradually, so that your dog learns that coming to you is always more rewarding than anything else.

• Continue reinforcing (with variable rewards) for life.

Begin your recall training by thinking about what you would like the behavior to look like. Have a clear picture in mind so that you know what you will be working toward.

My picture is this: When I say, “Jesse, come!” I want my dog to immediately disengage from the activity she is doing, race toward me at full speed, and plop herself into the sit position in front of me. I want her to stay sitting until I snap on the leash, give her another behavior to do, or release her back to play.

Most trainers recommend that your dog’s recall is followed by a sit or a collar touch, to help keep him from immediately racing away after coming.

Once you have the chain of behaviors in mind, pick the word or hand signal you’d like to use. “Come” is a good choice, but you could use any word. If you have unsuccessfully tried to teach a recall before, use a different cue word this time around. “Here” and “front” are good alternatives.

While this article focuses on an everyday “Come,” most people expect several variations of the behavior from their dogs. For example, some people have a casual behavior like, “C’mon, let’s go!” and a formal obedience “Come,” too. If you train each of these with its own cue, you can help your dog know exactly what is expected.

Chain, chain, chain
Because coming when called is actually a chain of behaviors, it works best to teach each part of the chain separately first.

Please note: Always use the highest value rewards when teaching “Come.” Try chicken, liver, cheese, sardines, and other smelly, yummy, soft treats. From the start, make recall practice the highlight of your dog’s day.

• Charge up the cue. This simple step will give you a head start on the rest of the training. Go into a low stimulation environment where you and the dog can be alone (like the bathroom or bedroom). Say the word you have chosen for your cue (in these examples, we’ll use the word, “Come!”) and then give your dog a treat. Repeat this 10 to 20 times. Do this exercise several times over two or three days. You are essentially supercharging the cue.

• Teach your dog the beginning behavior by capturing it, using a food lure, or both. To “capture” the behavior, simply set your dog up for success. When your dog is about to come to you anyway (what trainers call “offering” the behavior), say “Come!” just before he gets to you, then use your reward marker (in most cases, a click! of a clicker or the word “Yes!,”) and give your dog a reward.

For example, you can say “Come!” when your dog is on his way to you to get his dinner, when you are about to go for a walk, or when you are getting ready to toss his favorite ball.

If you want to use a treat lure to get started, simply put the treat in front of your dog’s nose, as he sniffs it, take several steps backward. When he follows the treat toward you, click or say “Yes!” and give him the treat. Repeat this several times.

Once your dog will easily follow the treat, add the cue “Come!” It’s important to quickly “fade” or eliminate the treat lure, going to a click and treat as soon as possible. Practice in your living room, bedroom, backyard, and other low-stimulation environments.

• Practice the “quick turn” and “sit” on (leashed) walks. Surprise your dog on your walks by suddenly calling him and taking several steps back. When he turns to follow, click or say “Yes!” and give him a treat. Tell him what a great dog he is!

After a couple of practices, add in the sit and/or a collar touch. For example, say, “Jesse, come, sit!” With a few dozen repetitions most dogs will begin automatically sitting.

• Increase the distance and speed. If you have practiced a recall only across the length of your living room, don’t expect your dog to be able to come from a distance of the length of a park or field. You’ll need to practice with gradually increasing distances first.

Start by just calling him a few feet, then a few more until you can call him through your house and across your backyard. Practice away from home in fenced areas, or in an open area using a long line for safety.

How can you get your dog to run to you? Practice calling during ball games or tug games, using the continuation of the game as the reward. Try running in the opposite direction when you call (he’ll race after you to catch up), or calling him back and forth between two people.

• Teach your dog to pay attention when you ask, separately from teaching Come. It is difficult to get a dog to come when you can’t get his attention! There are many different ways to teach your dog to pay attention to you, but I like to simply work attention games into everyday life. For the next 10 days or so, every time your dog looks your way (even just a quick glance to “check in” with you), reward her with praise, affection, a favorite game, or a click and treat. Do this throughout the day whether you are at home or out in the world.

At first your dog may check in more at home than in other places. That’s okay. Just keep rewarding at home, and your dog will begin to look at you more when you are out in the world as well. After a couple of days of rewarding the natural check in, start occasionally saying your dog’s name and rewarding her when she looks your way.

• Put it all together. When your dog has learned all the individual pieces, you can start putting the behaviors together. This is the time to practice the recall as the whole chain of behaviors – responding to your request for attention, coming to you quickly, sitting or accepting a collar touch, waiting for the release.

Practice at various times during the day in low distraction environments. It is critical at this stage to set up your dog for success; only use your cue for the recall when you are 99 percent certain he will come. Don’t bother calling him when it’s very unlikely that he will comply, for example, right after you enter the dog park and take off his leash, or right as one of his family members or best friends enters your front gate.

Also, keep your practice sessions light and fun! If you turn your training sessions into a big bore, with too many repetitions and not enough fun, he well decide to quit “playing” with you.

Praise only
When you first teach your dog to come, try to avoid four very common human errors that can set back your training. First, be careful not to put your dog into a situation where he or she will learn that not coming is rewarding! For example, if you ask your dog to come, and he runs the other way (and has fun doing it!), then he has just been rewarded for not coming. At this stage in training the recall, it is essential to use good management! Let your dog off-leash only when it is very safe and when you will be able to go and get him when you need to.

Second, do not use “Come” to end a play session or other fun times, or to call your dog to you to perform a distasteful task (like pulling off burrs or clipping nails). This teaches your dog that coming to you could be a bad thing.

Third, be careful not to fall into the “bribe” trap. Let’s say you blew it (we all do!) and called your dog at a time when he wouldn’t come. At that point, don’t show him a treat or a ball to get him to come. This teaches your dog to come only when you have an obvious reward. Instead, go and get him, make it easier (say, by asking him to come to you on-leash), and try again.

Finally, never scold your dog when he comes to you, no matter what terrible thing he was doing just before he came to you. He stopped doing what he was doing and came to you! That’s great! So be sincere and enthusiastic. Your body posture, tone of voice, and energy will all make a difference. A sensitive dog will often circle or sniff (rather than come) if you bend over at the waist, or call with a stern voice. If your dog is starting to come, but hesitates, encourage her with happy praise.

Party time!
This can’t be said too much: Make recall training the highlight of your dog’s day. Use the best treats and toys as rewards. Vary the rewards. And most importantly, always keep it fun!

Make a list of your dog’s top rewards. Along with treats, use natural events in your dog’s life as possible rewards, such as playing with other dogs, walks, dinnertime, and playing fetch. Consider anything your dog loves to do as a reward! Mix them up.

For example, if your dog loves chicken, playing with other dogs, and tug games, reward the recall sometimes with chicken, sometimes with a surprise tug game, and other times with a release to play with dog friends.

Make recall training part of other fun activities, like walks and ball play, too. Use games as a part of your teaching strategy. Using games teaches your dog to listen to the Come cue even when he is in the middle of something fun. Let’s face it, the most important time to have our dogs come reliably is often when they are having the most fun, like chasing a squirrel, playing with another dog, or about to roll in cat poop or a dead animal! Some games include:

• Come for tug. In the midst of a game of tug, pause and ask your dog to drop the toy. Then back up and use your cue for “Come.” When your dog comes and sits in front of you, touch his collar, and then use your reward marker (such as a click or “Yes!”), and reward him with the continuation of the tug game.

• Back and forth recall game. Call your dog between you and another family member. Each time your dog comes, give a great big happy reward (silly play, jumping up and down, great food treat, play ball, etc.).

• Hide and seek. Have your dog stay in one spot. Go into another room and hide. Ask your dog to “COME find me” (emphasize the come). When your dog finds you, give a great big happy reward like two to three minutes of fun play. Once your dog knows this game, you can play it unexpectedly. For example: On a hike, step behind a rock or tree and call, “Come find me.” When your dog finds you, get crazy-happy and love him up.

• Dinnertime recalls. Have your dog sit or down and stay while you prepare his dinner. Continue to have your dog stay while you take the dinner into another room. Call your dog to you; dinner is the reward.

• “You’re the most wonderful dog” recall. Call your dog to you. When your dog comes, get down on the ground and play, play, play for at least three solid minutes.

• Come and go play. When there are real life distractions (or rewards), call your dog to you and release him to investigate or play. For example, when you are in an off-leash play area, call your dog (on-leash), and snap off the leash and send her to play when she comes to you. Getting to go play is the reward.

Practice and distractions
Of course your dog will come to you when it’s all about fun and games. But what about when it really counts: in the face of serious distractions or in a life-or-death situation? How do you make sure your dog will turn away from something really interesting to come to you?

The key is to train with systematically and increasingly difficult distractions. This is possibly the most important step for teaching your dog to come reliably in almost all situations.

But what does it mean? It means, quite simply, that you have to practice, practice, and practice some more. It means that those practice sessions must be full of heavily rewarded recalls. And it means that you must practice – with distractions – and with distractions that are at a level your dog can handle. Increase the difficulty of those distractions only when he can successfully handle it. This takes time, effort, and some planning, but it will pay off big time when you really need your dog to come!

In order to train with increasing distractions, you will need to have thought through the things your dog finds distracting. Because this varies from dog to dog, try writing down what distracts your dog. A puppy might be engaged by a leaf blowing across a lawn. Some dogs are enthralled with balls. Others lose concentration when they see other dogs playing or a neighborhood cat. Write down everything your dog finds distracting, then rank them according to how big a distraction it is for your dog. Pick at least 10 different locations you can practice in. New places are distracting, too.

Set up a training plan, to remind yourself to stick to a regular practice schedule. Then, keep track of your practice sessions and your dog’s progress; these notes can help you decide when to go to the next level of distractions.

Increase the distractions when your dog is enthusiastically coming at least 9 out of 10 times at your current level. What if your dog is making a lot of mistakes? If you have two mistakes in a row, make the exercise easier for your dog; help him be successful.

Train for life
Please keep in mind that there is no such thing as a 100 percent reliable recall. Dogs will always be dogs! What that means is that they are living, thinking, decision-making beings who will always make their own choices. No matter how much you train or practice, and no matter how well your dog responds, you will always need to use good judgment when your dog is off-leash.

Recognize the types of situations that will make it difficult for your dog to come reliably. Is it chasing birds, visiting with other dogs, or the scary sounds of thunder that make it most difficult for your dog to respond? Know and respect your dog. Don’t expect her to be someone she is not!

But when you take the time to really train your dog’s recall, you may be surprised and even impressed with just how reliably she will come. While teaching your dog to come can be done over the course of several weeks or several months, keeping your dog’s recall strong will mean continuing to train and reward it throughout her lifetime.

For a young dog (or a dog for whom coming is particularly challenging) continue practicing a couple of times a week at various locations and with various distraction levels for months after your dog has the basics down. For all dogs, integrate your recall practice into your daily life. Play with it on off-leash walks. Call your dog to you several times on your walk, then send him back off to play.

Keep rewarding your dog for great recalls, but use varied rewards, such as treats, toys, praise, or freedom.

Thanks to Sandi Thompson and Leanne Neufeld of Sirius Puppy Training, Berkeley, CA, for their help demonstrating Premack exercises. See www.siriuspup.com for contact information.

-Mardi Richmond, MA, CPDT, is a writer and trainer living in Santa Cruz, California, with her partner and two wonderful dogs, Jesse and Blue. She is also co-author of Ruffing It: The Complete Guide to Camping with Dogs.

Conventional Cancer Care for Canine

By
CJ Puotinen
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By CJ Puotinen

Your nagging feeling was right – there really is something wrong with your dog. And it’s not just a pulled muscle or a torn toenail. It’s cancer.

As you struggle to wrap your mind around that diagnosis, the veterinarian describes your options: surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy, alone or in combination. Or your dog might be eligible to participate in a clinical trial testing a new drug, or you may want to consult an oncology specialist or consider a promising new state-of-the-art treatment. There are no guarantees that any of these treatments will work, and if the prognosis is especially grim, you may want to say goodbye now. Please decide within 24 hours. This is a medical emergency.

No wonder a Morris Animal Foundation survey found that the number-one fear of American pet owners is cancer.

You struggle to comprehend median survival times, treatment plans, treatment side effects, quality of life issues, and the demands that different protocols will make on your schedule – not to mention your checkbook.

Meanwhile, your faithful companion stares at you with trusting eyes.

“A cancer diagnosis is an incredibly emotional experience,” says Gerald Post, DVM, ACVIM, who has specialized in pet cancer care for 15 years. “There’s so much to consider, and there is a huge element of uncertainty. Even when you use the most accurate statistics for a particular group of animals with a particular type of cancer that is treated in a specific way, there is no way to know how your particular dog, who’s in the treatment room right now, will respond. When it comes to dogs and cancer, there are still many unknowns.”

So how can one make informed decisions?

“You have to consider all the factors,” he says. “At our clinic, we start with the diagnosis and then discuss what the cancer’s biological behavior is, what tests are needed, and what can be done. To answer this last question, we look at conventional therapies that are already widely used and experimental therapies that are ongoing. We include what our experience has taught us about probable outcomes, what the owners want, and how the dog is feeling. All of this information helps narrow the choices so that the owner can consider the most promising options.”

Survival rates
When it comes to cancer, some types are better than others – better meaning that they have a higher survival rate and are easier to treat than other cancers.

“The ideal patient in any oncology practice is one that doesn’t have cancer,” says Dr. Post. “That’s the best situation of all. But among cancer patients, I’d be happy if all of mine were otherwise healthy middle-aged dogs, each with a small (less than 3 centimeters) mast cell tumor on his or her body. These dogs can handle surgery very well, and they are likely to make a full and complete recovery.”

At the opposite end of the spectrum are patients with worst-prognosis cancers. “Whenever a young dog comes in with acute leukemia, or a middle-aged Golden Retriever has just been diagnosed with a ruptured splenic hemangiosarcoma, you can’t help but feel heartsick. These are difficult, difficult cases.”

Dr. Post says that osteosarcoma used to be in that category, “but we’re making progress there. It’s still a horrible disease, and sometimes we do have to amputate a leg, but with chemotherapy, we can increase survival time to a year or sometimes longer. A year is a fairly long time in veterinary oncology, and those 12 months are very precious to the dog’s human family.”

In human medicine, cancer patients are considered cured if they go for five years without the disease. While veterinary medicine doesn’t formally define the term, Dr. Post considers any dog who goes for more than two years without a malignancy to be cured.

Conventional treatments
In conventional medicine, surgery remains the most widely used and most effective treatment for cancers that cause solid tumors. It can be used by itself to remove a tumor, or it can be used in combination with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or other treatments to enhance their effectiveness.

In many cases, tumors are removed along with a margin of tissue surrounding the tumor. Radical surgery, such as amputation, has a longer recovery time and more potential complications than minor surgery. However, improvements in anesthesia and innovations such as laser surgery, in which a laser beam replaces scalpels for maximum precision, are making all surgeries safer and more effective.

Radiation therapy damages and then kills rapidly dividing cancer cells. In veterinary oncology, high-energy units similar to X-ray machines deliver radiation as a primary therapy or to clear surgical margins of cancer cells.

Radiation is usually recommended in the treatment of mast cell tumors, soft-tissue sarcomas, squamous cell carcinomas, oral melanomas, brain tumors, nasal tumors, and tumors that have not spread to other parts of the body.

Radiation is delivered in small doses and given several times, often daily, over a period lasting three to four weeks. Small doses decrease this therapy’s most common side effect, which is damage to normal tissue. According to oncologists, this damage, which can be uncomfortable for the patient, is not usually life-threatening and usually disappears after the conclusion of treatment.

A few veterinary clinics implant radioactive beads in difficult-to-treat tumors in a radiation treatment called brachytherapy. Another new technique is tomotherapy, which rotates the beam source around the patient, targeting the tumor from different angles. And some clinics replace radiation with photodynamic or drug-laser therapy, in which an injected drug is activated by laser light.

Chemotherapy is the use of drugs that damage and kill cancer cells when administered intravenously or orally in frequent doses alone or in combination with surgery and/or radiation therapy. Chemotherapy is usually recommended for cancers that have spread or metastasized to other parts of the body and for tumors that cannot be surgically removed.

Chemotherapy drugs have different mechanisms, such as damaging a cell’s DNA (genetic material) or interfering with cell growth and division. Their side effects vary, though most experts say that dogs have fewer adverse reactions to these drugs than human patients do.

Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are the most common reactions, but in dogs, they tend to be of shorter duration and of a milder nature than the side effects experienced by humans taking chemotherapy. Some chemotherapy drugs can cause kidney damage or bone marrow suppression. Bone marrow produces red and white blood cells. Low white blood levels can make the dog more susceptible to infection. Anemia, a low red blood cell count, is less common in dogs undergoing chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy seldom causes hair loss in dogs, but some breeds (Poodles, Terriers, Bearded Collies, Old English Sheepdogs, and others) seem to be more prone to this side effect. If experienced, canine hair loss is most apparent on the face and tail, especially in Terriers and Poodles.

For some canine patients, chemotherapy is an ongoing, permanent protocol; they receive it for as long as they live. For others, treatments are eventually discontinued for as long as the cancer stays in remission.

The problem with cancer is that no matter which of these treatment plans you adopt, it can – and usually does – come back. Worse, when it returns, it usually spreads or metastasizes, moving from the original site to other parts of the body.

Surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy are not only used to treat cancer in hopes of achieving a cure, but also used alone or in combination to relieve pain or discomfort, slow tumor growth, or otherwise improve the patient’s quality of life. Palliative treatments are those that reduce the symptoms of a disease without addressing the disease itself. In humans as well as canines, surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy are often palliative rather than curative.

New treatments
Experimental, high-tech therapies touted as breakthroughs in human cancer care are being adapted for use with dogs. One is the stem-cell transplant.

In January 2004, Seattle residents Darrell and Nina Hallett learned that their Golden Retriever, Comet, had lymphoma. They took him to Bellingham Veterinary & Critical Care in Bellingham, Washington, where his spleen was removed and he was put on chemotherapy. Comet did not respond well and within a few weeks was so ill that his treatments were stopped.

Comet’s veterinarians, Edmund Sullivan, DVM, and Theresa Westfall, DVM, conferred with scientists at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. Dr. Sullivan and Dr. Westfall were aware that hundreds of experimental bone-marrow and stem-cell transplants had been conducted on dogs at the Fred Hutchinson Center as researchers perfected techniques now used in human cancer treatment.

In addition, there were reports of the treatments being used with great success outside the Center. Several years ago, a stem-cell transplant was successfully performed at the University of Massachusetts on a dog with lymphoma; in the 1980s, a Virginia veterinarian did bone-marrow transplants (which include stem cells) on a dozen dogs, three of whom survived for at least three years.

With help from Comet’s breeder, 40 of his relatives in five U.S. states and four countries were tested, and three were found to be perfect matches. The largest, a dog in Florida, was chosen because larger dogs yield more stem cells.

The June 2004 transplant was conducted at the Hutchinson Center, where a special machine separated stem cells from the donor’s blood. Comet was given total body radiation to suppress his immune system and allow engrafment of the donor stem cells. His donor’s stem cells were then delivered intravenously.

Dr. Sullivan brought Comet from the Center to his Bellingham clinic for two weeks of protective isolation, and his owners had a glass window installed so Comet could see the rest of the clinic. Two weeks after that, the stem cells began to reject their host, causing sores on Comet’s muzzle. After an anti-rejection drug cleared that condition, Comet had no further problems.

Today, two years after Comet’s initial diagnosis and 18 months after his stem-cell transplant, he is thriving. Dr. Sullivan looks forward to performing stem-cell transplants as appropriate patients and donors appear.

Another Golden Retriever, an 18-month-old female pup named Navy, made medical history when her owner, Marion Haber, treated Navy’s cancer with anti-angiogenic therapy, a medical strategy that is still new to humans. Haber had worked as a research fellow at the Angiogenesis Foundation, a nonprofit organization in Massachusetts that promotes research on angiogenesis and its control.

“Angiogenesis” is the growth of new blood vessels that tumors (and other tissues) create to supply the oxygen and nutrients that will allow them to grow and spread. Anti-angiogenic therapy starves tumors and prevents their growth by cutting off this blood supply with drugs.

The study of angiogenesis has produced a new diagnostic tool as well, for if a blood test reveals elevated angiogenic growth factors, the cause is likely to be a tumor.

In September 2000, Haber, then a student at the Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine in Boston (she is now a veterinarian), discovered a tumor in Navy’s chest while practicing examinations on the dog. A surgeon removed the tumor, extra tissue, and five ribs, which were replaced with three prosthetics.

A few weeks later, a tumor appeared on Navy’s leg. Knowing her pup’s situation was desperate, Haber rejected amputation and radiation therapy and turned instead to angiogenesis.

Navy’s treatment, now known as the “Navy protocol,” combined three drugs already approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration – Celebrex, tamoxifen (sold as Nolvadex), and doxycycline – with a goal of inhibiting blood vessel cell proliferation and invasion. Navy received her first multi-targeted drug cocktail on Christmas Day 2000. By early March 2001, her veterinary oncologist could find no trace of cancer, and Navy experienced no adverse side effects. As angiogenesis pioneer Judah Folkman told reporters at the time, “That’s a remarkable achievement.”

While Navy’s recovery was dramatic, it may not have been representative. When anti-angiogenic drug trials for human cancer patients were conducted in the 1990s, everyone wanted the new “miracle drugs,” and their popularity (in clinical trials at least) soared. News reports inflated the public’s expectations, leading to disappointment. Instead of being touted as a cure, anti-angiogenic drugs are now described as a treatment option that helps stabilize cancer as a chronic manageable disease.

According to the Angiogenesis Foundation, anti-angiogenic drugs show promise in the treatment of canine brain, lung, mammary gland, mast cell, oral, bone, prostate, soft tissue, and lymph system cancers. The Foundation works with veterinarians and zoo managers to treat dogs and other animals. Anti-angiogenic drugs are used alone or in combination with conventional chemotherapy or radiation therapy. While other dogs have received the Navy Protocol, Navy remains its most dramatic success story.

Clinical trials
Just as human cancer patients participate in clinical trials that test new protocols, so do dogs with cancer.

Dr. Post is chairman and founder of the Animal Cancer Foundation, a resource for veterinary oncologists. “I’m encouraged by the continuing progress being made in conventional therapies,” he says, “but I’m always on the lookout for novel therapies that are being developed by biotechnology firms. If you’re a mouse or a rat and you get cancer, we can cure you, but if you’re a person, it’s a different story. The model in which tumors are induced in laboratory rats and mice just doesn’t apply to human health.

“Dogs and people develop cancer spontaneously, they share the same environmental risk factors, and they are more closely related to each other than to rats and mice. It makes sense to use their tumors to test novel therapies that can help our animals and at the same time reveal something about how experimental therapies are likely to work in people.”

According to the National Cancer Institute’s Center for Cancer Research (CCR) Comparative Oncology Program (COP), another organization that promotes clinical trials that test experimental therapies in dogs with cancer, the types of canine cancer that could produce results for humans include osteosarcoma, breast and prostate cancer, melanoma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, head and neck carcinoma, and soft-tissue sarcoma.

Clinical trials recruit and enroll carefully defined patients, such as “dogs with suspected or confirmed transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder with measurable disease” or “dogs with suspected or confirmed appendicular osteosarcoma with no prior treatment with radiation therapy, systemic chemotherapy, or bisphosphonates, no complicating disease(s) that would limit survival, no pathologic fracture of affected limb or advanced metastatic disease, and informed client consent.”

The trials are usually paid for by pharmaceutical companies or other sponsors and conducted at veterinary teaching hospitals or research centers.

Cancer’s high cost
Any illness can be expensive, but cancer has to be the most costly disease that affects our dogs. Some owners have maxed out their credit cards, borrowed from friends and family, and taken second mortgages just to pay the vet bills.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, Americans spent $7 billion on veterinary care in 1991 and an estimated $19 billion in 2001. Increasingly sophisticated equipment is one reason for the increasing cost. Some veterinary clinics have their own linear accelerators, which reduce radiation therapy side effects by pinpointing tumor sites precisely, along with spiral computed tomography (CT) scanners for diagnostic imaging, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) devices, and other technologies formerly available only to human patients.

Canine cancer treatments range from a few hundred dollars for the simplest procedures to $20,000 or more for cases that involve long-term therapy and multiple protocols. In most clinics, chemotherapy costs, which vary according to the patient’s size, range from $500 and up for palliative care to more than $5,000 for three to six months of treatment.

Because most clinical trials are funded by their sponsors, the owners of participating dogs are charged only a minimal fee, such as an initial evaluation. But not everyone is eligible or wants to participate in a fully funded clinical trial, and that leaves most owners who choose to pursue conventional care facing painful financial decisions.

Comet’s stem-cell transplant cost his owners $45,000. Spending the money on Comet, they told the Seattle Times last year, was “infinitely better” than using it for the kitchen remodel they had planned.

Navy’s treatment cost her owner $2,000, part of which was paid for by donations from fellow classmates at Tufts.

Fund-raising efforts are one way to pay the vet bills if you’re on a budget. Another is pet health insurance, which was once considered a novelty but is catching on. According to an American Animal Hospital Association survey, 1 percent of pet owners now carry pet health insurance, with the average premium costing slightly less than $150 per year.

Like their counterparts in human medicine, though, pet policies vary. Some companies provide only accident coverage, while others offer options such as minimum coverage, vaccination, and routine care coverage, or more expensive coverage that covers office visits, surgeries, hospitalization, prescriptions, diagnostic tests, X-rays, lab fees, teeth cleanings, and checkups.

Cancer “riders,” if available, can extend the animal’s treatment for that illness. Most policies – again, like their human counterparts – are more likely to cover conventional treatments than holistic or alternative ones.

Insurance companies usually exclude previously existing conditions, and some exclude congenital problems and hereditary defects. Some plans require policyholders to use only veterinarians in their system. Most plans have a maximum age limit for new patients, some charge more for certain breeds, and at least one company adds a surcharge for coverage in New York City.

A growing number of veterinary clinics offer their own wellness packages, which include discounted prices for routine care, or they may be linked to a specific insurance company or plan.

In general, pet insurance policy buyers should expect to deal with co-payments, deductibles, reimbursement benefit schedules, documentation, forms that have to be signed by the veterinarian, forms that bounce back, fine print, payout limits that may not be clearly explained, and other frustrations. Compare policies, talk to people who already have coverage, and ask your vet’s office to help you weigh your dog’s health risks. If you decide to buy health insurance, be sure the company is licensed in your state.

Quality of life
A treatment may extend a dog’s life, but if that life is defined by loss of mobility, anxiety, depression, pain, and suffering, is the treatment worth pursuing? At what point do quantity of life and quality of life fall irrevocably out of balance?

To help vets and pet owners answer these questions, the Animal Medical Center in New York City developed a “performance scale” that assesses quality of life. It considers alertness/mental status, appetite, weight/body condition, activity/exercise tolerance, and elimination. As one would expect, dogs who score close to normal in all five categories tolerate treatments well and do better overall than low-scoring dogs.

Some veterinary oncologists ask owners to define, before treatment begins, their hopes, goals, and expectations as a way to begin the discussion about what will work, what won’t, and whether the client’s expectations are realistic. This is an excellent exercise – one you can begin today.

If your dog had cancer, what side effects would be worth working through and which would not? As you learn more about cancer treatments, you will undoubtedly see some that you might consider and some that you definitely wouldn’t. But the more you understand about this illness and its treatment, the more prepared you will be to make decisions on your companion’s behalf.

Also With This Article
Click here to view “Canine Cancer Resources and Hope”

-A long-time contributor to WDJ and author of The Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care, Natural Remedies for Dogs & Cats, and other books, CJ Puotinen lives in New York with her husband, a Lab, and a tabby cat.

Properly Interpreting Your Dog’s Body Language

By
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
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You may have noticed a theme in the photos we provided last month for the exercise in body language translation. (See “Understanding How Your Dog Communicates,” November 2005.) In each picture there were body language expressions that to a novice observer might have indicated pending serious aggression: tails stiffly raised, mouths agape with teeth bared, tension in body posture …

In each case, however, the moment frozen in time precedes the onset or continuation of clear and appropriate social behavior rather than agonistic (aggressive) expression.

It’s not uncommon for humans to misread perfectly normal play behavior and interrupt/separate dogs who are having a rousing good time together. At the end of Week 2 of my group good manners classes – and every week thereafter – we have play sessions where the dogs get to play with their canine classmates. In each new class there is at least one owner, often more, who is very tense about her dog’s play behavior. I narrate body language descriptions and explanations as the dogs play, and watch owner stress levels diminish as they come to understand what their dogs are really saying to each other.

A good technique to use when looking at body language is to analyze first, draw conclusions second. Let’s do that with last month’s photos (above and under “More Examples”). Then, try your hand at a blank photo, also under “More Examples”. It involves interaction between a dog and a person. Do your analysis, draw your conclusions, and then compare them to our comments here.

PLEASE NOTE:
The photos you see in this article were taken in dog parks. Some of the dogs are wearing collars and harnesses that we don’t like. More importantly, dogs should not wear any gear when playing in groups. We’ve heard of far too many dog fatalities (death by choking, usually, or a broken neck) and injuries caused by one dog getting his jaw caught in another dog’s collar or harness.

Some Great Dog Care Reads!

By
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
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0

Books are akin to gold for me. I’ve been an avid reader since I was a small child and learned how to “sneak read” by the glow of the hall light outside my bedroom door after lights-out time. Whenever my husband and I have moved – five times in the last 10 years – the cartons of books we’ve collected over the years have inarguably made up the bulk of our possessions.

Of course, the vast majority of our books are animal-related, and a preponderance of those are dog training and behavior books. When Nancy Kerns suggested an article highlighting WDJ’s “all-time favorites” book list, I seized the opportunity to review our collection, visit with old and new literary friends, and share with you the ones that will still inhabit my shelves when I have to pare down my collection to go live in a retirement home. If your library is missing some of these, put them on your holiday wish list, and maybe you’ll get lucky!

———-

Don’t Shoot the Dog
by Karen Pryor
Bantam Books, 1999 (revised edition)
softcover, 202 pgs; $13

Originally published in 1985, Don’t Shoot the Dog is generally regarded as the book that launched the paradigm shift from old-fashioned force-based methods to the now widely accepted positive training/clicker methods that are fast becoming the norm in the dog training industry. Ironically, it was written not as a dog-training book, but as a book on the science of behavior and learning, primarily to help people understand human behavior, secondarily dog behavior.

Pryor provides at least as many examples of using the principles to modify Homo sapien behavior as Canis familiaris applications. The cover quote by noted behavior scientist B.F. Skinner on the original edition ignores any relevance to dog training: “Karen Pryor has been a pioneer… Anyone who wants to be more effective in rearing children, teaching, or managing his or her own behavior will find her book very useful.”

Fortunately, the dog training community also discovered and embraced Pryor’s book. I am just one of a legion of positive dog trainers who owes a huge debt of gratitude to her for opening our eyes to the “why” behind the “what” of dog training, and turned our hands and leashes toward a kinder path. This is an important book to read for historical purposes, but it provides a ton of invaluable training and behavior information as well.

———-

The Other End of the Leash

by Patricia B. McConnell, Ph.D.
Ballantine Publishing Group
2002, softcover, 240 pgs; $14

I was on only the second page of the Introduction when I fell in love with this book. I read this line: “All dogs are brilliant at perceiving the slightest movement that we make, and they assume that each tiny motion has meaning.”

Of course! Yes, we all know that dogs are body-language communicators, but this one phrase brought so much into focus for me – why some of my dog owner clients have so much difficulty communicating with their dogs (their body language is “all over the place”) while others are just naturals and immediately seem to get it. Not coincidentally, so do their dogs.

The Other End of the Leash is a book about us – the human primate – and how we behave with our dogs. McConnell explains the differences between innate primate behavior (us) and canine behavior, and why so many of the things we do so naturally, like patting dogs on the head, hugging them, and kissing them on the nose, are so aversive to many dogs. With gentle humor and intriguing insights, she helps the reader to a far better understanding of the canine psyche, and enables us to improve and strengthen our relationships with our canine companions.

McConnell is a gifted writer – her talent lies in taking things that you may already know in your head and helping you see it in your heart. Her books are entertaining and highly readable and always contain multiple pearls of wisdom. While The Other End of the Leash is my favorite McConnell book, anything she’s written is worthy of space on your shelves.

———-

The Culture Clash
by Jean Donaldson
James & Kenneth Publishing, 2005 (2nd ed)
softcover, 203 pgs; $18

Originally published in 1996, The Culture Clash is a delightful reality sandwich for dog lovers. I remember sitting down with this book, and time and again leaping from my chair shouting, “Yes! Yes!” as I read Donaldson’s sometimes biting commentary as she describes, in no uncertain terms, why dogs are sometimes so misunderstood – and badly behaved as a result – and how to help them be better.

The Culture Clash opens by debunking the myth of the Walt Disney Dog. Donaldson makes it clear that it’s unfair to expect dogs to be perfect, much less to understand or subscribe to a human moral code. In fact, in order to make our dogs behave more appropriately in our alien (to them) human culture, the author insists we have to understand them, accept them for who they are, and make greater accommodations to meet their needs while we expect them to meet ours.

Donaldson’s sharp wit keeps this an entertaining read to the last page. If some of her arrows sting a little, it may be time for some gentle self-examination. I wouldn’t expect too many arrows to hit close to home for educated WDJ readers!

———-

Dr. Dunbar’s Good Little Dog Book

by Dr. Ian Dunbar
James & Kenneth Publishing, 2003 (3rd ed)
softcover, 139 pgs; $18

Dr. Dunbar is the catalyst for the growth of positive puppy training in this country over the past 15 years, as well as the founder of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, which now boasts more than 4,000 members. He’s also a prolific and entertaining writer.

Although any of Dunbar’s books offer loads of useful information, this one, originally published in 1992, is particularly engaging, thanks to the profusion of quality color photos that illustrate the accompanying exercise descriptions. While the book was designed to accompany two of his training videos, it does perfectly well all on its own as a guide to training the companion dog.

In addition to basic good manners exercises, Dr. Dunbar’s Good Little Dog Book offers valuable information on socialization, bite inhibition, and general household etiquette. It’s an inviting, easy-to-read, easy-to-follow book that makes a perfect gift for your first-time dog-owning friends.

———-

Click for Joy!
by Melissa C. Alexander
Sunshine Books, Inc., 2003
softcover 208 pgs; $25

Click for Joy! is a delightful book for dog owners and trainers who are taking their first leap into clicker training, as well as those who are ready to move beyond basic clicking. It’s presented in a question and answer format, and comprised of a comprehensive collection of questions Alexander answered on her online “Clicker Solutions” discussion list. These range from the very simple (“What is clicker training?”) to the more advanced (“What is a keep-going signal,” and “What is ‘fluent’ and how do I get there?”).

From good manners training and solving behavior problems to the scientific principles behind the clicker, if you have a question about clicking, chances are good the answer is in Click for Joy! What a great resource!

———-

How Dogs Learn

by Mary R. Burch, PhD, and Jon S. Bailey, PhD
Howell Book House, 1999, hardcover
188 pgs; $20

Once upon a time, the scientific principles of behavior and learning were presented in daunting volumes fraught with jargon and page after page of incomprehensible formulas of strange-looking letters, using examples of rats in Skinner boxes. Burch and Bailey’s book changed all that by offering the information in understandable, everyday language, with training examples that actually use dogs.

How Dogs Learn is an excellent read – a perfect choice for dog owners who want to understand the “hows” and “whys” as well as the “whats” of dog training.

We especially love the authors’ positive lean in a scientifically based book. Many Ph.D. behaviorists appear unwilling to take a strong stand against the use of positive punishment. While Burch and Bailey stop short of saying they would never use a shock collar, they make it refreshingly clear that their very strong preference is for the use of non-coercive methods that encourage a relationship of trust between dog and human.

———-

Coaching People to Train Their Dogs
by Terry Ryan
Legacy Canine, 2005
softcover, 404 pgs; $65

Terry Ryan, long a leader in positive training, has provided a number of excellent books on the subject, but she has outdone herself with this one. Intended to help trainers offer top quality training classes, this outstanding volume also has much to offer the dedicated dog owner.

The large volume is set up to mirror the topics covered by the Pet Dog Trainer Certification exam, including an overview of the current state of the dog training industry, a comprehensive section on dog behavior, another on the science of learning, business and people skills, and class organization and teaching, closing with an excellent chapter on solving behavior problems that reprises her book, Toolbox for Remodeling Problem Dogs.

I often receive pleas from dog owners who can’t find a good trainer near them, and are looking for a self-help guide to training their dogs using positive methods. Ryan’s book is a great resource for this, especially the sections on teaching classes. Ryan offers several options with clear instructions for training each of the exercises, as well as fun games, homework assignments, and other activities that a teacherless dog owner could apply in a home training program. It’s a pricey book, but it contains a wealth of information.

———-

Pet Behavior Protocols

by Suzanne Hetts, PhD
American Animal Hospital Association, 1999 (2nd ed)
softcover, 322 pgs; $82

Hetts’ book aims at a more professional audience than most of the previous books on our list. It is written specifically for the pet behavior consultant, and provides excellent information to guide the consultant in the creation and implementation of step-by-step behavior modification protocols for a wide range of problem behaviors. The protocols can also be useful for the dog owner who is having difficulty locating a qualified behavior professional in their community.

There are a growing number of behavior consultants in the country and while some are certified by the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, many are not, and vary in their experience, skills, and capabilities. There are even fewer Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists (veterinarians or Ph.D. behaviorists) – about 40 in the entire country, and not all of them actively practice. This book can help fill the gap.

Pet Behavior Protocols is an excellent resource for knowledgeable owners working through behavior problems on their own, behavior consultants wishing to bolster their knowledge and protocols, and owners who need more information to help them gauge the knowledge and abilities of the behavior professional they’re considering engaging to help them with their dogs.

———-

Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Small Animals
by Karen Overall, MA, VMD, PhD
Mosby – Year Book, Inc., 1997
softcover, 544 pgs; $70

I owe a huge debt of gratitude to the Santa Cruz veterinarian friend who introduced me to this book. It’s an incredibly valuable resource, presenting behavior problem analysis and modification in a scientific, unemotional yet very readable style. Written for veterinarians who wish to be more knowledgeable about behavior in their daily clinical practices, it’s also a terrific tool for non-veterinary behavior consultants as well as the dog owner who wishes to be better educated than the average human about dog behavior and behavior modification.

This book is not for light bedtime reading – it’s dense with information. Overall is a brilliant veterinary behaviorist, and one of the few I know who is willing to stand up in public, as she did at the 2003 APDT conference, and state that in her opinion there is no need, ever, to use a shock collar on a dog in the name of training. She has been promising a next book for the past few years; we’re eagerly awaiting its arrival.

———-

Handbook of Applied Dog Behavior and Training
(Volumes 1-3)
by Stephen R. Lindsay

• Volume 1: Adaptation and Learning (Iowa State University Press, 2000, hardcover, 410 pgs; $80)

• Volume 2: Etiology and Assessment of Behavior Problems (Iowa State University Press, 2001, hardcover, 328 pgs; $60)

• Volume 3: Procedures and Protocols (Blackwell Publishing, 2005, hardcover, 795 pgs; $100)

If I were stranded on a desert island, along with Patricia McConnell’s The Other End of the Leash, I would want Lindsay’s three-volume set of works by my side. Of course, I’m a dog behavior and training fanatic – but I’ll bet a lot of you are, too!

These books are college textbook-dense and serious, containing absolutely everything you could ever possibly want to know about dog behavior and training – and then some. Not for the faint of heart, Lindsay’s works are written for the serious student of dog behavior and learning, and as such are an invaluable resource. They are thoroughly indexed, making it a reasonably simple matter to research the topic of the moment without having to page through volumes of unrelated material.

If you’d like to have an encyclopedic-type reference for your dog-training library, head for Lindsay. It may take you years to wade through them, but you’ll be amazed at the depth of information he offers.

 

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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?”
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