Note: The editorial team at Whole Dog Journal is working on a brand new winter coats for dogs review for 2019. For now, follow the guidelines below. Also be sure to learn about when winter coats are appropriate for your dog.
Putting a coat on your dog shouldn’t be about making a fashion statement. Rather, it should be about keeping a chilly dog warm, thereby preventing hypothermia, a dangerous condition characterized by a reduced internal body temperature. (The normal canine body temperature is 100.5 to 102 degrees. A dog whose temperature drops below 95 degrees can die.)
A dog’s natural protection against cold varies from breed to breed. Labradors and certain Northern dogs (Huskies and Malamutes, for example) have developed with special physiological responses for coping with cold. However, many other breeds (and certain individual dogs) benefit from extra warming layers in cold weather, including:
• Thin dogs, who may not have adequate fat stores to keep themselves warm
• Extremely short-haired dogs and/or breeds accustomed to exotic climates
• Immune-compromised dogs, who should be protected from the stress of cold
• Older dogs, especially those in poor health
Warming up these dogs actually helps them stay healthy, by sparing the dog’s body from having to generate as much heat as it would have to otherwise. By simply slipping an extra layer on these dogs, you can help them preserve their physiological resources for the maintenance of general health and vitality.
Dog Coat Shopping Tips
If you shop in stores, you have a huge advantage over catalog shoppers. You can try several coats on your dog to check their fit and ease of application, and you can examine them closely for good-quality zippers, seams, and Velcro fasteners, and thick, warm fabric.
The only drawback to shopping for a coat in person is finding a store that carries a broad-enough selection of quality designs to choose from. Catalog shopping, in contrast, may seduce you with a fantastic selection of pretty coats, but it’s hard to tell from the photographs whether the coats are thick and well made. And don’t count on being able to return coats that you try on your dog and then return due to poor fit. Although none of the companies we ordered coats from told us this in advance, we found that many will not accept returns of products that have any dog hair on them. It’s understandable, but regrettable. Before you place an order or hand over your plastic, ask the sales representative about the business’s return policy.
Keep your climate in mind as you shop. Do you live in perennially wet, cold Seattle? The dry, windy cold of Denver? Look for a coat that offers protection from the combination of weather conditions your area generally experiences. Some degree of waterproofing is needed in rainy Washington, for example, a wind-blocking fabric is a must in the plains states, and greater insulation is needed in areas that hover at freezing temperatures all winter.
Also, keep your dog’s body type in mind as you examine coat candidates. Some designs are clearly intended for deep-chested, narrow-waisted dogs like Greyhounds. Others better suit block-bodied dogs such as Golden Retrievers. Check the placement of the closures to see whether they can be adjusted to accommodate your dog.
If you buy from a catalog, or are shopping without your dog’s company, be prepared with his or her measurements. Every coat manufacturer sizes their coats differently. Some use the measurement from the dog’s collar to the top of his tail, some use the dog’s collar size, and still others use the measurement around the widest part of the chest. Measure all of these, as well as the dimension of your dog’s waist at its narrowest point, and take these numbers shopping with you.
Some Winter Coat Models We Liked
Because you need to find a coat that suits your climate and dog’s physique, this is one of those instances where we can’t possibly test every coat available, or even tell you which ones we tested and decided were the “best.” Instead, we’ll describe some of the products we liked a lot, and tell you what it was about each coat that earned our admiration. With luck, one of the coats we chose to feature would suit your dog’s needs.
The Snuggy
The Snuggy is simply one of the best fitting coats we have tested, and one of the easiest to put on the dog. Made of a thick Polarfleece fabric and fastening on both sides of the dog with a wide swath of Velcro, this coat offers superior warmth, but little protection from wind and none from rain. The coat is available in a wide range of sizes (separated by two-inch increments) and colors. We ordered from Valley Vet Pet Supply. Price depends on size, from $20 for the smallest and up to $37 for the largest. Worth every penny.
PC Panache Polarfleece
We ordered this coat directly from the manufacturer, who is so determined to provide coats with superior fit that she actually prefers to make your dog’s coat to order (for only a few dollars more). However, our experience was that, carefully measured, the “off-the-rack” coats fit beautifully. The Panache Polarfleece features an elasticized collar that easily slips over the dog’s head, and a nylon belt (fastened with a metal clip) that secures the coat around the dog’s waist. The workmanship is gorgeous, and the personal customer service divine. Expect to pay more: $35 for the small sizes, and up to $56 for the largest. Again, fleece coats do not offer much protection from wind or rain.
We should mention that PC Panache also makes a very nice raincoat that provides superior protection from wind and rain, though it is unlined and so offers no insulating properties. Their thickest coat is the wooly fleece-lined Denim “City Coat,” another attractive, easy-on model. Panache Rainslicker $35-$50; Panache City Coat $45-$66. PC Panache, (610) 296-3846.
Avery Neoprene Dog Parka
The first time we reviewed dog coats, way back in 1998, a reader chastised us for not including a coat that offered protection from a freezing rain. I tried to explain that as a native Californian, such a thing had never occurred to me! However, this coat is just the solution for keeping warm, if not dry, in that sort of nasty weather.
Designed to keep hunting dogs warm even when they are soaking wet, this Neoprene suit offers superior insulating abilities, but hopelessly flunks any sort of attractiveness test. Available in two different camouflage patterns, “Wetlands” and “Shadow-grass.” Fastens with Velcro strip that runs along the dog’s spine. Easy on and off. $35 from Dunn’s Supply Catalog, (800) 353-8621.
Therapet Standard Ultrex Coat
This simple coat features a nylon shell for wind protection (and some water resistance) and a soft fleece lining for insulation. It fastens with two Velcro straps, one at the neck and one around the waist. $15-$33; a special Greyhound model fits dogs of that physique, $50. We ordered from The Dog’s Outfitter, (800) 367-3647.
Arrowhead Dog Jacket
This is another nice fleece-lined coat with a windproof and water-resistant exterior shell. The coat fastens at the front with a single Velcro strip; the wide belly band fastens with two fairly adjustable Velcro strips.
Like the Snuggy, the Arrowhead coat is available in an impressive range of sizes: from the Toy (5-10 pounds) to the XXXL (120-140 pounds). Despite the fact that we ordered one that was a little too small for our model (the Dalmatian in the center photo), the coat stayed securely fastened, even while the dog ran and played. Affordable at $25-$50. We ordered from KV Vet Supply, (800) 423-8211.
Fido’s Wind & Rain Gear
Once again, I’m not sure who is going to want or need a coat capable of protecting a dog from gale-force wind and rain, but if that person exists, so does the coat. Mann Design Ltd., of (wouldn’t you know it?) Minneapolis, Minnesota, makes what they describe as “one of a kind garments” to thoroughly protect a dog from the worst kind of blustery weather.
I’ll admit that this isn’t the easiest coat to put on. For one thing, you have to put the dog’s front legs through the sleeves – not as bad a job as it could be, since the maker put a small Velcro tab at the “wrist” to widen the sleeve for putting it on, and then fastening it close once on the dog. Next, you seal up the long Velcro strip along the dog’s spine, as well as another Velcro strip at the dog’s throat. The hood is easily attached or detached with another strip of Velcro. Finally, you tighten the elastic drawstring at the dog’s waist to keep his chest sealed from wet and wind. I suspect I could safely take a dog through a carwash in this outfit – only kidding!
I bought the coat from a local pet supply store; you can buy direct from Mann Design at www.fidostuff.com or (800) 343-6779. $20-$50, depending on size.
Most people, unwittingly or intentionally, use a lot of physical force when raising and training their dogs.
The purposeful ones have a whole variety of reasons. Some may have read about behavioral theories regarding dominance and “the importance of showing the dog who’s boss.” Fans of these theories may advocate imitations of canine behavior such as “scruff shakes” or “Alpha rolls” to convince the dog he’s at the bottom of the family hierarchy. Others may have been influenced by advocates of traditional, military-style training – think of yanking collar ‘corrections’ or using the leash leveraged under their foot to forcibly pull a dog into a Down. Still others may be practicing old-fashioned folk “wisdom” when they do things like push a puppy’s nose into a puddle of pee, or smack a rowdy pup with a rolled-up newspaper when he jumps up on the couch.
Then there are the people who aren’t intentionally or mindfully using force on the dog, but who end up doing just that in the course of struggling to get him to behave. My guess would be that this is the majority of dog owners, those of us who reflexively smack the dog for jumping up on our clean clothes, who don’t yet know the trick to walking the dog without his pulling our arms from their sockets, and who have seen hundreds of people using the “push the puppy’s bottom down while repeating SIT!” method of training.
The thing is, sometimes these methods work. So people – some people – keep using them.
However, I doubt that anyone would admit to enjoying inflicting discomfort, pain, or intimidation on his or her dog (and hey, if they did, they probably would read some other magazine!). I’m fairly sure that most of the people who “take a hand to” their dogs are unaware of all the consequences. And I’m absolutely certain that if they learned an easier, more enjoyable, and more effective way to get their dogs to do what they want them to do, most people would. And that’s where WDJ comes in!
The following are discussions with two trainers who use and advocate non-force training. Each has different reasons for wanting to avoid the use of compulsion-based training techniques, and different, compelling explanations for why they think that dog owners should employ positive training techniques. I learned a lot in my conversations with them, and I hope you will, too.
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Creating Dogs with Initiative and a Desire for Partnership
Nina Bondarenko is the program director for Canine Partners for Independence (CPI) in Hampshire, United Kingdom. A native of Australia, Bondarenko has trained dogs for show and competition, judged Schutzhund trials and breed suitability tests, and now lectures regularly on canine behavior, development, and cognition.
Bondarenko says her start in dog training in Australia was inadvertently oriented toward positive methods, “because I didn’t know better,” she jokes. She got her first Rottweiler when she was a young teenager. She trained him herself to the best of her abilities, and he went everywhere with her.
Eventually, Bondarenko became interested in more advanced training for her dog, and she sought the advice of some local dog experts, including an old man who lived nearby who raised “very ferocious crossbred dogs” that were used to hunt and kill kangaroos. Bondarenko says that when the old man, who had a slight build, would go into the kennels, sometimes the dogs would try to pin him against the wall, but he would quite confidently fend them off.
She says the sight was terrifying, but he explained to her that “you just have to show them you’re not scared of them. You don’t have to bash them or strangle them or kick them or anything, you just have to be completely confident around them – so that’s what I did with my dog.”
She also sought advice from the man’s wife, who took the leash of Bondarenko’s young dog and demonstrated some classic force-based obedience methods. “She told me, ‘See, you’ve just got to do this to him, you’ve got to make him do this.’ And she started flinging him around at the end of the leash. I said [in a tremulous voice], ‘Oh, whoa, he doesn’t know how to do that!’ and my poor dog was looking like [in a squeaky voice], ‘I need some help, what’s going on?’ He was trying to comply, but he didn’t know what hit him!”
Bondarenko says she took her dog home and thought about what she had seen. She decided, “Naw, I can’t do that. If he’s going to be my mate [pal] and go with me everywhere, I can’t do that.” Instead, she says she watched him play with other dogs and would try to mimic what other dogs did when they wanted to control each other. “For example, if he was doing something I didn’t like, I’d go menacingly still, and he’d get the message.” Probably because of her unwitting confidence, her good relationship with the dog, and because she never tried to force him to do things, her Rottweiler complied with her wishes without incident.
Bondarenko became a big fan of the breed, and even began breeding Rottweilers. However, as she pursued her interest, she says she was told numerous times by unappreciative Australians that “Rottweilers are stupid, stubborn, ugly, ignorant, untrainable, aggressive, and lazy.” Her experience with the dogs was quite different.
“I was training them just by guesswork, and they were lovely dogs; smart, eager to learn, affectionate, and loyal,” Bondarenko says. However, as she gained an interest in showing the dogs, she joined a training club, and with her new female dog, started learning about and using the traditional, force-based training methods that were in style at that time. In no time at all, she says, her dog “suddenly became stupid, stubborn, ugly, ignorant, untrainable, aggressive, and lazy!”
For example, the instructor would say, “Say ‘Heel’ and jerk the neck! Say ‘Heel’ and jerk the neck!” Bondarenko says it didn’t take long for her dog to start growling at her when she said “Heel!” because she knew to expect a jerk on the neck.
“The other thing was, if your dog broke the ‘Stay,’ you were supposed to let him come to you, then drag him back to position and throw him down . . . The first time I tried to do that, my dog went very rigid and tense. The second time I tried to do it, she was up and waiting for me – and she would have had me,” says Bondarenko. Even the instructor’s own dog discouraged Bondarenko’s interest in this style of training. “He had a little Corgi that used to attack everyone and had to be kept tied up, so this wasn’t a very encouraging example,” she laughs.
Force won’t work here
Bondarenko continued to pursue her interest in dog breeding and training, and studied animal behavior in college. Today, after 20-plus years of professional training and advanced studies, she says she has two main concerns about force-based training. First, there is a limit to what you can accomplish with force; it can be effectively used for stopping a behavior, but can’t be used to get dogs to offer behavior. Positive reinforcement training, on the other hand, is “absolutely brilliant” for getting a dog to take initiative and find every way possible to be helpful and responsive to his or her handler.
In her work at Canine Partners for Independence, Bondarenko developed what she calls a puppy education system where the selected puppies start “training” in the homes of volunteers at seven weeks. The handlers have been taught to use operant conditioning, whereby the puppies learn to solve problems and accomplish their goals – from finding the right place to go to the bathroom to pressing light switches – by offering behavior. They are rewarded for using their noses, mouths, and their feet to touch and manipulate objects, and taught that if they want attention and petting, they must offer some behavior.
By never winning rewards of any kind for the “wrong” behavior, and always getting what they want when they display the “right” behavior, Bondarenko says the puppies “grow up incredibly cooperative, compliant, and easy to train and motivate. When they do the right thing, it gets reinforced right away. And when they are wrong, nothing happens. This is absolutely non-threatening, and it makes sense to them,” Bondarenko describes. In other words, they are infinitely motivated to show initiative.
When the puppies are between 12 and 15 months old, they are returned to the CPI training center where Bondarenko and her trainers begin to teach them to refine the behaviors they have learned. For example, while a puppy may have learned to nudge a light switch with his nose, he is now taught to press it really distinctly, and perhaps three or four times. The third and final phase of training gets the dog and his new disabled partner used to each other. “Here, the dog has to learn again,” describes Bondarenko. “His new handler may speak very differently or move differently from his previous trainers. He may have to learn a new way of going through a door, or picking up crutches and getting them properly into the hands of his handler.”
Even after many years of working with assistance dogs, Bondarenko says she’s amazed and thrilled with the things that a positively trained and motivated dog can do for people. “Look, there’s no way you could force a dog to do these things,” she says. “Imagine an aversive trainer trying to get the dog to help with the laundry. How could he make the dog open the washing machine door? Will it work to smack the dog if he doesn’t do it? Not likely!”
Plus, as Bondarenko points out, even if physical corrections did work to make dogs do things, this solution could not be put into practice by many disabled people who currently enjoy an assistance dog partnership.
“Say the dog is going to be given to a thalidomide survivor whose arms are three inches long. What’s she going to do if the dog has been trained with pulling and smacking, and he doesn’t do something he is supposed to? ‘Watch out, dog, or I am going to look at you quite fiercely!’ No, assistance dogs can’t be forced to work. They have to be a willing partner, an enthusiastic participant in everything the person does.”
If, in contrast, the dog is punished when he offers a behavior and it is the wrong one, his mistrust of the handler and fear of using initiative will grow. Eventually the dog will avoid using any initiative at all – a behavior that is apt to result in his being labeled “stubborn” or “sulky.”
Fallout of force
Bondarenko’s second major concern with the reliance of force to control the dog has to do with the risk of pushing the dog into behaving in one of several undesirable ways. She explains:
“Everyone has heard the expression ‘fight or flight.’ In dog training, I suggest that there are four main behavioral responses that you are apt to see when a dog has been frightened or stressed: fight, flight, freeze, or fool around.
“A dog that is very self-confident will fight when you threaten him. You say, ‘You had better do that,’ and the dog says, ‘I’ll take your hand off if you try to make me.’
“Flight is the dog who tries to run away. He’ll pull backward, or tremble and lag behind you when you are trying to get him to heel.
“The dog that freezes will just go rigid and throw calming signals like crazy. He’ll go still, lower his body, and will close down in an effort to avoid doing something that will stimulate more of your aggression.
“Then you get the dog who fools around – the one who gets extremely excitable, the class clown. He throws extreme behaviors – pawing and submissively throwing himself down and then jumping up all over you, grabbing the lead, getting tangled . . . this is anxious, insecure behavior. Or the dog who is jumping and wagging his tail, putting his ears back, and pulling his lips back in a big grin is saying, ‘Hey everyone, laugh! And then let’s go do something else now!’
“You may get any (or some combination) of those four responses from using threats on a dog who doesn’t really understand what that is all about. If he’s frightened, and he doesn’t know what he can do to avoid punishment, he’s likely to try some or all of the above.”
Negative results of positive training?
Bondarenko says that the chances of positive-reinforcement training harming the dog’s confidence or psyche are quite slim, though she has seen positive methods, inexpertly applied, cause a dog some frustration and even aggression. The difference is, she says, this resulted in a dog who may be frustrated enough to bark angrily, but who had no reason or trigger to make him attack his handler, whereas a dog who is frustrated and then punished or hurt may well bite to defend himself.
“Positive training gives the dog the opportunity to walk away, to lie down, to stand and do nothing. . . there is lots of room for the dog to avoid being pushed into a very bad, unwanted response,” she says.
Bondarenko sees potential for trouble with positive training in a few, specific instances. For example, when a person has a very confident, independent dog that wants his own way, and is not particularly interested in complying or cooperating, she says, “You have to be able to engage the dog’s interest, you have to get them to want to do it and eager to learn – and not everyone is capable of getting that from their dog.”
And then there are the people who are looking for shortcuts – who just want the dog to be trained as quickly as possible, with little effort. “Behavior shaping is such a wonderful and useful tool, but it’s also complex, demanding, and not everyone can use it very well. Some people use a little bit and then go, ‘Aw, this doesn’t work.’ Or they say, ‘I think it was faster when I just jerked the dog.’ ”
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Ian Dunbar: Promoting “Dog-Friendly Dog Training”
Punishment,” says Dr. Ian Dunbar, “is an advertisement that a dog isn’t trained yet.” Dunbar is a veterinarian, has a Ph.D. in animal behavior, and is often credited with pioneering the puppy education movement when he founded Sirius Puppy Training, in Berkeley, California, in 1980. He also has written and produced numerous books and videos on dog training, founded a publishing company (James & Kenneth Publishing) that specializes in books about positive dog training, and founded the Association of Pet Dog Trainers in 1993.
Whether Dunbar has stirred up the wave of positive dog training so popular today or he simply managed to surf its crest for more than 20 years is, perhaps, not worth debating. Throughout that time, he has been a tireless advocate of what he calls “dog-friendly dog training,” focused on helping owners get along with their dogs happily and safely.
To achieve these goals, Dunbar advocates taking the simplest effective approach to dog training possible. Any method of dog training had better be “all the E’s,” he says: “It has to be effective; there is no point in doing it if it doesn’t work. It has to be efficient, because people won’t do it if it takes a long time. It has to be easy, for the same reason. And if it is enjoyable, and people have fun doing it, and their dogs do, too, then they will do more of it, and be more successful.”
For example, Dunbar uses lots of lure-reward training – using a food treat or toy that the dog will follow to get him to perform certain behaviors, such as holding the lure slightly over the dog’s head to get him to sit. He also teaches handlers how to employ the difficult-sounding but fiendishly simple “operant conditioning” – rewarding the dog when he performs the desired behavior or a successively closer approximation, “reinforcing” the desired behavior.
In contrast, undesirable behavior goes unreinforced; the handler strives to make certain that the dog derives no reward from his “bad” behavior, and soon the dog loses interest in repeating it.
While Dunbar does address exotic misbehavior and serious transgressions such as aggression in his books, videos, and lectures, he says the bulk of his work has to do with helping people deal with normal dogs exhibiting normal dog behavior: eliminating in the house, digging in the garden, chewing the family’s possessions, chasing the cat, barking at strangers, and so on.
“What most people want is a dog who is fun and easy to live with,” he explains. “Once upon a time, dog training was all about this military stuff, and practiced mostly by people who wanted to show their dogs in obedience. You used to pick up training books and they would talk mostly about leash corrections.
“But in recent years we began talking about pet dog training, and we invoked the notion of relationship; we’re not just training dogs to do things, we’re training dogs to live with us and be our pals. After all, this is a dog I sit on the couch with and give tummy rubs to. This is the friend I walk with and chat with. I want the dog to like me. I want my dog to enjoy training, and if he does, I will too.
“Within the last 10 years, there has been an explosion of dog-friendly dog training,” Dunbar continues. “Now, the average family living with a dog has so many options, so many new, warm, friendly tools in the toolbox. Now we talk about training dogs to have bite inhibition; to like people, other dogs, and other animals; and we can talk about the notion of dealing with behavior problems.”
Love me, love my training
Dunbar says that in his opinion, the biggest current topic in dog training is teaching trainers and owners alike to avoid punishing their dogs. “My definition of training is to eliminate the need for any punishment,” he says. “If I use a force-based method, my goal is to eliminate that method as soon as possible.”
Dunbar believes there is definite “fallout” from using force- or pain-based training methods. “Even the mildest correction – just saying ‘No!’ – can result in baggage,” he says. “The point of training is to get the dog to like you and to be enjoyable to live with. Trust me, he won’t be fun to live with if he doesn’t like you and doesn’t trust you. In contrast, the fallout of training with treats is that the dog likes the handler.”
Putting yourself in your dog’s shoes is appropriate here; you wouldn’t want to spend hours and hours taking music or dancing lessons from someone with whom you felt uneasy. Dunbar gives an example from his home: “My son has favorite subjects in school because he likes the person who is teaching them. He’s even taking a Chinese history course because the instructor is so wonderful. You want the dog to want to sign up for any course you are teaching – and he won’t do it if he gets yelled at or struck in class.”
Be a behaviorist
When trying to convince people that force-free training actually works far more effectively than positive methods such as lure-reward and operant conditioning, Dunbar says it’s helpful to get them to look at the two different approaches objectively.
“To say I don’t like force-based training, or that dogs don’t like it, is a purely subjective opinion,” he explains. “But you can ask them to use the method that behavioral scientists use to determine effectiveness – to observe and quantify the dog’s behavior.”
Dunbar uses an example of a dog that jumps up. You could, he suggests, deal with the behavior by turning your back and completely ignoring his jumping, while keeping track of how many times he tried to jump. “If you have someone actually keep a log, it not only keeps the person ‘on task,’ but also shows them that, in fact, the method is working. There is no disputing a trend seen in the log.”
Close observation of the dog’s behavior is critical to dog training, says Dunbar. When he is working with a dog, he wants it to feel comfortable and confident, and to enjoy working with him.
“I know I’ve messed up if I see the dog suddenly lower his head and back up, or refuse to join me in the training game,” explains Dunbar. “That’s why I start off by offering the dog a food treat, and observing what he does. Did the dog come? How quickly? His response gives me a good look inside his head. If he takes it, I can be reasonably assured he is comfortable with me, and he can probably be persuaded to enjoy training. If he doesn’t take the food, I give it to the owner and have her offer it to the dog. If he takes it from the owner right away, I know that the dog is uncomfortable with me – and therefore vulnerable to being scared by me.”
As much as he believes that dog training can almost always be accomplished without pain, fear, or force, Dunbar says he doesn’t “attack” force-based trainers or owners who use force. “I don’t look down on anyone for their force-based training methods,” he says. “But I put this question to them: ‘Would you like to do that (use force) less? Because I think I can give you one tip, so you can get the desired result much more effectively and easily.’ If I can show them that I can get the dog to do the same thing quicker, easier, and more enjoyably, they are likely to give the positive stuff a try.”
The trainer does admit to sometimes using covert methods to demonstrate the benefits of non-force methods to a handler who has become angry or frustrated with a dog.
“If someone is in my class and she is ‘losing it’ with her dog, I might put my coffee cup in her hands and say brightly, ‘Could you hold my coffee for a second? Thanks!’ Then I take a handful of treats and get the dog to do what he’s supposed to be doing, and praise both of them lavishly, ‘Goooood dog, goooood job, you two!!’ That conditions both of them to enjoy training!”
In the following article, holistic veterinarian Randy Kidd writes about the role of the healer’s intention, or purposeful thoughts, as he or she works to improve an animal’s health. Dr. Kidd was chiefly concerned with healing, but his words can be applied to anything that you do with a dog, including feeding, petting, and (especially) training. Most trainers would agree that it helps immeasurably to be very clear about what you are asking for when you work with a dog – even to the point of visualizing in your mind the behavior or movement you are seeking from your dog. Unquestionably, your focus will help you communicate your wishes to your dog, making it easier for him to interpret and understand your cues. Life is demanding and stressful for many people these days. We rarely have enough time to be as reflective as we’d like. But as you work with and care for others, including your dogs, take a moment to focus purposeful thought on your tasks. I’m certain that WDJ’s contributors – experts in training, behavior, health, and nutrition – would concur: Food is better when prepared with loving, healthful intent; massage is more beneficial when directed with focused energy, and behavioral problems disappear when communication between teacher and canine pupil is positive and clear. –Editor ———- The first time I heard the term “intention,” as applied to a healing method, was after I’d been a practicing veterinarian for about 30 years. I was taking an animal chiropractic course when a chiropractor-instructor commented, “Chiropractic is all about intention. Think about exactly where you want that spinal vertebrae to be and then let that intention help you with how you want to move it back into alignment. Your focused intention is your best ally when you’re doing chiropractic.” At the time I thought it was interesting that I’d never heard the term “intention” applied to medicine before. But I took my chiropractic teacher’s admonitions to heart, and now, before each adjustment, I spend a moment to focus my intention before I do any mechanical manipulations. In the ensuing years I’ve learned a few things about applying chiropractic to animals, and I’ve added these applications to my focused intentions. For example, early on I learned that animals will bite when your chiropractic technique is too heavy-handed! So, now my intention is to adjust an animal without causing pain. It’s a subtle thing, but once I changed my intention from simply “proper adjustment” to “proper adjustment without pain” I noticed I worked with a lighter touch, and it was obvious the animals were responding in kind. One of the first things I noticed when I began taking courses in alternative medicines was how different their goals were from western or allopathic medicine. While allopathic medicine’s intention is to “cure” the physical component of the disease, the intention of alternative medicines is to balance the patient’s collective body/mind/spirit. The word allopathic comes from the Greek allos, other or opposition, and pathic, from the Greek pathos, or disease. Thus, allopathic means a treatment “other than, or in opposition to the disease.” Western medicine’s intention is to find the “bug” (or other etiology) that caused the disease, and then specifically attack the perceived problem. With this as its intention, western medicine uses a lot of war-term analogies: we are “fighting disease;” for this case we may need to bring out the “bigger guns” (more potent antibiotics); we need to “eradicate” this bug; etc. In contrast, almost all alternative medicines are aimed at enhancing the patient’s inner ability to respond to the (almost always multiple) causes of the disease. You can witness this in homeopathy’s intention to enhance the patient’s “vital force,” acupuncture’s intention to enhance the patient’s chi, and chiropractic’s intention to enhance the patient’s “innate intelligence.” So, when you’re using alternative medicines, your thinking needs to change to an intention that is almost the opposite of western medicine’s intention. Or as some of us like to put it: “Western medicine and alternative medicines are looking at the same ‘mountain’ of a patient; we’re just looking at that ‘mountain’ from completely opposite sides.” Intention is integral to holistic medicine The more time I spend with my practice of alternative medicines, the more I see that holistic medicine is much more than a simple application of a medicine, whatever magical medicine the practitioner currently uses. As I stated in my practice model (“Building the Foundation of Health,” March 2001) I feel medicine – whatever the medicine – is merely the “nudger” or “tweaker” that may help move the patient to better health. The true intention of holistic medicine, in my mind, is to empower the patient to a healthy reunion with nature, to recreate balance, to return the patient’s inner powers for health and healing, to re-establish more natural relationships, and to help create healthy life-style choices. I teach at a university that is (among other things) scientifically validating non-local and intuitive approaches to diagnosis and healing. Non-local diagnosis and non-local healing (sometimes referred to as intuitive diagnosis and healing) occur when a practitioner is able to effect a diagnosis or a cure from a distance, without seeing the patient. Now there’s a subject that at one time I thought was much too woo-woo, even for me! The problem is, I’ve seen non-local diagnoses that were accurate and non-local healings that were completely successful. I’ve seen both of these far too often to dismiss them. And, as a matter of fact, there’s a lot of scientific evidence to support the curative value of non-local prayer, and intuitive diagnosis has been scientifically shown to work. Through my work at this university, I’ve recently become involved with two different groups of healers: Native American healers, and what I call “natural healers” – healers who seem to be gifted with natural healing powers and often don’t use any specific medicine other than their own ability to heal. Interestingly, when asked what is the most important aspect of their healing abilities, both these groups of healers almost always answer, “Intention.” It seems to be a common thread that unites them all. In fact, in the Native American way of healing, intention is the one crucial ingredient for all medicines. Healings are given from Spirit through the medicine man or medicine woman who is able to access Spirit via his/her good intentions. In their way of thinking (and I happen to agree with this), even the herbs they may use must be collected and utilized with proper intention or their powers to heal are greatly diminished. I have questioned dozens of healers who use unconventional methods, and they all say that it’s their intention that gives them the ability to diagnose or heal. They all claim to have a tremendous ability to focus their intention to the point that both the information they receive (often claimed to be from Spirit, or the Universe, or Jung’s Collective Unconscious, or their personal concept of God, or whatever they see as a Higher Power) is accurate, and their healing abilities (again, most often from Spirit) can be focused and directed in a helpful manner. My intention through me A further key to intention I am learning from the “natural healers” I’m working with is that the most efficient and effective way to utilize the healing powers of Spirit is to let those powers flow through. Here’s where it becomes crucial, at least in the minds of the most successful of the “natural healers,” to not let any of your personal stuff interfere with the healing intent of the Universe. This, of necessity, means that the healer needs to walk her/his talk, so to speak. True healers must practice the methods of personal empowerment that they recommend for their patients. In addition, many of the natural healers also have a way, often involving some form of ritual, of purifying their intention. They often also have some way that involves an intensifying of their focus, a method to always bring their focus back to their intention. For me, purifying my intention is now related to removing my ego from the healing process. I have learned that trying to prove one or the other of the alternative medicines I use is better than another (or better than western medicine) is a matter of egoistic pride; that always expecting miraculous results is a matter of a bloated ego; and that believing I am the one who is performing the “healing” (rather than Spirit) is a matter of an overinflated and misdirected ego. The most difficult deflation of personal ego that the natural healers have finally been able to make me to understand is that they (and especially I) must learn to accept the intention of the Universe. Intention of the Universe When I expect positive results to occur with every treatment, that’s a matter of my ego getting in the way of the ultimate designs of the universe. What the natural healers have taught me is that, no matter how good you are as a healer, you are always subject to the natural laws of the universe. “Thy will be done” is another way of putting this. In other words, it is the realm of divine intention that will ultimately determine the outcome of all our treatments. Now, I’m not a particularly religious guy, but embracing the simple concept of “Thy will be done” has helped me with my healing efforts more than anything else I’ve ever learned. It has allowed me to purify my intention, and it has let me focus on what I can do within my own abilities. And, most interestingly, it has let me get on with the work I am capable of doing without my ego continually crying about my lack of successes, my inabilities, and my personal fallibilities. What I’ve presented here is pretty much a chronological account of how I’ve learned to purify, to focus, and to utilize my intention and the intention of Spirit to help me with my holistic healing efforts. Sheesh, looking back on the process – from the first hint I had that intention was involved with any healing method, to my current realization that intention is perhaps the single most important component of any healing – has taken me more than a dozen years to complete. Hopefully, you’ll be a faster learner than I was. -by Dr. Randy Kidd Dr. Randy Kidd has a DVM degree from Ohio State University and a Ph.D. in Pathology/Clinical Pathology from Kansas State University. He is a past president of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, and author of Dr. Kidd’s Guide to Herbal Dog Care and Dr. Kidd’s Guide to Herbal Cat Care.
When they fill out their evaluation forms at the end of a six-week course, my clients frequently name the “Off” exercise as one of the most useful behaviors they have taught their dogs in class.
“Off” means “Whatever you are paying attention to right now, I want you to leave it alone.” It can be applied to the roast on the counter, the snacks on the coffee table, the dead skunk beside the trail, the neighbor’s cat darting across the yard, or frail 93-year-old Aunt Martha. It’s one of my favorite exercises for watching a dog’s brain at work as she grasps the concept of “leave it alone.” Best of all, it’s fun and easy. You can do the exercises all in one session if your dog is an “Off” whiz, or it may take several.
ONE: Hold up a highly desirable “forbidden treat object” such as a cube of freeze-dried liver so your dog can see it. When she shows interest, say “Off!” in a cheerful tone of voice and place the object on the floor. Be sure to use a pleasant tone, not an intimidating one. You are giving her information, not scaring her away from the treat.
TWO: Quickly, before she can grab it, cover the treat with your foot. Let her dig, claw, bite, and lick to her heart’s content. Wear sturdy old shoes – do not do this with bare feet or sandals, or your shiny Sunday best. Do not repeat the “Off” cue. Just wait.
THREE: Sooner or later she will lose interest in the forbidden object, or be distracted. The instant she looks away from your foot, Click! the clicker (or say “Yes!”) and reward her with a treat of equal value from your hand. Do not feed her the treat under your foot.
FOUR: If she eats the reward and immediately goes back to digging at your foot, wait until she looks away again, then Click! and reward. Keep doing this until she is no longer paying any attention to the treat under your foot. Use a high rate of reinforcement (lots of Clicks! and treats) until she realizes that it is more profitable to “not look” at the treat under your foot.
FIVE: If she eats the reward and does not immediately go back to your foot, Click! and reward her so she quickly figures out she does not have to repeatedly try to get the object and then stop, in order to make the Click! happen. Your goal is to get her to leave it alone completely, not keep going back to it.
SIX: After several repetitions, pick up the forbidden object, show it to her again, say “Off” and place it on the floor, again covering it with your foot. Each time you start the exercise fresh by picking up the object and placing it on the floor, say “Off” one time, and only one time. Do not keep repeating the “Off” cue if she keeps trying to get it from under your foot. You want her to understand that once you say “Off!” it means forever.
SEVEN: When she seems to understand that she should leave your foot alone, uncover the treat slightly. Be prepared to cover it again quickly with your foot if she dives for it! Keep clicking and rewarding her for looking away from it, until she will leave it alone even when it is uncovered. You will be amazed by how quickly she learns this.
EIGHT: As she becomes more reliable about leaving it alone with your protector-foot nearby, gradually move farther away from the treat until you can stand three to four feet away and she still honors the “Off.” Err on the side of caution; if she grabs the forbidden object, she will have been rewarded for the exact opposite of your behavior goal. If this happens, you must back up in the program and repair the damage.
NINE: When she is reliably honoring “Off” with you standing four feet away, attach the leash to her collar, set up the “Off” with the forbidden object on the floor, and move three feet off to one side. Keep the leash just barely taut but not tight, so you can restrain her if she moves toward the treat.
Now call her to you. She should honor the “Off” cue and come to you rather than lunging forward to get the treat. When she does, Click! and Jackpot! (give a handful of treats, one by one, as an extra big reward). If she moves toward the treat, simply restrain her with the leash – don’t say “No!” or repeat “Off.” Just wait for her to give up and turn back to you. Then Click! and treat.
TEN: Now you can apply this to real life. With your dog on leash, walk past piles of treats you have laid out on the floor, or other natural enticements, such as a bowl of chips on the coffee table. As soon as she makes eye contact with the enticement say “Off” one time in a cheerful tone of voice and stand still, restraining her, with the leash short enough that she can’t reach the object. Wait until she gives up and turns back to look at you. Click! and reward.
Repeat until she understands that “Off” applies to real-life encounters. When she will reliably and routinely honor the “Off” cue without even tightening the leash, you are ready to try it off leash.
On your first off-leash attempt, use relatively boring enticements such as a pile of dry cookies, and be sure to have wonderful rewards to give her when she turns back toward you in response to your cue. Warm her up on leash, then take off the leash and give it a try. Be confident and visualize success, so you don’t pause and tense up near the item, and she’ll likely reward you with a perfect performance.
One of the things that parents almost always say when they decide to add a dog to the family is, “It will help teach the kids about responsibility.” That’s the hope, anyway.
Those of us who are committed to teaching non-force, positive dog training see another important opportunity for growth that may arrive with the dog. Many pet dog trainers today are using modern, dog-friendly methods that teach students – children and adults alike – that it is not appropriate nor necessary to use pain or physical force to make another creature to submit to their will. These trainers teach kids how much more powerful (and enjoyable) it is to use kindness, patience, and intellect to communicate and solve problems with their dogs.
Some visionary trainers are even using positive training methods to help abused children rediscover their empathy for the pain and suffering of others. The value of such a program cannot be overstated. Now that the mental health profession has confirmed that children who abuse animals are very likely to grow up into people who abuse other people, the importance of encouraging empathy in children takes on a new significance.
What’s more, children have often been observed to have an innate empathy for animals and their suffering, but this empathy is easily deadened by exposure to animal cruelty. Adults may wrongly rationalize that abuse perpetuated in the name of producing a well-behaved dog is acceptable. But a seemingly good end does not justify violent means. It would be monstrous for the child to conclude that hurting the dog – for whatever reason – is okay.
Finally, many positive trainers have independently reached the conclusion that teaching methods and philosophies that promote nonviolence and a respect for all forms of life is more important now than ever.
Kids are not necessarily accustomed to being as competent as Mom and Dad. But dog training is one field where they can really shine, and even eclipse their parents’ abilities.
In fact, some of my best human students have been children! One mother called me for private training because the family’s four-month-old Labrador Retriever pup was jumping up on and terrorizing the three-year-old toddler. Within a week, the toddler had learned to lift her tiny hands up to her chest to elicit a polite sit from the puppy, and a potential relationship disaster was averted.
And a very young boy was one of the bright stars in a class I taught recently. As I passed out graduation certificates at the conclusion of the course, I thoroughly enjoyed the sight of 10-month-old Champ, a large and energetic Golden Retriever, happily doing sit-down, sit-down, puppy push-ups for his five-year-old human packmate.
Top 10 Reasons Why Your Child May Make a Better Trainer Than You
The following list includes a number of generalizations about normal, dog-loving kids and normal, kid-loving dogs. Little of what we present here is applicable to kids who don’t like dogs or are deeply fearful of dogs, or dogs who are deeply fearful of children. If your dog and kids have relationship problems – if there is any aggression being perpetrated upon each other – we would suggest that you consult a professional, positive trainer to help you with socializing them.
Confident kids who love their dogs may be in the best position to accomplish training miracles with the family dog, thanks to:
10. Food! Most dogs recognize quickly that kids dispense treats at a very high rate of reinforcement. Kids are always eating, and they often drag their food around with them – in the car, on the sofa, in the yard, and so on. And they love to share! Even the tiniest toddlers quickly learn that dogs pay more attention to them when they are eating – and sharing. Trainers want their canine pupils to watch them, and to regard them as the source of delicious treats . . . so kids have that going for them without even thinking about it.
9. Kids are closer in size to dogs than adults, therefore less intimidating. Their faces are within licking range and their hands are closer, more likely to dole out petting. Dogs who are threatened by even a quiet, gentle adult towering over them will often regard even a pushy youngster as a trusted playmate.
8. Most kids have higher-pitched voices than adults, and they tend to speak with more animation. This elicits an excitement response in many dogs. In fact, adult trainers sometimes have to cultivate a high-pitched tone of voice to keep dogs playing the training game. Kids already have it!
7. Kids are more physically exciting to dogs. They are human kinetic wonders, moving unpredictably, wiggling and squirming, and they are just as likely to jump up and down as throw themselves on the floor. As a predatory species, dogs find movement irresistible; they automatically train their attention on things that move. (And face it: compared to kids, adults are boooo-ring!)
6. Kids are more likely to try to cajole or “trick” the dog into doing something than to physically force him (unless they have been exposed to people who use compulsive training). While their methods may be unorthodox – luring a reluctant dog into the car by waving their Beanie Baby at him, for example – they often have more success with the dog than Mom or Dad do. Many family dogs regard the adult as the “enforcer,” the person who grabs the dog, puts the leash on, picks him up, or otherwise makes him do what he doesn’t want to do. As a result, dogs tend to regard the kids as being “safer” to be around.
5. Kids have more time! We know that some kids are very busy, what with school, homework, soccer, etc. But training is best accomplished in numerous, short sessions. Kids can ask the dog to perform a behavior, such as “sit,” 20 or 30 times a day while they pour their cereal, brush their teeth, and tie their shoes. If they are packing their lunches or eating a snack, they can ask the dog to do a “down” or two in exchange for a few treats. Two-minute television commercial breaks are perfect opportunities to train the dog.
4. Kids can really relate to a dog’s philosophy of life: “What’s in it for me?” Explain it to them this way: “You know how much more fun it is to get a treat or a prize after you’ve done something good? That’s how dogs are! And you know how bad you feel when you’ve done something really good and no one notices at all? Dogs feel like that, too!” Explained simply, most children will immediately appreciate the importance of praise and rewards for the dog.
3. Kids tend to be more observant of the dog’s subtle body language than adults. Perhaps as a result of spending more “bonding” time with the dog (or maybe it’s from watching thousands of hours of cartoon animals who are fully equipped with human attributes and powers of communication), it’s often the kids who first notice that the dog is feeling sick. That he “smiles” when he’s really happy. That he walks a certain way when he needs to go to the bathroom. Praise your child when she accurately assesses the dog’s “message,” and help her interpret the finer points of behavior. For example, a dog who is feeling confused may turn his head away or lick his nose; a dog who really “gets” what you want him to do may bump you with his nose or paw to invite you to keep playing the game, etc.
2. Kids may handle the dog’s “failures” better. Think about it: Most kids are accustomed to feeling less effective than adults. Frequently, when adults can’t get their dogs to do what they want, they get frustrated and sometimes even punitive. Kids are more accustomed to not being able to get others to do what they want; they tend to take it less seriously when the dog ignores their “orders.” Teach your children to ignore the dog’s “wrong” responses, and to focus chiefly on rewarding the dog for everything he does right. It will keep the dog’s training on the fun, fast track. And speaking of fun . . .
1. Both kids and dogs just want to have fun. A love of play is something they share. Kids can capitalize on the fact that they are desirable playmates for the dog, and reward him for good behavior with a good romp. Conversely, when training turns into a long, boring chore, kids and dogs will bail. Remind your kids to keep their training sessions short and fun, and kids and dogs alike will continue to come running when you call, “Training time!”
While dedicated dog-loving kids can train their dogs to do just about anything dogs can do, they should start with the basics. The following are some easy exercises that will cultivate your child’s ability and desire to build a positive relationship with the family dog.
Clicker Training with Kids
Kids love clickers. I may have to do a hard sell to convince some of my adult students to train with a “gadget,” but kids are sold from the first Click! They can’t wait to get their hands on that little plastic box and start clicking the dog. The toughest part is making them understand that the clicker is not a toy – every time they click the clicker, they have to give the dog a treat!
With younger children (three to seven) or kids who need work on impulse control, you can team-click: You Click! the clicker, and they dole out the treats. If you have a canine youngster with needle-sharp puppy teeth, let your child do the clicking while you work on softening the puppy’s bite, and have him drop treats on the floor when it’s your turn to Click! If your dog already knows how to take treats gently, you can take turns, with one of you on the clicker while the other one feeds treats from the hand. Older children can usually handle both tasks themselves, with some supervision from you.
Your child’s first training exercise is “charging the clicker,” known more formally as “conditioning the dog to the reward marker.” This exercise simply teaches the dog that the sound of the clicker (or the word “Yes!” if you don’t have access to a clicker) means that a treat is coming. It’s the easiest exercise you will ever do, and a breeze for a kid.
One of you Clicks! the clicker. The other feeds the dog a treat. Click! Treat. Click! Treat. (Note: Occasionally a dog is afraid of the Click! sound. In this case, you can use a softer marker, such as the click of a ball point pen or your tongue. Kids are usually pretty good at tongue clicks!)
In this initial exercise, the dog doesn’t have to do anything at all. The only caution is that you don’t want to Click! when your dog is doing an unwanted behavior, such as jumping up. Most dogs get the concept pretty quickly. You’ll know when you see the dog’s eyes light up and start looking for the treat the instant she hears the Click! Let your child tell you when he thinks your dog has it figured out – it will teach him to start watching and understanding the dog’s body language, which is an important part of a successful canine-human relationship.
Teaching Kids to Teach the Dog
Your dog may start offering sits while the two of you are charging the clicker, especially if you remember to hold the treat up at your chest, because it is easier for her to sit and watch the treat than crane her neck back while standing. Encourage your budding trainer to hold the treat up at his chest, while you look for opportunities to Click! the dog when she happens to have her bottom on the ground. If you and your child consistently Click! when the dog is sitting, she will eventually conclude that sitting makes the Click! happen, and she will start sitting on purpose to make you Click! the clicker. The next exercise, sit, will be a breeze for her to learn, because she’s already doing it!
You will both need to remember not to ask your dog to “Sit” until she is already sitting. Novice trainers, including kids, forget that dogs aren’t born knowing English. Just because you tell the dog to sit doesn’t mean she will, and since you’re not going to force her to sit, there’s no point in wasting your breath. Instead, tell your child to wait for the dog to sit, or to help her sit by holding the treat to her nose and moving it back over her head, then Click! and treat when she does. When the dog is sitting easily for your child, then he can start saying “Sit” when the dog is already sitting.
After the dog has had the opportunity to hear the word “Sit” a number of times while sitting – a dozen to two dozen times, perhaps, depending on how fast she learns – your child can say “Sit!” just before the dog sits, when he can tell by watching the dog’s body language that she is about to plop her bottom on the ground to make the clicker go off. Click! and treat. At this point it may appear that the dog is sitting because your child asked her to, but in reality, she is sitting because she has been practicing this routine, and she knows if she sits when your child holds the treat up to his chest, it will make the clicker go off. Your dog probably doesn’t understand the word yet – you may need to give her a little more help. If your child says “Sit!” and the dog doesn’t do it, lure the dog into a sit by placing the treat in front of her nose and move it over her head. Remember that it doesn’t help to keep repeating the word – you don’t want to teach her that the cue for sit is “Sit! Sit! SIT!”
Helping Your Kid Generalize the Dog’s Behavior
When your dog can perform the “Sit” reliably for your child at home, take the pair of them to practice at other locations.
Dogs do not generalize well. That means that if you always work with your dog on “Sit” in the kitchen, three feet in front of the refrigerator, she may well conclude that “Sit!” means “Sit in the kitchen, three feet in front of the refrigerator.” The first time your child asks your dog to sit in the living room, she may not do it, because there’s no refrigerator there!
You will have to back up a step in training, and use the treat-lure to show the dog that “Sit!” means “Sit wherever you are, not just in the kitchen.” You can also teach her that “Sit” means “Sit by my side, sit when my back is toward you, sit when I am sitting on a chair, sit when I am lying on the floor.” She also needs to learn that “Sit!” means “Sit when there are visitors in the house, sit when you see another dog, and sit even if a cat runs by.” Then you will know that your dog really understands the word “Sit!”
Four-Step Dog Training Formula for Kids
You and your children just followed a four-step formula for teaching your dog “Sit.” Guess what? Your budding trainers can follow the same steps for teaching your dog everything else they want to teach her:
1. Get the dog to do the behavior, using the treat to show her what you want, if necessary. Click! and treat when she does it.
2. Repeat Step 1 until she does the behavior easily. Then add the word you want to use to cue the behavior the instant she does it. Click! and treat.
3. When she has had time to hear the word in relation to the behavior, say the word just before she does the behavior, and then help her with the treat, if necessary.
4. As soon as she seems to have made the connection between the word and the behavior, help her generalize the behavior to other locations. Take the training crew to practice at parks, on walks around the block, in parking lots, and in stores that allow dogs. A good positive training class is another great place for your child to practice working with your dog around distractions.
Teaching “Down”
Let’s apply the training formula to another behavior – teaching your dog to lie down on cue. This one is often a little more challenging than the sit; you will probably have to help your child get this one right.
Step 1 – Get the behavior: While your dog is sitting, one of you holds a treat in front of her nose and starts slowly moving it straight down, using it to show her that you want her to move toward the floor. The other Clicks! the clicker as the dog lowers her head to follow the treat.
Each time the Click! happens, give the dog a small nibble of treat. Do not wait to Click! until she is all the way down! Because this is a more difficult behavior, you need to Click! and reward her just for heading in the right direction, or she may give up. The two of you trainers will gradually “shape” the dog into a down – which means clicking and rewarding small bits of the desired behavior until you finally get the whole thing.
If your child is unsuccessful shaping the dog into a down, he can lure her under your knee, a low stool, or a coffee table, so she has to lie down and crawl to follow the treat. Click! and reward. Repeat this until the dog seems to be getting the idea, then try shaping the down again.
Step 2 – Add the word: When the dog lies down easily, have your child add the word “Down” when the dog is in the down position, to give her a chance to associate the word with the behavior.
Step 3 – Put the word first: After a couple of dozen repetitions, have your young trainer stand in front of the dog with his treat hand at his side or behind his back (so he isn’t giving the dog the “Sit!” cue by holding it at his chest) and tell him to say “Down.” Give the dog a second or two to process the word, and if she doesn’t lie down (she probably won’t), have your child put the treat in front of the dog’s nose and lure her into a down. Click! and treat.
Keep repeating this exercise until the dog lies down on just the verbal cue, then Click! and Jackpot! – which means feeding the dog a handful of treats, one at a time, as a special reward for doing this challenging exercise. Then take your child out for ice cream – he deserves a jackpot, too!
Step 4 – Generalize: Now it’s time to take the show on the road. Have your team start practicing the “Down” exercise when you take them for walks around the block, trips to the park or the pet food store, or visits to your veterinarian.
Teaching “Come”
Let’s apply the formula to one more exercise, and then you, your dog, and your junior dog trainer are on your own!
“Come” is a very important behavior for dogs to learn, and while it takes time and practice for dogs to learn to come despite the allure of other dogs and fleeing squirrels, it’s a much easier behavior to begin teaching than “Down.” You and your child each need a handful of treats and a clicker.
Step 1 – Get the behavior: Both of you stand close to the dog. Have your child show the dog a treat and take a couple of steps backward. When the dog follows the kid, Click! and treat.
Step 2 – Add the word: You can add the word pretty quickly, since your dog will probably come toward the trainer the first time he tries this. The second time, as he steps back and the dog starts to move toward him, have the kid say “Sally, come!” (Obviously, you use your dog’s own name!) Click and treat. You and your child should take several turns each doing this exercise with the dog.
Step 3 – Say the word first: Again, you can shortcut to this one, since your dog will probably catch on to this fun game pretty fast. One of you says “Sally, come!” and then takes several steps back. The caller should Click! the clicker as soon as the dog starts running toward him, since it is the behavior of coming toward the caller that you want to reinforce – you don’t have to wait until she gets all the way to you.
Gradually put more and more distance between you and your child, so your dog has to run farther and farther to get to the caller. As you stand farther apart, clicking the clicker as soon the dog starts toward you will encourage her to come faster, since the Click! tells her there’s a treat waiting for her.
Step 4 – Generalize: This is the one people tend to forget. They think that just because the dog comes when they call her in the back yard, she should immediately come when she is chasing a squirrel, playing with other dogs, or getting in the garbage. You and your child need to practice “Come” in lots of different places if you want your dog to come to you reliably wherever she is. In each new location, start close together, with the dog on leash, and gradually work up to longer distances, using a long line if there are lots of distractions to entice her away (see “Long Distance Information,” February 2001).
And there you have it. You and your child can use this formula to teach your dog anything you want her to learn. Be creative!
Pat Miller, WDJ’s Training Editor, is also a freelance author and Certified Pet Dog Trainer. She sits on the Board of Directors of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. She is the author of many books on dog training; the first book she wrote is called The Power of Positive Dog Training.
I have never written a letter like this, but what happened to my dog is so amazing that I had to share it.
I have a Border Collie, Ransom, who is almost two years old. He has had a rather large number of physical and health problems in his short life, one of which is inflammatory bowel disease requiring him to be on a regular regimen of Prednisone and Flagyl. I was able to wean him down to a pretty low dose and only had to give it to him every three days, but he was always on the verge of diarrhea and I wasnt happy having such a young dog on a long-term steroid. But, if I went more than 72 hours without giving him the medication, he would get severe diarrhea immediately.
After reading Feed Your Dog Back to Health (WDJ September 2001), I added carrot juice and raw organic liver to both my dogs diets. Almost miraculously, Ransoms inflammatory bowel disease seemed to disappear. Since he seemed better, I started testing him by going a little longer than 72 hours, then four days, then a week. Well, he hasnt had a bit of medication in over five weeks!
I suspect that its the carrot juice thats doing the trick, because I had some difficulty getting the organic liver when I ran out the first time, so there was a week or two that he didnt have the liver. However, he has had the carrot juice twice a day the whole time.
Thank you for that wonderful article!
-Lisa Basial Mechanicsburg, PA
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I was reading the latest edition of WDJ and was excited to see the article entitled Problematic Pace? (November 2001).
I have two Australian Cattle Dogs, Tango (13 years) and Sydney (6 months). In the last couple of years, Tango has developed a strange gait. I now know that she has two discs in her spine that are fusing (discovered in a veterinary x-ray this spring) and has been in pain for some time. I have been supplementing her homemade diet with glucosamine/chondroitin for several years and she has been taking Rimadyl which seems to have reduced the pain. She still walks funny, though, and I just couldnt pinpoint what was different about her gait until I read your article.
She paces! Now I know what and why! This enables me to engage in some intensive research into hands-on care for pacers with spinal trouble.
I do give Tango gentle massages, but Im always afraid of hurting her. Im sure that I could do much more given the proper techniques. The authors success with her dog, Bogey, has really given me hope that I can help my Tango feel just a little bit better too!
Thank you so much for the informative and encouraging information that I find in every issue of WDJ!
Your friends in Big Lake, Alaska,
-Carla, Tango & Sydney Chesbro
Thanks for your letter. Once we became aware of the significance of the pacing gait, we started seeing it in dogs everywhere and often, the dogs appear to have some sort of arthritic problem or discomfort when they moved or positioned themselves a certain way.
One of the sidebars (Past WDJ Articles on Related Subjects) referenced a number of articles that may be of immediate use to you and Tango. If you (or Tango!) think that massage would be too much for her, check out Conscious Contact, in the April 1998 issue. The author, Diana Thompson, is the same person who helped Bogey, and she explains in that article how to use the very light, non-invasive touching methods she employed with him. Good luck!
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What a lovely surprise to receive the Kong Biscuit Ball in the mail today. Thank you for thinking of your subscribers. The gift is very thoughtful and of course will be put to good use by our Westies.
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Sometimes it’s spooky. I’ll be writing about something and suddenly what I’m writing about will act itself out in front of my eyes.
Take for example, some of the things that have happened to me recently. A few days ago I was adding some words of caution to an article about watching your dog carefully when you give him or her a new toy. My next-door neighbor’s dog was visiting, hanging out in my office (she gets lonely at home alone during the day). She picked up a fuzzy fleece chew toy that was lying on the office floor, and spent 20 minutes or so running around my back yard, gleefully throwing the toy up in the air and catching it, chomping on it to make the squeaker squeak, until even staid old Rupert had to go out and play, too. I made a mental note: Make sure Carly doesn’t chew that toy up.’ And then I got absorbed in something else.
Hours later, I went outside for a break, and to my great dismay, I found chunks of fluffy white synthetic stuff all around the back yard. The words I had typed a few hours earlier rang in my head as I combed the yard, picking up all the pieces: Never leave a dog unattended with a new toy. Ugh. I found a lot of fluff, the squeaker (thank goodness), but have still not found any of the fabric of the body of the toy. Did Carly eat it? I don’t know. Shamefaced, I had to confess to Carly’s owners what I had done, and how I knew better, and how we were going to have to watch Carly very closely for a few days. I have a feeling I have really absorbed my own lesson now.
In another case, I was asked by the editor of another dog magazine if I could go to UC Davis (about an hour and a half away from me) to take pictures of veterinary cardiologists performing echocardiograms on dogs. I did, and learned a great deal about the technological miracles being performed at the veterinary teaching hospital there so I knew right where to take Rupert when he suffered an attack of cardiac arrhythmia.
Fortunately, there have also been good cases of synchronicity, too. A new director has been hired at my local animal shelter, and I went in with boxes of canned dog food and treats (left over from recent reviews) to donate and to introduce myself. I mentioned to her that I would love to be involved if she would consider some sort of training sessions for the shelter volunteers. I have seen some of the amazing work done by the staff and volunteers at the San Francisco SPCA, and think our little shelter would really benefit from having the volunteers learn more about training the dogs to make them more adoptable. The new director said, Oh, well, we do have some trainers coming in these days to work with the dogs and the volunteers, and they are both graduates of the SF SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers. Hurray! I thought, Im off the hook! Someone is already doing what I think ought to be done.
Just a week later, I got a call from someone who said he had called our Training Editor, Pat Miller, to buy a copy of her book, The Power of Positive Dog Training (which is fabulous, by the way). He mentioned to her that he frequently volunteers at his local shelter, and was getting involved with another trainer who was starting to train volunteers there. When Pat learned he lived in Alameda, she suggested that he give me a call, so he did. He said, Do you know anyone who might be interested in helping us with our local shelter? We need donations, videos, treats, training equipment . . .
Needless to say, Im not off the hook, and thats a good thing. It will be really rewarding to get involved with the shelter again, especially when there is such a great wave of new energy and enthusiasm sweeping in. I think, especially as I ponder my new years resolutions, Ill pay special attention to the ideas and people that come into my life with that sort of double-chime of the bell.
A healthy home is a happy home. We can all agree on that.
How can you make your home healthier for you and your animal companions? We can tell you 20 ways, right off the top of our heads. We’ll divide our suggestions into four areas: Cleanliness, Diet, Environment, and Lifestyle.
CLEANLINESS
1. Use safe cleaning agents Did you know that most brand-name all-purpose cleaners, bleach, floor wax or polish, glass cleaner, and disinfectant dish soaps contain hazardous materials? Read the list of “cautions” on the back of the labels. These common household agents can cause respiratory problems, damage the nervous system, cause diarrhea, dizziness, kidney and liver damage, and cancer. And effective, safe alternatives are close at hand!
White vinegar can be mixed with water and used to clean glass, porcelain, countertops, and tile. Vinegar can also be mixed with salt to create an all-purpose cleaner. Baking soda can be mixed with water and used to scour tubs and sinks. It can also be sprinkled over carpets to remove odors. When washing vinyl floors, add a few teaspoons of vinegar to the wash water to remove waxy buildup; a capful of baby oil added to the rinse water will polish the floor.
Today, there are also a number of safe commercial cleaning products available; look in your local health food store.
2. Vacuum frequently A powerful vacuum is a pet owner’s best friend. A model with strong suction and multiple attachments can not only help you keep the sofa, the rug, and your going-on-a-date outfits dog-hair-free, but also prevent fleas from completing their life cycle in your home. Okay, not all dog owners care about dog hair on everything they own. But everyone hates fleas.
Fleas spend only a portion of their time on the dog, and their eggs, larvae, and pupae are likely to be found in any area where the dog lives. Female fleas are prolific, laying as many as 20 to 50 eggs per day for as much as three months. Development of the larvae that hatch out of the eggs takes place off the dog, usually on or near the dog’s bedding and resting areas. Concentrating your efforts on removing the opportunities for the eggs to develop is the most effective population control strategy.
The best way to remove the eggs’ opportunities to develop is to remove the eggs, and to this end, your vacuum will be your most valuable tool in the flea war. Vacuum all the areas that your pet uses frequently, at least every two to three days. Since fleas locate their hosts by tracing the vibration caused by footsteps, vacuuming the most highly-trafficked hallways and paths in your house will be most rewarding. Don’t forget to vacuum underneath cushions on the couches or chairs your dog sleeps on. Change vacuum bags frequently, and seal the bag’s contents safely in a plastic bag before disposing.
For more information, see: Flee, Evil Fleas: June 1998
3. Wash your dog’s bed Flea eggs and developing flea larvae cannot survive getting wet. We can presume that any dog who has fleas will have flea eggs in his bed (since fleas usually lay their eggs off the dog). So, if fleas are a problem in your neck of the woods, wash his bedding as frequently as possible. It is not necessary to use bleach, or insecticidal or detergent soaps, all of which can irritate the dog’s skin; plain water will kill the eggs and larvae.
If you can’t wash the dog’s entire bed, at least wash the floor underneath the bed as often as you can. Purchase several covers (or sheets, or towels) for the bed and rotate them in and out of the wash.
4. Wash food and water bowls daily Washing your dog’s food and water bowls with soap and hot water will not only make them look better and make the dog’s food and water more attractive to him, but also will kill any harmful bacteria that may attempt to grow there. If you feed your dog raw meat, it is imperative that you wash his bowls well daily, even if they look clean from his attentive licking. Pathogenic bacteria present on raw meat can quickly reproduce to harmful levels at room temperature.
While we’re on the topic, the safest bowls are stainless steel. Some ceramic bowls may allow chemicals to leach into the dog’s food and water. And plastic bowls can contain a number of carcinogenic substances.
5. Feed your dog the best food Advocates of homemade diets have a saying, “You can pay for fresh real food now, or you can pay the veterinarian later.” Dogs have thrived on our table scraps for thousands of years; eating what we eat is good for them – as long as what we eat is healthy! If you can, feed your dog a homemade diet that includes fresh meats; fresh, raw bone (ground or whole, as you deem safe); and fresh or lightly steamed vegetables; with occasional additions of grains, dairy products, eggs, fish, and fruit.
If you can’t see your way clear to feeding your dog “real” food, feed him the best quality kibble or canned food you can afford. Supplement the commercial food with occasional healthy treats from your table – and not the unhealthy chunks of fat cut off of your steak, nor old, smelly food from the back shelf of the refrigerator. Add some of the leftover steamed vegetables to his dinner. Make a little extra brown rice or oatmeal and mix it into his breakfast.
6. Feed only healthy treats Just like us, dogs are better off eating healthful snacks that are packed with vitamins, rather than loading up on sugary, fatty treats that are dyed with artificial colors and preserved with artificial preservatives. Chunks of fresh fruit make great snacks for dogs; many enjoy crunching crisp cubed apples, or munching on grapes, papaya, or banana slices. A raw carrot makes a great chew toy, and helps the dog keep his teeth clean. Dogs who prefer meaty treats will jump through hoops for dried salmon or beef.
7. Provide fresh, clean water It’s not enough for dogs to have a bowl full of water at their disposal at all times – they should have a clean bowl full of fresh, pure water at their constant disposal.
Many people fill the dog’s bowl only when it’s bone dry, and fail to wash it out until it turns green with algae. For shame! Dogs drink more when they have fresh water and for normal, healthy dogs, drinking water is a good thing. Water helps regulate all the body’s systems.
At least two or three times a day, dump out the water in your dog’s bowl (you don’t have to waste it – you can use it for the houseplants) and refill it with fresh water. Once a day, wash the bowl out with hot, soapy water.
ENVIRONMENT
8. Provide Non-slip surfaces Whether they are polished wood or shiny vinyl, the smooth, glistening floors that most of us aspire to own pose certain risks to certain dogs. Dogs who are arthritic or who have suffered physical injuries can really hurt themselves by slipping on slick floors. For these dogs, use carpet or sisal-grass runners in hallways or other areas where your dog needs traction. Surround his food and water bowls with a rubber-backed rug so he can lower his head to eat or drink without his hind legs slipping out from under him.
9. Don’t smoke around your dog You already know you shouldn’t smoke, for your own health. But did you know that second-hand smoke has been associated with lung and nasal cancer in smokers’ dogs?
Studies conducted at Colorado State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences showed that dogs who live with smokers are more likely to have cancer than dogs that live with non-smokers. Long-nosed dogs with nasal cancer were 2.5 times more likely to live in smoking households than among non-smokers. Short-nosed dogs with lung cancer were 2.4 times more likely to live with a smoker.
If you must smoke, do it outside, and away from your dog. Don’t smoke in an enclosed space such as a closed room (or worse, a car) that has your dog in it.
10. Keep emergency numbers handy Every phone in your house should have a list of emergency numbers next to it: emergency services, your doctor, dentist, and close family members or friends. If you own a dog, that list should also include the number for your veterinarian, holistic practitioners, all-night and weekend emergency clinic, and poison control center. You should also list numbers for a couple of your dog-loving friends, people who could enter your house and care for your dog if something happened to you. If you travel with your dog, make sure you also have these numbers with you. You don’t want to be scrambling for any of these in a real emergency.
11. Preserve air quality As we discussed in detail recently, the air in the average home is 2-20 times more polluted than the air outside. It’s not unheard-of for the concentrations of dangerous air pollutants in homes to rise to 100 times the concentration outdoors! And even low concentrations of volatile chemicals can cause chronic or acute illness, cancer, and even genetic mutations in humans and their companion animals.
Dogs are particularly at risk. Many common solvents are heavier than air; they sink to the floor level, where our dogs spend most of their time. And dogs have a faster respiratory rate than we do; pound for pound, they end up breathing more “bad air” than we would in the same environment.
There are many ways to improve the air in your home. Limit (better yet, eliminate) petroleum-based products in your home; all of these substances release health-damaging chemicals into the air. Use natural cleaning products. Open the windows in your home at least once a day, for enough time to really fill the place with fresh air. Place non-toxic houseplants throughout your home; they improve air quality by removing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. Don’t use chemical “air fresheners” in your home; use scented flowers or dried herbs to lend a harmless perfume to your home instead.
12. Handle air pollutants carefully If you were as familiar as toxicologists are with the health effects of indoor air pollution, you really wouldn’t consider bringing home most, if not all, commercial housekeeping or yard chemicals. Say there is a potentially dangerous product – a mineral spirits paint remover, for example – that you deem necessary to use in a home improvement project. Do a little homework, and see if there is a safer alternative (there usually is). If you just can’t (or won’t) find an alternative, at the very least, take the following precautions:
Buy just the amount you think you will need for the project. Schedule the activity so that it occurs when the weather is mild enough for you to thoroughly ventilate your home while the product is in use and for at least a couple of weeks afterward. Keep the product’s container closed every moment it is not being used. Keep all pets (and children, pregnant women, and other vulnerable individuals) away from the area where the product is in use) for this period of time. And then dispose of the remains of the product in a safe, legal manner (following instructions on the label) as soon as possible; once unsealed, most containers are not completely vapor-proof.
13. Pick up poo We all know that poop smells bad – yes, even your dog’s poop. It also attracts flies and can spread worms. (The larvae of tapeworms, hookworms, and roundworms are all expelled in an infected dog’s feces. Any dog, or person, for that matter, who comes into skin or mouth contact with larvae-contaminated feces can become infected with the worms.) Ideally, everyone would pick up their dog’s feces daily. This would prevent worms, coprophagia (dogs who eat their poo, eww!), dirty looks from neighbors, and delays for emergency shoe-cleaning.
14. Keep a first-aid kit handy Just as you plan and prepare your dog’s daily meals and training, advance planning and preparation for the unthinkable accident may help save your dog’s life during the critical time between the beginning of the emergency and access to veterinary care.
The time to plan, obviously, is before your dog is involved in an accident. Start gathering the contents for a first aid kit today. A good holistic first-aid kit might contain Rescue Remedy (or another brand of the flower essence remedy) for shock; gauze pads; cotton; tape; Q-tips; pure water (distilled or spring water); a clean glass or plastic spray bottle; elastic bandages; adhesive tape; tweezers; scissors; hydrogen peroxide; soap (castile or other natural type); and herbal cleansing solutions (calendula and hypericum are miraculous).
15. Chew-proof the house Not all dogs are apt to chew on weird, random things around the house when they are bored and unsupervised, though some are. All puppies have this proclivity.
If your dog is a chewer – again, we know that all puppies are – he should not be left unsupervised in any room where there are items that could be dangerous if chewed. This includes exposed electrical cords, clothing items or shoes, electronic items (cameras, remote controls, cell phones, etc.), and just about any toys. When left unattended, vulnerable individuals should be safely confined to a crate or puppy pen.
16. Keep your yard “green” Don’t use pesticides in your yard. Ever. These virulent chemicals can cause every sort of illness known to man and dog. And there are plenty of safe, organic compounds that can help you control pests and keep your lawn and garden healthy without pesticides.
17. Balance quiet time and busy time Those of us who lead chaotic lives tend to dream of and crave days of quiet, restful sleep. People who are housebound and depressed can benefit from activity and stimulation. Balancing rest and action gives the body the opportunity to stress and then rebuild tissues, and lends the individual a healthy ability to cope with whatever life throws his or her way.
Dogs are no different. Some lead incredibly stressful, busy lives, and could use more rest – dogs who go to work with their owners, for instance, may benefit from a few hours a day of protection from noise and visitors. Dogs who are understimulated will benefit from mild physical exercise and mental challenges.
For more information, see: Stressed Out? January 2000
18. Exercise. period Exercise is good for all dogs – within reason, and within the dog’s abilities. As always, balance is key. An extremely long run or vigorous romp at the dog park on a daily basis may excessively stress the dog’s joints and muscles, and deny him the opportunity to repair damaged tissues, resulting in stress fractures, arthritis, or strained muscles or ligaments. Strenuous workouts such as these should be limited to three to four days a week, even for healthy, fit dogs. Alternate hard workouts with shorter, easier exercise sessions, such as walks or short backyard play sessions.
There are far more dogs receiving too little exercise than dogs who get too much, however. Many people with old dogs, super-fat dogs, or dogs with physical handicaps feel that it’s cruel to “make” their dogs go for walks. But the more muscle tissue and coordination the dog has, the better – and he’ll lose both if he’s not at least walking a little, a few times a day.
19. Socialize Dogs and humans are social; loners are aberrations, not the rule in either species. Dogs and humans should be able to greet each other happily, communicate well, and part easily from their friends. We all want our dogs to be safe and comfortable with other people, so it’s well worth the effort to properly socialize your dog to canine and human visitors to your home. Ask any friend who stops by to feed your dog a handful of treats, one at a time, to help your dog understand that strangers can be a good thing. Use a tether or baby gate to keep an over-exuberant or over-protective dog from unseemly behavior. Arrange occasional play dates with healthy dogs with compatible temperaments.
20. Spend quality time together We know it sounds hokey, but human/canine relationships are not much different from human/human relationships. Most of us want dogs who like and trust us and whom we like and trust. We want to be able to take them places without them embarrassing us, and we’d like to be able to have friends come over without having to apologize for our canine partners’ behavior. We want them to pay attention to us! And we want them to understand what we are trying to tell them and to comply with most of our requests without us yelling or repeating ourselves.
Ask Oprah: The health of every relationship depends on the individuals spending time together – and not just on infrequent weekends, and not just laying around watching TV! Take up a hobby together: walking, squirrel chasing, agility, flyball. Work on honing your communication skills. Teaching your dog new tricks is a great way to bond, improve his manners, entertain you, and impress your friends. The more time you spend playing with your dog, training your dog, or just lying around petting or massaging your dog, the better your relationship will be.
The term “housebreaking” grates on my sensibilities like fingernails on a blackboard. What is it that we are supposed to break? This term is deeply rooted in the forced-based philosophy of dog training, and immediately gives new dog and puppy owners the wrong mind-set about the process of teaching their dog to urinate and defecate in appropriate places. We are housetraining, not housebreaking, I gently remind my human students and fellow dog trainers when they slip and use the old-fashioned phrase. Breaking implies punishing the pup for pottying in the wrong spot. Training focuses the client on helping the puppy do it right.
A 3-Step Formula for Training Behavior
Housetraining is simple. You don’t give your puppy the opportunity to make mistakes. You do give him plenty of opportunities to do it right. Simple, however, does not necessarily mean easy. It means making a commitment to manage your pup’s behavior 24 hours a day, until he is old enough to be trusted with his house freedom for increasingly long periods of time.
I teach my clients a basic three-step formula for training or changing a behavior. By applying each of these steps you can get your dog to do just about anything that he is physically and mentally capable of, including housetraining.
Step One: Visualize the behavior you want. Create a mental image of what you want your puppy to do and what that looks like – in this case, to consistently and reliably go the bathroom outside in his designated toilet spot. You need to be able to imagine how this looks in order to be able to train your pup to do it. If you only envision your puppy making mistakes in the house, you won’t have the creativity you need to help him do it right.
Step Two: Prevent him from being rewarded for doing the behavior you don’t want. A reward doesn’t have to come from you in order to be reinforcing to your dog. It is very rewarding to a puppy with a full bowel or bladder to relieve the pressure in his abdomen. If you give him the opportunity to go to the bathroom in the house, that will feel good to him, and he will keep doing it when he has the opportunity. It will eventually become a habit, and then his preference will be to eliminate in the house. Step Two requires you to manage your pup’s behavior so he doesn’t have the opportunity to be self-rewarded by going to the bathroom in the house.
Step Three: Help him do it right and consistently reward him for the behavior you do want. This is the step that often gets skipped. You need to go outside with your puppy and reward him when he performs. If you toss him out in the back yard and don’t go with him, you won’t know if he went to the bathroom or not. Coming back in for a cookie may be more rewarding to him than relieving his bladder, so he waits by the back door, comes in, eats his cookie, and then pees on the rug.
You’ll notice that none of the steps involve punishing the puppy for going to the bathroom in the house. Old-fashioned suggestions like rubbing his nose in his mess or smacking him with a rolled-up newspaper are inappropriate and abusive. They teach your pup to be fearful of relieving himself in your presence, and are very effective at teaching him to pee behind the bed in the guest room where you can’t see and punish him. Besides, it is much easier to teach your puppy to go to the bathroom in one right place than it is to punish him for going to the bathroom in an almost infinite number of wrong places.
If you do “catch him in the act,” simply utter a loud but cheerful “Oops!” and whisk him outside to the proper place. Remember to treat the “oops” spot thoroughly with an enzyme-based cleaner designed to remove all traces of animal waste, such as Nature’s Miracle.
Finally, if you really feel you must make use of that rolled up newspaper, smack yourself in the head three times while repeating, “I will supervise the puppy more closely, I will supervise the puppy more closely, I will supervise the puppy more closely!”
The eight-week house-training program described below is the one that I provide to my clients for an eight-week-old puppy. Many dog owners are amazed by how simple housetraining can be, as well as by the fact that their dogs can be trained to go to the bathroom on cue, in a designated spot.
You will need a properly sized crate; a collar and leash; treats; poop bags; time and patience. A puppy pen, tether, and fenced yard are also useful. (For more information on using these tools, see “Getting Off to the Right Start,” January 1999 and “Tethered to Success,” April 2001.)
If you are starting with an older pup or an adult dog, you may be able to accelerate the timeline, since an older dog is physically able to “hold it” for longer periods than a young pup. If, however, at any point in the program your furry friend starts backsliding, you have progressed too quickly. Back up to the previous week’s lesson.
Effective 8-Week Housetraining Program
Week One: Acclimate your puppy to his crate on his first day in your home, off and on all day (see “Crate Training Made Easy,” WDJ August 2000). While you do this, take him outside on his leash to his designated potty spot every hour on the hour. When he obliges you with a pile or a puddle, tell him “Yes!” in a happy tone of voice (or Click! your clicker), and feed him a piece of cookie.
Pick up his water after 7:00 pm to prevent him from tanking up before bed (later if it is very hot), then crate him when you go to sleep.
Most young puppies crate train easily. The crate should be in your bedroom so your baby dog is not isolated and lonely, and so you can hear him when he wakes up and tells you he has to go out. Do not put him in his crate on the far side of the house. He will feel abandoned and lonely and cry his little heart out, but worse than that, you won’t hear him when he has to go – he will be forced to soil his crate.
A successful housetraining program is dependent on your dog’s natural instincts to keep his den clean. If you force your puppy to soil his crate you break down that inhibition and make it infinitely harder to get him to extend the “clean den” concept to your entire house.
When he cries in the middle of the night, you must get up (quickly), put him on his leash and take him out to his potty spot. Stand and wait. When he starts to go, say “go potty!” or “do it!” or “hurry up!” or whatever verbal cue you ultimately want to use to ask him to go to the bathroom. If you consistently speak this phrase whenever your pup starts to urinate or defecate, you will eventually be able to elicit his urination or defecation, assuming, that is, that he has something to offer you at the moment. Being able to put his bathroom behavior on cue is an added bonus of this method of housetraining, and a very handy one when you’re late for a date, or it’s pouring rain or freezing cold outside!
As soon as your pup has eliminated, tell him “Yes!” in a happy tone of voice and feed him a bit of cookie, praise him, tell him what a wonderful puppy he is, then take him in and put him back in his crate. No food, no play, and no bed-cuddling. If you do anything more than perfunctory potty-performance in the middle of the night he will quickly learn to wake you up and cry for your attention.
First thing in the morning, take him out on leash and repeat the ritual. If you consistently go out with him, on leash, you will teach him to use the designated spot for his bathroom. If you just open the door and push him out, he may well decide that two feet from the back door is far enough, especially if it’s cold or wet out. For the first week or so, if his bladder is too full to make it safely out the door, you can carry him out, but by the end of the second week he should be able to walk to the door under his own power.
Now you can feed your puppy and give him his water bowl, but be sure to keep him right under your nose. If you have to use the bathroom, he goes with you. If you want to sit down to eat breakfast, he’s on his leash under your chair, or tethered by his pillow. Ten to 15 minutes after he is done eating, take him out again, repeat your cue when he does his thing, and Yes!, treat and praise when he is done. Also take him out immediately upon the completion of any exuberant play sessions, and whenever he wakes up from a nap.
For the rest of the day, take him out every hour on the hour for his potty ritual, as well as 10 to 15 minutes after every meal. The remainder of the time he must be under your direct supervision, or on a leash or tether, in his pen or in his crate, every second of the day. Judicious use of closed doors and baby gates can keep him corralled in the room with you, but you still need to watch him. If your puppy starts walking in circles or otherwise looking restless, toss in an extra bathroom break.
“But wait!” you cry. “I work all day, I can’t take him out every hour on the hour.”
Ah, yes, that is why housetraining is simple but not always easy. “Home alone” pups are more likely to end up stuck out in the back yard, where they get left for convenience sake as the housetraining program drops lower and lower on the priority list. If you haven’t yet acquired your pup and you aren’t going to be a stay-at-home Mom or Dad, seriously reconsider the possibility of adopting an older dog who is already housetrained and who may be in desperate need of a home.
If you already have your pup, you will need to either find a skilled and willing puppy daycare provider, or set up a safe, puppy-proofed environment with wall-to-wall newspapers or pee pads, and recognize that your housetraining program will probably proceed more slowly. You cannot crate him for the eight to 10 hours a day that you are gone – you are likely to destroy his den-soiling inhibitions, cause him to hate and fear his crate, and possibly trigger the onset of separation anxiety.
When you are home, be extra diligent about your housetraining protocol, and as your pup starts to show a preference for one corner of his papered area you can start slowly diminishing the size of the covered space. You will eventually have to add the step of teaching him not to go on papers at all, which is one of the reasons many trainers don’t recommend paper training – you are, in essence, teaching him that it is okay to go to the bathroom in the house, and then later telling him that it is not okay.
Week Two: Continue crating your puppy at night. Some pups are sleeping through the night by Week 2. Others need nighttime breaks for a few more weeks. During the day, continue to take him out immediately upon waking, 10-15 minutes after each meal, and after play and naps.
You can now begin teaching him to associate “getting excited” behavior with going out to potty. This will eventually translate into him getting excited to let you know he has to go out. If you want him to do some other specific behavior to tell you he has to go, such as taking a bow, or ringing a bell, start having him do that behavior before you take him out.
By now, you should be able to tell when your puppy is just about to squat in his designated place. Say your “Go pee!” cue just a second or two before he starts, so that your verbal cue begins to precede, rather than follow the behavior.
Stretch his bathroom excursions to 90 minutes apart, and start keeping a daily log – writing down the time, whether he did anything outside, and if so, what he did. Make note of any housetraining mistakes – when and where they occurred. While an occasional “Oops!” may be inevitable (we are only human, after all), if you are having more than one or two accidents a week you are not supervising closely enough or not taking him out enough. The log will help you understand your puppy’s bathroom patterns over the next few weeks, and tell you when you can trust him for longer periods.
Week Three: Crate your puppy at night. (I keep my dogs crated at night until they are at least a year old, and until I am totally confident that they can be trusted to hold their bowels and bladder and keep their puppy teeth to themselves.) During the day, try stretching his bathroom intervals to two hours, still remembering to take him out after all meals, play sessions, and naps.
Continue to keep your log, to make sure your pup’s housetraining program is on track. This is especially helpful for communication purposes if two or more family members are sharing puppy-walking duties.
Also continue to elicit the desired bathroom signal behavior before you take him out, and to use your bathroom cue outdoors, prior to the actual onset of elimination. Over the next few weeks, the verbal cue will begin to actually elicit the behavior, so that you can bring his attention to the business at hand when he is distracted, when you are in a hurry, or when you are in a new place where he isn’t sure he is supposed to pee.
By the end of this week, your puppy should be leading you on his leash to the bathroom spot. Look for this behavior as an indication that he is making the connection to the spot that you want him to use.
Week Four: Crate your puppy at night. Assuming all is going well, stretch daytime intervals to three hours, plus meal, play and nap trips. Go with him to his fenced-yard bathroom spot off-leash, to confirm that he is going there on his own, without you having to lead him. Continue to keep your daily log, and reinforce your “outside” and “bathroom” cues.
Weeks Five-Eight: Keep crating your puppy at night. Gradually increase the time between bathroom breaks to a maximum of four hours, plus meals, play, and naptime. You still need to go out with him most of the time, but you can occasionally send him out to his bathroom spot in his fenced yard all on his own, watching through the door or window to be sure he goes to his spot and gets the job done. By this time, accidents in the house should be virtually nonexistent. As long as the program is progressing well, you can begin phasing out your daily log. As your pup continues to mature over the next eight months, he will eventually be able to be alone left for up to eight hours at a time, perhaps slightly longer.
At that point, you can break out the champagne and celebrate – you and your puppy have come of age!
Housetraining Tips and Reminders
1. If your housetraining-program-in-progress relapses, back up a week or two in the process and keep working from there. If that doesn’t resolve the problem promptly (within a day), a trip to the vet is in order, to determine if there is a medical problem, such as a urinary tract infection, that is making it impossible for your puppy to hold it. The longer you wait, the more ground you have to make up.
2. If your pup has diarrhea, not only is it impossible for him to comply with housetraining, he may also be seriously ill. Puppies can dehydrate to a life-threatening degree very quickly. Contact your veterinarian immediately.
3. If your-paper-trained pup refuses to go on anything other than paper, take a sheet of newspaper or pee pad outside and have him go on that. Each subsequent trip, reduce the size of the fresh sheet of paper or pad until it is gone.
4. If your dog’s inhibitions against soiling his den have already been damaged, you may need to remove his bedding from his crate – it is possible that this is now his preferred substrate. Try the bare crate floor or a coated metal grate instead, and set your alarm to wake you up at night as often as necessary to enable you to consistently take him out before he soils his crate.
5. Neutering your male dog between the ages of eight weeks and six months will minimize the development of assertive territorial leg-lifting. Already existing territorial leg-lifting can be discouraged as part of a complete housetraining program with the use of “Doggie Wraps,” a belly band made for this purpose (available from pet supply stores and catalogs).
6. If at any time your reliably housetrained dog begins having accidents in the house, have him examined by your veterinarian in case there is a physical cause.
7. Remember that drugs such as Prednisone can cause increased water intake, which causes increased urination. If it is not a medical problem, evaluate possible stress factors and return to a basic housetraining program.
8. Vigorous exercise can also cause excessive water intake and subsequent urination, as can a medical condition known as polydipsea/polyurea, which simply means drinking and urinating too much.
9. When your dog has learned to eliminate on cue, start asking him to poop and pee on various surfaces, including grass, gravel, cement, and dirt. Dogs can easily develop a substrate preference – grass, for example – and may refuse to go to the bathroom on anything but their preferred surface. If you are ever in a location where there is no grass, you and your dog could be in trouble.
10. If your situation is such that your pup must constantly be asked to wait to go for longer periods than is reasonable, consider litter box training. Lots of people do this, especially those with small dogs and those who live in highrise apartments. This also resolves the substrate-preference problem.
Fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, explosions, train wrecks, and other disasters change lives in an instant. The toxic fallout continues to affect us – and our family pets – long after the property damage caused by the disasters has been repaired.
Of course, the people who experience these disasters will seek and receive medical care. But what about their pets, especially dogs, who most likely accompanied their guardians throughout the ordeal?
For example, dogs exposed to forest fires and burning buildings inhale smoke, asbestos, and other toxins. Whenever an accident involves a manufacturing plant, tank truck, or train carrying toxic chemicals, dogs face the same risks as humans exposed to the spills or fumes. In the most dramatic example, when the World Trade Center collapsed on September 11, a cloud of smoke, dust, ash, pulverized concrete, asbestos, jet fuel, fiberglass, microscopic shards of broken glass, and toxic chemicals blanketed lower Manhattan. In the days and weeks that followed, thousands of resident dogs and hundreds of search and rescue dogs walked through the debris and breathed its vapors.
Less dramatic, but still harmful, is the exposure that dogs receive in neighborhoods treated by lawn care companies or insect control programs. Canine residents and passers-by absorb pesticides through their paw pads, noses, mouths, and lungs.
What can concerned dog lovers do to help keep yesterday’s toxic exposure from becoming tomorrow’s health problem? Plenty, say the experts.
Wash the dog
Of course, if you are aware your dog has been exposed to toxic smoke, dust, or chemicals, the first thing you want to do (after taking care of yourself and the rest of your human family) is to wash him as thoroughly as possible. Consult a poison control center or veterinarian regarding exposure to unfamiliar chemicals in the aftermath of a disaster such as a train derailment or overturned truck. But whether or not you are familiar with the chemicals that your dog was exposed to, wear rubber gloves when bathing him.
Don’t forget to wash your dog’s collar, leash, and any bedding that he may have come in contact with prior to the bath. Use a simple soap or shampoo – no insecticidal shampoos – and rinse especially well; poison control centers suggest that people rinse themselves for at least 15 minutes after skin exposure to chemicals. Don’t neglect the dog’s feet, which should be scrubbed well. Search and Rescue dogs working at the World Trade Center were bathed daily, and so should any dog exposed to smoke or dust.
Consult a holistic veterinarian
While many conditions respond well to home care, be ready to consult a veterinarian if your dog shows symptoms that might result from smoke inhalation, exposure to chemicals, or other hazards, including vomiting, coughing, weight loss, a loss of appetite, behavior changes, or limping.
Flushing the system
An adequate supply of clean, fresh water is always important for your dog’s health. But it’s absolutely critical for dogs who have to flush toxins from their bodies. “Because it hydrates the body and flushes toxins from the system, water should be given to any dog recovering from a disaster,” says Stephen R. Blake, DVM, of San Diego, California. Dr. Blake recommends that carbon-filtered or spring water be available to the dog at all times; tap water may contain impurities.
In fact, everything in the dog’s diet and environment should be free from toxins and pollutants, says Dr. Blake. “This is not the time to introduce any new chemicals or prescription drugs, including systemic treatments for flea and tick prevention or routine vaccinations. The body has to work hard to get rid of the toxins it has already absorbed; it doesn’t need any new ones.”
Pro-protein
What you feed your dog following toxic exposures can also make a difference in his speedy recovery. “The body needs easily assimilated protein, with all its amino acids and peptides, in order to repair and rebuild damaged tissue,” says Beverly Cappel, DVM, of Chestnut Ridge, New York. “This means feeding the highest quality protein, preferably organically raised, pasture-fed beef, lamb, chicken, and other meats.” She also recommends adding vitamin C, antioxidants, and food-source vitamins and minerals for optimum healing.
Dr. Cappel is an advocate of raw-food diets, and most of her clients already feed their dogs home-prepared diets that include raw meat. If a dog on such a diet has been exposured to toxins, she recommends that the owner strive to make sure the food the dog eats is as chemical-free as possible. If a dog eats commercial food, the owner should try to improve the quality of the food, but Dr. Cappel would not recommend starting the dog on a raw diet at that time. “If a person is feeding kibble, it should be the best quality kibble available. But you wouldn’t want to begin a raw diet, healthful as it may be, when the dog is stressed.”
Dr. Blake also recommends increasing the protein intake of dogs exposed to hazardous conditions by adding two ounces of fresh meat, eggs, cheese, or cottage cheese to each six ounces of whatever the dog is already eating. “If the dog is on a commercial food,” he says, “this is a good time to upgrade to a brand with a higher proportion of protein, which should be from whole meats rather than byproducts.”
Predigested protein improves canine health, for it is easily assimilated and quickly heals damaged tissue. The supplement Seacure, made from fermented deep-sea fish, is 85 percent protein. Most dogs love its strong fishy odor. The recommended human dose of six capsules twice a day can be adapted to any dog’s size, but for serious repair work, the body can utilize twice or four times the maintenance dose. After injuries heal, the maintenance dose continues to improve digestion and support detoxification.
Goat milk molecules are smaller than those of cow’s milk, making them easier to digest, and many nutritionists recommend raw goat milk or cheese, or predigested goat milk protein for optimum canine health. A supplement called Goatein, made from goat milk that is free of antibiotics or growth hormones, has been predigested through a lactic acid fermentation process to make it more bioavailable while eliminating its lactose (milk sugar). The result is a blend of digestive enzymes, probiotics (beneficial bacteria), prebiotics (substances that feed beneficial bacteria), amino acids, and peptides that repair damaged tissue, improve digestion, and boost immune function. Goatein powder mixes easily with food or water.
Fresh green tripe, unlike the bleached tripe sold for human consumption, is such a concentrated source of enzymes, peptides, and other nutrients that some call it a miracle cure. Severely ill, injured, and damaged dogs have recovered rapidly on green tripe, which can be added to food or fed in place of other foods. Its high odor awakens interest in all dogs, even the apathetic and depressed.
Green foods and herbs
Wheat, barley, oat, and other cereal grasses are known for their ability to bind with and remove toxins from the body. The same is true of green foods such as spirulina, chlorella, edible algae, and sea vegetables such as kelp.
Green foods are rich in chlorophyll, which has been used for centuries to clean and disinfect wounds, remove infection, and enhance healing. Taken internally, green foods provide vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and antioxidants that have a tonic effect on all of the body’s systems. Most health food stores sell a variety of green powders, frozen wheat grass juice, and in some cases, freshly squeezed wheat or barley grass juice.
Because green foods are highly concentrated, they should be taken in small quantities while the body adjusts. Large doses of green juices or powders cause nausea and vomiting. Adding small amounts of minced or pureed grasses, other green foods, and seaweeds to every meal is a sensible strategy for removing residues of chemicals a dog has ingested, inhaled, or absorbed.
Mucilaginous herbs have a soothing effect on inflamed mucous membranes and help repair damaged tissue. Dr. Cappel recommends feeding the dog mullein leaf following smoke inhalation or other lung damage. Other mucilaginous herbs, such as Iceland Moss, Irish moss, marshmallow, and slippery elm bark, help improve digestion. Teas, tinctures, and powdered herbs can be added to food or water.
Colostrum
Every mammal produces colostrum immediately after birth, and this “first milk” protects newborns from infection while their immune systems develop. Researchers document a wide spectrum of immunoglobulins, antibodies, and accessory immune factors in colostrum that stimulate the body’s defense against bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens. Colostrum strengthens the immune system, helps prevent allergies and autoimmune disorders, stimulates tissue repair, helps build lean muscle tissue, and regenerates nerve, skin, bone, and cartilage.
Dr. Blake recommends an organic bovine colostrum from New Zealand. “It’s excellent for keeping the intestinal tract as healthy as possible, so dogs can utilize all the nutrients in their food,” he says. “Because the immune system depends on the intestines, optimum intestinal health translates into optimum immunity. The growth factors in colostrum repair damaged tissue throughout the body, including the lungs, so colostrum helps dogs recover from smoke inhalation and other damage. Also, colostrum supports detoxification; it helps the body remove any toxins the dog ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin.”
To improve the endurance of sled dogs and other working dogs, Dr. Blake recommends giving a half-teaspoon of powdered colostrum per 25 pounds of body weight per day. “That’s twice the maintenance dose,” he says, “and this same amount will help dogs recover from serious injury or exposure to toxic chemicals. If possible, mix the powder with water and give it on an empty stomach at least half an hour before the morning meal.” When the dog shows improvement, he reduces the dose to a quarter-teaspoon per 25 pounds of body weight per day.
“You can also use colostrum topically on wounds,” Dr. Blake says. “Mix a teaspoon of colostrum with enough water to make a thin paste and apply it to the wound. Dogs like the taste of colostrum, so try to distract the dog for five minutes to give it a chance to be absorbed into the skin. In my experience, wounds treated with colostrum heal at least 50 percent faster.”
Enzymes
Digestive enzymes given with food improve its assimilation, and enzymes given between meals work throughout the body to relieve inflammation and repair tissue. (For a detailed introduction to systemic oral enzyme therapy, see “Banking on Enzymes” WDJ January 2001.)
Systemic oral enzyme therapy has four main effects on the body: It is anti-inflammatory, fights fibrosis, cleanses the blood, and modulates the immune system. Most disease states involve two or more of these conditions, which explains how enzymes treat, repair, cure, and prevent most chronic and acute diseases.
Wobenzym tablets have a clear, sugar-free coating; Fido-Wobenzym is the red, sugar-coated product with a canine label that recommends 1 to 3 tablets per day as a maintenance dose for dogs. Anyone treating a dog for trauma, smoke inhalation, asbestos exposure, or other injuries will want to use substantially larger doses for a week or more. Regular Wobenzym, which is sugar-free, is sold in larger jars than Fido-Wobenzym, making it more economical.
Aromatherapy
Most Americans associate aromatherapy with scented candles, but in Europe, aromatherapy is a highly regarded branch of medicine that utilizes essential oils. Essential oils are the highly concentrated “life blood” of plants, collected through steam distillation or carbon dioxide extraction. Therapeutic essential oils are produced in small batches at gentle temperatures from organically grown or wildcrafted plants.
“Therapeutic-quality essential oils maintain the biological activity of the plants,” explains Dr. Blake, “and certain plants have unique healing properties. In my experience, frankincense essential oil is most helpful for repairing the immune system and supporting detoxification. It has antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and antitumor effects. Applying frankincense essential oil to a dog’s paw pads causes the oil to be absorbed through the skin while the dog inhales its vapors, which most dogs enjoy. Also, the paw pads contain many acupuncture points, which are activated when you apply essential oils.”
Blake recommends placing one drop of full-strength frankincense essential oil on each pad, a total of five drops on each front foot and four on each back foot, once per day, massaging gently.
“Be sure to use a therapeutic-quality essential oil,” he cautions. “This treatment can be dangerous if done with inexpensive synthetic or inferior oils. Continue daily treatment until the dog shows improvement. Once the dog has recovered, when his eyes are bright and clear and his energy level is strong, use it every other day, then whenever his energy seems to decline or when the dog is working or under stress.”
For search and rescue dogs, tracking dogs, and field dogs that depend on their sense of smell, Dr. Blake suggests waiting until the day’s work is over and then treating the paws with frankincense.
Flower essence remedies
The final phase of Dr. Blake’s treatment plan for dogs affected by disaster utilizes Bach flower remedies. “Flower remedies affect dogs on an emotional level,” he says. “They really help during this time of transition, when the traumatic event is over but its memory is still strong.”
To use flower essences, mix two drops of each essence in a one-ounce dropper bottle, preferably one with a glass rather than plastic dropper. Fill it three-quarters full with spring water and a quarter with brandy or vodka, which acts as a preservative so that the mixture keeps for a week or two. Alternatively, omit the alcohol and prepare the formula every day or two.
Dr. Blake’s formula for dogs recovering from disaster combines two drops each of walnut, crabapple, star of Bethlehem, wild oat, and wild rose flower essences.
During and immediately after a disaster, apply this formula frequently, such as every hour. When the dog is home again and life returns to normal, give it twice or three times per day until the dog recovers emotionally. Then use only as needed.
Flower essences can be given by mouth, two to three drops at a time, added to drinking water, applied to the paw pads or bare skin (inner ear flaps, abdomen, or underarm), or sprayed in the air around the dog.
“Most dogs will bounce back within a week or two on this formula,” says Dr. Blake, “but some take longer. If you don’t see improvement after a month of daily use, consult with a flower essence expert for a formula for your dog’s specific needs.”
We hope that you and your dog never come into contact with dangerous toxins. But whether you (or someone you know) has a dog that suffers an unexpected exposure, or if you and your dog are among the heroes who deliberately put themselves in harm’s way in order to attempt to save others in a disaster zone, keep this information on hand. It just may prevent serious illness days or weeks after the trauma.
CJ Puotinen is the author of The Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care, Natural Remedies for Dogs and Cats, and several books about human health including Natural Relief from Aches and Pains, published last summer. She and her husband live in New York with Samantha, a nine-year-old black Labrador Retriever, and two cats.
Once again, it’s time to look back at all of the great products we’ve reviewed over the year and pick out our very favorites. The following are our top (four paws) picks from the last 12 months – great suggestions for gifts to put under the tree of your favorite dog-obsessed human friends or relatives, stuff in your dog’s stocking, give to the hostess of that upcoming holiday party, or buy for yourself as a reward for doing another whole year of positive training with your canine pal. Of course, the first thing on every dog’s Santa wish list is a lifelong loving home. We are confident that as a WDJ reader you are already providing that for yours.
I took my two dogs—Woody, age 9, and Boone, age 3—to see their vet a week ago. I wasn’t looking forward to being chided for allowing him—nay, facilitating him—to gain a few extra pounds this winter. But I wasn’t at all expecting the health problems that my vet found.
