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Extending Your Dog’s Life Holistically

By
Nancy Kerns
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0

Some dogs have a rough start in life. Consider BP, the 50-pound black-and-tan Shepherd-mix owned by Lucia Colbert of Cordova, Tennessee. BP was dumped in a neighborhood and left to fend for herself until rescued by Colbert in 1988. Colbert took the thin and sickly dog to the vet: BP had a host of internal parasites, including heartworms; part of her tongue was missing; and she had a chest full of buckshot (discovered later on a chest x-ray). “I knew she’s hadn’t had a piece of cake for puppyhood,” says Colbert.

Once adopted, BP thrived. She enjoyed a good life with Colbert, a professional tennis player and triathlete. BP jogged daily with Colbert and sat by the tennis court while she taught.

BP’s new life wasn’t without challenges, however. All her adult life, the floppy-eared mix was plagued with severe allergies. BP suffered hot spots, and chewed and licked herself constantly. Life was a parade of visits to allopathic vet clinics ( including specialists); her medical file was three inches thick. “She was constantly on antibiotics, and then they’d give her cortisone shots,” says Colbert.

Colbert fed BP whatever her veterinarian recommended, usually a high-priced food sold at the clinic. “I thought, I’m buying the best thing here. This has got to be it,” she says.

As Colbert saw it at the time, BP’s only other health problem was some mild arthritis. However, the condition responded fairly well to Rimadyl, an anti-inflammatory drug prescribed by the veterinarian.

Crisis leads to change
Allergies and arthritis aside, Colbert thought her canine companion was fairly healthy. But in 1997, Colbert noticed her jogging companion wasn’t running as well and was coughing at night. Subsequent veterinary examinations saw BP diagnosed with congestive heart failure, with a grim prognosis for the future.

“Well, I didn’t like that,” says Colbert, who began researching congestive heart failure. She also consulted with a friend who was a holistic nutritionist. Colbert’s efforts prompted her to change BP’s diet immediately to Flint River, a commercially prepared food that is free of artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors, and contains better-quality ingredients. She added a fresh blend of oils (flax, sesame, evening primrose) to give BP the right balance of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. “The allergies went away within a month or two,” says Colbert, “never to return.”

Colbert also stopped giving BP Rimadyl, replacing it with a glucosamine and chondroitin supplement. With the help of these far more benign supplements, she still displayed a small amount of stiffness, but did not get sore and achy.

The new diet and supplements improved BP’s heart condition, to the point where she could resume her runs with Colbert. Eventually, she was back up to her old mileage, easily jogging with her athletic friend for as much as 10 miles at a clip.

The improvements were so dramatic, that Colbert herself began taking some supplements for her own health, with great effect. “I take a few supplements for my health and endurance, too,” she laughs. “I’ve gotten fascinated with all these things.”

Not yet the end
In summer 1999, BP began experiencing another downhill slide. With the onset of hot Tennessee summer weather, even with a vastly reduced exercise schedule, the senior Shepherd began having a difficult time breathing. Colbert’s veterinarian told her that this was to be expected of a 15-year-old dog. “She’s just getting old,” the vet told Colbert.

But Colbert decided to do some more research. Her efforts to improve the dog’s health with a better diet had strengthened her belief that there was probably more she could be doing to help her beloved dog.

Colbert bought a copy of a book written by holistic veterinarian Martin Goldstein, The Nature of Animal Healing: The Path to Your Pet’s Health, Happiness and Longevity (Knopf 1999). Dr. Goldstein, a graduate of the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine and owner of a veterinary clinic in South Salem, New York, offers an alternative approach to healing in his book. The author’s premise is that the best way to treat an sick pet is to help the animal heal itself.

Colbert was thrilled with the veterinarian’s approach, and took the book’s message to heart. She also contacted Dr. Goldstein’s brother, Robert Goldstein, who is also a holistic veterinarian, for help with BP.

Since Dr. Bob and Susan Goldstein’s Holistic Veterinary Center is located in Westport, Connecticut – quite a distance from Cordova, Tennessee – an office visit was out of the question. But the Goldsteins, like many holistic veterinarians, offer consultations by telephone, e-mail, and/or fax, usually in conjunction with the client’s hometown veterinarian.

One of the most frequently employed services of Dr. Robert Goldstein’s clinic is his use of what he calls a “bio-nutritional analysis” of the patient’s blood tests. Generally, the client will have his or her own veterinarian draw blood and submit the samples for specific tests according to Dr. Goldstein’s directions. Goldstein or one of his associates at his clinic then analyzes the results and makes recommendations for changing the dog’s medication or supplements accordingly.

Colbert’s local veterinarian supported the plan, and drew blood from BP so the analysis could take place. After the results of the tests reached Dr. Goldstein’s clinic, Colbert received a call from Dr. Brian Wessels, an associate at the Westport clinic. One thing the tests revealed was a problem with BP’s liver. “Her liver enzymes were out the roof,” says Colbert. A normal count is 200-300, says Colbert. BP’s were 1200.

Dr. Wessels made several recommendations for BP. The “to do” list included adding some 19 nutritional supplements, and some homeopathic and herbal remedies to bolster BP’s various weaknesses (heart, arthritis, liver). He also suggested adding raw and cooked vegetables, garlic, and brewer’s yeast to her natural dog food. Two further steps were also recommended for strengthening BP’s immune system: discontinuing administration of BR’s heartworm preventive and any vaccinations.

“I had been using a Band-Aid approach to using herbs and things to help BP, to some extent, it worked,” says Colbert. “But with the analysis, they were able to zero in on what she needed. They would say, ‘OK, the garlic is good, this one is good, but hold off on that one . . .’ It helped me target the best supplements.”

However, adding 19 different things to BP’s food, “took a little getting used to,” admits Colbert. “At first, I used to mix all the tablets and powders into a half a cup of plain, non-fat yogurt, and she’d eat most of them, but I’d find a few things around the house that she had spit out. The I bought one of those little baby Cuisinarts, and mix everything in there – the supplements, the garlic, carrots, broccoli, and what I call the ‘enticer,’ a spoonful of tuna, salmon, egg, or chicken – and then mix the whole concoction into her kibble. She’s a chowhound, so she cleans all this up.”

Colbert was more reluctant to implement Dr. Wessels’ recommendation of stopping the heartworm preventive because of her past bout with the condition. However, garlic and brewer’s yeast is believed to help repel mosquitoes from some animals so Colbert followed doctor’s orders.

BP’s health improved. “Within two weeks I could tell a huge difference,” says Colbert. “Her whole body language changed. We re-tested her blood again in about two months and the liver scores were down to 600; the other numbers were coming into line and she was much, much better.” Colbert will continue having BP’s blood tested every six months to monitor her health and enable her to change anything in the protocol as necessary.

Maintaining the program
Colbert is extremely happy with BP’s new lease on life. “I think the holistic treatments added years to her life. I really do. Because most people look at me like I’m nuts when I say she’s 16. I don’t know how long she’s going to live, but I know she’s way healthier than she was.”

Colbert will also admit that it takes a lot of commitment to follow through on a program that is this complex. It’s also very costly. “The bloodwork and the evaluation is not that bad, but the supplements themselves are very costly,” says Colbert. “I appreciate everything they have done for us, and I will continue to consult them regularly, but I’m not rich! I’ve made it more affordable by finding a lot of the supplements (14 of the 19) on my own; the rest, I buy from the Goldsteins’ clinic.”

Colbert says the Goldsteins accept this readily. “They say it’s OK if you get these things on your own, but there are a couple I can’t find anywhere else!” she laughs. “But those ones, fortunately, are not the most expensive ones.”

Colbert wishes she had learned about a holistic approach sooner; but hindsight is 20-20. “For years I thought I was such a caring owner, which I am,” she says. “But I was unaware of the problems with putting her through all that cortisone, all those antibiotics, all that crummy food. Had I known that years ago, she wouldn’t have had to go through all that. There’s so many people who think they’re doing the right thing by doing that. But they’re just not doing their pets any favors by using the ‘quick fix’ medications. They don’t understand it takes the food, supplements, and consideration of the dog’s medication, and exposure to toxins. . . it takes time.”

Colbert says she realizes that giving BP Rimadyl in the earliest days of her arthritis didn’t do the dog any favors. “I probably overran her because of the Rimadyl,” she says regretfully. “I didn’t realize it at the time, but it masks the pain; that’s what enabled her to do more than she should have. I’d look at her and she’d look OK, she didn’t seem to be hurting, and I’d take her running when she probably shouldn’t have gone.” Today, Colbert uses the medication in a very low dose (half a tablet three times a week or so) to help the Shepherd stay mobile, but is careful that the dog doesn’t overdo it. Though greatly improved, BP is a senior dog and experiences some limitations that go along with that stage of life. “She can’t run anymore,” says Colbert, “but can do a great one mile walk.” Today, BP is happy to sit court-side while Colbert teaches; that’s her job now.

Colbert isn’t sure how much longer BP will live, but all indications are she has a ways to go still. Even Colbert’s conventional veterinarian is impressed with the elderly dog’s condition. Colbert reports, “Recently I was at the vet here in town and he made a comment that really made me feel good. Keep in mind this is the guy that three years ago told my husband to get ready because BP didn’t have long to go . . .

“In our most recent visit he examined BP and looked at me and said, ‘BP is going to outlive all of us. She is doing just fine!” He also said, ‘You know, there is something to all this stuff you are doing.’ ”

As if Colbert didn’t know!

-By Virginia Parker Guidry

Virginia Parker Guidry is a freelance writer from San Diego, CA.

Building Your Dogs Immune Health

By
Nancy Kerns
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0

This, the last installment in a three-part series, looks at some of the conventional and holistic therapies commonly prescribed in combating canine immune problems.

The first part of our series (“Looking for Immunity,” WDJ December 1999) described the body organs and molecular responses that actually constitute the immeasurably complex “system” of immunity that protects dogs from invasion by viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. Many of the most common immune system disorders – including immune-deficient diseases, auto-immune disorders, and inappropriate immune responses – were described in the last installment of this series (“When They Are Not Immune,” WDJ January 2000).

Canine immune system disorders range from very common (such as seasonal allergies), to extremely rare disorders that afflict certain breeds (and even, in some cases, certain branches of individual breeds). Someday, the Canine Genome Project may well bring life-saving illumination to the process by which specific genes trigger specific diseases. At present, however, the inheritance of effective immunity continues to be a mysterious, if not star-crossed, commodity. Some dogs, like some people, are unlucky. However, the immunity that any individual dog is born with can often be improved with enlightened canine husbandry practices, traditional medical care, and complementary care from holistic health modalities. Bad immune luck can be turned into improved health for many dogs.

As always, however, any immune-enhancing tactics should begin with a thorough veterinary medical examination and consultation. What therapies work for one dog might not work for another, and, at worst, could trigger immediate life-threatening reactions. Manipulating the immune system is an uncertain science and art. The more a veterinarian knows about your dog’s medical history, genetic inheritance, and lifestyle, the better his or her chance for a favorable outcome.

The goal: Self-healing
We’ve learned a lot about the immune system in the past 20 years, most significantly, that the body is full of cells and chemicals that, when the entire system is working as it should, perform miracles of regulation. And, as is so often the case in medical research, our earliest successes have stemmed from our attempts to mimic some of those miracles. These efforts have led to the development and widespread use of a number of drugs that can suppress immune responses, which is helpful (and even life-saving) in cases of autoimmune disease or hyperactive immune responses such as allergies. More recently, we have begun to develop drugs that can stimulate increased immune responses in the case of immune-deficient conditions.

These efforts are laudable – even miraculous in themselves. But it’s well understood that our artificial methods of influencing the complex, mysterious immune system are inferior and clumsy compared to effects of what the body can do when it’s working as it should. All medications produce side effects in the body, and often, the more powerfully they perform the job they were developed to perform, the more adverse these unwanted effects are. Usually, though, we’ll go ahead and take those side effects in favor of no improvement at all!

Grossly simplified, the goal in holistic medicine is to somehow cajole or inspire the body to heal itself. Increasingly, this is the focus of new developments in Western medicine, too. Yesterday’s leading edge technology was focused on creating drugs that “fight” viruses and bacteria; today’s revolution is in developing drugs that stimulate the body to create and/or release its own chemical “medications” that fight invaders.

But as Western medicine focuses on the search for wondrously effective (and profitable) drugs, Eastern and holistic medicine takes a less-sexy approach: trying to “fine-tune” the body by any means possible to empower its all-powerful immune system. This may entail employing all sorts of worthy, if wacky, methods of positive influence. Chiropractic is often used to optimize the function of the nervous system. Nutrient levels are manipulated in numerous ways in an effort to create the most comfortable chemical medium for the cellular agents of immunity. Massage, TTouch, and acupressure are used to enhance circulation of immune cells and to encourage their continued and appropriate production. Bach Flower essences, colors, or fragrant essential oil are used to reduce stress and all of its deleterious chemical cohorts from the body.

The list is endless, but the goal is always the same: to get the body to fight “non-self” cells, and heal its own.

Putting principles into practice
Our premise is that improving immune health is probably the single most important thing you can do for your dog. Here’s a common condition that illustrates this point:

Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD) is a perfect example of how a malfunctioning immune system reduces a dog’s ability to cope with what should be a minor annoyance. Few dog owners regard this syndrome as an “immune problem,” and yet, by improving the responses of the affected dogs’ immune systems, one can stop this disorder in its tracks. Here’s how:

First, it has been widely observed that healthy dogs have far fewer problems with fleas than unhealthy dogs. One generally thinks of this the other way around – that it’s the fleas that make the dog unhealthy – but there is much evidence to suggest the opposite. In fact, a persistent flea infestation is often an indicator that a dog is suffering from additional, underlying health problems. Healthy dogs seem to have innate immune defenses that keep flea populations in check, but flea populations thrive and multiply on unhealthy dogs. Once a dog develops an allergic sensitivity, it can never be completely overcome, and with reactive rather than proactive treatments, sensitivity tends to increase.

Conventional treatment generally revolves around administration of corticosteroids, which are used for their anti-inflammatory effects; they very effectively “stop the itch.” Unfortunately, these drugs are also immunosuppressive. They compromise the dog’s ability to defend against viral, bacterial, parasitic and other invaders, and depress the body’s resistance to infection. In contrast, holistic veterinarians stress a balanced, long-term strategy. This might not get the dog to stop scratching or chewing himself overnight, but it can encourage the dog’s body to respond to the allergens present in the flea saliva in a less overactive fashion, while increasing the dog’s natural defenses to the fleas.

Needless to say, both conventional and holistic treatments for FAD include strategies for keeping fleas away from both the flea-allergic dog and its environment. How the dog’s owner undertakes this task can have serious repercussions on the dog’s health. There are many commercial flea products which either kill adult fleas outright, or chemically interrupt some stage of their life cycle, preventing young fleas from developing into adults capable of reproduction, for example.

While these products usually work as intended – eliminating a dog’s current flea population – they can trigger unpredictable and serious side effects in sensitive or vulnerable dogs. It’s a conundrum: the dog has immune problems, which leaves it susceptible to reactions from fleas and flea-borne illness, but the most effective flea killers may aggravate immune problems. So the task at hand is twofold: You try to conduct a gentle war on the fleas, discouraging their populations from settling into your home (as discussed in “Flee, Evil Fleas,” June 1998) without causing any disruption or destruction of your dog’s health. (As an example, you may use oils and extracts of lavender, eucalyptus, tea tree, or cedar around the home, to repel fleas without burdening your dog’s health in any way.)

Simultaneously, you work to building the dog’s basic constitutional health, which will, in turn, enable him to mobilize his own defenses against them. Holistic veterinarians usually begin and end all therapies with improved basic nutrition. Natural immune-enhancers could be prescribed: vitamins A, E, and C; fish and primrose oil, echinacea, and others. Massage or other physical therapies promote beneficial circulation.

In addition, you check to make sure that you aren’t mounting any obstacles to the dog’s self-healing: exposure to toxins (including poor quality foods), or too much stress. Any and all health problems the dog may display – such as itchy, irritated skin – are treated with substances that interfere as little as possible with his immune responses; in other words, using little or no cortisone creams or sprays, or immune-suppressing oral or injectable steroids. Instead, irritated skin might be soothed with calendula ointment or an oatmeal bath.

In theory, and thankfully, our readers can testify that in fact, too, as general health improves, signs of FAD naturally subside.

Stopping attacks on “self”
In autoimmune diseases, where a dog’s immune defenses inappropriately attack the body itself, mistaking “self” for “non-self” invaders, the desired strategy is to alter the self-destructive cellular pattern. A good example is Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA). In simple terms, AIHA causes the body to mount a “defense” against its own red blood cells, destroying the cells that carry the oxygen vital to life. Conventional medicine employs immunosuppressive corticosteroids and other more powerful drugs to disrupt the attacks, in hopes of sparing enough red blood cells to induce a remission. Unfortunately, all of the immune system is suppressed, not just the misfiring antibodies, leaving a dog vulnerable to other opportunistic infections. In life-threatening situations, blood transfusions are sometimes recommended, or even a new artificial blood product called Oxyglobin, which delivers oxygen to the cells faster than real blood and does not require blood typing.

In any non-emergency context, holistic veterinarians would probably begin with nutritional therapies which promote the growth of red blood cells: fresh meat, liver extracts and other B-vitamin sources; Vitamins C and E; and iron-rich herbs such as burdock, nettle or red clover.

While the prevalent forms of AIHA (accounting for 80 to 90 percent of all cases) are less severe and can often be treated as a chronic, controlled illness (as most immune disorders are), in the peracute form, time is of the essence, leading most people to seek conventional treatment first, and alternative therapies as a last resort. But in fact, alternative veterinarians cite successful therapies where, for example, B vitamin injections in certain acupuncture points induced immediate red blood cell production in a dog’s bone marrow, buying time for other immune-enhancing therapies to take hold.

Conclusion
When your dog has a life-threatening immune illness, there may not be a veterinarian on earth who can work miracles for that particular dog; immune problems tend to pick up momentum over time, compromising more and more systems. And many immune diseases are linked to factors beyond a dog owner’s control, in any reasonable sense of the word. But by optimizing those immune variables that they can control – foods, and exposure to drugs, vaccines, toxins, and stress – dog owners can level the immune playing field with the best home care, and the best professional advice they can find.

-By Roger Govier

Roger Govier is a freelance writer from San Francisco. Govier has prepared articles on many of WDJ’s toughest topics, from cancer to vaccinations.

Choosing Canine Supplements Wisely

By
Nancy Kerns
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6

Everything I read says give this herb or give that supplement – garlic, lecithin, vitamins, yeast. But what should I give my dog on a regular basis? In order to do everything the books say, I would have to give about 15 pills or supplements. Is it OK to give all that? What is too much?

We turned over this question to Dr. Nancy Scanlan, a veterinarian for 30 years, who has integrated holistic medicine into her practice for 12 years. Dr. Scanlan is also the author of Stop That Itch! Dr. Scanlan’s practice is located in Sherman Oaks, California.

I’m glad the subject of supplements has come up in this general way. As they learn more about nutrition and holistic health care, a lot of dog owners worry that they should be doing more to feed their dogs in the most healthful fashion.

dog supplements

You’re right; if you feed your dog every supplement that you ever hear about or read about, you could very well end up giving the dog 15 different things. You could also inadvertently cause as many problems as you had hoped to solve. And just because you have read an article about the wonders of a certain supplement, doesn’t mean your dog will benefit from that supplement. You have to take these things in context.

Do all dogs need supplements?
There are three main reasons to add specific nutrients to the dog’s diet. The first is to compensate for a known or suspected deficiency of the nutrient in question.

Sometimes, the deficiency is discovered when a blood test is performed for the purpose of analyzing the dog’s nutritional status (although, in my opinion, there are some problems with this methodology (see “Blood Testing for Deficiencies,” next page). In other cases, a dog owner might know that the diet he feeds is deficient in a certain nutrient, and he supplements rather than changes the formulation of the diet. For example, dogs who are fed a diet based on raw meats and vegetables, but who don’t receive fresh ground bones, are more than likely to be deficient in calcium.

When a dog is deficient in a certain nutrient, and he begins to receive the optimum dosage of that nutrient, his health will markedly improve. Sometimes, correcting a deficiency of even a very small nutrient will make improvements in dogs that already seem fairly healthy. Very often you will see that the coat has a better sheen to it, a little bit of dandruff might go away, a greasy coat will turn nicer. The holistic nutritionists say this is because these little micro-minerals have been depleted from the soil, so the grains and animals that are the dog’s major food sources (cattle, sheep, chickens) don’t have them, either. It’s difficult to show deficiencies from these things, because the animals don’t die, they can still reproduce, they look pretty good, they live about the same amount of time. But they will have a little better look and have a little bit more spring to their step if you add it to their diets.

“Optimizing” nutrient levels
The second reason to supplement a dog’s diet is less compelling, but not a bad idea: to cover suspected deficiencies as insurance. Dog food manufacturers will tell you, “We made these foods to contain everything a dog needs, so why are you giving them anything extra?” The answer is, “Because what is now called an ‘adequate’ dosage may not be the optimum dosage.” Many people (including a growing number of veterinarians) feel that the values set forth by the National Research Council for minimum daily requirements of vitamins for dogs are inadequate. The levels for the major minerals seem to be fine.

We know that for humans the minimum daily requirement is not always the optimum daily dosage. It is simply the minimum that is required to keep signs of major deficiencies from appearing. In the human field, many nutritionists now consider the optimum dose for a lot of things, including the “micro” minerals and vitamins, to be about double the minimum daily requirement recommended by the National Research Council.

From my experience, I suspect the same is true of animals. In cats, for example, we know that for years and years we didn’t have a good number for the amino acid taurine; it takes years for signs of taurine deficiency to show up in cats, and it took years and years to prove this. The amount that is recommended now is more than twice what it was in previous years! This can occur because the studies for supplementation are often of a duration that is only long enough to raise an animal from birth to reproductive age and let them have a litter; if all of that works they consider the study sufficient. But some problems take years – or even generations – to show up.

So, in my opinion, giving a dog who eats standard commercial foods a vitamin supplement – one that contains no “mega doses” of any nutrient, and no extra calcium or other minerals – can be a good idea. All good quality commercial dog foods seem to contain sufficient quantities of the major minerals such as calcium, iron, copper, and zinc; I wouldn’t add any without a specific reason.

Therapeutic dosages
The third reason to give a dog supplements is to try to optimize the dosage of certain nutrients for therapeutic or preventive effects. Please note that I used the word optimize, not maximize. Over-supplementation can cause many problems, which I’ll discuss below.

Therapeutic supplementation would include, for instance, feeding a dog with specific health problems – allergies, say – higher doses of those nutrients which can help the body deal with that condition more effectively. For example, giving a dog with pollen allergies extra doses of the antioxidant vitamins C and E during the peak season for those allergens.

Preventive supplementation is an attempt to prevent the onset of disease. However, this only makes sense when the disease is expected, and when that supplement has proven capabilities to help prevent that disease. One example is the use of iodine supplements to prevent hypothyroid disease in Golden Retrievers, among whom the disease is very common.

Problems with dog supplements
Though there are many cases where intelligent and appropriate supplementation literally saved a dog’s life, Unfortunately, there are many ways that people can do actual harm to their dogs with supplements. Here’s a great example: I once saw a dog who had been seen previously by another vet for kidney stones. As we’ve discussed in a previous article (“Urine Trouble,” November 1999), kidney stones can be caused by too-acid urine or too-alkaline urine. First the dog had the kind caused by overly acid urine. The vet changed the dog’s diet so the dog would have more alkaline urine. That went OK for a while, and then the dog got the kind of stones from over-alkaline urine.

Now the vet was up a creek; what can you do if you can’t shift the diet very far in either direction? The vet was so baffled, she decided to get a second opinion and sent the owner and the dog to me. I was puzzled, too, so I started asking a lot of questions. I asked about supplements – and hit the jackpot. She was giving three different kinds of calcium supplements. All we had to do was cut out the calcium supplements and the dog never had a problem again.

Here are the most common mistakes made when supplementing:

• Over-supplementing
One of the most dangerous ways that people can over-supplement is with minerals, especially in growing animals. People can cause all sorts of bone deformities in young dogs by feeding over-doses of calcium, for instance. Also, other minerals can actually cause mineral poisonings if they are over-dosed.

The place where you can get into the biggest trouble is with the minerals that are required in the greatest quantity: calcium, iron, copper, and zinc. Over-supplementation of calcium in the large and giant breeds can cause joints to break down; also, calcium can bind with other minerals and cause problems. I have seen studies with large and giant dogs where they decreased the calcium to where it was just below the amounts in regular pet foods, and have actually had dogs with healthier joints.

I have also seen copper toxicity and zinc toxicity. Copper binds zinc, so sometimes you won’t see copper toxicity, but you will start seeing a zinc deficiency – not because the diet is deficient in zinc, but because the copper is binding up the zinc and interfering with the zinc in the animal’s body.

With other nutrients, diarrhea may be the least of the problems you can get from over-supplementing. If you feed high enough doses of antioxidants, they can actually change from being antioxidants to pro-oxidants. Some of the anti-cancer supplements can be poisonous in high doses.

One of the most common ways that people inadvertently over-supplement is when they feed their dogs one of the “kitchen sink” supplements, one that has everything you have ever heard of in it, and then feed additional single-ingredient supplements as well. You have to read all the fine print, go over the ingredients to make sure that you are not over-supplementing.

Some nutrients do build up in the animal’s system; minerals can cause problems over time. A nice, steady, moderate dose of antioxidants is pretty safe, even for long periods of time, but if you are feeding maximum dosages for enough time, they can actually promote cancer.

• Imbalances
Some nutrients have to be fed in a proper ratio to another nutrient, or it can cause imbalances that can harm the dog. The best known example is the calcium/phosphorus ration, which should be between 1–1 and 2–1. If it’s not, it can cause rickets in young growing animals, and “rubber-jaw” or osteoporosis in the older dogs.

• Negative Interactions
Very dangerous drug interactions can result from mixing certain medicinal herbs with certain medications. To use both types of medicine safely, you have to consult someone who is familiar with both the drugs and the herbs. One example is willowbark, which interacts with aspirin and also with butazolidin and Rimadyl, and causes what is essentially an aspirin overdose, with intestinal and/or stomach bleeding. Vitamin E and Digoxin (Digitalis) also interact badly; vitamin E can cause a Digitalis overdose, even when the animal is receiving a normal dose of Digitalis.

• Long-term effects
Artificially supplementing an animal with certain nutrients – especially if you are using the maximum recommended amounts – can cause the animal to cease its own production of the nutrient. For instance, dogs manufacture their own vitamin C. If you feed a dog a maximum dose of vitamin C daily, the dog will stop making its own vitamin C. And if you were to suddenly stop that maximal dose, you might even see a temporary case of scurvy!

Managing dog supplements
To supplement intelligently, you have to understand exactly what is in each supplement you feed, and have compelling reasons to feed it. A lack of knowledge can lead to all kinds of problems. For instance, I saw a lady who had an arthritic dog. She had read about the benefits of GAG supplements, and had accordingly bought five different kinds – and was feeding all of them to the dog. An excess of glucosamine will sometimes cause an upset stomach, and sure enough, her dog’s appetite had decreased. Plus, she was wasting an awful lot of money.

When considering giving supplements to your dog, you have to ask yourself, “What is going on with this dog?” and prioritize the issues. If you have a basically healthy animal and your major concern is disease prevention, then you would take one path. If your dog has cancer, or a genetic predisposition to cancer, you would take a different supplementing path. If your dog has terrible arthritis, then concentrate on the supplements that can help with that.

Basic supplement rationale
In general, if your dog is less than six years old and seems basically healthy, there are just a couple of things I would recommend. The first is a trace sea-mineral supplement that supplies the tiny little trace minerals that are no longer present in our soils; these are not the ones that appear on anyone’s list of “required” nutrients. (There are two products I like: one is Source, the other is one I helped PetNutrition develop called “Life Energy Supplement.” The other types of supplements that are helpful for most dogs are digestive enzymes and probiotics like acidophilus. I think most dogs do better if they have the digestive enzymes all the time; I suggest adding probiotics occasionally.

If the dog is more than six years old, then you should start thinking about warding off degenerative conditions (arthritis and joint problems) that start happening at about that time. That’s when I tell people to consider giving a glycosaminoglycan (GAG) supplement, and vitamin C and E.

Outside of these basic suggestions, I give additional supplements only to dogs with problems. For example, if your dog has intestinal trouble, you might want to think about probiotics and/or digestive enzymes. If there is any problem involving anemia, then a B-complex would be a good thing to add. Supplements for treating cancer should be given only to dogs with cancer.

Then there are health problems that are more complex, that are related to the dog’s general level of wellness. The theme here is to do the fewest number of things that will have the most benefit. In these cases, it’s always advantageous to add antioxidants, especially vitamins C and E. Fatty acids, especially the Omega-3 fatty acids, are often lacking in prepared foods, and are helpful for many conditions, including any skin and heart problems, cancer prevention, circulation, and problems with the nails.

Vitamin C has numerous benefits and can help many diseases and prevent other diseases, so that’s a good one to add. But if you look at something like IP6, which has recently shown to have an anti-cancer benefit, with some other benefits suspected but not proven, then I wouldn’t add that unless your dog has cancer. Don’t add supplements unless you have a specific reason for doing so.

Say you have an older, arthritic, cancerous dog. If an animal has multiple ailments, then multiple supplements may be good. It should definitely receive more supplements than a young, healthy animal.

However, even if you have the best reasons in the world for adding a lot of things to an individual’s diet, you will run into certain problems. For example, you can make a dog refuse to eat if his meals are overly laden with all sorts of supplements. Also, you can cause digestive upset – nausea, vomiting or diarrhea – with a lot of supplements; this happens with chronically ill human patients, as well.

Again, try to at least get the things that will do the maximum good into the dog, those supplements that can help with all the dog’s symptoms. And start with the things that are research-proven, like glucosamine for joints. Address the conditions that are more likely to threaten the life of the dog. Fighting a life-threatening cancer tumor may be more important than fighting arthritis, for example. And then, if you still need more, you can gradually add them in. But give everything enough time to start working before you add the next thing in, depending on the supplement, between a week and a month.

Most importantly, I suggest working closely with your veterinarian when making decisions about supplements. If your vet is resistant to the idea of using any supplements, don’t be surprised; many veterinarians have so little experience with nutrition that they just don’t know how to deal with the concept. Find a different vet, one who has advanced education and experience in nutrition, if possible.

The use of “nutraceuticals” to influence your dog’s health can be powerfully positive or negative. Make sure you have someone who can help you best utilize this powerful tool, keep a close eye on your dog for signs that your approach is working or failing, and change it accordingly.

What’s On The Label?

By
Nancy Kerns
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Thank you for mentioning our product, Home Made 4 Life (“Food in the Freezer,” March 2000). Some important information was not mentioned in your article! We feel these key points set our companies and our product apart from our competition:

Home Made 4 Life pet food is formulated by professional animal nutritionists Jennifer Boniface, MS, and Trina Nowak, BScAgr, each of whom hold higher education degrees in animal nutrition.

Home Made 4 Life is the only international pet food of its type, with manufacturing taking place both in Maryland (Aunt Jeni’s Home Made) and Ontario, Canada (Pets 4 Life).

More details about the food can be found online at www.homemade4life.com.

-Trina Nowak
Ontario, Canada
-Jennifer Boniface
Aunt Jeni’s Home Made
Temple Hills, MD

 

Regarding your “Top Dry Dog Foods” article in the February 2000 issue: I understand that our Eagle Pack Natural Formula did not make the Recommended listing because we use the term “animal fat” in our ingredients list. The fat listed is pure bacon fat (pork fat), melted from human grade bacon to reduce the fat content prior to being shipped to restaurants. We also include chicken fat, produced under USDA inspection, the same fat sold to human food companies worldwide. There is no further refining or rendering.

Until recently, we used a mixture of the pork and chicken fat. We have since discontinued the pork fat.The “meat meal” listed is pure pork, from USDA-inspected plants. We are now changing our ingredients listing to state pork meal and chicken fat. These items were not listed as species-specific previously, because of ethnic considerations.

We subscribe to the nutrition philosophies of WDJ. As noted, our meat proteins and fats are from USDA-inspected plants with product sold to human food companies. Our carbohydrates/grains are ground fresh. There are no pesticides applied from the day the seed is planted until harvest. To prove the depth of our commitment, we now include certified, organically grown chicken in our cat food. As supply of this ingredient increases, we will include it in our dog food.

-John Marsman, Director of Nutrition
Eagle Products, Inc.
Mishawaka, IN

 

We’ve heard from representatives of several companies whose products did not make our “Top 10 Dry Foods” list for various reasons. Most wanted to communicate their reasons for making the decisions they did for using certain products (ones WDJ does not approve of ) in their formulations, or to explain why the ingredients they use are better in reality than they appear to be on the lists of ingredients found on their labels. Each person hoped we could further qualify or explain the listings on their labels.

In good conscience, all we can say is this: Virtually no one from any agency “polices” either the verbal claims of the food companies’ representatives or the literature published by the companies in pamphlets or on web sites. On the other hand, what is printed on their products’ labels is regulated by Federal law. For this reason, we suggest that consumers continue to judge foods by the list of ingredients found on their labels.

But here’s a wrench in the works: We recently learned that companies have six months to change the label of a food following any change in its formulation. This ostensibly protects the company from the expense of “wasting” perfectly good (but inaccurately labeled) bags.

Unfortunately, this practice leaves the consumer without any certainty that what they see is what their dogs will get. Especially vulnerable are dogs who have food allergies or other sensitivities. Short of calling the company every time you buy a bag of food, how can you know that no changes have been made that may affect your dog?

We’ll be looking into this practice further in future issues.

–Editor

 

Why didn’t you include hypothyroid disease as a possible underlying cause of itching in your article, “Stop the Itch!” in the February issue?

My Akita went through a couple of years of almost constant skin infections. We’d get rid of each infection with antibiotics, only to have it come back again quickly. Her constant scratching and biting were tormenting for her after a while, and her sad eyes often reflected that. Her thyroid tests were coming back normal, but as I got more desperate I began researching on the Internet. Eventually it was determined that she did have the disease when she responded within weeks to treatment. She’s never had a skin infection or serious itching since.

One estimate says that more than 90 percent of Akitas will have the disease at some point in their lives. Some other breeds are especially prone to it, too.

I had to take the initiative with my vet by bringing her the information; she wouldn’t have treated her for the disease based on the tests. The results of treatment were truly amazing. If publishing this information could help even one owner and dog with this problem, that would be great.

For more information about hypothyroid disease and its diagnosis and treatment, go to the Delaware Valley Akita Rescue web site (www.dvakitarescue.org) and ask for the thyroid packet. Their postal address is PO Box 103, Carversville, PA 18913.

-Grace Ramus
Princeton, NJ

Much Ado About Muzzles

By
Nancy Kerns
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Let’s be clear about one thing right from the start. A muzzle won’t train your dog. It will not teach your dog to stop biting or chewing, nor will it teach him to love small children, tall men with beards, hats and umbrellas, or your veterinarian. A muzzle is a behavior management tool, properly used as a temporary measure to protect humans (or other dogs) when dogs have to be handled in situations that are too stressful for them to tolerate. A muzzle is also a flashing neon warning sign that it’s time to do some serious counter-conditioning and desensitization so the dog in question can be handled in normal situations without resorting to muzzling. Dogs should not have to be muzzled for basic vet exams, grooming, nail-trimming, or other routine maintenance procedures. (See “Dreading the Vet,” WDJ June 2000.)

However, there are times when muzzles are useful. Muzzles can keep our animal care professionals safe when an aggressive dog must (regrettably) be treated prior to the successful completion of a behavior modification program. (Bear in mind that this is likely to cause a setback in the training program.) Even a well-socialized, friendly dog may bite when in pain, so a muzzle is always appropriate when handling a dog who is injured. Muzzles can also provide a safety zone within which we can implement desensitization and training programs for aggressive dogs without risking our own lives and limbs. Note: a dog who will wear a muzzle as part of a training program needs to be acclimated to the muzzle in the same way we would acclimate him to a head halter. (See “Head Halters Right and Wrong,” WDJ June 2000.)

Since we do need to use muzzles sometimes, we thought it appropriate to review some of the products currently on the market to determine what we like and don’t like about them. There are two basic types of muzzles – soft muzzles and basket muzzles – and a few that fall into a “miscellaneous” class. The important qualities of a muzzle are:

• Comfort for the dog
• Safety for the dog
• Ease of application and adjustment
• Security once in place on the dog
• Effectiveness in preventing biting
• Durability for long term use
• Cost

We evaluated eight different muzzles based on these criteria. In general, we found the soft muzzles far superior to the basket muzzles. Across the board, our test dogs all accepted the soft nylon muzzles much more readily than the basket muzzles. While none of the dogs looked happy about wearing something on their faces, most of them made active attempts to remove the basket muzzles, and just displayed a general air of gloom when wearing the soft muzzles. (We did not acclimatize any of our test dogs to any of the muzzles prior to testing.)

Safety first
Before we comment on individual products, we need to discuss the use of muzzles as it relates to our selection criteria. “Safety for the dog” is one of our most important considerations. However, we have ranked each muzzle for its safety to the dog if used properly. ALL muzzles present a high risk to the dog if used improperly.

None of the soft muzzles we examined seem to present a risk of injuring a dog who was trying to remove them, but all of the soft nylon muzzles restrict a dog’s respiration, which greatly compromises his ability to cool himself through panting. These muzzles should not be left on the dog for longer than 10-15 minutes at a time, less if the weather is warm and/or humid, or if the dog naturally has respiratory problems (such as the short-faced breeds, like Pugs.)

Advantages of fabric muzzles
Speaking of safety, we found it interesting that all of the soft nylon muzzles had packaging that contained instructions for proper, safe application and fitting, as well as appropriate warnings about not leaving muzzles on dogs unattended, or for long periods of time. In contrast, none of the basket muzzles came with any safety warnings or fitting instructions.

All of the fabric muzzles we examined are made of durable, washable nylon, with a simple nylon strap and plastic buckle that snaps close behind the ears. They can all can be shaped to stay open while the dog’s nose is slipped into the cone. If you adjust this type of muzzle to the dog’s approximate size before you slip it onto the dog’s nose, you can tighten the strap with relative ease while the muzzle stays on and prevents biting. When properly fitted, it is very difficult for a dog to remove any of the soft nylon muzzles we tested.

The soft muzzles are designed to allow the dog to eat and drink to a limited degree. This makes them ideal for use in behavior modification programs, since the dog can open his mouth just enough to accept treats. However, it also means that if a person were extremely incautious there is the possibility that the dog could pinch flesh with teeth and break skin, although probably not inflict a severe bite unless someone actually stuck their fingers in the dog’s mouth.

Fabric muzzle ratings
We can’t really say that either of our two top-rated muzzles is significantly better than the other; they both have unique features that we appreciated. Between these relative equals, we’d pick the Mikki Muzzle, which is widely available for a few dollars less.

The Mikki Nylon Fabric Muzzle, is made by Classic Products of Oxnard, California. The dog’s comfort, of course, is one of the most important selection criteria for a product such as a muzzle. The Mikki Muzzle scores high on this mark. While the product’s nylon is slightly stiffer than some of the other brands, this muzzle also has a soft strip of padding sewn on the inside of the front opening which offers an additional degree of comfort. As with all of the open-ended fabric muzzles, a dog wearing this muzzle can still eat treats and lap water.

The Mikki Muzzle comes in nine sizes, including one for Boxer-type brachycephalic dogs. The product is the least expensive of all the soft muzzles we examined.

However, the Cozy Quick Muzzle, made by Four Flags Over Aspen of St. Clair, Minnesota, may be more comfortable for the dog. Four Flags makes slightly greater provisions for the dog’s comfort, including the use of a softer (less stiff) nylon fabric. Also, the upper rim of the “sleeve” that fits over the dog’s nose (the part of the muzzle that rests below the dog’s eyes) is lined with a comfy piece of synthetic sheepskin to prevent rubbing. While the faux-sheepskin fluff could possibly get in the eyes of a shorter-muzzled dog, this can be remedied by trimming the fluff with scissors while still leaving ample padding on the inside of the muzzle.

The Cozy Quick Muzzle is available in an impressive 16 sizes; this wide range provides for a secure fit on any dog. While this product is slightly more expensive than the Mikki Muzzle, it is still reasonably priced.

Four Flags Over Aspen also offers a product called the Quick Muzzle – basically the same product as described above, without the coziness; we prefer the cozier model. This product lacks either the padding at the nose-end that the Mikki Muzzle offers or the sheepskin at the eye-end of the higher-priced Cozy Quick Muzzle. Like the Cozy Quick, this muzzle is constructed of softer nylon than the Mikki Muzzle. The Quick Muzzle, however, is offered in 18 sizes, including two sizes specially designed for short-faced dogs. Only the higher price keeps this product from our top rating.

The Pro-Guard Softie, made by the Custom Cable Company of Brooklyn, New York, offers the first big differences seen in the fabric muzzles. Instead of an open-ended cone, this product ends with a nylon mesh cup that fits loosely over dog’s nose. Because this muzzle has a screen sewn over the nose opening of the muzzle, it does not have to fit the sides of the dog’s muzzle as snugly as the other products we examined. However, the screen totally precludes its use as a positive training tool, since the dog cannot eat treats. For this reason, the Pro-Guard Softie would be a good muzzle to use for emergency protection, but not for a behavior modification program.

The design offers other advantages. First, the closed end minimizes the small potential for biting present with the open-ended muzzles. Plus, the looser fit allows for greater ease of panting than the more tightly fitting conical soft muzzles.

On the other hand, the product is available in only four sizes, which limits the accuracy of its fit. And in terms of durability, the design makes the product vulnerable to rips to the mesh screen, which would negate the muzzle’s value in bite prevention.

About basket muzzles
While the soft nylon muzzles seemed to be more comfortable – as judged by the reactions of our test dogs – basket muzzles offers one advantage to the dog that learns to accept them calmly: These products are designed to fit much more loosely around the dog’s muzzle, enabling him to open his jaws more widely to pant and breathe, while continuing to offer protection from bites. But dogs cannot drink easily while wearing basket muzzles, so, as with the fabric muzzles, these products should not be left on the dog for extended periods.

One danger of these muzzles – one not seen with the fabric muzzles – is that because of the pattern of openings in the wire, a frantic dog could easily get a toenail caught in the wire and rip it off. None of the basket muzzles we reviewed were accompanied by any safety warnings.

The biggest disadvantage of the basket muzzles is that most dogs object to wearing them much more strenuously than to the fabric muzzles, given that basket muzzles are rigid, and tend to bang around on the dog’s face as he moves.

Basket muzzle ratings
The banging action is least objectionable from the Polypropylene Basket Muzzle offered by J-B Wholesale Pet Supplies, Inc., of Oakland, New Jersey. Because this product’s basket is made of plastic, it wears more lightly on the dog’s face. It’s too bad that the product is available in only four sizes, especially because adjusting the fit is more difficult than it should be due to the use of a plastic slip buckle instead of a plastic snap. This could prove tricky with a struggling dog.

Once securely fitted to the dog, however, the Polypropylene Basket Muzzle offers a double safeguard against biting in the form of a plastic insert in the end of muzzle. A second layer of mesh, positioned about a half-inch from the end of the muzzle, puts a double layer of distance between the dog’s teeth and his intended victim. It does, however, make it very difficult to feed treats to the dog through the mesh, so its application as part of a behavior modification program is limited.

Unfortunately, while we liked this muzzle in terms of comfort for the dog (for a basket muzzle), its lightweight construction is much less durable than the metal baskets. Our test model arrived in a box with two of the plastic bars already broken. A dog who really fought this muzzle “tooth and nail” could probably destroy it pretty quickly. On the other hand, it was the least expensive of the basket muzzles we evaluated; you get what you pay for.

The Wire Muzzle offered by Jeffers Pet Catalog, a plastic-coated wire basket that fits loosely over dog’s nose, is more typical in terms of durability (good) and weight (too heavy). The product has a leather loop on the underside of the muzzle that a (narrow) collar would go through, and a leather strap that fastens behind dog’s head. Despite the extra fastening point, the weight of the metal basket caused our test dogs noticeably more distress than with the plastic basket. This could probably be overcome to some degree with proper desensitization before actually using the muzzle.

This product is available in only four sizes. The metal tongue buckle requires even more fussing to close than the plastic slide buckle on the Polypropylene Basket Muzzle. Also, the plastic-coated wire bars are spaced far enough apart that treats could be dropped through more easily than the plastic basket muzzle. (It would require some practice on the part of both dog and owner to perfect their treat-dropping/consuming technique). While this is a good thing in terms of using the muzzle for behavior modification, it also means that someone could conceivably stick a finger through the bars and be bitten.

We found more problems with the Wire Basket Muzzle sold by Drs. Foster & Smith, a bright silver-colored metal basket muzzle that fits loosely over the dog’s nose. Our test dogs hated the faux-leather strap that attaches to the top of the basket and goes straight up between his eyes over the top of his head, attaching to his collar. Another strap fastens around the dog’s neck. This is the heaviest and bulkiest of the basket muzzles, which must have had something to do with their strong objections.

We had objections, too. In our opinion, the wide gaps between the wire bars could rip a toenail or even trap an entire paw. And with only three sizes available, getting a secure fit might be difficult. Once on, it would probably prevent bites as long as you didn’t insert your fingers between the bars.

Other muzzle designs
In addition to the tried and true styles of muzzle design discussed above, we occasionally see muzzles with unique designs come onto the market – but we haven’t seen one worth its purchase price.

One such product is the Velcro Muzzle made and sold by Drs. Foster & Smith. It’s just two long Velcro straps connected by a wide, short elastic strap. One strap fastens around dog’s neck, the other fastens around the dog’s nose. Due to its minimal nature, our test dogs resisted this muzzle least of all the ones we tested. They could eat, drink, breathe – and we’re sure they could bite without impediment. The nose strap fits so high up on the nose that it does little to restrict biting. The only danger would arise from too-tight application of one or both straps. There are no instructions for use included in the packaging.

Perhaps this product would be useful when a muzzle is required by law (such as on public transportation) but absolutely not necessary (as with a well-socialized, well-traveled, friendly dog.)

Also With This Article
Click here to view “Training Your Dog to Comfortably Wear a Muzzle”
Click here to view “Dog Muzzles Are Useful Tools When You Use Them Right”

-By Pat Miller

Pin-Sharp Puppy Teeth

By
Nancy Kerns
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You brought this wonderful puppy into your home and very quickly discovered two things: He has needle-sharp teeth. And he bites! Now you have two burning questions: Why does he do it? What should I do?

A puppy’s gotta chew
Why does your puppy bite?

 

The simple answer is that puppies bite because they are genetically programmed to do so!

Remember, not too long ago (in evolutionary time) dogs were predators and scavengers who lived in groups. Puppies had to learn to use their teeth, mouth, and jaws as their most valuable tools for survival. They had to learn what is food and what isn’t, how to kill prey, and how to chew and otherwise extract nutrition from solid food. Some tasks were more complicated and took a lot of practice to get them right, so Mother Nature endowed the dog with the insatiable desire to use those teeth and jaws.

Puppies also used their teeth and jaws as communication and social tools. They used their mouths to get another living creature’s attention – just clamp those needle-sharp teeth on the nearest flesh and apply some pressure! They also learned to wrestle with other puppies by using their teeth to grab, hold, and move around their playmates. Some puppies learned that if their littermate had a scrap of food or a bone they wanted, they could apply enough pressure with their teeth so that the other puppy would drop it.

Of course, our dogs today are no longer living in wild packs. But the genetic urge to use and practice their mouth skills is still with them; they can’t help but chew and bite everything around them – including you!

Given that most dogs eat commercially prepared food that is served to them in a bowl daily, dogs today don’t really need to practice their chewing and gnawing skills in order to survive. But they still have to learn methods and rules of proper canine communication – both with other dogs, and with their human “packmates.” Sadly, few puppies have the opportunity to grow up in a social setting where they can learn these important skills from their mother, siblings, and other grownup relatives.

Critical lesson
One of the puppy’s most important lessons is learned at this trying time: how hard they should and should not bite, usually referred to by dog trainers and behaviorists as “bite inhibition.” They learn this from their littermates through trial and error. If you have ever watched puppies at play with their siblings, you’ve seen this lesson in action. The puppies roll around with each other, biting each other wherever they can get a grip. If they bite too hard – and with needle-sharp teeth and jaws strong enough to crack bones open, too hard is not very hard at all – their brother or sister will do two things: let out a loud shriek of pain and quit the game, leaving the biter alone and puzzled. Game over.

(Incidentally, young children do much the same thing: they grab their playmates, wrestle, and play-fight. It is extremely rare that they really hurt each other. Usually, they learn how to play so that they can get what they want and have fun. If they are too rough, other children cry and stop playing with them. Puppies learn the same thing.)

What pups learn by play-biting people
After a few dozen repetitions, even the slowest puppy learns that good things come to an end when you bite your friends too hard. It’s a lesson that will be with them throughout their lives – and may even save their lives someday.

You see, bite inhibition is what keeps a dog who does bite someone – another dog or a human – from biting hard enough to seriously injure the victim. All dogs are capable of ripping another dog’s throat open, or slashing your arm to the bone; they have all the equipment needed to do so. But when a dog with proper “bite inhibition” bites, the result is a hard pinch rather than a bloody tragedy.

A dog with poor bite inhibition, on the other hand, may spend his entire life as the most beloved, trusted, calm, and loving family companion, but if or when he decides to bite, the bite is severe and awful. Many a bewildered family has put their beloved dog to death because they couldn’t understand how or why a usually perfect dog could inflict such a terrible bite. These poor dogs never learned how hard they should bite if they do bite; they lacked the subconscious knowledge of exactly what kind of bite pressure will do the job of controlling their immediate social environment.

Just because your puppy didn’t grow up in a litter of playmates, however, doesn’t mean he can’t learn this critical knowledge. By simulating the proper responses, you can teach bite inhibition to your puppy.

Never say never
Unfortunately, this means that at first, you’re going to have to let your puppy bite and chew on you! (But not hard – I’ll get to that in a second.) If you, instead, tell the puppy, “NO!” every time he tries to bite or chew on you, you will deny him the opportunity to learn how hard social bites should be. This knowledge will be nowhere in his conscious or subconscious. And when the day comes that he is in a social setting (with other dogs or people) where he feels overwhelmed and upset beyond his ability to cope, he’ll bite – because that’s what dogs are genetically programmed to do. And that bite will be a bad one.

So, from the very first, you let your puppy bite and gnaw on you – but not hard! When your little friend bites to the point that it hurts you, do what another puppy would do: Say “Ouch!” loudly and quickly, and end your petting or play session. Get up immediately, turn away from the pup, and pay no attention to him for a minute or two. Then, return to your normal interactions with him.

This can be done from the first minute you interact with your puppy until he decides play biting you isn’t very rewarding. With patience and consistency (you’ll have to train all your friends and family to do this, too), your pup will gradually learn not to bite as hard and then not to bite at all.

Please note that I said gradually. It usually takes a few weeks of following the correct procedure before you see a big improvement in this behavior. The reason is simple. Play biting is such an important, natural behavior, that we can not change it immediately unless we use harsh punishment. Don’t use punishment to stop puppy biting. It will undoubtedly stop the biting – but it also may make your puppy fearful or aggressive (that is, act in self-defense, which we often interpret as “aggressive”). It can also end all his opportunities to learn good bite inhibition.

A little relief
Hopefully, you now understand why your puppy should be allowed to gently bite and chew on you for a critical period of time when he is young. But you hope there is something you can do right away to get your puppy to bite less, right? Happily, there is. While your first job was to teach your pup to inhibit the force of his bite, your next task is to work on reducing the frequency of his play-biting.

If you know that your puppy wants to interact with you whenever he has a chance, you can give him something else to do with you besides play biting. All puppies benefit from learning a few simple requests. Sit, Stand, and Down can all be taught in a positive manner using lure and reward, clicker, or any other positive, non-punishing method. If you are prepared, you can start training your pup before he starts to play-bite you. Some pups will play-bite every time they get a chance, some pups will do it only during high-activity periods. Pay attention to your puppy and always be prepared to engage him in a fun training session rather than letting him decide that nipping you is the best way to get your attention.

Start out by taking a small handful of your puppy’s food. Sit in a comfortable chair, rest your forearm on your thigh, say “Take it!” and give the puppy one piece of food. Close the rest of the food in your hand and say “Off” in a calm, gentle, sweet manner. Your puppy will probably try to get at the food by mouthing and/or pawing. Just keep that hand closed and wait. After a short period of trying to get the food, the pup will take his mouth off of your hand for a few seconds. When he does this, just say “Take it!” and give him a different piece of food from your other hand. It becomes very clear to the puppy in a short period of time, that when you say “Off,” if he does not touch your hand for three to five seconds, you will reward him by saying “Take it” and giving him a piece of food.

You are in the process of teaching your puppy that “off” means don’t touch. After a few days of this exercise, you can start telling your puppy not to play-bite by saying “Off” before he gets a chance to put his mouth on you. It is very important that you give him something else to do at this time. Don’t just keep saying “Off!” The puppy wants to play with you. Because you are using positive training methods, the puppy knows training is play and will be happy to have you start a training session. Make sure you do lots of short training sessions whenever your puppy gets to have some of your precious time!

What if this doesn’t work?
If these methods don’t seem to make any difference to your puppy, then you have to figure out why he is still play-biting too frequently or with too much force. Here are some possible reasons and solutions:

• You are saying “Ouch!” in a manner that excites your puppy and causes him to play- bite even more – or saying it in such a normal tone that it’s indistinguishable from your normal interactions. Experiment until you find the pitch and tone that makes him stop.

• You are not spending enough time training your puppy and he just has to get your attention. Have more training sessions. Teach everyone in the family to train the pup.

• Your puppy is too overstimulated or over-tired. If you are doing lots of short training sessions, don’t feel guilty about doing a time-out. Puppies are like children; when they get overstimulated or over-tired, the best solution is a time-out. Take the puppy out to potty, put him in his secure area where he can’t play-bite you or anyone else, let him rest up in peace and quiet for a while, and then he will be prepared for the next fun training session and so will you!

Stay positive!

 

-By Joel Walton

Joel Walton, a founding member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, is a canine behavior consultant in the Washington, DC, area who specializes in aggressive behavior cases. His second book, Labrador Retrievers for Dummies, co-authored with Eve Adamson, contains lots of positive pet training advice.

Adoptee Arrives With Baggage

By
Nancy Kerns
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There is absolutely no doubt in our minds that gentle training and holistic care (plus lots of love) works better than conventional care. Sassafras, one of our Golden Retrievers, proves this again and again.

In December 1998, my husband, Lane, and I adopted an eight-month-old Golden who had been abused and was about 20 pounds underweight. We weren’t really looking for another dog at the time – we already had four! – but she needed a home and once we met her, we had to take her home. She was one of the sweetest Goldens we had ever met, and we are big fans of the breed. We named her Sassafras, which we shortened to Sassy – and you’ll see why!

At first, Sassy got along fine with the rest of our pack, which included an elderly Vizsla; an even older Weimaraner; Daisy, a six-year-old Golden Retriever-Labrador cross; and Jasmine, a Golden Retriever who, at one year old, was closest to Sassy in size and age. All of the dogs are spayed females.

However, it didn’t take long for our newcomer to begin displaying some extreme symptoms of separation anxiety. We couldn’t understand this, considering Sassy had so many playmates, and such a large, dog-friendly environment. We spent a small fortune replacing all the things she chewed through while we were at work – new drywall and carpeting in the house, and even new siding on the outside of the house.

I had read about medications used to treat separation anxiety, and asked my local veterinarian if he would prescribe Clomicalm, which was advertised as being just the thing for this troublesome behavior. The vet was unfamiliar with the drug, but agreed that it sounded like just the thing to help Sassy until she was settled into our household.

Clomicalm (clomipramine hydro-chloride) is made by Novartis Animal Health. Its mode of action is not sedative; as a “tricyclic antidepressant,” it works by helping two neurotransmitters work more effectively in the brain. In humans, the underactivity of these chemicals has been implicated in depression and other disorders.

At the time, we weren’t aware that Clomicalm is not suggested as a sole treatment for separation anxiety, but is intended as only one aspect of a treatment program that includes training and behavior modification.

The Clomicalm did reduce Sassy’s separation anxiety; however, it also seemed to make her lethargic and decreased her appetite. We weren’t happy with these changes, but we thought she would improve with time.

Anxiety turns to aggression
Unfortunately, things got worse. Sassy got along with our other dogs just fine, but began having more scuffles with Jasmine, and the fights got progressively worse. One night in August 1999, Sassy tore up Jasmine badly; our veterinarian had to stitch up some ugly wounds.

The veterinarian suggested that we try another medication, Elavil. It, too, has side effects, but we thought we owed it to Jasmine to give it a try. Unfortunately, the Elavil only aggravated Sassy’s symptoms of lethargy and decreased appetite.

Loyal to our other dogs, some of our friends suggested that we get rid of Sassy. That might have been an option for some people, but we loved Sassy and were committed to finding a solution that we could all live with in peace and safety. Finding out that Sassy had been rejected by another adoptive family firmed our resolve.

Trying to buy time, Lane and I decided to fence off a part of the yard just for Sassy, so the dogs would be separated when we were gone.

We also contacted the veterinary school at the University of California at Davis, looking for a behaviorist who might be able to help us. (We live in Elko, a very small town in a remote part of Nevada; there aren’t any animal behaviorists around here!) They instructed us to videotape our dogs in all sorts of situations: playing with us in the yard, at the groomers, feeding time, etc.

After we sent the tape away, I scoured a catalog of dog books, looking for books and videotapes about canine behavior problems. I bought several that I had seen mentioned in Whole Dog Journal, including books by Dr. Ian Dunbar, Dr. Nick Dodman, and Dr. William Campbell. There are lots of opinions, but all of the books were helpful in some ways. Dr. Dunbar’s videotapes on biting and fighting to be especially helpful.

New orders
Then we received an answer from Dr. Melissa Bain, the behaviorist from UC Davis. She had seen quite a bit more in our videotape than we imagined! For example, we taped (and saw) the dogs playing; Dr. Bain saw Sassy struggling to assert her dominance on the rest of the pack (especially Jasmine) with little effect.

Also, Dr. Bain noticed that my husband and I failed to impose much in the way of “pack” rules on our dogs. She suggested that we start asking for our dogs to follow a lot of rules, all of which would help establish us at the top of the pack hierarchy, and Sassy as next “top dog.” We had always treated the dogs as equals – and we had bent over backward to be as undemanding as possible toward Sassy, because we felt sorry for her. At Dr. Bain’s suggestion, we began setting more limits on the dogs’ behavior, and began actively supporting Sassy’s status as top dog. Sassy was the first dog to be fed, petted, given a treat, let out the door, and so on. Because getting up on our bed had always been something to fight over, we banned the bed for both Sassy and Jasmine, establishing safe spots for them on either side of the bed; they were compelled to stay on their own cozy beds with a six-foot leash fastened to an eyebolt in the wall.

Dr. Bain also suggested that we use muzzles on both Jasmine and Sassy when they were together. She recommended basket-type muzzles, but neither dog tolerated them very well, so we tried soft fabric muzzles. Jasmine continued to show a lot of distress wearing a muzzle, but surprisingly, Sassy seemed perfectly comfortable wearing her fabric muzzle, which enabled her to eat grass, drink water, and even carry a toy around – but she couldn’t bite Jasmine. We found that as long as Sassy couldn’t bite, Jasmine wouldn’t bite, so we stopped using the muzzle on Jasmine, and all was well.

We also used the head halter made by Gentle Leader on both Jasmine and Sassy. The halters enabled us to control the dogs without a struggle while increasing their exposure to each other. We would walk the dogs back and forth past each other, rewarding them for calm behavior, and increasing the distance between them when one started to get stressed out.

In case of emergency, if another big fight did break out, Dr. Bain recommended that we use a product called Direct Stop, a citronella spray that comes in a pressurized can. We keep a can handy at all times, and have used it several times to break up a fight (and once when a stray dog attacked Sassy when we were walking). It has worked every time – without anyone getting bitten.

These things all contributed to making an immediate difference in reducing conflicts between the dogs. Because things were going so much better, we stopped giving Sassy the Elavil; she had lost so much weight. However, she immediately became more aggressive again. One step forward and two steps back!

Holistic resources
It was about this time that I remembered an article about flower essences that I had read months before in WDJ. I went through my back issues and found an article about flower essences (March 1999), and a “case history” that mentioned an aggressive dog who had become more calm when given a flower essence remedy.

I called Chamisa Ridge, a company that sells flower essence remedies and other herbal preparations for pets, and asked for a catalog. They carried an herbal preparation that sounded like just the thing for Sassy. “Temperamend” is a valerian mixture made by an English company, Hilton Herbs, and it has proved to be a lifesaver for Sassy. She really responded to the herbal mixture, and unlike when we were giving her sedatives, she didn’t seem lethargic, just relaxed.

Around the same time that we were experimenting with the Temperamend, I decided to call Rafaela Pope, a telepathic animal communicator mentioned in another article in WDJ. Our consultation was interesting, but the most useful part was that Pope mixed up a custom blend of flower essences for Sassy – and this mixture had an immediate positive influence on the dog. We later ordered a custom blend for Jasmine, which seemed to help even more.

Today, neither dog seems to need the flower essences, but Sassy still gets the Temperamend; we had stopped it for a period of time, but she had a fight not long after. It’s worth it to us to keep her on it. We recently had a complete exam and blood panel tested to make certain that the herbs were not having any ill effect; she is gloriously healthy.

Hard work pays off
It’s been a year since the big fight when Jasmine was hurt. I’m happy to report that things are just about normal around here. Recently, for the first time in a year, we have begun to take the muzzle off when the dogs are playing with us outside. We carefully supervise their activities, and so far, there haven’t been any steps backward.

It’s taken a lot to get to this point, and we’ve learned a lot along the way. No single product or training method has worked all by itself; we’ve had to use a little bit of this and a little bit of that to get where we are today. This has been a tough year, but we think it’s been worth all the trouble.


-By Tina Diedrichsen.

No Need For Force When Puppy Training

By
Nancy Kerns
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Following a rash of reports of puppy deaths at the hands of their trainers, the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) released a statement denouncing any training methods which cause physical harm to dogs.

The last straw for APDT members was the news report of a trainer in Raleigh, North Carolina, who allegedly killed an eight-week-old Shar-Pei puppy by repeatedly using a choke collar and pinning the puppy to the ground to correct it for “puppy biting.” The pup died at its vet’s office, reportedly from damage to the trachea.

The APDT was already aware of at least three similar cases: Some weeks prior, two puppies (one in Virginia and one in Hawaii) died when their trainers stuck their fingers down the dogs’ throats attempting to stop them from nipping. And a trainer in Florida slung a Basenji puppy wearing a prong collar across a cement floor because he wouldn’t lie down. Suffering ruptured internal organs, the pup died at its veterinarian’s office three days later.

For these and many other similar cases, there will be no prosecution against the trainers because the owners of the puppies have declined to press charges.

“Tragic stories like this often don’t receive a lot of media or legal attention,” says APDT President Allan Bauman. “Many dog owners don’t realize that there are other ways to train dogs. They assume that the trainer is the expert and that harsh training methods are the norm. But there are effective and humane ways to communicate with our four-legged friends. There is absolutely no reason for any dog to die in the course of learning to be a well-behaved family companion.”

Founded in 1993 by Dr. Ian Dunbar, the APDT is a national, non-profit organization that promotes dog-friendly dog training methods. The group boasts more than 3,000 members around the globe, the majority of whom eschew the use of forceful training methods and tools such as physical punishment, choke chains, and shock collars.

The APDT Code of Ethics includes a statement that: “The practices of hanging, beating, kicking and all similar procedures causing the dog great pain, distress and imminent potential for physical harm are inconsistent with humane dog training. These procedures represent a serious violation of professional ethical conduct and will not be tolerated.”

“Our condolences go out to these puppy owners, as well as others who have lost their dogs to harsh training methods,” Bauman says. “Losing your dog can be like losing a member of your family. We hope humane training methods, other dog owners won’t have to experience this tragedy.”

Several APDT members have participated in the development of humane guidelines for dog training, a project of the American Humane Association that is funded by Delta Society. The APDT offers a searchable list of APDT member-trainers and tips for choosing a dog training professional on their Web site at www.apdt.com.

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Researchers find diet can affect effectiveness, toxicity
of phenobarbital used to control epilepsy

Results of a study on the effect of diet on the dosage of Phenobarbital for controlling epileptic seizures were published in the September 15, 2000 issue of Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA). Researchers at the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, discovered significant differences in the effects of the same dosage of Phenobarbital between dogs fed a “maintenance” diet, a low-protein diet, and a low-fat, low-protein diet.

According to the study’s authors, epilepsy constitutes three to five percent of all diseases seen in dogs. Phenobarbital is the most commonly used drug to control seizures; the drug is routinely administered to affected dogs daily, often for the life of the dog.

Unfortunately, the ideal dosage of the drug – one resulting in maximum seizure control with minimal liver toxicosis – can be difficult to determine, and can change over time. Body composition and metabolic rate have been known factors affecting the drug’s distribution and metabolism, and thus, its clinical effectiveness or toxicity. However, until this study, no one was aware of how much the dog’s diet could influence the drug’s metabolism.

More research is needed to address the therapeutic implications of this study, for example, to determine what would constitute an optimum diet for minimizing medication dosages while maintaining control of seizures in an epileptic dog. However, this study suggests the need for owners of epileptic dogs to apprise their veterinarians before changing their dogs’ diet, and to consider monitoring the dogs’ serum Phenobarbital concentrations when altering the type or amount of the dog’s food.

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Antimicrobial resistance is causing concern
about the safety of the food supply

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other agencies are investigating methods of curbing antimicrobial resistance in food animals, saying that it’s only a matter of time before antimicrobial-resistant bacteria could threaten the lives of the humans – and pets – who consume or otherwise come into contact with contaminated meat and poultry.

“Scientists generally agree that the development of resistant bacteria that are foodborne pathogens is most likely due to the use of antimicrobials in food-producing animals,” says Linda Tollefson, DVM, Director of the Office of Surveillance and Compliance at the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine.

Antimicrobials are routinely fed to food animals in order to promote growth and feed efficiency. The drugs work by inhibiting bacterial growth, or by killing the organisms outright. Unfortunately, due to genetic mutations, a tiny number of the bacteria often survive the onslaught of drugs, going on to develop new, drug-resistant bacterial strains. Humans and/or animals infected with drug-resistant bacteria may languish without drugs to control the new strains.

To track emerging resistance, animal-origin Salmonella isolates were chosen as a “sentinel organism” at the USDA Agricultural Research Service, Russell Research Center in Athens, Georgia. In 1998, there were 3,318 Salmonella isolates of animal origin tested, representing a broad range of species and point of origin. While all isolates were susceptible to antimicrobials Amikacin and Ciprofloxacin, 38 percent were resistant to Tetracycline, nearly 35 percent to Streptomycin, and just less than 33 percent to Sulfamethoxazole. Scarily, a whopping 40 percent of the Salmonella isolates tested in 1998 were resistant to two or more antimicrobials.

One of these multiresistant isolates, Salmonella typhimurium DT104, has caused some concern worldwide. The organism has a pattern of resistance that includes Ampicillin, Chloramphenicol, Streptomycin, Sulfonamides, and Tetracycline. Five percent of the Salmonella isolates showed this resistance pattern.

 

Source: American Veterinary Medical Association.

Teaching Your Puppy Critical Social Skills

By
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
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If you are ever in California, you might want to make it a point to visit Carmel Beach, at the end of Ocean Avenue in Carmel Village, Monterey County. Carmel Beach is a canine utopia. Dogs are allowed, even encouraged, to run off-leash along a breathtaking Pacific Ocean backdrop. On any given day, at any given time, you’ll see Golden Retrievers racing along the sand after tennis balls, Labradors fetching sticks from the surf, Border Collies herding shorebirds, and any and all varieties of mixed-breeds and purebreds romping together in happy groups. Rarely, if ever, does a fight happen. Oh, an occasional brief scuffle maybe, as two ball-obsessed Aussies squabble over possession rights. But it’s hardly ever serious.

Thus the community of Carmel was shocked two years ago when a Pitbull terrier attacked and killed a small Poodle. What happened? Why was there bloodshed on the normally peaceful Carmel Beach?

Dogs are pack animals. Their wild ancestors necessarily had to get along for the very important purpose of survival. Even after thousands of generations of domestication, most dogs still play well with others of their species. When they don’t, it’s usually for one or a combination of three reasons: genetics, learned behavior, or poor socialization.

It’s in the genes
Sadly, humans have bred some dogs for dog aggression, most notably the Pitbull. Dogfighters deliberately selected for dogs who were willing and eager to fight with their own kind until, over time and generations, the quality that they call “gameness” was deeply instilled in the gene pool. A litter of puppies from fighting lines must often be separated by the age of seven weeks or they will fight with each other and cause serious harm. Chances are the tragedy on Carmel Beach was a result, at least in large part, of those genetics.

Other types of dogs were bred for the exact opposite quality. Because they hunt in packs, scent hounds such as the Beagle, Bloodhound, and Foxhound were bred to be exceptionally amenable to pack life. (This is one of the reasons Beagles are often the breed of choice for research colonies.) Other breeds fall on a continuum, from the relatively gregarious sporting breeds like Labrador and Golden Retrievers who are generally good with other dogs, to the guard-type dogs like Rottweilers and Chows, who have a greater tendency to be dog aggressive.

Learned behavior
To some extent, the natural tendencies bestowed by a dog’s genetic package can be influenced by learning. Beagles can be made to be dog aggressive under the right (wrong!) circumstances. Some Pitbulls can be raised peacefully with other dogs, providing care is taken to avoid exposing the individuals to incidents that might turn on their fighting “lightbulb.” This is why it is critical to raise your dog in an environment that doesn’t allow him to be teased, tormented, or attacked by other dogs. Tying a dog up or fencing him in a location where other dogs can agitate the confined one, is a classic recipe for dog aggression.

Poor socialization
But by far the most common cause of inadvertently induced dog aggression is lack of proper socialization. While some veterinarians still urge their clients to keep their young puppies cloistered until they have completed their vaccination series at age four to six months, more and more animal care professionals are recognizing the importance of early socialization with other puppies and dogs in a controlled environment.

Playtime with other puppies and non-aggressive adult dogs gives a puppy the opportunity to learn how to talk and read “dog-ese” through appropriate interactions with and responses to other dogs’ body language. If this doesn’t happen during the pup’s critical learning period, well before the age of six months, you may end up with a canine social nerd whose inept use of the dog’s physical and postural language consistently gets him trouble. This happens either because he sends inappropriate messages or fails to respond appropriately to another dog’s message.

As with virtually all dog behavior problems, prevention is a far better approach than rehabilitation. If you have the luxury of working within your puppy’s critical learning window, you are light years ahead of the game. The more your pup’s breed characteristics and individual personality predispose him to dog aggression, the more critical it is that he be socialized during the learning period. The following steps can maximize his opportunities for socialization while minimizing his exposure to disease:

• DO keep him current on his vaccination schedule. (Some people vaccinate their dogs far more aggressively than others. See “Current Thoughts on Shots,” August 1999 and “Reduced Vaccination Schedule,” September 1999. Also, see sidebar below.)

• DO invite friends over with their healthy puppies and gentle adult dogs to play with your puppy.

• DO enroll your puppy as soon as possible in a well-run puppy class where classmates are allowed to play together. Again, people vary in their willingness to vaccinate their dogs. Most trainers require proof of vaccinations for all participants. People who use fewer than the usual number of puppy vaccinations may have difficulty finding a trainer who understands and accepts this approach.

• DO talk to the trainer and watch the class first. Puppy play should be closely monitored to avoid bullying of small or timid puppies by bigger, older ones. The facility should be clean indoors and out, and training techniques involving the use of choke chains, prong collars or physical force should not be permitted.

• DO intervene if another puppy starts to bully yours. A pup can learn to be defensively aggressive if he is frightened by the intensity of another pup’s play.

• DO intervene if your puppy starts to bully another. A gentle interruption of the behavior every time it occurs combined with brief time-outs if necessary, offset by praise and treat rewards when he is playing well with others, can keep him on the right track. A time out is what behaviorists call “negative punishment.” The puppy’s behavior (being too rough or aggressive) makes a good thing (playing with other puppies) go away. If you are consistent he will learn that he has to be nice if he wants to keep playing.

• DON’T intervene if two pups are engaged in mutually agreeable rough play. Rough play is perfectly acceptable if both pups are enjoying it. Do keep an eye on the participants to make sure they are both having fun, and gently intervene if the tone of play starts to change.

• DON’T take your puppy to dog parks or public areas where lots of dogs congregate. He faces a much greater risk of exposure to disease in those environments.

• DON’T allow your puppy to sniff piles of feces from unknown dogs when you take him for walks around the block.

• DON’T allow your pup to interact with any dogs or puppies who don’t appear healthy, and don’t allow the owners of sick dogs or puppies to play with yours.

If you follow these simple guidelines, your chances of having a well socialized dog are high, and your disease risk is very low. Remember: Far more dogs face tragic ends to their lives due to poor socialization than to illnesses encountered in well-monitored puppy play groups.

Predictors of success
What if you’re not so lucky? Maybe you already missed your puppy’s learning period, either because you weren’t aware of the importance of socialization, or because you adopted a pre-owned older dog. If this just meant that the other dogs wouldn’t play with yours on the playground, it wouldn’t be a big deal. But the most common behavior problems manifested by a dog who is poorly socialized with other dogs are fear and aggression.

Is she doomed to a life of isolation from other dogs because she responds intensely and negatively when she sees other dogs, or because there have been incidents of aggression when you have allowed her to play off-leash with others? Not necessarily. The following factors will be key to the success of a rehabilitation program for your dog:

1. How old is she? The younger she is, the better the prospects for rehabilitation. The older she is the more likely that the behavior has been happening for a long time and is a deeply ingrained habit.

2. How intense are the fights? The more serious the intent to do harm, the more difficult the behavior will be to change, and the more at risk you are (and other dogs are) when a fight does occur.

3. How capable are you of preventing fights? If you cannot control the environment to prevent her from getting into fights while you work to correct the behavior, chances of successful rehabilitation are low. If the kids leave the gate open and she gets out, or if you aren’t willing to curtail your off-leash walks and she continues to get into fights, she is reinforcing the undesirable behavior far more effectively than you are working to change it.

4. What are her breed and temperament predispositions? A submissive young Beagle whose occasional bouts with other dogs are triggered by fear and defensiveness is easier to rehabilitate than a poorly-socialized but dominant Pitbull, Rottweiler, or Akita with a history of violent encounters.

5. How much time are you willing to dedicate to changing your dog’s behavior? This is not an easy fix. Successful aggression behavior modification through counter conditioning and desensitization takes time and patience. Beware of any trainers who offer to fix an aggression problem overnight. Chances are they are likely to use coercive techniques that may drive the aggression underground temporarily but not truly change the dog’s mind-set about other dogs. You must be willing to invest a significant amount of time and effort, maybe even money, if you want to succeed.

Remedial socializing
The more positive answers you had to the above five questions, the better your chances are of ending up with a dog who “plays well with others.” If the problem is still in its embryonic stages you might be able to accomplish the desensitization and counter conditioning on your own. If the problem is more serious, you might want to make use of the services of a competent professional who uses positive methods to work with aggression problems. You will need to be realistic about your goal. Most dogs can be taught to walk calmly on leash around other dogs. Some will eventually be safe off-leash around other dogs, but not all.

Caveat: If at any time you don’t feel confident in implementing the next step of the following training program, you should seek professional help. Similarly, if you feel you are not making progress, or if your dog’s aggression or fear reaction is triggered frequently, look for a trainer to help you. Some trainers offer group classes specifically for dogs with aggression and socialization problems. (See “A Class of Their Own, February 1999.)

Step 1: Counterconditioning
You want your dog to think that being around other dogs is a wonderful thing, not something to be feared. Start by finding a location where you can control the distance between you and your on-leash dog and other dogs in the vicinity. A training class in a park is perfect – you know the dogs will stay in their class location and you can position yourself as far away as necessary. Another potential location is a large parking lot outside a pet supply store.

Find the distance that is far enough from the other dogs that yours doesn’t feel threatened. Setup a lightweight lawn chair (or sit on a park bench) and hang out there for at least 20 minutes. If there is likely to be canine foot traffic passing by, set up signs politely asking people to keep at a distance with their dogs because you are training yours. DO NOT do this in a location where loose dogs are likely to run up to you.

While you are sitting in your chair, toss your dog a steady stream of the most irresistible treats you can find. Take a huge supply with you so you don’t risk running out. Right now, she is conditioned to think that dogs are dangerous, something to be feared. By pairing the presence of other dogs with extra-yummy food, we can counter-condition her to think that the presence of other dogs is a good thing.

At this point, don’t wait for “good” behavior or pair the food with a reward marker such as a Click! or a “Yes!” We are not trying to train a behavior, we are just trying to change the way her brain involuntarily reacts to the presence of other dogs.

Note: Many dog-aggressive dogs will get so tense and wound up over the sight of other dogs that they will ignore your usual treats. This generally means two things: First, you also might have to work a little harder, or be a little more creative in your search for irresitable treats. Then, if especially yummy treats such as pieces of hot dog, meatballs, ham, or smelly cheese aren’t working, it’s a sign that the situation you have built is still too stressful. Increase the distance between your dog and the other dogs until he will take the treats, or consider finding an entirely different, even less stressful environment in which to work.

Also, some dogs will become so stressed by the mere sight of distant dogs, that they will forget their usual treat-eating manners and snap at the treats, endangering the treat-feeder’s fingers! Rather than put yourself in a position where you might feel compelled to verbally “snap” back, toss the treats on the ground in front of the dog. Or, if he’s too preoccupied with the other dogs and doesn’t notice the treats on the ground, wear gloves when you hold the treats near his muzzle! Remember: you want this to be a pleasant experience for the dog. Don’t “correct” his lapses in behavior at this point; it will only confirm his negative feelings about other dogs.

Step 2: Densitization
Desensitization is the process of gradually increasing the intensity of the stimulus that causes a reaction. It often goes hand in hand with counter conditioning. When your dog is eagerly looking forward to her trips to the park, very gradually start moving your chair closer to the training class – or other controlled source of dog presence – until you can sit next to the class and watch without a negative reaction from your dog.

The speed with which you do this will vary, depending on your dog’s response. If she starts acting uneasy when you move five feet closer, you may need to move in one-foot increments. If she is totally sold on the concept of “treats + other dogs = great stuff,” then you can move more quickly. You will still shower her with treats to continue the counter conditioning. You can also, at this point, Click! and reward specific good behaviors, such as a tail wag or happy glance at you when she sees another dog. The reaction we are looking for is, “Cool!! There’s another dog!!! Where’s my treat?”

Step 3: Interacting with others
If and when you get to this point, find a friend with a very calm, easygoing dog, and introduce the two off-leash, in an enclosed, controlled, neutral environment. Many dogs will fight on-leash and be perfectly fine off-leash. This is due in part to something we call restraint frustration (when the frustration of being restrained by the leash raises the dog’s level of arousal, making a fight more likely) and in part to the fact that the owner’s control of the leash inhibits a dog from displaying normal body language signals.

Your dog should now be relaxed and happy when other dogs are around. Let her see the other dog with both dogs on leash, and if her reaction is positive, release both dogs and let them greet each other.

Note: We suggest that you put soft nylon muzzles on both dogs before releasing them for the first time, as an added precaution. Both dogs should be conditioned to wearing the muzzles prior to meeting, so the extra equipment doesn’t add stress. If there is a scuffle with muzzles on no one will be hurt, and you can give them a bit of time to work through the disagreement. If it doesn’t resolve itself after 10-20 seconds then break it up and remove the dogs.

This first meeting should be relatively short. You want to end on a high note so your dog goes away with a positive experience. It is important that you remain calm during this interaction and that any verbal communications with your dog are done in a relaxed tone of voice. This is not easy to do when you are wound tight in anticipation of a possible fight, but any tension in your body or voice will be transmitted to your dog, and increase her level of tension.

Assuming positive results from the first interaction, schedule several more of gradually increasing length. Meanwhile, seek out people with dog-friendly dogs, people who are willing to participate in your training program. When you find yourself relaxing while your dog plays with her first canine friend, it is time to introduce her, one-at-a-time, to other play partners. Once she has several congenial friends you can try a threesome, then gradually increase the size of the playgroup.

Your dog’s reaction to the increased levels of arousal in larger groups will help you decide if she will ever be ready for off-leash play at Carmel Beach, or if discretion dictates that she restrict her recreational activities to pre-screened pals. Whichever you decide, she will have come a long way from where she started, and be able to reap the physical and mental benefits of interactions with others of her own kind.

-By Pat Miller

Pat Miller is a freelance author and a professional dog trainer in Fairplay, Maryland.

Born Bad?

By
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
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Recently, we had to make a very difficult decision concerning our two-year-old German Shepherd, Shadow. He was diagnosed by an animal behaviorist as territorial aggressive, and we were advised that he would become more aggressive as time passed. We were also told that there is no method or medication that can be given to control this behavior it is in the genetics.

Also, since our decision, several people have advised us that all German Shepherds are unpredictable and may turn at some point in their lives. Is this true?

-Name withheld by request

Pat Miller, WDJ’s Dog Training Editor, answers this question for us. Miller, a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, offers private and group dog training classes from her base in Fairplay, Maryland. For contact information, click here.

Miller responds:

I’m sorry that, in my opinion, you have received some bad information. There are lots of things that can be done to modify aggressive behavior, territorial or otherwise. Positive training protocols that use counter-conditioning and desensitization are frequently successful in reprogramming a dog’s brain to respond positively rather than negatively to the stimulus that causes the aggression in Shadow’s case, someone intruding in his territory.

It is not always an easy thing to accomplish, however. A successful aggression modification program requires exquisite management on the part of the dog owner to prevent the dog from putting human life and safety at risk while the owner works with a competent positive trainer or behaviorist; a long term and serious commitment to the training program; and a willingness and ability to make environmental changes to prevent the dog’s ongoing exposure to the offensive stimulus. In other words, you can’t leave a territorially aggressive dog loose, in a fenced yard where he is subjected to teasing and tormenting, running at large on your property or in the neighborhood, or tied on a chain, and expect the behavior to improve.

I take it that you decided to have Shadow euthanized. In an aggression case, whatever the classification or classifications of aggression, the prognosis depends in large part on the owner’s willingness and ability to comply with the training protocol, how intense the aggressive response is, how successful the behavior strategy (aggression) has been for the dog in the past, and how much practice he has had how many incidents have occurred, and for how long.

Prevention, not treatment
Medications can be useful in some cases, but should be used as part of an ongoing behavior modification program; they don’t change behavior all by themselves. Working with a trainer for the long period of time required for success can be costly. If there are young children in the home it is not appropriate to put them at risk. It may well be that your set of circumstances were such that it would not have been possible to implement a successful behavior modification program. If that’s the case, then, in my opinion, euthanasia may well have been the most responsible and appropriate decision.

The tendency toward aggression is not necessarily genetic, although genetics can impart a predisposition toward aggressiveness. However, environment also plays a very important role. A dog that is from a 10-generation family tree of friendly dogs can be made aggressive through poor handling and/or a lack of socialization, and a pup born with genetics for more aggressive behavior can, if properly raised, be quite friendly and safe.

The best way to cure aggression is prevention lots of early socialization and good management of the environment so the dog is not put in a position where he feels compelled to have to defend his territory. (See Canine Social Misfits, February 2000.)

As for your question about whether all German Shepherds are unpredictable and will turn on you at some point, I can only say…absurd! There are probably hundreds of thousands of trustworthy, non-aggressive German Shepherds in the world. I have had the privilege of knowing and loving several myself. Anyone who would believe or say otherwise is badly misinformed.

Giving It Our All

By
Nancy Kerns
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Dear readers:

In an effort to keep me from feeling so alone with Rupert, my 10-year-old Border Collie who is suffering from terrible allergies, many of you have shared stories about your hard-luck dogs. I’ve been struck by the dedication and commitment that WDJ readers devote to trying to make their beloved companions well. It helps put Rupie’s itching in perspective – and teaches us never to take a healthy dog’s vibrancy for granted. Here is an extraordinary letter:


Regarding Nancy Kerns’ editorial about the problems she has gone through with her dog, Rupert, there’s not much I can say except “I understand.” I’m doing just as you are for my dog, Finn, who is only 4 1/2 years old. He’s got all of the same health issues you’ve described with Rupert, plus, starting at age three, he became (urine) incontinent.

After thousands of dollars in tests and more tests over the past 18 months, we have yet to find a cause for his problem. According to all manner of veterinary tests, he is as healthy as can be. So, while I continue in my quest to solve the itching-diarrhea-incontinence problems with “regular” vets, board-certified specialists, holistic vets, acupuncture, chiropractic, Chinese herbs, raw foods, TTouch etc., I also try to balance my efforts with lots of love and good old fun with Finn. He’s a flyball fanatic, an agility whiz and an obedience flop!

We tried chiropractic with good results; for two whole months he was completely “cured.” I was in heaven, and bragged to anyone who would listen! Then it began to happen again. Back we went to the chiropractor. The treatments still worked, but for less time each treatment. It was a mystery and very disappointing. Still, we do go for adjustments every three to four weeks because Finn feels so much better afterwards.

We also tried acupuncture, but with awful results. After those treatments, he peed all over the place all the time, in spite of being on PPA at night. I know sometimes things have to get worse before they could get better, but that was just too much for me. And to pay $50-70 per visit and then have to clean up pee all over the place! We have scrubbed rugs and washed dog bedding until we are about ready to rip out all the carpets and start over with easier-to-clean floors. Thank God my husband is willing to go to any kind of expense to make things better. He even wondered if we could get Finn a kidney transplant back when we thought it was kidney disease!

The final diagnosis from the internist is this: Psychogenic Polydipsia Polyuria. I’ll bet you can figure that out, even if you haven’t heard of it: he likes to drink a lot of water and so he pees a lot. And so here we are. Sometimes itching less, sometimes more, battling diarrhea with every new change to his diet to try top help the itching, and the one dependable, always present symptom is the incontinence. I have to admit I dread the thought of another 8-10 years of this, since my educated guess is it will not be getting better as he gets older.

I also wanted to let you know that after almost 18 months of cooking and then trying the raw diet, I am back to feeding kibble. His digestive problems were getting worse and worse on home cooked and then raw foods and I simply could not figure out anything my little guy could eat. He was wasting away before my eyes.

I read that you considered the Innovative Veterinary Diets foods to be superior to the Hill’s Science Diet foods, so I had my vet order a bag of the “Duck and Potato” for Finn. Within two days, Finn’s stools are as normal as my other dogs’ and better than they have been in his whole life. His scratching is less, too! It’s been about two weeks now since he’s been on this food and he seems to be doing great. I know there are some true believers out there in the raw diet, but for us, it simply was not the right choice.

I’ve never been so frustrated, nor have I ever loved a dog as much as I love Finn. Though I’ve had dogs all my life, he is “the one.” So with that extra specialness of spirit comes this terrible puzzle of his health.

Even if I can’t try all of the things I learn about in WDJ, I have found an amazing amount of help and information in the issues each month. Good luck, and give Rupe a hug from Finn and me.

-Laura Forgetta
Ventura, CA

Both Sides Now

By
Nancy Kerns
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We have a dual mission, here at WDJ. First, we promote the use of anything that can make a dog healthier, whether it’s conventional medicine or alternative care; in most cases, we advocate the judicious use of both!

Second, we’re here to spread the word about positive training – building a relationship with your dog that is all pleasure, and no pain. Dog training shouldn’t make you feel like a child abuser or an Army drill Sergeant. Education should be fun for you and your dog!

We are aware that some readers come to us primarily because of our outspoken stand on positive training. At first, they might not really appreciate our articles on natural diets, herbal supplements, massage and chiropractic, etc. In contrast, other readers subscribe specifically because they have learned that they can’t find in-depth information about alternative and complementary therapies anywhere else. Often, these people don’t really pay any attention to the training articles and product reviews.

But then a funny thing happens: Over time, many of our readers realize – just as I have in the three years I have been editing WDJ – that health and happiness go hand in hand. A dog who understands and complies with his owner without a trace of anxiety or conflict will truly become a healthier animal. And dogs who have continual access to superior nutrition and health care learn faster and have fewer behavioral problems. This results in the “whole” dog we refer to in our title.

So, if you’ve come to WDJ for our training articles, for instance, to learn how to resolve behavior problems through intelligent management and to discover new, fun activities to enjoy with your dog, good for you! But keep an open mind about our articles on raw homemade diets, changing views on vaccination protocols, and hands-on methods of healing.

And if you subscribed to WDJ for the “raw” recipes, healthy food reviews, and tips on treating canine disease with conventional, alternative, and complementary medicine, thanks! But consider giving the lure/reward method of teaching your new puppy to sit and lie down, even if you’ve taught puppies to sit by pushing their little bottoms down your whole life. The speed and joy with which a positively trained dog learns will amaze you.

Dog Training Editor
I have to take a moment to thank Pat Miller for her extraordinary contributions to every issue of WDJ. Miller is a kind and devoted professional dog trainer, and how she manages to run a training business and write so prolifically and well, I don’t know. I’m simply grateful for her support and gentle direction, as she keeps WDJ positioned at the cutting edge of positive training techniques and theories.

Effective with this issue, we’ve formalized this relationship, making Pat our Training Editor, and asking her to solicit articles from other top positive trainers in addition to her own contributions. With typical competence, Pat has thrown herself into her new duties, so stay tuned for an exciting series of articles from some of the most charismatic and talented teachers and dog trainers in the country.

And, finally, a brief update on my allergy-stricken Border Collie, Rupert:He’s doing better, incrementally. His scratching is definitely decreasing, though he still is apt to chew himself when he’s alone. The bare patches where he rubbed all his hair out are growing back in, and he’s gained a couple of pounds (back up to his ideal weight). I’ll keep you posted as to whether our current regimen of a new diet, homeopathy, and occasional herbs does the trick. Thanks for your continued support!

-Nancy Kerns

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