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Why a Reliable Recall Is So Important

By
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
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Caper was a Spuds McKenzie-style Bull Terrier mix – white with a rakish black eye. She spent the first 18 months of her life running free in the small California coastal community of Bolinas, where resident dog owners eschewed leashes and threw bottles at trucks driven by animal services officers. As happens all too often with dogs who are given too much freedom, the energetic terrier got into trouble – she nipped a small child who tried to play with her on the beach. I adopted Caper upon her release from bite quarantine at the Marin Humane Society more than 20 years ago, and immediately enrolled her in an obedience class.

Caper excelled in class despite the fact that in those days I was still using compulsion-based methods. It seemed to me at the time that the vigorous yanks that I applied to her leash and choke collar didn’t dampen her enthusiasm for training in the slightest. When we ventured into the obedience competition ring she was always in the ribbons.

Her recall in the ring was superb. On the judge’s instructions, I would leave her in a sit-stay, march to the opposite side of the ring, wait for the judge’s signal, and then issue the clarion call, “Caper, come!”

Caper would rocket across the ring and slam her compact, muscled body into an unerringly straight sit at my feet, gazing into my eyes with adoration and anticipation. My next command invariably sent her into another faultlessly straight sit at heel position to complete the exercise – a picture-perfect show-ring recall.

Outside of the ring, however, the picture wasn’t quite so perfect. If Caper was within 40 to 50 feet of me, my “Caper, come!” command worked – a good 98 percent of the time. If she was farther away, however, the word “come” more often than not served to lend wings to her heels as she fled directly away from me on some compelling Bull Terrier mission. Was it a coincidence that our show-ring recall was also performed at a distance of about 40 to 50 feet? I doubt it.

I stumbled over a solution to Caper’s recall problem totally by accident. I acquired an Australian Kelpie – a breed with intensely strong herding instincts. Whenever Keli the Kelpie heard the note of hysteria in my “Come!” command that meant Caper was running off again, she would charge after the errant terrier on her lightning fast Kelpie legs and forcefully herd her back to me. Problem solved.

This, however, is not the solution I would use now, and it’s certainly not the one that I can offer my clients today for teaching their dogs a reliable “Come.”

Still a four-letter word
“Come” is perhaps the most important behavior we can teach our dogs – and the most difficult one. The average dog owner spends far too little time teaching “Come” as an exercise. We tend to use it mainly in real life, in situations when we really need the dog to respond, and then we get upset if he doesn’t. When does the average dog owner usually call her dog? When the dog is doing something he’s not supposed to do – something that is infinitely more fun and rewarding than returning to his human.

“Let me see,” ponders Rover for a tenth of a gigasecond. “Chase the deer or go back to my person, who sounds like she’s mad at me, and who is probably going to put me in the car and take me home? Roll in the dead squirrel or go back to my person? Eat horse poop or go back to my person?” The person loses every time! To make matters worse, she starts to use an angry tone of voice when she calls Rover, and “Come” quickly becomes a four-letter word. Rover learns, like Caper did, to run away from people when they use the bad “Come” word.

There is a much better way. If we condition Rover respond to a “Come” cue that means “wonderful things are happening here!,” even if the “wonderful thing” isn’t really as good as eating horse poop, prior positive conditioning can triumph over the allure of tasty horse poop, chasing deer, and perfuming oneself with dead squirrels.

We want our dogs to think that “Come!” is the best thing in the whole world. We do this by teaching a positive association with the come cue, and by making sure that the consequences of coming are ALWAYS positive. We NEVER punish Rover for coming to us, and we never resort to intimidation and threats to make Rover come to us.

Punishment is anything that Rover doesn’t like. This means that if Rover doesn’t like having his nails trimmed, don’t call him to you, evil nail clippers in hand, then nab him for a manicure when he arrives. If you do, you’ve punished him for coming, and he will be a bit more leery about coming to you the next time he is called. If Rover stays in the back yard while you are gone all day at work, but he’d really rather be in the house, calling him to you and tossing him in the back yard just before you leave for work is punishment.

Of course, you do need to trim his nails, and perhaps you do need to put him in the yard when you leave, so what are you supposed to do? You have several choices. You can call him to you, do something very fun for 10 to 15 minutes, and then say, “Oh, by the way, as long as you’re here, let’s trim your nails.” This way, the “bad thing” is far enough removed from being called that he won’t make the association between the two. If you do this too often, however, there is a danger that he may start to realize that bad things often follow being called, especially in a certain context, such as your preparations to leave for work.

You can also walk up to Rover, wherever he happens to be, feed him a treat, take hold of his collar and proceed to trim nails – although if you do this too often with negative things he will learn to move away when you approach. The most elegant solution is to convince him that nail trimming and going in the back yard are wonderful things, so that calling him to you to do those things is a good thing, not a bad thing. If you make it a point to go out in the yard and play with Rover before you leave, he will think going in the yard is wonderful. If you gradually desensitize Rover to the nail clippers with yummy treats, he may never love having his nails trimmed, but at least it will seem more good to him than bad. Meanwhile, you need to teach Rover to come on cue as a fun game, totally separate from doing negative things. Here’s how:

Short-distance, low-distraction come
Start with short-distance recalls in a low-distraction environment – a quiet room in the house – where you are by far the most exciting thing happening. Have a handful of over-the-top tasty treats that Rover doesn’t get during regular training sessions, such as squeeze cheese, string cheese, bits of ham or roast beef, baby food, or anything else that will really make Rover’s eyes light up. With Rover just a few feet away from you, say his name in a cheerful tone of voice. When he looks at you in response to his name, run backwards several steps and say the word “Come!” – also in a very happy voice. The message implied by your tone should be, “Hey, we’re having a party over here, and you’re invited!” Be sure to run backwards. Running triggers a dog’s chase instincts and increases your attraction potential to Rover severalfold over standing boringly still.

As soon as Rover starts moving toward you, use a reward marker that has already been paired with food, such as the Click! of a clicker, or the word “Yes!” You are marking the behavior of coming toward you, and letting Rover know that moving toward you has earned him a reward. This will also enhance the “Come,” since Rover is likely to hurry faster toward you to get his treat after he hears the clicker.

As Rover approaches, stop moving, and tell him what a wonderful dog he is. If he sits easily for you, lift the treat as he arrives at your feet. (Do not ask him to sit.) If he sits, great! Feed him the treat and tell him he’s fantastic. If not, go ahead and give him the treat anyway, and tell him he’s wonderful. It’s nice if our dogs sit when they come to us. It parks them briefly, so we can restrain them if necessary, and it is also much better than coming to us and jumping up. If sitting is a challenge for Rover, however, and we get into a sit-struggle when he comes, then we are punishing him for coming, and come is no longer positive and fun. If Rover doesn’t sit easily, give him the treat just for coming, and make a mental note to work on sit as a separate exercise.

Medium to long distance, low-distraction come
When Rover is happily playing the short-distance come game with you, gradually start increasing the distance between you and Rover when you call him. Remember to mark the desired behavior – coming toward you – with a Click! or “Yes!” as he is coming toward you, to encourage him to keep coming for his treat reward. Be sure to use lots of enthusiastic praise as well, to keep the party attitude.

The “round-robin” come
Now that Rover thinks that “Come” is a fun thing, you can include friends and family in the training game. Have several people in the room, each with a clicker and a handful of equally tasty treats. Take turns calling Rover, in no particular order. Each person Clicks! and treats Rover as he arrives, then another person calls him.

Note: If one person in a group calls Rover, the other people must ignore him if he comes to them instead. No eye contact, no petting, no treats, no talking to him. He’ll quickly learn that only the person who called him has any rewards.

Adding mild distractions
Here’s where most people start to lose the training game. Rover comes beautifully in the house, therefore, he knows what “Come” means and he is trained to come when called – right? Wrong! He is beautifully trained to come when he is called, in the house, if there is nothing more interesting around. Now we have to teach him to come in other places, even when there’s other good stuff happening.

For this exercise, put Rover’s leash on. You are not going to jerk him with it, you are just going to use it to prevent him from being rewarded for going somewhere else when you call him. Start small. Have a friend moving around in the room while you practice short-distance recalls. (Each time you change the rules of the game, go back to short recalls and gradually increase the distance.) Instruct your friend to ignore your dog if he approaches her instead of coming to you. When Rover responds to your “Come” cue even with mild distractions, drop his leash and start increasing the distance, until he will romp to you across the room, even with another person, a ball, a cat, or a child in his path. When he will do this, you’re ready to take the show on the road.

Adding major distractions
Until now, we’ve been working indoors. Outdoors is a whole new ballgame. There are all kinds of wonderfully enticing things for Rover to pursue outdoors – great things to smell, eat, see, chase, roll in – you are going to have to work very hard to make yourself more interesting than the nearest dead squirrel. Arm yourself with your tastiest treats, and go back to square one – short distance recalls on-leash. If you’ve done your homework well in less distracting environments, Rover will catch on quickly, and your progression to longer distance and Round-Robin recalls will happen much faster than your initial training. As you increase the distance, use a long-line to prevent Rover from getting rewarded by getting to run off and enjoy an unanticipated distraction.

Advanced recall challenges: The “Premack Principle”
The greatest challenge of “coming-when-called” is the reality that there will always be something out there that is more enticing than whatever we can offer Rover. In order to overcome this challenge, we use the Premack Principle, which teaches Rover that in order to get the wonderful thing at location “B,” he has to come to us first at location “A”. That is, if he wants to chase the squirrel up a tree, he comes to us first when we call him, then we let him go chase the squirrel.

You can teach your dog the Premack concept through controlled exercises. Start by having a friend stand with Rover, 20 feet away from you. The friend has a handful of yummy treats, and lets Rover sniff and lick her hands, but does not give him any treats. Call Rover to you. It may take a while for him to decide that he’s not going to get any treats from your friend. That’s okay – just keep calling him in your happiest party voice. If necessary, squeak a squeaky toy, jump up and down – do whatever you need to do to get Rover interested in you. When he starts to come to you, Click!, and feed him treats when he arrives. Your friend should follow behind him, and give him her treats after he eats yours. He gets a double reward for coming to you – your treats and her treats. When he will do this exercise easily, he’s ready for the advanced Premack challenge.

Empty a can of canned food (or something equally smelly and attractive that is not his normal food), and set it off to the side. Have your friend stand behind the plate with a bowl that she can use to cover the plate. Show Rover the plate of cat food, then put him on a sit-stay about 20 feet from the plate. Walk 20 feet away from Rover in a different direction so that you, the plate (and your friend) and Rover form the points of an equilateral triangle. Now call Rover. If he comes to you, great! Good boy, Rover! Mark that behavior (Click! or “Yes!”), give him a treat, and then run with him over to the bowl of special food and let him have a healthy mouthful.

But if he heads for the plate first, have your friend quickly cover the plate with the bowl to prevent him from eating the food. Keep calling him until he gives up on the cat food and comes to you. Good boy, Rover! Click!, treat, and run back with him to the plate for a mouthful of food. Keep practicing until he figures out that the onlyway to get the cat food is to come to you first. Now you and Rover are starting to achieve a really reliable recall!

A few final recall tips
If you are working with a dog like Caper, who already has a negative association with the word “Come,” you might want to switch to a new recall word. Some dog owners use “Close” or “Here.” You can use any word you want – it doesn’t have any meaning for Rover until we associate it with the “come” behavior. Just be sure to keep the new word positive, or you’ll be looking for yet another one.

Make a real commitment to teaching your dog a positive “Come.” It doesn’t happen overnight. In fact, it can take two or three years to teach Rover to come reliably in the face of his most enticing distractions – if you work at it; it doesn’t happen all by itself.

Meanwhile, don’t put your dog in a situation where his lack of reliable recall can endanger his life. That is, don’t take him off leash in places where he can run away and get into trouble, like I foolishly did with Caper. I was extremely lucky that Caper never got into serious trouble when she ran off, and I was fortunate to find a serendipitous solution to Caper’s recall challenge.

Caper has long since died – of old age, not from a failed recall, thank goodness. I would love to have her back again, to show her how much fun “coming when called” can be, but of course, I can’t. I’ll just have to make it up to her through all of my current and future dogs, through all of my clients’ dogs who come to me for training, and through you, the WDJ reader who can teach your dogs positive, reliable recalls. Let the recall games begin.

Hard Work, Huge Rewards

By
Nancy Kerns
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“I just set eyes on Gracie and I knew.” That’s how Mary Ellen Grimaldi describes first seeing the approximately two-year-old Beagle-Shepherd mix at the New York state animal shelter. Not surprisingly, her first impressions held true. “She has been an absolutely wonderful dog,” says Grimaldi.

Wonderful, but allergic. Gracie, a mid-size dog with a smooth, short coat, soon began showing signs of allergies. “She was licking her feet constantly, rubbing her face, rolling, generally itchy,” says Grimaldi. “And I didn’t know that licking feet was the typical manifestation of allergies.”

At Gracie’s next routine veterinary exam, Grimaldi learned that the dog’s itchiness was due to inhalant allergies. The veterinarian recommended a fatty acid supplement and an over-the-counter antihistamine. “That really helped her,” says Grimaldi.

But only for a while. Gracie’s itchiness worsened and she developed skin lesions, believed to be hot spots or lick granulomas. A hot spot, or pyotraumatic dermatitis, is a bacterial skin infection that results from a pet’s constant licking and chewing. Hot spots are painful, swollen patches filled with pus. A lick sore, acral pruritic dermatitis, is caused by a dog’s constant licking. As the dog licks, the hair is rubbed off. The skin becomes red and begins to itch. Eventually, the skin becomes raised, thick and hard. To treat the lesions, the veterinarian recommended a topical cream, oral prednisone, and an Elizabethan collar to prevent licking and chewing. This approach worked only temporarily, says Grimaldi. “The lesions never got horrible, but it was only because we kept on top of it. At the first sign, we treated her and kept her away from them. However, when we’d take the collar off, she’d be right back at it.”.

Introduction to acupunture
In June 1998, Gracie developed a stubborn lesion inside her left elbow that wouldn’t heal despite treatment. Gracie’s veterinarian gave Grimaldi two choices: psychotropic drugs or acupuncture. “I was pretty skeptical about acupuncture, but my husband didn’t want to go with tranquilizers,” says Grimaldi. They chose acupuncture.

For the acupuncture treatments, Grimaldi was referred to Nina Caires, DVM, of Parkside Veterinary Associates in Albany, New York. Dr. Caries has been practicing veterinary medicine for 20 years, but in the last three years has integrated her Western medicine practice with traditional Chinese medicine. Dr. Caires is certified by the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society. First, Dr. Caires took a detailed history, and, not surprisingly, the holistic veterinarian’s first recommendation was a diet change, from Kibbles and Bits to a better quality food. Dr. Caires recommended that Gracie continue on the antihistamine and fatty acid supplement. She also recommended weekly acupuncture treatments.

Traditional Chinese medical practitioners consider a hot spot to be caused or aggravated by “stagnation of chi,” chi being the energy that flows through the body along energetic pathways or “meridians.” Obstructions in energy flow are thought to cause disease. “In doing acupuncture,” says Dr. Caires, “what we’re trying to do is balance the body, open the meridians up to allow the chi to flow more smoothly.”

In addition, holistic practitioners would tend to regard Gracie’s traditional treatments as suppressive and shallow, treating only the symptoms of an underlying problem. The goal of acupuncture is not “to stop the itching and scratching,” but to stimulate the body to solve the imbalance that is causing the itchiness.

Initially, Dr. Caires found treating Gracie to be a challenge due to the dog’s intense nervousness. “At first Gracie was very sensitive,” says Dr. Caires. “It took me a while to gain her confidence because she is – or, at least she was – very nervous and afraid. As we were treating her for the lick granuloma, we talked about her behavior and the fact that she was a timid dog, very wary of new people.”

In fact, Gracie’s licking, itching and chewing got worse when she was alone. This led Dr. Caires to believe that Gracie’s itchy condition was compounded by separation anxiety, which can be defined as increased fearfulness of the dog after the departure of the owner. For example, after their owners leave for work, anxious dogs might bark or howl, have bowel or bladder “accidents” or destroy things. Dogs that form intense attachments with their owners are more likely candidates for separation anxiety. Gracie missed her owners during the day, but says Grimaldi, “Instead of destroying the house as so many dogs do, she just turned it on herself.”

To help calm Gracie before her acupuncture treatments, Dr. Caires recommended Rescue Remedy. The flower essence (see “Flower Power,” WDJ March 1999) remedy helped Gracie relax at the clinic, but didn’t help much at home. Dr. Caires then tried other Bach flower essences to treat Gracie’s emotional needs: a combination of Heather, Star of Bethlehem, Aspen, and Mimulus. Additionally, Dr. Caires suggested obedience training – not because Gracie was a disobedient dog, but to address her early socialization and training, which are questionable due to her history as a shelter dog. Positive training can also boost the confidence of a dog who is not quite sure and apprehensive of what is expected of her.

Multi-layered approach
Today, Gracie is a changed dog. She is less nervous, more accepting of new situations and her allergies are under control. She continues to take an antihistamine daily and receives acupuncture treatments every two or three months. “I’m sure that her progress here was a combination of all of these things: the acupuncture, the Bach flowers, the diet change,” says Dr. Caires, who also credits the training work that Mary and Ellen and her husband are doing with Gracie. The couple decided to start Gracie in agility work, something they (and Gracie) find enjoyable. “We’re competing, but it’s pretty laughable,” says Grimaldi. “Mostly she runs off the course at the public venues. But if we go to the course she’s used to when we practice she does really well.”

Grimaldi is thrilled with Gracie’s progress. “People remark now when they see her that she’s calmed down,” she says. “Her basic nature will probably never change; she’s still a timid dog. But in new situations she’s a lot less anxious than she used to be. She’s happier, bouncier, a spring in her step, more confidence.”

Even though she was reluctant to try acupuncture, Grimaldi now wholeheartedly recommends it to others. “I think whenever you have the chance, you should consider an alternative treatment before a more drastic approach,” she says. “I would definitely go this route again with a different dog.”

-By Virginia Parker Guidry

Virginia Parker Guidry is a freelance writer from San Diego, CA. This is her first article for WDJ.

Canine Massage Used For Damaged Muscle Tissue

By
Nancy Kerns
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Watching the smooth, even gait of a happy dog as it trots or gallops across a field is pure delight. It is obvious that all of the muscles and joints are working in harmony.

We don’t often stop to think about the importance of muscles as a dog stands quietly at our side, but the same muscles that act antagonistically to move joints as the dog runs must cooperate to stabilize those same joints and change the limb into a rigid support when standing. It’s really an amazing relationship.

In the forelimb, the triceps muscle is critical to maintaining the elbow in an extended position while the dog stands. As a matter of fact, three of the four parts or heads of the large, strong triceps muscle group are concerned with supporting the body weight against the pull of gravity. In a normal standing posture, the elbow is maintained in an extended position by isometric contraction of the parts of the triceps muscle that attach to the point of the elbow.

Isometric contraction means that tension is maintained in the muscle without actually shortening the muscle. The triceps works against the resistance provided by the dog’s weight which tends to flex or bend the elbow. If the muscles and/or tendons of the elbow are injured or not functioning efficiently, the dog may be unable to accept weight on that limb and will stand or move abnormally. Maintaining the suppleness of the triceps and associated muscles of the shoulder and upper arm is important for proper gait and posture.

Cross-fiber friction massage
The cross-fiber friction techniques employed in sports massage are very effective in working on the large muscle groups of both the fore- and hindlimbs. The term “friction” comes from the Latin word frictio which means “to rub.” In general, friction techniques are brisk, often heat-producing techniques. Remember that skeletal muscles are composed of many thin muscle fibers that run parallel to each other and parallel to the long axis of the muscle. Cross-fiber friction techniques work across the grain of these fibers in the muscle. These techniques increase blood flow to the area, are effective in treating many muscle injuries, and aid in breaking down adhesions by coaxing apart the adhered tissue.

Because the triceps and associated muscles are working to some degree whether a dog is moving or standing still, cross-fiber friction massage can have a positive effect by relieving tightness in the muscle.

Muscle texture
Before you begin the massage, take a few minutes to assess the general texture of the dog’s muscles. You can learn to test for muscle texture on your own forearm. Most adults have tight forearm muscles that feel like stringy ropes. Check out your muscles by resting one forearm and hand on a table. Place the pads of the fingers of your other hand on the fleshy part of the resting arm, about two or three inches below the elbow. Gently and slowly move the skin and underlying muscle back and forth. Continue working your way toward your wrist.

Some areas may feel fairly uniform in texture but you will probably find hard strings or ropes of muscle that are ¼ inch to perhaps ¾ inch or more in diameter. Since your arm muscles are not actively contracting or working, they should not be hard. The hard stringy texture indicates that the muscles are “resting” in a partially contracted state. Use digital circles or gently massage back and forth over the cords for a brief period. You should feel the cords relax and the muscle attain a more uniform texture.

Now check the texture of your dog’s muscles. Start with the triceps, which is very easy to locate. Place your hand on the dog’s elbow and move straight up toward his withers (above his shoulders). You will feel a prominent large shoulder muscle about half way between the elbow and the withers. This is the triceps. A relaxed muscle should feel firm but supple and elastic. Your dog’s muscles may have ropy cords similar to those you probably felt in your own arm or he may display a more generalized muscle tightness. A muscle should only feel tight or hard if it is contracting. Tightness in a “relaxed” muscle (not actively contracting) indicates the muscle is semi-contracted.

Angel wing technique
Now that you have located the triceps and assessed the muscle texture, you can use a cross-fiber friction technique called the “angel wing.” To perform this technique, hold your hand out and bend your fingers at approximately a 90-degree angle to your hand. Place the flat surfaces of your fingers against the dog’s shoulder. Now rotate your hand just as if you were “thumbing a ride.”

As the fingers follow the upward movement of the thumb, they make an angel wing pattern on the muscle. This works across the grain of the triceps to spread and separate taut muscle fibers. Tight muscles may be tender to the touch, so work gently, with light pressure at first. You can increase pressure as you assess the dog’s comfort level. Repeat the angel wing technique, moving over the entire shoulder and upper arm area. Avoid direct massage on any bony areas.

Don’t forget the massage techniques you have already learned. You can now give your dog a very relaxing whole body massage. Start by setting your intentions to benefit the dog. Ask the dog for permission to massage and proceed. Begin at the head and work toward the tail. Open each region of the body with effleurage (discussed in the December 1999 issue), continue with digital circles (January 2000) and/or the angel wing technique as appropriate. Close each region with effleurage and continue by opening the next region with effleurage. Remember to massage both sides of the body and thank your dog when you finish.

What about the little guys?
Mick, the Irish wolfhound in the photos on the opposite page, is a perfect candidate for the angel wing technique since he is big enough to accommodate the large areas covered by the back or four fingers. But what about the little guys?

A four-finger span can cover much more than the triceps area of one of the toy breeds like a Chihuahua or Toy Poodle. Yet small dogs can benefit from cross-fiber friction techniques just like their larger counterparts. Simply modify the angel wing to fit the dog. Instead of applying the entire back surface of all four fingers, use only one or two fingers to perform the angel wing. If that still covers too much territory, bend the fingers to use only the first two joints to make contact with the dog. Keep in mind that small dogs require much less pressure than a large fellow. Adjust your touch accordingly to stay within the dog’s comfort level.

Whether the dog is large or small, relieving tightness in the triceps and other shoulder and upper arm muscles will yield a smoother gait, a more comfortable standing posture, and a happier dog.

Also With This Article
Click here to view “Mastering Canine Massage Techniques”

-By C. Sue Furman

Author Sue Furman is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology at Colorado State University in Ft. Collins, CO. In addition to her academic career, she is active as a free-lance writer and teaches equine and canine massage classes. This article is adapted from material in her new book, Canine Massage, that will be available in spring 2000.

Raw-Fed Puppies

By
CJ Puotinen
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When dog lovers switch their pets from commercial food to a well-balanced, raw diet, they typically report improved health, brighter eyes, a shinier coat, calmer behavior, and easier yard cleanup chores. A puppy’s first eight weeks set the stage for a lifetime of health or illness, so it isn’t surprising that puppies weaned on raw food grow up to out-perform dogs weaned on kibble or canned food, even if both are fed raw food as adults. Raw-weaned puppies nearly exhaust their breeders’ vocabularies, for these are the healthiest / strongest / liveliest / calmest / smartest / most wonderful pups that ever lived.

What is the best way to introduce raw food to infant puppies? And what is the best age for starting the weaning process? A survey of raw-food breeders shows that there are no hard and fast rules. Raw-food puppies seem to thrive on all kinds of “first foods” and weaning schedules.

Following the leader

Many breeders follow the guidelines Juliette de Bairacli Levy has published for half a century in her books on natural rearing. “A properly weaned puppy is a joy to see and possess,” she wrote in The Complete Herbal Handbook for the Dog and Cat. “It is each puppy’s right that it be fed foods which will not damage or degenerate its new body, but improve and safeguard its health.”

De Bairacli Levy believes that slow rather than rapid weaning is necessary, because the intestines and stomachs of infant carnivores cannot deal with solid food until after four weeks. She warns that grain-based “weaning foods,” such as commercial kibble, are especially likely to distend the stomach and create an ideal environment for worms and infectious bacteria.

De Bairacli Levy’s preferred weaning food is raw, unpasteurized goat’s or cow’s milk. To one quart of raw milk, she adds one tablespoon raw honey. Each four-week-old puppy receives a serving of honey-laced milk plus one teaspoon “Natural Rearing Tree Bark Gruel,” a blend of slippery elm tree bark, barley flour, dill, marshmallow, and other herbs that provide nourishment while soothing the digestive tract. This gruel is served lukewarm, at body temperature. Gradually, small amounts of shredded poultry or meat, pureed or finely minced vegetables, and other ingredients are added, and portions increase in size as the puppies grow.

Marina Zacharias, of Jacksonville, Oregon, distributes Natural Rearing products, raises Basset Hounds and is an honorary godmother to countless litters from other breeds. Following de Bairacli Levy’s guidelines, she introduces raw meat toward the end of the puppies’ fifth week, feeding early morning and noon meals of milk and gruel, then afternoon and evening meals of meat, green vegetables, and whole-food nutritional supplements.

“As the pups get a little older,” she says, “they receive fundamentally the same components I feed to my adults. The milk/gruel meals become the basis for the grain meal (I gradually reduce its milk content and thicken the gravy component), and the meat meal is changed as they grow and adapt from a ‘mushy’ meat to small chunks to normal adult-sized chunks.

“Then, at approximately eight weeks, raw bones can be introduced after the meat meals as a treat, not as a replacement for the meat. Chicken wings or necks work well for this purpose. Please remember, these bones are soft when raw. Never feed cooked bones.”

New leaders
Wendy Volhard developed her Natural Diet in 1973, based largely on Juliette de Bairacli Levy’s recommendations. Volhard says she tested the results on dogs at all stages of life for more than 12 years. “The testing consisted of complete blood work using serum chemistry profiles as well as feces and urine analysis,” wrote Volhard. “We are now on the fifth generation of dogs raised this way, and some breeders are on their seventh generation of Natural Diet dogs. From time to time we have tried other natural diets or combinations of commercial foods and natural feeding, plus one experiment where all the dogs were put on commercial food. Nothing comes close to producing the health, vitality, and longevity of the Natural Diet.”

Together with veterinarian Kerry Brown, Volhard wrote a book, Holistic Guide for a Healthy Dog, which was first published in 1995 and recently released in its second edition in softcover. The book offers detailed instructions for introducing raw food to four-week-old puppies, starting with four feedings per day of raw milk, honey, slippery elm powder, baby cereal, vitamin C, and, with the evening meal, cod liver oil. Volhard recommends separating the mother dog from the litter during meals, feeding each puppy from an individual bowl, making fresh water available, and letting the pups play in fresh air and sunshine after feeding. The puppies continue to nurse after meals until they are fully weaned.

At 36 days, the puppies eat morning and noon meals of raw milk, honey, slippery elm powder, baby cereal, and small amounts of vitamin/mineral and homeopathic supplements. In the afternoon and evening, they eat small amounts of fresh, raw meat, brewer’s yeast, bone meal, herbs or greens, kelp, wheat bran, wheat germ, cod liver oil, and nutritional supplements. The puppies continue on this diet until they are seven months old.

Experiment and adapt
Christine Swingle, who raises West Highland White Terriers in Bristol, Connecticut, followed the Natural Rearing method for several litters with good results. “Then I read various books about wolves,” she says, “and I thought about how the wolf mom and even some domesticated dogs regurgitate food to start the weaning process. Baby wolves don’t get goat’s milk and powdered barley flakes; they eat a partly digested serving of whatever their mothers had for dinner. Domestication, starting the weaning process too early, and other factors have silenced some of our dogs’ natural instincts, so the modern brood bitch doesn’t regurgitate to feed her pups. But why couldn’t I mimic the process? After doing more research, I began to look at weaning differently.”

Last June, Swingle let three-week-old puppies play with chicken necks after cutting them with scissors between the vertebrae to loosen the meat. “It was a good first exposure to raw food,” she says. “The pups didn’t have any teeth, so they weren’t really eating anything, but it was fun watching them gum the necks. Their mom assumed the necks were for her, and when the pups were finished, she got their leftovers.”

Swingle continued to give each pup a raw chicken neck every day, and just before they turned five weeks old, she introduced what she calls “mama BARF.” (The acronym BARF was coined by Australian veterinarian and raw foods advocate Ian Billinghurst, and stands for either Bones And Raw Food or Biologically Appropriate Raw Food.) To guide her puppy food preparation, Swingle says she tries to “keep in mind what might be in the stomach of a lactating wolf.”

Using her Vita Mix blender, Swingle combines ¼ cup lean, organic, free-range turkey or chicken, a few drops of Willard Water extract, a drop or two of flaxseed oil, one teaspoon alternating organ meats (chicken gizzard, chicken or beef liver or heart), and one teaspoon NR Treebark Gruel. After pureeing these ingredients, Swingle adds a sprinkle of Prozyme digestive enzyme powder and enough water to turn the sticky paste into a liquid soup, then lets it stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Swingle started her four-week-old Westies on a teaspoon of the mixture three times a day, gradually increasing to six daily feedings of two or more teaspoons each by the end of the week.

“The pups dove right in,” she says. “At first I made the mistake of making the mixture too thick, and it stuck like peanut butter in their mouths. Once I diluted it with a little more water, all was fine. I allowed them to nurse as long as Hannah (their mother) wanted them to. I wasn’t concerned about the calcium content of their first solid food because they were getting the best possible calcium from Hannah’s milk.

“I kept this up, using lean chicken or turkey as the muscle meats and adding a variety of organ meats. The pups continued to nurse and, once a day, gum their chicken necks. By the time they were almost six weeks old, their teeth were beginning to bud through, and they were able to pull some of the meat from the necks.”

When the puppies were six weeks old, Swingle began adding ground chicken necks to their diet. “I bought an electric meat grinder,” she says, “which made my life much easier. I also began adding a different pureed vegetable every day, starting with ¼ teaspoon and increasing daily, and I added a small a amount of vitamin C.”

Soon the puppies were alternating between raw beef and poultry. Once they had teeth, they were given recreational bones to work on, such as lamb shank, beef rib, and veal neck. “These they relished with all the vigor of wolf pups,” says Swingle.

During the eighth week, the mother put an end to nursing, and the puppies were fully weaned. They ate the same variety of muscle meats, organ meats, raw meaty bones (small chicken necks work best for this breed), pureed vegetables, and supplements that Swingle feeds her adult Westies, only in smaller proportions. The supplements include natural vitamin E, vitamin C, Natural Rearing Seaweed Mineral Food, and a variety of oils.

“Hannah’s babies thrived and never had loose stools. They are solid, well-muscled, alert, intelligent, well-socialized, and never missed a beat. I think I’m onto something. Every day that goes by, I’m in awe of the condition and overall vitality of these Westies, all thanks to their natural diet.”

Works for big dogs, too
Janet Klapac, who raises Bernese Mountain dogs in North Lima, Ohio, researched researched diets before she raw-fed her dogs. “I planned to breed my female when she was two,” she says, “but I just wasn’t sure about feeding during pregnancy or introducing food to weaning pups. None of the diets I studied seemed quite right. I had real misgivings about the bone meal and grains that they called for.

“Then I read Give Your Dog a Bone by Ian Billinghurst, and everything fell into place. I put both of my dogs on the Billinghurst diet, and they thrived.” When they were four weeks old, Klapac quartered chicken backs and gave each puppy a piece. “They were just amazing!” she says. “They dug right in, grabbing and chewing. It was great to see them take to raw bones so easily and happily. Each day they ate more and more of the bones, not just the meat. A bit later, I introduced ground chicken and veggies. I make a frozen convenience food (Three Cheers Raw! Raw! Raw!), so this became the puppies’ lunch. At bedtime we called them into their big cage to gnaw on pork or beef bones. These pups were beautiful. They had gorgeous coats and solid muscle. Their stools tested clean, so we never even wormed them.”

Klapac also gives raw chicken necks to her puppies when they are about six weeks old. The enthusiastic pups sometimes swallow the necks whole, but have no problem digesting them. “Every now and then a pup would eat too much too fast or swallow a piece that was too large, but every single time, the piece came right back up and the pup would chew it again,” she says.

To help keep the puppies healthy, Klapac educated their buyers to the advantages of feeding raw. “I would not sell a pup to someone who was not open to trying raw food,” she says. “I gave them Billinghurst’s book and many reference lists as well as food to get them started. Young animals need the strongest immune systems possible. They are going through tremendous stresses – rapid growth, both mental and physical, weaning from mom, new sights and sounds, in some cases vaccinations, and the serious distractions of moving to a new home. They need the support of a natural, species-appropriate diet. And the best part is that natural rearing is the easiest way to go.”

Comparing raw-fed and traditionally fed siblings
Shelley Fritzke, who raises German Shepherd Dogs in British Columbia, has raised two litters on a raw, natural diet. One of them gave her a dramatic opportunity to compare puppies on home-prepared raw food with kibble-fed pups. “There were 10 puppies,” she says, “all of which were uniform in size and weighed the normal amount for this breed. For the most part, the delivery was very easy, but the mother began panting very hard the following day, and we took her to the vet. As a result of her medical treatment, she stopped nursing. The puppies did not belong to us because we had leased the bitch to a breeder who had asked us to whelp the litter. When we started bottle-feeding the four-day-old puppies, their owner decided to help out. She took six of the pups, and we kept four, including three of the smallest.

“Both of us bottle-fed the pups with a homemade formula. I decided to wean my four pups at 3½ weeks. Had the pups been on their mother, I would not have weaned them so early, but under the circumstances, it seemed like the right thing to do. I started them with pabulum and goat’s milk, just to ease into the raw, natural diet. I also fed their mom at the same time. She stayed close to the pups even though her milk had dried up.

“By the second day of weaning, the pups ignored their pabulum and ran straight to Mom’s bowl. They dove into it and she let them. I took her food and watered it with a bit of goat’s milk and fed them that. The pups loved it, and that is what they ate for the next two weeks, with less and less goat’s milk added to it.

“These pups had shiny coats, were very active, were very content, and their stools were perfect. At 10½ weeks, we brought all 10 pups back together so they could spend the next two weeks with Mom. I believe it is important for puppies to be with their mother during this time as she teaches them a lot of important things.

“When the owner arrived with her six pups, I was shocked. These puppies were half the size of mine, their coats were dull, they had little pot bellies, their eyes were runny, and they all had the runs.

“She had weaned them at four weeks onto puppy kibble soaked in water. They were still getting the puppy formula in a saucer. She said they would not drink plain water, while mine had been drinking water since three weeks of age. All the pups were checked for worms, coxidiosis, and giardia, and the results were negative.

“Before she saw my four pups, the owner said that hers were doing well and that they looked normal, like her eight previous litters. She had told me that 3½ weeks was way too early to wean the puppies and she did not approve of the way I was feeding them, but even she was surprised at the difference between the two sets of pups. I was so shocked that I had another breeder come to look at them. She has since switched her dogs to a raw, natural diet. I also videotaped the pups.

“Meanwhile, the puppies’ owner decided that the difference was due to the mom dog feeding the puppies that stayed with her. This was not the case, which my vet can verify, for she saw the pups and their mother every two days for the first three weeks of their lives. The owners’ pups had an extremely hard time digesting any kind of food. Her vet says that is because they were not on their mother, who would have given the pups digestive enzymes and other nutrients through her milk. I do not doubt that this is true, but my pups did not receive her milk, either, and they thrived on their raw food.”

While the two groups of puppies lived together, Fritzke tried to feed them separately, because the owner wanted her kibble-fed pups to continue eating kibble. “It was nearly impossible to keep them in their separate bowls,” she says, “so I gave up. For the next two weeks, all the pups received some raw food and some kibble. By the end, they were all eating mostly kibble, and the six smaller pups were looking much better and catching up in size. Unfortunately, I could not get their stools stabilized before they left again. They had some good days, but then their diarrhea would return.

“To keep a long story short, by the time the pups were five months old, all six of the kibble-weaned puppies had cataracts, including some in both eyes, while the four I weaned on raw food are fine and healthy. I asked to take back the pups with cataracts because I believe that this condition can be cured 100 percent with the right nutrition and supplements, but the owner refused. When I looked into juvenile cataracts, I found that the main cause in puppies is malnutrition and a lack of B vitamins. My four pups got an abundance of these vitamins in their raw meat, and earlier, when they were being bottle-fed, I gave them a liquid vitamin called Vitamino. The owner had refused to give this to her pups.”

Recently, Fritzke has been working closely with a friend’s six puppies. “They are bigger than kibble-fed pups and, like my raw-weaned puppies, they’re very content and alert,” she reports. “Pictures of them at two weeks show them looking like four-week-old puppies. At three weeks of age, they go right away to Mom’s dish of food to join in. They are allowed to have a bit of her food along with their nursing. My friend has decided to use a commercially prepared raw diet as the concept of natural feeding is new to her and she does not feel comfortable making it up for the puppies herself.”

Fritzke follows Ian Billinghurst’s diet and the suggestions in his book Raise Your Pups with Bones. “I usually start the weaning process with raw, green tripe (cow’s stomach) as the protein source,” she says. “It is full of digestive enzymes and many other good things, and I feel it gives the pups a boost as their bodies learn to digest solid food. From there I move to beef, then to chicken. I also feed the pups ground chicken necks and backs.”

No health problems
In Dacoma, Oklahoma, Asian Shepherd breeder Pril Zahorsky follows the Billinghurst diet fairly closely. “I do not breed very often,” she says, “so I have weaned only one litter of this giant-sized farm dog on raw food. After that litter, which was about two years ago, I will never use commercial food again.”

These puppies did not have to be “introduced” to raw food, says Zahorsky. “They already know raw food and bones. When they got their first taste of raw, meaty bones, they began a series of almost wolf-like, satisfied vocalizations. It was like sitting in the forest and hearing a wild, natural litter.”

Zahorsky started her pups on raw food at about 2½ weeks. “I buy chicken necks, which I beat with a hammer a la Billinghurst, so they are mushy,” she says. “Then I stand guard to watch as they attempt their first meals. Sometimes I have to pull a chunk out of one of their mouths, for they don’t have enough teeth as yet. They literally chew off more than they can bite. My tiny puppies growl when others get too close, and some of them roll and tumble to a secluded corner, where they can gnaw on their chicken necks in peace.”

The raw-weaned Asian Shepherds controlled their bowels and kidneys sooner and better than other litters, says Zahorsky. “Cleaning up after them was sooo much easier. To protect their joint health, we do not put our puppies on any slick surfaces and use only old, soft blankets in the whelping box so their little feet do not touch hard or slippery surfaces. I have to do a mountain of laundry to keep those old blankets clean, but it is much easier dealing with BARF feces. This was a charming, easy litter, full of fun and really easy to care for. The puppies are almost two years old now, and we have had no reports of any health problems at all. Their dispositions are partially the result of good parents, and partially, I suspect, a result of their raw food. All of the puppies’ owners are feeding the BARF diet.”

Improving the wild diet
In the wild, infant wolves, coyotes, foxes, and other canines are weaned on whatever food their mothers regurgitate and whatever game they have access to after the rest of the pack has eaten. There are no hard and fast rules about the puppies’ age, serving portions, or the contents of their first meals.

This flexibility enables generation after generation to survive in times of scarcity and abundance. Although different experts propose different schedules and formulas for the weaning of domesticated dogs, raw-fed American puppies, like their cousins in the wild, seem to thrive no matter when and how they are introduced to the food they will eat as adults.

-By CJ Puotinen

The Best Dog Beds on the Market!

By
Nancy Kerns
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1

We’ll admit it: We’ve been sleeping on the job. Our test dogs – and their test families – have been trying out dozens of beds, seeking to discover the qualities that contribute to a pooch’s good night’s sleep . . . and which construction details help us keep the beds clean and in one piece. We’ve identified a list of features that a good bed’s gotta have, and a few things that make some beds hard to live with.

We’ve also developed some favorite products. (You know a product is a winner when you can’t seem to get it back from the testers. “Well, how much IS that one? Maybe we could just keep it?”) Over the next few pages, we’ve pictured our top picks, and described what exactly it was about them that we (and our dogs!) liked so much. When one of our selections had faults, we discussed them, too; few things in life are perfect, but you alone are qualified to determine which flaws you are willing to live with.

We weren’t being egotistical when we had just one model (Rupert, our 10-year-old office dog/resident tester) pose on each of the beds for our photos. We thought it would be funny, plus, we rationalized, this way you would have some sense of scale, comparing the size of each bed with the same-sized dog. What that dog won’t do for the Whole Dog Journal! Thanks, Rupie.

Consider your dog, first
It goes without saying that before you select a bed, you have to know what sort of sleeping style is preferred by your dog. Does she like to stretch out in a flat sprawl? Curl up in a cozy ball? “Dig” and shape her nest? Be surrounded by a comforting wall? It’s no good buying a flat futon for the dog who likes to dig, or a dished-out nest for a sprawler; you’ll just see your money go to waste. Know your dog, keep the “princess and the pea” in mind, and buy accordingly.

Also, you might want to measure your dog before ordering. Some beds are available in only a few sizes, and you want to make sure that the one you order is not too small. “Not quite big enough” seemed to be one main reason our test dogs rejected certain models.

How to select a bed
The first rule of dog-bed buying is: don’t buy the cheapest beds. Shoddy workmanship, and paper-thin fabrics abound in the realm of inexpensive beds. This is one place where you definitely get what you pay for. Most dogs are fairly hard on their beds – scratching and digging at the fabric, and maybe, taking an occasional nibble. Plus, you just have to wash these things fairly frequently, so the fabric has to be able to hold up. Don’t skimp; you’ll regret it after the third washing.

Speaking of washing, if you’re battling a flea problem, you have to wash your dog’s bed at least once a week, cover and all. Water kills flea eggs, which fleas habitually lay in the dog’s bed. It’s no good washing only the cover; these tiny specks can sink right into foam rubber and through seams. So, to fight fleas, choose a bed that can be dried, so you will wash it as frequently as you need to, without putting Fido out for the night. In our estimation, a bed must also offer the following:

• Covers that are easy to take off and put on after washing. Sincerely, we’ve known beds that literally had us in tears, trying to get the covers back on. Look for beds with covers that have the zippers on the long sides.

• Ability to replace or refill the stuffing. Many dog beds are stuffed with polyester filling, sometimes supplemented by cedar shavings or other loose material. With these beds, which are frequently popular with dogs who like to nest, the inner pillow should always have a zipper or other closure, enabling you to replace or refresh the stuffing when it gets compressed.

• Quality foam (in foam beds). Most beds deemed “orthopedic” are made with eggcrate foam inside, but the quality, density, and thickness of this foam varies a LOT. Many beds dubbed “orthopedic,” we found, had foam so thin that we could squish it between our fingers to paper thinness. What’s that going to do for an arthritic dog? The manufacturers that label these products thusly should have to sleep on them for the rest of their lives! If you decide to buy an orthopedic bed, look for one with the thickest, most dense foam available; it has to be thick enough that your dog’s weight doesn’t crush the foam to the floor.

• Cedar for just those dogs that like it. You can’t assume, just because a catalog tells you it’s true, that your dog is going to love the cedar scent; some dogs hate the scent. Cedar was first introduced to dog beds for its reputed ability to repel fleas, and to cover doggie odors.

We’ll just say this: If your dog has fleas, cedar won’t make them go away. And if your dog smells, give him a bath, and consult your holistic veterinarian! A healthy dog should smell good; if he doesn’t, something is wrong. (Why should a dog be any different from a person? If someone you knew smelled terrible, you’d automatically think they had an endocrine disorder or something. The same goes for dogs.)

• Ability to be returned. Sometimes, no matter what, our dogs just don’t like what we buy. That’s a dog’s preogative. Place your dog’s new bed on a clean sheet, and cover it with another one for the first few days. If you don’t find your dog snoozing on the bed every morning, uncover it, brush it off, send it back, and try again.

• Attractiveness. You’ll note that this is last on our list; “matching the decor” is no reason to buy, just a nice bonus. Nor is the bed’s resemblance to Cleopatra’s velvet couch, or other nonsense. When people choose dog gear based on that criteria, they get what they deserve: a big credit card bill, an untouched dog bed, and a dog who sleeps on their bed. Wait a second, that last one is not so bad, after all! But it does defeat the purpose . . .

-By Nancy Kerns

Petrissage – Another Massage Technique for Your Dog

By
Nancy Kerns
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0

In the last issue, we discussed the importance of effleurage for increasing circulation and preparing muscles for deeper work. Effleurage is often followed by one of several petrissage techniques. Petrissage is another French term that means “to mash or to knead.” Unlike effleurage, the hands do not slide over the tissues. Instead, the tissue is lifted from underlying structures or compressed against them. Also known as “digital circles” or “digital kneading,” this is a very common and useful petrissage technique.

To perform digital circles, hold the hand in a loose cupped position with fingers spread. Contact the coat with finger pads (not finger tips) and make a slow clockwise circular motion. Your touch can be firm, but do not pinch the tissues. The technique increases circulation, relaxes muscles, and loosens adhesions.

It is also an important technique for learning about your dog’s muscles. Go slowly and listen to the messages your finger pads send concerning the texture of the muscle and the presence of spasms, knots, tight spots, depressions, and cool or hot spots. Special attention to these areas with slow gentle digital kneading should help relieve these conditions.

Hands-on how-to
Putting it all together takes a little planning, but can provide a massage session for your dog that may address some problems like sore muscles or spasms and will certainly promote relaxation and reduce stress.

Start by preparing a place for the massage. A small dog can be placed on a sturdy table that is at a comfortable height for you. Be sure the table has a nonskid surface or cover it with a rubber-backed throw rug so the dog doesn’t slip. Large dogs are usually most conveniently massaged on the floor. You can place a large, clean, rubber-backed throw rug in a quiet, comfortable part of your home. This gives the dog a sense of the area that you have set aside for the massage, and it provides a cushion for your knees as you kneel to work. Some folks like to use gardeners’ knee pads for comfort.

Continually be aware of the position of your body. Keep your back straight and your legs in a comfortable position. Don’t get so involved with working on the dog that you finish the session with a stiff back or a cramp in your legs.

When you are ready, greet your dog and let him know that a special treat is in store. Set your intention for the good of the dog and begin. Your dog can remain standing if that is most comfortable for him or he can stretch out. Even dogs that start a massage session on their feet often melt to the floor as they relax to your touch.

Opening act
You should “open” each body region with effleurage. Start with the face and head and stroke gently to increase circulation and bring oxygen and nutrients to the tissues. Three or four effleurage strokes are sufficient to open the area. Using gentle pressure, make a number of digital circles on the large masseter or jaw muscle. Most dogs find this very relaxing – but if your dog is uncomfortable with this or any other area of her body, move along to the next area; don’t feel compelled to correct her in any way. Remember, this is about her comfort.

Then move on to the ears. Continue with a series of slow, gentle digital circles starting in front of the ear and move on in a path around the entire base of the ear. Both sides of the head can be done or you can wait and massage the other side when you move to the other side of the body. When you have completed working on the face and head, “close” the area with effleurage to move toxins out of the area.

Continue the effleurage along the neck and the length of the spine to open this area. One-handed effleurage is fine for a small dog while two-handed effleurage is probably better suited to a large dog.

Next, locate the vertebral column. Work on the muscles to the side of the vertebrae (never on the vertebrae!) and begin a long series of digital circles starting at the neck and continuing to the tail. This is more than a mechanical exercise. Your finger pads should be like eyes searching for spasms, knots, cool or hot spots, depressions, or bumps in the muscles. GO SLOWLY! It takes time to really “see” what is going on in the muscle you are touching. Always keep your second hand on the dog to monitor changes in general muscle tension or changes in the body. Using light pressure, gently continue digital circles in problem areas. Once you have reached the tail, you may wish to move a half inch farther from the spine and make a second series of digital circles. On a large dog, a third pass of digital circles slightly farther out is appropriate. Complete the work along the spine by closing with effleurage.

Now you can use effleurage and digital circles on the limbs. First effleurage up the front leg. Digital circles on the large muscles of the upper limb can relieve tightness there. Around the elbow joint, digital circles can identify swelling or tenderness and may reduce stiffness by relaxing the muscles around the joint. Support the limb with one hand if the dog is lying down. Close the forelimb with effleurage from the toes toward the shoulder.

Massage of the rear limb is similar. Open with effleurage from the toes toward the hip, than use digital circles to relax and relieve any spasms or knots in the large hip and upper leg muscles. Support the limb with one hand and massage the stifle. Close with upward effleurage.

With massage on one side complete, it is time to ask the dog to roll over so you can repeat the moves on the other side. It is often necessary to coax a large dog to stand so you can reposition him to work on the other side. Once the massage is complete, be sure to thank the dog. He may express his appreciation with kisses and a tail wag or he may show it by taking a long snooze.

By C. Sue Furman

Author Sue Furman is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology at Colorado State University in Ft. Collins, CO. She is also active as a free-lance writer and teaches equine and canine massage classes. This article is adapted from material in her new book, Canine Massage, that will be available in spring 2000.

Does Your Dog Eat Poop?

By
Nancy Kerns
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0

Help! My dog has the most disgusting habit: eating feces! She’ll eat her own, that of other dogs, cat poop, you name it. It’s gotten to the point where I can’t take her off leash at the park; she spend her whole time trying to find some to eat, and scarfing it down greedily when she sees me running to stop her. What is UP with this?

-Name withheld

I’d really like to feed my Bouviers a diet of meat, however, several already have the really gross habit of eating fecal material. I know that if they were on a mostly meat diet, the problem would be even worse. I’ve tried all the home remedies suggested by other dog owners without success. The manufactured remedies sold through the catalogs worked, but are very costly if you have more than one large dog. What do you suggest?

-Name withheld

We directed this question to Dr. Ian Dunbar, a veterinarian and dog trainer residing in Berkeley, CA. A native of England, Dr. Dunbar is the founder of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, the creator of the K9 Games, and is well-known for his renowned Sirius Puppy Training program, which he describes in his popular books and instructional videos.

Funny how the people who wrote in with this problem withheld their names! I’ve heard many, many discussions about whether this problem is related to a vitamin or mineral deficiency, and whether it indicates a health problem with the dog. I’ve never seen this to be the case; most dogs who eat stool are as healthy as the next dog.

I prefer to deal with this horrible habit as a training issue. I like to demonstrate my answer to this question when I do lectures. I take a bunch of money out of my wallet, and put it down on a table. I say to a person sitting 20 feet away, “If you grab this money, you can have it, and it’s yummy. Then I pick it up, put it in my pocket and walk away. I say, “OK, go ahead, get the money.” And they say, “But it’s not there.” And I say, “Precisely, I picked it up. And that is what you should do when your dog poops, for a number of reasons.” First, it’s a great idea to look at your dog’s poop every day. Feces that is runny, bloody, gelatinous, or full of worms is the first sign that your dog is off-color. This can give you a big head start in treating what ails him. Second, picking up the poop is the easiest way to prevent coprophagia (the proper term for eating poop). I suggest that every person go out with his or her dog when the dog goes to the bathroom. You should always reward your dog when he goes; it helps maintain his housetraining. You can’t reward your dog if you are not there, so, as much as possible, go out with your dog. When he eliminates, pick up the feces, and reward the dog.

What about the dog that runs to find and eat poop that he finds when he goes out on walks? I had a dog who would try to eat any feces we came across in our walks, and I solved the problem by having her carry something in her mouth on walks. The deal was, if she dropped the object, I’d immediately say “Home,” and the walk would end. She learned very quickly not to drop the item.

What about the dog who tries to eat every poop at the dog park? Again, I see this as a training issue. Any time that your dog is off the leash, you should be able to control his behavior, just by telling him to sit. Simply train the dog to do that one thing.

If you can teach the dog to perform this behavior very reliably, you will be able to eliminate 99 percent of its potential behavior problems. If your dog is sitting down, he can’t eat poop or trash, chase a cat, chase a child, knock over elderly people, run out the front door, dash out of the car, or jump up!

And if you can’t get your dog to sit on cue, then what the heck are you doing with your dog off leash? One day you will find that it is not dog poop that interrupts your dog’s good behavior, it will be a car or truck. I am a great believer in making sure that you can control your dog at all times. And a simple “Sit” prevents about any behavior problem that you can think of.

Keep It Positive

By
Nancy Kerns
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0

I wanted to commend you for your response to the letter regarding your “bias” (December 1999). I’m glad you said that WDJ is biased toward positive training methods! (I don’t know what kind of training that woman does, but if she needs to force or inflict pain on her animals that is in no way, shape, or form positive and motivational.) I also feel that positive training is the only way to go.

I have a 19-month old Rottie and from the age of eight weeks she was participating in an off-leash socialization class where she was allowed to play freely with other puppies, no matter what the size or breed. At nine weeks, while also attending socialization class, we started teaching her the basic commands (sit, down, stay, etc.) using positive motivation. Any other form of training couldn’t be started until six months of age and by this time she would have already started to develop her bad habits.

We taught her all of the basic commands, and many neat tricks. For instance, she can clean up her toys on command. I can’t say enough about the results I have gotten from positive motivation training. Just because the majority of trainers use some kind of training collar (choke, pronged, electronic, etc.) that does not mean it is the best or most humane method.

-Danielle Wint
Bethlehem, PA

 

The letter from the Vizsla owner (December ) brought back memories. I have a six-year-old neutered male that displayed some of this dog’s tendencies, but not to that extreme. The similarity lies in the use of a gate that allows the dogs into the kitchen only.

I allowed my dogs in the kitchen also, and kept them out of the house by using a baby gate. “JoJo” is highly obedience trained, yet I always had to keep a close eye on him in public. He wasn’t accepting of strangers, didn’t like children, and heaven forbid should another dog approach us. He acted aggressive, but if you really knew body language, you could see that a lot of it was fear-based.

About two years ago, I decided to allow the dogs to become a part of the household. The gate is still used occasionally, mostly for the cats to be allowed to finish eating. Then the dogs are let loose in the house.

I quickly saw an amazing difference in JoJo. He was more relaxed, happier, and I didn’t have to use as much caution in public. He was more accepting of strangers, including children and puppies. Three weeks ago, a little girl walked him in a local dog walk. He was fine as long as I was close by. But my heart went into my throat when the child draped herself over his rump and gave him a hug. Again, he was fine.

Another surprise that resulted from this was his weight. He never got huge quantities of food, but always seemed to need more than the others. I considered him to be a “hard keeper”. But with having 20 acres to run on, nothing seemed out of line. As soon as that gate came down, JoJo began putting LOTS of weight on and his food was decreased by about 1/3. This is what made me realize what that seemingly minor separation was doing to him mentally.

The Vizsla in the article has a problem when his owners leave the kitchen. Is this the key to his behavior? Does he desperately just want to be with his pack? To us, this seemingly minor thing can mean a lot to a dog. This would be my starting point.

I agree with Pat Miller’s responses in regards to finding a positive rewards based trainer. This type of training will give the dog confidence. I also think the owners need to look at their own behavior when they have the dog out. Are they conveying tension to the dog? Do they tighten up that leash when a stranger is approaching? Are they anticipating aggression? If we expect a dog to do something, he will rarely disappoint us. Any time we’re having a problem with our dog’s behavior, we must look at our own first.

I would also like to recommend that the owners find a behaviorist in addition to a trainer. You may find a trainer that has behavioral knowledge, but if there’s ANY doubt, go to an expert. As Pat Miller pointed out, nothing can be accomplished immediately with this behavior. But the similarities between the Vizsla and my own dog tell me that they should give this option a try.

-Name withheld

 

I love WDJ, but was dismayed with the article about the aggressive Vizsla. There is a very obvious reason why the male Vizsla is aggressive that was not discussed. I have had Vizslas for over 12 years and they are a most lovable and loyal breed. The reason he is probably aggressive is that he has been very stressed over his lifetime due to his environment.

Vizslas are extremely pack- and people-oriented. In fact, they think they are people. Mine follows me everywhere. The dog in this article has been confined to the family room and kitchen. He becomes aggressive when family members leave the room because he cannot follow them and thus he has become separated from his pack. Vizslas do not do well under these conditions and can become very stressed.

I suggest that this family not put the dog down, but give it to a family that will treat it properly. They need to let this dog have free roam of the house or give it to someone who will. Otherwise this dog’s problem will not get better. They need to research different breeds and find one that will tolerate separation and confinement; the Vizsla is obviously not for them. I feel sorry for this dog.

-Dr. Donna Wolosin
via email

 

Congratulations on your excellent article about the Monks of New Skete (November). It struck a special chord for me.

First of all, we’ve always had German Shepherds, so the Monks have always held a special place in my heart. When their first book came out, I dreamed that someday we’d have one of their dogs. At that time, I was not doing much with dogs, and I knew very little about training. It was their philosophy that appealed so much to me – just as it did to you.

You probably know that Job Michael Evans wrote the Monks’ first book and later recanted his views about alpha rolls and much of the other physical “dominance” stuff. But, by the time the monks wrote their puppy book, he was long gone and in private practice in New York City.

Interestingly, it was Job who first connected me with Jack and Wendy Volhard with whom I studied for six years – until I discovered clicker training and found my real home as a trainer and instructor.

Your article is so important, especially now that the Monks’ videos are out. I still hear people talk dreamily about the Monks, and I try very hard to honor what was good about their work and to make sure that people avoid what was wrong with it. Your article will go a long way to helping.

-Dani Weinberg
Albuquerque, NM

Getting in Touch

By
Nancy Kerns
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Recently, I attended the annual conference for the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. Our lead writer on training, Pat Miller, has been an active member of the Association for some time, and the founder of the organization, Dr. Ian Dunbar, has been a generous contributor to WDJ. Both Pat and Ian have encouraged me to attend the conference; they said it would be right up WDJ’s alley.

Of course, they were right. The APDT promotes the use of positive reinforcement in dog training, and encourages its members to minimize the use of aversive training techniques, and its educational seminars featured some of the best-known dog trainers and animal behaviorists in the world. The lectures and demonstrations were fascinating.

I was particularly interested in the discussions among the trainers as they shared the gentlest and most effective ways to teach dogs and people how to get along safely and enjoyably. One person would bring up a particular training challenge – for instance, how to train a family dog to be safe around a new baby, if the mother is blind – and 10 people would offer suggestions that would help the family cope. It was a great reminder that with dogs (and people!) there are usually dozens of ways to solve any problem.

I have to apologize to our readers about an ongoing typographical error that has appeared just to the right of Rupert’s and my photo on this page. I have accidently reported several erroneous versions of the email address that a person can use to either subscribe to WDJ, or to change their mailing address. Today, I definitely determined the correct address. It is:

wholedogjl@palmcoastd.com.

Why is there a “d” at the end of palm coast? I just found out: It stands for Palm Coast Data, the name of the company that provides our subscription services. Why is “Journal” shortened to just a small letter “j” and a small letter “l” – the latter which looks like the number “one” in every font in the world? I don’t know. But I can tell you how many ways I have messed this up in the past three months (three), and tell you again how sorry I am for any inconvenience this may have caused.

While I’m at it, I may as well explain all of our contact numbers and addresses. As I said above, to buy or renew a subscription, problems with subscriptions (billing errors, magazines not received, etc.), or to let us know about a change in your mailing address, you should contact Subscription Services at (800) 829-9165 or wholedogjl@palmcoastd.com.

To purchase back issues, you should contact our Customer Service department at (800) 424-7887 or customer_service@belvoir.com.

For editorial questions, you can contact me at (510) 749-1080 or wholedogj@aol.com. I can’t help you with either your subscription or back issues (nor, I should add, can I help you with health or training problems with your dog – I’m not a vet or a trainer!), but I can refer you to people who can do all these things.

However, if you do have a problem with your dog, you should know that my first advice is always the same! For health problems, contact the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association (AHVMA) for a referral to a holistic veterinarian near you. The contact numbers for AHVMA have been listed on page 24 of every issue of WDJ since its inception.

And for training issues, consider contacting APDT for a referral to a non-force-based trainer near you. I’ll list APDT’s contact numbers in ‘Resources’ in every issue of WDJ from now on.

-Nancy Kerns

Pharmaceuticals for Dogs: There Is No Magic Pill

By
Nancy Kerns
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0

Pet pills are big business, raking in an estimated $3 billion last year and growing by 20 percent each year. Pharmaceutical companies have found they can modify human drugs for pets without much additional research expense. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved 15 new behavior-altering drugs for veterinary use in the last year and a half. The two new canine drugs receiving the biggest ad blitz and the most mainstream media coverage, Clomicalm and Anipryl, both were adapted from human drugs.

The mainstream media have run numerous stories on these “miracle cures” for destructive doggies with separation anxiety and bewildered beasties with cognitive dysfunction syndrome. But most of the coverage has focused either on the novelty of “Prozac pups” or on the business of marketing drugs for companion animals. There’s been little reporting on the medical history of the drugs or their side effects, and virtually no examination of our drug culture that believes all problems can and should be fixed with medication.

Is this emphasis on medication the best way to ensure your dog’s good health and happiness? In the face of a marketing onslaught, will pet owners take the time to examine why their dogs need pills, or will these drugs be handed out like biscuits?

pharmaceuticals for dogs

Why Do Dogs Get Anxious?

Dogs are pack animals, so being left alone can be very stressful for some of them. Separation anxiety-induced misbehavior – from destructive chewing to excessive barking to inappropriate elimination – accounts for an estimated 20 to 40 percent of vet visits for behavior problems. These behaviors are also common reasons for dogs to be given up or euthanized.

Clomicalm (clomipramine hydrochloride) is the drug now being touted to help rid animals of their anxiousness. The drug, made by Novartis Animal Health, a subsidiary of Novartis, Inc., is based on the human drug Anafranil, which treats obsessive-compulsive behavior. Although the exact workings of the drug are not understood (reason enough for caution!), Clomicalm is believed to act on the central nervous system (CNS) as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, or SSRI, similar to the human anti-depressant Prozac. This action reduces the clinical signs of separation anxiety. Although it can cause lethargy in some dogs, it does not function as a sedative. The drug is not designed to work as a “cure” for depressed dogs, but instead it reduces anxiety in dogs to make behavior training easier. The Clomicalm web site includes some basic behavior training tips, but refers people to their vets for more information on training.

The FDA’s study of the drug involved about 200 dogs, half given Clomicalm with behavior training, and half given just behavior training and a placebo. After one week of treatment, 47 percent of the dogs on the drug showed improvement, while only 29 percent of the dogs just receiving training improved. This speed is the drug’s main selling point – the early success of the drug may encourage owners to continue treatment and training instead of getting rid of their dog. But the numbers leveled off after eight weeks of testing, with just 65 percent of the Clomicalm dogs showing improvement compared to 55 percent of the placebo dogs. Based on the FDA study, it seems behavior training alone is almost as effective as the drug.

Getting Your Dog a Proper Diagnosis 

One big issue, not well-appreciated by many dog owners, is that not every misbehaving dog actually has separation anxiety, and not many veterinarians are experienced enough with behavior problems to be able to recognize and diagnose the problem – or, more importantly, be able to determine which behaviors are rooted in true separation anxiety and which are the products of poor dog training and management. Ask any professional dog trainer; few have great confidence in veterinarians’ ability to properly diagnose this complicated behavior problem.

According to the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, “Separation anxiety is a complex behavior disorder displayed when the owner or someone the dog is attached to leaves the dog . . . Proper recognition of clinical signs, which comes from compiling a complete patient history and assessment of the dog’s household environment, is essential to accurately diagnose and treat separation anxiety.” In other words, it’s not just any dog who trashes the house when left home alone. Plus, Clomicalm is not a permanent solution for separation anxiety. It’s designed to be used for a few weeks with training, and then the dog must be weaned off. And it has not been tested for use of more than 12 weeks, so the long-term effects are not known.

Pharmaceutical Side Effects

Like most drugs, Clomicalm does have its share of side effects, warnings and contraindications. Side effects noted in the FDA study include vomiting (seen in 25 percent of the dogs in the study), diarrhea (11 percent), lethargy (10 percent), increased thirst (five percent), and appetite fluctuations (three percent).

The drug is not typically used to treat aggression (certain exceptions exist), is unsuitable for male breeding dogs because of an increased risk of testicular hypoplasia, and is not for puppies less than six months old. Dogs with cardiovascular disease, narrow angle glaucoma, or a history of seizures should also not use the drug. Clomicalm is also not to be combined with other drugs that act on the central nervous system, such as general anesthetics, and should be discontinued as long as possible before elective surgery.

According to the Clomicalm website, “When used in conjunction with the Preventic collar or Anipryl tablets an undesirable reaction may occur.” That “undesirable reaction” is not specified on the site or in Novartis’ disclosure statement, but according to Pfizer’s disclosure statement for Anipryl, combining the two drugs can lead to “severe CNS toxicity including death.”

Cognitive Dysfunction in Dogs

Canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome, sometimes mistakenly called senility in dogs, is commonly observed in middle-aged to older (geriatric) dogs. There is some resemblance to Alzheimer’s in some pets. Clinical signs of the disorder include increased sleep, increased restlessness, getting “lost” and stuck in a corner, wandering aimlessly, vocalizing for no apparent reason, changes in greeting behavior, changes in interaction with people, or a lapse in housebreaking.

There is no simple diagnostic test for the disorder. Rather, it’s a diagnosis of exclusion – doctors need to test for other problems such as organ dysfunction and thyroid disease to make sure these problems are not causing the clinical signs.

Anipryl (selegiline hydrochloride) is made by Pfizer Animal Health, a subsidiary of Pfizer Inc. The drug is based on Deprenyl, which is used to treat Parkinson’s disease in humans. Anipryl is a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor, increasing the levels of dopamine, serotonin and other substances in the central nervous system. It’s commonly prescribed for both CDS and pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism (PDH, or Cushing’s disease). As with Clomicalm, researchers are not wholly certain how the drug actually works in the body. Anipryl’s product literature warns that the MAO system of enzymes is “complex and incompletely understood and there is only a limited amount of carefully documented clinical experience with selegiline.” Once the diagnosis is made, Anipryl must be given daily for the life of the dog, or until it is no longer effective. The drug is expensive: a one month supply for a 30-pound dog costs about $125.

Nearly 70 percent of dogs in the FDA study showed improvement in at least one symptom while being treated with Anipryl. Short-term side effects include vomiting (seen in 26 percent of dogs in the test group, although Pfizer’s literature says this may be alleviated by giving the drug with food), diarrhea (18 percent), hyperactivity (12 percent), anorexia (eight percent) and lethargy (six percent). The drug has been tested in dogs for only one to two years, so long-term side effects are not known. One of the adverse reactions, ironically, (which resulted in the dog’s dismissal from the test group) was “an increase in destructive behavior in a dog with separation anxiety.”

The Holistic View on Drugs

In his book, The Nature of Animal Healing, noted holistic veterinarian Martin Goldstein, DVM, writes that he has used Anipryl for treating Cushing’s disease. The drug “is reputed to work (for Cushing’s) indirectly by making the dog feel better – a psychological effect that may produce physical improvement.” But after seeing three dogs who suffered “unfortunate side-effects,” he stopped using the treatment.

Lost in the hype over these drugs is whether or not they’re really necessary. Most common illnesses and behavior problems dogs face can be improved with good nutrition, consistent training, and safer, natural remedies. Being advocates for our dogs’ health means not always taking the easy way out, but seeking out the cause of the problem and finding the safest way to help.

As Dr. Peter Breggin, author of Talking Back To Prozac, commented to Newsweek recently, “Instead of meeting our pets’ needs, we’ll just drug them. It used to be that we petted our dogs and hugged our kids. Now we can give both of them a pill instead.”

Without a doubt, there is legitimate medical technology that can help our dogs live longer and healthier lives. But how many of these drugs, like commercial foods and other “miracles” of modern pet care, are for the convenience of humans and not the health of our dogs? In the name of short-term convenience, will we jeopardize our dog’s long-term health with incompletely understood drugs?

Amy Carlton is a freelance writer from Oak Park, Illinois.

When Your Well-Trained Dog Turns Aggressive – Act Fast!

By
Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA
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I first met Lucy at my local monthly “My Dog Can Do That” competition in January of 1998, at the SPCA in Monterey, California. She was easy to spot – a merle Great Dane with lovely natural ears, who literally towered above the competition. The bond between the dog and her owner was obvious – Lucy was attentive, responsive, performed even the most advanced MDCDT behaviors with ease, and consistently placed in the ribbons.

Lucy’s owner, Kathy Paivinen, communicated with the leggy Dane with gentle, positive cues, and the love that gleamed in her eyes was reflected in Lucy’s return gaze. The 145-pound dog seemed almost perfect – except for her disturbing dislike for Bogart, a hefty male Rottweiler, that occasionally erupted into displays of aggression between the two massive dogs.

Skillful handling by both owners prevented actual fights, but we were careful to park the dogs at opposite ends of the training hall when they arrived each month. We never saw signs of aggression toward humans or the other dogs in the class, and the competitions concluded that summer without serious incident. We chalked up the unhappy relationship between Lucy and Bogart to a personality conflict.

It surprised me, then, when Kathy called me a few months later to ask for help. Lucy had started threatening humans, and her aggression was escalating. This was not appropriate behavior for any dog, but particularly disturbing in one of Lucy’s size, with her potential for causing serious harm.

I agreed to see Lucy. I had worked successfully with dozens of dogs with aggression problems; I had no reason to believe I couldn’t help Kathy with Lucy. Little did I know that she would turn out to be the most difficult challenge of my training career.

We love Lucy
Before starting work with the big dog, I asked and learned about Lucy’s entire life history. Her story was somewhat unusual for a dog with aggression problems.

Kathy Paivinen couldn’t have asked for a cuter, more outgoing puppy when she purchased Lucy from a breeder in the fall of 1995. Although she had her eye firmly fixed on one of Lucy’s siblings, the gangly merle pup made the decision for her. While her littermates tussled together on the floor, Lucy climbed into Kathy’s lap and wouldn’t leave her alone.

An experienced dog owner, Kathy knew that this pushiness could be a sign of dominance, but she was smitten by the puppy’s attentions, and felt that she was capable of handling an “alpha” dog. Kathy, her husband, Mike, and their two-year-old daughter, Anna, agreed that Lucy was the one. As luck would have it, the outgoing puppy turned out to be a very difficult dog. In lesser hands, Lucy would probably not be alive today.

Lucy was not an easy puppy – she had the energy level of a Border Collie and the attention span of a flea. But Kathy knew how important early socialization and training are to a puppy’s development, so she enrolled Lucy in a puppy class at the age of 12 weeks. The puppy class was one of the best around, a Sirius Puppy Training class designed by Dr. Ian Miller, of Berkeley, California, and owner both enjoyed the positive, loosely-structured training environment. Kathy continued to bring Lucy to increasingly more advanced classes as Lucy’s first year passed.

Despite the challenges of the growing pup’s intense personality, she did well in her classes and Kathy was delighted with her progress. The entire family – toddler Anna, husband Mike, and even the family cat – enjoyed the company of the gentle Dane.

Extending training
At the end of the year, Kathy was dismayed to discover that her trainer didn’t offer any advanced classes for adult dogs. Kathy fully realized the value of ongoing training, especially in light of Lucy’s challenging temperament. Plus, she really enjoyed the motivation to keep working with Lucy, as well as the social outlet that the classes provided for both dog and owner. She attended a couple of sessions with a local dog training club, but after the creativity of Sirius training, she and Lucy were bored and frustrated by the march-in-a-circle drill of the only other training classes she found in the area. It just wasn’t fun.

Determined to continue Lucy’s training with the same methods she had started, Kathy searched further afield, and found another Sirius trainer in Carmel, 75 minutes from her Morgan Hill home. It was worth it to her to travel that far for the right kind of training, and she began making the weekly trek to Monterey County to continue Lucy’s positive education. One of the joys of dog ownership for Kathy was taking her dog with her to enjoy the world at large, especially at doggie events. They never missed the monthly “My Dog Can Do That” competitions. In the summer of 1997, Kathy and Lucy participated in the K9 Games at the Monterey SPCA, and that fall they went to the San Francisco Giants’ Dog Day at 3-Com Park. Kathy smiled as she watched her big dog snoozing in the bleachers while strangers stepped over her broad back with impunity. Life was good.

Hints of trouble
But even as Kathy enjoyed outings with her Dane, trouble was brewing just below the surface of Lucy’s deceptively calm exterior. The first incident was unremarkable enough that Kathy didn’t immediately recognize the roots of a serious problem. She and Lucy were working on a training exercise in class in the fall of 1997, when a very large, strange man walked through the door. Lucy took an instant dislike to the intruder, and voiced a series of warning woofs. While the barks were loud, they were not ferocious, and the man worked with Kathy, feeding Lucy treats and reassuring her that he wasn’t a bad guy. Lucy settled down and seemed to accept him, turning her attentions back to Kathy with no further apparent concern.

But in succeeding weeks the man kept coming to class, and every time he entered Lucy would alert on him and bark. Each week he would work with her to calm her down. Each week she would eventually accept him, but it never seemed to stick.

For several weeks Kathy had used positive methods to try to convince Lucy that there was nothing to be upset about, but they didn’t seem to be working. She had attended a Cheryl Smith “Difficult Dogs” seminar and was applying the distract-reward techniques she had learned there. While she could control and calm Lucy each session, the progress never held; Lucy continued to bark at the man every week when he entered the room.

At her trainer’s suggestion, Kathy started using some mild corrections with Lucy when she barked – firm verbal reprimands at first, then a couple of small scruff shakes. Kathy quickly realized that these weren’t doing any good, and discontinued the mild verbal and physical punishment approach.

Unsuccessful approaches
Willing to try anything to get to the bottom of Lucy’s disturbing behavior, Kathy consulted an animal communicator. The woman interviewed her for an hour on the telephone, then met with her in person to give her the bad news. She told Kathy that there was something “really wrong” with Lucy, either chemically or physiologically, and that the big dog posed a serious threat to Kathy’s daughter, Anna, then four years old. She urged Kathy to get rid of Lucy before something tragic happened. She also gave Kathy a calming flower essence remedy for the dog, and suggested massage and acupressure techniques.

A downward spiral
Kathy was understandably upset by the communicator’s message. She tried the flower essence remedy, without noticeable results. She applied the massage techniques, especially working with a specific acupressure point in the ear. While Lucy tolerated this when she was calm, she wanted nothing to do with it when she was stressed. This didn’t help Kathy much, since it was when Lucy was stressed that she most needed to be able to use it. She gave up on massage and flower essences, and continued to search for an answer.

But meanwhile, things were getting worse. Lucy was starting to bark at more people, and Kathy invested in a Citronella no-bark collar as well as a hand-held spray bottle of citronella. When Lucy barked she got sprayed. When she was quiet she got rewarded.

Each time it seemed to work,” Kathy reflects. “It stopped the barking with each incident, but it never carried over to the next one. In fact, it kept getting worse. In contrast, our training was going beautifully – we were working on a Canine Freestyle routine, and preparing to go Sacramento in October of 1998 to do freestyle demonstrations at the Family Pet Expo as part of the Pupperoni K9 Freestylers team.”

Lucy did not have a good time in Sacramento. While some people could walk right up to her without triggering a barking spell, many others could not. Kathy spent most of her time protecting her dog from people who wanted to approach and meet the striking Dane. Lucy’s freestyle routines were acceptable, but dog and owner were both completely stressed by the whole ordeal. Kathy finally began to realize she had a serious problem.

In December of 1998, an incident occurred that made it impossible for Kathy to deny any longer that Lucy’s problem was a tragedy waiting to happen. Kathy had several guests at her home for a holiday party; all dog owners and trainers, all people that Lucy knew. When one of the guests went out on the back deck to give Lucy a treat, Kathy went with her. Lucy snapped at the guest, bit her and broke skin, and also bit Kathy when she tried to intervene. Kathy called me the next day. We agreed to meet at the Santa Cruz SPCA the following week.

Inauspicious first session
That first meeting foretold of difficulties to come. I met Lucy, accompanied by Kathy and her husband, Mike, in the SPCA’s enclosed training yard. As I approached the trio to greet them (cautiously, knowing Lucy’s history) Lucy lunged at me without obvious visible warning.

Mike easily restrained Lucy with her leash and headhalter, but that lunge gave me a lot of important – and disturbing – information: Lucy was stressed even in a fairly low stimulus environment, her aggression was on a hair-trigger, and she did not give clear warning signals. A lack of warning signals is frequently a result of being punished for growling, barking, or snarling in warning, and one of the many reasons that positive trainers don’t recommend punishment to correct aggression. Kathy’s previous physical corrections had been mild, but could have been enough to teach Lucy not to advertise her feelings through lesser body language cues.

I backed off and approached more slowly. After I tossed her several tasty tidbits of Dick Van Patten’s Natural Balance, Lucy seemed to accept me, although she still appeared to be stressed.

I’ve seen and trained a number of aggressive dogs, Lucy’s particularly concerned me. Mike and Kathy had owned Lucy from puppyhood, were experienced dog owners, and had provided her with extensive positive training. They had done everything right, and they still had a major problem.

As I always do with aggressive dogs, I suggested that the couple have their veterinarian conduct a complete examination of the dog to rule out physical conditions that could cause or aggravate Lucy’s aggression.

I also explained the training approach I intended to take. I suggested that we use counter-conditioning and desensitization, by gradually exposing Lucy to people at a safe distance and giving her lots of tasty treats.

Conditioning – not hair care
Counter-conditioning utilizes classical conditioning, and uses a different principle than does operant conditioning (OC), also referred to as “click-and-reward” in the animal training world. In operant conditioning, the trainer clicks and rewards the dog’s voluntary behavior in order to increase the likelihood that the dog will choose to repeat the behavior. When you teach your dog to sit by clicking and rewarding when he sits, you are using operant conditioning.

In classical conditioning, the trainer attempts to affect the dog’s involuntary reaction to a stimulus by associating the stimulus with something that triggers the involuntary reaction. Pavlov’s dogs, who salivated when they heard a bell ring because the bell preceded food, were subjects of classical conditioning.

In Lucy’s case, we wanted to present the stressful stimuli at enough of a distance that it didn’t trigger a strong arousal, and feed her lots of her favorite treats at the same time. Eating is a pleasurable experience incompatible with high levels of stress. If we could replace her stress-induced involuntary reactions with pleasure-induced positive ones, we could change her behavior, that is, counter-condition the response. If we could change the way she thought about the presence of other people from negative to positive, she would no longer feel the need to be aggressive toward them.

The bite of failure
Over the next few weeks we seemed to be making slow progress. We graduated from the protected shelter environment to a nearby shopping center. Lucy appeared to have accepted me, and while she was alert to my approach, she tolerated it and that of other people, as long as we kept them at a distance and they didn’t make direct eye contact. Lucy clearly perceived eye contact as a threat, and would still deliver heart-stopping barks if someone stared or got too close.

On our second visit to the shopping center we had a serious setback. I approached Kathy and Lucy, careful not to look directly at Lucy. As I reached out to offer Lucy her treat she lunged, and hit me just below the right eye with her open mouth. I whirled to the left to avoid the bite and Kathy pulled her back. My cheekbone was bruised, but the skin was not broken. Kathy and I were both shaken, and we sat down to regroup. Perhaps, we decided, we were presenting Lucy with too many stimuli. We decided to retire to a quiet corner of the parking lot for future sessions.

Kathy and I continued for a few weeks, making what appeared to be slow progress. Lucy was still tense about the mall experience. Cautiously optimistic, we worked at having her accept my approaches and departures, and had several sessions without incident. Then, in early April, Mike and Anna attended a session. When I pulled into the parking lot the family was already there. I go out of my van and approached, and once again Lucy lunged for me. This time she managed to rip out a chunk of my hair as I whirled just out of reach of her teeth.

Whether the presence of two more family members added just enough stress to push Lucy past her limits or there was some other reason for her renewal of aggression was less unimportant than the fact that, despite all of our careful work, Lucy seemed to be no further along than when we started. It was time for a new approach.

Saving face – mine!
The Paivinens and I had previously discussed using pharmaceuticals with Lucy and had agreed to try behavior modification first. Now we all agreed that the time had come for drugs. We were doing everything right, and it wasn’t working. Neither Kathy nor I wanted to keep risking my face to Lucy’s teeth, and it was important that we find a way to reach her before she mauled someone. We agreed to contact an animal behavior specialist for some additional help.

From another trainer, I had heard good things about the PETFAX Behavior Consultation Service, centered at Tufts University in North Grafton, Massachusetts. For a reasonable fee ($118), Dr. Nicholas Dodman’s Department of Clinical Sciences will fax an eight-page questionnaire for the dog owner to fill out and fax back. Tufts responds in about one week with a detailed evaluation (Lucy’s was a total of 22 pages) and recommendations for treatment. Kathy started the Tufts process in mid-April, and while we waited for their response we took Lucy back to square one – the enclosed security of the SPCA training yard.

Realizing that my approach to Lucy was triggering her launches, we decided to allow Lucy to approach me instead, while I sat non-threateningly in a chair. This was not as foolhardy as it sounds – we muzzled her first. This proved to be successful, and we continued this technique even as we pursued the Tufts alternative.

Kathy had already had Lucy examined by her own vet, but I requested that she take her to Dr. Terry Spencer, a holistic vet in nearby Salinas, to check for possible chiropractic problems. Tufts had also suggested Lucy be checked for hypothyroidism, which is now recognized as a underlying cause in some aggression cases.

Dr. Spencer did find that Lucy had a fairly serious infection in one ear and a mild urinary tract infection, but everything else checked out fine. Kathy began treating the infections, and we waited for Tufts. The fax from Tufts arrived on May 6. Kathy and I eagerly pored over the pages. We were pleased to read that Dr. Dodman and his associate, Dr. Moon-Fanelli, approved of our training approach. The report stated, “On the positive side, you have been pursuing all the appropriate avenues for treatment, which is a plus since we do not have to ‘undo’ any damage resulting from poor training . . . the desensitization program and click-and-treat training you are working on with Pat Miller is exactly the sort of training we would recommend.”

Tufts also confirmed our conclusion that Lucy’s problem was beyond simple behavior modification, saying, “Given the escalation of Lucy’s aggressive behavior in spite of all your best efforts, incorporating pharmacological therapy into your treatment strategy seems appropriate to us.”

Kathy was already prepared for the bad news, which we had anticipated. Again, Tufts confirmed our conclusion with, “Because her fearful and aggressive tendencies developed as she approached social maturity and have progressively worsened, our prognosis is somewhat guarded in terms of having her become a reliably safe companion.” Kathy was comfortable with the hope of reducing Lucy’s levels of stress and aggression to the point where she felt she could safely control her under reasonable circumstances. She had already resigned herself to putting Lucy’s public freestyle performance career on permanent hold.

Doing drugs
Tufts suggested three drug options for Kathy to discuss with Dr. Spencer. Their first recommendation was fluoxetine (Prozac), although they warned that this drug could be prohibitively expensive for a dog of Lucy’s size. That proved to be the case, and while Kathy was prepared to try it if necessary, we decided to start with Tufts’ second recommendation, the less costly clomipramine (Clomicalm). Clomipramine can cause increased aggression in a small number of cases (about one percent), which is one of the reasons it was not Tufts’ first choice.

In June, about three weeks after Lucy began taking the clomipramine, we began to see a definite change in her behavior. She was noticeably less reactive in the training yard, and volunteered to lie down and relax on her rug instead of standing guard the whole time. As the treatment continued, so did her progress.

Lucy’s interactions with me in the training yard progressed to off-leash with no muzzle, and I even got tail-wagging sloppy kisses in greeting when she arrived. We were seeing a new side of Lucy – a softness in her expression and ear carriage that hadn’t been there before. In fact, prior to starting her on the drug I had asked Kathy if Lucy was ever totally relaxed and happy at home, and Kathy had said that she was. Now Kathy said she realized that – compared to her present state – Lucy never really had been completely relaxed, even at home.

A kinder, gentler dog
After several weeks on the clomipramine we decided it was time for a field trip. Lucy had done well in the agility field next to the training yard where she was exposed to more stimuli, so with some trepidation we decided to try a walk around the neighborhood.

Success! Although Lucy was alert and clearly a little stressed, she navigated heavy traffic, barking dogs from the backs of pickup trucks, bicycles (a strong trigger for her) and a walk through a crowded gas station, all with great aplomb. When we returned to the training yard and turned her loose as a reward, she actually romped! It was the first time I had ever seen her really play, and when Kathy hugged me in thanks we both had tears in our eyes. After so many months of frustration and discouragement we knew we were finally on the right path.

Drugs are currently the subject of much discussion and more than a little controversy in the dog training profession. They are not a solution I would offer for many of my canine clients. On the surface, they seem to be the antithesis of a natural, holistic training program. But “holistic” means looking at the whole picture. On the rare occasion when other positive methods have proven unsuccessful, and in conjunction with an ongoing behavior modification program, I’ve learned that medication just might be the key to making some dogs’ lives whole.

Our work with Lucy is far from done. We have conducted many more sessions in increasingly more stimulating environments, and continue to be encouraged by Lucy’s slow but steady progress. We know that Lucy will never be totally safe and reliable in every setting, and while we may at some point try to gradually wean her off the drug, Kathy is also prepared to keep her on the clomipramine for the rest of her life if that’s what it takes to make Lucy’s life whole.

-By Pat Miller

 

The Canine Autoimmune System

By
Roger Govier
-
1

[Updated January 30, 2019]

In the December 1999 issue of Whole Dog Journal, we discussed the dog’s complex immune system. We described what body parts and functions actually comprise the dog’s “system of immunity” and explained how this system acts to protect the dog from foreign agents including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites.

The immune system helps the dog when it responds appropriately, identifying and eliminating invaders before they threaten or inhibit the dog’s health. But we also hinted that the immune system can fail to do its job, responding to invaders in three negative ways:

Hyperactively: as with allergies

Inappropriately: as when the immune system treats its own cells as invaders, causing what are called auto-immune disorders

Inadequately: as in cancers or other immune deficiency disorders

itchy dog

In this article, we will discuss the wide range of immune disorders, from minor to life-threatening, from common to extremely rare. While immune imbalance can often be corrected with no more effort than a change in diet, other immune disorders are far more difficult to treat.

In next month’s issue, we will discuss treatments – from both traditional and alternative medicine – that are intended to help the immune respond appropriately.

What follows are some of the more common immune ailments. Keep in mind that they are described in a general way; many disorders have numerous sub-groups, with more specific symptoms.

Allergic Disorders in Dogs

Humans tend to manifest allergies in our nose, throat, or eyes. With some notable exceptions, dogs generally manifest allergies in the skin. While allergies are not often as “sudden” as we sometimes believe (resulting, as they do, from a sensitivity which has escalated over time), they certainly seem sudden when our dogs begin displaying signs of distress. Common allergies most often result from immune overreaction to airborne agents which most dogs (and most people) take in biochemical stride. The most common offending agents include dust, chemicals, fleas, mites, seasonal pollens, fungi, and numerous others.

old dog

While the sources capable of stimulating these reactions are almost endless, the clinical signs in dogs are often similar: skin eruptions of varying severity and duration, and, less often, eye and ear discharges, or nasal and bronchial inflammation. Why individual dogs respond differently to the presence of allergens is not yet fully understood. What is well understood is the role of genetic transference. When both parents exhibit an allergy, there is a 75 percent chance that the offspring will exhibit that same allergy; if one parent is allergic, the likelihood drops to 50 percent.

The most dramatic – or hypersensitive – allergic reactions occur when dogs harbor elevated levels of specific IgE antibodies fixed to the white blood cells called stem cells. A dog with antibodies specific to a certain pollen, say, will exhibit an immediate response to that stimuli, while other dogs will not respond at all to that particular pollen. When that pollen enters the nasal passages of a dog with elevated IgE antibodies, white blood cells called basophils rush to the site, releasing chemicals called histamines in enormous quantities. While these histamines would be useful – even instrumental – in an immune system battle against an invader that could cause harm to the host, they are also the immediate cause of allergic inflammation. Hence, the operative nature of the over-the-counter “allergy relief” drugs you can buy at the corner store: “Anti-histamines” chemically block the release of the histamines.

When a dog is allergic to that pollen in question, the allergy almost invariably becomes permanent. For once exposed, and reactive, a dog will quickly deploy its higher caliber immune “guns.” While the classic allergic reaction involves IgE antibodies, many other complex processes are involved: Often, IgM antibodies are produced following initial exposure. A second exposure elicits IgG production, whose presence, in a broader immune context, signals the arming of a long-term immune response, as if to some infectious disease. Rabies vaccines, for example, cause the production of IgG antibodies, antibodies capable of remembering the “enemy” for years. All of which helps explain why allergic reactions tend to increase in severity over time.

Identifying Dog Allergens

Unfortunately, in the real world, few canine allergies are specifically identified. While antibody types can be identified with blood tests, the true causative agent usually remains obscure. It can take a long time, but owners can try to determine the putative allergen, sequentially eliminating dietary or other environmental factors until the culprit is circumstantially revealed. Food accounts for many allergic syndromes. Allergy-prone dogs transitioned to diets that are free of offending agents often magically transform their overall health.

More and more veterinarians are accepting the notion that “immune load” plays an integral role in a dog’s health, and many are finding that the simple reduction of stress in a dog’s life can produce amazing results. The more stresses in the “immune load” that are minimized – through improved diet, exercise, and environmental changes – the better our dogs will be able to withstand what for many becomes a lifelong scourge.

Briefly, the three main areas where a dog will manifest an allergy are the respiratory and nasal tracts, the skin, and the digestive system.

Common Canine Allergies

Following are some of the common canine allergies, and the signs that those allergies frequently cause.

• Allergic Rhinitis is an often-persistent inflammation of the nasal passages, caused according to the reactive tendencies of individual dogs – by any number of irritants, including pollen, mold spores, cigarette smoke, cosmetics, and many others. The symptoms are typically sneezing and/or reverse sneezing; diagnosis is based upon nasal cultures, which – in the absence of any suspect bacteria – show elevated levels of the non-specific immune soldiers known as eosinophils and neutrophils.

• Allergic bronchitis is generally associated with the same, rarely identified irritants as rhinitis. The symptoms, however, involve persistent coughing. Again, diagnosis follows the elimination of bacteria as a cause and the elevated presence of eosonophils.

• Allergic Pneumonitis is rare in healthy dogs but frequent in immune-compromised dogs. The clinical signs of the disorder include fatigue, disinterest, and labored breathing. While the disease is identified by the abnormal presence of immune cells found in culture, it is interesting to note that there seems to be a genetic connection to where these and other allergies manifest in a dog’s body. Given the same allergen, one dog might develop a rash, while another will get allergic bronchitis.

• Flea Allergy Dermatitis afflicts more dogs than any other allergy-mediated skin disorder. It is also safe to say that the flea is the catalyst for more canine skin complaints than any other single factor. While there are some 2000 flea species worldwide, only a few of those species regularly inhabit dogs. The average dog, meanwhile, would be less than overjoyed to hear that his most frequent oppressor, Ctenocephalides Felis, is also known as the cat flea.

The bite of a flea injects its saliva into the dog’s skin; the saliva contains enzymes and proteins that trigger often-escalating symptoms for susceptible dogs. When fleas bite, dogs begin to itch and scratch. In allergic dogs, that scratching can lead to secondary bacterial infections, as well as elevated lesions and localized hair loss. For allergic dogs, of course, fleas can bring a lifetime of seasonal misery.

• Pyotraumatic Dermatitis, or “hot spot,” is a malady closely associated with flea allergy, but is actually a secondary bacterial infection caused by the classic itch/scratch flea syndrome. Symptoms include red, often discharging areas of thickened skin, which, if left untreated, can become a harrowing obsession for the afflicted dog.

• Demodicosis, or mange, is caused by an overpopulation of the mites which normally live in canine hair follicles (not to mention human hair follicles). Mange develops when skin-dwelling immune cells fail to keep the mite population in check. While a number of breeds are genetically unresistent to the mange mite (and therefore, prone to the disease known as mange), it is also typically seen in immune-suppressed dogs.

• Allergies that manifest in the digestive system include Allergic Gastritis and Allergic Enteritis. Both are caused by allergies to foods or other ingested substances. The difficulty in diagnosing these syndromes accurately lies in the fact that digestive problems can be the result of a true allergy (involving IgE-mediated hypersensitivities or non-IgE-mediated immune mechanisms) OR other abnormal physiological responses, often called “food intolerences.” This latter term is often confused with “food allergies,” but is actually meant to convey metabolic, pharmacological, or toxic responses – not allergies.

To further confuse matters, it should be noted that true food allergies can manifest themselves in the digestive tract OR the skin, respiratory tract, central nervous system, or any combination of these systems. In the end, it’s really not necessary to distinguish between food allergies and food intolerences; the important thing is to identify and eliminate the food that causes the problem.

Autoimmune Diseases in Dogs

This, the second major category of ways that the immune system can fail, include all the syndromes in which the immune system “attacks” some element of the dog’s own body.

For the most part, the immune system does not react to the body tissues it is meant to protect; the various immune cells recognize and eliminate only “non-self” cells. Disease arises, however, when the immune system fails to maintain this equilibrium. It is generally thought that this crucial self-tolerance develops early in fetal development, but that, for unknown reasons, certain normal cells sometimes remain hidden during the fetal stage, in what are called immunologically privileged sites. The result can be, under certain circumstances, that those normal cells are later seen as invaders by the cells of the immune system.

However, predisposed individuals do not always acquire the autoimmune disease to which they are genetically prone. There is much evidence that a number of other factors are also in play, and that only chance combinations of these factors trigger disease. While the precise cause of disease in an individual dog cannot yet be decisively established, it is known that genetics play an important role.

Yet genetic proclivities can be weak or strong. In mildly predisposed dogs, stress can play an important role. Stress and trauma release hormones and other neuro-messengers which can play a dramatic role in disease onset. Also, there is no longer any doubt about the association between auto-immune disease and exposure to chemicals and drugs. (We’ll discuss this further in next month’s article about ways to optimize your dog’s immune function.) Some of the common canine auto-immune diseases are described below:

• Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia. In this common (and sometimes fatal) canine disease, auto-antibodies (antibodies reacting against the dog itself) cause the destruction of red blood cells, resulting in anemia. In simplest terms, a cellular miscommunication causes healthy red blood cells to be marked for destruction by the normally protective cells of the immune system. Left untreated, this leads to lethargy, labored breathing (since red blood cells that carry oxygen are in short supply) and ultimately signs of dementia such as loss of balance, personality changes, etc.

• Arthritis. There are a number of auto-immune arthritic conditions that beset dogs, too numerous to detail here. In general, arthritis is caused when antigens and antibodies, failing to react in the normal way, join in a cellular structure which migrates into various joints. These immune complexes, in turn, chemically summon other immune cells, which together cause long-term and often debilitating inflammation. The various arthritic conditions – as is true of auto-immunity in general – tend to afflict certain breeds more than others.

• Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. In its most severe form in humans, lupus can launch an attack on seemingly every body system, thus explaining its reputation as the “classic” immune disorder. For most dogs, however, especially with early intervention, the results are less serious than in humans. It is thought that viruses might play a triggering role in the disease, particularly for genetically susceptible dogs. In addition, sunlight tends to aggravate symptoms.

The disease is characterized by the fact that many immune players cease normal functioning, compromising even the DNA in cell nuclei. Somehow, regulatory T-cells induce the sustained overreaction of B-cell antibodies in a dog’s kidneys, joints, or skin. The disease tends to wax and wane, but the first onset of the disease is often the most severe.

Clinical signs often include skin lesions and ulcers on the face and legs, and swollen lymph nodes. In Discoid Lupus Erythematosus, the symptoms are generally limited to the face, and often just the nose, accounting for its common name: Collie Nose. Suspected lupus cases are conclusively diagnosed with a test isolating the hyperactive antibodies in cell nuclei.

Immune Deficient Disorders in Dogs

As the term implies, with immune deficient disorders, the immune system fails to work as aggressively as it needs to, or fails to respond to invading pathogens at all. Some of the most common immune deficient disorders include:

• Cancer. Cancers are not generally listed with immune deficiency disorders, but they, too, are caused when the immune system fails to recognize and control abnormal cell growth. Cancer tumor cells often closely mimic the healthy cells from which they mutated. The relentless and often unstoppable disease called cancer occurs when, presented with this recognition challenge, the immune system fails to identify and “kill” the abnormal cells.

While dogs are subject to more than 100 types of cancer, it is far more common in older dogs. Some 50 percent of all dogs over 10 years of age will die of cancer, directly or indirectly, and there is little doubt that geriatric cancer results from the fact that the immune system becomes less and less vigilant with advancing age.

• Canine Granulocytopathy Syndrome. With cancer, immune deficiency is, in a sense, the disease itself. In classic immune deficiency disorders, immune dysfunction is the catalyst, rendering the host defenseless against routine microbial attacks that a healthy dog would easily defeat. One of these rare diseases, which is known to attack only Irish Setters, is called Canine Granulocytopathy Syndrome. In this disorder, neutrophils (the all-purpose infantry of the non-specific immune system) cease to function effectively, for unknown reasons. As a result, any bacterial invasion becomes life-threatening.

• Selective IgA Deficiency. In this syndrome, the antibodies which defend the “mucosal immune system” die out, for unknown reasons, and are not replaced in quantities sufficient to protect the dog against respiratory infection.

• Cyclic Hematopoiesis of Gray Collies. This is another incredibly specific failure of the immune system. Here, the bone marrow’s blood cell-production shuts down at irregular, and perhaps stress-related intervals. This creates cyclic deficiencies of the white blood cells that are critical to immune system function. The dog is left completely vulnerable to infection until the immune system somehow “reboots” itself.

Conclusion

This has been a highly abbreviated account of the immune dysfunctions that can befall a dog. Needless to say, owners are well advised to educate themselves about immune disorders in general, and breed-favoring disorders in particular. Breed clubs and web sites are an excellent place to start. Such knowledge encourages proactive care, as your veterinarian may not be familiar with the specific immune disorder afflicting your dog.

In the traditional Western medical world, steroids are the drugs of choice for a wide range of immune disorders. In holistic medicine, treatments strive toward immune empowerment, enabling the immune system to function as intended, controlling immune disorders at the source, even when that source is not clearly understood. As always, it is critically important to understand what you are fighting, and then avail yourself of the widest range of safe and effective treatments possible in order to do the most good for your canine companion.

Roger Govier is a freelance writer from San Francisco. A dedicated owner of two shelter “mutts,” Govier has prepared articles on many of WDJ’s toughest topics, from cancer to vaccinations.

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