A diabetic dog needs correctly timed meals. Around 10 to 12 hours apart works best, says the Cornell Riney Canine Health Center. Credit: Domoyega | Getty Images
The primary treatment for diabetes in dogs is insulin injections, usually administered twice daily in conjunction with meals. Dog insulin is almost exactly the same molecule as porcine (pig) insulin, so that is usually what is used. Unfortunately, for dogs, there is no alternative to injectable insulin (for diabetic humans and diabetic cats, there is an alternative).
The Cost of Insulin for Dogs
Insulin is not inexpensive. The American College of Veterinary Pharmacists estimates that insulin for a large dog could run $150 per month, saying costs have tripled since 2002.
The FDA-approved insulin for dogs is Vetsulin, which comes in a 10 mL vial and require syringes specific for insulin of this strength (40 units/mL). A VetPen (insulin pen) is available with 2.7 mL cartridges.
The average cost of Vetsulin is $70/10 mL vial or $230/10 – 2.7 mL cartridges (the VetPen starter kit is about $180).
How long a vial or cartridge lasts depends on the individual patient, with larger dogs generally needing more insulin per dose. The choice of which insulin to treat a diabetic dog is determined by the dog’s veterinarian.
Do Not Swap Insulin Types
While it is possible to use an insulin labeled for humans, it isn’t likely to save you much money. Humulin-N (100 units/mL) can range in price from $100 to 170 for a 10 mL vial. Critical note: Humulin-N is a different concentration from Vetsulin and requires different syringes for administration; do not just swap insulin out without checking with your veterinarian.
A proper diabetic diet can help decrease a dog’s insulin requirements, but dogs do not go into remission based on dietary therapy alone.
What Is Diabetes?
Diabetes mellitus is a hormone deficiency that leaves a dog unable to regulate his blood glucose (sugar) properly. This can result in clinical symptoms that include increased drinking, increased urination, weight loss, cataracts, and other metabolic abnormalities that can result in severe illness and death.
The primary problem is a lack of insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas. Normally, the pancreas releases insulin into the bloodstream to control the use of glucose, the preferred form of fuel used by the cells of the body. Without insulin, the cells cannot access to glucose in the bloodstream, and that glucose, which comes from digested carbohydrates or released from storage within the body, builds up to abnormally high levels that can damage the dog’s other organs.
Problems that can cause a dog to walk crooked run from pain to tumor to a simple ear infection. Credit Bluecinema | Getty Images
If your dog is walking sideways all of a sudden, is walking crooked, or otherwise has recently developed an abnormal walk, your dog may be showing signs of neurological problems. Suddenly walking sideways can indicate other health issues as well, but the bottom line is that if your dog has started stumbling, dragging his feet, circling, or walking crooked, it is time for a veterinary visit.
Causes for a Dog Walking Sideways and Crooked Gaits
If your dog has always walked kind of crooked or it came on gradually in a young pup, it could indicate a bone or joint abnormality. Nutritional deficiencies can lead to weak or malformed bones, which may change how your dog walks as he grows up.
And conditions like severe hip dysplasia can be extremely uncomfortable, causing your dog to walk abnormally to relieve pain. It could even be due to weakness in the hind end.
For adult dogs who suddenly start walking crooked or gradually worsen, other conditions like neurological problems are more likely. These include:
Your veterinarian will start by doing a thorough physical exam, including feeling your dog’s legs and joints and testing some basic reflexes, such as fixing her foot if your veterinarian places it upside down. The ears will be checked for signs of infection.
Blood tests can help to reveal if your dog has an infection or organ damage that may have caused a seizure or stroke. Radiographs (X-rays) and ultrasound might be used to look for problems in your dog’s bones, heart, lungs, and abdominal organs.
If a brain issue is suspected, your dog will probably be referred to a neurologist for a full neurologic exam and advanced imaging such as an MRI. An MRI will show if there is a brain tumor and can also show signs of strokes, inflammation, trauma, or infection.
Signs of Neurological Problems in Dogs
Walking sideways is just one sign of a neurological issue in dogs. Other signs that can indicate a neurological problem include:
Stumbling
Circling
Head pressing against walls or other objects
Dragging feet
Paralysis of one or more legs
Seizures
Sudden blindness
Tremors
Head tilt or head shaking
If your dog is experiencing one or more of these symptoms, he should see his veterinarian as soon as possible.
It’s obvious that dogs want in or out when they scratch at the door, and their reasons for wanting in or out are all valid. Fortunately, it’s easy to teach them a more acceptable and less damaging way to request your door-opening service.
Photo by Rosmarie Wirz, Getty Images
Dogs who scratch at the door want to go outside or want to come back inside – that much is obvious. If we can learn why he wants to go through the door, and meet those needs, we can more easily change his behavior – in this case, ceasing to scratch at the door.
Humans will always accept “I need to go to the bathroom!” as a valid reason for a dog wanting to go outside. But we often make judgments about our dogs’ other motivations for door-scratching – which isn’t quite fair!
If he’s bored or lonely, try giving him interactive toys to play with in the yard, or go out and play with him instead of expecting him to entertain himself. If he’s hot or cold, bring him inside your temperature-controlled home. If he’s stressed or anxious (whether due to scary noises, separation distress, or anything else) minimize exposure to his stressor(s) while you do behavior modification to ease his distress – and accept that he may never be a dog you can just leave outside on his own.
Teach an Alternative Behavior
Regardless of your dog’s motivation for wanting the door to be opened, it’s easy to teach him a new way to ask you for this service, such as ringing some jingly bells or pressing a touch-activated noise-making button. Just remember that door-scratching works for him because he’s learned that you come quickly because you don’t want your door scratched. You’ll need to respond just as quickly to the button or bells!
First, teach your dog how to activate the sound device by shaping him to touch it with a nose or paw. Every time he manages to trigger its noise, mark the event (with the click of a clicker or a verbal marker, such as the word “Yes!” and give him a treat. Then add a verbal cue. For example, you could say, “Door?” and encourage him to activate the noise. When he is successful at ringing the bell or pressing the button, mark (“Yes!”), open the door, and give him a couple treats outside (or inside – whatever is the opposite of where you started). Gradually, you can stop delivering treats for this behavior; getting the door-opening service is his reward!
As with all behavioral issues, management will be key to your success in dealing with this behavior. While you’re teaching your dog that a bell or button is the better communication tool, you’ll need to protect your door(s) so you don’t have to come running if he starts to scratch. Here are some management tools:
Dog scratch door protector: There are various commercial products you can use to protect your door from your dog’s claws – everything from protective tape to vinyl covers to hard plastic shields, depending on the intensity of your dog’s scratching.
Exercise pen: You can set up a temporary exercise pen around your door(s) to block your dog’s access to the door while he learns to express himself in a more acceptable way.
Avoid the trigger: You could simply choose not to leave your dog on the other side of doors while you are training him to use a more acceptable means of communication and/or helping resolve his anxiety about being left alone.
In many cases, a dog’s scratching behavior is modifiable. However, if your dog’s isolation or separation anxiety is significant, you may need to accept that you’ll always stay with him in the yard.
Dogs who drink from mud puddles or shared public water bowls are at a higher risk of contracting disease. Credit: R.A. Kearton| Getty Images
Your dog can get sick from drinking out of a dog-park water bowl or water fountain, although it’s rare. Dogs have strong immune systems. If your dog is healthy, and not a puppy or an old dog, he should be fine.
Water Bowl Dangers
But here’s what you need to know: Infectious and contagious diseases may be left in a water bowl by a sick dog’s saliva. Dogs also can contaminate bowls by stepping into the water with a paw that has feces on it. Your dog could contract canine flu, internal parasites, Giardia, kennel cough, salmonella, and more from a shared water source.
Other dogs or rodents can leave parasites behind. Just leaves falling into a bowl that hasn’t been cleaned for days could have bacteria that could make your dog sick. Clean water sources are important.
Leptospirosis
Natural sources of water, like ponds and puddles, can contain the bacteria that causes leptospirosis, as well as other potentially harmful organisms. Leptospirosis is spread through the urine of wildlife and, while dogs can pass it to each other, it’s not likely, unless, of course, an infected dog pees in the water bowl, which can happen.
When to Avoid Shared Bowls
We recommend you avoid allowing your dog to drink from a shared bowl but not at the expense of his health. If it’s hot, he needs to drink. Don’t dehydrate your dog in the process of trying to protect him because chances are he will be fine.
So, you don’t need to live in paralyzing fear of communal water bowls or puddles, just avoid them whenever you can. If you know your dog may need water while you’re out, bring it with you. There are many dog-friendly portable water carrying devices.
Worrisome Home Bowls
A 2011 study done by NSF, a consumer-protection group, showed that dog bowls are among the top five dirtiest objects in most homes. When NSF certified a stainless-steel bowl from the WeatherTech PetComfort Feeding Station as meeting human standards for safety, Lisa Yakas, senior certification project manager for consumer products at NSF, said: “Pet bowls, in particular, have the potential to be harmful if they are made with materials that can leach harmful chemicals into your pet’s food and water.” Clearly, your dog needs clean, fresh water, preferably in a quality stainless-steel bowl that is washed regularly.
Learning to judge how far to cut back a nail is important, and black nails are especially difficult. Focus on the tapered part of the nail and err on the side of caution. Credit: Nastasic | Getty Images
With a little practice, nail trimming can become a stress-free part of your regular grooming routine. We get you started with the two primary methods for trimming nails and some tips for troubleshooting. Most dogs do not like having their nails trimmed, but with patience, every dog can learn to tolerate it. If you can hear the click-click of your dog’s nails when he walks across a floor, it’s time to trim his nails.
How to Trim Dog Nails with Clippers
Gently fold back any loose hair so you can clearly see the nail.
Identify where you are going to cut. For white nails, avoid the pink “quick” down the middle of the nail and just cut in solid white. For black nails, focus on the tapered part of the nail and not the wide base.
Clip in one smooth steady motion.
Praise and reward your dog.
Trim sharp edges if using scissor-type clippers.
Move on to the next nail.
How to Trim Dog Nails with a Grinder
Spend some time getting your dog used to the sound of the grinder. Give her treats while it is running, first a few feet away and then held close to her paws.
Touch the grinder to your dog’s nail and immediately praise and reward. Repeat several times so she associates the vibrating sensation with good things.
When ready to grind a nail fully, hold the grinder at a 45-degree angle to the nail. Apply light pressure so it files the nail back. Repeat on the other side of the nail to even it out.
Smooth out any rough or sharp spots so the nail tip is rounded.
Move on to the next nail (or take a break if your dog is new to this).
Identify valuable rewards for your dog. Some dogs go ga-ga over peanut butter, others prefer cheese or hotdog bits. Some think playing tug or fetch is the best thing ever. Figure out what your dog LOVES and use that to pay him well at nail trim time.
Go slowly. It is far better to do one nail at a time and have your dog happy than fight through all of them.
Take just the tips. This limits any risk of hurting your dog and will help both of you get more confident. Trimming just the tips once a week will still get your dog’s nails under control over time.
If your dog suddenly flinches while grinding the nails, you probably hit the quick. Be less aggressive with the next nail.
Try different positions to see how your dog is most comfortable being still and how you can see what you are doing. Some options are standing on a secure table, lying on the couch, or lying upside down in your lap.
Get a helper to feed tiny treats or hold a spoon with peanut butter while you trim the nails.
Practice holding your dog’s feet every day for treats and teach tricks such as shake and high five.
If your dog spends time in your garage, you need to be extra careful with what toxins he may encounter, such as antifreeze or rat poison. Lorado | Getty Images
You can give a dog activated charcoal to help with poisoning. Activated charcoal is a form of carbon that filters out toxins. It provides a surface that other substances can bind to, which how it helps in the case of toxins. Once bound to the charcoal, the toxin can’t be absorbed into the bloodstream and will pass out of the body in the feces.
Not all toxins bind well to activated charcoal, however. For example, acetaminophen (Tylenol) and digoxin (a heart-failure drug) bind well, but alcohol and ethylene glycol, such as is found in antifreeze, do not. It is often used when dogs ingest rat poison, which is common.
The first step if your dog ingests a potentially toxic substance is to call an animal poison-control center. Yes, there is a charge, but the staff are extremely well educated in poisons. Even veterinarians sometimes call these centers, so don’t be surprised if your own veterinarian recommends you contact a center.
The veterinarians and veterinary technicians staffing the poison-control center can tell you if giving activated charcoal makes sense. In some cases, it may be contraindicated, for example, if your dog is at risk of aspiration pneumonia. Call:
Giving activated charcoal is a challenge, which is a strong reason you may want to hustle to your veterinary clinic for help. It should ideally be given within an hour of ingesting the toxin. If your dog is already showing signs of poisoning such as tremors, it is too late as the toxin has already been absorbed.
The recommended dose of activated charcoal for your dog is about 1 gram per kilogram of body weight. It is messy to administer. While it can be given in powder or capsules, human studies show that it is most effective if given as a suspension (crushed and mixed with water). If you are lucky, your dog will eat it mixed with some very wet dog food (add water and make a slurry). In some cases, the veterinary clinic may decide to administer it to your dog via a tube directly to your dog’s stomach.
Some versions of activated charcoal come with a cathartic (laxative) such as sorbitol (a sugar alcohol). This type of activated charcoal should only be used for one dose, and your dog’s electrolytes and hydration status will need to be monitored.
Over-the-counter medications are not a good choice to relieve your dog’s pain. Provide your dog with rest, warm/cold packs, and massage until you can get to the veterinarian. Credit: Westend61 | Getty Images
Your dog is hurting, and you want to give him something for pain. What can you give a dog for pain relief? Unfortunately, for the most part, there are no over-the-counter (OTC) you can safely give your dog for pain. Ibuprofen (Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve) can cause liver problems in dogs. Aspirin and acetaminophen (Tylenol) may be used in dogs, BUT in very limited situations and only under veterinary guidance. If your dog needs pain medication, you are much better off getting a prescription from your veterinarian.
Dog Pain Relief Medications
Canine pain medications are scientifically proven safe and effective for dogs. They are also appropriate for certain types of pain. Gabapentin is a strong choice for nerve pain. The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like carprofen (Rimadyl) and meloxicam (Metacam) are ideal for situations where inflammation is causing much of the pain. Corticosteroids can help with some types of pain as well.
Pain Relief for Your Dog at Home
What can you safely do at home to relieve your dog’s pain? If your dog has an acute injury such as a mild sprain, cold hose the affected leg for 5 minutes (time it – 5 minutes is longer than you think!). The running water and constantly refreshed coldness are best, but if that isn’t practical, you can use cold compresses or ice packs. Do this twice a day if possible.
In addition, your dog needs to rest the injured/painful body part. That might mean setting up an ex-pen (a foldable panel exercise pen) next to you or keeping him in his crate. Provide amusement in the way of food puzzles, frozen Kongs, or special chews to keep him quiet.
Managing Chronic Pain in Your Dog
Chronic pain may need to be handled differently. Your veterinarian may prescribe any of the medications mentioned above, possibly with amantadine, which is becoming increasingly popular to help manage chronic pain.
You might want to consider dietary supplements that can help arthritic joints over the long term like glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, hyaluronic acid (HA), green-lipped mussel, and fish oil (interestingly, fish oil has scientific research supporting its effectiveness for helping with arthritis).
Moderate, monitored exercise may be helpful with chronic pain like arthritis as opposed to strict rest. Older injuries often respond well to warmth, so warm heat (not too hot!) can be comforting. You can purchase heating pads for your pets or use a warm, moist towel, but remember to remove it when it cools.
Ask your veterinarian about massage techniques, acupuncture, laser treatments, pulsed electro-magnetic field devices, and specific exercises that may help to reduce pain. A rehabilitation specialist can help you learn proper exercise, massage, and stretching techniques to keep your dog as pain-free as possible.
Many people have found using a grinding tool, like a Dremel, is easier to cut back a dog’s nails than scissors or clipper type products. Credit: Andrea Obzerova | Getty Images
Choosing the best dog nail clippers comes down to finding ones you are comfortable using and your dog tolerates. Higher prices can suggest higher quality, but you can get a good pair of dog nail clippers that will last the lifetime of your pup for around $10 or even less.
I have a 15-year-old pair of small Millers Forge scissor clippers and a wireless Dremel with a basic sandpaper bit. I use these weekly on my three medium-size dogs, but your choice still needs to be governed by what you find easiest to use and best fits your dogs.
Your dog’s nails need to be trimmed regularly to ensure that his nails don’t hit the ground. If you can hear the click-click of nails across a bare floor, it’s time to cut his nails. Note: A dog’s nails are technically “claws,” because they have nerves and blood vessels in them. Nails do not.
There are three primary types of dog nail clippers:
Scissor type
Guillotine
Grinders
Scissors-Type Clippers
Scissor dog nail clippers look kind of like pliers but have two short, sharp, curved blades. You work them just like scissors by squeezing the two handles together to bring the blades together and cut your dog’s nails. Most pairs have a spring that automatically opens them, and a locking mechanism to keep them closed during storage.
These are the workhorses of dog nail clipping. Their simple design makes them sturdy and easy to use.
As well as cutting straight across your dog’s nail, you can also use scissor type clippers to round off sharp edges. This is especially useful for big dogs with thick nails.
There are many, many brands out there, but Millers Forge are the brand of choice in many veterinary clinics. The orange ones are perfect for medium and large dogs, while the red ones are perfect for small dogs but can also be used on medium-sized dogs. Even with regular use these babies can keep a household of dogs in quality pedicures for many years.
Guillotine Clippers
Guillotine-style clippers have two handles and a metal loop where you place your dog’s nail. When you depress the top handle, a guillotine blade closes across the loop to cut the nail. A spring then reopens the handles and retracts the blade.
Depending on your preferences, you may find guillotine clippers more comfortable for your hands as they have a different angle than scissor-type clippers.
A good pair of guillotine clippers that is taken care of can last a long time. That said, there are a lot of small, moving parts in these clippers that can become damaged and cause them to stop working properly. The single blade can become dull or separate from the loop over time, resulting in a jagged, irregular cut.
You can use guillotine clippers on any size dog but choose a pair with a loop the appropriate size for your dog’s nails.
Best Dog Clippers: Nail Grinders
Nail grinders are nice because they eliminate those pesky sharp edges that can scratch your skin. They also cauterize as they grind, so if you do accidentally hit your dog’s quick it is less likely to bleed.
Grinders can be used by themselves or in addition to other styles of dog nail clippers – clip with the blade ones first, then smooth out the edges with the grinder. To use a grinder, you will need to get your dog used to the sound first, and then the feeling of the vibration on his nail.
There are a wide range of nail grinders out there. You can find basic models at any pet store. If you want the Rolls Royce of nail grinders, go for a Dremel with a diamond wheel bit, but a standard sandpaper bit has plenty of octane for most of us.
Always be very careful with a grinder, however, to ensure that the dog’s hair doesn’t get caught in the wheel. This includes hair on the paws, but also ears or tails, basically anything that could accidentally hit that wheel.
For dogs who don’t like having their nails trimmed, we have force-free training methods that will work with time, patience, and lots of treats.
WDJ Editor Nancy Kerns keeps a free-standing gate folded closed at the end of the counter on the left, and some peanut butter-covered lick mats and food-stuffed toys in the freezer. The gate is big and cumbersome, but when there is a knock at the door, Nancy can stretch out the gate to span the space in just a few seconds. After she has tossed some food-covered toys onto the kitchen floor, her dogs don’t even notice the kid hawking fundraising candy bars at the door.
If the usual scene at your front door is chaotic – if a knock or the doorbell makes your dog bark, jump, spin, or try to escape – the answer is within reach: Try a dog gate. It’s the incredibly underrated, relaxed management solution that we trainers reach for again and again. Sure, eventually we might like to get to the point where a gate is no longer needed, and it’s lovely when you can train your dog to perform a polite sit or reliable “go to mat” behavior on cue, but the immediate stress relief a gate provides for everyone (including the dog) often makes it the first step in a training plan. Frankly, it works so well it ends up being the last step, too!
Create a New Routine for the First Minutes
Most folks don’t realize, until they try the gate solution, just how critical the first few moments after the doorbell are. The “new person on our property” event is a high-arousal situation for almost every dog. Big feelings are to be expected. However, with smart use of a gate and some food, you can change the default doorway dynamic, improving the whole visit.
Here’s a plan that will change the doorbell and/or knocks on the door into a signal for a calm, rewarding mini-routine that takes place comfortably away from the doorway. In short:
Choose a spot where you can place a gate. (Note that the incredible variety of great gates now on the market means it doesn’t have to be the old standard doorway-mounted version. See “Types of Dog Gates.”) Ideally, this location shouldn’t be too far from where visitors enter – if it’s going to take a long time to run with your dog to that area, and then back to the door alone, you may find yourself sometimes skipping the exercise, which will reduce its effectiveness.
Use food to lure your dog behind the gate whenever somebody’s at the door.
Once there, offer a kibble scatter, a food-stuffed toy or LickiMat, or a bully stick, and soon enough just the sound of a knock or a doorbell will have your dog peacefully trotting back to that spot for a chewing/foraging activity rather than adding drama to the front door activity. (If you want to get to that automatic response more quickly, you can practice this by knocking on the door yourself, or enlisting help from a friend.)
Don’t let the steps intimidate you! This is easy. Part of the reason I love suggesting gates to clients is because a lot of people don’t like training! The second they hear, “First, do this, then to practice, do this,” they are done. So when it comes to the steps for teaching your dog to go behind the gate? Just lure with food. Use good enough food, and he’ll go. Do it enough and he will begin to go the second he hears the doorbell or knock – it’s usually just that easy.
Why This Routine Works
If you let doorway chaos reign – with barking, jumping, and frantic energy – that initial high arousal will climb, particularly if you have multiple dogs. You may be adding to it with repeated and unheeded calls of “sit” and “down,” which ramp up that energy, because you, too, seem aroused. Cue more stress all around, with a splash of guest discomfort.
If, instead, the doorbell in your home initiates a predictable and reinforcing activity behind a gate, dogs are often calm enough to be able to rejoin the humans almost immediately after the entrance. Giving the dogs a break from the intense doorway stress can be the thing that actually allows them to politely hang out with your guests much sooner.
For example, when we have a visitor at the door, my German Shepherd goes into the mud room for maybe 30 seconds (for as long as it takes me to open the front door) and then I immediately bring her right back out. At that point, she’s able to give a happy, calm sniff, and chill out completely.
But if I had let her stand right there for front-door duty? Oh, my. Hello, scary police dog! She’d bark and loom in a very intimidating fashion, and stay notably on alert for a few minutes. That dog is unrecognizable from the one who instead trots quickly to her mud room for a kibble scatter and emerges calmly 30 seconds later. (Trainer/ethologist Kim Brophey calls this the “Off-Duty Hack.” Rather than training a bunch of things like off and down and mat and stay, you simply convey “Hey, it’s okay, I’ve got the door thing handled. Relax, you’re off duty.” Works like a charm.)
Using the Right Food Activity
If you’re thinking that your dog would never willingly leave the all-important doorway job – or that no flimsy gate would keep him back there for more than a minute – you’re right! If you just pop the dog behind a gate with nothing to do but obsess over the stranger he can’t get to, for sure it could ratchet up the drama. What’s more, next time it would be harder to entice him behind the gate, since he learned it means he misses out.
So don’t do it that way! Instead, create a new doorbell-means-fun-times-behind-a-gate dynamic using a food activity that’ll keep your dog occupied for as long as necessary. When I was teaching my shepherd, I just used a quick kibble scatter (maybe 10 pieces of kibble tossed on the floor) because I didn’t need more than 30 seconds and she’s thrilled with all food, even her boring old kibble.
However, some dogs will take much longer (especially the first times you try this routine) to calm down enough to join the human party. In that case, you want to be prepared with something great to forage, chew, or lick that will last the five, 10, or 15 minutes it typically takes to relax. Here’s what’s key: While the dog is enjoying that LickiMat, bully stick, or food-stuffed toy, she’s listening to the stranger’s voice, with yours. She may be getting used to the new human’s scent. It’s ideal if she can actually watch you through the gate to be able to fully assess things and get comfortable with what’s happening. (This is why a gate is entirely different than closing a dog behind an actual door! Those two things feel entirely different to your dog.)
Chewing, licking, and foraging for food are fundamental canine activities that naturally relax our dogs. Typically, the longer your dog is occupied in this way behind that gate, the calmer she’ll become. Sometimes half an hour passes and you go to invite your dog to come join the humans and . . . she looks up and then goes back to her nap.
Note that the more your dog gets used to this new, predictably reassuring pattern, the less enticing and long-lasting your food activity needs to be. At this point with my shepherd, the kibble scatter may or may not happen, and she’s still happily going “off-duty.” Truly, I think she feels relief at having this clear alternate picture of what she can do at what feels to her like a high stakes moment.
Other Gate Uses
It’s not just the doorway chaos that makes a selection of gates a fantastic addition to any dog family. It’s all of the varying circumstances that will come up over the dozen-odd years ahead! Fences do indeed make good neighbors, and having an easy way to temporarily separate living beings can cut way down on stress.
Being able, at any given moment, to split guests and dogs, kids and dogs, dogs from each other, puppies from unsupervised carpets, and dogs from a teenager’s science fair project, goes incredibly far in eliminating unnecessary trouble. (If only more people used gates during holiday gatherings, we’d have fewer sad bite incidents.)
The more you use gates, the more you’ll love them – and the more you’ll love your dogs who suddenly seem so well behaved as they get used to the routine: “Oh, gate time. OK.”
Management THEN Training
On her way to answer the door, author/trainer Kathy Callahan gives Great Pyrenees-mix George and German Shepherd Mojo each a food-stuffed Toppl toy. When the dogs hear a knock or the doorbell, they run for the mudroom, where they know they will receive treats behind the gate.
Maybe you’re reading this and thinking, “Ha! She must be a terrible trainer if she needs to use physical separators instead of just teaching the dogs what to do!”
The thing is, the goal for the vast majority of my clients is just to live together happily, peacefully, with their dog. If a gate can accomplish two-way satisfaction tomorrow with about a minute of “training,” then that is a giant win. When stress goes away, the canine-human relationship heals. Happy human; happy dog.
Of course, that moment is an opportune time to venture into some fun-and-treat-filled training sessions! Sure, they might even involve doorway behaviors. But you know what will make those sessions more likely to succeed in the end? The fact that the pressure is off. Now that a gate is in place, there’s no deadline, no fear of failure. So if the dog learns that “mat” thing – what a fun trick! But if not? No biggie. The dog and the human are experiencing in-sync multi-species living all the same.
Why Not Use Crates or Tethers?
You absolutely can try to create the same mini-routine regarding the doorway using a crate or a tether. But often a dog can be more immediately on board and relaxed behind a gate, because it’s less confining and offers more freedom of movement. The gate can be a really helpful tool for folks who’ve not had success with crate-training.
This pressure-mounted gate (MidWest Steel Pet Gate) is easy to pop in and out of the 4 little plastic discs mounted on the sides of the doorway. When it's up, I can even answer the front door while hosting my puppy socialization group, as demonstrated here. Photo by Kathy Callahan.
There is no end to the useful applications for dog gates – and today, there’s no end to the sizes, types, and designs of dog gates that are available. It’s so easy to use them to help you and your dog live more happily together; the most difficult part might be choosing which ones look best in your home.
Here are the main types of gates available and what applications they are best for:
Pressure-Mounted Gates,
Tall Dog Gates, Gates With
Small Pet Doors
These gates are probably the kind that most dog owners are familiar with. Most have rubbery casters on both ends that will hold the gate against both sides of a doorway and some sort of mechanism that expands and contracts the width of the gate to make it fit tightly in the doorway.
If you have medium-to-large dogs as well as smaller pets in the home, buying a gate that has a small-pet door built into it can allow the cat, rabbit, or other small animal to run through the gate easily, but prevent the dog from following.
The type we like best have easy-to-use openings – a doorway you can open and shut within the gate. To maintain the stability of the gate when it’s opened and closed, these have a small bar that spans the bottom of the doorway, which you have to step over. Many companies offer extensions of various widths for these gates, usually sold separately.
My favorite model of this type works like this MidWest Steel Pet Gate, with four discreet little rubber discs – “pressure mounts” – that are applied to the door frame with sticky tape (for extra security, each can also be fastened to the door frame with a single wood screw). When the gate is not in use, I remove the gate altogether; the discs stay in place. When I’m hosting puppies, I just pop the gate ends back into the discs and expand/tighten the gate with its tension knobs.
A similar model is Carlson Pet Products’ Extra Tall Walk-Thru Gate with Pet Door. This gate mounts and is adjusted in the same way as the MidWest gate, but has a small, cat-sized (8-inch square) doorway built into the gate. As long as your dog is larger than a cat, with the gate closed and the cat door open, your cat can come and go (or escape your dog, if need be) while your dog is securely contained behind the gate.
We don’t recommend this old-fashioned type of gate. Most folks find the adjustment bar a pain to set and operate, and end up just wrestling the gate in and out of the doorway – and unless it’s set to a particularly snug fit, most dogs find they can push them over, too!
The least expensive kind of pressure-mounted gate is easily available in big-box stores like Walmart, and they’re typically marketed for use with babies and pets. These don’t have a swinging door to allow you to go through; instead, they have some sort of bar that lifts to cause the gate to contract in width and is lowered to expand and lock the gate at the desired width. These can work well, but they take longer than most gates to open and close the again; most people with these gates end up stepping over them, in order to avoid having to adjust their width each time. Or, they stop adjusting the width but just force them in and out of position as needed (the trouble is, if they can be pushed out of place that easily, your dog may quickly learn to do that, too. We don’t recommend them! (See “Gates We Do Not Recommend,” below.)
Folks with open-plan homes may have a hard time finding a good spot for a pressure-mounted gate, but don’t forget that a stairway, bathroom, or bedroom can work.
Hardware-Mounted Dog Gates: Best for Stairs
These are the sturdiest option, because they are secured tightly to the door frame. These are often the best choice for permanent (or at least, years-long) installations – as opposed to something you will use just for visiting dogs or for the time that it takes to house-train your new puppy. Many of them are made by the same companies that make pressure-mounted gates and they may closely resemble those products, but fasten to the door frame with wood screws. An advantage that may feel very significant for some is that they lack the floor-level bar that maintains the integrity of the pressure-mounted gates; when you open the gate, there is nothing to step (or trip) over.
For safety at the top of stairs, nothing can beat a well-installed, hardware-mounted gate. Period.
The long-time favorite hardware-mounted gate of WDJ editor Nancy Kerns is the KidCo Wall-Mounted Pet Gate. She bought one for a WDJ review of gates in the late 1990s that is still being used in an outdoor application (blocking a side entrance to a deck) at her sister’s house!
Stand-Alone Dog Gates, Gates for Extra-Wide Spaces
This type of stand-alone gate is attractive and versatile (and don’t forget that gates that separate dogs from guests during the holidays will prevent bites from stressed dogs!). Con: Lacking wide braces for the “feet,” this sort of gate needs to be angled in a zig-zag to stand alone, and you will likely have to use other pieces of furniture, as seen here, to secure the ends from being easily pushed aside. Photo by Kathy Callahan.
One of my very favorite dog-management tools is the freestanding, unmounted gate. There are two kinds: one has footings that allow it to stand alone; the other has a few sections connected by hinges, which allow it to stand alone when it’s in a V or W shape.
The first type, with footings, tends to be a little heavier (so they aren’t easily pushed out of the way by your dog) and bulkier to store, but if you have an open-plan design with few doorways, this can be your answer. They’re available in everything from a bargain utilitarian white metal to very high-end wood and wrought iron pieces designed to make you not mind having them in place.
To pass through the ones meant for smaller openings, you generally would just drag or slide one end to the side and replace it behind you. The longer ones that span wider openings usually have a hinged gate built into one panel, such as the Kinpaw Freestanding Foldable Pet Gate. Some, like that gate, are made with hinges connecting each section, so they can be folded for storage, or to fit variously shaped openings (great for the foot of stairways that are wide or irregularly shaped). Others are built straight, like Carlson’s Extra-Tall Adjustable Freestanding Pet Gate or Richell Wood Freestanding Pet Gate (note that this one is very low, only 20 inches high).
This straight, free-standing gate is easy to adjust in width. Con: The position of the feet might make it difficult to put in the right spot to block certain doorways.
I have some of those gates with footings in my house, and they’re perfect for some scenarios every now and then. You know what I use over and over? The easy and attractive hinged gates I find at Home Goods! They’re light enough to pop in and out of play, and they’re pretty enough that I don’t mind seeing them up. This kind of gate can turn that space between the back of your couch and the wall into a perfect little dog confinement area! String two of them together and you’ve separated the dining table from the family room so you can host that dinner party without totally excluding the dog.
The “gate within a gate” feature makes it easy to pass through, and the hinges between panels allows for some zig-zagging to customize its fit in your home. Con: Actually, no cons here. The potential disadvantage of the wide feet in the Carlson Free-Standing Gate is eliminated with this design. The ends can still go right up against a door frame, completely blocking any gap at the side of the gate.
People dismiss these because they think, “Oh, that would never hold Rufus.” And yes, that gate might not work during a long boring day when Rufus is alone. But that stand-up gate is your friend for the quick pizza delivery, or neighbor drop-in, or the not-yet-potty-trained puppy visiting for an hour who you’d like to confine to the kitchen. Keep it stashed behind the couch, and pop it up when you know somebody’s due in a few minutes.
The Multi-Purpose Ex-Pen
Few things in dog life are as reliable, flexible, and life-saving as the common wire exercise pen, a.k.a. the ex-pen! These are typically made with eight panels that are joined with little metal sleeves that allow them to flex in any direction. Attach the first panel to the last panel with a couple of metal snaps or carabiners to make a round, square, or rectangular pen, or stretch the panels out to create a door blocker or a room separator. These pens are relatively light and easy to move, which means you have to use some creativity to prevent them from being pushed around by a dog who is determined to move them. But if we’re talking about a quick 30 seconds while you answer the door, the ex-pen standing up in a V or W shape can block a key doorway. Exercise pens are easy to buy in various heights and weights (heavier gauge wire is sturdier and makes the pen harder to knock over) from pet supply stores and online, such as the MidWest Wire Dog Exercise Pen from Chewy.com.
Final Selection Considerations
If you go shopping for dog gates online, you will see that there are gates of every color, material, height, width between bars, etc. Note that very small dogs might be able to walk right between the bars of gates meant for big dogs – but unless your dog has separation anxiety or lacks any self-control whatsoever, you probably won’t need the biggest, tallest gates on the market. If your dog is getting solid exercise and enrichment, he won’t be wildly bounding around needing to vault over things. My 100-lb Great Pyrenees-mix and 75-lb German Shepherd could easily pop over my shorter gates, but they don’t. With regular practice and reinforcement for respecting these barriers, they readily accept the short-term containment. “Oh, it’s gate time. OK.”
Gates We Do Not Recommend
The one type of gate to avoid is the old-fashioned accordion-style “retractable” gate (here is an example). These are generally fastened to one side of a doorway with hardware, and then clipped onto the other doorway with a simple “hook and eye” latch. Anyone who has ever operated one of these can probably remember the pain they felt from getting a finger pinched as they carelessly folded it closed – or has a story to tell about the dog or cat who freaked out when they got their head stuck from trying to walk through one of the openings and had it tighten around their neck as they panicked. Don’t buy these!
These gates are attractive and retract nicely when not in use. Con: Not all dogs will respect a flexible barrier, and they take a lot of practice to open and close. Photo by CC Holland.
Another type of barrier that we don’t recommend is the retractable mesh gate. These are typically mounted with hardware on both sides of a doorway, but can be unclipped from one side to retract into a neat and unobtrusive roll on one side of the doorway when not in use. That’s cool!
What’s not so cool: They take either two hands or a ton of one-handed practice to close or open. Also, because they are not rigid, if a dog puts his paws on the top edge, it will bow or stretch the material, making the barrier less effective and less attractive over time.
If you show great interest and excitement about something, chances are, your dog will, too! Examine the seams of your new mat and exclaim with enthusiasm over the craftsmanship or the mat’s design. Your dog won’t be able to resist coming over to check it out! Mark and reward her interest by putting the mat on the ground and putting a delicious treat on the mat. Photos by Nancy Kerns
Once you’ve taught your dog a “Go to place” cue you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it! Imagine being able to gently ask your dog to “Mat,” “Bed,” “Place,” or whatever cue you chose to use, and have her willingly and promptly move to her designated spot and lie down. Move her away from the dinner table. Invite her to stop pestering your guest. Send her away from the door when packages are being delivered. Take her mat with you to a restaurant or friend’s house so she has a portable place to park. The applications are endless.
How to Teach Place
Start with a brand-new rug, bed, or blanket that will become her special “go to your place” mat. Then:
Hold the mat and show interest in it until your dog shows interest in it.
When your dog shows interest, use your marker (such as the click of a clicker or a verbal marker, like the word “Yes!”) and place a medium-value treat on the mat for her.
Continue to mark and give a treat on the mat for any mat-related behaviors your dog offers.
If your dog sniffs, touches, or gets on that mat, mark and immediately put a treat on the mat for her.
If she lies down on the mat, mark and feed a high-value treat on the mat. Other On-The-Mat-Behaviors (OTMBs) get medium-value treats.
Continue to mark any OTMBs, and randomly cue “Down.” When she lies down, mark and treat (with one or two high-value treats).
After you’ve treated several Downs interspersed with other mat behaviors, pause to see if she offersa down. If she does, mark and feed several high-value treats. If not, continue marking any OTMBs, interspersing Downs with high-value treats for downs.
If your dog spontaneously lies down on the mat, mark and give her a high-value treat or two. Continue to mark and give treats for other behaviors (sit, stand, turn around on) she does on the mat, but save the high-value treats for Downs.
Repeat steps 5 and 6 until your dog Downs when you pause. Any on-the-mat behavior is rewardable, but Downs get the best rewards. She should soon begin offering only downs.
Now give a release cue, move away from the mat, and invite your dog to follow. When she does, stand quietly – no marking, treats, or praise. Most dogs will return to the mat for more treats. When she does, mark and treat again: medium-value for any behavior, high-value for Downs. Don’t wait for Downs; reinforce for returning to the mat.
Repeat step 8. Each time you step away go farther away, so your dog learns to go to mat from greater distances. If she’s not lying down on the mat, randomly hold out for a Down.
Release your dog and walk a few steps away. If she returns to the mat, mark and treat; if she offers a Down, mark and give her some high-value treats.
When she quickly returns and lies down each time, increase the duration of the Down in small increments – a few seconds at a time.
When she’ll go to her mat and lie quietly for an extended time, add your cue. Send her to her “Place” from increasingly longer distances, eventually from anywhere in the house.
When your dog will readily go to her mat and lie down, you can add a cue, such as “Mat!” or “Place!” Now you can start taking the mat to new places to generalize the behavior, and begin introducing distractions (small ones at first).
Finally, add distractions and generalize. Send her to her mat with kindergarten distractions, such as giving a little jump or a clap of your hands. Work up to advanced-level distractions, cueing her to go to her mat when kids are running through the house, food is being prepared, the doorbell rings or visitors enter, etc.
Depending on your dog and your commitment to training, you might accomplish mat training in just a few sessions. If you’re still working on basic good manners or your dog has impulse-control challenges it could take longer. In any case, you’ll be thrilled with this fantastic management tool.
Most dental treats come in various sizes. Choose the correct one for your dog’s weight. Credit: Foley photo
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Dental chews really do help keep your dog’s teeth looking their best, so they are worth adding to your dog’s dental health care routine. Dental chews don’t replace brushing your dog’s teeth, but for dogs who don’t like you brushing their teeth, these chews help remove harmful plaque and calculus from your dog’s teeth.
Scientific studies show that giving your dog a dental chew every day can help:
Decrease plaque and calculus (tartar) buildup
Decrease gingivitis
Improve bad breath
But what dental chew should you pick out? A great place to start your search is the Veterinary Oral Health Council (vohc.org). Products that receive the VOHC seal have been shown in studies to help improve dental health.
If your dog has any food sensitivities or allergies, check the ingredients before purchasing a product. For picky dogs, try a couple different chews to see what your pup likes.
How Dental Chews Work
Look for the official VOHC Seal on the product to be sure you’re making the best choice. Credit: Foley photo
You may be surprised that dental chews are often NOT the longest-lasting dog chews. Their dense texture is formulated to maximize the chew’s contact with your dog’s teeth. As the chew scrapes over the teeth, it removes plaque and calculus.
There is a downside to these chews, however: They are high in calories. If your dog battles a weight issue, discuss the use of chews with your veterinarian before starting them. For example, if you have a 10-lb. dog, his daily calorie allowance is around 248 (depending upon activity, current weight, and so on), according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention. A small (teenie) Greenie dental chew is 28 calories, almost 10% of your dog’s daily allowance.
How to Clean Dog Teeth
For optimal dental health, tackle the problem from multiple angles.
Start working on brushing your dog’s teeth every day, if you can, with an enzymatic toothpaste, like Virbac CET Enzymatic Toothpaste, or the VOHC-recommended toothpaste Petsmile, Whole Dog Journal’s No. 1 choice. Start by letting your dog lick the toothpaste off the brush, then gradually build up to brushing the entire mouth. This may take several weeks to months depending on your dog’s personality, but it is worth the effort.
Feed a dental chew that has scientific evidence of efficacy each day.
Have dental cleanings done under anesthesia as recommended by your veterinarian.
A note of caution: Never use human toothpastes that are designed to be used and then spit out. Your dog will swallow the product, and nearly all human toothpastes include ingredients that can be harmful or deadly to your dog.
A couple of days ago, I received a text from a dog-training client, wondering about a video she had just watched—and which she linked in the text. “Is meat meal bad for dogs?” she asked. She followed that message with, “I get that she’s selling her own pet food, but is it (meat meal) that bad?”
