How to Get Your Puppy to Like Being Groomed

It’s important for puppies to be exposed early to the things that they will need to accept as adult dogs.   It’s so important not to waste puppy hood that Dr. Ian Dunbar, the originator of puppy socialization classes, has started an awareness campaign about the issue, and the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior has published a Puppy Socialization Position Statement to educate veterinarians and the public. Getting a puppy in to a good positive puppy class by age twelve weeks is highly recommended, and the first step in creating a well adjusted dog.  

Most puppy classes, while valuable for dog to dog socialization and skill building, don’t provide much guidance on how to acclimate a young dog to the sights and sounds of the grooming salon, a potentially scary environment, although you should pay attention when the pups are being taught the “stand” cue.  Dogs that know what to do on the grooming table are far less likely to be constantly manhandled to keep them standing!  

So, how do you get your little one educated about the grooming process? First, let’s look at the things that happen in the salon.  Your pup will have to undergo brushing, combing, bathing, blow drying, ear cleaning, and nail clipping.  If your dog is a “haircut dog” then there will also be body clipping and/or scissoring.  Acclimating a young puppy to those things is best done in a calm manner, and before his first experience being dropped off for a “tubby and a trim.”  The first thing I like to do is simply get puppy used to the salon environment. To do that, I make repeated visits to the salon long before he’ll really need an appointment, walk in, get someone on the staff to give my pup a cookie, and walk out.  I do this randomly for at least a couple of weeks before puppy’s first bath.  This puts “deposits” in the bank of “I like that place. I get cookies there.”  The pup will have already formed a positive association with the salon and some of the staff by the time it’s appointment time.  Even if I plan to bathe and groom my own dog, I still acclimate them to a professional salon environment and have the puppy bathed and groomed professionally while he’s still young.  You never know when, during your dog’s lifetime, you might be unable to do it yourself at home, and it pays to be prepared.

I get puppies used to the actual grooming process through the use of food paired with each aspect of the grooming process, to create positive associations step by step.  For example, I get puppies used to being in water by using the “bathtub ring method.”  I have a pitcher of lukewarm water handy, then I smear some lamb baby food around the tub at puppy mouth level, and put puppy in the tub.  After a few moments of puppy happily lapping the baby food, I gently pour some water into the tub so that the puppy’s feet get wet, and I watch puppy’s reaction.  If he’s nonchalant, I might pour in some more, or turn the faucet on a trickle.  If not, I just let him finish lapping, then end the session. Over several sessions, I increase the depth of the water, start pouring some over his back, wet his face with a facecloth, etc., so long as he is reacting calmly before I go to the next step, and still allowing him to lap at something delicious for each new step, even if I am no longer providing food for earlier steps.  This is classical conditioning and can also be used to get puppy used to the sound of clippers, nail trimmers, dryers, or other new or potentially scary happenings.  The key is to start at a low intensity of the stimulus (clippers running at a distance, far away from puppy’s ears, for example) and progress only when puppy is comfy at each stage.

It’s important to teach your puppy to be handled everywhere on his body!  So, you might smear some peanut butter on the face of your fridge at puppy height and let him lap as you pick up his feet, handle his ears, gently swab his ears with a cotton ball, run your fingers over his gums, or handle his private parts.  I know, it’s gross, but the bather or groomer will be doing that, so it’s better for your puppy to learn from you that it’s not scary to be touched in those areas.  Besides, as my mentor used to say, you do not want a two year old to grab your puppy in the “wrong” place out of curiosity and get snapped at because puppy has never been handled there before.  It’s just one more layer of protection against your dog getting in trouble over something that might have been preventable.

Groomers are patient with puppies, as a rule, but if you can set your puppy up for success at the salon, everyone is happier.  There’s nothing sadder than the pup whose owner does no preparation, waits until the puppy coat has turned in to a matted mess, then takes the unsuspecting pup in for his first appointment to a terrifying environment where there are other stressed dogs, lots of noise, barking, and where he will be subjected to new procedures, possibly including de-matting, which can be painful.  Grooming should start at home, start early, and be stress free!  The groomer you choose should be more than willing to show you how to correctly brush your puppy so that he remains mat-free until his first “real” visit.

If you need help with the process, you can find a positive trainer through the Pet Professional Guild, Truly Dog Friendly, Academy for Dog Trainers, Victoria Stilwell Positively, or Karen Pryor Academy.

Karen McCarthy has written a book entitled “Click for Grooming Handling and Treatment” which is a great step by step guide to training dogs to be cooperative about being cared for by groomers, vets, and others.

Here’s a nice video on acclimating dogs to getting their nails trimmed, which works well either for puppies, or for dogs that have formed an aversion to the process: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuXwKqXTBsE&feature=related

Happy Grooming!

 

New Professional Organization for Force Free Pet Pros

I’m happy to announce that I have joined the Pet Professional Guild as a charter member, and have been named to the steering committee.  More to come as we go along, but if you know trainers who are using positive, force free methods please tell them that they now have the opportunity to join an organization whose code of ethics they can trust to be closely aligned with their own.

Dog Training Ethics and Certification at Odds

There are some initials after my name that suggest education in canine behavior, but none of them are “CPDT.”  Some dog trainers, despite our desire for a certification process that helps insure competence, have elected not to test for that designation.  The reason is that, while the Certification Council for Pet Dog Trainers does not do anything but test, and the organizations are technically separate, the Association for Pet Dog Trainers is largely made up of people who have taken the test, and it is their ethics we question.

Originally formed by the likes of Ian Dunbar, et al, the APDT was intended as an educational organization that would uplift the quality of dog training.  For a while, it seemed as though that might happen.  Then, an odd thing occurred.  Trainers who continued to use choke, prong, and even shock collars, despite the “education” offered through continuing education, became a vocal enough crowd to influence APDT policy and ethics, we think for the worse.

Fast forward to a recent decision by CCPDT to lift its ban on the use of shock collars on puppies less than one year old!  That action prompted those of us who practice force free training to want to vomit in our mouths, for lack of a better graphic mental image to capture the disgust we felt.  Effectively, it meant that the the CPDT designation, for all intents and purposes, could NOT differentiate, for the public, the difference between a trainer who uses shock (even on puppies) and one who doesn’t.  The pro’s and con’s of the use of shock collars is fodder for seemingly endless argument between us and them, but suffice to say that the public deserves to KNOW what methods will be used on their dogs, including any possible fallout, so that they can make a decision based on the relationship they want with their dogs and their own moral and ethical values.  They need to be aware of the factions in the dog training world, that there is a rift, and that they have a choice to make.  Obviously, I have made my choice – as both a dog owner and trainer, I do not want to train my own dogs by saying to them, “Do it or it will hurt, ” and I want others to at least have the opportunity to learn what I have learned about there not being any reason to have to cause pain or fear in order to successfully modify a dog’s behavior.

One group, Truly Dog Friendly, agrees with the notion that we do not need to hurt dogs to train them, and it was hoped that they would take up the challenge of forming an organization that would provide certification, etc.  For reasons unknown, it didn’t happen.   But, recently, Niki Tudge, a force free trainer, and owner of Dog Smith, took up the incredible challenge on her own, and formed the Pet Professionals Guild.  Some of us, myself included, have joined as charter members and have high hopes that, at last, in the United States, there will eventually be a certifying organization that guarantees the public a  science AND ethics based force free choice for training their dogs.  People will have the benefit of knowing that their pet professional has assented to some very strong guiding principles. The sad thing is that the public, until now, may not have even realized that there was a choice.  A trainer is a trainer, right?  Wrong!!!

New England Breed Rescue Groups

New England Breed Rescue Groups

This is a great time of year to adopt!

2011 Christmas Puppy, 2012 Buyer’s Regret?

All those Christmas puppies…  Every year, despite our best warnings against impulse purchases, or against buying litter mates, or against buying from pet stores or the Internet, there is still a flood of Christmas puppies that someone thought would create a joyous holiday and then become the Lassie of their dreams.  And most families do actually survive the first nights at home with a whiny pup, the house training foibles, and the teething stage that puppies all go through.  But, too often, the good idea from December turns into the “I just don’t have the time for this puppy” of January.  This time of year is so sad at animal shelters in much of the country.  While many of the puppies often do find a new home with better prepared families, the unspoken horror is that many older dogs meet their doom because adopters take home those ever so cute puppies and leave the older dogs behind. 

In areas where there are low spay/neuter rates, puppies are sometimes euthanized too.  It’s one of the saddest things in the world to think about those innocent little beings having no where to go.  And, even if they are adopted, shelter workers scramble to find the poor mom a home when all her puppies are finally taken.  Often, she has only days to live when the last one finds a home if she is not taken in by a family or a rescue group.

If you purchased or adopted a puppy for Christmas, and are having second thoughts, before you put that ad in the paper, before you consider giving him away, before you drop him off at the shelter, please consider calling a trainer instead!  Most puppy problems are easily solved, and you might be surprised at how young you can start training that little ball of fluff and just how smart he is. 

One year out of your life, coping with your responsibility to the dog you promised a “forever home” to, can give you 15+ years of amazing pleasure.  (After all, the children who take care of you in your old age are hardly the same people as when they were teenagers, literally driving you crazy.)   A bit of inconvenience now can show your children that pets aren’t disposable and that they must live up to their promises.  A few accidents on the rug now are worth the tail wags of an ancient, loving, faithful dog later.  I promise.  And, I hope you honor yours. 

Merry, Happy, Good….

There’s nothing like waking up on a frigid morning, listening to the “song dogs” in the distance calling their companions back to the den, having a cup of hot coffee while watching the fire dance in the stove.

You go out to the barn, and as you look up at the stars, your horse is expelling that deliciously fragrant breath into the cold morning air as you open the stall door.   It’s as joyful a thing now as it was the first day with that first horse.

You look around at junipers, pines, and cedars in the dim dawn light and think you are certainly in a wondrous place, beautiful in all four sacred directions.

Back in the house, there’s the smell of the coffee and burning sage, and the soft hello in the eyes of three good dogs who greet you again as if you had been gone for a week, and not just the time it took to deliver a hot bran mash. They have no idea when it’s Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, or Solstice.  They just treat every day as new adventure, or an old one.

Our relationships with all these things – rocks, stars, trees, animals, and each other, are important and not to be taken lightly.  When we tread on the sensibilities of the earth, we lessen the future for our children.  When we get angry with a dog, we teach our children anger, perhaps against one another, too.

When things like dogs, coyotes, or the smell of horse breath don’t matter anymore, we have lessened our own place in the world – because we are all related and interdependent.  As you celebrate whatever you celebrate this time of year, make the dogs important, take time to smell an evergreen, look up at the stars…relax and understand.  Listen and you will not fear a coyote’s howl, you will hear “song dogs” sing and be glad they are not gone.  Look, and you will smell pitch and needles and see the homes of birds, and be glad that the trees have not all been chopped down.   Stand close and you will feel horse breath on your cheek and be glad that there really is an old friend still nearby if ever there is an end to oil.

Everything depends on your perspective.  No wonder they chose a stable…

Merry Christmas!

From Myth to Science

There are a lot of myths in the dog training world, and they die hard.   One myth is that it’s OK to use that positive training stuff on your Yorkshire Terrier, but if you have a Rottweiler things must be different.  What is it about some people that they cannot believe that a Yorkie is also a mammal, thus learns the same way that other mammals learn?    “Every dog is different and they require different methods,” you’ll hear the correction trainers say.  Well, yes, to a point.  There are many ways to teach a dog the same behavior, just as there are different ways to teach a child the same behavior.  But, there is never a reason to justify the application of painful or fear-inducing stimuli when you can teach a behavior without their use.

Sarah Fulcher, of Barks and Recreation in British Columbia shared this quote with her Facebook friends this morning, and I believe it wholeheartedly: “Those who force, prove they can conquer. Those who ask for and receive, demonstrate they can communicate.” – Emma Massingale  Sarah has a Husky doing agility, so she can speak to the fact that they learn just like Yorkies and Rottweilers.  That, of course, does not mean that all dogs learn as quickly as one another – some kids take longer learning their multiplication tables (does anyone still memorize those?).  But, the way they learn, through operant conditioning, is the same.

Another myth is that when you train a dog you must be its “pack leader.”  That would probably be fine, if only dogs formed packs.  Current studies indicate that they don’t.  Sure, they will form cooperative social groups left to their own devices, but it’s a non-linear hierarchy.  And, while we’re on that subject…here’s David Mech, the originator of the term “alpha,” talking about wolf packs and why his terminology no longer applies: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNtFgdwTsbU.

Another persistent myth is that dogs are trying to dominate us, so we must do all we can to see that they realize their position in the now non-existent pack.  Poppycock!  Dogs don’t want to dominate us, they just want to get what they want.  Once you realize that the dog is seeking resources, not the presidency of the household, it becomes much easier to use resources to control the dog – nicely.  Resources aren’t just food.  Resources can be anything the dog wants.   Food, toys, space, resting places, pig ears, the owner’s attention, getting out a door, are all resources.   So, if the dog is jumping on the owner for attention, instead of pushing the dog away or shouting “off” (both of which are attention!) what if the owner simply made attention contingent upon the dog remaining in a sit?   Dog jumps, owner turns away.  Dog sits, dog gets attention.  Simple – it’s just that most humans cannot commit themselves to doing it for the length of time it takes the bad habit to extinguish!

Perhaps the all time most difficult myth to eradicate is “He knows better.”  I have news for you.  In all my years of training, I have never met a dog that knows better whose owner says this.  What I meet are dogs that are just insufficiently trained whose owners don’t realize it!  The sheepish look that the dog gives you when you walk in to find the couch in tatters, or your best pair of shoes shredded to bits is called “appeasement behavior” and the dog is doing it because he realizes instantly that you are mad about something – trouble is that he doesn’t connect it with the shoe chewing, thus he will still chew shoes while you are away (it’s too dangerous to do it in front of a scowling human) and you will then think he’s being spiteful.  Vicious cycle that usually ends up in a destroyed relationship along with the destroyed shoes.  We trainers wish people would call us when the dog is 8 weeks old, rather than 8 months old, which is when the “second chewing stage” kicks in.   We could easily explain this to you and save your dog so much anxiety and confusion.

Here’s a fun myth: “My dog likes to kiss me.”  Would that it were so.  However, it’s probably just another appeasement gesture, simply designed to show deference or to indicate that the dog is not intending a threat to you.  People spend much less time learning about dog communication than dogs spend trying to learn about human communication.  Perhaps it’s because we have the gift of spoken language.  But, dogs have a spoken language and a body language.  For example, do you know when your dog is trying to tell you that it is experiencing stress?   Most people aren’t fully aware of the many stress signals that dogs use to communicate.

There are more myths about dogs, but suffice to say that we need to stop believing them all, and take a serious look at what science actually tells us about our dogs.  There are canine cognition studies being undertaken at many major universities across the country, such as Harvard, Barnard College, University of Florida, and Duke University.   My dog, Sioux, has participated in several of the Harvard studies, one of which asks whether dogs have a sense of fairness.  (My guess is that they do.)

People always seem to think they know more about dogs than they know.  If people really knew dogs the way they think they do, then the “top ten predictable behaviors which owners consider problems yet rarely do any preventive training for” as delineated in Jean Donaldson’s “The Culture Clash” would not keep happening.  The first step to better understanding of our canine companions is humility – learn about the myths and stop believing them!  Instead, learn about dog body language, operant conditioning, and ethical dog training.  It’ll make your dog way happier than mythical mumbo jumbo does!

What Do We Have to Do?

I recently conducted an experiment that I suspected would go badly, and that some of my trainer friends suspected would go badly – and it did.  I didn’t test any new training equipment, and I didn’t test any new method of teaching dogs to do a particular behavior.  What I did was invite humans to a workshop on how to find the best dog for their particular lifestyle.   There was absolutely no financial incentive for me to hold this workshop.  In fact, the proceeds, had there been any, were destined as a donation for one of the local shelters in my area that is building a new state of the art shelter, Cape Ann Animal Aid, and that fact was openly disclosed in public service announcements about the workshop.

Given that it’s holiday time, I really didn’t expect a large crowd, but since I know that some families will NOT heed the advice we trainers often give about the inappropriateness of bringing a puppy home for Christmas, or giving a puppy to someone else as a gift without the person’s knowledge, you would think that a few hardy souls would decide that they could learn a bit before signing on the bottom line.  Nope.  The one attendee was a loyal client of mine, who got her dog from a local rescue organization, attended multiple classes, and ended up with a great dog already suited to her lifestyle.  Still, I gave the complete workshop for her (never let it be said that my clients don’t get their money’s worth) and she actually reported to me that she learned a lot, even though she’s not a first time pet owner by any means.    I did this knowing in my heart that if I built it they still would not come, and that left me puzzling about why.  So, I’m appealing to those newbies in the dog owning world who see this blog post to tell me.

What do we trainers have to do to get the word out to you BEFORE you make errors that are so easily prevented?  What do we have to do to get you to understand that you are not “rescuing” anything when you buy a puppy at a pet store, and that you could, instead, be damning a breeding female to a lifetime living in a cage, only to be dumped at the shelter when her breeding days are over?  Is that a system you really want to perpetuate when we could have provided you with a referral to a reputable breeder, no matter what breed you were interested in?

What do we have to do to keep you from buying that beautiful Australian Shepherd when you have three children under the age of 8 who will become the unintended victims of his desire to herd and gather, and who will use a well placed poke or nip to enforce his rules because you are too busy with the kids to train him, or you just thought he’d “grow out of it?”

What do we have to do to keep you from purchasing a “teacup” or that “somethingdoodle” from an Internet puppy mill, and then becoming heartbroken when you find that miniaturizing dogs, or inappropriate random breeding can sometime lead to devastating health issues that can result in huge vet bills after your 72 hour “health guarantee” expires (reputable breeders *always* provide a lifetime guarantee).

What do we have to do to dissuade you from getting that livestock guardian breed when you don’t have sheep, but you do have kids, whose friends may be viewed as “intruders” by the dog, even if he’s the most affectionate dog on the planet with your family?

What do we have to do to stop you from getting a bully breed that is banned from some cities and towns, or apartments, or by insurance companies, before your lifestyle is stable enough (to insure that he won’t be looking for a home in six months or a year when your situation changes so that he won’t end up with the hundreds of others in “open admission” shelters across the country waiting for homes that there simply aren’t enough of)?

What do we have to do to get you to bring your new puppy to class at age ten weeks instead of ten months when they suddenly become doggy teenagers and you can’t take the barking, chewing, digging, or nipping for another minute?

What do we have to do to prevent you from paying through the nose for a “designer dog” whose breeder didn’t bother to show the parents, work the parents, or even have them tested for genetic disorders so that YOUR puppy would have a reasonable chance at a healthy long life and that he would be able to fulfill the dreams you have for him even if the dream is to have a great companion dog?

What do we have to do to get you to DEMAND clearances on your puppy’s parents from OFA, CERF, PennHip, Optigen?

What do we have to do to prevent you from choosing a behaviorally unsound shelter dog because you felt badly for it cowering in the back of its run?

What do we have to do to convince you to call a professional for advice *BEFORE* you shop for your next puppy or dog?

What do we have to do to get you to ask us before you bring home a male Boxer from unknown lines to live with your little male Jack Russell terrier and then they don’t get along when the Boxer matures and turns out to be dog aggressive?

What do we have to do to get you to read the advice in the “What’s Good About ‘em, What’s Bad About ‘em” pages, rather than in the notoriously awful dog breed info sites that are populated by ads for large scale breeders of puppies that are nothing more than livestock to them?  After all, you still don’t have to take our advice when we give it, but we certainly could save you one heck of a lot of heartache in a lot of cases if you do.  You might even learn about a new breed that you didn’t know about before that would be perfect for your family!  Maybe a Lagotto Romagnolo or a Flat Coated Retriever.   Maybe just a Big Fluffy Dog.

Sadly, John and Jane Q. Public, I invited you to my party and you didn’t come.   What do we trainers have to do to get you to accept our invitations?  We care about your dogs more than you know, and our hearts bleed daily for the ones that ended up, through no fault of their own, in the wrong home.  What do we have to do to help you get the best dog for your lifestyle, so that he or she has a “forever home” with you?

Choosing a Good Boarding or Day Care Facility for Your Dog

Clients often ask me where to board their dogs or where to take them for day care services.  While I do keep a “short list” of recommended facilities, it’s a pretty exclusive group of mainly home boarding situations run by long time dog pro’s, so the available spots often fill up very quickly.   So, for those who may need to step out on their own and evaluate a commercial facility, here are the criteria I would use if I were going to search for a place to board one of my own dogs.

1. Is the kennel facility secure?  There should be an extra gate, or door, separating any off leash or kennel area from the main lobby to prevent escapes.

2. Is the facility clean?  No kennel can completely eradicate disease transmission, but they should be able to insure that all reasonable precautions have been taken against the most dangerous organisms.  Floors and fomites should be regularly bleached, or disinfected with a kennel disinfectant, but there should be no residual fumes while dogs are in the facility.   Any dog facility will smell a bit like dog, because many breeds have oils in their skin that get on to surfaces, or the dogs may come in wet, but there should be no odor of stale urine or feces.  Needless to say, the facility should keep a file with the vaccination, or titer, records of all the doggy participants, to insure that they are up to date, especially with the rabies vaccination, which is required by law.

3. Is there an attendant on duty or are dogs left alone for extended periods?  No excuses on this one, folks, even if the dogs are crated separately.  If you are paying for boarding, your dog should not be the only one to hear the smoke alarm if it goes off, nor should he have no one who can respond to a medical emergency, and he should not be left alone in a building known to house expensive dogs, possibly exposing them to theft (according to the American Kennel Club, thefts were up 49% across the nation this year).

4. Is the facility willing to sign an agreement that they will not use choke, prong, or shock collars on your dog?  We have had reports from clients that such equipment was used on their dog without their permission!  Of course, they terminated their relationship with the offending facility, but their dog, who is regularly walked in a head collar, had to experience the pain of a prong without their knowledge, which might have gone on indefinitely had they not made an unannounced visit.  The facility did it as a cost saving measure so that they could walk him with more dogs, and not have to walk him individually.  Surprise visits are good!

5. Ask what training the staff have had in animal behavior.  Someone with credentials should be in a supervisory role, but staff should also be well trained on basic dog body language and behavior, when to intervene as dogs play, and when to let the dogs work things out.  Also, pay attention to how people are speaking to, and interacting with, the dogs.  If all you here is someone screaming dogs’ names, or yelling “No!” don’t leave your dog there.   Be sure that your dog is arriving home tired from safe play, and not from stress!

6. Ask how the facility staff would break up a fight if necessary.  There should be some citronella spray (Spray Shield) or a water supply handy, but if you see spray bottles hanging from every pillar and post, ask why they are there and how they are used.  Ask what methods are used to quell excessive barking.   It shouldn’t be by squirting your dog repeatedly in the face!   Tell the facility that if your dog causes any problem, either by barking excessively, or anything else, that he can be segregated and that you want an immediate phone call, and will come and get him.

7. Dogs should play with dogs that have compatible play styles.  Even if your dog plays with some larger dogs at home, consider restricting the dog to playing with dogs its own size, or only slightly larger, while boarding.  Screening will not always weed out the bullies, and you don’t want your dog victimized by a much larger dog, or becoming the victim of “predatory drift” either.

8. Speaking of screening, do not leave your dog in a facility that allows intact dogs to participate in group play.  While intact male dogs aren’t necessarily aggressive just because they are intact, they sometimes do elicit an aggressive response from other dogs.  Your dog doesn’t need to be in the middle of that.  Neutered males may still fight over a female in heat, too.

9. What about breed restrictions?  My personal comfort level tells me that I would be fine with my big hound playing with dogs of any breed or play style, but my Aussie would find it totally abhorrent to play with any breed of dog which has a typically rough and physical play style.  So, it’s not about prejudice against a particular breed, it’s really about play style, size, strength, and the individual tolerance level of the owners and dogs.   It’s more important to ask how the facility insures that aggressive dogs are screened out, and not which breeds might be screened out.  Aggression happens in all breeds!  The application form you fill out should be extremely detailed when it comes to behavior, and should include info on the dog’s reaction to dogs of both genders, and to human strangers, including children!

10. If the day care uses terminology like “pack walks” or “structured walks” and they are taking dogs off the property for off leash excursions, run for the hills!!!!  We have first hand knowledge of several dogs being lost by their caretakers who were a bit too confident of their abilities (in some cases the dogs were never found – if you are boarding or using day care, please be sure your dog is micro-chipped first!).  Remember, your dog has a relationship with YOU, and even if the dog has a strong recall, he may not come when called by a kennel attendant, especially one who might be irritated or exasperated at not being able to gather everyone up that they left the kennel with.

11. Are the dogs kenneled securely at feeding time?  No dog should EVER be asked to eat in direct proximity to unfamiliar dogs.

12. Does the kennel have a policy about emergency veterinary care for your dog?  If they don’t, or it’s nebulous, don’t leave your dog there.

13. Remember, no one should take it upon themselves to “train” your dog in your absence without your express permission.  We frown on “board and train” or “boot camp” because we’ve found that it is mostly correction-based or harsh training that is described in those terms, and we suggest if you do choose to have your dog trained while boarding, make sure the trainer is a member of a professional group committed to positive training, such as Truly Dog Friendly, KPCT, VSPDT.  Don’t ask what the dog will be able to do when you get back to pick him up.  Ask what equipment and specifically what method will be used.  If you hear any of the following words, run for the hills and take your dog with you:  dominance, guarantee, control or remote collar, pack leader, balanced.  The buzz words you WANT to hear are: marker or clicker training, positive reinforcement, lure/reward, science-based or progressive reinforcement.

14. Be sure the facility is bonded and insured.  Also, if they are sending a dog walker to your home, be certain that they also carry “care, custody and control” coverage.

 

For more information see the following:

ASPCA Day Care Article

About Choosing a Trainer

Pet Sitters International

 

 

A Baker’s Dozen of Holiday Hazards

Here’s a list of the things I hope everyone will remember at holiday time, so that their dogs all remain safe and happy.

1. Cooked bones are dangerous.

2. Fatty turkey skin, and gravy can cause pancreatitis.  Don’t allow guests or kids to feed Fido the scraps.  If you want him to enjoy the meal, cut up a few pieces of turkey white meat and place on top of his regular dinner.

3. Guests, or kids, might leave doors open accidentally.  Be sure you know where your dog is, and contain him in a safe area if necessary – don’t let him get lost.

4. If you are baking, be aware that dough made with yeast can expand in your dog’s stomach and cause huge problems.  Keep dough out of your dog’s reach.

5. If your dog seems ill, but your vet is closed, there are emergency vet clinics that will be open – have the number handy in advance.  Do NOT medicate your dog with human medications without consulting a vet.  Some seemingly harmless ones, such as naproxen, can kill your dog very quickly.

6. Your car may be in good repair, but a guest’s car could leak antifreeze.  Keep your dog away from guests’ cars or the driveway until you know it’s safe.   Use only non-toxic ice melt products on your walk ways.  Keep the Animal Poison Control Center number handy by the phone: 1-888-4ANI-HELP

7. Make sure your dog can escape the hubbub.  Some people think that dogs should have to put up with the attention of anyone who wants to interact with them, but they can get overstimulated or grouchy.  The way to keep kids safe is to keep the dog safe!  So, give Fido a break now and then, and don’t let well meaning people overdo the attention.

8. Well meaning people may give you plants, chocolate, or other gift items.  Keep gifts up and away from pets, just in case there are edibles inside that they shouldn’t have.

9. Cleaning products can leave a residue that is harmful to pets.  One safer product to use, for example, is the Libman Freedom mop, which is made in the USA, and instead of chemicals, you can use vinegar and water in the reservoir.  Makes my tile floor shine with no streaks!

10. Be sure your pet wears his collar and ID tag at all times.  If your pet is microchipped, be sure that you have registered the tag to you with the company so that you can be found if he gets lost!

11. Make sure the trash can is secure and the dog cannot access it.  Things like baking string, foil, or plastic wrap can cause huge problems if ingested by an animal.

12. If you are visiting with your pet, make sure he’s wearing a proper harness that he cannot get out of, and consider hooking a leash the harness and another leash to the collar.  Any dog, when frightened, can slip a collar, and you don’t want your dog lost in an unfamiliar place.

Check out these pages for more ideas on keeping your dog safe at holiday time:

http://www.ygrr.org/doginfo/safety-holidays.html

http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/vmnews/23-3/vmnews23-3p05.pdf