Can Dogs Display Seasonal Affective Disorder?

I am not convinced that dogs can display Seasonal Affective Disorder. While dogs are affected by seasonal changes, meaning changes in duration of light and day, I have never seen a dog affected like humans and I have never read a study confirming that dogs have SAD.

Instead, I believe dogs mirror the mood states of their owners, and some owners see what they want to see. I also have considerable experience in changing how dogs feel, and light therapy has not been on the menu yet! Contrast this with more studies that are being done regarding red light therapy for inflammation and immune responses.

 

I was interviewed for my opinion on this topic. I have written before about Photoperiodism so I was ready for this. Prior to answering, I consulted the many textbooks in my library on this topic just to make sure I wasn’t missing anything. While anything is possible, that doesn’t meant everything is probable. Where is the evidence? I can’t find a reliable study.

 

Furthermore, I lived in Seattle most of my life and worked with many dogs throughout the seasons. While I did meet people who felt the effects of being in the dark days there (it rains 9 months of the year), I never saw a dog that was SAD.

 

Here is the article at Apartment Guide showing varying opinions, including mine: Can Dogs Get Seasonal Depression? Yes: Here’s How to Care for Them. 

Martingale Dog Collars

"According to them what had happened was someone came to pick up their dog and their dog looked similar to mine. So they brought out my dog and when my dog saw that it wasn't me or my mom, I guess she got scared. She backed out of their leash and was able to get past everybody and ran out the store," Booher said.

I believe every dog should be wearing a no slip collar of some sort when in public. If you don’t know where to start consider getting a Martingale dog collar (affiliate link with Amazon). This kind of thing happens all too regularly… dog gets scared, backs out of a loose buckle collar, and takes off. These things can be prevented. 

 

I’m not a fan of harnesses. I’ve seen many dogs easily back out of them and get loose. Well trained dogs are on leashes and collars, not harnesses. 

Full disclosure: A reminder, I earn a small percentage from items sold through my Amazon affiliate links

Boston Dog Attack

"They bark all day. They aren't really socialized. They were always behind the gate, I mean fence. They weren't particularly friendly, but they were always behind the fence."

 

This quote pretty much sums up the conditions that often lead up to serious dog attacks. Big dogs, especially, need management, training, early puppy socialization, and proper containment. If these elements are missing, then any stimulation of fear can set those dogs off. 

 

Most dog tragedies can be prevented. Most of the clues were obvious. It doesn't help much if the clues aren't pieced together before the attacks. 

Plan accordingly. 

Can A Dog Trainer Ensure 100% Performance?

Should a dog trainer claim that they can train a dog to do something the same way, again and again, 100% of the time? We see these types of guarantees in the marketing materials of trainers all over the world.

All behavior, and all learned skills, are to be measured by their probabilities rather than by an on/ off guarantee. Even the simplest examples of instinctual behaviors never run at 100%. They vary. The same is true with all learned responses. They are never going to be 100%. 

 

So, what is the value in training and behavior modification? The potential value is in the percentage change from what is to what might be. The more you train something correctly, the better it should get. Part of the effect is that trained responses are parsimonious, meaning that they trend towards the least expenditure of energy over time. That makes them appear more and more consistent in form, duration, intensity, mood state, and other such results. For example, a sloppy Sit will look better over time, even if you aren’t the greatest dog trainer in the world.

 

This is why I would not take even the most highly trained dog into any situation without realizing that sometimes dogs won’t perform exactly as intended, even under ideal conditions. It is why dogs need human supervision (and we will also make “mistakes” because we are variable ourselves). This doesn’t mean you can’t ever take a dog off leash or work a dog to do some important tasks. What it does mean is that the handler/ owner needs to accept that dogs are not machines (and even machines have a statistical variability of performance). 

 

Thus, supervise your dogs. Keep them on leash, especially in distracting environments. Increase the desired response rates as high as is necessary for the required tasks. Work up the percentages before doing off leash work in the real world. But recognize there is no 100%.

 

And realize you aren’t perfect, either. 

Prenatal Dog Behavior Training?

An interesting experiment was performed on prenatal children. Prior to birth, music was transmitted to the child through the mother’s skin. A sound device was placed on her tummy and a familiar pop song was played. 

 

After the child was born, they played that same song to the baby. When the song was played the child was calmer and cried less in the nursery. The effect lasted a couple of weeks and is now used in some hospitals as a way of calming the newborns. 

 

There are similar studies that have been performed on a variety of species, such as birds that are primed to learn their songs from their mothers before hatching. Other studies have involved tactile stimulation of the beaks and necks of chicks prior to hatching and the effects when they became adults. 

 

Epigenetics is interesting stuff. 

 

I do know that stressed dog dams can produce more easily stressed offspring. Thus, there is good reason to ensure that the mothers are put in emotionally stable homes while pregnant, and possibly before being pregnant. But I also wonder if there are other things that could be done, in terms of imprinting, prior to the birth of the puppies. I haven’t done any research to see if any studies have been performed. 

 

If you are aware of any such studies, please link them here. I’d love to read them. 

Dogs And Wolves

I think it is a mistake for dog trainers to use too many wolf examples to explain dog behavior. Canis familiaris (the domestic dog) is not Canis lupus (the gray wolf). The idea that the dog is a domesticated version of the wolf has never been proven. It is a theory. There is no way to test that theory, even with genetic samples taken from frozen tundra samples found in permafrost or buried dogs in caves. 

The behavioral set of the wolf is significantly different from the dog. You can’t make conclusions about dog behavior from observing wolf behavior, and furthermore, the amount of actual study of wolves is sparse. A lot of what we rely upon about wolves comes from a handful of naturalists and much of it has never been tested.

 

There is the assumption of homology regarding the physiology of the wolf and dog. That is more easily tested. And then an assumption of homology regarding the behaviors of the wolf and dog, but that is not so easily tested. The way I use wolf behavior to illustrate dog behavior is to use analogy, not homology. Since we can’t go back in history and observe the development of the dog, if that is what happened, it is a too far a stretch to assume that the dog was a human creation derived from the wolf.

 

If you treat a wolf like a dog, you are going to have trouble. If you try to treat a dog like a wolf, you are also going to have trouble. Even street dogs don’t behave, as a group, like a wolf pack. The differences between a dog and wolf are as different as they with a Canis latrans (the coyote). They are all canines, but not the same. 

 

Treating dogs as wolves has led to the “dog whisperer” phenomenon, which has no basis in even the rudimentary knowledge anyone can absorb by reading some texts on wolf and dog behavior. 

 

Dogs aren’t wolves. Stop trying to make them equivalent.

Can Dogs Smell Cancer?

Does cancer have an odor? Pet owners tell amazing stories of dogs sniffing out disease and saving their lives

I have an interesting story about this. I used to do dog rescue volunteering with a friend. She is a nurse. One day, she asked me to smell a dog. She wanted me to compare the smell of one dog compared to other dogs of the same breed on her property. 

 

This one dog had a bad smell. The other dogs, all unrelated but of the same breed, had a different but common scent. My friend said that human cancer patients had a bad smell like this dog, and she wondered if this dog had cancer. 

 

I have never forgotten this and sometimes I sniff a dog as a clue to if a dog might have a medical problem. 

Off Leash Dogs In City Parks?

La Cañada Flintridge officials say that they are launching an initiative with Pasadena Humane to educate residents about the city’s leash laws after an uptick in reports of dogs off leashes at Mayor’s Discovery Park. 

I accept that off leash dogs can be a hazard in suburban and urban areas. I also get that more FENCED off leash opportunity areas could be created throughout urban and suburban communities to address public concerns. The difference between my solution and traditional off leash parks is a matter of scale. Small off leash parks are a formula for conflict. I don't like them. 

 

Any time you concentrate animals in a confined area there is increased risk of fights. That is true for so many animals, from fish to birds to mammals, it is considered accepted science. This is why I don’t encourage my students to use off leash parks. Go to one for a few hours tonight, and you will see at least one actual or threatened dog fight. These parks are unnatural, and they are not suitable for most dogs. Yes, some dogs do fine, but many can’t use them. 

 

Contrast this with my idea. There are areas in all cities with large areas that aren’t suitable for development but are large and varied in terrain. Often, they are occupied by people living in tents, lean-tos, campers, or other improvised living situations. They are often dangerous, with hazardous people and hazardous substances. They are too filthy to take your family. Imagine instead putting a large fence around the entire area, putting in walking paths, and allowing pet owners to use these areas for recreation and allowing off leash dogs. Certain areas could be segregated for active, small, or low activity dogs. This has been done on a smaller scale in some cities. Bring in the dogs, out goes the bad elements, down goes the crime. It is a win for the city. 

 

It is amazing to me how the public in many cities have become desensitized to seeing homeless people living in the streets, often high and dangerous. How can they just look away? How can they not make sure these people are not taken advantage of? How can they tolerate the crime and filth? Whatever happened to teaching the tale of the Good Samaritan? Changing the use of these properties, as I propose, could be an easy partial step to cleaning up these blighted areas and forcing these people out of these situations. It would also not be a large burden on first responders since the presence of the public would be a deterrent to this blight. People care for things that they care about. Once people care about these areas, they will naturally want them properly managed. My idea is cheaper than allowing the blight and homeless situation to remain as is. It is also cheaper than funneling money to these non-profit groups that suck up tax dollars to pay their executives to go to fancy dinners in their limos while pretending to do good for the community. 

 

So, these cities don’t have an off-leash problem. They have a poor land use problem. 

 

Fix that. The dogs and their owners will be glad to help.

Veterinarian Suicide Risks Are Real

Vet, 35, took his own life using drugs to euthanize pets after growing upset at wealthy clients asking to put their animals down, inquest hears

I’ve been warning about this for years. Especially regarding shelter vets killing dogs for space. Humans are not programmed to kill anything without a just reason. You can’t call it “euthanasia” when you know that healthy and normal pets are being killed to make room for more healthy and normal pets. 

 

Take heed… and reform your operations… 

Dog Training: No Substitute For Time

It takes years to understand dogs. Years. You call yourself a "master dog trainer" when you've only been doing this for a year? Sorry. Don't buy it.

Look up the word, "ontogenesis". It means an organisms development from conception to the last day of life. Along the way, the organism encounters various stimuli, both internal and external, which shape that development. Different stimuli have different effects at different stages of development. It takes time to not only study these effects but also to witness many of them with many dogs. Some of what you need to learn can come from books, but even more comes from witnessing this process, seeing what goes right and what goes wrong. Some of it can be medical, such as when a puppy has an adverse reaction to vaccines and what might result in terms of future behavior. Some of it can be experiences at crucial times that can enhance what the puppy will become as an adult. Some of it is witnessing what happens when the wrong experiences happen, or when experiences happen at the wrong time, and how that affects the resulting adult. And then there are the wide range of traumas that can happen along the way.

Then, do you know what questions you should be asking? What clues you should be looking for if you don't know the entire history? Or what recommendations should be made along the way, especially if things are going wrong?

I think humility goes a long way in the dog training world. It is OK to be a beginner. It is OK that you aren't a world expert yet. My main recommendation is to not get ahead of your knowledge and address topics and problems that you aren't ready to handle. Dog training is a career, not just a job. 

Sometimes Dog Training Feels Just Right

So, I was just listening to Joe Bonamassa Official - "Just Got Paid" - Tour de Force: Royal Albert Hall on YouTube. The song just feels right… hard to describe, but you know it when you hear something like that.

Sometimes a dog that I’m working with also just feels right. There are dogs that are just like that. It all goes right. They rock. They roll. Sometimes it is that you are working with a very talented dog. Sometimes it is a dog that you have built with a lot of careful and progressive training that has come together perfectly.

 

There are special moments when training dogs, and these encounters are a joy. 

 

I was working with a little fluffy dog today. We have only done a few lessons so far, but he is very promising, and I left the lesson feeling very good. Love that attitude, that smile. He is one of those dogs that is going to have to be built, but all of the pieces seem to be there. There is another dog I'm working with that is also very promising, a Spanish Water Dog. I like him a lot. I'm looking to put the pedal to the metal with him soon and see what is under the hood. I don't think I'll be disappointed. 

Old Dogs Including Mike Tyson

The Tyson fight shows that old boxers like him should not get back in the ring. 

It also reminded me of considerations for working old dogs. Old dogs, especially after 10 years of age, are fragile. I have turned down training requests for older dogs. They break, even doing simple stuff. 

Animal Control Budget Cuts Will Harm Dogs. Can Chicago Get Any Worse?

Lopez said the City Council budget committee received a letter three weeks ago from the acting director of Animal Care and Control, stating that public animal intake was being cut from seven hours per day to four. This is despite an annual increase of 1,800 strays and surrenders at department headquarters.

Chicago is a corrupt, mismanaged, garbage city. There is no excuse. None at all. Everyone knows it. I could go on and on about what is wrong, but I’m sure you probably already know a lot of it. It isn't for a lack of money.

 

And the animals suffer. I was born in Illinois, so I know a bit about the town’s history. 

 

My suggestion if you have a dog: Move somewhere else.

Dogs, Mike Tyson and Jake Paul

What does your dog think about the prize fight tonight?

Dogs don't care about the fight, silly.

I am for Team Tyson, however. Hope he doesn't get hurt. 

Is Your Dog Safe Behind Your Fence?

“They either dug under the fence or broken the fence and got into my yard and attacked her in her yard,” said Longcor, who was not home at the time of the attack.

 

Is your dog safe in your yard from attack by neighborhood dogs? Go look at your fencing and see if it can withstand a similar incident. 

Wales, Leave The Dogs Out Of It

Have you heard about the group in Wales proposing banning dogs (Welsh government to ban dogs from the countryside to make it less 'racist')?

"The reason why dog-free areas would help tackle racism is not explained in the report, which will be used by the government to 'support policy teams' that are 'developing and implementing' Wales' anti-racist plans."

Hey folks, leave the dogs out of this debate. I don't even know what this argument is about, but it isn't about dogs. Dogs have been the scapegoats of political movements again and again. It never solves the underlying problems, but it does hurt the dogs. 

UPDATE: There are 5 breeds of dog that originated in Wales... 1.) Welsh Corgi; 2.) Welsh Terrier; 3.) Welsh Sheepdog; 4.) Welsh Springer Spaniel: and 5.) Sealyham Terrier. 

Dogs And Photoperiodism

Do dogs have significant seasonal changes in behavior, especially in mood state, like people? I was asked this question recently, so I figured it was a good topic for a blog post. 

 

Photoperiodism is an animal's response to changes in the length of day and night. For example, there are known 24-hour hormonal cycles. The seasonal change in light exposure affects the somewhat timed expressions of melatonin and cortisol, so when the sun goes up or down these cycles are modified. In addition, the nervous system and bodily organs also have a coordinated circadian rhythm system that is affected by seasonal changes in light exposure. Disruptions to these systems can affect not only behavior but health and mortality. Female dogs go into heat based partly upon seasonal changes in light exposure, and when the females go into heat, they can display changes in mood state. Dogs and humans are affected by these changes in seasonal light exposure rhythms, both physical and behavioral, but the changes in dogs aren't going to be the same as they are for humans or other species. And every species needs to be seen as having unique responses to changes in seasons. There have been some studies on rodents showing increased aggression with varying light exposures in the laboratory. But we can't then assume that would happen in nature or in the same manner for the same biological reasons with other species. 

 

Sometimes there are defects in these systems. I have run across a handful of dogs that appeared to have a sort of "sundowner syndrome", also suspected by their veterinarians. One dog would dramatically change his behavior at night, not only was he more aggressive but there were other changes like symptoms of anxiety and restlessness. Could it be that there was another explanation for those changes? Sure. Maybe bad things had happened to him when the sun went down, and he became more suspicious. But, as I recall, there were other symptoms that looked medical. Those physical symptoms might have been a stress side effect. Unfortunately, most veterinarians do not have access to the experimental data, or the time or expertise to test dogs like this to give a definitive diagnosis.

 

I have heard it suggested that the reason there could be more reported dog bite and fight cases in the summer is because of these seasonal changes. Regarding seasonality of dog bite/ fight cases, we should also consider the influence of changes in human management of their dogs during the summer. Such changes could be that some dogs are more often placed in public competitive situations with other dogs in warm weather, whereas in the winter the dogs are more likely at home and less likely to encounter strange dogs. 

 

Intact female dogs will behave differently when in heat. They can be more irritable, restless, lethargic, and have changes in appetite. I've also seen female dogs act in ways that we would call "needy" with their human families and more "motherly" with their toys. Males that are near females in heat are also going to behave differently.

 

Photoperiodism effects on dog behavior haven't been thoroughly studied, but there are enough generalities to make some suggestions. Yes, if you look closely, you might see seasonal changes in your dogs, especially if they are intact or near intact dogs. They will also be affected by how we change how we manage them seasonally, and our mood states during those seasons. If you are stressed during seasonal holidays, for example, you can anticipate your dog might be influenced by your changes in attitude, schedule, resource provision, social interactions and management. On the other hand, most of this will run on automatic and there will be only a few things you might want to do differently if you are witnessing any noticeable changes in your dog. Thus, if your female is in heat, keep her away from intact male dogs; other female dogs in heat may make her cranky and trigger a fight; she isn't going to want male dogs messing with her if she isn't ready to breed; give her some fun time and play with her; and allow her to complete the cycle without hassling her. If your male dog is around females in heat, you'll need to more intensely supervise him since male dogs will do Olympian feats to get to those females; be more cautious of the potential for your dog to escape your home; and prevent fights between nearby intact male dogs. In summertime, you might want to be more selective where you take your dog, assuming that other dogs might not be as well managed, trained or socialized as your dog. 

 

I generally don't find these changes to be all that difficult to manage. I've had female dogs in heat in the home. It's not that big of a deal, except for the clean up being a bit if a nuisance. I've had friends who bred dogs, and for them, it was more of an effort since they had to take sometimes extraordinary steps to keep the males away from the females in heat, and to prevent or break up fights. This is all part of owning a dog. I'm not convinced that dogs suffer from seasonal affective disorder. My current opinion is that what owners are seeing is a reflection of themselves and how they are feeling and how that interpretation influences their dogs.

 

Seasonal changes are going to happen, and it is best to anticipate what might happen.

UPDATE: My opinion on this topic was quoted in this article: Can Dogs Get Seasonal Depression? Yes: Here’s How to Care for Them: “I’m not convinced that dogs suffer from seasonal affective disorder.” Sam Basso of Sam The Dog Trainer starts, “I am convinced, however, that dogs can mirror the feelings of their owners. So, assuming your dog is in good medical condition, and you observe your dog feeling low, master the concept of changing your dog’s mood state. In other words, what can you do to make your dog happy? It first starts with you.” 

 

Dog Training Discovery

When I work with a student, my goal is to not just have them follow an habitual pattern of exercises. Instead, I prefer to set up just right challenges to allow them to discover how best to know and interact with their dogs. I find it is better to let this happen so that they own what they discover rather than just putting them through routines. It is also better for their dogs. The best dog training is about a relationship between the dog and owner, not a forced set of exercises.  

When my students can work their dog in a public location, and a crowd forms around to watch and later come up and complement them, they have discovered the right relationship with their dog.

New Puppy Housetraining

The MOST important lesson you can teach a new puppy is to be clean in the home. This is also the lesson that many people mess up and do damage to their puppies.

If you think that punishment is the way to go, then you are going to have problems. That's not the way to do it.

Why Is Dog Behavior So Hard To Understand?

I was speaking with a new student yesterday who was trying to understand why so many trainers use different approaches. In her case, she has an under-socialized young adult dog that is fearful of new people and new situations...

Happy Veterans Day

All gave some, some gave all.

That includes the K9s… 

No Puppy Socialization

I work with way too many dogs that were not socialized as puppies. Life is hard for these dogs, afraid of life and difficult to turn around. Some of these dogs need as much as 2 years of solid work in order to have a somewhat normal life. 

I think lack of socialization is the primary reason why so many dogs remain unadaptable in rescue shelters. I recommend a primary public relations push to educate the public about the need for, and methods to, socialize all young puppies under 12 weeks of age.