Dogs And One Idea

It isn't unusual that some dog problems just need one new good idea. 

I've seen that countless times.

Plan accordingly.  

What Do Dogs Do With Their Time?

Have you ever considered what dogs do with their time? Their activities can be divided into two types. They are either 1.) “looking” to satisfy their biological needs or avoid danger; or 2.) processing and making adaptive responses to the stimuli they internally generate or encounter along the way... (MORE)

Dogs And Learning Curves

German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus (1885) came up with the concept of a “learning curve” while studying the effects of repeated performances of a task and its effect on memory. Generally, the more an activity is practiced, the more likely it will be remembered and repeated. Thus, you could plot the increased performance on a Cartesian graph, with one plane, call it the X axis representing the number of learning repetitions, and the other plane, call it the Y axis, representing the correctly performed repetitions, and a line that slopes upwards between the two axes representing the improved performance of that skill over time. Similarly, Ebbinghaus postulated a “forgetting curve”, which showed the opposite effect, which shows the down sloping curve, representing the deterioration of the skill when practice stops over time... (MORE)

Dogs And Christmas Safety

Can you ensure the safety of your dogs during Christmas? 

For example, are relatives bringing their dogs over to your place?

 

Are all your relatives good with your dogs? 

 

Have you sent out rules to parents with kids as to how to treat your dogs? Are you sure that everyone will treat your dogs safely?

 

Have you a plan for securing your escape points, such as the front door and side gates, including rules for everyone?

 

What about keeping the dogs out of the presents and wrapping paper?

 

What about the cat? Have you got a plan to keep your cat safe from your dogs?

 

Have you a plan to keep forbidden foods from your dogs?

 

How about the plan for potentially poisonous plants?

 

If you are taking your dogs with you to someone else’s house, have you a similar set of plans and rules? And do you have non-slip collars (such as a Martingale collar) and leashes for all the dogs as they ride in the car and go from car to house and back again?

 

IF NOT…

 

Plan accordingly… NOW 

Preparing Dogs For Babies

I found out that some past students, husband and wife, are expecting a baby! That’s awesome news. They are going to be great parents.

Good thing they have diligently trained both of their small dogs. I don’t foresee any problems at all.

 

I see way too many couples wait until the last months to figure out they need to do something with their dogs before the baby arrives. 

 

Look, you are going to have your hands full those first couple of months after delivery. Getting your dogs ready well in advance makes plenty of sense. 

 

Plan accordingly. 

Dogs And Anticipation

We set a lot of dogs up for failure by building unrealistic expectations about our dogs and in our dogs. An anticipation is a learned, sustained belief in some kind of good or bad outcome. So, let’s take that apart... 

Christmas Puppies

YES, it is GOOD to get a Christmas Puppy. It is also GOOD to adopt an ADULT DOG. 

IF you want a dog, and will provide a commitment to a good life for that dog... don't be a GRINCH, go for it!

Dogs And Managed Intake Animal Control Shelters

The latest fad in animal control operations is selling the public on the idea of "managed intake", meaning the shelter only takes in a certain amount of animals, and tells the public if they find strays to either hold them or release them back onto the streets. The rationale has even gone so far to say that most animals find their way back home if you let them loose. 

Do you really believe that?

Is managed intake is a moral solution? Is it an excuse not to modernize and improve operations?

Is it a sick joke, especially for lost dogs and desperate owners? What if stray dog populations are exploding across the country? Even when state laws mandate the intake of strays by animal control, is it moral to find ways of working around those laws with administrative rules?

Are there not other solutions? Aren't there professionals who have the management skills to turn this around? Is it easier to cover up problems and avoid the pain of reforms while at the same time collecting paychecks that somehow confirm incompetency and the ability to cover up what is really wrong? We should also be asking if this another reason why they can't keep volunteers, often those who complain when they see these atrocities. Is it easier to just shut them up? Is it easier to build bigger shelters that are really just great big warehouses to process euthanasias? 

Just my humble opinion... managed intake is an ineffective and inhumane answer.

Plan accordingly. 

Why Should You Train Puppies?

What have I seen regarding the differences, other than physical, between puppies and adult dogs? When I evaluate a puppy, or any dog, I am looking at the cumulative past experience that dog has had, which will be the interplay between innate abilities, maturity, and acquired learning. 

Dog Training And Suppression

I see way too many dog training programs that rely on suppressing everything that makes a dog a dog. 

For example, novice dog training classes that are focused on immobilizing dogs on a dog cot. Or classes that focus primarily on forcing dogs to do long Down Stays and leash walking, all based upon using Negative Reinforcement and Punishment. 

I had a student with a 12 week old puppy. The significant other decided the puppy was too active, so they sent the pup to a board and train program that focused upon the above. Yes, the dog came back less active. But was that fair to a young puppy? Can't be a puppy, just needs to lay there and not do anything?

I do not support the idea of trying to make a puppy act like an old dog. Something is wrong when people want this result, and something is wrong with a dog trainer that would agree to do that with a puppy.... IMHO... 

Plan accordingly. 

Australian Cattle Dogs?

I get the most interesting stories from students that have Australian Cattle Dogs. They are super smart. You hear about crazy stuff they figure out. I like them.

They aren't everyone's cup of tea, however. Do your homework. Some can be quite suspicious of strangers, and that might not work for your lifestyle and home. 

Dogs And Tolman's Cognitive Maps

In 1948, Edward Tolman proposed the idea of cognitive maps. The concept was that the brain learned about spacial relationships, such as navigating a maze, without reinforcement. Such talk at the time, was considered heresy by the S-R (stimulus-response) crowd, and his work was forgotten. Eventually, scientists took a second look at his ideas and decided they were quite relevant. 

 

Here is the basic idea. Take a population of rats, put them each in mazes and let them look around. Later, take each of those rats, put them at any entry of the maze, and let them figure out that in a certain room in the maze, there is food. Take a second population of rats, put them in mazes they have never been in before, and let them figure out that in a certain room, there is food. Now have the rats enter other doorways to the same mazes and have them find the room with the food. Result? The rats that had the chance to look around first learned to finish the mazes faster. Some of the second group of rats never learned how to navigate the maze test.

 

Why is this important? Because the S-R crowd said all learning required some kind of reinforcement first. Reward for going this way, punishment for going that way. The map idea meant that an animal could learn about an area without needing reinforcement to find their way.

 

Now, a real-world example. I think I have all the details correctly remembered. A student of mine took her dog for a regular 1-mile walk to a nearby park frequently. One day, at the park, she tied the dog's leash to a chair and went into a building to buy an ice cream treat. While she was in there, something startled the dog, it moved, the chair fell over, that startled her, and she ran off. She saw her dog running away with the chair bouncing along behind her. She tried calling her to Come, but she was too afraid. The chair eventually became untangled from the leash, but the dog kept running. 

 

The owner was in a panic as she ran after her dog, but try as she could, she was too fast, and she lost her. The owner looked all over the park. Discouraged, she went home. Her dog was at her front door. This dog had not only run across the park at an angle that the dog had never walked before, but it had also run across a very busy road, and through her neighborhood, and made it home. 

 

That dog, I'm 100% convinced, had developed a mental map of the area and that facilitated how that dog got home. 

 

This idea of mental maps is why I am a big advocate for taking your dog for walks all over your neighborhood. Think of it this way. If it was relatively safe to allow your dog to roam the neighborhood, your dog would most likely come home every day. They would know the neighborhood. Outdoor cats do this all the time. In suburban and urban areas, it isn't safe to do this, but a dog can still develop a mental map of where they live. I also believe that these walks shouldn't be like a military parade in which the dog can only just be glued to the owner's side and not have a chance to sniff and look around as you take a walk. 

 

Does this guarantee that your dog will find its way back home if it gets out the door? I can't guarantee that. But I do believe it probably increases the probability they can do so. I also think there are some exercises you can do with dogs to help them find home, such as off leash nature walks, tracking/ trailing training, hunting dog work, and some special obedience work (especially in the neighborhood). If a dog has never had a chance to discover how to find you, that hinders them. And if a dog has never had a chance to explore the neighborhood, I think the chances of them returning on their own are even less likely.

 

I had a second student that had something similar happen. In this case, the front door was left open by her roommate. Her little white fluffy dog got out into the neighborhood. We had been doing exercises prior to that in the lessons for her dog to find her. She called her dog several times, kept calling. The dog came home. She saw her pop her head around a corner over a block away, and it ran to her. I think all of this contributed to helping her dog come back. 

 

Something to consider. 

 

Both dogs were fine in the end. The first dog was a bit shaken up, but a few days of fun and the dog was back to normal. The second dog hadn't been through such a traumatic event, so there wasn't a need to help her recover.

Another French Bulldog Theft

Surveillance footage captured the dog-napping in action, and Jason Bitonio is now using it to publicly ask the thieves to bring home the 12-year-old French bulldog – no questions asked.

Got one? Thieves want it. 

 

Plan accordingly.

Dogs And Falconry

I have studied dogs for a long time. Before I started training dogs professionally, I would check out library books about dogs… dog history, uses, breeding, breeds, training (of course), fiction stories, and such. I also purchased (and sometimes lost) a lot of dog related books and materials over the years.

But, even with all of that, there is no way I could, or anyone could, know everything about dogs. So, I was interested when my YouTube feed showed me a video about hunting small game using dogs and falcons. I didn’t know that was a thing. I picked up a few interesting details, such as types of dogs. For example, some dogs might be vulnerable to a large raptor. The bird might be a danger to the dog. Didn’t consider that. There was a discussion of this person’s preferred breeds. I was surprised a bit on the choices. That was also interesting. Then I found some other videos of hunters using other bird species with dogs. All very fascinating.

 

In AZ, small dogs are at risk of being attacked by large birds, such as owls and hawks. But in other parts of the world, there are some very large bird species used for hunting that could take down an animal much larger than just a small dog or large rabbit. So, one of these birds could most likely kill a German Shepherd sized dog. That's amazing.

 

I haven’t studied if you need to raise the dogs and birds together from a young age to get them to accept one another. I’m guessing that plays a role. I’m sure there are other things you must do for the dog to not mess with or hurt the bird, and vice versa.

 

I know dogs have been used to hunt game for centuries, same with birds. In modern society, we don’t see much of that. In fact, city folk try to ban hunting using dogs. Ignorant people detached from nature. But in the Old World, hunting is still practiced the old ways. It is clearly a specialty, probably taught old style from father to son. I'm sure you couldn’t successfully hunt this way without experience and learning, and I'm guessing there aren't such classes at the local box pet store in those rural areas! I might take some time to learn more. Not that I’m planning on hunting with a dog and a bird, but to understand the dynamics involved. I don’t know what I might uncover, some new insight that would be useful for what I do. 

 

Go check it out. Very interesting (to a dog enthusiast like me).

Renewal Of Dog Problems In Bad Home Environments

A person lives in a bad home environment, then leaves to get their life sorted out and live with another family that is loving and functional, our they kick out a bad person to get their life together. In the bad environment, this person was not at their best on many levels. In the new safe environment, they make healthy and appropriately adaptive changes, and the goodness happens. They then go back to living in that bad home environment, there is a good chance they will relapse into old behaviors that they never wanted to experience again. 

Part of changing from a bad home environment is setting up new ways of doing things. Good behaviors are possible and then rewarded appropriately. The other part is the new context in which these new ways are practiced. However, the context of any living situation greatly influences the success or failure of any such program. Thus, if you take someone who has changed for the better, and put them back into a bad situation, the old ways are very likely going to come back. In a similar way, if you bring someone into your home that has a lot of problems, they can undo all the good in your home.

An old saying talks about not putting new wine into old wine bottles. That destroys the new wine.

Likewise, let's say you take a dog out of a bad home situation, train the dog properly, and get everything sorted out. Now, put that dog back into that bad home situation, and all those fears, anxieties, bouts of aggression, obnoxious behaviors and actions, are all likely to sprout up again. Or, you take a well trained and adjusted dog, and bring in a bad influence, whether a dog or person, that has significant unresolved problems and you will most likely see your dog deteriorate and your family have lots of problems. This is partly why I am not a supporter of board and train programs because what might work at the trainer's facility doesn't necessarily carry over if the dog is put back into a home where the original conditions haven't changed for the better, or a new bad influence has come into the home, and the residents don't have the combined skills, motivation or care to treat the dog differently. 

Plan accordingly. 

Five Years Prison Time For A Dog Attack?

Morris' five loose dogs attacked and killed Stanley Hartt, 64, of Tucumcari as he walked near Mesalands Community College in February 2023.

There is a serious stray dog problem in many metro areas across the country. Some of these dogs don't have an owner. Some do. 

Let your dogs run stray? It's not smart. 

The owner is now going to prison for 5 years. 

Plan accordingly. 

The $100,000 Dog

Ever since I got into dogs, I've seen breeders tout their Elite Jedi Master Of The Universe Superhero Executive Protection Dog®, or some other such nonsense. They offer to sell these dogs for astronomical amounts. 

For the ones I've checked out... uh... what is going to happen one day when this dog doesn't do what it is claimed, someone dies, and the dog turns out to be the equivalent of a walking carpet? 

Dogs And "Shadow Syndromes"

Dog owners often don’t detect that their dogs are suffering from low levels of fear, stress, or anxiety. 

About 20 years ago, a friend gave me a book called Shadow Syndromes, by John Ratey. While the book was about humans, I could see the applicability of the concept to dogs. Often mood and emotional states are running just under the surface. I envision it kind of like a submarine, you usually don’t see one as it glides under the surface of the ocean… but it is still there. But occasionally, it will poke up its periscope above the surface of the water. Similarly, dogs can be experiencing fear, stress or anxiety, often undetected by their owners, veterinarians, or trainers. Except those occasions when it pops up more visibly in terms of behavior problems. 

 

The problem is that behavior problems are the result, but are often undiagnosed or misinterpreted, and are just considered actions that need to be punished. But the punishments never work, and the problems continue.

 

This is why it is important to get a sufficient background on a dog before testing a remedy. You must look for clues, test the dog, and track the results. 

 

I saw a couple of dogs like this over the weekend. In one case, a German Shepherd Dog that is chasing his tail. The other, a young Rottweiler that can’t seem settle down and is a nuisance in the home. There is more going on in these cases, and I explained that the reason their corrections weren’t working was because they aren’t getting at the root cause of what they are seeing.

 

Dogs can’t figure this out for themselves. Dog owners are the ones who are supposed to pursue answers to odd behaviors, often requiring them to get expert advice.

Dogs And Seattle

"Pepe and I are all each other has and I can't get over the look in Pepe's eyes when the dude was running and Pepe was looking back at me in total fear," said Holder Monday back at the scene of the crime Broadway and Republican." It's my best friend, loyal, loves me...she is all I have...it's like kidnapping."

Seattle man stole a dog from the owner in Seattle.

 

Seattle used to be considered the Emerald City. It was gorgeous, safe, fun, adventurous, innovative. Now, it is a crime ridden socialist hellhole in a doom loop. Voters went along with destroying what used to be wonderful. I’m glad I got out. 

 

I had the best times growing up there. It used to be the best. Now, it isn’t the Emerald City, it is The Green Toilet Water Slum. I won’t go back unless they change. They won't.

 

I hope this lady gets her dog back, but I wouldn’t count on it. The police aren’t valued there anymore, and everyone knows it. 

Dogs And Baboons

When you are dating someone, you should ask them if you had a dog, what would they expect in terms of training, lifestyle, exercise and such. You need to find out if you are dealing with a baboon. 

Baboon males are tyrants with the females in their harems. It is even dangerous for a female human to befriend a male baboon. They are tyrants.

Live outside all the time with no interaction? Can't talk to the dog? Can't pet the dog? No toys for the dog? No treats for the dog? No comfort for the dog? No companionship for the dog? No walks? No money to be spent on medical care? That person is going to be the "alpha" and that dog better listen or else... 

If your significant other is going to be a tyrant... time to go. Leave. End it now. 

Don't date or marry a baboon.

Get Away From My Dog!

I was on vacation, walking my dog in Ketchum, ID after dinner. A man asked if he could pet my dog. I said yes. He petted my dog, and then invited him to jump up. Then he started to bear hug my dog... hard. Now my dog was scared, trying to get away. It went from a friendly street encounter to this guy getting weird and aggressive with my dog.

"Let him go! Get away!" Had to repeat that a couple times. He was then offended. Whatever. This guy was a creep. I learned that day there was not a good reason to let most strangers pet my dog.

Plan accordingly.

How Many Dogs Should You Have?

There are many considerations I recommend before adding an additional dog to your home.

 

First, how well behaved is your current dog? While I think almost all dogs benefit from having a companion dog in the home, I don’t think you should add an additional dog into the home until the first dog is in order. At a minimum, the first dog should have been socialized, over 16 weeks of age, and had at least some beginning obedience training, I personally think that the first dog should be at least 6 months to a year old before you get the second dog.

 

Second, would your current dog(s) accept another dog in the home? If your current dog hates other dogs, I wouldn’t get another dog. If you have multiple dogs already, but one dog would not accept a new dog, then don’t add the new dog. 

 

Third, what is your experience level with owning multiple dogs? If you are a novice, then don’t get a second dog… yet. Spend a good year getting your current dog through training. There are things you will learn as you grow with your dog, going places, getting experience, doing vet visits, giving your dog a bath, buying toys, cleaning up, and such. Otherwise, you are going to experience chaos. I also wouldn’t add other animals into the home during this time, whether a cat, dog, goat, bird or lizard. Focus on this new dog.

 

Fourth, what is your level of skill and ability to manage a dog? If you aren’t skillful, and have the ability, don’t yet a new dog yet. Spend a year getting that skill and ability. In a related way, if you have a disability, consider if now is the time to get another dog. Figure out how you will manage more than one dog before you take that next step. There are lots of workarounds. Make sure any new dog you put into your home won’t overload you. Many people with disabilities are fine with multiple dogs, and you probably will be as well. Don’t compromise your health or safety. I see many people fail when they have, say, 7 dogs in the home. But I know people with over 10 dogs in the home and it is fine. Success depends upon skill and ability... and willpower.

 

Fifth, can you afford it? 

 

Sixth, do you have enough room? Overcrowding leads to a wide range of behavioral problems, including fights. If you are in a tiny apartment, especially if you don’t live an active life with your dog outside the home, then hold off. I’ve lived in an apartment with more than one dog. It can be done provided you make them a high priority and you don’t put too many pets in a smaller space. More thinking also has to be done if you live in a high rise building in an urban area. Let the buyer beware.

 

Seventh, is the rest of the family in agreement? If not, don’t do it. Dogs can feel the hostility when they aren’t wanted. It often backfires.

 

Eighth, will you provide a happy home and life to your dogs? If not, then don’t make a dog miserable. Take responsibility to fix whatever is wrong in your life, regardless of the effort or pain it will entail.

 

Ninth, if a puppy, do you have time to do the intense socialization, house training, and puppy training for the new dog for the first couple of months? If an adult, you should assume the new dog will take at least 3 months of purposeful work to fit into the home Do you have the will and ability to do that? 

Dog Fights And People Fights

When we were kids, we were taught to avoid trouble. We were taught that fighting was always a last resort. I still hold to those values as an adult. 

A woman was allegedly injured, and her dog is now dead, related to a reported dispute about off leash dogs in a park. 

 

Here are my thoughts on incidents like this. I obviously don’t know all the facts of the linked article, so I can only draw my own opinion upon this one article to pick apart the issue of having dogs off leash anywhere. Reporters are notoriously bad at getting all the details of dog stories, so this is post is not to be used as a factual determination of who did what to whom and who is responsible. This is about staying out of trouble with YOUR dog.

 

1. You are not the police. I don’t think it is wise to get involved in police activity, or animal control activity, of any sort. Let the authorities do that work. Call them and stay away from trouble. I don’t think the police or animal control should encourage the public to do police type work. We pay them to do that job, let them do it. We are not in an era where citizens can get involved and not have a ton of bricks fall on them if it goes sideways... right now the Daniel Penny case is before a jury and no one knows how that will turn out. 

 

2. If you know off leash dogs are at a park, and you are concerned about the safety of those dogs, don’t go to that park. 

 

3. Don’t take your dog off leash anywhere you can’t control your dog, whether it is legal or not to have your dog off leash. Does your dog have sufficient training to be off leash in public? 

 

4. Some arguments are not worth having. Is that true for everyone in this incident? Now, let’s say something similar happens in your neighborhood park and someone is hurt, another dog is dead, another bad pit bull story is published, another pit bull is possibly going to be put down, and the owners of the next pit bull might be charged with a crime and might also be sued for a lot of money. Cases like this have happened before… My point is, when you have a fight, can you state that it was a last resort? I think if the answer is no, then walk away from trouble if you can.

 

5. Even if you are obeying the law and your dog is on leash, that doesn’t mean your dog is going to be safe from other animals, dogs or wildlife. Do you have a plan for that?

 

6. Cities need more space dedicated to park areas where dogs can obtain exercise. While I’m not a big fan of off leash areas, there could be parks designed for controlled walk paths and play areas for dogs. That is a concept that needs further development. It is also important to know that it isn't unusual for human fights to happen at off leash parks when the dogs get into a fight. Let the buyer beware.

 

7. Dogs will pick up on human strife and that can set the stage for nearby dogs to fight. 

 

Plan accordingly. 

The Current State Of Science In Dog Training

I was listening to an interesting video on my morning walk today, "Science is in trouble and it worries me” by Sabine Hossenfelder, a German theoretical physicist. This video confirmed a lot of what I have observed over the years about the science we study… it is greatly flawed, and a lot of the good science stopped by the early 1960’s. We are living on the fumes of the work of long dead scientists. Innovation is grinding to a stop, and a lot of current research is creating nonsense.

 

Here is my abbreviated list of problems when claiming that a dog training program is science based. The problems with that “science”, and the studies, are as follows: 

 

1.) Questionable methodology

2.) Small sample sizes

3.) Scrubbing of data that didn’t support the researcher’s preconceptions or grudges

4.) Poor quality writing

5.) Studies that haven’t been able to be replicated

6.) Lots of “noise” concerning research that has little applicability

7.) Written decades ago, before current other research invalidated some concepts

8.) Lack of agreement on terminology

9.) Limited number of species tested: rats, mice, pigeons, rhesus monkeys

10.) Mostly performed in laboratories

11.) Genetic lines of animals that have been inbred for decades

12.) Mostly male animals

13.) Even many professors don’t have a good understanding of the topic

14.) Current research grant programs are overly bureaucratic

15.) Lack of innovation

16.) Studies need to be redone to confirm earlier conclusions

17.) Science that was never meant to be converted into a dog training program

 

What to do? I think you read the science, especially the major studies. You then compare that to what you have learned through years of experience and then come to your own conclusions. As a community, we are operating on faulty data. This is why current good dog trainers are now questioning the “science”, and saying they know things these scientists don’t know.

Dog Attacked By Owl?

As he walked out to the backyard, he saw an owl swooping down from the trees in the direction of his dog. The owner instantly reacted by shouting at the bird and it flew away just inches from grabbing the dog.

 

Yes, big birds are a big risk, especially to puppies and small dog breeds.

 

Plan accordingly.

Petition To Ban Hound Hunting In AZ

The petition calls to ban dog assisted hunting for bears, mountain lions, cottontail rabbits, foxes and other mammals.

 

While I understand the emotional appeal of this proposed ban, I am against it. Traditional dog hunting has not been the cause of the endangerment or extinction of any of these species. I want laws that are fact based, not emotion based.

 

Years ago, a hound hunting ban was imposed in Washington State (I don’t know the status of hound hunting in WA today). In the meantime, the professional hound hunters gave up their dogs and the shelters were filled. Hunters had been called out when a bear or mountain lion was menacing human areas. That role was then given over to the state, who also was using hounds. Total hypocrisy. The law was repealed when mountain lions started hanging around grade schools. And note the increasing number of big cat attacks on children and joggers throughout the West in the past decade or so.

 

Wildlife needs to be managed; populations need to be regulated to remain sustainable. The use of dogs is humane. Sorry if that hurts your feelings. 

(BTW... Petitions are often created by interest groups to drive people to the polls in upcoming elections. Statisticians associate what type of voter most likely will turn out to vote, and they target that group with a petition. The bigger goal is to favor one Party over the other, and it isn't really about the topic of the petition. This was done more than once in Colorado, first to bring in wolves into the state and second to ban "trophy hunting". The wording of the bans was not for the betterment of wildlife management. Don't let yourself be used.) 

Aurora CO Pit Bull Ban Repealed

 It's about time. 

"After Aurora Question 3A passed in November, repealing the city’s pit bull ban, the city council finished the final touches around the ban on Monday. The breed ban was instated in 2005... "

I wrote about this ban when it came about. It was inhumane and ineffective. Untold dogs paid the ultimate price as a result of this ban.

Good riddance to this law.

Those who put this ban in place will never pay the penalty that they deserve. 

How Often Should You Feed Your Dog?

Feeding frequency is an interesting topic. There are various opinions based upon the goals adopted by the experts. Free feeding means keeping the food bowl full all day and refilling it regularly. Schedule feeding means feeding once or several times a day, typically on a consistent schedule. 

 

One study I found indicated that it was best to feed dogs once per day. This study from the Dog Aging Project says their data suggests “Controlling for sex, age, breed, and other potential confounders, we found that dogs fed once daily rather than more frequently had lower mean scores on a cognitive dysfunction scale, and lower odds of having gastrointestinal, dental, orthopedic, kidney/urinary, and liver/pancreas disorders.”

 

However, according to Purina, “Unlike free feeding, schedule feeding enables you to feed your dog the proper serving size at every meal, to help support a healthy weight. It also allows you to monitor your dog’s appetite, so you can quickly spot a change due to illness or other issues.”

 

So, on the theory that caloric restriction reduces a variety of diseases, you should feed once per day. However, for some dogs that would overeat if given ad libitum access to food all day, they would become overweight, and free fed dogs are probably not being supervised as well by their owner for their health as schedule fed dogs. Free feeding doesn’t necessarily mean that you let a dog just keep eating and eating. It can also mean that you put out a measured portion of total calories once per day and then the dog will eat at its own rate. So, once per day could mean free feeding or it could mean a dog that eats all it needs in one meal. Not all dogs will eat readily. 

 

I’ve also seen puppies and adult dogs that got low blood sugar from eating once per day, and they needed more than one meal a day to be comfortable.

 

I’ve also seen plenty of obese dogs that were schedule fed. The owners weren’t watching how much their dogs were eating. 

 

I’ve also seen dogs that were underfed, regardless of the program. Many times, I have had students say they were restricting calories based upon their veterinarian’s recommendations or because of the instructions printed on the back of the dog food bag or can. In addition, some dogs aren’t well, and you must be there with them to ensure they eat. If you’ve ever had to hand feed a sick dog, you know what I am referring to.

 

There are many factors that go into feeding other than just health or convenience. Feeding is more than just about health. Feeding schedules can also affect behavior. There are many examples, but here are three. Sometimes it is best to let dogs free feed when there are multiple dogs in the home. Everyone gets fed and there are no fights. On the other hand, some dogs will guard the food bowls, not let the others eat, and fights will break out. So, in those cases it is best to do supervised and scheduled feeding, with food bowls spaced at a distance, and removing the bowls once the dogs are finished. I have also seen dogs that won’t eat unless the owner is present. I call them social eaters. So, regardless of the schedule, they are only going to eat when you are in the room.

 

I do not believe there is a “one size fits all” solution to dog feeding. You should consider overall health effects, portion control, and behavior. Your veterinarian will have an opinion. The food manufacturer will have an opinion. Your breeder will have an opinion. Your dog trainer will have an opinion. And your dog will have a say, as well. All this input needs to be processed in order to come up with the best compromise for your dog.

Massive Increase Of Abandoned Dogs In The Streets?

We're learning the number of dogs rescued off the streets last week is alarming — just as the Animal Foundation took in more than 400 animals last week.

I’m hearing rumors that there are major stray dog populations in all major cities across the US. The economy has been very bad and this is the result. It doesn’t help that animal control operations nationwide are operating so inefficiently. 

Dogs And Life Is Hard

I'm starting to read the book, Road Less Traveled, by M. Scott Peck. 

First sentence: "Life is hard."

Good point. 

Another sentence on the first page: "Life is a series of problems. Do we want to moan about them or solve them?"

Owning a dog can be hard, especially if a.) you are a novice dog owner; b.) you don't know what you are doing; c.) you got more dog than you know how to handle; d.) you don't have the resources for your dog... and/or... 

And lastly, e.) if you haven't made a decision that you are going to solve all of the above. Making that decision, when you really mean it and you do it, makes life not so hard with your dog. For almost everyone, it makes owning a dog quite easy. 

If I get any other pearls of wisdom from the book, I might write more here. 

Dogs And Owners Unable To Take Them For Walks

I meet a number of dog owners every year that are unable to take their dogs for a walk, with dogs that need more exercise in order to be calm in the home.

In these cases, I highly recommend my students consider getting a Mobility Scooter, and we can then teach their dog to walk beside them. My opinion is that you get one this is as stable as possible that is less likely to tip over, possibly one with 4 wheels instead of 3. This link gives you an example of what I'm referring to. *

This is a win for everyone. No need for this type of student or dog to be a shut in.

*This is an Amazon affiliate link. I do receive a small amount for purchases. 

Thompson Peak Park Dog Park

Voters approved the dog park at Thompson Peak Parkway and Hayden Road (in Scottsdale, AZ)  as part of the 2019 bond package.

I just heard about this new project. Very interesting. I plan on driving by and looking. Whenever a new dog park goes in, new challenges come up for the users and nearby residents. I want to see the overall layout. 

The X In Dog Behavior And Learning Theories

It isn’t unusual for a particular theory to use a hypothetical X to account for factors that the researcher doesn’t wish to isolate and examine or haven’t yet figured out. There is nothing wrong with this approach. We use it in mathematics for a reason. We can solve an equation by assigning an imaginary value to X, plug that into an equation, and then solve for X when the rest of the equation is determined. 

Dogs And Hunting Traps

I am in no way anti-hunting. (Meat eating is natural; when a vegan thinks they are not killing animals, consider the thousands of animals lives that are sacrificed to farm the food they eat. No way is being a vegan "carbon neutral".) I think hunting has a beneficial effect for species as well as for humans. Wildlife needs to be managed to sustain healthy densities of appropriate populations. There are numerous ways humans hunt land-based animals, from using guns, bow and arrow, falconry, dogs, and traps.

 

For those living in cities, they don’t encounter wildlife. They know next to nothing about wild animals, ranching or farming. Their idea of hunting is to go to a restaurant and order a pineapple and Canadian bacon pizza. That results in goofy ideas about proper wildlife management. It also results in them falling for fantastical tales about how they should treat their dogs like wolves treat other wolves. (Don’t get me started…) 

 

Trappers tend to manage their traps; however, it is possible for unintended animals to be snared. Loose dogs can get entangled and require rescue. That’s why it is a good idea, especially in rural areas, to not let your dogs run free. Someone, or some animal, is always potentially out there hunting and your dog can get caught in a bad situation.

 

I tend to agree with the locals when it comes to what is best for wildlife in their communities. They must live there, often they are piggybacking off centuries of knowledge, and they aren’t trying to wipe out the wildlife. It is their way of life and before city folk get involved, they should instead understand what and why of their lifestyle, needs, and dangers they face in these rural communities. 

[From the article: "Most animals can survive being caught for a short period without suffering debilitating injuries, he said. So a trapper can free a dog or another relatively small animal that was unintentionally caught, and the critter should be fine in most cases, he said. “Those animals, just being caught overnight, can be released with minimal injuries,” he said."]

 

You can’t learn all you need to know about wildlife by watching cartoons as kids and then shopping for food at your local grocery store as adults. 

Is Dog Behavior Lawful?

Does dog behavior operate according to recognized rules or laws? I would say this. While dog behavior can be described and often predicted in a laboratory, you will find it impossible to predict and control all the behavior of your dog in the real world. How can that be? 

Why Is It Complicated To Build A Well-Trained Dog?

The dog training world needs to get away from a.) gimmicks; b.) the typical, “do 10 repetitions of this, use this tool, and then provide this consequence at this frequency.”; and c.) doing something more than ringing the bell and causing the dog to salivate. Much more is possible. A question needs to be asked: what is the relationship between the behavior and the physiological makeup of a dog? In other words, it is time to revisit the age-old mind/ body problem.

Are you making dogs fit your dog training, or is the training being implemented to fit the dog? And what is the next level for getting better results? 

A Good Dog Trainer?

So the latest marketing gimmick online for dog trainers. I've seen this a number of times now. Put your dog on a Sit at a long distance, say 400 yards, and then call the dog to Come. This is supposed to be the ultimate challenge to prove ability.

LOL. 

Animal Control Officer Assaulted

She also reportedly threatened the officer with a gun and illegally entered the animal shelter to retrieve her dog, which they had impounded.

Animal shelters need to have security systems, programs, training and security trained personnel. I have yet to see a well-designed setup for any shelter. How often do we see shelters built in the worst parts of town? And have you ever asked the adopters, volunteers, and employees if they feel safe there? These are questions no one seems to want to ask or answer. 

 

If you run a shelter, plan accordingly.

Dogs and Thanksgiving Preparations

Are you making Thanksgiving preparations to ensure the safety of your dog from your guests, and your guests from your dog?

Today's Tip: Set some rules, in advance, how everyone is to to interact with your dog. What is allowed and what isn't? 

Some people think it is OK to threaten, tease or harm pets. Some of those people might be visiting you tomorrow. You had better lay down the law on that. My students are doing that. You can do it, too. 

‘Big Bang Theory’ Kaley Cuoco Gets Rid Of Her Elderly Dog?

‘Big Bang Theory’ star Kaley Cuoco blasted for ‘abandoning’ elderly dog to accommodate boyfriend’s pooch

Do I need to tell you what I think of this? 

 

 

Dogs And Black Friday Sales

There are always deals to be had at the end of each year. Retailers are looking to finish out their year with a profit (which is why it is called Black Friday… meaning they are in the black… rather than a Red Friday, meaning they lost money). 

So, here are some ideas 

 

I think that every dog does better with a companion. When dogs get about 3 or 4 years old, they start slowing down because they are adults and often, we aren’t doing activities that keep them going. They get bored and they act old. Bring in a happy, social, compatible, opposite sex dog… and the old dog will act young again and will start playing again. 

 

I’m a big believer in having 2 dogs. It is good for them, and it isn’t that much more to care for two dogs than one. But how do you do it?

 

First, get your current dog trained. Don’t put two untrained dogs together since that makes your job more than twice the work. Once the basics are in place, and with diligent work from 8 weeks of age to 6 months of age, your dog might be ready for a companion. I don’t recommend getting two puppies at the same time, however. They will often bond to each other, the house training can be very difficult with some breeds, and they just won’t listen to you that well for the rest of their lives. 

 

Second, when you get the new dog, ensure a good introduction. With young puppies, you do it gradually so the dogs like one another. Don’t let the puppy bully the adult and don’t let the adult bully the puppy. Also, from 8 weeks to 16 weeks of age, in an ideal setup, you would keep the puppy separate from the other dog for several hours a day. During that time either the puppy is with you, or the older dog is with you. You want the puppy to become an individual instead of just a pack member, and you want that puppy to bond with you instead of primarily with your older dog. Rotate back and forth throughout the day. It isn’t fun to be playing Musical Chairs like this for a couple of months, but it will pay off in the long run. You still must meet the needs of the young puppy, such as play time, potty breaks, socialization in and outside the home, but you limit the total amount of time the dogs are together up to 4 months of age. After that, all should be good. 

 

If the new dog is older, then introduce them on a walk outside the home and let them warm up to one another before you bring the new dog inside. There is more to it than this, but don’t just put a new dog in the home without a happy introduction. First impressions are often lasting. 

 

Third, when choosing the second dog, I recommend only getting the most bulletproof dog you can find. It should be healthy, playful, similar in activity level to your current dog, very friendly with everyone and every animal, not fearful or anxious, and of the opposite sex. You don’t want a dog that adds to any insecurities your older dog already has. You want the second dog to be signaling safety in all ways, not afraid of much of anything. 

 

Fourth… NOW is a good time to find a second dog. Rescue organizations are full of these bulletproof dogs. You can know, right off the bat, if the new dog is right since the rescue should know a lot about the dog already IF IT HAS BEEN FOSTERED IN A HOME. If you are getting a purebred dog, then you should consult my article at my web page on Buying A Dog/ Choosing A Breeder. You must do some detailed background work and not just believe what some breeder says to you in an ad or over the phone. Some breeders are good and honest, some aren’t. Don’t believe what you want to see. Trust, but verify.

 

Lastly… now is a good time to shop for dog supplies. Retailers are offering great deals now. If you run a rescue, now is the time to buy some of this stuff in bulk. If you are a pet owner, now is the time to take advantage of these deals while they last. Here is an interesting article on what retailers are planning for the end of 2024… 

 

Black Friday is almost here but some sales aren’t all they are cracked up to be: Here’s what not to buy

 

Plan accordingly… 

 

Canada Apologizes For Killing Inuit Dogs In The 1950's

The RCMP launched an internal investigation into the slaughter of sled dogs in 2006 and cleared themselves of any wrongdoing, stating that the killings were done in the interest of public safety. But Aatami and other Inuit leaders say the dogs were shot to keep the largely nomadic Inuit in settled communities, and compared the killings to other major impacts of colonization including the relocation of families in other parts of Canada and being forced to send children to residential schools.

There is something fishy about this story. Both accounts can’t be true at the same time. But Canada is a screwed up country, where authorities can do outrageous things and not be held accountable. They don’t have a Bill of Rights. Leaders can do pretty much what they want to do and get away with it. Look at what is happening with free speech, freedom of religion, self defense, due process and such... they don't have any of that. There isn't a free press, so forget about investigating the truth of the claims. Look at what happened with the farmer’s strike… maybe 70 years from now, when all the victims are dead, Canada will apologize for that, too. On the other hand, Canada apologizes for lots of things that don't make sense. 

 

Why would Canada feel the need to apologize if the RCMP investigated ITSELF and determined there was no wrongdoing? 

 

You can’t handle the truth… 

Officer shoots, kills pet dog mistaken for coyote?

An animal control officer shot and killed a pet dog in a Massachusetts town after mistaking it for a coyote in an incident that has the animal’s owner fuming, but that local police are describing as a sad mix-up.

What a mess. 

 

Plan accordingly… 

NBA Urges Players To Get Guard Dogs?

The NBA on Friday circulated a memo urging players to upgrade their home security and consider getting guard dogs following a rash of burglaries targeting professional athletes.

Ok… let’s pick this apart.

 

First, there are apparently South American gangs using sophisticated tech to overcome the electronic surveillance and alarm systems of targeted homes. So, you can’t do that to a dog. Turn off the alarm, and the dogs will still alert if they detect the scents, sounds or presence of intruders. Good stuff.

 

Second, if the dogs are left unsupervised, the gangs will kill the dogs and still do their dirty work. Thus, the dogs need to have human guards to accompany them. But not every player can afford this kind of security.

 

We know what needs to happen. Get these criminals and put them in prison. Good luck with that in California. Have a nice life. There might be more hope in other places, except Denver. Good luck there, too. Hope you have good insurance and that your families aren't home when invaded.

Dogs and Forever Chemicals (PFAS)

Higher usage of personal care products among pregnant or nursing women leads to higher levels of toxic PFAS “forever chemicals” in their blood and breast milk, new research shows, presenting a serious health threat to developing children.

If this is true for humans, it is true for dogs. Everything we bring into our homes like this is probably ending up in our dogs. I also highly doubt that PFAS levels are being tested on pet toys, bedding, foods, food and toy packaging, leashes, collars, and such. All vets have noticed that we are seeing the same upwards trends in certain autoimmune diseases in pets as we have been seeing in humans.

Plan accordingly... 

Is A Goldendoodle A Purebred Dog?

A “purebred dog” is whatever we decide it to be. Generally, when a registry, such as the AKC or FCI recognizes it as a breed, then it is called a purebred dog breed. 

But there are very few dog breeds that haven’t been created because of mixing two or more different breeds… Bullmastiff… Doberman… German Shepherd… Chesapeake Bay Retriever… and so on. All are created breeds by mixing two or more other breeds. And many breeds we consider purebred today were recreated, such as the Mastiff after WWI and WWII, which were almost extinct. Same with the Dogue de Bordeaux and the Bouvier. 

 

In the end, get the dog you want and do the background on the breeding (if you can) to determine what traits your dog probably will display. 

 

There is nothing wrong with breeding a Goldendoodle. Just make sure if you do that you find good homes for all the puppies. 

Competition Vs Real World Dog Training

Competition obedience is judged upon accomplishment of a stylized routine of precise exercises according to upon organizational rules in predictable situations. Real world obedience is judged according to public safety laws, rules and customs in unpredictable situations at home and in public. Here are some of what I learned about this contrast over the years...

Dogs, Hurricanes And Bomb Cyclones

351K without power, at least 2 dead after 'bomb cyclone' wreaks havoc across region

Two days after this “bomb cyclone” hit Seattle, 315,000 people are still without electric power. I wonder how many of their electric vehicles are now out of power? I wonder how many people didn’t stock up on supplies, such as dog food, and now are trying to figure out how to feed their pets? 

I used to live in Seattle, and I know how bad it can be when the storms come visiting. They also have earthquakes, forest fires, mud slides and riots. No joke.

I’m not a fan of electric vehicles, and I'm sure Seattlites are awash in this fad. This is a good example of why. I was always one to stock up on supplies, and I doubled up on that recommendation after the COVID lockdowns. Everyone should plan for disasters. Seattle is a disaster for more reasons than this, if you know the town.

The hurricane in NC should also carry a similar warning for that part of the country.

 

We are living in perilous times.

 

Plan accordingly.

Again: I Hate Retractable Leashes

In shocking CCTV, shown to a judge in Moscow, two elderly women can be seen strolling through a city park walking their pet dogs - one of which was on a long leash. Suddenly, roller skater Igor Berin, 56, races past the women and gets caught in the lead pulling one of the pensioners off her feet and dragging her along a path.

Here we see an elderly woman walking her dog on a retractable leash. A roller-skater goes by, gets entangled in the leash, the woman is pulled over and falls and sustains a fatal head injury.

 

I see way too many people oblivious of the risks of using these type of devices. The long cords are almost invisible in busy environments and the dogs are too far away to be controlled. The dogs are also oblivious to the owners as they have been conditioned to pull ahead to explore. It is rewarding to the dog to be away from the owner. 

 

This case is tragic. The maximum leash length in most cities is 6 feet. I think that is reasonable on sidewalks. Longer lines are useful when training and in some hiking and hunting situations. My preference is actually a 4 foot nylon leash, such as this… (Amazon affiliate link; I earn a percentage off of each sale). I don't hold dogs tight to my thigh, however. Dogs should be taught to walk on a loose leash, and that isn't taught by holding the dog tightly (good dog training can show you the proper method). 

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.