Teaching a Dog to Ring a Bell to go outside

Today I was being interviewed at a local radio station about dog training. A caller off the air asked me about teaching a dog to let you know that they need to go outside. One way you can do this is to teach the dog to ring a bell. A few years ago, I taught my Akita puppy to ring the bell when she wants to go outside. The way I did it was to first teach my dog to “target” objects. That is, to teach her to touch objects with her nose. I started off with teaching her to simply touch my open hand and rewarding her with a treat when I felt her cold nose on my palm. Once she got the hang of touching my palm, I added a verbal cue such as “touch.” Once your dog learns to “touch” an easy object like your hand for instance, you can move on to teaching her to “touch” objects like a bell hanging on a door. Then, it is a matter of her making the association that every time she touches the bell and the bell actually rings, the door magically opens and she can go outside to play or go to the bathroom. It may take several sessions for the dog to make the connection that touching the bell means that you will open the door. I have woken up in the middle of the night to the ringing of the bell because one of my dogs had to make an “emergency” potty break. The funny thing is that my older dog who was never taught this behavior has picked up on it without any formal training and he also rings the bell when he needs to go outside. The following video demonstrates how to teach a dog to target an object and it also shows one of my dogs ringing a bell to go outside: How to teach a dog to target

Caveat:  Some smart dogs will start ringing the bell just to go outside and chase the squirrel or play.  In these cases you must pay close attention to the behavior of the dog and her potty schedule.  If I think that she really needs to go I open the door and escort her outside.  If no potty happens, she comes right back inside.   By careful observation, you can tell the difference by the urgency of the behavior.  My dog started doing this and when I put her back inside, if she tried to ring again soon after (and I was pretty sure there she did not need to go to the bathroom, I ignored the ringing).  Eventually the dog will learn that she gets to go outside for potty breaks but will be brought back in or ignored if the ringing is not related to going to the bathroom or if it is repeated or excessive. It requires pretty good observational skills and knowing your dog's typical "I need to pee behavior." So, you can see that there is a downside to this method and you will have to be careful about how you manage this behavior.

Stop and Smell the Hydrants

There are many notions in the dog training world that are out-dated, based on outmoded dog training philosophies or are simply not based on what we currently know and understand about domestic canine behavior.  This month I want to explore some of the "rules" that involve taking your dog for a walk: 

1) Myth - If your dog exits the doorway ahead of you, he/she is being dominant.

The Reality - This idea started with the notion that the alpha wolves led the pack and if you wanted to be a "pack leader" you need to walk ahead of your dog. The alpha dog concept has been questioned in recent years as scholars have argued that the old studies on captive wolves do not reflect what goes on in wild populations.  Moreover, dog social structures seem to be more fluid and less hierarchical than wolf populations. For a more detailed explanation and list scientific sources, read my article on the alpha dog theory.  The simple explanation for dogs wanting to run out the door is that what is outside is much more interesting than what they see inside the house day after day.  Walks are really rewarding for dogs, mentally and physcially, so it is no surprise that they want to run out the door. 

The main reason to train a dog to wait behind a door before you release them for the walk is for safety not to show your "dominance" over the dog. You don't want a dog make a habit of charging out of a door, especially if the leash has not been securely fastened. 

Because going for a walk is what I call a "life reward,"  I use this fact to my advantage and ask the dog to perform a behavior such as a "sit" or "wait" before I open the door and let them outside.  By doing this,  I reinforce their training (sit and wait) and the great thing is that the reward is not food, but the walk itself. 

2) Myth - A dog that walks ahead of you on a walk is being dominant.

The Reality - again, this notion has its roots in dominance or alpha dog theories and like the doorway myth, the studies do not support this idea.  I think the simplest explanation as to why dogs like to forge ahead on walks is because they usually can walk faster than us and what is in front of us is much more interesting.  It is not so much about controlling you as it is excitement and trying to burn off some mental and physical energy.  Walks are very exciting for dogs and are often the highlight of a dog's day.  I advocate the notion of walking with a loose leash which is comfortable for both the dog and owner.  A dog that is pulling you with a taut leash or a dog that zig zags is simply an untrained dog.

If you have a leash aggressive dog, however, you may want to train your dog to walk closer to you because giving an aggressive dog too much space ahead of you makes it harder for you to control and work with your dog if he/she becomes reactive when he/she sees another dog or person.  Again, keeping a dog closer to you in this scenario is more for safety and training purposes rather than rooted in notions of your dog trying to dominate you. 

3)  Myth - Your dog should not  be allowed sniff the ground on walks.

The Reality - this one makes me sad and I am not sure how this idea got started. It causes owners (and the dog) a lot of undue stress  and owners often end up jerking the dog around in frustration. The highlight of a dog's day is to be able to smell the "calling card" left by other dogs and leave one himself/herself.  A dog's sense of smell is so sharp compared to ours that there is a lot of information picked up by smelling the ground.  It is also good mental stimulation as your dog is processing information about the neighborhood.  When dogs are young puppies, I feel that smelling the world is vitally important for their development and learning not to fear the world outside the home.  Jerking on a puppy's collar every time he/she tried to investigate the world is very stressful and makes a walk unpleasant for the dog. 

In a casual walk, I allow my dogs to smells things and they manage to keep walking with me in a straight line and on a loose lead. Akitas and shibas were bred for hunting and I am not going to deny them the pleasure of smelling things. Moreover, my dogs do not need to look up at me adoringly for our entire 45 minute walk.  I am not training them for competitive obedience and neither are 99% of average dog owners.  If my dog lingers too long at a spot or if we need to keep moving, I have a verbal cue "let's go" and she knows that we need to move on.  If I need to her to go to a heel position and focus on staying close to me I have a verbal cue "heel." But, the bulk of my walks are leisurely, loose leash walks and keeping a strict heel for the entire walk is not necessary.  My view is that when I attach a leash to my dog, the walk around the neighborhood is for her pleasure just as much as mine.  Would you go on a hike without admiring the scenery?  Well, going on a walk without being able to smell things would be the equivalent deprivation for a dog. 

Now if your dog is zig zagging back and forth or pulling you around to smell something, that is an issue of training your dog to walk in a straight line without pulling.  This is a separate issue from letting your dog smell things once in awhile on a walk. 

So, next time you go for a walk, enjoy the sights and sounds.  Stop and smell the roses (or in the case of your dog, the hydrant).

Tapping into Your Pet's Foraging Instinct

I have recently been working with a parrot and working with different species often gives me insights on how certain challenges are common to many species that are domesticated or in the case of parrots semi-domesticated. Our pets can become easily bored which in turn can lead to destructive behaviors.

With domesticated animals, we simply put their food in a bowl and walk away.  The result is that our pet's meal is over anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes.  The hours an animal may spend foraging for food is now taken away.  This means that our pets now have a lot of free time.   So how can we engage our pets mentally and have them work a little harder for their meal?  Here are a few suggestions:

Training Games

I play short training games as a way for my dogs to work for their meals. It has the added benefit of bonding with your pet and working with your pet in a cooperative manner.  Instead of using treats, I take half their kibble and reward them for doing some simple behaviors or fun hide and seek games. I also like to practice recall exercises (calling your dog to you).  This engages them mentally, they work for their meal and you reinforce some of the training that you previously taught them. Then when I am done with my quickie training session which usually only lasts for a 2-3 minutes, I give them the remainder of their kibble in a Kong or other toy.  This way, they do not get so many treats during the day and if you have a pet that has a tendency to put on weight, you use their kibble in lieu of the treats.  Save the tasty treats for more distracting settings like out on a walk or outside of the house.

Hide the Kongs

One way to mimic foraging activities is stuff a few Kongs with your dog's breakfast kibble and a few treats inside the Kong and hide the Kongs in various parts of the house/yard before you. leave for work. Your dog can spend part of is her time while you are away.  So instead of putting your dog's meal in a bowl, your dog has to hunt for the meal and try to excavate the contents of the Kong.  This is also a good way to slow down fast eaters.  For younger dogs, make sure they know how to use the Kong and are proficient at excavating the contents before attempting to hide them and using the Kong in liue of a dinner bowl.  The same concept would apply to cats using a smaller Kong and using just dry cat food.

 
Puzzles for Mental Stimulation

Fortunately, there are many products in the market that encourage foraging and in doing so, stimulate our pets mentally.  So now a meal that would take a minute or two to devour may take as long as 10-30 minutes to complete depending on how challenging the toy is.
Here is a picture of a foraging toy for the parrot I am working with.  The bird has to manipulate the slotted ball to gain access to the treats inside the ball with her beak. 

For dogs, there are many, many products to choose from. Some of the toys roll around which has the added benefit of providing exercise as well as mental stimulation.  I have written in detail about interactive toys past articles, but I will highlight a few examples here.

The Premier Busy Buddy line of dog toys has a number of foraging toys that the dog has to manipulate in order to get at the food.  For younger puppies, I recommend the Twist-and-Treat or the Kibble Nibble.  For older dogs the Magic Mushroom or Tug-a-Jug.  I have used the small size Twist and Treat with my cat using her kibble.



Here is a video of one of my dogs using the Tug-a-Jug which is one of the more difficult toys and recommended for dogs over 6 months due to its difficulty.

Another line of toys which require more of your interaction and supervision are the Nina Ottosson line of puzzle toys.  You hide the treats in compartments and your dog has to figure out how to get the food out.  Here are a few examples:



Here is a video demonstration of the Dog Tornado:

Cats Need to Forage Too!

The same principles apply to cats.  My cat is easily bored and playing training games and creating foraging opportunities helps curb her tendencies to try to “hunt” for food in my kitchen.  Cats can access the highest of shelves so managing such behavior can be quite challenging.  One of her favorite toys is the Slim Cat Food Dispenser.  The ball rolls around the room much like the Kibble Nibble which helps to provide your cat with exercise.  Some of the smaller sized Premier toys above can also be used for cats.  I used the Twist and Treat for my cat and she spent an hour trying to get the kibble out.

The Nina Ottosson toys are also excellent for cats and since cats are not big chewers, they can be safely left with them whereas dogs need to be supervised with this type of toy.  Here is a video of my cat solving the Dog Tornado:



For more videos and examples of interactive toys click here.

So get creative and find ways to minimize the use of the food bowl!

Choosing the Right Equipment

Perhaps, the one piece of pet equipment that vexes most dog trainers is the retractable leash.  I do not know of any other trainer that actually encourages its use.  A few years ago, a Consumer Report warned dog owners of the dangers of retractable leashes.  The article specifically profiled an incident where a woman’s finger was severed by the retracting cable.  In addition to injuries to fingers, hands and paws, there are several other reasons why retractable leashes are not favored by most dog trainers.  Retractable leashes are not really well-suited for walking on busy, urban streets.  An open park or field is one thing but a narrow city sidewalk is not the ideal situation to allow your dog 10-20 feet of unrestricted distance from you.  Your dog may run into the street before you can stop it from happening or your dog may confront a not so friendly oncoming dog before you have a chance to intervene.  I have also witnessed many dogs on retractable leashes aggressively charge after another dog with the 15 feet of  freedom afforded by this type of leash before the owner can apply the "brake".

I have also witnessed owners accidentally let go of the handle only to have a very frightened dog being “chased” by the retracting cartridge.  In addition, many trainers teach dogs to walk with a slack or loose leash which is the antithesis of a retractable leash that works by remaining taut due to the dog’s pulling.

So what equipment should the average dog owner use?

Leashes

I prefer a  traditional 5-6 foot canvas or leather leash.  One inch width for  medium and large dogs over 20 pounds and 3/4 inch width for small and toy dogs under 20 pounds. I feel the length gives me a lot of flexibility compared to a 3-4 foot leash.  It is not so short that the dog does not have room to meander, yet the length is not so great to be cumbersome.


         

Harnesses and collars.

I have previously written a detailed article reviewing the different body harnesses and collars out there but here is a brief summary of the equipment I most often use.  I do not use prong, choke or slip collars as its use and application is contrary to positive-reinforcement-based methods of animal training. I prefer to use no-pull body harnesses as my first go-to piece of eqiupment .  I feel that most dogs do well with a body harness and are more comfortable wearing them which is why I rarely use a head harness like the Gentle Leader or Halti except in special circumstances which are summarized in the article above. Examples of no pull harnesses include the Freedom Harness made by Wiggles, Wags and Whiskers, Premier's Easy Walk Harness or the Sense-ation harness.  These harnesses are removed after the walk and should not be worn all-day.  My personal favorite is the Freedom Harness as I find it fits the majority of dogs very well.

             

Kiku modeling a Freedom Harness

Martingale Collars - For those dogs that do not tolerate harnesses or are escape artists (like my Shiba Inu), I use Martingale collars.  These collars are limited slip collars that prevent the head from slipping out.  If you are going to use this type of collar, care must be taken not to jerk your dog's leash and collar to avoid neck injuries. 

   

Buckle Collars – I also use a plain buckle or snap-type collar to hold my dogs’ i.d. and for short excursions. Even though my dogs are microchipped, they always wear a buckle collar with I.D. because if your dog gets lost, the average person will look for a tag and it may not occur to them that your dog is micro-chipped.

 

Long lines

For training dogs from a distance or working in parks and fields, I like using a long-line.  These extra long leashes allow one to teach a dog to come or stay from a long distance and lessens the risk of having your dog run into the street or other unsafe situation. 

Using equipment that reduces the risk of injury to you and your dog and is comfortable and painless for your dog is the first step to starting an effective training program.

NOTE:  If the Amazon photos and links do not show the product above, hit your refresh button (F5) and the correct photo should display after a few tries.

Clicker Training Different Species

Here is Kate doing target training

A few weeks ago I attended the APDT conference in San Diego as part of my continuing education and to maintain my certification.  It is important for dog trainers keep up with current trends in dog training and to do continuing education of some form.  Attending conferences is also a good way to meet others in our field.

One of the big highlights of the conference (at least for me) was Terry Ryan's (Legacy Canine) Click-A-Chick workshop.  This 3 hour workshop involved the art and science of clicker training chickens.  You may be asking yourself, "but, you are a dog trainer, why clicker train chickens?"  There are many reasons why this workshop is such a big hit amongst dog trainers:

1)  Chickens have fast, twitchy movements and it hones the hand-eye coordination needed for effective clicker training as well as help you to become very precise with the timing of your click.

2)  Chickens don't wear collars and leashes so it forces you to train an animal using a more "hands-off" approach.  Many people who train dogs fall back on popping the leash and other methods of physically "correcting" the dog.  When you train other species like birds or cats, you quickly learn that physically correcting or prompting an animal is really not necessary to teach a new behavior (see my cat video below).

3)  Chickens will walk or fly away if you do not keep them engaged. So, you have to be on your toes and observant to make sure they are being reinforced for desired behaviors.

4)  Training a different species with different mannerisms and body language from canines can help develop your observational skills.

Me and the chicks hanging out before the workshop

Here is a video clip from the workshop demonstrating target training (similar to what we do in class with our hands as the target) and the learning theory concepts of extinction and extinction bursts (I don't know why I am talking to the chicken, probably a habit from training dogs).  As you watch the video, think about how some of these concepts apply to dog training:



Here is a clip demonstrating the amazing things you can teach chickens to do (this is from a longer chicken training camp/workshop):



This was an extremely fun workshop and it gave me an appreciation for how different it can be to train non-canine (in this case avian) species. The scientific and learning principles are the same but each species is a little different in how fast they move, their motivators, their level of intelligence and perception and how precise you have to be with timing and reinforcements.  Puppies seem to move in slow motion compared to the chickens.

Here is a clip of some of the tricks my cat learned through clicker training.  Like the chicken, there is no leash and everything is hands-off.  She is learning some of the same skills that I teach in the basic class.  More videos to come in the near future:

So if you want to learn more about  the science of animal learning and why these methods are effective, here are a few good resources

Halloween: a few safety tips for your pet

With Halloween quickly approaching, I just wanted to highlight some safety tips for our pets:

Bring your pets indoors—even if your pet is used to being outdoors, bring your cats and dogs indoors. Unfortunately, animals can be the target of pranks and teasing during Halloween, especially black cats.

Keep your pet in a safe room —little children and energetic teenagers dressed up as goblins, pirates, scarecrows or the Grim Reaper may be a bit too much for our furry friends, especially if they are on the fearful side. Sometimes, it is best to have our pets in a safe room (covered crate, a gated-off area or a back bedroom) with a stuffed Kong or bully stick. With the door constantly opening and closing, we want to make sure our pets do not accidentally run out the door.  So, keeping them in a safe room will prevent accidental escapes.

Make sure your dog has an I.D. tag and is microchipped - during the holidays is when a lot of lost pets are turned into shelters.  Pets can accidentally run out of the door either because of fear or someone carelessly leaving the door open.  Microchipping has saved many pets lives and resulted in happy returns. 

Make sure your dog knows how to "wait" behind the door or keep your dog on a leash - If your dog is going to be loose in your home (I prefer using a safe room), make sure he/she understands the cue for “waiting” behind the door and can handle seeing people in costumes. Keep your dog on a leash to prevent darting out the door. If he/she shows any signs of stress, anxiety, or aggression, put your dog in a safe room.

Keep your pet at home—Although it is tempting to have your dog go trick or treating with the kids, with so many strange looking people out and about, it can scare your dog. Your dog may panic and get loose or react negatively and nip a costumed stranger trying to pet him/her.

Go on Candy Patrol—often the day after Halloween, I find candy and cellophane wrappers on my porch and front yard. Make sure you check your home and front yard for stray candy so that your pet does not accidentally swallow it. Raisins and chocolate can be toxic to dogs as well as the artificial sweetener, xylitol found in chewing gum and other sugarless candies.

Beware of Jack-O-Lanterns & Candles—sometimes our pets are a little clueless about fire. Happy dogs with big wagging tails or cats jumping on a table can knock over a candle.   Also young animals may be overly curious and burn themselves.  Keeping your dog in a safe room can prevent these mishaps.

Some dogs hate costumes—while cute, some dogs are not very tolerant of costumes and can get cranky and snappy. If your dog looks stressed, unhappy or uncomfortable, take it off.




A bandana is as much as my dog can handle. A costume would put her in a very foul mood.

September is Disaster Preparedness Month: Is your pet protected?

Did you know that September is  Disaster Preparedness Month?  Most of us may have prepared for our  own needs but does it also include our pet’s needs?  Here are some things to keep in mind when preparing your own emergency plans:

1)      Identification:  Your pet should always be wearing an I.D tag or I.D. collar.  Micro-chipping is also essential as shelters and most veterinary clinics are equipped with scanners and collars can break or come off.  Recently a cat showed up in my neighborhood and through her microchip we found her owner who lived over 5 miles away and was searching for her cat for over a month!

2)      Water:  Make sure that you have enough water for each  of your pets.  Most agencies recommend 7 days’ worth of water and allocate a gallon/pet especially if your pet is large.

3)      Food and supplies:  Make sure that you have enough food and other supplies (litter, poop bags, clean up supplies, blankets, bedding) to last 7 days.  If your pet is on medication, make sure that you have enough current medication and that it is easily accessible.  Rotate food and water so that it is always fresh.

4)      Hang Leashes Near the Door:  I keep my leashes hanging near the door so that I can easily find them and secure my dogs quickly in case of an emergency.

5)      Important Documentation and information: just as you should keep copies of your important records, you should also keep copies of your pet’s documents sealed in a Ziploc bag.  Examples include:  veterinarian’s contact information, shot records, dog license information, prescription records, phone numbers and addresses of nearby shelters, boarding facilities and rescues. 

6)      First Aid Kit:  Make sure your first aid kit includes enough items for your pet. A blanket is helpful as well to wrap your pet.  Make sure this kit and your pet’s emergency kit are in easily accessible locations.  Below is a link to purchase the Red Cross’ Pet First Aid kit.  In addition, many agencies offer pet first aid classes (see below).

7)      Crates and carriers: should be easily accessible.  I like collapsible crates that are easily stored and transportable.

8)      Window or Door Sticker:  Posting a sticker on your door indicating the number and types of pets residing in your home will be helpful to rescue workers.  Frees stickers are provided by the ASPCA (see link below) and many pet stores sell these stickers as well.

RESOURCES

More Tips and Brochures

ASPCA Emergency Preparedness Tips

Humane Society Disaster Preparedness Brochure

Window Stickers and First Aid Kits

            ASPCA Pet Emergency Window Sticker

Red Cross Pet First Aid Kit

Pet First Aid Classes:

                American Red Cross Classes

                Petco Online Classes

Dog Days of Summer

Summertime can be a fun time for you and your dog.  You may be off from work and have more time to spend with your dog. Or, you may be planning a vacation with your pet  Here are some summertime tips:


Hot Weather


Here in California, it tends to get hot in August and September.  Keeping our pets cool is a high priority.  Since I have double-coated breeds, they have a lot of fur and can easily get overheated.  Some of the symptoms of overheating include:  excessive panting, drooling, difficulty breathing, increased heart and respiratory rate, weakness or collapse.  More severe symptoms can include diarrhea, vomiting and seizures.  To avoid overheating your dog, here are some tips:


1)  Walk your dog early in the morning or early evening - besides the external temperature, the pavement can get hot in the middle of the day and can burn your dog's feet.  Asphalt is even worse as the dark color absorbs more heat from the sun.  I often get questions about why their dog stops in the middle of the walk and lies down on the grass.  One of my first questions is "what time of day are you walking your dog?"


2)  Do not leave your dog in the car - I know this seems obvious but every summer there are reports of dogs dying in locked cars.  Cars, even with the windows cracked, can heat up very quickly on a hot day turning the inside of a car into an oven. 


3)  Bring plenty of water on hikes - make sure you have enough hydration for both you and your dog and give your dog frequent rest stops in the shade when he/she looks tired.   Dogs have a lot of fur and only can cool themselves by panting and some limited sweating from the pads of their feet.


4) Wet your dog - if I am on a hike on a warm day,  I will often drench the back of my dogs' neck and upper back  with water to create evaporative cooling. 

5)  Keep your dogs indoors - if the inside of your house is cooler than outside, bring your dogs indoors to avoid heat stroke.  If the heat outdoors is intolerable for you then your dog is likely to feel the same way (if not more so). 

6)  Avoid intense exercise during heat waves - when we have 90+ weather, avoid intense exercise.  If your dog is elderly, overweight, has a medical condition (especially respiratory or cardiac) or very young, they are more vulnerable to the heat.

Remember, your dog has a heavy fur coat and can easily get overheated.  Imagine how hot this guy feels on a hot summer day.

Going on the Road with your pet


Traveling with your pet can be a great experience and you don't have to worry about finding the boarding facility or pet sitter.  Here are a few tips:


1) Identification and Microchipping - Make sure your dog has a secure collar with I.D. Dogs can panic in unfamiliar locations and bolt. Microchipping is also critical if you frequently travel with your pet. Lost dogs can lose their collars and most shelters and veterinarians have scanning equipment.


2) Water bowls – dogs can get dehydrated during the car ride so stop every few hours to check on their water bowls. Better yet, teach your dog to drink from a water bottle (like the type rabbits drink out of) that hooks on to the crate. I taught my older dogs to drink out of a water bottle by putting peanut butter on the nozzle. My puppy did not need any prompting.


3) Vet information – Take the number of your veterinarian as well as the phone numbers of vets in the area where you will be staying.


4) Copies of shot records – sometimes you run into a situation where you cannot find pet friendly accommodations or hotels where you cannot leave your pet unattended. In such cases you may need to put your dog in daycare if you are going to a function or will need to leave your pet for an extended period of time. Day cares require shot records so it is helpful to have them handy in case you need to board your dog. Make sure your dog is current on vaccinations especially rabies if you are going to wilderness areas.


5) Crate and Crate Cover – often I will bring extra blankets to cover the crates. Covering the crates can help quiet the dogs when they cannot settle down in a strange location. My dogs know that the blanket means they need to go to sleep.


6) Extra towels and brushes – in case your dog gets wet or dirty.


7) Flea, Tick and Heartworm Treatments– make sure your dogs are current with flea, tick and heartworm applications. Many mountainous areas and regions of the U.S. have ticks or mosquitoes that transmit heartworm. Do your research and protect your pet accordingly. Ask your veterinarian about the appropriate treatments to apply.


8) Finding Pet Friendly Accommodations – here are some of my favorite websites for finding pet-friendly accommodations:


http://www.bringfido.com/– nice search engine and photos of properties


http://www.dogfriendly.com/– this one has been around for a long time and has a good list of accommodations for hotels and restaurants.


http://www.vrbo.com/– provides list of vacation rentals if you would like to rent a home. Several dog friendly properties are available. 


The Creepy Crawlies


Fleat, Tick and HeartwormTreatments:  Summertime is also flea and tick season.  Make sure that you are on top of treating your dog against these external parasites.  Many areas also have mosquito-borne heartworm so check with your veterinarian about whether your area is at risk and, if so, the appropriate preventative to use. 


Removing Ticks:  Inspect your dog after hiking in tick-infested areas.  Ticks like to perch on the end of grassblades and other plants waiting to hitch a ride on the next warm-blooded creature that brushes by them.  If you have been hiking on narrow trails with a lot of brush, it is especially important to do a tick check.  Here is a link to instructions and here is a pictorial version on how to remove ticks but if you are not comfortable doing this take your dog to your veterinarian.  If your dog developes a rash after begin bitten by a tick, take your dog to the veterinarian as ticks can carry Lyme Disease.  Often keeping the removed tick inside a sealed container or jar of alcohol is a good idea in case you need to take it to the veterinarianfor testing to rule out Lyme Disease.


Mosquitos - as mentioned before, mosquitos are vectors for many diseases.  Make sure you don't have any standing water in your yard (even in the saucers underneath your potted plants) and if your area is particularly infested with mosquitos, bring your dog inside when they are active.


Hiking with Your Dog


We have many beautiful trails here in Southern California.  If you take the appropriate precautions above, you can have a great time hanging out with your dog.  Here are some good books on finding dog-friendly trails:

4th of July Tips for your dog

With 4th of July just around the corner, it is important to keep your pet safe and secure.   Many dogs are afraid of fireworks.  Here are some things to keep in mind to keep your pet safe and happy this holiday:


* Avoid keeping your pet in the yard.  Fearful dogs will often try to dig, jump or climb their way out of the yard to escape the noise.  Many dogs get lost and end up in the shelter this way. 


*Make sure that your pet has proper ID in the event that he/she gets lost. Consider microchipping your dog.


*Avoid the temptation to take your dog to fireworks shows or outdoors. A fearful dog could bolt and get lost. Fearful dogs can also feel trapped and may lunge or bite people or other dogs around them. Play it safe, keep them at home.


*Keep your pets indoors and provide a secure place for your pet stay in.  This can be a crate or a quiet, pet-proofed room in your home that does not receive as much outside noise. Dogs can try to chew their way out of an area when scared so make sure it is a secure area.  Close your windows and front door to shut out outside noises.

*What if you have a new dog or puppy and this is their first 4th of July? Play with your dog. During those hours when fireworks happen (usually 9 p.m. to midnight here in Los Angeles), play games with your dog. Play fetch or tug of war. Give your dog a toy to play with or work on a Nina Ottosson interactive puzzle with your dog. Click here for examples. Interacting with you will keep your dog's mind off the noises outside and on the games you are playing with your dog. Here is an example of my dog working on Tug-a-Jug under my supervision.  She is so preoccupied with working on this toy that outside noises are unlikely to distract her:



















*Consider playing music or keep the T.V. on as background noise. There are music CDs that have been created specifically to calm dogs.  Through a Dog's Ear is an example of a CD series. 

 

 

*Alternative remedies:  For mild cases, some dogs respond well to flower essences and homeopathic remedies. Bach's Rescue Remedy for pets is one of the older brands out there and can be found in most natural pet stores.  For homeopathic remedies you can consult with a homeopathic veterinarian for suggestions and dosage instructions.




*Body Wraps: many people have had success with body wraps which in effect "swaddle" your dog. I often use this product with fearful or anxious dogs. In her book, "Help for Your Fearful Dog," Nicole Wilde discusses a variety of methods of doing this and the proper way of introducing your dog to a wrap. In addition, there is a body vest marketed under the brand names, "Anxiety Wrap" and "Thundershirt" designed to achieve the same result. However, you should first acclimate your dog to the vest before a storm or fireworks so your dog does not react negatively to wearing the vest.





















*Another calming product is Dog Appeasing Pheromone that can be sprayed on your dog's bedding or used as a room atomizer.  It is usually sold in pet stores under the brand name "Comfort Zone." 





















*For severe cases talk to your vet:  for severe cases of anxiety or if your dog is at risk of injuring himself/herself, prescription medication may be necessary to keep your dog calm and safe. In such cases,  it is best consult with your veterinarian before the holiday.






My akita has mild to moderate anxiety to fireworks. I make sure that he is in a pet-proofed room with the T.V. on and the windows closed. Sometimes I will distract my pet with toys and games he likes to play.  Recently, when he is feeling anxious, he voluntarily goes in my other Akita's crate to make himself calm down.  This year I am going to put on his Thundershirt and use my Nina Ottosson Toys to keep him distracted:




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