Respect the Growl - what to do when your dog (or parrot) growls at you

Sometimes my parrot growls at me. Yes, I said “parrot” and “growl” in the same sentence.  Parrots do growl and this one was not imitating a dog.  She was playing with a toy and when I reached out to pet her, she gave a distinct growl and flashed her pupils at me.  This dilation and constriction of the pupils is called “eye pinning” or “eye flashing” and it can mean excitement, curiosity or aggression in parrot body language, which is not very helpful by itself unless you look at the context of this behavior and other visual signs such as raised feathers, stiff body etc. 

So, like any good animal trainer, I stopped what I was doing, waited for the bird to fold down her feathers and relax.  Then once she was relaxed, I slowly withdrew my hand and analyzed the situation.  Had I proceeded, I would have likely gotten a bite on the finger or at minimum an attempt on her part to strike out at me with an open beak as a further warning to back off. 

The bird’s display conveyed a very important message.  The growl meant “back off, you are making me uncomfortable.”  I noticed that anytime her mouth was occupied with something, whether it was a toy, a stick or food, she did not want to be touched.  This was important information.  Was the parrot trying to “dominate me”?   I doubt it.   Was she trying to guard her toy?  Unlikely, since I can take toys and food away from her at other times.   Does this mean that the parrot is not fully hand-tamed and may not be comfortable being touched when that very important beak is otherwise occupied? This is a more likely and plausible explanation.  Will I respect the growl?  Absolutely.

This incident made me wonder why is it that when a parrot or cat makes a warning display like a growl or a hiss, we humans immediately respect the warning and don’t press forward or punish the animal.  Most people would not assume that the cat or bird was trying to dominate them and would not take it that personally.  After all, they are just being a bird or a cat.  Why is it that we take it so personally when a dog growls and feel compelled to punish the growl?  Is it because we expect them to be our “best friend” rather than just like any other animal that has the potential to be scared or threatened? 

Should we scold or reprimand a dog for growling?  There are several reasons for not punishing an animal when he/she is exhibiting a warning signal.

Suppressing a warning signal leads to escalation.  First, and perhaps most importantly, when we try to suppress a low level warning signal such as a growl or lip curl, the animal learns that this initial warning is ineffective and is being ignored.  When this initial warning goes unheeded, the animal may bypass this step in future encounters and go straight to DEFCON 1, the Bite.  Warning signals such as growls, hissing, and lip curling are valuable pieces of information.  It is the animal’s way of telling us, “I am really uncomfortable with what you are doing right now and please stop before I have to escalate.”  By trying to suppress this behavior, we are actually encouraging the dog to exhibit more aggressive forms of behavior.

Punishment reinforces fear and defensive behavior.  Second, punishing an animal for exhibiting a warning signal reinforces the animal’s perception that there is indeed something to be threatened about.  The animal is trying to communicate, “back off’ and if the intended recipient of that signal does not back off and instead retaliates the animal will in turn escalate the encounter by biting.  Tactics such as yelling, pinning a dog to the ground, staring down a dog or grabbing them by the scruff are actually counter-productive and can increase aggression in an animal.  For studies that support this contention see my article on the risks of using aversives in training. 

Punishment may create unintended consequences.  Third, you may be unintentionally creating a negative association with whatever the dog is growling at or threatened by.  For example, if the dog growls at a certain person who enters the room and you punish the dog whenever this happens, this can reinforce the dog’s perception that when that person is in the room, bad things happen.

Punishment erodes trust.  Fourth, punishment makes the animal more defensive in your presence and this erodes the bond of trust that should exist between you.  For example, if I punished the bird for growling at me whenever there was a toy in her mouth, then the bird would be very distrustful of my presence anytime she wanted to pick up a toy to play with.  For an animal that is not fully tamed, this would severely set back any trust-building that we had previously developed.

So, what should you do if your pet growls at you? 

1)   Stop & Withdraw.  Immediately stop what you are doing.  Do not move forward so the behavior does not escalate.  If you are fairly far away or if the growl is clearly a warning, wait for your pet to relax.  Once your pet relaxes, carefully, withdraw your hand or move back.  If the growl appears intense, you are very close to the dog or a bite seems imminent, play it safe and stop what you are doing and withdraw.

2)   Identify the triggers.  Once you withdraw, analyze the situation.  What was the animal doing before the growl?  Was the animal trying to protect or guard something like food or a toy?  Was the animal fearful or threatened by you, another person or animal nearby? Was the animal fearful of something you were carrying or holding?  Was there a body part he/she did not like having touched or handled?  Is your pet stressed about something new in the environment?

3)   Come up with a game plan.  Once you isolate the trigger(s), first try to determine if these are situations that can be managed.  For example, telling strangers not to hover over your dog or to give your dog more space, or provide your dog a “safe zone” such as a gated area or room when guests come over. Then determine if you can work with your animal to change his/her perception of these triggers.   For example, if your dog does not like strangers reaching out their hands, ask strangers to stand at a distance your dog can handle and toss treats to the dog so that the dog learns that strangers are not so scary.   If your dog has a sensitive body part, determine if there is a physical injury or if your dog is ticklish.  Then try to teach your dog that brushing or handling is a positive experience.  See my videos on body handling.  If your pet seems to be guarding resources such as food bowls, people, sleeping places, toys or other objects, it is best to contact a certified trainer or behaviorist to work on a training plan with you as these behaviors can sometimes be tricky to deal with. 

4)   Become familiar with your pet’s body language.  Often there are signals that precede the growl.  For example, in dogs, the dog might suddenly go stiff or get very still.  You may notice your dog staring at you in a very direct manner. Identifying precursors to the growl may help you head off the behavior earlier in time. In addition, identifying early stress signals can help identify situations that make your dog uncomfortable.   See my article for a discussion on canine body language.  In addition, Here is a video of some common canine stress signals:

5)   Seek Professional Help.  If you are in doubt about what is triggering the behavior, if the behavior seems unpredictable or if you are unsure of how to handle your pet’s behavior, contact a certified trainer or behaviorist to help you develop a behavior modification program.  In some cases, severe aggression or guarding behavior is best handled with the help of a professional.  Make sure you choose someone who advocates methods based on positive reinforcement.  See my article on finding a  qualified dog trainer.

This dog is guarding an avocado
from one of the other dogs.

So, how did I resolve my parrot’s behavior?  I identified the trigger (does not like petting when things are in her mouth) and approached the issue as follows:

1)    Assess the behavior and my need to touch the bird in that context.  I made the assessment that I really do not need to pet her when she is busy doing something else like eating or fiddling with a toy. Would you like someone pawing at you when you are eating or concentrating on something else?  Instead, I reserved petting sessions for when she was relaxed and not occupied with something.

2)   Build a better bond through clicker training.  I worked on taming her further and building up more trust between us.  She was not fully hand-tamed so I worked on body handling and teaching her that I was not a threat.  I also did simple clicker-training tricks so that she would enjoy working with me.  Targeting my fingers was also a way of teaching her to interact with my fingers by tapping them (rather than nibbling).

3)   Teach an alternative behavior.  I taught her to drop objects (you can do this with a dog too).  So in the event I need to retrieve something out of her mouth, she will let go of it voluntarily.  See video of her retrieving and dropping an object.

4)   Set up a petting protocol.  I set up a petting protocol.  Parrots are not like dogs.  They are not really domesticated and they are prey animals so they are naturally skittish.  Before petting her, I would say, “can I pet you? and put my thumb and forefinger together much like I did with the targeting exercises in the vidoe.  If her pupils flashed or if she raised her feathers, I would leave her be.  If she was still relaxed, she got a pet and a treat.  This protocol achieved two objectives, it gave her a heads up that I am coming to pet her and it also set up a positive association with the words, “can I pet you” and the actions that followed (a head scratch which parrots love and a treat). Eventually the treat was faded out because the head scratch was nirvana for her. She got to the point that when I asked if I could pet her, she would bend her head over to receive a head scratch.  So she gave me an obvious signal that she wanted to be petted.  We essentially established a way of communicating so she would not be caught off guard and she received pets when she was ready and willing to receive them.

So, if you find yourself in a situation where your pet growls at you or somebody else, respect the growl and figure out how you can work with your pet in a productive manner.  We are not being permissive but acknowledging that there is a behavior that needs to be addressed.  It is better to address the behavior and its underlying cause in a proactive manner through behavior modification rather than try to put a band-aid on it and merely suppress its outward expression.

Respect my growl

Los Angeles Dog Training
www.pawsitivefeedback.com

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Where Sleeping Dogs May Lie

The Myth:  Many people ask me about whether it is a no-no to let your dog sleep on the couch or bed.  Often you hear the absolute rule that you should never let dogs sleep on your bed or other high place because it will make them feel "dominant "over you. 

The Reality - There are many dogs who can sleep on a bed or sofa and never show aggression towards their owners or show any other behavioral problems. The act of letting your dog sleep on the bed does not mean your dog will begin to "dominate" your or that you will lose "alpha" status.  Many of these ideas of dominance and being the alpha are questionable and it is more important to focus on the dog's behavior, your lifestyle and what you want in the long-term. See my article discussing the misconceptions of dominance in dogs.

My general rule of thumb is that pets on furniture is a personal choice if your dog is not showing aggression in this context. If your dog willingly jumps off the furniture when asked without growling or showing aggression, then it is generally not a problem. However, there are other considerations that you should take into account before giving your dog unlimited access to your sleeping areas.

I personally choose not to have any animals on my bed because 1) my large dogs take up too much space and 2) they are major shedders and I don't like having animal fur on pillows and areas where I sleep.  My 12 year old shiba has sofa (but not bed) privileges as you can see in the photo above. However, she is still crate-trained and spends some time in a crate for meals and when I am training my other animals.  In my case, it is a personal choice not to have some of my dogs on the sofa, but if people like having their dogs on the sofa or bed that is fine with the following caveats. 

If you have a dog that is possessive or guards space, like sleeping areas, I would not give him/her unlimited sofa or bed privileges until the aggressive behavior is first dealt with.  If your dog growls at you when you try to move him or when you get too close to her when she is sleeping then letting them sleep on a sofa or bed is not the best option.  In such cases, it would be better to give the dog his/her own bed somewhere else and hire a positive reinforcement-based trainer to help you work through the aggressive behavior first before allowing unlimited access to your sofa or bed.

For puppies and newly adopted dogs, I recommend that you do not immediately give bed or sofa privileges until you have spent some time with your dog and get to know him/her better.  I usually give it about 4-6 months for adults and a year for puppies.  During this period you have worked through the destructive chewing phase, completed some basic training/manners training and you have determined whether there are any aggression issues or other behavioral issues such as separation anxiety that may impact where your dog should sleep. 

After this period you can decide whether you really want to want a dog in your bed or on your sofa. For example, you may find out that your child has allergies, you plan on having a baby who will spend time in bed with you or you may realize after being with your dog that the fur on the bed is not your cup of tea.  It is easier to give privileges than take them away.  If you have been sleeping with a puppy in a bed from the age of 8 weeks, it is going to be much harder 8-10 months later to then try to train the puppy to sleep on the floor or in a crate. So when you decide where you want your dog to sleep, ask yourself if this is going to be o.k. with you in the long term with all the lifestyle changes your family will be going through during your dog's lifetime.

www.pawsitivefeedback.com

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).

Los Angeles Dog Trainer
www.pawsitivefeedback.com

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.

www.pawsitivefeedback.com

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

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

See Me, Hear Me: Understanding Canine Body Language

My dad has been in the hospital and I have been taking care of his female corgi mix until he gets home.  At first, she came into my house like gangbusters trying to push everyone around, claiming everyone’s sleeping places and hoarding all the toys from the toy box.  My female Akita loves her and did not take a lot of her aggressive stances very seriously and, instead, constantly invited her to play.  My 2 senior dogs, on the other hand, were not thrilled with this rude little intruder and displayed a number of behaviors to try to defuse the situation and reduce the risk of conflict. I was able to capture some of these interactions on film and thought it would be a good opportunity to discuss canine communication.

Many signals that dogs put out are very subtle to the human eye because they are so different from primate body language. Often dogs show us these signals to let us know that they are uncomfortable or stressed.  Conflicts arise when we humans fail to recognize these signals or we misinterpret the message our dogs are trying to convey. 

Recognizing and understanding canine body language is critical when trying to manage multi-dog households.  Perhaps more importantly, understanding the messages your dog is trying convey can help you forge a better relationship with your dog and help you and your dog navigate through situations that make him/her uncomfortable. Here are a few common signals that are important to be on the look out for:


Lip Licking

This is a behavior dogs will often perform when they are under stress or unsure of what is happening around them. What distinguishes this behavior from a dog “licking his chops” is that it is more frequent and more like a tongue flick. It is a behavior that Turid Rugaas terms a "calming signal" (see book reference below). A "calming signal" is a behavior that dogs display to each other to prevent or reduce the risk of conflict.  It is a way for a dog to try to defuse a situation and calm the other dog (or person) down or even to calm themselves down.

In the photo above, my male Akita just came into the house to find my dad’s dog sleeping on his bed and also blocking his path. He paced back forth several times in front of her licking his lips before he finally walked past my dad’s dog and found another place to sleep. My Akita is not very confident and tries to avoid conflict as much as possible so the lip licking not only shows his discomfort approaching the new house guest but also his attempt to walk by her in close quarters without triggering a reaction or make her feel threatened.


In the videos below, the dogs show this behavior in response to the camera being too close to them:



Head Turns
One of the more common signals a dog will emit is the head turn away from another dog or person. This is another behavior that Rugaas considers a "calming signal."  I most often see this behavior when a dog is being approached by another dog or human and the dog is not quite comfortable with what is happening or when the dog is trying to show the other dog that he/she is not a threat. In the picture below, my shiba inu is not very comfortable with my dad’s dog and is turning her head away from her to avoid direct eye contact, which can be threatening to another dog. 

The dog on the left is emitting a calming signal to avoid
confrontation with the dog on the right.

Another scenario where I see head turns is when a dog or puppy is being hugged or kissed by a human being and the dog is not comfortable with this show of affection. Hugging for a primate is a normal expression of affection but is not comfortable for most dogs.  Often accompanying the head turn in this scenario are other calming signals such as lip licking or yawning (see below). This is probably one of the most common situations where humans fail to read the signs of the dog’s discomfort and if ignored can lead to a growl or dog bite to the face.

This dog is doing both a head turn and lip lick

In the picture above, my shiba inu is not comfortable with someone taking a picture so close to her when she is on her bed.  She is displaying both a head turn and lip lick. When you see this behavior in this type of scenario, it is best to give your dog more space.

This dog is merely tolerating being hugged. Note the head tilted away from the person.
The ears are also tilting backwards.

The picture above shows my dog being hugged by someone he knows fairly well. You can tell he is straining to turn away from the person. While he is tolerating being hugged, he is not really enjoying it. He is a shy and somewhat fearful dog that I rescued as an adult. Therefore, this is a situation where I would tell guests not to hover directly over or hug this dog, especially young children. Even though this is a large dog, the same rules would apply to a small dog that shows the same behavior. In fact, I rarely grab dogs around the neck or kiss them on the face.  I find that most dogs would rather be petted and given a little more breathing room, especially from strangers.

 
It is important to respect these signs and reduce your pet's stress and discomfort by not putting them in situations that make them uncomfortable. Working at a dog’s comfort level helps build a more trusting relationship. One way to do this is to approach an unsure dog by turning the side of your body to the dog. Hovering, hugging and direct eye contact can be intimidating to a dog and can provoke a dog to growl or bite. Most dogs are comfortable approaching a human when the person's side is facing them and the person's head is slightly turned away (a calming signal).  This is especially true of fearful dogs. 

This dog is more comfortable being held but then my face is also not close to hers and I am not hovering over her or trying to make direct eye contact.  Note the relaxed expression and mouth.

Colleen Pelar who has written several excellent books on raising children with dogs has the following videos on her website demonstrating the stress and calming signals dogs exhibit when they are being hugged or kissed. When you watch these videos, try to identify the calming signals. The videos can be found at:


Hugging: http://www.livingwithkidsanddogs.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/wshug.mov

Kissing: http://www.livingwithkidsanddogs.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/wskissingjack.mov





Body Turns


Another "calming signal" is a body turn.  Often when dogs approach each other one or both will turn their bodies rather than approach head on. If one dog approaches and the other turns away very deliberately, the dog is signalling that “I am not a threat.” It can also be a sign that the dog turning away does not feel comfortable or does not want to interact.

These two dogs do not know each other very well and are
cautious around each other.  The dog on the left is blocking the other dog's path and the dog on the right turns her body and sniffs the ground
which is another calming signal this particular dog seems to do a lot.



Mitsu (dog on left) keeps her body and head turned away.

In the pictures above, the two dogs are showing a lot of calming signals.  It is these signals which help maintain harmony and minimize altercations.  In the days since these photos were taken the two dogs have become more comfortable with each other and there is less supervision required on my part.  Fortunately, both dogs are surprisingly good at expressing calming signals and have made my job much easier.

Sometimes in class I see dogs doing body turns or head turns (usually accompanied by lip licks or yawns) away from their owners. Usually I will ask the owner to give the dog a break from training for a few minutes. The dog is not trying to ignore the owner or being obstinate, an example of when dog behavior is often misinterpreted, but rather the dog may be stressed or is uncomfortable with something that is happening around him. 

The interesting thing about calming signals is that humans can reflect a calming signal back at a dog.  For example, turning your own head or body from a dog that is exhibiting a calming signal (yawning, lip licking or head/body turns) can help put them at ease.


Yawning


Sometimes dogs will yawn for reasons other than fatigue. This is another behavior that Turid Rugaas terms a "calming signal."  Yawning can occur when a dog is stressed or uncomfortable.  Try yawning back at your dog when you see this behavior and see if your dog relaxes.

Sometimes when I point the camera at my dog, Kiku,
she will yawn in response because she is not quite comfortable with the camera. If she gets too uncomfortable, she will walk away (a scenario that some people incorrectly attribute to "stubbornness").

Relaxed Face


The pictures below show dogs who are relaxed and comfortable with what is happening around them. The mouth is relaxed, not tensed and the eyes are soft.

Relaxed mouth, relaxed face, ears in normal position

Relaxed mouth, soft expression, ears in normal position

Tense Face


In contrast, dogs who are on guard, nervous or uncomfortable usually have a tight, closed mouth or tense face.  The look in the eyes may be hard or intense and the ears may point forward rather than be relaxed.

Closed, tight mouth, worried expression

Closed tight mouth, ears forward,
hard expression in the eyes

   

Mitsu guarding the avocado and giving a warning growl to another dog. 
Notice the forward posture, stiff body, forward ears and tense face.

Shaking off


Often you will see dogs shaking their bodies in much the same way they shake off water after a bath. When I see this with my dogs, they are usually reacting to something unexpected or trying to dissipate some nervous energy or tension.  The video below shows some examples of this behavior.







Play Bow


Most people recognize this move.  It is an invitation to play and most dogs react positively when they see this posture.

Come play with me!

Sneezing

Some dogs sneeze multiple times when they are excited or stressed.  My Shiba sneezes and prances excitedly when I come home and greet her. 

These are a few of the many facial expressions and forms of body language that are expressed by dogs. In this blog I am focusing on some of the calming signals and other less obvious behaviors that dogs will also exhibit to humans.  It is important to recognize these signs and identify what may be causing your dog discomfort or stress. Knowing these signals can also enhance your own interactions with your dog. To learn more about dog body language, the books below are a few good resources:

                                                          

www.pawsitivefeedback.com