Upcoming Raising Indiana Guests

Raising Indiana airs every Thursday at 8pm EST on http://raisingindiana.com!

So who’s going to be Indy’s guest in 2012?

January 26^th--Part 3 of our fantastic interview with Patricia McConnell, PhD

Dr. McConnell is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB), highly-sought after dog trainer, speaker and the author of much-acclaimed books including The Other End of the Leash.
http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/
http://www.theotherendoftheleash.com/

February 2^nd--Ian Dunbar, PhD

^{Dr. Dunbar is a veterinarian, animal behaviorist and dog trainer.  Dr. Dunbar is the author of numerous books and DVD series including AFTER You Get Your Puppy.  In 1982, Dr. Dunbar designed and taught the world’s first off-lead puppy socialization & training class.  We’re speaking to Dr. Dunbar as SIRIUS Puppy Training celebrates its 30th birthday!
 http://www.siriuspup.com/index.html
 http://www.dogstardaily.com/}

February 9^th--Kyle Peterson with P.E.T.S. LLC Transport
 Kyle and Pam Peterson’s animal transport company has saved the lives of 34,326 pets since their
 beginning in 2003!  We chat with the star of Animal Planet’s Last Chance Highway about animal 
 rescue, long-haul drives and his love of puppies.
 http://www.petsllc.net/index.php

We have a cool blog addition to this podcast that follows the life on a rescued dog in Tennessee, Sonic, through his foster home (with me and my family), his journey with P.E.T.S. LLC to Connecticut and his life with his new forever family!

Valentine’s Day Special—February 16^th--Sheryl Matthys of leashesandlovers.com

Should we set Luke up with an online dating profile?  Our Valentine’s Day Special Podcast is all about
the love and connection pet owners share.  Sheryl Matthys is the founder of leashes and lovers online match-making service and author of the book by the same name.  You don’t want to miss this Raising Indiana podcast!
 http://leashesandlovers.com/

February 23^rd--Jackie Obando, DVM

Dr. Obando was born in Brazil where she studied veterinary medicine, afterward traveling to Europe to further study homeopathy.  We chat with Dr. Obando about homeopathic therapies and raw food
nutrition.
http://mercyvet.com/

March 1^st--Jill Gainer with Nature’s Variety

Nature’s Variety is a natural pet food company passionate about providing proper, holistic nutrition
for our pets.  Our conversation with Ms. Gainer continues a theme on Raising Indiana to provide
accurate information about the importance of what our pets eat.  If your dog has allergy be sure to tune in!
http://www.naturesvariety.com/

March 8^th--Cathy Ball, VMD, MS with CEVA Animal Health

How do I prevent fleas and ticks is a common question we hear at Raising Indiana.  Dr. Ball
discusses how the CEVA Animal Health line of products including Vectra for Dogs and
Vectra3D can help prevent fleas and ticks.  Hudson tested and approved!
http://www.summitvetpharm.com

March 15^th--Linda Westin from Friends of Cookeville Putnam County Animals
President of the FOCPCA, Mrs. Westin, has exciting news about the first-of-its-kind P.E.T. Care
Campus being designed and built in Cookeville, Tennessee from funds raised by this non-profit
organization.  Shelter Directors, Humane Society Directors and animal welfare caregivers
should not miss this podcast!
http://www.friendsofcpcanimals.org/

March 22^nd--Dr. Jean Dodds of Hemopet
Dr. Dodds founded Hemopet, a non-profit animal blood bank & greyhound rescue/
adoption program, in 1986.  She is a highly-respected authority of endocrine disorders
in dogs, titer testing and vaccinations.  We’ll be speaking with Dr. Dodds regarding the later topic—
vaccinations of our pets.  Dr. Dodds will return to Raising Indiana later in the year to discuss her
other various expertises.
http://www.hemopet.org/

We had an overwhelming response of audience questions for Dr. Dodds.  We’ll be presenting an accompanying blog for this podcast.  Dr. Dodds was kind enough to answer all of our questions there.

**We want to disclaim that Raising Indiana is not against vaccinating our companion animals.  For the safety of our pet population it is important that the majority of the herd population be vaccinated against common diseases.  Please discuss all vaccine options with your veterinainian.

March 29^th--Lisa Spector

Luke is in his element with Lisa Spector from Through a Dog’s Ear.  Did you know Luke used to sing opera to his first dog, Malcolm?  Well, we can’t wait to discuss the applied theories of calming your pet in various situations with classical music!
http://throughadogsear.com/
http://throughadogsear.com/lisa-spectors-blog/

April 5^th--Robert Mueller, co-founder of BARF World

We so enjoyed our first podcast with Mr. Mueller that we jumped at the chance to have him back to
discuss disease and diet with Luke.  Catch up with the first interview here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBW2ZfCrLg0&list=UUg-8QUs87Hq2lVXrKqqgfSA&index=9&feature=plcp

http://www.barfworld.com/

http://www.barfworld.com/blog/

This has been a popular topic with many audience questions that Mr. Mueller will answer in an accompanying blog post.

April 12^t-- Nick Dodman, BVMS from Tufts’ Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine

Dr. Dodman will be joining us and Indy to discuss his books The Well-Adjusted Dog and Puppy’s
First Steps.  Dr. Dodman is one of the world’s most celebrated veterinary behaviorists and prolific
authors.  He also has a book about dogs behaving badly—watch out Indy!                     
http://www.thepetdocs.com/who_nick.html

April 19^th-- Susan Lauten, PhD

We are so excited for Dr. Lauten’s Raising Indiana podcast on nutrition!  As our pets grow and
mature one of the most defining aspects on their health is nutrition.  Dr. Lauten began Pet Nutrition Consulting in 2001, and she works daily with veterinary specialists, pet owners and veterinarians to provide the appropriate nutritional recommendations.
http://www.petnutritionconsulting.com/

April 26^th--Dog Scouts of America
Dog Scouts of America was founded in 1995 as a non-profit dedicated to enriching the lives of
pet owners and their dogs.  This is going to be fun!  DSA has so many fun programs and events—
they love learning new things & so does Indy!
http://www.dogscouts.org/MI_camp_photos_C899.html

May 3^rd-- Kat Martin

Kat Martin from Nashville’s Dogs and Kat has been voted Nashville’s Best Dog Trainer 4 years in a row! Not to mention that she runs the very fabulous See Spot Eat boutique and treat shop.  We’ll chat with Kat about puppy socialization and training.
http://dogsandkat.com/

Indy, Luke and myself have many more exciting guests coming up on future Raising Indiana podcasts. 

Don’t forget we’ve had amazing experts on for previous podcasts such as Dr. Temple Grandin, Dr. Stanley Coren and Dr. Sharon Startup, to name a few.  You can listen to all the past podcasts at http://www.youtube.com/user/RaisingIndiana

Raising Indiana airs every Thursday at 8pm EST on http://raisingindiana.com!

Here’s to Raising Indiana and all of our pets to be the best they can be!

Raising Indiana Producer, Sheila Rinks

Who Needs Words?

Who Needs Words? Crows? You? Wild Gorillas? Alison
Krauss?



A wonderful piece
by Bill Blakemore and ABC News. Thanks to Jan Casey for sharing. Read the
entire article at the link below.

"But various
mammals, including not only dolphins and whales but African wild dogs and
Norwegian rats, many species of bird, and even spiders and insects are now
being discovered by scientists around the world to have complex vocalizations
and other sound-wave communication systems so complex that old notions that
human language is somehow fundamentally unique are being thrown in doubt.

It’s also opening
up a broad new field in which scientists are exploring that ancient question:
whether and how the mental experience of animals is different from ours:

Are animals’
thought-processes, self-reflections, feelings for others, sense of enjoyment,
and even possible moral systems and consciousness itself (whatever that is)
different only by degree and complexity from ours, or is there a more
fundamental divide?

These expanding
scientific studies can also be great fun. Animals tickle our fancy in many
ways, and often fascinate us.

Most recently, the
fact that countless millions of humans around the world click on thousands of
videos of animal behavior found on the World Wide Web is itself evidence of
some form of intense communication in them — often without “words” or any other
sounds from the animals."

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/technology/2012/01/who-needs-words-crows-you-wild-gorillas-alison-krauss/

by Bill Blakemore

Courtesy of ABC News and Bill Blakemore

Novartis Suspends Production of Some Medications

Novartis Suspends Production of Interceptor, Sentinel,
Program, Clomicalm and Deramaxx

January 18, 2012

Please discuss all
medication options and changes with your pet’s doctor—even natural supplements,
over-the-counter meds and store bought flea and tick treatments. And don't miss our upcoming Raising Indiana conversation with Cathy Ball with Vectra3D regarding medications and flea/tick treatments.

Over the past month
Novartis closed an important manufacturing plant in Lincoln, Nebraska
in response to consumer complaints it has received regarding a number of its
leading human consumer medications. The FDA issued a highly critical report of
that plant (see here) after an
inspection in June of last year. On January 8th, Novartis announced in a press release
that it was voluntarily recalling a number of its leading human products
produced at the plant including Excedrin, NoDoz, Bufferin and Gas-X while it
strengthens quality standards. On January 5th, Novartis sent a letter to
veterinarians informing them that it was suspending production and shipments of
the following Novartis Animal Health (NAH) brands including Interceptor Flavor
Tabs, Sentinel Flavor Tabs, Clomicalm, Program Tablets and Suspension, and
Milbemite. The letter also noted that production of Deramaxx which was just
recently moved to the Lincoln
plant will also be affected although the company will continue to ship that
product from existing inventory.

The production
suspension is leaving pet owners looking for these products subject to the
inventory on hand with their local veterinarian and with discount suppliers
such as VetDepot.com As those supplies are exhausted, veterinarians will be
obligated to prescribe competing substitutes such as Heartgard,
Trifexis, Advantage Multi, and Rimadyl.
After learning about the situation, some consumers are asking for alternatives
even when stocks are on hand. Novartis has not given an indication of when
production might resume however they have stated that the recent actions were
coordinated with the involvement of health authorities. With the FDA’s
involvement, there is the possibility that the closure could be lengthy if it
reaches the level of problems recently experienced at facilities owned by
Johnson & Johnson, Genzyme, and Hospira.

Courtesy of http://blog.vetdepot.com/novartis-suspends-production-of-interceptor-sentinel-program-clomicalm-and-deramaxx

Motion Sickness

                                                Bailey enjoying a fall car ride

We had just turned into our subdivision--the finish line of
a successful car ride and visit to Dr. B in sight. I looked at him in the

rearview mirror. He looked back with that familiar expression. 

We weren’t going to make it…

Motion sickness is more commonly seen in puppies than adult
dogs primarily because the ear structures used for balance are not fully
matured yet. There are many adult dogs that
still experience motion sickness long after the ear structures develop
though.

My Bailey is one of those dogs.

Whether puppy or adult there are a few things you can do to
make travel easier and more fun for you and your pooch.

First schedule an appointment with your pet’s veterinarian
for a physical and to discuss the issue.

Granted getting to those
first few appointments may be a little stressful so consider

crating your dog or placing several old towels or blankets down

to make clean up easy. It’s also often helpful if the pet faces
forward during travel to eliminate sickness.
A secure doggie seat belt will help with proper placement. 

If Sadie is riding in the front passenger seat please be aware that

passenger airbags can pose a danger to pets. And remember, your dog is not nauseous on
purpose (would you be?) so never punish or ridicule a pet with motion
sickness. A simple “That’s okay, we’ll
clean it up when we get home.” or “Does your tummy feel better now?” in a
soothing voice may make you & the dog feel a little better.

Teach Sadie that car rides are a wonderful experience. With the car parked

and engine off, lead Sadie close to it and offer a yummy treat.
Now open the car door and offer the yummy treat. Working slowly

over several days or weeks (at your dog’s comfort level) place Sadie in
the car or have her jump into the seat as yummy treats rain down. 

When your pooch learns that the car is a fun place, start the engine. 

You’ll slowly add backing down the driveway and touring your

neighborhood before venturing out for longer trips. Move at a pace
comfortable for Sadie and her tummy. If she does suffer nausea don’t

become frustrated, simply go back one step and
work forward from there.

Once your dog has the hang of things you may want to phase out

the yummy treats since an empty tummy is best for travel.

If it’s safe, crack or open the car windows slightly when
traveling. This will help equalize air pressure in the vehicle and allow

fresh air to circulate. Keeping the car cool will help, too.

Bailey and I once traveled two hours in 15 degree weather with

three windows open (we repeated the 2 hour trip the next day with 4 inches

of snow on the ground). Yes, all heat vents were pointed in my
direction and on full blast! Keeping fresh air moving is key to keeping

Bailey’s tummy happy—my toes can thaw out later.

Ginger has a calming effect on tummies, so you might try
offering one or two gingersnap cookies 15 minutes before your next car trip.

Try changing vehicles. Maybe your pooch has grown to associate

mom’s SUV with motion sickness but dad’s sedan makes a car trip

easier on her tummy.

I have a friend whose dog must ride in the family truck, on the

middle of the backseat, facing forward.

Making your destination a fun one will help build a positive
reinforcer that car travel equals fun trips to the dog park,

hiking and pet store for browsing for a new toy.

If you have more than one dog, try putting both dogs in the
car together. Some pooches feel more
secure if their playmate is with them on car trips.

If these suggestions do not relieve the problem then you may
want to discuss the option of medication with your vet. 

Never give Sadie any medication, even over-the-counter,
without first discussing it with your vet.
Anti-nausea drugs, antihistamines and phenothiazine all work to calm
nervous tummies and riders. But as with
any medication therapy, it should be an owner’s last option for treatment.

Bailey is in the small percentage of pooches for which the above classical
conditioning and natural remedies have not been effective. He
does require medication for even the shortest trips.

A little patience, practice, planning (car trips are not
spontaneous for Bailey) and a positive attitude can help both

pooch and owner overcome motion sickness.

***We should note that some dogs may have a learned fear of
travel. They may foul a vehicle through
no fault of their own but because of a previous traumatic experience. 

Maybe they were dumped onto a roadside from a
car? As with motion sickness, the animal
should never be punished for this behavior.
Please speak with your vet about this behavior, seek help from a
certified animal behaviorist and ask your local positive reinforcement trainer
for tips on classical conditioning.

Photo courtesy of Amy Callahan Photography http://amycallahan.com/

Sheila Rinks is the editor of Finding Fuzzybutt Four, producer of the Raising Indiana podcast and shares her home with her husband, 4 Great Pyrenees and 2 very well-fed kitties.

Raising Indiana

Hey Puppers! Don't forget that Indy has his own website now-- http://raisingindiana.com  My how they grow up fast!

And tonight we have Part 2 of our interview with Dr. Patricia McConnell of http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/. Dr. McConnell is THE source of positive information for training and animal behavior.

You can find all of our previous podcasts at http://www.youtube.com/user/RaisingIndiana.

If you haven't heard Raising Indiana yet... what are you waiting for?

The Saga of Pupper vs. Kitty Part 2

Bailey was adopted from our local animal shelter so I know
nothing of those critical early weeks of life when puppies should be properly
introduced to the world and socialized.
I also have no genetic history of his parents or grandparents. There are some experts, such as Dr. Stanley
Coren and Dr. Ian Dunbar, who suggest that if an animal is not properly
socialized and nurtured before the age of three months that the animal may have
a learned behavioral deficit if you will.

Was Bailey doomed by being a shelter puppy? Was there anything I could do to make up for
the lack of nurture and love that I assume he missed between birth and three
months? Not to second guess the experts
but all of my current pets, minus Jack-Jack, were acquired after the critical
adjustment and learning period that experts speak of. And I would classify most as “normal”. Could they be better? Of course.
But so could I. I cannot worry
for a period of Bailey’s life that I had no control over. I can only move forward with him.

At nine months of age I saw the first marker of rage from
Bailey. Uncontrollable. Out of ordinary and out of character. Unexpected.
Frightening. Life changing.

I was looking at not a sweet Retriever, nor a gentle Pyrenees. I was
watching what can best be described as the rage and “red zone” actions of a typical
bully breed pushed beyond reason. Not to
stereo type bully breeds, all breeds can exhibit “red zone” behavior.

We had, had dog fights before in our home. With two adult male (neutered) dogs, fights
were not common or severe but we were schooled in the proper handling of fighting
animals to ensure safety for all. But
that day in the backyard I knew more would be needed of me to help Bailey.

Always interested in animal behavior and training, I threw
myself into learning all I could.

I knew that I was Bailey’s only hope. I had adopted him, I loved him, and I had an
emotional bond with him that if rehomed his next owner might not have. I learned that dogs who are rehomed have a
high rate of being returned to shelters or worse. It’s easily explained by thinking that the
first owner loved an animal and each consecutive owner may love or care a
little less about the animal until the pet becomes a burden. This is not to say that rehoming should never
be an option for owners or that those owners are failures. The exact opposite is true. Rehoming may save an animal’s life when the
only other option is euthanasia due to aggression or biting. But those animals should only be placed with
experienced owners fully capable of handling those behavioral issues.

Bailey is now three years old and the tantrums, as we will
call his actions for the sake of story telling, continue. We have learned that he has resource guarding
issues—food, his owners, toys, cardboard boxes, pretty much anything… We also discovered that two of our dogs
readily back down to Bailey’s growls and warnings. Deciding it is better to let the crazy dog have
his card board box than fight over it.
That leaves Supermax. He does not
back down. He prefers to think the box
should belong to him.

Until recently Bailey has ignored our two cats, Lazarus
& Jack-Jack. Now he does not want
the kitties near his “things” or even near him.
If the kitties take one step too far down the hall then all hell breaks
loose.

I cannot figure out why Bailey’s wrath is now fully focused
in on the cats.

But I saw equal part odd and funny thing yesterday. Behind my back I heard the familiar growling
and chasing of Bailey after a kitty. We
have adopted an “Ignore” treatment when he misbehaves. We simply remove Bailey from the situation
without a word and place him in his “time out” area for 10-15 minutes. As I walked Bailey away from the scene to his
spot of thought and ponder, I heard the spitting and growling of Jack-Jack fast
approaching. Jack-Jack had decided to
retaliate. He was all puffed up, bushy
tailed and spitting. He chased Bailey
right out the back door.

It gave me a new perspective on this Saga. Maybe Pupper vs. Kitty is not correct at
all. Maybe it should be the Saga of
Kitty vs. Pupper.

Recommended Reading
for this week- Mine! By Jean Donaldson available at http://www.dogwise.com/itemdetails.cfm?ID=DTB740

Sheila Rinks is the editor of Finding Fuzzybutt Four, producer of the Raising Indiana podcast and shares her home with her husband, 4 Great Pyrenees and 2 very well-fed kitties.

Lissette

We have a new addition in our home. Lissette, a

Great Pyrenees/Deerhound mix, is our newest foster dog. 

What a beauty she is, too. Inside and out. At only a year old

she is a curious combination of puppy and elegance. She’s
lithe and spirited just as a Deerhound should be, but turn

her loose in the backyard after nightfall and she is all Great Pyrenees. 

That is a very polite way of saying she has the vocal chords of a

large guardian breed and she isn’t afraid to use them.

Lissette came to us from a local rescue group. She was rescued from an

area shelter. Her life before the shelter is a mystery. She is well

groomed and housebroken. Could she have been an
adored pet? Her left ear bears an odd split at the tip-an exact cut,

not a tear and well healed. Was she marked in some way by a farmer? 

She is severely underweight. Was she a stray without food or the victim of
the slow economy with a family no longer able to feed her? Her trusting

ease with humans and other animals does not suggest she was abused

or neglected but then one never knows. Does any of this really matter? 

She’s safe now with a happy, healthy future ahead.

She is inside as I write. Quiet. And very curious about her
surroundings. My four huntsmen, as I affectionately call my Great Pyrenees,

are so settled in their ways and know what is expected of them

(not that they always deliver) that life moves at a predictable speed

around here. They know every table, chair, picture frame and dust

gathering knick-knack this old house has to offer. So it’s a very special
perspective when a new animal enters our lives and household. 

Lissette insists on investigating every inch of the home and yard. 

It’s entertaining watching her sniff, crawl under tables and chairs

and maneuver between the couch back and wall. 

None of the huntsmen are able to accomplish that last one.

She is happy, too. You can tell by her gate, bright eyes and fluffy

raised tail. That makes the frosty winter walks worth each
step and the extra work not as tedious.

Fostering an animal is a commitment to the unknown—temperament,
training, health, time. I do not know how long Lissette will call this place
“foster home”, some fosters reside with their families for months
before adoption. Attachment is inevitable--especially when the
animal is as beautiful and sweet as Lissette. It’s difficult to say
goodbye not matter how long a dog is with you.

But fostering is one of the single most rewarding acts
anyone can do to help save lives. Knowing
you have helped save a life and have had a hand in selecting a dog’s forever
family makes the extra work, cold nights and teary goodbyes a little easier.

Lissette is available for adoption through AARF in Tennessee http://www.adoptapet.com/pet6682039.html. There
are thousands just like her waiting to be adopted or fostered. If you would

like to adopt or foster an animal please contact your local animal

shelter or Humane Society, or visit Petfinder.com http://www.petfinder.com/index.html.

Sheila Rinks is the editor of Finding Fuzzybutt Four, producer of the Raising Indiana podcast and shares her home with her husband, 4 Great Pyrenees and 2 very well-fed kitties.

Just how much do our dogs empathize with us & other animals?

Just how much do our dogs empathize
with us and other animals?
Author, Bob McMillan

Dogs, writes Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, are the only animal

prone to make friends across the board with other species. In his

The Dog Who Couldn't Stop Loving,
he suggests that a wolf in the wild might cozy up to a rabbit —

but only to eat it. Many dogs will adopt a litter of rabbits and

nurture them. Masson believes dogs have uniquely benefited from

their thousands of years with man by learning empathy.

He says that man, likewise, has learned to be more loving and

empathetic by sharing his home and life with dogs. A lot more

patient, too, I’d say.

While he does draw on recent research, the book is mostly

anecdotal, Masson’s observations about Benji, his golden lab who

flunked out of blind guide dog school because he was too stubborn,

but who never met a person or other animal he didn’t love.

I’m behind in my reading. But it’s winter, a cold rain is coming

down and even Sully, my beagle mix, just stands at the door

scanning for summer. Nothing but mud. So, I get to read while the

dogs sack out in disgust. The book pile is big. Masson’s book came out in 2010.

Masson’s theory is pretty broad. After all, some other animals,

elephants and dolphins, say, become friends with particular dogs or cats,

and you can watch chimps with their “pet” dogs on YouTube.

On the other hand, some dogs, because of genetics or abuse, don’t

want to be friends with anyone. I empathize.

But Masson writes that canines are predisposed towards love.

What sets dogs apart from their wolf cousins is thousands of years

of living with man, and being molded by man through breeding and selection.

My Irish wolfhound, Finn, is who I think of when I read Masson’s

stories about Benji. I’ve lived with several dogs, but Finn constantly

makes my jaw drop. His heart matches his huge stature. He goes

well out of his way to make new friends. He thrives on it and

complains when I won’t let him cross a busy
street to greet another new dog. He bathes our old, cranky cat at night.

He rubs noses with donkeys, parrots and babies. He moves between

dogs when they play too rough. Finn looks at me disapprovingly

if I raise my voice to one of the other dogs. Sometimes I think

I’m on the wrong end of the leash.

But there’s Cuchulain, my previous giant hound, who barred

his sizable teeth when strangers approached. He flipped cats

off his spot in the couch. He chased squirrels and cows. He looked

at me disapprovingly when I raised my voice at him.
Every dog is different.

Still, there’s a growing body of research that suggests that dogs

are keenly tuned to our feelings and are, in fact, capable of altruism.

You’ve probably seen a bigger dog pull his punches when he plays

tug with a small one. Dogs show signs of a sense of fairness. They follow a moral code.

An article in New Science in 2000 looked at a study by researchers in

Budapest that found dogs mirroring the moods of their owners,

much like a human child is fearful if the parent is overtly afraid,

or is willing to explore new things as long as the
parent (or owner) was nearby. The stronger the bond, the more

likely the dog was to be in sync with the owner.

A similar study by the University of Porto in Portugal

found similar empathetic displays in dogs. They concluded that

dogs, being kin to wolves, are hardwired to cooperate with their “pack,”

and that dogs, as they learned complex skills
like herding and hunting with humans, may have gained a more complex
understanding of human thinking.

Which is what Masson was getting at. Dogs know us better than any other animal and
still like us. For at least the last 15,000 years and probably much
longer, we’ve lived side by side. We like horses and pigs, too. But a horse is
too big to live and sleep inside with you and a pig isn’t the first one you
want to cuddle after he’s rolled in the mud. For us, dogs are the perfect
companion.

Masson doesn’t ignore cats. He acknowledges that they’ve

evolved alongside man, too. They’re by nature solitary hunters.

After thousands of years of being fed, housed, groomed and petted

by man, they ... well, they tolerate us. But dogs,
sociable pack animals, crave our company and thank us for it.

The prevailing theory of human-canine evolution is that the

first domesticated dogs hung around human garbage heaps for

scraps and slowly lost their fear of people. Then they evolved

through training and selection into herd dogs and
hunting dogs. Where’s the love? Masson suggests it’s

a happy side-effect, and one of the main reasons we keep dogs

with us today even when we don’t raise herds or hunt.

The dog’s natural environment today? In our homes with the family.

Over time we’ve selected the dogs that didn’t bite, that

cooperated with us, that made us feel good with their antics and

loving companionship. They’ve tuned into our feelings for other

animals and they’ve learned there are advantages to
not gobbling down the family chicken or biting the family cow.

As they acquired empathy — an understanding of the feelings of others —

dogs have extended those insights to other species. And become

“dogs who couldn’t stop loving.”

As I was writing this, a friend e-mailed photos of a dachshund

raising a baby pig with her own litter of pups. I understood the

look of love and bliss in the mother’s eyes as she sheltered the

little pink pig. Many researchers caution against anthropomorphism,

reading human feelings into something an animal does.
Many still hold that animals have no feelings at all.

Bunk. When Finn plunks his food bowl down in front of me,

I know exactly what it means. He’s not commenting on the stock market.

When he head-butts me into a seat and nudges my arm around him,

I’m pretty clear on what that means, too. He
wants to cuddle. I empathize. And not just because he’s

too big to resist. His heart is.

Bob McMillan is lead paginator for the
Herald-Citizen and shares his home with giant hounds and cats.

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Pets Gone Wild!

Pets Gone Wild!

Written by Perfect Paws

Wednesday, 17 February 2010 21:23

From thunderstorm phobia to outright aggression, our pets can suffer from a variety of behavioral maladies. Thankfully, modern science has given us new therapeutic tools, like anti-depressants, that appear to help our pets cope with these issues. But, have we gone too far in pushing these pills on our pets? According to a recent marketing survey, about 17% of all dogs exhibit signs consistent with a condition known as separation anxiety. Video footage of pets left alone can show excessive pacing, extreme vocalization and, in some cases, a rampage of destruction. Doors are chewed, furniture destroyed and other pets go as far as injuring themselves on their cage or other objects. Sadly, some owners won’t or can’t tolerate this sort of behavior and the pet ends up being relinquished to a local shelter and often euthanized. Beyond separation anxiety, other pets suffer from an obsessive compulsive type of behavior known in veterinary circles as abnormal repetitive behavior. Dogs that endlessly chase their tails, big cats in zoos and even stalled horses who pace tirelessly are all examples of this compulsion. Our pets can also suffer phobias due to thunderstorms and even fireworks. Veterinarians noticed these pets were behaving similarly to people with mental disorders. Various human ant-depressants and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) were tried to lessen these behavioral issues. In some cases, the medications appear to have a lasting beneficial effect. Now, drugs like Lilly’s Reconcile® are commonplace in a veterinarian’s arsenal of dealing with behavior issues. In fact, many owners prefer the convenience of a medication to the hard work, time requirements and discipline of behavior modification. It is not uncommon for pet owners to request a pill despite the fact that the right type of positive behavior modification or changes in the pet’s environment might do the trick. Of course, there are critics who feel that we have focused too much on medicating our pets and not enough on how to enrich our pet’s environment. In a New York Times article, Dr. Ian Dunbar, a noted veterinary behaviorist, is quoted as saying that he has never needed to resort to drugs to resolve a behavior problem. Although he acknowledges that pharmaceuticals can help in some circumstances, his main thrust is that we shouldn’t set up pets in unhealthy lifestyles and then rely on drugs to correct it. Sound advice for humans as well!! Veterinary behaviorist, Dr. Valarie Tynes of Premier Veterinary Services wonders if “we are not putting dogs in realistic, appropriate situations and are we not teaching them how to behave in unusual situations.” Likewise, Dr. Melissa Bain, a veterinary behaviorist with UC Davis has commented that our own expectations of how we interact with pets have changed drastically in the last 30 years. So, what’s the best way to make sure that your family won’t experience a behavioral “meltdown” with a pet? First, realize that pets are not an item of convenience. Unlike video games or electronic gadgets, our pets can’t be turned on and off at our discretion. They need a stimulating environment and plenty of activity to thrive in our homes. Owning a pet requires a commitment to the animal’s mental well-being in addition to their physical health. Next, look at your schedules. If both parents work full time jobs and the kids are busy in multiple school activities, who is going to engage with the pets on a regular basis? Pets left alone often are at a higher risk to develop abnormal behaviors. Investigate and learn about the type of pet you want. For busy, on the go families who aren’t home much, an energetic dog like a Labrador or a Dalmatian might not be a good match. There is definitely a genetic basis to certain behavior issues, and some breeds have a strong need to “work”. Failure to provide the pet with the proper stimulation and socialization can set them up for potential behavioral problems. Finally, always consult with your veterinarian if any abnormal behavior occurs with your pet. Some behaviors are linked to medical conditions, so a good physical examination could help resolve the issue. Your veterinarian may offer a referral or you can find veterinary behaviorists at www.avsabonline.org. Another option would be a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorists at www.animalbehavior.org. And, although they are not “cure-alls”, there is a place for some medications in dealing with issues relating to our pet’s mental health. Dr. Tynes reminds us that we shouldn’t fixate on the “Disney Dog stereotype of perfect pets”. For whatever reason, we tolerate less imperfection in our pets, yet we are failing to prepare them for what is a novel and rapidly changing world.” Be sure to bookmark www.MyVNN.com as your sources of up-to-date and accurate pet health information. And get answers to your pet medical or behavior questions at www.PetDocsOnCall.com

Courtesy ofhttp://www.jeandonaldson.com/understanding-dogs-mainmenu-39/32-evolution-and-behavior/72-pets-gone-wild