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.

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

Introducing Pets to New Babies

Introducing Pets to New Babies
Posted by Victoria Stilwell

It seems like every few weeks, a fresh news story about a family pet
seriously injuring or killing a baby hits the airwaves. And every time, we all
say and hear the same well-meaning and accurate but tired talking points about
how devastating it is, how it could have and should have been avoided, who to
blame, who not to blame and what to do about the problem. The general theme is
that the ultimate responsibility lies with the parents and/or dog owners, not
the children. That any breed of dog can bite, and any breed of dog can be a
good family pet. That parents should never leave their kids alone with any
animals unsupervised. That government should focus on penalizing irresponsible
dog owners, not certain breeds of dogs.

And I agree with all of that. I've said much of it myself in interviews on
national press many times. And yet still, these tragic incidents keep
happening. And that's even not to mention the millions of dog bites that go
unreported and don't require professional medical attention. In the US alone, there
are over 4.5 million reported dog bites each year, 800,000 of which require a
trip to the doctor.

What we're doing is not working.

That's why I've dedicated myself and my company's resources to try and make
a difference and reduce the number of dog bites that happen each year. I'm in
the process of setting up the first ever Dog Bite Prevention Task Force, which
is charged with determining what the root causes of the problem are and how to
effectively address them once and for all. Comprised of trainers, behaviorists,
legal professionals, legislators, animal control specialists, pediatric
surgeons and reconstructive surgeons around the country, we will be bringing
together the best and brightest minds to figure out how and why dog bites
happen, what precedes them, how they are investigated, who should be held
responsible, and most importantly, how to stop them from occurring.

For example, by digging into the data from some of the most high profile
cases involving canine homicides (the term used when a dog kills a human),
we've found one fascinating common thread in almost all scenarios: one
component of the scenario is unnatural. That means that in every case, either
the child is being looked after by grandparents, the dog is being house-sat by
an uncle, the whole family (including the dog) are visiting relatives in a
different house, etc. There's almost always one part of the equation that is
not the everyday norm for either the dog, child, caregivers, or environment.
This important revelation can help us determine how to most effectively educate
dog owners and parents of children about what to look out for in an otherwise
seemingly normal situation. If we can stop just one beautiful little child from
losing his or her life, it will be worth it.

But my goal is even larger than that.

Last year, I had the opportunity to meet with the lovely Anderson family. Just over a year ago, they
lost their beautiful daughter, Ashlynn, in a fatal dog attack. I met the family
when I was in Oregon,
and I was struck by their determination to do everything they can to help other
families avoid a similar tragedy. They have set up a non-profit organization
called Dads Against
Dangerous Dogs, and though they lost their little treasure to dogs, one of
the most remarkable things about them is that they have not jumped to the most
obvious target. They do not blame any specific breed for Ashlynn's death,
rather they are focused on increasing awareness about the fact that any dog -
any breed, any size, etc - can be a danger to little ones if not properly
managed.

Obviously, education is the key to stopping this from happening. We all know
that. But we've known it for a long time, and yet the message isn't effective
enough to make a significant difference. As a society, we must figure out a
more successful way to get the message across.

That's why I've decided to support the American Humane
Association's safe handling initiative - Pet Meets Baby. This is an
easy-to-read, comprehensive free booklet that can help dog owners and parents
of children without pets by making them aware of how to safely and effectively
introduce pets to new babies and vice versa. By widely distributing this
information in maternity wards, pediatricians' offices and beyond, we hope that
this will make a difference. It's important to note that even parents of
children without pets should read Pet Meets Baby, since all kids end up
interacting with animals at some point, whether at grandma's house, on
playdates or walking in the park.

I've donated some great prizes (Positively t-shirts, signed books, It's
Me or the Dog DVDs, etc) to a free contest anyone can enter by providing
some brief feedback about Pet Meets Baby. Plus, one lucky winner will win the
grand prize - a 30 minute phone consultation with me where we can talk about
your dog and anything else you can think of!

Enter the contest by visiting the Pet Meets Baby homepage! Contest is closed.

More info about the Pet Meets Baby contest.

Read my Safety Guide for Children and Dogs.

Courtesy of http://positively.com/author/victoriastilwell/

No child and animal should ever be left unattended!

KPA Tip: Dog in Your Face!

KPA Tip of the Day: ACK! Dog in Your Face!

By Helix Fairweather on 01/17/2012
Filed in

Courtesy of http://www.clickertraining.com/node/3426

What can you do with a young dog that climbs up on your lap, pawing at your face for
attention? Teach him about your personal "bubble."

When your dog is moving toward you, click and toss a treat behind the dog. Repeat several
times. Soon you will see your dog hesitate as he approaches. Good! Repeat the
exercise until you see the dog slow down and pause. Perfect! Now, insert a
"sit" or "down" cue when the dog pauses. Your dog's new default behavior
will be to approach you to the edge of your bubble, pause, and sit or down—a
new way to ask for your attention. Be sure to give your dog appropriate
attention for such appropriate behavior!

KPA Tips of the Day are brought to you by Karen Pryor Academy Certified
Training Partners. You can find more great tips here.

KPA Tip: Warm Up Your Dog Before Training

KPA Tip of the Day: Warm Up Your Dog Before Training Session

By Dawn Gilkison on 01/09/2012

Filed in

Courtesy of Karen Pryor Academy

Your dog needs to be alert and focused on you for learning to take place. Try this test before you start a training session. Click and drop treats at your feet. Does your pup eat them readily and look up at you? If the answer is yes, then ask for an easy behavior, such as a sit. Click and treat a correct response. Repeat a few times and notice your dog’s body language. What tells you that your dog is ready to work? Wagging his tail? Ears slightly forward? Eyes on you? A bounce to his step? Now he is ready to start learning something new!

KPA Tips of the Day are brought to you by Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partners. You can find more great tips here.

Anger & Anger Management

Anger & Anger Management

Courtesy of Dr. McConnell

CAN DOGS GET ANGRY? Yup, I’m here to say that they can. Do
they get angry as often as humans? Nope, and thank heavens for that. If they
did, I doubt we’d live with them, given that they have carpet knives in their
mouths. Just like people, they vary tremendously in how often they experience
or express anger. I’ve known some dogs who appeared not to have an angry moment
their entire lives. More commonly, I’ve worked with dogs who, on occasion, are
clearly frustrated at not getting what they wanted or expected. And rarely,
I’ve worked with a small number of dogs who appeared to live in a state of
‘road rage’ for weeks, months or years on end. So even though I would never say
that anger in dogs is an exact replica of anger in people, both in its
frequency and how we experience it, it is a basic biological fact that dogs are
capable of experiencing anger. Here’s why:


Anger is as primal an emotion as fear, and if an animal can
experience fear, then one is wise to assume it is capable of experiencing
anger. The two, it turns out, go hand in hand. Both are mediated primarily in
the amygdala and both evolved to protect us. Fear is the emotion that signals
the body that it is in danger, and motivates us to take some kind of action to
protect ourselves. Anger is the emotion that backs up fear when being on
defense is not enough. Roger Abrantes tells a compelling story of when he was
about to be in hand-to-hand combat as a young soldier. As he stood in a trench,
watching the enemy soldiers run toward him with bayonets drawn, he was
initially terrified. But at the last minute, just as the soldiers were within a
few feet of him, he was overwhelmed with a burst of rage. That’s the emotion
that poured energy into his body and allowed him to move forward to fight for
his life.

That’s what anger does: it floods the body with energy,
increases the heart rate, pumps blood into our muscles in preparation for
action. Anger demands action; that’s why it can be so problematic. Have you
ever done something you wish you hadn’t when you were angry? If not, please
consider either offering life coaching sessions for the rest of us, or ask your
parents if you actually are an alien. Anger, at varying intensities, compels us
to do SOMETHING, anything, and thus… we sometimes do something we shouldn’t and
get ourselves in hot water until we learn to take a breath and let our emotions
settle. The same thing can happen to dogs. If you’re interested in following
this thread, I write more about the biology of emotion in For
the Love of a Dog.

Dogs have all the same wiring (and external expressions)
related to anger as people. They just, as I said, don’t seem to experience it
as often as we easily-angered primates do. (Ever seen chimps lose their
tempers? It’s common, and it’s not pretty.) Of course, like all emotions, dogs
exhibit a vast range of intensities of experiencing anger, from being slightly
irritated, to being truly frustrated, to downright mad to being in an
out-of-control rage. All of those are manifestations of anger, just at
different levels, and all are within a dog’s capability. Of course, dogs don’t
have the same complexity of cognitive overlays as we do; their experience of
anger has got to be different in many ways than ours. But that doesn’t mean
that we don’t share the basic, fundamental emotion of anger. As I’ve said
before, glass half empty or glass half full, both are equally accurate.

Here’s a photo of a dog illustrating what I claim is an
angry emotion. Note the furrowed brow, the offensive pucker and the hard stare.
Any one of those things by themselves would not be enough to suggest an
internal emotion of anger, but without the fur and black nose, this is exactly
the face of an angry person.

ANGER MANAGEMENT? Here’s something else we share: a need to
learn how to handle being frustrated or angry. Many of the behavioral problems
I’ve seen in my practice relate to either dogs who have never learned how to
handle being frustrated and lose their tempers when they don’t get what they
want, or owners who, uh, have the same problem.

Dogs need to be taught to be patient and polite (the basis
of the Feeling
Outnumbered program), and we need to learn to take a breath, or two or
twenty, before expressing anger or frustration at our dogs. I needed this
advice just recently: until recently Willie had stopped harassing Sushi with
his obsessive indoor herding, but after his long, long period of inactivity and
Sushi now being inside more because of the weather, the problem cropped up
again. I found myself starting to get truly frustrated about it, until I put on
my beh’ist/trainer hat, took a breath and put Willie in his crate when I found
myself unable to do anything constructive. (Things are improving again, whew.)

I’d love to hear your thoughts: How do you interpret the
dog above? What are your best coping strategies for dealing with your own
frustrations, and helping your dog through his or hers? Never happens at your
house? Ever? Really? Wow. Can I come over?

This is courtesy of Dr. Patricia McConnell from her site theotherendoftheleash.com

Saga of Pupper vs. Kitty

Our home is never boring. Bailey makes certain of that.
Bailey is my three-year old Golden Retriever-Great Pyrenees mix. And from the moment he arrived at three months of age he has been a handful (more on that later).

If you will permit me the privilege of anthropomorphism the Saga of Pupper vs. Kitty will be
easier told.

We have a new behavioral problem in our home. Bailey has decided he no longer likes our two
cats, especially our four-year old tripawd, Jack-Jack.

While Bailey’s sudden dislike of the cats is new, his temperamental attitude is not—we have worked with Bailey on anger management, resource guarding and impulse control since the age of nine months when his first outburst occurred. So we are not new to this behavior, its trails, struggles or dangers. We’ve also witnessed improvements along the way that we are thankful for.

Life in a multi-pet household is all about management. I was told that I could never have four adult
male (neutered) Great Pyrenees living in harmony. They were too stubborn, independent and territorial. And while we’ve had our challenges; especially as our two youngest puppies matured and hit those all important growth markers at 9, 12, 18 and 24 months of age, we have all survived declaws intact.

After Bailey’s first outburst at nine months of age, I immersed myself in animal behavior.
Already friends with a wonderful positive trainer, Jan Casey, I
surrounded myself with every book, website and recommendation she offered. Jan successfully lives with a reactive dog so I knew she not only had the training to offer advice but that she knew first
hand what life would be like for Bailey & I.

I would estimate that half of all multi-pet households have some sort of relationship issue at one time or another. Human-Dog, Dog-Dog, Cat-Cat, Dog-Cat. So how do we maintain safety and work through the “problem behaviors” to live a happy life together? I don’t have all the answers but as Bailey, Jack-Jack & I work through our issue we’ll share what we are trying, what is
working and what isn’t.

Hopefully, it will give you some ideas to help your pets get along better with their housemates. As
always, I’m not an expert, professional, animal behaviorist or trainer. Just an owner looking for answers.

As we begin the Saga of Pupper vs. Kitty, our first requirement is to maintain safety in our
homes for all involved. If you have severe behavioral issues—growling, lunging, chasing, biting, or guarding—please separate your animals so they cannot reach one another. It may be an inconvenience to fill your home with baby gates and crates, or leave Spike in his fenced backyard but safety comes first. Second, schedule an appointment with your animal’s vet for a checkup. If the issue is an animal-animal issue it may be best to take both pets to the doctor (separately) for a physical. Discuss all behaviors and issues you are concerned about. Health problems can
lead to a pet acting out in a physical manner. And just as we have to maintain safety first, we must rule out any health issues second.

There’s homework involved in this journey. Lesson #1—Pick up a few books to get you
started.

The Other End Of the Leash, For The Love of a Dog
and Feeling Outnumbered? All by Dr. Patricia McConnell and available at http://www.patriciamcconnell.com/category/dog-training-books

Once we’ve accomplished those three things we’ll meet back here for the next installment of the Saga of Pupper vs. Kitty.

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.

Barking Dog Got Ya Down?

What’s worse than living next to a barking dog? Living with a barking dog!

The still and calm of the early morning air is broken by the
unmistakable, earth-shaking booo-wooo-wooo-wooo that is Clarence’s wakeup call
to the entire neighborhood.

The bark of a Great Pyrenees is not easily ignored by owner,
neighbor or threat. Feet firmly planted,
tail curled high, head thrown skyward, warm up growl and he’s off to the races
of psychological distress to anyone within a two-mile radius. He goes from
sound asleep to sonic boom in 0.3 seconds.

So what is a neighbor or owner to do?

As a neighbor your choices are limited to lawful acts and
humane practices when it comes to dealing with Barkley’s barking.

Your first obligation is to calmly discuss the situation
with the dog’s owner. You can offer the
names of positive-reinforcement trainers in your area. To locate one visit: https://www.karenpryoracademy.com/find-a-trainer. Barkley can be taught rather easily to bark
on cue, and to be quite on cue. Animal
behaviorist and world-renowned trainer, Dr. Patricia McConnell, and Clicker-Training
Expert, Karen Pryor, both offer detailed instructions for teaching the “bark”
and “quiet” cues in their books and DVD series.

Dogs bark for a laundry list of reasons. Let us not forget that the modern dog had
beginnings with humans as part protector, part hunting mate. A defensive, alerting bark was a desirable trait and still remains so today.

The owner should be encouraged to take Barkley to the vet
for a checkup to rule out any health issues that may contribute to the barking. Is the dog uncomfortable and trying to communicate that to his owner? The vet
can check for common disorders and offer advice to deal with the barking. I should note that medication is sometimes prescribed for extreme vocalization cases, mostly due to anxiety. Medicating Barkley should be a last resort reserved for circumstances where other options—behavioral modifications and training--have been unsuccessful.

Does the neighborhood dog need more daily exercise? An unexercised dog will have a tendency to
bark out of frustration and boredom. Offer to help walk the dog or locate a dog walker for the owner. If Barkley is bored there are many fantastic toys on the market today to occupy dogs while owners are away from home. A Kong filled with softened kibble and frozen overnight will provide a distraction and mental stimulation when Barkley is alone.

Does Barkley have adequate shelter, food and water? A solid, warm dog house and a heated bowl
during cold weather may help. Some dogs are conditioned to happily pass the day outdoors while their owners are at work. Others suffer severe separation anxiety or simply crave being near their family at all times. If Barkley is the latter, offer to purchase a crate so he can stay safely indoors when his family is away or busy with chores such as cooking dinner. It would also be
wise to suggest that Barkley be pottied, exercised and trained on a leash to
avoid any self-reinforcing barking behaviors while outdoors.

Is the neighborhood dog, like Clarence, a Great Pyrenees? A breed that has a tendency to bark to
protect his flock & family. If so, you are working against genetics--years of ingrained behaviors, that where once or still are desirable. A working dog like a Great Pyrenees needs a job. The
Working Breed does well at cart pulling and backpacking, and it gives a sense of accomplishment and mental stimulation. And, the old adage a tired dog is a happy dog can translate to a tired
dog is a quiet dog.

I have found that barking may be prompted by growth and maturation in some dogs. Clarence did
not utter a woof for the first six months that we had him. But at nine months of age he found his voice! And it seems that another pyr in our family, Zeus, began barking almost to himself around the age of two. When Clarence hit the two year mark his barking ramped up and is still going strong at three. I’m hoping he follows Zeus’ path and begins to settle in to a more quiet way around his 4^th birthday.

With four dogs in a household, usually someone has something to woof about. And by this we can see some of the varied reasons dogs vocialize:

Zeus barks to tell me the “puppies”, Clarence and Bailey,
are doing something they are not allowed to do, like sitting on the couch. He also barks when he wants to walk by one of the other dogs to another location. Zeus
is a sweet teddybear who does not assert himself with his brothers. His barking signals us to “help” him walk past the other dog. Zeus also barks when outside to alert us that he wishes to come inside. All of these vocalizations from Zeus are distinct.

Bailey does not bark often. He chooses to communicate thru growling.
He and Supermax are my two alert barkers—if they are barking it’s time to check things out.

Supermax also barks when he is playful and happy—with his entire body wiggling those barks make me smile.

Clarence just simply barks for any reason.

I must admit that the work to control barking in my own home
is imperfect and ongoing. We are still working on putting bark and quiet on cue.
We work on physical and mental stimulation and eliminating self-reinforcing
barking behaviors. We remove a stimulus that contributes to barking when possible and reward for good behavior, never punishing for undesired behavior.

Since we live in a populated area with four Great Pyrenees who tend to be very vocal at night when critters are out, we insist they sleep inside and have supervised potty breaks to eliminate any late night barking that might disrupt a neighbor’s sleep.

We also try to handle and defuse the barking situation with humor toward our neighbors. Earplugs and apology notes have arrived in mailboxes. And we welcome their honest feedback.
It will not insult me to hear that my dog is bothering my neighbor—some
days he bothers me too.

As a neighbor, under absolutely no circumstances is it okay to give a dog any medication--over the counter, holistic or prescribed. You do not know Barkley’s medical history and what may seem like the perfect solution to a good night’s sleep could result in a severe adverse reaction or even death for the animal. Physical harm should never become an option either. If you are considering either of
these so called solutions it is best not to approach the dog’s owner until you have regained composure or contact your local animal control officer and calmly explain your situation. The officer is best equipped to visit the neighbor and pass on your concerns, and offer
solutions that will ease life on both sides of the fence.

There is no instant cure that will guarantee you a pleasant night’s sleep, no matter what the electric collar package promises. By using an electric correction in the form of a sound-emitting device or suggesting that your neighbor attach a shock collar or citrollena-spray collar to Barkley you will indeed have a behavioral modification. The modified behavior will not result in Barkley remaining quiet. Barkley will learn to bark “around” or through the annoyance or discomfort of such devices. If Barkley is a working dog such as a Great Pyrenees, prized for their protective attributes, he will bark no matter the pain level. Barkley may become fearful or aggressive because of such devices. If he does stop barking congratulations (sic). You have suppressed a natural behavior, a communication and a warning. The HSUS has proven that only 4 out of 8 dogs who were subjected to electric collars of all types stopped barking. Some dogs became servely fearful and aggressive, increasing the chances of a dog bite.

We should note that there is a medical procedure called “debarking” in which a dog’s vocal chords are removed or severed. This procedure has been deemed inhumane by many animal rights groups and animal advocates. By removing an animal’s vocal chords an owner may physically and
psychologically impair and harm the animal, causing more behavioral and health problems in the future. This is surgical abuse and not an option. Any vet that offers this procedure does not have the animal’s best interest at heart. Remember the veterinarian creed: Do No Harm.

A better and more humane solution to the above practices is to discuss rehoming the animal with his owner. I am certain that Barkley is a beloved member of the family but if the
owner cannot control the disruptive behavior and extreme, inhumane measures are
being considered it is best for Barkley that another loving home be located. There are many rescue organizations located through out the country. A quick internet search will locate a rescue that will safely rehome Barkley. Perhaps even a home with fenced acreage so nearby neighbors will not be bothered by his barking.

There are no quick fixes for barking dogs. It takes diligence and concern on the part of
the owner to continue training, provide exercise, mental stimulation and to
control self-reinforcing behaviors. It also takes patience on the part of neighbors and family members. Yes, we all have a right to peace of mind and a solid night’s sleep, but trying to place ourselves in the position of the frazzled dog owner may go a long way in neighborly relations and Barkley’s health.

Time to go now… Clarence is barking… again.

I am not a professional trainer or behaviorist, simply an owner (of a barking dog) who enjoys learning as much as possible about the animals I share my home with. If you are having issues with a barking dog please consult with a positive-reinforcement professional or your pet’s veterinarian.
For more information on behavioral issues such as barking please visit:

http://www.theotherendoftheleash.com/ Dr. Patricia McConnell
http://www.clickertraining.com/ Karen Pryor
http://www.jeandonaldson.com/ Jean Donaldson
http://www.turid-rugaas.no/UKFront.htm Turid Rugaas
http://www.stanleycoren.com/library.htm Dr. Stanley Coren

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.

And Baby Makes More...

And baby makes more…

Whether you’re a parent or grandparent, getting your home
and current pets ready for the arrival of a baby is an important step in family
harmony and safety. Here are a few
simple tips:

1. Brush up on training. With frequent visitors and a chaotic
   schedule, everyone will appreciate a well-mannered dog. Practice basic obedience or take a
   refresher course.

2. Hope for quiet. Brush up on or
teach a cue to cease barking; offer an extra special treat for
cooperation.

3. Off limits, please. If you’ll be keeping your dog out of the
   nursery, set up the room early, and reward her for waiting at the door. A
   baby gate is a great option to control movements of baby & pet.

4. Socialize. Take a walk with friends and their
   babies, or visit a playground so your dog gets accustomed to the rapid
   movements and high-pitched tones of young children.

5. Establish a routine. Come up with a walk or playtime and
   stick to it.

6. Plan for care. Line up several options of dog care
   givers to call on when you’re at the hospital and those first few months
   at home.

As always, never leave a child unattended with a pet—no matter how well-mannered the pet
is. And, as you child grows instill respect, boundaries and proper handling of the animals they share a home with.

This is a major time of change for family and pets. Give yourself and your animals a break while
adjusting to life with baby.

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.

Holiday Stress

Holiday Stress

Author, Jan Casey

Well, here it is again - "that" time of the year. For our dogs, there are some significant
changes which affect them: the weather, the number of hours we engage them in
outside activities, their feeding schedules, their sleeping schedules, our energy
and tolerance levels, perhaps even our demeanor toward them.

With the holidays looming, there may even be more changes for our dogs to
contend with - the invasion of strangers into "their" homes, foods
prepared that they may not share, normally quiet times shattered by raucous
cheers from fans gathered around the television as the favorite teams play
football. Our homes may be invaded by
small aliens - children. From a dog's point of view, we humans start to behave
in a way that can only be described as full-blown insanity.

While we can poke fun at our dogs' bewilderment of our changes in daily
life, what isn't so funny is the fact that the number of dog bites increases at
this time of the year. The stresses we
feel may transfer directly to our dogs.
Routines are interrupted, our dogs are treated differently, and we may
entertain people who are not dog-savvy.
If children are invited to a normally childless household, the
ingredients for disaster have been gathered.

To prevent the occurrence of an incident which will ruin the holidays and
could potentially cause a life to be lost, it's important to know the signs of
stress in your dog. Far too many people seem completely oblivious to the
signals their dogs are sending out fast and furiously. Panting when it is not hot and whining are two obvious signals of distress. Lip licking (also called tongue flicks) and
whale eye (whites of the dog's eye showing as a half moon) while little Johnny
gives McKinley a hug is the way a dog screams he is uncomfortable. The vast majority of dogs do not like to be hugged nor ridden like a horse, especially not by the small intruders. Unless you have spent many hours socializing your dog with children and know, without a doubt, that your dog is child-friendly, there is a risk when they are
together. If you think your dog will be just fine with the kids, please Google "child killed by family dog." The number of times parents report "the dog seemed friendly," or "the dog never showed aggression before" may astound you.
I can guarantee the dogs had been sending out stress signals for a long
time, but they went unheeded. Supervision and separation will be the keys to
safety.

The tail - a wag is not necessarily a sign of happiness. Wags convey many messages: large, circular wags or slow, sweeping wags may indicate happiness and comfort with a
situation; stiff, upright, tight wags may indicate discomfort with a situation,
a discomfort that can lead to a bite; fast, small wags at a very low elevation
or between the legs may indicate fear, another signal that a bite may be
imminent.

Dogs are such unique individuals, it's important that you learn to read
your dog and know the signals she sends when she is stressed. Look for wrinkly foreheads, the corners of her mouth pulled back tight, listen for growls (growling dogs mean business), ears plastered flat against the back of the neck, raised lips, yawning,
"shaking it off," scratching, sniffing, pilo-erection (hackles up),
and turning away. While any of these could be normal daily behaviors, when put in the context of stressful situations, recognition of these stress signs can prevent a bite.

While most of us will not change our plans for the holidays just to avoid
stressing our dogs, we can take steps to help the dogs cope with our madness.
Dogs should be given their own places to feel safe, away from all
visitors. A quiet room with a little soft music to dampen the other noises will help. Add a frozen stuffed Kong to the picture and perhaps spray the area with Comfort Zone (DAP). If there is any chance your guests may intrude on the dog's space
accidentally (or on purpose if you are lucky enough to have one of
"those" relatives or friends), then be sure your dog is safely locked
in a crate.

Try to make extra time available to exercise your dog thoroughly on the day
of the festivities. Feed him on schedule, if at all possible, and take him out for a good bathroom break before guests arrive. Ever suffered from a dry mouth during a stressful
situation? Consider your dog may also get dry mouth and leave a bowl of water within easy access as dogs may drink more when stressed as well.

If your dog is highly fearful and/or reactive, you may wish to talk with
your vet about medications to help calm her anxiety during the holidays. While some dogs may do fine with the changes you make to accommodate them, there are some who will be so seriously stressed, they may need extra help from a prescription drug.

Do your best to keep to a routine during the coming holiday months. Daily exercise, staying on a schedule, and sticking to a healthy diet will benefit the dog - and you!

Jan Casey is a reward-based trainer in Florida at Courteous Canine, Inc. www.courteouscanine.com and owner of Smiles and Wags Pet Services www.smilesandwags.com. Mrs. Casey is a member of the Association of Animal
Behavior Professionals. Mrs. Casey is a columnist for the Cookeville,
Tennessee Herald-Citizen Pet Pages and Kid's Korner . This column was originally written for the Herald-Citizen www.herald-citizen.com.