Concerns With Early Spay or Neuter

Miss Zoe

Concerns with Early Spay or Neuter

Author, Jan Casey

A trip to any animal shelter or a conversation with someone
involved in animal rescue will confirm the fact that this nation has a pet
over-population problem. From the ASPCA website, we get the sad statistics: "Approximately 5 million to 7 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year, and approximately 3 million to 4 million are euthanized (60 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats). " Most of us have the luxury of sitting back and shaking
our heads at those horrid numbers while we stroke the heads of our beloved
pets. Those who must carry out the euthanasia are faced with destroying sometimes perfectly healthy animals every week. They understandably cry out for
all pets to be spayed or neutered and they are the driving force behind having
dogs and cats surgically altered before they are adopted to families.

I whole-heartedly support spay-neuter. All of my dogs are "fixed" - not
that they were ever broken. I probably would not have thought twice about the operation if it hadn't been for two occurrences: 1) My golden retriever developed panosteitis at the age of one; 2) my dogs are sports dogs, participating in agility, dock diving, and just about
any other sport I can fit into my schedule.
I had read that hormones, or the lack of them, can affect both the
health, physical development, and life span of a dog and I needed to know more.

Obviously, early neutering (the term I will use for desexing either males and females) has
some very strong pluses in addition to the prevention of unwanted litters. Males will be less inclined to wander which may, in turn, prevent them from becoming lost or - worse - roadkill. Marking territory becomes less of a problem and humping as a sexual behavior is decreased. Cancers such as testicular cancer are no longer a concern. Females will be less likely to develop mammary cancer or pyrometra. There will
be no estrus periods in which females must be secluded while the stray males
hang around the property looking for a date.

Studies have shown there are some problems associated with
early spay/neuter as well. Any surgery may have complications, including risk of infection. Females are at risk of developing urinary incontinence and the Veterinary College of Edinburgh University in Scotland produced a study showing increased aggression in female dogs who were spayed at less than 1 year of age if they had shown prior aggressive tendencies. Sex hormones play a role in bone development and there have been studies that suggest early neutering can lead to abnormal growth of certain bones (they grow longer
than genetically designed), higher chance of a cranial cruciate ligament
injury, less bone density, and increased risk of hip dysplasia. Dogs neutered before one year of age were also at increased risk of hemangiosarcoma and bone cancer. Other studies suggest early neutering may be linked to hypothyroidism and other endocrine
diseases such as Cushing's.

Owners often believe that spay/neuter will be the cure to many behavioral problems their dogs present. Please be aware that there may be some changes that take place, but if
the behavior is a learned behavior, then only training will help the dog find better
ways to express himself. Neutering will not change a dog who has learned aggression works for warding off scary people to be non-aggressive. It will not stop barking problems. Dogs may still hump, just not for sex.

So the question becomes "If I neuter my dog, what is the appropriate age?" And there is
no one size fits all answer. Large breeds mature more slowly than small breeds, so early neuter may not be a good idea for them. Not all dogs will be performing in athletic events, so abnormal bone growth may not hinder him throughout his normal routine.
Guidelines produced by large organizations such as the ASPCA and Shelter
Vets recommend the minimum age of 6 weeks and the minimum body weight of 2
pounds. Some extreme groups have neutered before that and abort viable fetuses during the neutering procedure as a pre-emptive strike. More vets in my
area are recommending the one year birthday as the best time. I think it best for owners to educate themselves and discuss what may be best for their pet with their trusted
veterinarian. Perhaps the most important questions to be answered in making the determination is "How responsible will I be as an owner?"
Am I willing to be 100% sure my dog will not have the opportunity to
breed? Can I contain him or her properly? Am I willing to avoid social
events that allow dogs if my dog is in heat?
Am I educated about dogs coming into heat, how long it lasts, how many
times a year it occurs?

Here are a few links that provide information to help you make your decision:

http://www.caninesports.com/SpayNeuter.html

http://www.caninesports.com/SNBehaviorBoneDataSnapShot.pdf

http://www.cdoca.org/downloads/files/Early%20SN%20and%20Behavior.pdf

http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/mar10/100301g.asp

http://time4dogs.blogspot.com/2010/12/rethinking-spay-and-neuter.html

http://www.examiner.com/dog-training-and-behavior-in-orlando/why-you-should-not-breed-your-dog

Do what is right for you and your dog based on information available, not on what the current fad may be.

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 .

Do You Talk to Your Dog?

Author, Bob McMillan

How often do you talk to your dog? Probably a lot more than you
think. You just may not be aware of what you’re telling your furry pal.

And, the odds are, you wish you better understood what your dog is
saying to you, too. Most pet owners hit the wall early on and many give
up. But, with awareness and persistence, you can become fluent in Dog Talk,
better understand your pet and strengthen your bond.

And the bond is everything, unless owning a dog to you means
keeping it in a pen in your backyard and seeing it twice a day when you slide a
pan of food between the bars. If you like your dog and your dog likes you, you
naturally want to bridge the species gap and communicate. It’s what friends do.

But how? Dogs can only understand a hundred or so spoken words and,
as far as I know, speak back far less. Dogs bark, but that’s just noise, right?
A growl means he’s about to bite and a wagging tail means he’s glad to see you,
right?

Not exactly. Just as you use one tone of voice to praise Rover and
another to tell him to drop that pound of sirloin he just snatched from the
countertop, the pitch and intensity of a dog’s bark tells you a lot.

Listen. There’s a different bark or growl for “Let me in,”
“There’s a stranger in the yard,” “Let’s play” and “Touch me there and lose
that finger.” Researchers have recorded a broad range of vocalization in
canines. It’s language to other dogs. It’s Greek to us so we have to pay
attention.

Some breeds like the African Basenji never bark due to the shape
of their larynx. My wolfhound never barks. He howls. Usually for recreation and
stress relief. He does it with the beagle, who never misses a chance to join a
sing-a-long. Opportunities to study vary from dog to dog.

Barking’s not the total picture. Your dog’s body language speaks volumes.
It pays to at least know the basics in your own dog and others too. For
instance, that wagging tail doesn’t necessarily mean he’s glad to see you.
Sometimes it means the dog is sizing you up and may bite. You have to read all
the signs before sticking that hand out.

How is the tail wagging? Happily side to side or with slowly
back and forth like a tiger’s before he strikes? What’s his ears doing? Are
they laid back fearfully or cocked foward with interest? Watch the corners of
the mouth, too. Is the dog grinning, grimacing or merely parting its lips to
show you that its teeth are very, very sharp?

You have to read all the signs and put them in context. Is the dog
smiling and wagging his tail while you bring in the food bowl? Or is this a dog
you don’t know and you’re in his yard? If can see his teeth he’s
probably not smiling.

It may sound complicated but... your dog can do it. It’s how he
reads you every day. He knows the tone of your voice. He’s an expert at reading
your face and posture. It’s why you find him at the door with his leash in his
mouth before you get completely out of your chair to go for a walk.

A study last year by Dr. Ken Guo of the University
of Lincoln in England
presented test dogs with pictures of the faces of humans, chimps, dogs and
inanimate objects. Reactions were videotaped and analyzed.

Guo found something surprising. The dogs not only read human
emotions, they do it the same way people do, with a “left gaze bias.” That is,
they glance left. The left side of the human brain controls emotions that are
shown first and foremost on the right side of the face. When someone faces you,
more emotions are displayed on the right side, or to your left. The test
dogs glanced left only at photos of human faces. No other animal is known to do
this.

The study supports other recent discoveries indicating that dogs
and humans are remarkably similar in their emotions and how we recognize and
evaluate them in others. In short: we’re a lot alike.

A Norwegian trainer and author, Turid Rugaas, opened the door to
more understanding of dog behavior recently with her findings on dog “calming
signals,” a sort of previously secret language of dogs.

As pack animals, dogs naturally seek harmony in their pack through
a series of quick gestures to say to one another, “I mean you no harm,” or
“Relax, we’re just playing.”

Does your dog throw out his front paws and “bow” to you when
you’re playing ball? Rugaas says that’s a “play bow.” Rover is saying, “We’re
not seriously fighting over this ball. We’re just playing.” When you bend over
playfully, you’re returning the signal and Rover responds with a grin. It’s a
calming signal.

So are blinks, yawns, sniffing the ground, looking away and
approaching another dog or a person not straight on but in an arc. It’s more
than canine politeness. Dog use calming signals to calm each other. If Spot has
just eaten your best loafers and you’re stomping up to him, he’ll probably give
you calming signals like crazy, too. You just may not recognize them.

Once you do, you can use them too. If you have more than one dog,
or when your dog is around others, watch closely how they greet each other.
Watch the eyes and body language. You’ll see a quick exchange of signals...
friendly blinks, a quick flick of the lips with the tongue, maybe a seemingly
nonchalant sniff at the grass. The more you train yourself to observe, the more
you’ll be amazed.

You can amaze your fur pals too. The first time I entered a room,
sat next to my deerhound, Gracie, and gave her an affectionate blink, she answered
it right away with a blink back... and then looked out of the corner of her eye
at the other hounds as if to say, “Hey, are you guys catching this? He’s talking
to us!”

It’s a small way you can meet your dog at his or her level,
learning calming signals, saying, “I’m okay, you’re okay,” and strengthening
the friendship.

Bob

McMillan is an editor and columnist with the Cookeville Herald-Citizen

newspaper and lives on a mountain with several giant hounds and wary cats.

This

column was originally printed in the Herald-Citizen

in Cookeville, Tennessee.

Please visit http://www.herald-citizen.com/ for more information on the

newspaper. We thank the Herald-Citizen
staff for allowing FFBF

to re-print this piece.

Blessing of the Animals

Blessing of the Animals

by Sheila Rinks

“God made you adorable for a reason.”  I have said to Bailey more than one time.  From the moment he entered our home at three months old, he has kept us on our toes!  He’s not a bad dog.  Just curious and an opportunist.  He is part stubborn great pyrenees, part lovable golden retriever.  I’m not sure who needs the blessing more--us for patience or Bailey--but October 4^th is Blessing of the Animals Day.

This custom is conducted in remembrance of St. Francis of Assisi’s love for all creatures.

Francis, whose feast day is October 4th, loved the larks flying about his hilltop town. He and his early brothers, staying in a small hovel, allowed themselves to be displaced by a donkey.

Francis wrote a Canticle of the Creatures, an ode to God’s living things. “All praise to you, Oh Lord, for all these brother and sister creatures.”

Do I think a Blessing would make Bailey the perfect dog?  No.  But I wouldn’t want him to change—I adore him just the way he is!

“Blessed are you, Lord God, maker of all living creatures. You called forth fish in the sea, birds in the air and animals on the land. You inspired St. Francis to call all of them his brothers and sisters. We ask you to bless this pet. By the power of your love, enable it to live according to your plan. May we always praise you for all your beauty in creation. Blessed are you, Lord our God, in all your creatures! Amen.”

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.

Plant Safety

Collection of Plants inside a Vintage Birdcage

Front Porch Pumpkins

Jade safe and sound

As we prepare our homes and yards for fall and the holiday
seasons, it is important to take a minute to research the plants and flowers
you bring home.

I have several plants that live outdoors during the warmer
months. This time of year is a plant
give-away at my house because most of my beloved plants are toxic to cats &
dogs and cannot make the journey indoors to winter.

The ones that are allowed inside are kept in creative containers
so the animals cannot reach them but we can still enjoy them.

My backyard has limited plants and flowers and all are
non-toxic to dogs.

I adore mums this time of year but I’m reminded again that
they can be toxic to pets, so they will remain in my front yard and pumpkins
will decorate the backyard where my dogs play.

Before purchasing a plant anytime of year, please check the
great list by the ASPCA for information regarding toxicity. And, remember it is better to be safe &
plant-less, than sorry.

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/plants/

How to Teach Puppy to Walk on a Leash

Now that Indy has his harness ready, he'd better take Miss Cindy's advice on leash-walking.

Walk with me: how to teach your puppy or dog to be a great walking companion

By Cindy Ludwig

Dogs aren’t born knowing how to walk on a leash.  In fact, leash walking is a foreign experience to them, but it is something required of our four-footed friends to live in our world with us.  Most dogs, if taught properly, learn to look forward to a walk and thoroughly enjoy accompanying their two-footed friends on a stroll.

For dogs, the stroll is about seeing new sights and hearing new sounds, but mostly about checking what I call “pee mail.”  For us, the stroll is about getting some fresh air, a little exercise and just being with our four-footed friends.

For two and four-footed friends alike a comfortable stroll down the sidewalk or road requires a little cooperative learning. We humans need to learn how to handle the leash and steer the dog, and our dogs need to learn what we expect from them in order to get what they want out of the walk – usually just to go forward.  This takes a little practice – and patience!

Recently, when working with a new client and her daughter my client remarked that their puppy does not “respect” her daughter. This simple statement gave me a lot of insight into what might be causing the leash walking problem between little Bosco and my client’s daughter, Renee.  I stopped the lesson to explain to my client and Renee that the problem was not about “respect,” but about relationship.  I was quick to add, being sensitive to the fact that Renee is a teenager and could easily have her feelings hurt that this doesn’t mean Bosco doesn’t like her.  They were just not communicating effectively, and I assured her we would get to the root of the problem.

You see, apparently little Bosco, an adorable 10 week-old bulldog pulls on the leash and stops and sits, refusing to go any further.  Renee said she is getting “frustrated” as she looked at me with an unmistakable frown.  I knew right then I needed to shuffle my priorities and we had to talk about loose leash walking at our very next lesson in order to preserve the bond between Renee and the family’s new puppy.

I told Renee and her mother they would need to get a regular 6 foot leash prior to our next lesson since the retractable leash they were using would only teach Bosco to pull by keeping constant tension in the leash.  I explained how  retractable leashes are not only difficult to handle when teaching loose leash walking, but they do not easily permit the handler to maintain a constant leash length necessary for the dog to learn just how far away he can walk and keep the leash loose. 

It’s a good thing my clients have a fenced in yard.  Next week what I will do is have Renee run around the yard with Bosco chasing after her.  I will take my special clicker so I can click (similar to saying “Yes!”) whenever Renee is smiling!  I’ll think of some reward to give her for her earned clicks.  Then I will work with Bosco and teach him that walking at my left side is the most rewarding place in the world for him to be when on a walk with a human.  I’ll simply click when he is in place and follow with a treat! 

We’ll start with one step at a time and Bosco will think earning clicks and treats is not only easy, but a fun game.  Then we’ll go to two steps and more before I click to tell him that ‘Yep, that’s right where I want ‘ya,’ and reinforce his proximity with a treat. 

Then back to Renee and a little fun training on how to hold the leash so that she maintains a constant leash length between herself and Bosco.  We want to prevent what I call the yo-yo effect of a constantly changing leash length.  This results from inconsistent handling of the leash.  An outstretched arm adds length to the leash while a flexed arm decreases the length.  This makes it difficult for Bosco to learn just how far away from Renee he can walk before the leash becomes tight and Renee stops walking.  We want Bosco to learn that a tight leash causes forward movement to cease and a loose leash results in continuation of the walk.

I’ll let Renee practice on me.  That should get her to smile!  I will pull ahead, at which time I want her to simply stop and make happy, high pitched vocalizations and “kissy noises” while running backwards to get me to come back into position at her left side.  Once I’m back in position, I want her to start walking forward again.  I’ll stop to sniff at which point I want her to allow me to sniff for a few moments and raise my leg if I feel the urge to mark, and then say, “Let’s go!” in a happy voice as she resumes walking forward.  I want her to praise me when I’m in position, and talk to me in a happy voice as we walk.

I will sit down and when I do, I want her to allow me to sit for a moment while she assesses whether I am tired or hot or not happy about something.  She can entice me to get back up, not by pulling on the leash but by squeaking a toy, getting me to chase a toy attached to a stick or rope or luring me with some tasty food treats. 

After Renee has had a chance to practice with me, I will attach the leash to Bosco and give Renee several options for attaching the other end of the leash to herself – either via a carabineer clipped to a belt around her hips or held in her hands with her hands planted securely at her waist. 

I told Renee this week that she will gain control when she relinquishes control.  I hope to make those words come to life for her next week.  And hopefully my silliness will leave a lasting impression on this teenager’s brain, not only of the steps involved in teaching a puppy or dog to walk on a leash, but that training can, and should be fun and rewarding, and that the best way to get a dog to do what you want is not through dominance and force, but through positive motivation and cooperation!

 Posted by Blog Admin, Sheila

Cindy Ludwig is a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training
Partner and owner of Canine Connection LLC in Dubuque, Iowa
(www.dubuquedogtraining.com).
She is a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers and the International
Association of Animal Behavior Consultants.

I do not rescue dogs!

Sonic

I do not rescue dogs.
Let me say that again, I do not rescue dogs. I have 4 great pyrs and two cats plus a very
full life. I do not rescue dogs. By now you’ve seen the cute face at the top
of this post, right? Meet Sonic. He was rescued from a roadside in July. We have fostered him since. I do not rescue dogs but my better half
does. We rescue & foster the dogs he
saves from hunger, hurt and worse.

The call always comes. “I’ve found a dog.” I offer tough
love. “Well, good luck with that. I’m wrestling pyrs and trying not to go
insane from constant barking. Love ya, bye.”

Each dog ends up wiggling his way into my heart. I feed them, walk them, and care for their
wounds and emotional scars. I prepare
each one for his forever family because they cannot stay with us—I do not
rescue dogs.

Caring for 6 pets and foster animals is a struggle. Finding the perfect forever home is more
so. Kudos to the professionals who do
this for a career! There are many who
want a dog but few who will truly qualify to be a responsible, loving pet
owner. Most rescues come with baggage,
issues or health problems. It is my responsibility
to match the rescue with the one owner who will love him as much as I do. Who will understand his needs, and that there
will be a major adjustment period. And,
that there may be issues with this cute bundle of fur that I’m not even aware
of yet.

I do my due diligence for the sake of the animal I am
releasing into the care of a stranger.
And, I expect each adopter to return the animal to myself should any
issues or circumstances pop up. I do not
want my foster put into the shelter system.
That may sound a little greedy but I have cared for these pets and I
think of them as mine, even after they leave my home.

We have been blessed with amazing adopters! And, all of our rescues have happy, healthy
lives. Because I took the time to place
the dog with the appropriate owner who understood the responsibility they were
taking on.

It is a fine line I walk.
These animals come into my home, not as family members but
visitors. I hold them at arm lengths,
not allowing myself to become attached.
But I do. Each time. And each time I have to say goodbye as they
make their way on to their forever families.

I thank each of those families and all adoptive
families. I do not rescue dogs. Their forever families do.

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.

Adding A New Dog To Your Home

Finn

Adding a New Dog to Your Home

Author, Bob McMillan

There
are perfectly sane reasons to have more than one dog in your household. No,
really.

You
may want a companion for your first dog. You may decide to adopt a second pet
from the shelter or bring home a roadside stray.

Maybe
you’re an animal behavior enthusiast and want learn more about your dog by
seeing it live with and interact with another dog. You may think your dog needs
more exercise and another canine will certainly encourage that.

Whatever
your reason, know that there are complications more than higher vet and food
bills when you live in a multi-dog home. Just as with every person you add to a
household, every new dog will change the chemistry of the mix. Not all dogs
will mix well. Time and techniques can sometimes overcome their differences. Sometimes
they can’t and a newcomer has to be re-homed to keep your dogs from hurting
each other and for you to hang onto a shred of sanity.

There
are general guidelines for adding a dog or dogs to your home. Dogs of different
genders tend to mix better. Same-sex canines often compete for status. Dogs of
similar size and temperament make better matches, too. For instance, a
greyhound and a daschund might be an unfortunate combination.

Guidelines
are useful, sure. But every dog’s a unique individual and your dog probably
hasn’t read the guidelines.

I
live with four hounds: two Scottish deerhounds, an Irish wolfhound and a beagle
and, while I started out with careful planning, life threw its own curveballs.

Cuchulain
was our first, a male deerhound who was soon the size of a highland pony. A
born runner, he needed walking every day and I drove him to a nearby farm
regularly to run off-leash. He was a great athlete, highly intelligent and
comical and we bonded closely.

After
two years I was in love with large hounds. Since I wanted another dog just like
Cuchulain and he was alone much of the day, I decided he needed a companion —
and hopefully a mate. Gracie, also a deerhound, joined the pack. Gracie is
lightning-fast and has a high hunt-drive. Did I mention I had cats? They worked
it out while she was still a puppy. They lived on top of doors. She ruled the
floor and chairtops.

Gracie
adored Cuchulain. As long as she left his food, bones and favorite sleeping
spots alone, he regally ignored her. Until she went into heat, when he turned
into a mindless, drooling Romeo ... and Gracie ignored him. Puppies did not
happen. I stood two more years of twice-yearly madness and gave up on puppies.
Deerhounds are notoriously hard to mate, I belatedly learned. For the sake of sanity
— hers, ours and Cuchulain’s — I had Gracie neutered.

There
was harmony in the household. Cuchulain and Gracie played and walked well
together. They worked out who ate first (Cuchulain) and who got first choice of
sleeping spots (Cuchulain). I had plenty of time to train and play with both
dogs. Deerhounds sleep 16 hours a day between naps, thank goodness.

Enter
the wolfhound. Cuchulain was 8, ancient for a deerhound. He’d gone grey and
wobbly on those long legs. I feared I wouldn’t have him with me much longer
when I learned of a litter of wolfhounds here. Irish wolfhounds are the stuff
of legends. And I thought Gracie would soon be alone.

I
got a puppy. Which Gracie, who’s normally nurturing and sweet-natured, decided
she wanted to eat. I was shocked.

Our
home became a gated community. We kept Finn in a large kennel in the living
room for puppy training and walked him regularly. Cuchulain and Gracie got the
back of the house behind an infant gate when Finn was reliably potty trained
and needed more space. I walked Finn and Gracie separately. Cuchulain was
content to stand outside on a long leash, sniff grass and wobble. Finn ate
alone safely in his kennel.

It
was finally Finn who brought down the Berlin Wall. He adored the two older
dogs, even though Gracie repeatedly demonstrated that she considered him
edible. Wolfhounds are steady and sociable. I read that. What I witnessed with
fascination and horror was an incredibly brave puppy approaching the gate time
and time again to say hello to Gracie and her teeth.

I
fed them both treats on either side of the gate and praised Gracie when she
stopped growling at Finn, but it was Finn who relentlessly charmed her. By
spring he was bigger than she was — and she’s taller than a collie. Charm and
bulk won her over. She decided one day that she wanted to play with Finn. There
was harmony in the household.

To
exercise two large hounds and a larger geriatric hound, I fenced in my large
back yard. Finn and Gracie ran like stallions and the sight of it stirred
Cuchulain to ratchet his ancient bones into a lope behind them. They were three
giant, happy hounds and my bank account was considerably lighter.

Enter
Sully, the beagle mix. My daughter found him on a roadside in Nashville, but after one long night of
barking in her apartment, she turned to us at the House O’Fur. It was us or the
shelter. So, it was back to the kenneling and gates in the McMillan household.

But
not for long. Cuchulain ignored Sully, a four-month-old puppy. Gracie soon
surprisingly accepted him. Finn enjoyed a playmate he could roll across the
floor like a hot dog. And Sully turned out to be a party animal who fit well
into the household. When they walk, he skitters around under their feet.

He
eats in his kennel, Finn eats separately still because he’ll share his food
with anybody and Gracie and Cuchulain graze from the communal bowl that’s full
most of the day.

I
now have an SUV that’ll fit any two of the hounds at a time for trips to the
vet. I walk Finn every day and Sully and Gracie less regularly. Cuchulain
stands in the yard, sniffs grass and wobbles.

Having
four dogs works for us, but then we have no life other than work and our dogs.
We only travel with Finn and Sully (Gracie gets nervous and carsick) and only
then on day trips. If you have kids or expect to leave home for more than a
day, more than one dog could be unmanageable.

We’ve
been lucky because (eventually) our dogs meshed into their own family. That
doesn’t always happen. And we introduced new dogs after the previous ones were
well-assimilated into the family.

I
don’t use the term “pack” because that’s often misused, based on the outdated
idea that dogs are watered-down wolves who work out a pecking order under the
rule of an “alpha dog.” Recent research has found that wolf packs are wolf
families led by parents, not the biggest bully.

Dog
groups work out their own dynamics. In our house, Cuchulain is the pushiest and
eats first. But Sully, the smallest and youngest, ends up with the best toys
and bones because he’s quicker. He’s also the song leader, initiating the group
howl two or three times a day. They all know they’re going to get treats and
time with us equally. Sometimes Gracie still snaps at Finn — when he leaps on
the bed beside her and crowds her. Mostly, there’s harmony in the household
again.

Not
everyone lives with their dogs inside. We choose to because dogs are social
animals and we don’t have the heart to keep one outside away from his family.
We’d rather juggle our household than have a dog and not know it well and enjoy
its company.

With
gates, careful attention and patience, more than one dog in the house is
do-able. But go slowly and ask yourself often, how much do I love dogs?
In our case, a lot. But I’m pretty sure our limit is four.

Bob
McMillan is an editor and columnist with the Cookeville Herald-Citizen
newspaper and lives on a mountain with several giant hounds and wary cats.

This
column was originally printed in the Herald-Citizen
in Cookeville, Tennessee.
Please visit http://www.herald-citizen.com/ for more information on the
newspaper. We thank the Herald-Citizen staff for allowing FFBF
to re-print this piece.