Bringing Home Puppy

 Vida Las Vegas (pic by Steven Hoffmann)

One of my clients recently brought home a brand new bundle of joy and asked for advice about integrating her with their adult dog.  I thought I would take this opportunity to pass along these tips to you. 

1) Scent goes a long way.  Before puppy ever crosses your threshold, it's best if you start off the process by getting her used to the smells of her new companions.  If you can, go ahead and give the breeder a t-shirt, towel, or other article of clothing that contains both your scent and your adult dog's scent to put in puppy's bed.   
Likewise, see if you can get something from the breeder that has the puppy's scent on it and give it to your adult dog. When your adult dog is calm and relaxed just place the article in front of him and let him investigate.  Later on, put it in his bed so he'll get used to the pup's smell in what is basically his "den".  Dogs are very territorial about their dens so your adult dog needs to understand that puppy is part of the family not an intruder.   
If you can't get an article from the breeder ahead of time, then definitely grab one when you pick up your puppy to bring her home.  When she goes to bed the first night, it helps her to have the scent of her mother and littermates around her.  Ideally, it would ease the separation anxiety for the puppy if she could cuddle up with your adult dog on the first night.  Just see how the introduction goes and judge it from there.  If the dogs don't seem to get along like old pals on the first day, don't force it at bedtime.  Regardless of whether puppy ends up sleeping with the adult dog or not, you will want the puppy to sleep in your bedroom.  You are the new "mama" and she needs to be close to you.

2) When you first introduce adult to puppy, do it on neutral ground.  Introduce them in the park or even on the grass across the street and keep them both on a loose leash. Have the adult sit and then present the puppy's butt for him to sniff.  Then just put the puppy on the ground a few feet away and let the magic happen.  I wouldn't let any neighbors or random bystanders intrude on this moment.  It's very important that both dogs are relaxed and that you be relaxed as well.  Don't talk a lot.  Don't anticipate disaster.  Just tell yourself that it's the most natural moment in the world.  If you notice any growling, avoidance or wariness on the adult dog's part then just separate them, correct the behavior and start walking them together down the street a little ways with each dog on either side of you. No matter what happens, avoiding yelling at all costs.  Yelling only escalates the situation.  I would also take the adult dog on a long walk before leaving to get the puppy so that he'll be more relaxed.  And when you give the puppy affection make sure the adult gets equal attention.  This is really important for the first few weeks to avoid jealousy.

3) Let puppy get used to her new surroundings.  Let her sniff around your front yard before entering your home for the first time.  Put your adult dog in the backyard at this point or have someone take him for a walk.  Then, open the front door and let the puppy follow you in.  You can encourage her with treats if necessary.  Let her explore for a few minutes while still on a loose leash. Just follow her around and let her go where she wants. Then bring your adult dog in on leash.  Walk both dogs from room to room.  Then take them to your family area and let them off.

4) Remove any food bowls or toys from the floor as to not inspire territoriality. 

5) Keep an eye on both dogs during any new situation. These include going into the backyard for the first time, guests coming over, feeding time, etc.  It's situations like these that inspire dogs to get possessive.

6)  Don't feed the dogs in close proximity.  Place the bowls at least 6 feet apart and then remove them from the floor when the dogs finish eating. 

Above all else, relax and enjoy this moment.  It really is a magical thing to witness. 

Tail Language

Dogs convey their feelings in all sorts of ways.  They speak to us through vocalizations like barking, growling, and yelping.  They speak to us by bristling fur, exposing teeth, and the posture of their body, head, ears, and tail.  Most of us are good at interpreting these signals but sometimes the wires can get a little crossed.  Maybe your dog is growling but his front end is dropped to the ground.  Is he going to attack or does he want to play?  This is why it's good to study each of the ways that your dog communicates in order to get a complete picture.  After all, you don't want to punish your dog for playing and you don't want him to start a fight either.  In this post, I'd like to discuss tail position.  The following is a general description of the various tail positions and if your dog could speak, what he might be saying.  Keep in mind that if your dog's tail is naturally curled over the back (think Siberian Husky) or naturally tucked between the legs (Greyhound) that some of these don't apply.

Wagging from side to side, parallel to the ground - "Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!!  This is SO awesome!! I'm so happy to see you!  I love you!  Did I tell you that?  I love you.  I love you. I love you."  And the wider your pup is wagging his tail the more excited he is.

Tail tucked between legs - "I'm scared."

Tail slightly raised but not yet parallel to the ground, may be wagging - "You're in charge.  I'm gonna relax and enjoy myself."

Tail parallel to the ground - "Hmmm, what's this?"

Tail parallel to the ground and stiff - "Hmmm, what's this?  I'm not sure if I'm going to like it."

Tail pointing up -  "This is my territory.  I just want to make sure you know that."

Tail pointing up and stiff with the tip curved forward - "I'm king of the world!!!  You may all bow to me now."

Above all else, get to know your dog's personal signals.  Tail position alone won't tell you everything but it might give you a clue.

Reduce Pet Overpopulation - Get a new license plate!

Hi Folks-
The California Veterinary Board is sponsoring a brand new pet lover's license plate.  Proceeds from these plates provide funding for low-cost spay and neuter services throughout California.  It features artwork by actor, Pierce Brosnan, of an adorable dog and kitty. Take a look at the link below:

http://www.caspayplate.com/

Is Your Cat A Decorator?

Ms. Claudia's paws

Cats make excellent home decorators.  At least, they think they do.  The problem with their style of decorating is too much fringe.  If they had their way, every piece of furniture in your home would be covered in ripped strands of fabric from their sharp little claws.   I can't tell you how often I've pushed a sofa into a corner or added one too many throws to a chair to cover up kitty's recent decorating job.  I've tried all the methods you can think of to stop her clawing sessions:  spray bottle, sticky strips,  yelling and screaming (doesn't work.  do not try.) and sour apple spray.  Most of these were met with haughty looks of annoyance and silent snickering behind lethal paws.  Well, I've finally found something that works and though I'm not into product endorsement (I am not receiving compensation in any way for this post), I thought I needed to share this with you because it has cut down on my frustration significantly.   The product is called Soft Paws and they are basically plastic claw covers.   You put them on and within a month or two they fall off naturally as your cat sheds layers of her claws.  When you order the kit, they supply you with the plastic tips and glue.  The trick here is getting kitty to let you hold her paws long enough to apply them. To overcome this hurdle, start touching your cat's paws when petting her.  Just a little bit everyday.  Eventually, she'll get used to it.  To apply the covers, you trim the very tip of her claws, put a drop of glue inside the plastic tip, flex one of kitty's digits, then put on the tip and hold for about 15 seconds.  It dries very quickly.  After you finish applying them all, you'll want to monitor her for about 15 minutes to make sure she doesn't try and pull them off.  She'll still go through the motion of clawing but won't be able to tear anything.  Every once in a while she'll pull one off during a claw grooming session, so you just replace the missing one. They come in a variety of colors.  The picture above shows Ms. Claudia wearing the pink and blue combo pack.  If you'd like to order some for your little rascal, go to  www.softpaws.com  

Lastly, whatever method you end up using to save your furniture, never declaw your cat.  Declawing is severely detrimental to your cat's body and mind. 

Human Foods You Should NOT Feed Your Pet

 

How can you resist that face?  I mean, he looks so hungry and there you are with your full plate of steaming hot delicious food.  It's the holidays and he should have a treat too! You're torturing him!  Well, just so you know, dogs always look hungry.  It's a survival mechanism that began long ago when wolves first crept around our campfires.  They learned to be cute to get our scraps.  We're suckers for sure.  Now, grab a hold of your pity and steady your resolve because those left-overs are bad for Fido and you won't be doing him any favors.  The problem with most people food is the manner in which it is cooked.  Chicken, for instance, is fine as long as it's not covered in spices, salt, and oil.  Since almost all of our food is seasoned, it's just safer not to give table scraps to your pet.  I've compiled a list here of foods that are big no-no's for dogs and cats.  The afflictions that these foods cause range from vomiting and diarrhea to kidney damage, toxicity, and death.  To have a safe holiday and not spend it at the vet's office, this is what you should avoid:

1. Chocolate, Tea, Coffee, and anything with caffeine.
2. Citrus fruits (lemons, oranges, limes, grapefruit)
3. Raw garlic
4. Grapes, Raisins
5. Hops - That's beer to you and me.
6. Macadamia Nuts
7. Onions, onions, onions!
8. Pepper
9. Blackberries
10. Salt
11. Avocado
12. Spices - Most are harmful so just stay away from them all.
13. Spinach
14. Raw yeast dough
15. Bones - Buy the ones from the pet store and don't give ones from your table.  They are too small and can cause choking and stomach perforation.
16. Fat trimmings- This is a favorite scrap of many people but it can actually cause pancreatitis.
17. Mushrooms
18. Raw eggs
19. Vitamins containing Iron
20. Dairy - It's not toxic but don't give it to your pup or kitty on a regular basis.

Setting Ground Rules

One of the things that I encourage all of my clients to do is to teach their dog commands.  From "sit" and "stay" to "rollover", "crawl" and "jump."  Some view commands as not letting dogs be dogs.  Some think that we are inhibiting their natural state.  This simply isn't so.  In the wild, the dog pack leader can control his pack with a simple look.  When we bring dogs into our homes and then let them run free, we are upsetting the natural order because dogs are missing the structure provided in the pack.  Can you imagine our society without any rules whatsoever? To replace this lost structure, we need to teach our dogs things like not jumping on the sofa until invited,  to sit and wait until we allow them to move to the food bowl,  or to not jump on visitors.  These things teach Fido that you are the pack leader and they also engage his brain.  It's very important to engage your dog in mental stimulation every single day.  This will help him stay emotionally stable.  He will have less behavioral problems in the long run.  We have a tendency to start some new rule and then get lazy.  Then our dogs break the rule and trying to train them over again becomes much much harder.  They know we'll probably give up and so they wait us out.  Consistency is the key. 

Here are a few tips for successful training:

1. Teach only one new command per week.   Start with "sit", use it every day, and build from there.

2. Speak in a firm, conversational voice.  Yelling is no good.  It just causes anxiety.  Besides, do you really want to yell at your dog to get him to comply all the time?

3. Stand up straight but remain relaxed when teaching commands. 

4. Assume your dog is going to do it right and limit your frustration.  This is a fun activity.  If you are frustrated, your dog can hear, smell, and see it.  Dogs will not follow a frustrated leader.  Take a few breaths and start over.

5. Use treats and praise.  Eventually, you will only need to use praise but in the beginning this will help get your dog's attention.  Show him the treats in your hand before you start.

6.  Make sure your dog completely performs the task, wait a beat, and then reward. 

7.  Don't continue to repeat the command.  Say it once while making eye contact and wait 10 seconds.  If he doesn't respond, then say it again.

8.  Do not reward anxious energy from your dog.  For example, if your dog sits on command but then wags his tail rapidly while seated and kind of wobbles from side to side, then don't reward him.  He is not really listening to you.  He is focused on that treat!  Wait until he calms down and then reward.

9.  Train before meal time.  If your dog is hungry then he will be more focused on you and your handful of treats.

10.  End each training session with lots of love and continue using those commands throughout each day.  If you don't happen to have a treat handy, then a scratch behind the ear and a "good boy" goes a long way.

Happy Training!

The Story of Buddy

I came by my love of animals naturally. No one in my family has ever been able to say "no" to an animal in need. This story is not about me though. It's about my mother and a dog named Buddy. I don't have a picture to show you so just know that he was a big, fluffy, cream and white mutt with the sweetest brown eyes you've ever seen.
One crisp morning in 1987 as my mom was taking the freeway to work with her friend, Gretchen, she noticed a car on the shoulder of the fast lane. As they passed by, she looked into the rearview mirror just in time to see two big golden brown eyes staring back at her. Quickly, she pulled over onto the shoulder and ran back to the car. There she found a big, fluffy, cream and white dog laying underneath the front of it. He had wounds on his hip and scrapes on his elbows. As she approached, the dog didn't growl or bark as stray animals will do when wounded. He simply raised his head to gaze at her. She crouched down to get a better look and noticed that his left front paw was stuck inside the bottom of the engine and he began thrashing to get it free. This must have happened on the impact somehow. There was no driver in the car and she couldn't see anyone on foot nearby. She motioned to Gretchen and asked her to take the car and go find a vet. Then, without another thought, crawled underneath the car in her white uniform to get a better look. She felt around but couldn't figure out a way to remove the paw so she began to gently pet the dog and talk to him. At least, she could comfort him. Every few minutes he would start to panic and every few minutes she would say "It's okay, buddy. We are going to get you out of this."
She waited and waited. Her hip was growing numb from laying on the pavement and her arm was completely asleep from cradling the dog's head. Then she heard a truck pull up behind the car. Finally, help had arrived. A man made his way to her and asked her about the dog. He was from Animal Control and upon hearing of the situation told my mother that he was going to have to remove the dog's leg and then "take him away." My mother wrapped her body around the dog, looked at the man and said " You are not TAKING this dog." The man, irritated, walked away for a few minutes and then returned to try to coax her into moving. My mother turned away from the man and said "Well, then you'll have to take me too." The dog, now quiet, was going into shock and she wrapped herself more tightly around him to keep him warm. Again the man approached, this time threatening her with legal action. Again, she turned the man away. The Animal Control officer went back to his car and waited. More minutes ticked by. She couldn't feel her legs anymore. Another car pulled up and she heard the short whistle of a police siren. She thought "This is it. I'm going to have to give him up." Two policemen approached and again she relayed dog's condition and Gretchen's impending arrival with a veterinarian. The police stepped back to talk more privately. She couldn't hear what was being said over the cars roaring by next to her. Then, one of the policemen came forward and knelt down. "Ma'am, I have two dogs at home. I'm an animal lover too. We'll try to find a way to get him out safely." As the policeman and his partner were discussing the situation, Mom continued to talk and sing to the dog. At this point she couldn't tell which parts of her were numb and which were normal. She just knew she was aching all over. Just when she thought she couldn't bear it anymore, all of a sudden, unceremoniously, the dog gently removed his own paw out of the engine. She yelled to the policeman "He's out! He's out!" By petting and soothing him, he relaxed enough to free himself. She carefully picked up the dog and attempted to stand but immediately her legs buckled. She had been under the car for two hours. The policeman grabbed her by the arm. "Let's just stand here a moment until you get your balance. His partner, anxious to get all of them off the freeway , stopped traffic and then took her other arm. They held onto her and she held onto the dog as they crossed the four lanes of traffic. On the other side, Gretchen was waiting with the car. "I couldn't get a vet to come here but they are waiting for us to take him in." Mom and Gretchen rushed the dog to the vet where he was admitted straight away as promised. After a couple of days at the vet and many many stitches, we picked the dog up and brought him to my grandparents to live. Buddy, as he came to be known, stayed there for the rest of his natural life and we would go visit him on weekends. He was a friendly dog and loved everyone he met but there was always a very special bond between him and my mom.