Foods to Avoid Giving Your Pet

(by Ana Grimh, CPDT-KA; adapted from ASPCA article)

Throughout the holiday season, questions may have arose about what is healthy and unhealthy to feed your pet(s). We are a bit late for the 2010 season, but here is a brief list of what to avoid feeding your pet(s)!

Chocolate, Coffee, Caffeine

These products all contain substances called methylxanthines, which are found in cacao seeds, the fruit of the plant used to make coffee and in the nuts of an extract used in some sodas. When ingested by pets, methylxanthines can cause vomiting and diarrhea, panting, excessive thirst and urination, hyperactivity, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures and even death. Note that darker chocolate is more dangerous than milk chocolate. White chocolate has the lowest level of methylxanthines, while baking chocolate contains the highest.

Alcohol

Alcoholic beverages and food products containing alcohol can cause vomiting, diarrhea, decreased coordination, central nervous system depression, difficulty breathing, tremors, abnormal blood acidity, coma and even death.

Avocado

The leaves, fruit, seeds and bark of avocados contain Persin, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea in dogs. Birds and rodents are especially sensitive to avocado poisoning, and can develop congestion, difficulty breathing and fluid accumulation around the heart. Some ingestions may even be fatal.

Macadamia Nuts

Macadamia nuts are commonly used in many cookies and candies. However, they can cause problems for your canine companion. These nuts have caused weakness, depression, vomiting, tremors and hyperthermia in dogs. Signs usually appear within 12 hours of ingestion and last approximately 12 to 48 hours.

Grapes & Raisins

Although the toxic substance within grapes and raisins is unknown, these fruits can cause kidney failure.

Yeast Dough

Yeast dough can rise and cause gas to accumulate in your pet’s digestive system. This can be painful and can cause the stomach or intestines to rupture. Because the risk diminishes after the dough is cooked and the yeast has fully risen, pets can have small bits of bread as treats. However, these treats should not constitute more than 5 percent to 10 percent of your pet’s daily caloric intake.

Raw/Undercooked Meat, Eggs and Bones

Raw meat and raw eggs can contain bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli that can be harmful to pets. In addition, raw eggs contain an enzyme called avidin that decreases the absorption of biotin (a B vitamin), which can lead to skin and coat problems. Feeding your pet raw bones may seem like a natural and healthy option that might occur if your pet lived in the wild. However, this can be very dangerous for a domestic pet, who might choke on bones, or sustain a grave injury should the bone splinter and become lodged in or puncture your pet’s digestive tract.

Xylitol

Xylitol is used as a sweetener in many products, including gum, candy, baked goods and toothpaste. It can cause insulin release in most species, which can lead to liver failure. The increase in insulin leads to hypoglycemia (lowered sugar levels). Initial signs of toxicosis include vomiting, lethargy and loss of coordination. Signs can progress to recumbancy and seizures. Elevated liver enzymes and liver failure can be seen within a few days.

Onions, Garlic, Chives

These vegetables and herbs can cause gastrointestinal irritation and could lead to red blood cell damage. Although cats are more susceptible, dogs are also at risk if a large enough amount is consumed. Toxicity is normally diagnosed through history, clinical signs and microscopic confirmation of Heinz bodies. An occasional low dose, such as what might be found in pet foods or treats, likely will not cause a problem, but we recommend that you do NOT give your pets large quantities of these foods.

Milk

Because pets do not possess significant amounts of lactase (the enzyme that breaks down lactose in milk), milk and other milk-based products cause them diarrhea or other digestive upset.

Salt

Large amounts of salt can produce excessive thirst and urination, or even sodium ion poisoning in pets. Signs that your pet may have eaten too many salty foods include vomiting, diarrhea, depression, tremors, elevated body temperature, seizures and even death.

Evaluating the Things We Don't "Love" About Our Dogs

(by Brianne Statz, CPDT-KA)

Five Things I Love About My Dogs:

1. Their infectious enthusiasm in greeting me when I come home, even if I’ve only been gone a
few minutes.

2. Watching them run, mouths wide open like they’re smiling, the picture of joyful.

3. Cuddle time – mentality, not size, makes a lap dog.

4. If I drop food on the floor, all I have to do to clean it up is whistle.

5. They’re just really freaking cute.

Five Things I Don’t Love About My Dogs:

1. Payton barks at other dogs and people going by the window.

2. They jump up when they’re excited (sometimes with very dirty paws).

3. Finley insists on stopping for a thorough interview of every single trash can if we walk on
garbage day.

4. Payton likes to race up the stairs, and doesn’t care who he has to cut off to get up or down as fast as possible.

5. They leave fluffy little fur clouds in every crevice of the house.

One thing that’s great about making a list of things I don’t like is that I can evaluate each one, and usually find a solution to help. Here are some examples:

1. Reward the behavior you want – For barking out the window, I spend some time watching out the window with Payton, and rewarding him for being quiet when someone goes by. He now will often just whine and look at me, rather than have a frenzied barking meltdown.

2. Reward an incompatible behavior – For jumping up, I taught the dogs “go to your bed”, and I can send them there to do sit or down stays until I am ready to greet them. I will also reward jumping nose touches out to the side, so they can jump, but not on me.

3. Foundation Skills – Leave it is a skill every dog should know well, and it’s perfect for this situation.

4. Self-control exercises – Asking Payton for a wait at the stairs gets me up and down without breaking a leg, and also strengthens his self-control.

5. Well, not everything can be fixed with training. That’s when I look at my list of things I love and decide they are worth it! :)

Play: How To Tell The Good From The Bad

Playing with other dogs is an important part of a dog’s social life. Frequent play sessions can help keep your dog’s social skills finely tuned as well as provide some great exercise. It can be very satisfying for you as an owner to see your dog having fun, but it can also be stressful if you’re not sure whether or not the behaviors your dog or his playmate are exhibiting are appropriate in dog play. Oftentimes playing dogs can look very rough and even aggressive. Here are some key things to look for that can help determine if you should let your dog play on, or if it’s time for a break.

Play face: When you see a dog with a very wide open mouth, you’re seeing a play face. You can see lots of teeth, and it can look frightening, but a truly aggressive dog will have a more closed and tense mouth with the lips covering the teeth more.

Play bow: When your dog lowers the front half of her body with the hindquarters still raised, she’s doing a play bow, a move to entice others to play. Play bows can be held for awhile, or they can be a very short and subtle bend in the legs.

Pawing: Using a front paw to bat at another dog is an invitation to play.

Role Reversal: When two dogs are playing, it’s a good thing to see them switch positions every now and then. First Spike is on the top, then Fluffy is on the top. First Maggie chases Sadie, then Sadie chases Maggie, etc.

Taking Breaks: Because play can be very arousing, and sometimes arousal can spill over into aggression, it’s good when dogs are able to take brief breaks from play. This may be as simple as taking a break from wrestling to offer a play bow, or to shake off. If you have a dog who doesn’t take breaks like this, talk to your trainer about how to help your dog learn this valuable play skill.

Growling: This can be one of the most difficult things to interpret in dog play. You really need to evaluate the rest of the body language because some dogs are just loud players. Generally though, growling signals a higher level of arousal, so look for the growly dog to take breaks from play as mentioned above. Also, if the growling is very low pitched, or decreases in pitch, that signals a more serious intent.

Hold one back: When two dogs are playing, if you’re concerned that one dog is bullying the other, hold the bully back for a second or two and see how the other dog reacts. If the other dog shakes off and walks away, you know the bully was a little much. If the other dog comes right back at the bully, they were having a good time and enjoying the play.

Respect for Signals: It’s important that dogs respect “back off” signals from other dogs. Freezing, looking away, and snapping are common signals that a dog needs more space. Ideally your dog will recognize these signals and leave that dog alone, but if he doesn’t, go over and call him away.

Raised Hackles: When the hair on a dog’s back goes up, many people think that dog is aggressive, but this is not necessarily the case. Piloerection (the technical term) just signifies arousal. Watch for other body language. If the dog also has a play face and is pawing, don’t worry about it.

Mounting: People are quick to assume dominance when one dog mounts another, but this has never been proven to be the case. The current literature is so varied on this, ascribing it to everything from stress to a play invitation. The bottom line is that if you don’t like it, or the other dog doesn’t like it, call your dog out of the situation. A strong leave it cue (take your attention away from that), can help if this is a recurring issue.

The next time your dog is playing with another dog, watch for these signs of appropriate and inappropriate play. Remember that it’s important to let dogs use their body language, so never punish your dog for communicating with another dog. If you or your dog are uncomfortable, just get out of the situation.

My Dog Is Barking and Won't Stop: Here Are TIPS!

(by Brianne Statz)

We recently added a challenging exercise to our group classes – spend 2 minutes or so working with your dog without talking. It may not sound that hard, but it’s surprisingly difficult for our very verbal human brains to accomplish. We like to talk to our dogs, and our dogs do build quite an impressive vocabulary, whether it’s words we purposely teach, like sit and down, or words they pick up on their own, like W-A-L-K. Despite their capacity to learn verbal cues, dogs are generally more visually oriented and communicate more by body language. That means they bark a lot less than we talk. But even so, barking is a behavior that many of us find irritating, and want to eliminate as much as possible.

Here are a few strategies to help curb undesirable barking:

· Train an incompatible behavior – It’s harder (though not impossible) for your dog to bark when he has something in his mouth. Teaching a “get your toy” cue can help for excitement barking, such as when you come home from work or you have a visitor at the door.

· Train an alternative behavior – If your dog knows that something other than barking will be rewarded, chances are he will choose that option. For example, say your dog barks at other dogs while walking. Every time you spot another dog, stop and ask your dog to sit and generously reward him for paying attention to you. As you do this more often, your dog will see other dogs as an opportunity to earn some goodies from you, rather than something to start barking at.

· Reward quiet – This one sounds simple, but can be a true test to your patience. Simply wait for your dog to stop barking and reward the quiet. It works best if you try to be preemptive and reward your dog for being quiet before the barking starts. For example, if your dog likes to bark when he sees someone walk past the front window, spend some time sitting with your dog by the window, and as soon as you see someone going by start lavishly praising and feeding your dog as soon as he sees the person. If he does start barking, wait for him to stop, and then reward. Up the ante by gradually waiting for longer periods of quiet before rewarding.

· Manage the situation – When you don’t want to work on training the bark away, do your best to manage the situation. Close the blind to the front window, give your dog a stuffed Kong or bone to chew, or do a day of doggy daycare to get him really tired.

Pets' Pet Names

(by Brianne Statz, CPDT-KA)

Does your pet have a nickname? Pseudonym? Alias? All of the Above? Most of us call our pets by a variety of different “pet names”. Here are mine:

· Payton, my Australian Shepherd is known by all of the following: Liam’s Sweetness Forever (registered name), Tony, Tony the P, PMan, Paytey, Jerkface, Steve Smith (by my brother who wanted me to name him that), and Turd Ferguson (from an SNL sketch – celebrity Jeopardy anyone?)

· Finley, my husky mix is known by these monikers: Fin, Finch, Finchface, FinBinley, and Findersox

· Joan the cat gets called all of these: Baby Joan, JoanBee, Miss Beazley, Little Miss and Snotface Joan

A pet name is a term of endearment and affection, and there is no harm in having them for our pets. Or is there? When it comes to training, they can actually be a problem. One of the first things we talk about in group classes is Name Recognition. We need our dogs to respond to their names so we can get their attention when necessary. We start out in our beginner and puppy classes by having each owner call their dog’s name and reinforce if the dog looks at the owner.
Through the rest of the classes, we work on adding distraction – bouncing balls, squeaking toys, etc., with the goal of our dog’s head immediately jerking around toward us when we call her name.

But when class is over, most of us don’t practice name recognition at home. And to add to that lack of practice once class is over, we frequently use nicknames. What is happening when I call my Aussie Tony, PMan, etc is that “Payton” may not be getting reinforced. So when I do call “Payton”, and don’t get the quick response I expect, I might get frustrated. I think to myself he knows his name – he should look at me when I say it!

Whenever your dog doesn’t respond to his name, take a second and think about the last time you actually rewarded (with a primary reinforcer like food – not with just a “good boy”) your dog for responding to his name. And the last time you rewarded a name recognition without any strings attached (i.e. without making him come inside or stay, or do anything other than simply look at you). All behaviors need to be reinforced every now and then to keep them alive.

Does this mean we shouldn’t have pet names for our pets? I know I couldn’t stop myself if I tried. It just means that we need one “go to name”. One name that we expect a quick response when we call it, and that we put the effort into training that quick response.

Show Off Your Creative Side!

(from the KONG website: http://www.kongcompany.com/worlds_best.html)

The weather is getting colder, and that usually means less exercise for our dogs. If the weather is frightful, get your doggy some mental exercise! One way is by purchasing more "mental" toys, such as Kongs. There are other stuffable toys, as well.

Perhaps you already have a couple Kongs lying around your house. Does your dog love his/her Kong? Are you at a loss for new things to try with it? If you haven't tried filling a Kong and then freezing it, you should! Freezing the goodies makes it more challenging.

While you are at it, take a few of these Kong recipes for a test drive! Your dog will really love the new flavors, and it will make the Kong exciting again.

BANANA RAMA:
1 fresh banana
2 tbs wheat germ
1 tbs plain yogurt (can use your pet'sfavorite flavor as well)
Any KONG Toy that best fits your pet'schewing temperament
-In a bowl, mash up banana. Then, add wheat germ and yogurt. Mash all ingredients together and use spoon to add to KONG. Freeze for 4 hours. Makes 1 serving for Medium KONG. Double for every KONG size that is bigger.

Cheesy Dental KONG Delight:
3 Slices of your pet's favorite cheese
Any Dental KONG toy
-A very simple and creative way to make any pet drool in delight. Just place the three slices of cheese directly into the grooves of your pet's Dental KONG (if model has rope - make sure cheese does not get onto it). Melt in microwave for 20 to 30 seconds. Give to pet after it cools.

Philly Steak :
Steak scraps
1 ounce cream cheese
Appropriate KONG toy
-Place small scraps of steak inside KONG toy. Spread cream cheese in large hole to hold scraps.

Fruit Salad:
Apple and carrot chunks
1/4 of a banana
Appropriate KONG toy
-Place apples and carrots in KONG toy. Mush the bananas in large hole to hold fruit in place. You can include other fruits and veggies: orange slices, peach and/or nectarine chunks, celery sticks, broccoli and/or cauliflower, tomato and black olive mixture.

Veggie KONG Omelet:
1egg
Your choice of shredded cheese
Any veggies that your pet may like
Appropriate KONG toy
-Scramble egg and fold in veggies. Put into KONG toy. Sprinkle with cheese over the top and microwave for about twenty seconds. Cool thoroughly before giving to pet.

Mac 'N Cheese:
Leftover macaroni and cheese
Small cube of Velveeta
Appropriate KONG toy
-Melt Velveeta in microwave until gooey. Add mac 'n cheese to KONG toy. Pour heated Velveeta into KONG. Make sure it has cooled before giving it to your pet.

Aunt Jeannie's Archeology KONG (for advanced dogs)
(by Jean Donaldson)
-Fill your KONG toy (the larger the better!) in layers and pack as tightly as possible.
LAYER ONE (deepest): KONG Stuff’N Beef and Liver treats.
LAYER TWO: KONG Stuff’N Tail Mix or dry dog kibble, Cheerios, sugar-free, salt-free peanut butter, dried banana chips, apples and apricots.
LAYER THREE: carrot sticks, turkey or leftover ravioli or tortellini. The last item inserted should be an apricot or piece of ravioli, presenting a smooth "finish" under the main opening. -

KONG on a Rope:
(by Ian Dunbar)
KONG Stuff’N Tail Mix or dry dog kibble
Appropriate KONG toy Rope
-Pull the rope through the KONG toy and knot it. Hang this upside down from a tree, deck or post. The small hole should be facing the ground. Fill the large hole of the KONG toy with KONG Stuff’N Tail Mix or dry dog kibble. Make the toy hang just high enough that it is out of your dog's reach. Your dog will spend hours trying to retrieve the treats from the KONG toy. At the end of the day, take the remaining treats and give to your pet as a reward. This is advanced work for your dog.

Enjoy!!!



Frozen Jerky Pops:Peanut butterBouillonJerky Strips · WaterAppropriate KONG toyMuffin tin. Smear a small amount of peanut butter over small hole in your KONG toy. Fill with cool water and add a pinch of bouillon. Place a Jerky Stick inside KONG toy and freeze. This can also be put (once frozen) in a children's size swimming pool for a fun day of fishing for your pet. - by Terry Ryan
Simple, Tried and True:Peanut butter or KONG Stuff’N Peanut Butter PasteAppropriate KONG toySmear a small amount of peanut butter or KONG Stuff’N Peanut Butter Paste inside the cavity of your KONG toy. It's that easy! KONG Stuff’N Liver Paste, KONG Stuff’N Breath Treat or KONG Stuff’N Puppy Treat also work great. - by trainers and vets worldwide
Trixie's Favorite:Trixie, a 50 pound Aussie/Springer mix, loves turkey meat and KONG Stuff’N Liver Snacks mixed with slightly moistened dog food nuggets frozen inside her Kong. She is very clean about unstuffing - some dogs are not! - by Joe Markham

A Tale of Two Species

While browsing articles, Teacher's Pet Training found this. Hope you enjoy it!

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A Tale of Two Species – Patricia McConnell Explains Why We Love Dogs

Written by Steve Dale

Just look at a puppy or a kitten, and you probably feel good. There’s a reason for that, according to certified applied animal behaviorist Patricia McConnell of Madison, WI, “It’s a hormone called oxytocin,” she says, “And that makes us feel all gooey which increases after, say a 20 minute session with a dog who simply looks at you. That hormone makes us feel good, partly by suppressing another hormone called cortisol (sometimes called the stress hormone). In other words, there’s physiology to explain why we’re all stupid in love with our pets.”

McConnell researched the impact of oxytocin and our relationship with pets in her book, “For the Love of a Dog: Understanding Emotion in You and Your Best Friend,” (Ballantine Books, New York, NY, $24.95; 2006). “Lately, there’s been a lot of research on oxytocin in other mammals (aside form people or dogs). Oxytocin is clearly related to child rearing and social bonding. If you give a (mother) sheep a substance that blocks oxytocin, she rejects the lamb. If you supplement oxytocin (mother) sheep become more nurturing and more protective of their lamb. In some species of social mice, the dads do the child rearing. It turns out, in these species the males have higher oxytocin levels. Oxytocin is a social glue that bonds us to our puppies, kitties, horses and cockatoos.”

Sure, the explanation of why we love dogs is often ascribed to the non-judgmental love dogs have for us. But our love for dogs is goes deeper. Besides, McConnell says they don’t always love us unconditionally.

McConnell recalls one women attending a herding demonstration with her Border Collie, but her dog clearly didn’t like her. By all accounts, she loved her dog, never physically abused the dog or anything like that. The dog simply didn’t care for her, and her owner didn’t have any idea. “The dog literally winced every time she touched her dog,” says McConnell. “It was awful for me to watch.”

Who’s fault is this sort of mismatch? Well, perhaps you could blame an adoption counselor at a shelter or maybe people yearning for a certain “look” without considering the dog’s personality and their own lifestyle. But then sometimes these mismatches just happen. When they do, McConnell is an advocate of re-homing. She says, “Greater love hath no owner than to realize their dog needs something you can’t give them. I’ve re-homed two dogs.”

Of course, McConnell, an expert who writes best-selling books and speaks around the world about dog behavior. If anyone could deal with any dog, it’s her. Still, she re-homed dogs “I had a puppy who just hated change, and I’m on the road all the time. He was a Border Collie who constantly needed to work; my four dogs and seven sheep just wasn’t enough. Most responsible people think, ‘well, I just can’t pass off this dog like it’s a toaster.’ And they’re right. But sometimes, it’s the right thing to do. I re-homed (that Border Collie) to a farm with 400 sheep. I knew he would be a happier dog, and he is a happier dog. I can still sob about it. I loved him. But I loved him enough to do the right thing.”

McConnell adds the most effective way you can demonstrate your love, and also a great tool for training dogs is through play. Try acting like a dog. Pretend to mimic a play bow. It’s a happy signal eliciting play, as dogs bends their front legs, and stick their butt into the air – you try to do the same. “We’re not very good at it,” McConnell says and laughs. “But it’s fun for us to try, even if we make fools of ourselves. Another one is ‘stop and start.’ Lunge a foot forward, then move back fast, to the side, then forward. Either your dog will say, ‘Ok, fun, let’s play’ or think you’re crazy.”

McConnell says, “Sometimes I wonder what dogs think of us. They clearly know we’re not dogs, but what are we? We’re creatures with happy faces, who never grow muzzle; who have less functional teeth; some of us are pretty endearing, but others are unpredictable; we have a disabled sense of smell, but are still really amazing hunters able to go to a big box and instantly create a meal.”

“What other two different species on the planet will risk their lives for the other?” ask McConnell. “I argue the relationship we have with dogs is a biological miracle.”

©Steve Dale, Tribune Media Services