An Ode to the Non-Retractable Leash

If there’s one seemingly innocuous item I could eliminate from the Earth, it would be retractable leashes. These leashes are popular with owners who love the freedom it affords their pet. Indeed, the dog can jet ahead, trail behind, sniff or eliminate without causing a break in pace for the owner. Additionally, retractable leashes aren't as cumbersome as carrying a long-line. Over all, it would seem like a dream come true. I know many people who love these leashes so much that to take it away, you’d have to pry it from their cold dead hand. There can be advantages if the leash is used by a conscientious owner who understands its inappropriate use, and can judge whether their pet should be walked on one at all.

Though the lead itself seems benign, the design lends itself to becoming a mobile razor wire and tripping hazard all in one. This is no joke! I have long suggested retracto-leads as a James Bond weapon. If you look at the packaging, you’ll see a sticker or packaging alerting you to the danger of cuts, burns and finger amputation. It can cause bodily injury due to falls caused by tripping or wrapping up in the line. Additionally, if your pet breaks the lead, there’s a danger of face or eye injury. Oh yes, it sounds like you’re playing with a bright shiny chainsaw rather than a dog leash. In fact, the danger is so severe that labels state, “avoid using around small children”.

Besides the ghastly injuries that they cause, I hate them due to the way people use them. If you have a dog that pulls, a retractable leash only teaches your dog to be more effective at pulling. When an owner notes the dog is harshly gasping against the pressure of its collar, they often opt for a body harness. You know—the ones they use for sled dogs. Nothing like a good tractor pull! Far worse is the owner who combines the retractable with a choke or prong collar, since the dog will be constantly correcting itself while pulling for more lead. Mind you, most people miss the warning on the device stating it isn't to be used with “disobedient or uncontrollable” dogs.

If you’re enjoying your walk with your dog romping around 10-25 feet away, it makes it difficult to keep track of what’s going on. At the park, it’s not uncommon to see owners talking to a friend while their dog is off leaving a fecal calling card in the distance – with the owner totally unaware. They may also not notice that their pet is running in between people, tying a kid to a tree or rushing someone else’s dog. In the case of the latter, the leash may fly out of the owner’s hand and the line could break or cause damage to the other dog when the line is retracted. I especially hate these leashes in a veterinary setting. On a regular basis an owner would be at the front desk, while their dog wandered across the room, relieving itself on a plant or harassing a poor cat stuck in a carrier.

Speaking of control, the “brake” button is a great source of false security. I often call it the “pause” button. Cheap ones have a hard time engaging and must be held down manually, while more “deluxe” models have an integrated lock which is a pain to engage. The brake gives a false sense of security since it takes time to engage, and by that time your dog has covered a lot of ground. The brake on the leash is just like the brake on your car – it’s only helpful if engaged at the appropriate moment…which is tough from a distance.

All of this being said, I remind myself: training tools can be helpful when properly utilized. They aren't “bad” on their own. It just appears that the wonders of retractable leash attract all the wrong people.

Dissecting Disobedience

When I bring up dog ownership, do you think of Lassie trotting obediently next to his boy Timmy? Many envision dogs as heroic, selfless and loyal canine companions who stick by your side, hanging on your every word for the opportunity to serve. In reality, dogs can be all of those things, but they also can be fearful, aggressive, and taxing. Dogs aren't robots. They have thoughts and feelings that may not be congruent with our own, and are often seen as unimportant because we’re “in charge”. If a dog doesn't plop himself on the floor within seconds of being asked to “down”, it’s commonly misconstrued as insubordination at the very least.

This brings me to a question posed by a student yesterday: “So, if you only train with positive reinforcement, what do you do when your dog won’t do what you ask?” It’s an honest question, and one often posed by those who use punishment in order to ensure their dog knows blowing them off has consequences. Before you reach for your choke chain, consider an even better question: “Why wouldn't your dog do what you ask?” The reasons can be many:

•  Medical: He has arthritis in his hips and sitting is uncomfortable or even painful
• Distraction: he just learned how to sit while in the house, but now you expect him to do it outside with tons of distractions…and he’s not up to it yet.
• Confusion: He doesn't understand what you’re asking for since normally you use a hand signal for sit, and today you’re using a verbal command, which he never connected to the action.
• Fear: Another dog’s walking down the street and he’s too anxious to be able to follow instructions.
• Arousal: Just like with fear, if your dog sees their FAVORITE person coming down the street, he may be too excited to follow directions.
• He’s just not feeling it: Yes, this does happen – but isn't as typical as you think.

So, to answer the question: If my dog doesn't obey, I may:  ignore him –so as to not reward blowing me off, realize he’s over his threshold and get him out of the situation, offer a better resource for following the command, try again in a less distracting circumstance, determine if he seems painful, or work on training drills so that I know he understands what I’m asking of him. Don’t just assume he’s being a twit.

Seeing disobedience as an opportunity rather than an insult will only enhance your relationship and offer better results in the future. Using positive methods prevents you from making knee-jerk reactions which can harm your relationship, create more problems in the future. 

There's No "I" in Team

Dogs are amazing creatures which bring so much to our lives. The problem is their natural desire to give isn't always reciprocated. Though they meld well into so many situations and perform a myriad of functions that benefit us, we have to remember that they have needs as well. 

A dog shouldn't be a status symbol. If you buy a Bulldog because of their “cool” factor, be prepared to have additional sums for its health care needs. Veterinarians don’t have patience for those who buy a designer puppy for $2000 and then lose their head over the cost of vaccinations, fecal testing, deworming, flea and heartworm preventatives and so on. Additionally, if you buy a German Shepherd (from Germany), who has “unbelievable working lines” – don’t use it as lawn art! Your dog’s a thinking, breathing, emotional being that needs the ability to have training, affection, play, and an outlet for its breed-specific needs. It’s not there to decorate your backyard like a toy you can put on a shelf when you’re bored.

A dog shouldn't be a fashion accessory. Those who buy little dogs as a constant companion in their carry bag have delegated that pet to being a mere observer in the owner’s world. The dog has legs for a reason, so let the little one explore, become more confident and get exercise. Some of these dogs become fearful and anxious because they haven’t had the opportunity for independent exploration. Imagine if you were sequestered to a wheelchair, but you were perfectly capable of walking! It doesn’t stop there though. Some dogs live as a dress up dolls, without consideration of whether the activity makes the dog happy or at least comfortable. If your dog requires its own closet to house doggy couture, and you don’t have a Chinese Crested or weather requiring additional warmth, you may have a problem.

Lastly, your dog is shouldn't be an extension of yourself. This is a tough one. If your dog goes over to a friend and mounts their leg with great verve, I know it’s hard not to be totally embarrassed into 90 shades of crimson. Apologize to the person and divert your dog, but don’t punish him. Punishing your dog due to your discomfort may seem natural, but often reinforces the situation, or worse, pushes the pet into becoming defensively aggressive. As humans, we have a knee jerk response when confronted with situations that might imply we’re not good leaders. Here’s a scenario: while standing in a checkout line your kid points to the person next to you saying “She’s got a HUGE nose!” Your reaction is to scold your kid because he made you look like a terrible parent who teaches their child proboscis shaming! No. It’s a child; they’ll learn people come in all shapes and sizes, but can’t be expected to have an advanced adult social filter at such a young age (and the lady really did have a big honker). With dogs, they do what comes naturally as well. We need to listen to them to determine why they’re reacting, and then divert their attention to something that they CAN do instead. Disobedience is one area where dogs are judged harshly. Reactive dogs are often punished by their owners out of exasperation spurred on by public pressure (real or imagined) that decides they haven’t done enough to curb that dog’s behavior. Dogs are not automatons that are capable of turning off their own perceptions, fears, and concerns just because the display would be “inconvenient” for the company at large. Be a protector—remove your dog from the situation.

Dogs are a wonderful species, whose presence in our lives rewards us by enriching our own. We need to remember they are whole and separate from ourselves, and give them our time and understanding so they can have the opportunities to fully explore their true natures. Ownership is a dance and if you don't pay attention to your partner, all you'll find is that someone's got sore toes.

Pick a Winner

We are often asked to give a referral for a “good dog trainer”. Selecting a trainer is as important as choosing the proper person to be your kids’ nanny. We often recommend trainers who are educated, perform regular continuing education, use reward-based training, will let you monitor a class to see if you feel comfortable and have references. If you’re new in a neighborhood, doing the research can be tough; thus websites often end up being a starting point to pare things down. I thought it might be helpful to point out some key phrases which might indicate steering clear is the best option.

• Pack Leader/Pack Theory: This phrase alone may indicate that the trainer is ascribed to dominance-based training which does not promote a good relationship with your pet.
• Balanced Training: This means using “good” and “bad” to achieve balanced training. Good would be positive reinforcement. The bad is most likely positive punishment with choke chains, prong collars or electronic collars. Combining good with bad will, at best, give you something neutral. I would prefer a good experience personally.
• Done without harsh punishment: This means there will be punishment, but not HARSH punishment. Yes, they could mean negative punishment (walking away or turning your dog jumps on you), but I doubt it. Harsh is subjective, so I would pass on this one.
• Fast results guaranteed: If you have ever touched a hot burner or have been shocked by a short in an electrical cord – you know you only do it once. Fear is a powerful motivator – but it does not make for a trusting relationship between you and your pet.
• No bribery: This essentially means they don’t use treats to train “commands”. The thought process is that the pet must do what’s asked out of respect for you – or out of respect for the pain that you can inflict if he doesn’t follow instruction.
• Obedience to fix problem behaviors: Behaviors problems are not always an obedience issue. If that were the case, your dog would be doing things just to make you mad – which isn’t in their mind set. For instance: If your dog is barking, it may be because he’s scared of the kid who throws rocks at him over the fence. Expecting your dog to shut up because you say no won’t make him less frightened.
• Specializing in Board and Train: There can be trainers who offer board and train in a responsible positive manner. The concern is that you have no idea how your pet is being trained in your absence.
• The use of e-collars, stim collars or remote training collars: These are all euphemisms for electric collars and should not be used in training.

Other helpful sources:
American College of Veterinary Behaviorists How to Select a Trainer
American Veterinary Society of Behavior’s How to select a Trainer handout
Trainers through the Karen Pryor Academy
Certification Council for Pet Dog Trainers

The Galloping Gourmet

Dogs are wonderful animals that bring so much value to our lives. We love to play with them, pet them and snuggle – that is until we discover that Rover has been busy eating stool in the backyard. Yup, you heard that right. Eating poop is a gross doggy habit…I guess that’s one benefit of strictly owning cats. For those who have a pet with this affliction, your first question is probably “Oh my goodness. Why???!!!” Coprophagy, or eating of stool, is suspected to be caused by:

• Natural behavior: Female dogs clean their puppies and their den by eating stool. A large percentage of dogs that eat stool are females. The most common breed with this problem is Beagles.
• Underlying medical problems: This can be seen in pets with malabsorption in the gut, starvation or malnutrition (ensure your pet is getting a balanced good quality diet).
• A less discerning palate – they think it tastes good. Raiding the cat litter box rates highly as a popular bistro bar since cat food is higher in protein.

If your pet is eating his own stool, or those from your other dog, there are many preventatives including:

• Take your pet on walks and bag the stool as you go
• Do not yell at your pet when it consumes stool since this might accidentally reinforce the behavior
• Ensure you are providing a quality diet – talk to your vet for suggestions.
• Unfortunately, research has shown that no aversive additives work.

Out of all these preventatives, the most successful treatment is to pick the stool up right after your pet goes to the bathroom. Get your dog on a feeding schedule to help regulate stool production and make pick-up times more predictable. 

If your dog is a frequent flier to the cat litter box, consider making one bedroom or office the “cat domain”. Use a child gate to cordon off the area – your cat can jump over, but your dog is kept away from temptation.

If your pet is a scrounger on walks, keep him or her leashed and sequestered to paved areas where animals are less likely to eliminate. The biggest concern with coprophagy—other than rank dog breath—is the ingestion and transmission of intestinal parasites. If your pet tends to ingest stool be sure to have regular health exams and fecal testing to prevent infestation.

Don't Move My Cheese

I learned everything I needed to know about food aggression from a dog/animal actor named Chester. Our relationship started on a commercial set, where I worked as a second-trainer on a Three-Day Blinds commercial with him. He was an adorable wrinkle-beast, so cuddly it was hard not to fall in with love him. He reflected a mild nature, regardless if you scrubbed him up in the tub, cleaned his ears or provided a pedicure. He had a gentle mouth when offered treats, tail wagging and eyes sparkling. Over all, I thought of him as a gentle soul…until the day I fed him and attempted to pick up his food bowl. Watching the Exorcist would probably give you a good idea of the shock and awe on my face when I saw “that look” come across his face seconds before his teeth flashed near my hand! I jumped back – uninjured but deeply stunned.

This isn't an uncommon situation. Many people have perfectly lovely dogs - just so long there isn't a bowl or high-valued chewie sitting out. Food aggression is interesting in how owners react to the possessiveness. Let’s put this in perspective: I have a plate of chocolate chip cookie and I’m chowing down on them. I've been looking forward to this moment of bliss ALL DAY and now it’s coming to fruition. Suddenly, someone comes by and sticks their thumb in the middle of the cookie I’m eating. Then, as an indication of ultimate skeeziness, swipes the entire plate away while all the while telling me how BAD I am for getting upset. This is the travesty of being a dog. Misinformed people have perpetuated the idea of taking away food from puppies while they’re eating and scolding them for getting mad. Even worse: others put their hands in the bowl to ensure it’s understood who the Alpha is! In fact, you’re just being rude. You’re the provider of food and the one with the opposable thumb, so you really don’t need to put on such a needless show of power.

Food aggression is caused by the fear of losing a resource.

By taking that item away from the animal, you’re reinforcing that perception that their fear is valid. The only way to teach a dog that you’re not salivating over his bowl of kibble is to build trust. How can you do that? Become a provider rather than a thief.

If your dog is aggressive about food or toy – make your presence seem like a party. You want him to look forward to your presence while he’s eating rather than dread it.

•  Start by getting close enough so your pet can see you, but not so close that he stops eating, gives you the hairy eye-ball, growls or snarls.
•  Once you've established the “safe spot”, toss something truly special and delicious right near his bowl (like a piece of chicken or hotdog), then walk out of the room. You’re showing him “When I’m here, something awesome happens!”
•  With treat tossing as your mission, get slowly closer to the bowl during each meal, following the previous parameters of ensuring your pet isn't getting upset with your existence.

Eventually, you’ll find that when you walk into the room your pet may STOP eating and look up at you with a totally different expression – one of happy expectation. If he leaves the food bowl, so be it, you want him to be happy that you've come by the ol’ doggy trough to visit.

Do you want to take the bowl away, but Rover refuses? Do a trade: Have one person call him with a delicious morsel, while you whisk away the bowl. Note that throughout this scenario, there’s no yelling, intimidation or corrections. Fear is built on those principles. Trust, however, is grown through consistency, respect and understanding. If you do your job right, you’ll find that the training is much simpler than arranging an exorcism.

                                              Chester courtesy of Ron Kimball Photography