As doggie caregivers or future caregivers, we all have this romantic image of taking our favorite companion on long morning walks to the coffee shop, afternoon strolls through tree lined streets, and even late romps on warm summer nights. Unfortunately, these dreams can become shattered when our walking companion turns into an on-leash nightmare.  One of the biggest complaints I get from caregivers is that their dog doesn’t walk well on leash; they pull, they’re all over the place, they go for other dogs, etc. Going on walks with a dog that wants to walk you (no matter what their size) can not only be unpleasant, but it can be very stressful.  I’ve even had caregivers who claim that they dread taking their dog for a walk and are less likely to do so because the experience is so terrible. When I’m out walking with my dogs, I see all types of dogs with all types of devices that claim to prevent pulling and aid in training. Some work, others don’t, but what is the best? Everyone has a theory but I want to go over each devise, the science behind it, and why it’s either good or bad.

The Choke Chain – Everyone seems to be generally familiar with this type of collar. It was designed to train strong dogs to walk on leash without pulling by pinching the brachial nerve and causing discomfort. In theory, the dog will stop pulling to avoid the discomfort.  I would never use this devise for many reasons.  This type of negative learning doesn’t actually train your dog to do want you want. It only reinforces what you don’t.  I’ve actually never seen a choke chain work and watch with horror as dogs pull their owners down the side walk, all the while wheezing and coughing because they are literally choking. The idea of avoiding discomfort never works because the dog is continually uncomfortable and becomes tolerant to it. Also, the risk of injury is very high. The improper use of a choke chain can cause neck and spinal cord injury, collapsed trachea, and can even cause behavioral issues like aggression. I would NEVER use this devise. It’s outdated and cruel.

Pinch or Prong Collar – I see these all the time and they seem to be very popular with dog owners who have strong pullers.  The science behind these is nearly the same as the choke chain. When a dog pulls or does something incorrectly, the dog is “corrected” by a leash tug and the prongs pinch into the neck causing discomfort. In theory, this will stop the dog from pulling or doing whatever it did that was not right.  My big problem with this type of collar is the long term negative effects on your dog, even if it doesn’t pull.  Let’s say you and Duke are out for a walk and Duke sees another dog. His natural inclination will be to pull toward the dog. You give a quick, unpleasant, painful correction and pull him the other way. You round the corner and Duke sees another dog to which he naturally moves toward. You again give a quick painful correction. Maybe it doesn’t work this time and now you must give another correction and pull Duke in the direction you wish to go (note – we cannot know how painful or uncomfortable these corrections are because our dog cannot look at us and tell us. We do know that these corrections and even anticipation of these corrections increase levels of cortisol which is a hormone that is released due to stress and pain).  While you think you are training Duke to not pull, essentially what is happening is Duke is forming an association: Another Dog = Pain. As a result, it’s not uncommon for dogs to become aggressive on and even off the leash.  Other trainers have found that the use of this collar has little or no effect when trying to train you dog. All they do is increase your dogs will and tolerance to pain, making walking and training even more difficult. If a prong collar is used on dogs who are shy, timid, or exhibit behaviors we associate with fear, this type of forceful training will only cause your dog to shut down and will result in all sorts of behavior issues. 

Electric Collars – NO! NO! NO! NO!   If I was sitting at work and there was a risk of painful shock every time I went off task or did something wrong, I’d be a nervous wreck, always on edge, and go into panic mode every time I saw my boss walk around the corner. This is actually the same for dogs. Studies have shown that dogs who wear e-collars are more stressed and frightened not only in a training situation, but whenever their caregiver is around as they expect the aversive shock.  Again, we are not training our dog for behaviors that we want, we are only teaching it what we don’t and most of the time, they won’t make the association anyway.  On top of everything, the use of an e-collar is unethical and cruel.

*There are plenty of websites and plenty of trainers who continue to use these types of collars. At the end of the day, they all do work (if used properly) and are continually used because they work fast; which is what most caregivers want…the fastest results with the least amount of work. This is understandable because we are all busy. We work, we have families, kids, significant others, and social lives. We DO NOT want misbehaved companions. HOWEVER the results on the physical and mental well being of your BFF when using the above listed collars can be catastrophic.

The Head Harness (Halti or Gentle Leader) –The use of gentle leaders is becoming more and more popular. These are great because not only do they give you more control of your dog and really work at preventing pulling, but they allow you to get the attention of your dog and reward them when they are behaving.  I’ve had a lot of success with these types of collars and some dogs really do well with them.  The biggest complaint I get is that initially dogs hate them and will paw and jump around in an attempt to get it off. The strap does have a tendency to rub the hair across the muzzle and create irritation.  This is not to say that this happens with all dogs and most will acclimate after a few uses. The most important thing is to reward your dog during the entire process and make it something to look forward to.

Body Harness – A body harness is generally what I recommend to my clients and what I use for my dogs. There are many different types and styles, but the ones which clip on the chest work the best (not the ones which clip on the back and not the one which squeezes the ribs should the dog pull).  These work as when the dog pulls, it is steered to the side, redirecting its attention back to you.  It makes keeping control in any situation easier and training stays positive.  I recently adopted a 4 year old 130lb Great Pyrenees who wants to attack every car, truck, or bus that drives by (and I live in the city!). He could easily pull me into traffic if he wanted to. We are working very hard to desensitize him, but using the easy walk harness keeps me in total control and keeps us from getting run over!

*It is important to note that the use of a head or chest harness is not the final answer in training your dog to walk properly on leash.  They are only tools to make training more positive and help to yield the results you want.

At the end of the day, we want what is best for our beloved companion and there is so much information on all different types of training devices. Working with your dog, using proper training tools and using positive rewards (super tasty treats and lots of praise) will always make training a great experience for all involved and make those long and (most important) leisurely walks what you always dreamed of.

Doggrrl Philly is proud to announce its partnership with Spot’s 2^nd Spot at 2737 W. Girard. They currently have a fantastic store and are committed to selling the highest quality foods (including raw food), dog products, and equipment that supports positive based training techniques. Owners Leena and Paul have been instrumental in placing abandoned and unwanted dogs into great homes and we look forward to using their new location as an instrument in training, socialization, and community outreach and education.  We will be posting updates of all our progress, so get ready!

Visit their website!! They have a great message board to answer all types of pet questions.

http://www.spots2ndspot.com

Dog parks can be a tricky thing.  At any point in time there can be dozens of dogs and their caregivers, confined to a small, fenced in area. It is here where we are faced with dogs of all shapes, sizes, personalities, and social levels, as well as caregivers who either want to tell you everything that little Sparky did that morning or would rather sit in the corner, text on their phone, and ignore that fact that Spot just stole your newly purchased Ruff Wear Floppy Frisbee and is shredding it to pieces. 

Etiquette at the dog park is very important as the main goal is to ensure that every dog there has an incredibly positive experience and leaves nice and tired.  I’ve decided to begin to make a list of the different dogs and caregivers that I typically encounter and how to handle situations which could get out of control. I’ll start with 2 and build in future posts. If you find yourself in a difficult situation and have questions, please feel free to ask.

Gate Guarders – These dogs like to stalk, bark, or charge dogs coming into the park. How would you feel if you had to walk into a large group of strangers and some guy you didn’t know was standing at the door yelling at you?  It can be intimidating.  If your dog is a gate guarder, be aware and leash them when other dogs are entering the park (walk to the other side if necessary).  Be sure to bring some yummy treats and have them perform a simple command as a distraction while dogs enter.  Even something as simple as “Look at me!” will work.  If you are trying to enter the park and are having a difficult time, it is not out of line to politely ask the caregiver to hold or leash their dog while you enter.  

Bullies Or Pooches That Just Play Too Rough – Not all dogs play well together.  If Fifi is getting bullied or Bruno has decided she is going to play with him whether she likes it or not, it’s ok to say something, politely of course, to Bruno’s caregiver.  On the other hand, if you happen to be on the opposite side of this tail, it’s your responsibility to recognize that Fifi’s play style is not the same as Bruno’s.  When you notice things are escalating, step in and give Bruno a little leashed “time out” before something bad happens.  Give a few commands to refocus, always rewarding!! 

My German shepherd, Jolie, was notorious in the dog park for stalking, herding, and tackling other dogs (she was only 5 months old!).  I began working on the “enough” command. When I saw her get into stalking position or began chasing another dog, I yelled “Jolie…Enough!!” If I got her attention for even a split second, she was rewarded. Soon, she was required to come directly to me to be rewarded. When she ignored me, I went to her, leashed her, and fun ended with a time out. In the beginning, it seemed that she was in a time out more then she actually was able to play. What’s important to remember is changing a behavior is hard and takes time. Tonight, move your garbage can to a different spot and see how long it takes you to not go to the original spot first.  Be patient, consistent, and rewarding with your dog, and you will see the results you want.

While the dog park is a great resource for socializing and exercising Sparky, Spot, Fifi, and Bruno, it’s important to remember that as caregivers, we need to be aware and act responsibly.  Pay attention to your dog and prevent things that might result in someone having a bad experience. 

Q:  I’m going to be a first time dog owner and already feeling totally confused. Today I went to the pet store and the number of food options available is so overwhelming. There are name brand foods, holistic foods, grain-free, and even raw foods.  I want to give my dog the best food I can, but some of these foods are very pricey and how do I even begin to know what is the best?

A:  You could spend hours and hours looking at dog food and continually go in circles. While what you feed your dog is completely your choice, here are tips to help guide you through those isles and isles of dry kibble options.

•   Decide on a food that fits into your budget. We all have expenses and the amount of money we make each month generally doesn’t change.  You want to pick the highest quality food that you can comfortably afford. Don’t stress your wallet!
•  I always recommend a food that is corn and grain free, or contains no corn and the least amount of grain possible.  Studies have shown that many dogs are prone to corn/grain allergies, so why even bother?  Also, these ingredients are generally only used as fillers and due to the fact that dogs actually have no need for carbohydrates (that’s right…dogs DO NOT NEED CARBOHYDRATES!!) it’s better to fill them with the stuff that actually benefits them.
• Look at the label.  This can be the confusing part. What are the first 5 ingredients? The order of ingredients on the label goes by weight.  The first ingredient should be meat (not meal or by-product), but it’s important to know that the weight of the meat is taken prior to dehydration, so once this process takes place, the weight will be significantly less. Because of this, try to find a food with 2 other meat ingredients in the first 5 initial (these can be a meal).   
•  VARIETY!!! When I was growing up, the rule of thumb was feed your dog the exact same thing every day. Current research shows that this is just not the case. Would you or your body be happy and healthy eating chicken and rice twice a day every day?? The truth is that different protein sources provide different nutrients.  Pick a brand of food you feel confident in, and then alternate between the different proteins.
• The Raw Food Revolution. More and more caregivers are switching to raw food. I plan on dedicating an entire post to the health claims, concerns, and science behind raw food. For now, we will just say that if it fits into your budget, I definitely endorse it.

Q: I adopted a rescue from my local shelter and life couldn’t be better. EXCEPT…he insists on using my floor as a toilet. I take him on walks, let him in the back yard, but without fail, there are puddles on my floor each morning when I get up and sometimes even in the day when I am home. Why does he do this?

A: Don’t take it personally if your new dog is having issues figuring out where the proper place to do his business is. Adopting a dog that needs a home is a wonderful thing, but unfortunately, you can’t always know what its life was like as a puppy. Dogs develop a substrate preference (surface on which to eliminate) as young as 12 weeks. Also, in some instances, if puppies are not given access to proper locations (i.e. they are kept in a kennel or crate for long periods) they will overcome the urge to “hold it” and soil their living area, making house training as an older dog that much harder.  The first thing you need to do is take him to the vet and make sure his house soiling is not a medical issue. Next, get a good enzyme based cleaner. If the area smells like urine, you dog will be more likely to return to the scene.  Make sure he is actually going to the bathroom when you let him outside. Some dogs get distracted and actually may not go.  For the late night soiling, restrict water after 6pm and make sure he goes out right before bedtime. Pick a specific spot outside and use a command when you get there (some behaviorist even suggest wringing out urine from a house soiling accident on the designated spot to really mark the area). Be sure to bring a yummy reward and give him lots of praise. The most important part is to BE PATIENT! It can be frustrating, but unless you catch your dog in the act, DO NOT PUNISH HIM! Dogs do not make “after the fact” associations and you will only succeed in giving your dog anxiety. Positive works best!!!

Dr. L David Mech, the guy who published the original “alpha wolf” theory in the 1970’s, discusses the flaws in the study and admits he was wrong. In dog training, this kind of “dominance theory” training can be detrimental to your dog. Science has shown that motivational learning, like positive reinforcement, is the best way to get what you want from your dog. 

While Dexter still has some social issues, we have been able to overcome his general anxiety and a big part of his separation anxiety. We have also used clicker training to help keep him motivated and mentally challenged.  This love bug has come a long way!

Bob likes to bark, especially when his dad is on an important conference call. We determined the motivation behind Bob’s behavior and developed a behavior plan with an alternate behavior which served the same function. GOOD DOG!!!

Lucy is a rescued greyhound. Today, we worked on “Get in your bed”. I think she took it too literally!