Reinforcement or Punishment?

What to look for in a dog trainer to build your dog’s confidence and enhance your relationship

Kari Bastyr, MS, VSPDT and Louisa Morrissey, CPDT-KA, VSPDT

 (Thank you, Louisa, for your collaboration!)

Because most dogs are adopted through shelters and at an older age, many of them come with behavior issues that other people have reinforced.  While secondhand dogs are wonderful and have a lot of love to give, it can be frustrating to try and untrain the bad behaviors while you try and train the behaviors you want.  Equally important are young puppies learning how to grow up to be well-behaved, stable, happy, and calm.  Teaching commands is important to all dogs, but the main focus, we believe, should be on teaching ‘impulse control’ and ‘manners’ while rewarding your dog for doing it right, instead of focusing on what he is doing wrong.   Your dog can know every command in the book, but if he can’t calm down and focus to do a ‘sit’ in a high-stress or excitable environment, is ‘performing’ out of fear of pain or physical punishment, or doesn’t know how to do the command outside of your house, then ‘obedience’ is a moot point.

The first step in helping your dog listen with distractions and without fear, and more importantly, be motivated to listen to you because you have a loving and trusting relationship, is to find the right ‘positive reinforcement’ trainer.  There is a lot of wonderful information out there on using rewards to train your dog, but there is also a lot of misinformation regarding training in general.  Many dog trainers purport to use only positive reinforcement, but then use shock or prong collars when they believe a dog ‘needs more’.  That is NOT positive reinforcement.  Other trainers aim to use a ‘balanced’ approach to dog training.  What most dog owners don’t know or understand is that ‘balanced dog training’ means the trainer uses all four quadrants of operant conditioning: Positive Reinforcement, Negative Reinforcement, Positive Punishment, and Negative Punishment.

·        Positive Reinforcement: Presenting a positive stimulus to increase the likelihood of the behavior

·        Negative Reinforcement: Taking away an aversive stimulus to increase the likelihood of the  behavior

·        Positive Punishment: Presenting an aversive stimulus to decrease the likelihood of the behavior

·        Negative Punishment: Taking away an aversive stimulus to decrease the likelihood of the behavior

Notice that ‘reinforcement’ always increases behavior and ‘punishment’ always decreases behavior.  Also note that Negative Reinforcement does not mean ‘punishment’, nor that bad things happen. The term is often used incorrectly in dog training. 

Therefore, a ‘balanced trainer’ may shock your dog for grabbing something off the counter, but then give him praise once the dog gets off the counter.  A trainer using a ‘balanced approach’ will use a prong collar to leash correct your dog for growling at you, then give him a treat for stopping. This type of training is not only confusing to dogs, but severely undermines their confidence and trust in humans.

A new term called ‘force free’ training is also being widely used. Originally, this term was coined by trainers using only positive reinforcement (giving rewards for the correct behavior) or negative punishment (taking away rewards to decrease unwanted behavior such as walking away when a dog jumps). These trainers are dedicated to never using a method or tool that physically hurts or intimidates a dog, hence the term ‘force free’. Many trainers that use prong or shock collars have realized that most of the dog-owning public really does not like the idea of hurting their companions in the name of training. To cover up the fact that they use painful training methods and to appeal to the public, these shock collar trainers have now stolen the term ‘force free’  to apply to shock collar training as well.  

You will also find poeple who use ‘natural’ or ‘pack’ dog training. This is a very good time to dig deep in your research!  Often these types of trainers are using the outdated and incorrect ‘dominance theory’ to train you and your dog. This theory states that since dogs and wolves are related, and wolves use a rigid heirarchy to control the pack, that dogs do the same.  They propose we need to be ‘alpha’ to our dogs, which couldn’t be further from the truth.  The following is the modern information supported by animal behaviorists who have a Masters Degree or Doctorate from a researched-based animal behavior program and/or accredited university. (Beware of the self-proclaimed ‘behaviorists’ and ask for their degree. Many dog trainers say they are ‘behaviorists’ when they barely have a high school education).  

The data that says wolves work in a strict hierarchy came from a study of captive wolves in a zoo done in the 1930s. Recent wolf studies show that wild wolf packs are a functioning, fluid family unit in which each individual is essential to the survival of the entire group and energy wasted on intra-pack violence is detrimental to the survival of all. Next, while wolves and dogs share a common ancestor, dogs have been domesticated by humans for a few 10,000 years. We have selected animals that work with us, read our body language, and understand our emotions.  The modern domesticated dog is not a wolf, plain and simple, and does not need to know us humans are ‘alpha’.

Finally, the dog-human connection is a fascinating inter-species relationship. Dogs know that we are humans as much as they know a cat is a cat and not a dog!  But why would you not want to use a trainer using the dominance theory?  By approaching all of training from the viewpoint of dominance only, one misses some very important causes of a dog’s behavior such as medical problems, lack of training, anxiety, poor diet, fear, learned behavior, genetics, or simply a dog trying to adjust in the first month of adoption to a new environment.  Additionally, the dominance theory type of training instantly creates a confrontational relationship between a person and their dog, as the person is required to establish, and maintain at all times, an alpha status.  Do you really want that relationship with your dog?  Wouldn’t you rather learn to train your dog through reward-based methods, respectfully communicate with them, and have the deeply fulfilling relationship you are dreaming of?

We receive calls from potential clients every day who are doing their due diligence… googling ‘dog trainer’ and calling around to see who has the best deal, who can do the ‘fastest’ work, and who is available.  These are the wrong things to ask when looking for a dog trainer.  First and foremost, ask if he or she uses ONLY positive motivation and reinforcment. Many trainers use pain-inflicting motivation, but say they use positive reinforcement.  They will shock your dog, or jerk your dog off the ground, but not tell you that they do that.  And why would they?  Would you really bring your dog to a board & train program if you knew horrific things would happen while she was there? Ask which type of training tools they use with a dog, and ask specifically if they use choke, prong, or shock collars at any time.  Ask where they received their education.  Ask if they have references, both from clients and from colleagues.

Does the trainer offer a method that ‘guarantees results for all dogs’?  How many of you think that is realistically true?  You’re right, it’s unrealistic!  Each dog is an individual.  Each person is an individual and the relationship forged between them is unique. While we live in a fast food, two-minute, sound-bite culture, the honest truth is that training takes time.  Relationships take time, respect, and effort, whether those relationships are between two people or between a person and their dog. A good trainer will be honest with you about the time and work that will be involved in training your dog.

The best way to find a reward-based trainer in your area is to search professional organizations like The Pet Professional Guild, Victoria Stilwell Positively network, Karen Pryor Clicker Trainer network, or ask your friends and family if they use a dog trainer who believes in pain-free training.   Reward-based training also doesn’t just mean feeding your dog a lot of treats. Food is a great motivator, and a great paycheck (would you work without a paycheck?), but good trainers wean off treats really quickly so you and your dog do not become dependent on them.  Positive motivation is key, rather than making your dog afraid of you so he’ll behave.  But when a trainer says he or she doesn’t believe in treats or rewards, run the other direction!  If your dog has aggression issues, please don’t use aggressive techniques, as that will invariably make your dog worse or ruin him.  Good trainers will focus on the anxiety and insecurity causing the aggression, and not just punish the aggression to make your dog to shut down.  If your dog is shut down, he may not be aggressing, but the punishment will only increase his general anxiety and fear and potentially make him dangerous.

Above all, a good trainer will use techniques and tools that will enhance the bond between you and your dog, rather than destroy it. Training methods and tools that cause intimidation or pain deeply damage the human/canine bond. Training methods that are pain and fear-free, and based on positive reinforcement  will deepen and strengthen your bond.  A good trainer will be there for the long term as the relationship between you and your dog develops, and if you need help over your dog’s entire lifetime.  

Have fun, and don’t forget to reward and postively motivate your dog- he or she will thank you!

Recap of the Denver Dog Bite Prevention Conference

Victoria and I before the conference

Back in May 2012, I was lucky enough to be able to go to the National Dog Bite Awareness and Prevention Conference in Atlanta hosted by the Georgia State Bar Association.  Topics included dog body language, how to handle aggressive dogs, dog bite statistics, laws governing dog bites, animal control procedures, fatal dog attack investigations, and other fascinating subjects.  I learned a tremendous amount, and decided that day to bring the conference to Denver.

For the last several months, myself, along with my assistant Anne, and Victoria Stilwell, planned the Denver conference that was held on November 2, 2012.  We were lucky to have five knowledgeable and educated speakers who donated their time to help spread the word about dog bite prevention.

First up was Victoria.  For those of you who don’t know, she is the star of Animal Planet’s “It’s Me or the Dog”.  She works tirelessly to educate pet parents on positive reinforcement methods of training, and how using punitive methods can increase aggression and cause damage to dogs.  The focus of her morning presentation was why dogs aggress, dog body language, how environment and handling can increase a dog’s aggressive response, and bite levels and intentions.

Dogs can be aggressive for many reasons- pain, predation, fear, anxiety, protection, etc. In order to understand and determine the reason for the aggressive response, dog behavior experts have to look at several factors and cross off possible causes one by one. She recommended starting with a full medical work-up including blood work. Studies have shown that dogs suffering from hypothyroidism tend to be more aggressive and low levels of serotonin can also lead a dog to be more aggressive. The dog’s diet is a crucial element as well, meaning nothing can be ruled out and everything should be considered.

Stilwell also talked about the myth that dogs “just snap” without warning. Dogs offer many signs that they are uncomfortable, but many people are simply not aware of those signs. The audience was shown different clips from Stilwell’s TV show, It’s Me or the Dog, illustrating the signals that dogs send humans (and other dogs).

Dogs' calming signals may include:

§  Lip licking

§  Tongue flicking

§  Blinking, averting eyes, or turning away

§  Yawning – depends on the context

§  ‘Shaking off’- similar to when they shake off water, but the dog isn’t wet

§  Ears pinned back

§  Sniffing the ground

§  Closed mouth to an open mouth

§  ‘Whale eye’- a dog keeps his head straight, but turns his eye toward you…you can see the whites of his eye.  It means fear or uncomfortableness

Dogs suffering from separation anxiety begin to display those signs before the owner leaves – pacing, panting, whining, yawning, shaking off, etc. When the owner is gone and dog is barking, chewing, being destructive, the dog is no longer anxious, but rather the dog is in distress. Treating the separation anxiety means treating the reason for the pacing, panting and whining. Any successful behavior modification plan for any behavior must focus on treating the root cause of the behavior and not the behavior itself.

The morning’s most poignant speakers took the stage and bravely shared their story of love and loss of their 2-year-old son and 8-year-old dog. Joseph and Carrie Perk were as typical as they come – two happy parents raising their toddler son and infant daughter in a bustling household that also included two beloved Weimaraners, Lloyd and Chessy. Like many dog owners, the Perks took their dogs through obedience classes and thought that they were doing all of the right things, never giving much thought to stress signals or dog body language that could indicate trouble.

“It’s funny, I never really gave it thought how many times I’ve been bit by a dog,” Joey said. “I didn’t think about it until we were asked to come here and speak. But I think almost everyone here has been bit by a dog, right?”

Carrie and Joey never thought either dog would bite but sadly, the unthinkable happened. The Perk’s typical family was forever changed on Dec. 22, 2009 when Lloyd fatally bit Liam on what seemed like any other morning in the Perk house. Lloyd was a Weimeraner, and not of a breed that people often associated with aggression and this is one of the myths that each speaker at the conference wanted to dispel. Any dog, given the right set of circumstances in the right situation will do what it feels is necessary to get rid of a threat and the last resort when all other signals fail is to make a point with a bite.

Carrie Perk and Lucy

The Perks weren’t taught what to look out for and what can cause stress for the family dog. Obedience trainers didn’t explain the reasons dogs turn to the side, lick their lips, yawn, fold their ears back or pant. It was only after losing Liam that Carrie began researching what happened and why that she began to understand how much Liam affected Lloyd. Wanting to honor Liam’s memory and feeling the need to share what she learned and tell people what happened, the Perks founded the Liam J. Perk Foundation with the mission on educating dog owners and children on how to stay safe.

Through the foundation, the Perks created the Let’s Talk Dog! Awareness sign that can go up any place where that dogs and humans interact: playgrounds, dog parks, vet offices, schools, etc. to provide a quick, easy to understand guide to dog body language.  www.liamjperkfoundation.org

Jim Crosby, a retired police lieutenant, provided a riveting look into his work investigating the worst of the worst: fatal dog bites and maulings. Crosby is the guy called in to provide an objective analysis of the scene and dog(s) involved (if the dogs have not yet been euthanized). His presentation included reviews of past cases and stories about the dogs and people involved in different incidents around the country.

Crosby’s detailed investigations involve surveying a scene, looking at police photographs (if the scene has been cleared), measuring depth of wounds, testing dog(s) for blood on coat and in mouth and talking with witnesses to get a sense of what was going on just before and during the attack.  Based on a dog’s dentition, Crosby is able to determine which bites were inflicted by which dog in cases where two or more dogs are involved. Dentition also helps to rule out dogs because bite patterns will not match every dog because they are like fingerprints and no two dogs have the exact same pattern. 

Jim Crosby

Before speaking on Breed Specific Legislation (BSL), Crosby pointed out that statistics show time and time again that dog of mixed breeds make up the largest percentage of biters. Each speaker stressed that any breed of dog can bite and research has shown that BSL does little to protect communities from dog-bite incidents. Crosby also took time to dispel a couple of rampant myths.

“A Pit Bull does not have a locking jaw. No dog has a locking jaw. It wouldn’t be a very good predator if every time it closed its mouth, its jaw locked,” Crosby stated. “The Gila Monster is the only animal on the planet with a locking jaw and that is so it can inject poison into its prey.”

Crosby displayed a slide showing the measured bite force of different animals. Rottweilers topped the dog category with a measured bite force of 328 pounds per square inch (psi), followed by German Shepherd dogs with 238 psi and Pit Bulls came in at 235 psi.

One lasting fact that stuck with many in attendance was just how quickly a bite – or several bites – can occur. The audience learned that it takes the typical dog two-tenths of a second to bite and release. A healthy human’s response time is three-quarters of a second.

“By the time you realize that the dog is biting you and you can react, that dog could have bit and released up to five times,” Crosby said.  He also showed graphic photos of deceased victims, severe bites, and crime scene investigation photos to illustrate all of his findings and investigations.

Our fourth speaker of the day was Claudine Wilkins, one of the leading forces behind the Georgia Dog Bite Conference in May conference. Wilkins is an animal law attorney in Atlanta and was instrumental in helping Georgia legislators draft and pass the state’s Responsible Dog Owner Act.

Claudine Wilkins

In the Act, owners of dogs that have bite histories are held liable and must follow a very specific set of laws in order to keep the dog(s). Dogs with bite histories are placed into two categories: dangerous dogs and vicious dogs. Depending on what category a dog falls in to, the owner must keep the dog from engaging with any other animal or human if the dog is off the owner’s property and some owners must carry $50,000 of insurance. No person can own more than one vicious dog, and no one with felony convictions can own a vicious dog. The Act is step in the right direction, Wilkins said, in helping to boost public safety and retool old, outdated dangerous dog laws.

The full day of speakers was a huge success and we all took home at least a little bit of information to continue education and spread the word about dog bite awareness and prevention.  It is up to all of us to learn about dog body language, be responsible for our own dogs, prevent dog bites from happening, and educate ourselves about dangerous dog laws and breed specific legislation.  The next conference, sponsored by Wag & Train, will hopefully be in the next two years, and we hope to hold it at CSU in Fort Collins. 

My Dog is such a Sweetheart… but He Bites People!

If I had a nickel for every time I heard someone say that, I’d be able to retire.
Much of the time I spend with clients includes talking about why dogs are so sweet sometimes, and then aggressive and fearful other times. In the industry, we call it “The 99% Rule”, because we all get those phone calls where the pet parent says “99% of the time my dog is so sweet!”, but then bites people who enter the front door, or reach out to pet them, or walk by when the dog is on leash, or when she is getting her nails cut, etc.

There is perfectly good explanation for this phenomenon, and if you understand this, you will be much more successful in treatment… the word? “Context”.

Context is a term we use a lot in dog training because behavior is always specific to the ‘context’ or environment the dog is in at that very moment. In my Behavior & Manners class, I always explain that ‘sit’ at home is different than ‘sit’ on the street, or at class, or at the vet. When a dog learns to ‘sit’ at home, there are certain environmental stimuli and distractions (or lack of). When you add in a high-stress context or one in which your dog will have a higher rate of adrenaline, ‘sit’ will be a completely different behavior to him.

The same holds true for aggressive behaviors.

In the context of your home environment there are probably not a lot of stressors, so your dog will not be afraid or defensive. If your dog is completely calm in the living room, but the minute the doorbell rings, goes in to a frenzy, then the context has changed. It is crucial in treatment to understand that behavior is ALWAYS context-specific, and just because your dog ‘behaves’ in certain environments, doesn’t mean he is going to be the same dog in a different environment, with different stressors.

This is why people and dogs get bitten, and why ‘management’ is so important.

If you know your dog has the potential to be aggressive in certain environments (the vets office, on a hiking trail, when people come over) or if you know your dog is unpredictable, it is up to YOU to set your dog up to succeed and manage her so she doesn’t have the opportunity to become stressed, thus becoming aggressive. Dogs do not bite ‘out of the blue’. I’ve said this a million times- Dogs give tons of warning and stress signals that people miss, yet pet parents still put their dogs in situations that set their dogs up to fail.

Here is an example:
I just got off the phone with an extremely nice woman (I’ll call her Susan) with an 18-month old German Shepherd. Literally, as I was writing this blog she called- that’s how often this scenario presents itself. Her dog goes to doggie daycare and does well with other dogs in that environment. However, her dog is leash aggressive with other dogs, and is very afraid of dogs, when Susan is walking her or has her out-and-about. Her first question to me, as I was explaining the treatment process was “So, how come my dog plays well and loves other dogs at daycare, but is the exact opposite when she’s with me on leash? Why doesn’t she love all dogs all the time?” Susan had a hard time wrapping her brain around the concept that her dog is different at daycare than she is with her. She truly thinks her dog’s behavior should be the same all the time…

The explanation? Her German Shepherd’s behavior is ‘context-specific’. The off-leash dogs at daycare are completely different than dogs on the street, or when she’s attached to a leash, or when she’s with her mom. Behavior doesn’t happen in a vacuum- it happens because of what is going on at that moment, in that place, in whatever level of adrenaline, with whatever stimuli is going on around the dog.

Treatment begins with the understanding that behavior will be different in all types of situations- just like it is with humans. And once you take the 'context' into consideration, then you can always set your dog up to succeed in order to reduce the stress within the context, and teach your dog what you want him to do, instead of what you don’t want him to do. It really is that simple.

Keeping the Peace: How to Introduce and Manage Dogs and Cats who Live in the Same House

After my divorce in 1998, I moved in with my best friend and roommate from college, who was also ending her long term relationship. Our constant companions back then were a dog (for me) and a cat (for her). When we lived together for our college years we didn’t have pets… we were too busy ‘studying’ to have the proper time to take care of animals.

Our decision to become roommates again did not include any thought of how we would get the dog and cat together. We just knew we could live together harmoniously (most days), plus share the rent and each other’s clothes.
Moving day came and after all of our stuff was unpacked, we introduced my dog, Kenai, and her cat, Luka. It never even crossed our minds that our animals wouldn’t love each other and get along. Luka lived with a dog before, and Kenai had seen plenty of cats. I told myself, ‘They will be best friends’. Wow, I was dead wrong. They saw each other and it was pandemonium. Luka hissed, screamed and ran…Kenai chased her, growling, and got a tuft of her hair in between his teeth. We were in shock and my BFF almost moved out on the spot.
As a behaviorist, I had done a really bad job of setting both dog and cat up to succeed. Looking back, it was really unfair and stupid of me and I regret it wholeheartedly. But I also know that it was a wonderful learning experience for me, and it taught me how to desensitize slowly and be patient. After one month of management, impulse-control training, and desensitization/counter-conditioning, they were best friends. It was hell getting there, and it really cut in to my social life (like it will for yours), but it worked!
Today I get at least three calls a week from clients about failed attempts to introduce dogs to cats, and vice versa. I can honestly say I know where they coming from because I have been there.  Thankfully, Kenai did nothing to injure Luka, but maybe dogs kill cats in an instant.
Here are my recommendations for introducing a new dog to your 13-year old cat, or a new cat to your 4- year old dog. Keep in mind that not all dogs and cats will live together in peace and harmony- especially those dogs with strong prey drive. If you have a 2-year old Jack Russell who kills squirrels and chases cats down your alley, then I would suggest not adopting a cat, and perhaps donate to the Dumb Friends League so that someone else can save a cat.
1) Have Realistic Expectations. I know this is a hard one, but you have to keep your expectations low. Tell yourself that your goal is that the dogs and cats will be able to be in the same room with each other within a year, and then when it takes less time, you will be pleasantly surprised!
2) Invest in a really strong metal pet gate, and train your dog to it before hand (make the room he will be separated from the ‘party place’ where all the fun stuff happens- Kongs, marrow bones, feeding time, playtime, etc). I don’t recommend baby gates- it must be a pet gate that bolts to the doorway.  This is my favorite gate- I have two of them, and I cut the cat door off one of them so the cats could go through whenever they wanted.  http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=13044



3) Designate a ‘dog free’ zone that the cat will be safe in. Install some kitty doors for the litter box and for the feeding area (they should be far apart).

4) Train your dog to have a bomb-proof ‘Leave It’ and ‘Wait’ command. I actually trained Kenai with ‘No Kitty’, but it was essentially the same as ‘Leave It’. He loved ‘No Kitty’ because it meant if he stayed on his bed, and remained calm (without victim searching Luka), the sky rained hot dogs.
5) The dog and cat should not see each other for the first few days, at all. Period. Let them each get used to the new smells and schedule that goes along with having another pet. NEVER let them in the same room together until each is used to the others smell. Rub each one down with a sock and then put the cat’s sock in the living room where your dog can smell it (rewarding with food treats as he’s sniffing), and the same for the dog’s sock in the cat’s room.
6) If you are transferring the cat somewhere in your arms, or walking the dog past the cat’s room, please have your dog on a leash or tethered, or locked behind the pet gate. It is imperative that your dog never ‘practice’ chasing or ‘victim searching’ the cat, because I guarantee she will repeat the behavior.
7) Once both animals are used to each other’s smells and understand really good things happen when they smell the other, you can start letting them see each other for very short 1-minute spurts. In a neutral area, perhaps the den or living room (not near the dog’s food dish or the cat’s litter box), allow them to see the other. Your dog MUST be on a strong leash with a harness or head collar so he doesnt slip out of this neck collar.  (Not a retractable, please!) and the cat must have an escape route. DO NOT force the cat to stay. If she runs, that’s fine. Simply step in front of your dog to get his attention, and ask for a ‘Watch Me’ or ‘Sit’ in a calm happy voice. If your dog tries to chase the cat, DO NOT scold or punish, as this will only increase the anxiety around the cat and impede your progress.  Redirect your dog with a command he know well, and encourage him to focus on you and calm down.
8) Once the dog can be in the same room with the cat, start increasing the duration that they are together, always with the dog on a short leash. Perhaps while you are hanging out in the evening, let them be around each other for 10 minutes, then separate for 20 minutes, then together for 10 minutes, etc. Each time, make it really fun and rewarding, either with treats or massage or something the dog and cat like. If either dog or cat doesn’t take the treats, it’s ok. It just means they are too hyper-adrenalized or fearful, and need time to calm down.  make sure you don't get them too close, too quickly.  if they are calm at 20 feet away, do that for a few days, then try 19 feet.
9) This process could take a week, a year, or maybe never. It is okay if your dog and cat can never be in the same room without supervision. It is better than the alternative (getting rid of one of your animals, the dog killing the cat, someone getting hurt, etc) , and it is up to YOU to keep each one safe. Environmental management is the key to all training, and especially with dogs and cats. Don’t feel guilty if they need to be separated. It decreases their stress level, and keeps them out of harm’s way.
There are many more things you can do to help the process along, but these are the beginning steps to get the ball rolling.  On the flipside, I know that with patience, consistency, fairness, and reasonable expecations, living peacefully with one another is possible.   Before he died in 2008, Kenai successfully lived with 5 cats and adored everyone of them.

Luka and Kenai in 2001. Once they became best friends, they were never far apart.

Kenai always wanted to share his ball with Sushi.

The Myth of Dominance in Dog Training: What does it really mean?

Dominance in dog training is a widely used concept, but even most dog trainers don't know what it truly means. Use of the term 'dominance' to describe willful, disobedient, and aggressive behavior in dogs often infers that these behaviors must be treated by humans through asserting physical dominance over dogs. It also supposes that dogs are genetically ‘dominant’ and purposefully stubborn. Both animal and veterinary behaviorists are out to change that concept.

I receive daily emails from dog owners telling me their dog is being dominant. The dogs are challenging them, biting them, and attempting to be the ‘alpha’. Owners’ automatic reaction is to call their dog dominant when they try to take a toy away from the dog, their dog wants to lead on walks, or the dog growls when they walk by the food bowl. Believe it or not, none of these dogs I described are dominant. So why does everyone refer to these behaviors as 'dominant'
The answer is unclear. I think over the past 40 years, the pervasive definitions used by old school trainers are still being used without regard to behavior or what is actually going on in the dog's brain. It is easier to attribute all aggressive behavior to dominance because that is what has been done in the past. In reality, truly dominant dogs are calm and confident. They have very few behavior problems and do not need to use aggression to get what they want. It is the fearful and insecure dogs that exhibit the aggressive behaviors.
Because of my education and experience with dogs and their parents, there are three things I can be absolutely sure of:

1) Dogs are definitely not out for world domination.
2) The majority of people who have dogs, use the terms ’dominance’ and ‘dominant’ incorrectly.
3) Most people think dominance means ‘aggression’.

Dominance, as a whole, is synonymous with confidence and stability. Dominance refers to the 'peaceful' nature of encounters between animals. Dominance within the pack means 'priority access to preferred resources and permits social control’ (Dodman, 2010). Dominance means decreased aggression in social animals. When there is aggression it is used subtly and sparingly to set ground rules, not to enforce them. The 'dominant' trait may be defined as influential, ascendant, prevailing, authoritative, or high in control. Dominant behavior is the exact opposite of aggressive (hostile, angry, violent) and domineering (overbearing, bossy) (Sadalla et al., 1988). Dominance is also not the same as 'dominating'.

With regards to canine behaviors, dominance and aggression often move in opposite directions. A dominant dog is confident; an aggressive dog is insecure and anxious. Dominant animals have high, stable brain serotonin; aggressive animals have low, unstable brain serotonin. That is why increasing serotonin levels is effective for decreasing aggression. Underlying anxiety and insecurity increases behavior problems and aggression. Unless there is a medical cause, I always assume that an aggressive dog is anxious and insecure. That is where I start in the treatment process. I do not focus on the behavior itself, as it is only a symptom of the anxiety. I treat the cause of the behavior.

A lot of trainers who work with aggressive or fearful dogs focus on the behavior itself and speak of using physical force to ‘be dominant’ over the dog. Some of these so-called training methods include alpha rolls, growling in the dogs face, using loud noises to startle or scare the dog in to shutting down, neck jabs, collar/leash jerks (even slight jerks on the leash will teach the dog that what he is afraid of is worthy of being afraid of) shock collars (this is a classic example of punishing a dog for a natural response but not teaching them what they are afraid of isn’t a threat). If a dog is shocked in the presence of another dog, the dog is going to think other dogs are bad. Yes, they may not growl or react anymore, but only because they are afraid of being shocked. You are teaching the dog not to react to one thing (the strange dog), but then to be afraid of something else (the shock) it does not create a positive association. Whenever you use aversive methods to ‘train’ a dog, you are going to increase the underlying anxiety and possibly even make the dog’s aggression worse. Or, you will stop the aggressive response to one stimuli, but because you are not treating the dog’s anxiety, you will inevitable create aggression to another stimuli. On the subject of training or not training ‘dominance’ when using physical force and control, you are actually showing the opposite of dominance. You are telling the dog that you are unstable and should not be trusted. I have heard horror stories of fearful dogs who get labeled as ‘dominant’ because they have an aggressive response to fearful stimuli, and are treated with physical force. If you use these types of training styles, you are only increasing the dog’s fear, not their dominant behavior. Remember, if the dog was dominant, she would not be fearful in the first place.

Above all, it is best to focus on what is causing the behavior, and it doesn’t matter whether the dog is dominant or not. And it certainly isn’t a good training method to try to be physically dominant over the dog yourself. Training should not ultimately amount to teaching the dog that you are the boss while being forceful or using aversive methods. Training should focus on helping the dog create a new emotional association with those stimuli that create the behavior, while helping build his confidence and decrease the underlying anxiety that causes the behavior. This is the ‘new school’ of dog training we should be focusing on. If we had more dominant dogs in this world, we would have much less anxiety aggression, and it starts with not trying to be ‘dominant’ in the first place.

The Chow-Down on Pet Food Ingredients

Last week, I had a discussion with a puppy parent who brought treats to class that contained 'propylene glycol'.  She purchased them from her vet, and when I told her what was in them, she was mortified.  Her beloved puppy is only 10 weeks old, and already she is unknowingly feeding him things that could possibly shorten his life.  She loves her puppy and only wants whats best for him, just like many other pet parents.  So, below is information that I have learned over the years, because I was just as shocked as she was when I learned what I was feeding my dog in the late 90s.  I am not going to tell you what to feed your pet, but rather give you a place to start researching yourself.  I like the website http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/ and also The Whole Dog Journal, as a starting point.  For my own education, and for the purposes of this blog, I also consulted my friend and fellow trainer, Anna Johnson.  She is a certified Canine Nutritionist, and her website is http://www.happyhealthypup.com/.  She is a phenomenal resource for nutrition consultations.

Here goes...
Educate Yourself
I urge every dog and cat owner to re-evaluate what you are feeding your pet. Please don't buy the grocery store brand because it is cheaper. You are doing your pet an injustice. Do research. Be informed. Study the labels on the foods that you are currently feeding your pet. On food labels, ingredients are listed in order of their volume percentages. For example, if chicken by-product is the first ingredient listed on the label, then chicken by-product is the major ingredient in your pet's food. The second ingredient is the second largest amount, and so on. And even if the first ingredient is Chicken, it doesnt mean there is a lot of chicken in it (as it contains mostly water).  You want to look at the other ingredients, too.  A word about ‘protein’ in pet foods: The 'Crude Protein' analysis on pet food labels is only a measurement of the amount of nitrogen in a food -- not the quality of the protein. Because of this, pet food companies can use the cheaper by-products of human food production, such as Rice Gluten Meal, Soybean Meal & Beet Pulp. Whole meats are always the best source of quality protein. Meat protein is absorbed and retained better and is higher in essential amino acids like methionine, arginine, and taurine. Ingredients such as ‘Rice Gluten Meal’ contain less than half the usable protein as other sources, such as whole Chicken, Beef, Turkey, Lamb, Fish, etc.
Species-Specific Variety
Many dogs and cats eat the same thing day-in and day-out for their entire lives. There is no variety, and most domesticated animals are fed a dry kibble. One could argue that this is the equivalent of humans eating only Pop-Tarts everyday for our entire lives. Dogs and cats are carnivores, and unfortunately, dry food kibble alone doesn’t give them all the species-specific nutrition that they need. The digestive systems of dogs aren’t made to digest anything but what they would eat in the wild. Their digestive tracts are much shorter than ours so food basically goes in and out. It doesn’t take as long to go through as a human. I recommend supplementing your pet’s dry kibble with wet food whenever possible, even just by a tablespoon. This will add more moisture in his system, which will put less stress on his kidneys and liver. Also, their saliva lacks the digestive enzymes amylase and cellulase that are essential to break-down raw vegetables. Most dogs love veggies and fruits, so if you add them, ideally they should be shredded, cooked, or steamed.
Dry Food Kibble
Dry dog and cat food can include a majority of grain and fillers. Therefore, by feeding your dog only dry kibble every day, you are giving him much more grain than he would eat in the wild, which is none. Dogs don’t need grain or traditional carbohydrates, but we are feeding it to them everyday.
Look for foods that have whole protein sources like Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey, Turkey Meal, Lamb, Lamb Meal, etc. If you see ‘chicken meal’ as the first ingredient, it is usually a good thing, especially if it’s followed by ‘Lamb Meal’ or ‘Whole Chicken’, etc. Premium foods use the whole animal to render as ‘meal’, and if it comes from high-quality sources, it can be very nutritious. Just because the first ingredient says ‘Chicken’ definitely doesn’t mean there is a lot of chicken in it.
Myths
There is a belief today that certain well-known national brands on the market are ‘the best’, when they are absolutely not. These brands are full of by-products and fillers, which can harm your dog’s long-term health and behavior. Another myth is that corn is an acceptable grain. Corn is very hard to digest and has little nutritional value for our pets, especially if it’s been cooked over and over to make corn meal. Also, although many vets are wonderful and are very knowledgeable (like mine!), some do not think nutrition is necessarily important in your dog’s health. Veterinary students only take one nutrition course their entire time in vet school (so I’m told by many of my veterinarians friends), and just as human doctors don’t know much about nutrition, some vets don’t either. Don’t take your vet’s word for it- investigate foods on your own and make an informed choice. If your vet sells it, it certainly doesn’t mean it’s good for your pet.
it's also a myth that higher quality foods cost more.  While they do cost more 'per bag' or 'per can', because there is more nutrition and less filler, they cost less 'per meal'... often by a considerable amount.
ALTERNATIVE DIETS
The Raw-Food Diet
The raw, species appropriate diet (can also be referred to as the BARF diet) does not contain grain products, which are not biologically appropriate for our pets. It is argued that to maximize your animal’s health, he requires protein from sources similar to his wild ancestors who derived their fats and essential fatty acid from raw meat and vegetables. In addition, raw food is a great ‘weight maintainer’. If your cat needs to lose weight, he’ll lose it while eating raw food. If he needs to gain weight, he’ll gain it- both with the same amount of food. These days, there are many dehydrated raw products, too, that make it easy to supplement dry food. You just add water and don’t have to deal with the bigger freezer.
Rotation Diet
Some say that the best diet for a dog is the rotation diet, which consists of rotating protein sources every month. A lot of animals develop food allergies, and this can be attributed to eating the same protein every day for 15 years. If you rotate the kinds of proteins you give your dog, you may reduce the chances of him developing a food allergy. All this means is you can feed your dog a chicken based food for a month, then switch to lamb or beef. Rotate and you can see major health benefits. It is a myth that you are not supposed to switch dog food!
Home-Made Diet
Some people may prefer to make their pets’ diet, which has now become even easier. There are freeze dried powders, including bone meal, vegetables, and supplements that you can add to raw or cooked meat to allow for your pet’s nutritional needs. It can be more cost effective than some diets, but can also be more time-consuming.
WHAT TO AVOID
Animal By-Products
These are parts of an animal that are left-overs from the human food chain. They can include intestines, chicken heads, lungs, livers, kidneys, duckbills, chicken and turkey feet, feathers and bone. Ingredients listed as chicken, beef, poultry, and animal by-products are not required to include actual meat.
Ethoxyquin, BHA, and BHT
These are chemical additives used as preservatives. Ethoxyquin is FDA-regulated as a pesticide, and is now banned in Europe for both human and animal food. It is a known carcinogen. BHA and BHT are petroleum derivates and are also believed to be carcinogenic. The scariest part? If these chemicals are added by the meat packing plants to preserve the human leftovers before they are sold to the dog food companies, the dog food companies are not even required to list it on the label!
Propylene Glycol
Propylene Glycol is used as a preservative in many grocery store-brand treats. PG is an ingredient in anti-freeze (anti-freeze can kill dogs), brake fluid, lotions, hair products, etc.
Powdered Cellulose
Many dog food companies are jumping on the ‘grain-free’ bandwagon, and are indeed making foods that are grain free. But what they are using instead is equally as disgusting because it’s not even meant for consumption. Powdered Cellulose is ‘processed WOOD’!
Corn Gluten Meal (Think ‘Glue’) or Any ‘Gluten’
Corn Gluten Meal is the dried residue from corn after the removal of the larger part of the starch and germ, and the separation of the bran by the process employed in the wet milling manufacture of cornstarch or syrup. When added to pet food, it slows down the transition of rancid animal fats (think toxic waste). It helps holds waste in, making the kidneys and liver work overtime. Dogs may chew their lower backs, and feet may swell causing dogs to lick/chew on their feet.
Ground Corn
Ground Corn is the entire corn kernel, ground or chopped. Corn (in any form) is the #3 most common cause of food allergies in pets. It is linked to hyperactivity, hot spots, itchy skin, and even behavioral problems.
Soybean Meal (or any form of Soy)
Soybean Meal is the product obtained by grinding the flakes that remain after removing most of the oil from soybeans. Dogs and Cats do not contain the amino acids needed to digest Soy, it is the #1 allergen of dogs and has been linked to bloat and gas.
Animal Fat
The origin of the contributing animals is never known. The oil is very low in both linoleic acid & essential fatty acids, which are important for skin and coat health. It is extremely difficult to digest and can lead to a host of animal health problems, including digestive upsets, diarrhea, gas, and bad breath.
Beef Tallow
Beef Tallow is obtained from the tissue of cattle in the commercial process of rendering. Same side effects of Animal Fat.
Chicken By-Products (Or any meat by-products)
Chicken By-Products consist of the rendered, left over parts of slaughtered chickens including necks, beaks, feet, undeveloped eggs and intestines. By-Products contain almost no nutritional value. They are linked to many deficiencies, allergies and overall poor health.
Poultry By-Product (Non-Specific By-Products)
Same as the previous ingredient, although the origin is from any fowl (turkeys, geese, buzzards, etc). Non-specific By-Products are less expensive and because the protein is never named, it can change at any time. Same side effects as above.
Beet Pulp
The sole purpose of Beet Pulp is to ‘firm up’ stools. When added to pet food it slows down the transition of rancid animal fats (think toxic waste) and holds the waste in. It has been linked to allergies, ear infections and intestinal problems.
Brewers Rice
Brewers Rice is a by-product of the alcohol industry. It is basically the mill floor sweepings and is a very low quality product that is void of nutritional value. It has also been linked to allergies, ear infections and intestinal problems.
Rice Flour/Wheat Flour
These flours consists principally of the soft, finely ground and bolted meal obtained from milling rice/wheat. It is a highly pre-processed ingredient. All of the naturally occurring vitamins have been leeched out by the processing that has already occurred. It is a dehydrating ingredient as well as an allergen.
While there are many different views on the pros and cons of all dog and cat foods, it's up to you and I, as the pet parents, to be informed. We all love our pets and want them to live long, healthy, and happy lives. What we feed them is just as important as how we train them!

Dog Bite Prevention Conference Update

May is Dog Bite Prevention Month, and last week I flew to Atlanta to attend the first National Dog Bite Conference, presented by the State Bar of Georgia. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but was pleased to be able to go and learn more about people's perception of dog breeds and the way dog bites are handled by law enforcement.

There was a lot of great information packed into the one-day conference, and a lot of my fellow VSPDT’ers (Victoria Stilwell Certified Trainers) from across the country attended also.

The day began with an attorney, Claudine Wilkins, who has worked tirelessly for two years to change the dog bite law in Georgia. Along with a few others, including Dr. Gene Maddox, a state rep, lobbied and wrote and revised and re-revised and toiled until the law was changed to include a criminal penalty for dog owners who have dangerous or vicious dogs. From what I can tell, the law is similar to Colorado’s Dog Bite Law, passéd in 2004. The best news? The Georgia law was passed on May 3- the day before the conference, so Claudine was happy to announce that it passed, very unexpectedly!

Next up- Victoria Stilwell, whose focus was on dog bite statistics and education about the rise in dog bites in the past several years. The first video was of Kyle Dyer on 9News, and the footage of her being bitten by Max, the Dogo Argentino. She discussed all the signs Max was giving and how the entire thing could have been prevented. She also spoke about certain TV shows that promote forceful and punishment-based dog training methods and how dog bites to humans have increased since those shows have been on the air. Victoria expanded on breed bans, and the fact that since certain breeds have been banned, dog bites have actually increased exponentially (perhaps not coincidentally since certain forceful dog training shows have been on the air). In the UK, dog bites have gone up 150% since pit bulls have been banned! Another statistic I found shocking is 50% of children are bitten by dogs by their 12th birthday… 70% are bitten by dogs that they know!

Other stats:
• An estimated 4.7 million dog bites occur in the U.S. each year
• Nearly 800,000 dog bites require medical care
• Approximately 92% of fatal dog attacks involved male dogs, 94% of which were not neutered
• Approximately 25% of fatal dog attacks involved chained dogs
• Approximately 71% of bites occur to the extremities (arms, legs, hands, feet)

• Approximately two-thirds of bites occurred on or near the victim’s property, and most victims knew the dog

• The insurance industry pays more than $1 billion in dog-bite claims each year

• At least 25 different breeds of dogs have been involved in the 238 dog-bite-related fatalities in the U.S.

• 82% of dog bites treated in the emergency room involved children under 15 years old

• 70% of dog-bite fatalities occurred among children under 10 years old

• Bite rates are dramatically higher among children who are 5 to 9 years old

• Unsupervised newborns were 370 times more likely than an adult to be killed by a dog

• 65% of bites among children occur to the head and neck

• Boys under the age of 15 years old are bitten more often than girls of the same age

Reference- Humane Society of the United States


Next up was a victim of a horrendous dog bite attack, 8-year old Javon. He spent 9 days in the ICU and now has scars on his face and body. He and his sisters were playing on a playground, and 3 pit bulls, who were chained in their front yard 24 hours a day, got loose and went after Javon. The dogs were neglected, chained, frustrated, and had strong prey drive. This was a case of the owner being extremely irresponsible, not a case of dogs being inherently vicious. Javon is thriving and it was a pleasure to meet him!

Other speakers included Kevin Hearst, a DeKalb County Animal Control officer. Because many of the conference attendees were animal control staff from around the country, he presented information on how to prevent being bitten when going to a dangerous dog call. He was informative and hilarious and I hope he comes to the Denver Conference. Jim Crosby, a nationally known dog bite investigator also presented. I saw photos of bites I never thought were possible, including autopsy photos. So tragic- I will never forget those images.
Afterwards, the entire VSPDT group went out to eat and enjoyed some downtime.  Even when we can socialize like 'normal' people, we still talk about dogs!  We know that educating people about dog body language, calming signals, communication, and positive non-forceful training is key.  We know that helping people understand how to set dogs up to succeed is imperative.  We just have to figure out how to get the message out, and we'll keep trying until everyone understands- it's not about the breed. It's about how we interpret dog language, train our dogs with positive, non-forceful methods so they don't become aggressive, and how we educate parents and their children about dog bite safety.  A great place for more information is http://www.doggonesafe.com/
I had a great time in Atlanta and look forward to the Denver Dog Bite Conference in October... Details coming soon!