FOR YOUR
PETS HEALTH

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ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS FOR PETS

PLAY & SOCIALIZATION

POTTY TRAINING

ESTABLISHING A RELATIONSHIP

“In order to keep a true perspective of one’s importance, everyone should have a dog that will worship him and a cat that will ignore him“ 

-- Bruce Dereke

Introducing puppies to your home. 

Most people assume that unless you own a “wild wolf”, that your “domestic” breed of dog is born domesticated. Not true. All dogs are born wild with natural instincts such as mouthing, jumping, digging, barking, etc. This is how they communicate with each other. The process of domesticating a dog includes training some of their natural instincts out of them by teaching them an alternative behavior. If you want them to be compatible with your family and “blend in”, you have to teach them appropriate behavior.

There are three critical periods in the emotional development of the dog:

1. Neonatal Period - 0 to 2 weeks

2. Transitional Period - 2 to 4 weeks

3. Socialization Period of Dogs and to Humans - 4 to 12 weeks

Research on the effects of prenatal environmental factors show that if the mother was stressed during the first term, the animals grow up more fearful. Stress on the pregnant mother during the third term of her pregnancy, result in reduced learning ability, extremes of behavior and increased emotional states.

Neonatal Period - their sensory abilities are not yet well developed (sight, smell, touch, hearing). This is the imprinting period where a dog’s behavior later in life is greatly effected by how their mother cares for them during this time. Dr. Bruce Fogel writes; “just as the pups imprint themselves on their mothers, so too at the same time the mother is imprinting behaviors in the plastic and formative minds of her young.”

Transitional Period - The pups sensory abilities are fully developed. They wag their tails and vocalize for the first time. As their senses are being stimulated, they will be forever influenced by images forming in their mind.

Socialization Period - This is the beginning of the change in relationship from care-dependency to dominance-submission when the mother walks away from the pups as they try to nurse. The severity that a mother uses in this transition will have a direct effect on how the dog behaves toward humans. There are mothers who paw their pups into submission and ones that subject their pups to inhibited bites. The pups with a gentler and less aggressive mother were more social and interactive with humans. Play between the pups teaches them socialization skills and labels their rank in the pack.

For more extensive reading on the growth periods of a dog, read “The Dog’s Mind” by Dr. Bruce Fogle, chapter 6, Early Learning - Maternal and Peer Imprinting.

Domesticated dogs, more often than not, are confined to an environment that doesn’t resemble their natural habitat. In some ways they may be more comfortable and protected from conditions such as lack of food and shelter they would experience in the wild -- none the less our expectations may be unreasonable in terms of how quickly they adapt. “Adapt” is the key word here.

Whether your new family member is a puppy or grown dog, there is going to be an adjustment period All animals, including human, experience at least some level of stress when changing environments. For puppies, it’s a new learning, curious sort of experience. For adult dogs it can range from relief and a sense of being rescued, to very high anxiety. It’s important that you know as much about the dog’s background as possible so that you can compensate and prepare. Unfortunately, dogs that you adopt from a shelter have usually not had much training or stable lifestyle, and are there because their owners have not attended to them properly (obviously, not always the case). Depending on the dog’s age and breed, this can really present challenges in obedience training, but nothing is impossible with any dog. In my experience of working with dogs, I have personally found it to be true that mixed breeds and rescued dogs are tremendously valuable, often very intuitive and quick learners, and have an even greater sense of loyalty than other dogs. If training and adaptation to the new home is done correctly, you can achieve a very special bond as a result of overcoming that dog’s fears and challenges.

From the time they are born, they are taught by their mother that they are lower ranking. They instinctively depend on her for food, shelter and protection. When they are taken from this normal, familiar environment and placed in your home, they are vulnerable and craving a “pack” environment with a leader. If you have small children, puppies (and older dogs) usually consider them to be litter-mates or equals (the same ranking order), and recognize you as the pack leader. Some breeds (chow, shepherd, akita) are likely to actually discipline the kids or “put them in their place” by using the same growling and nipping techniques their mom used on them. Labs and most sporting breeds are more driven to establish companionship with children and will try to wrestle and play with kids as they would litter-mates, and guarding breeds like Doberman or rottwieler are usually protective but dominant over children. Regardless of the breed, dogs don’t take kids seriously when it comes to obeying a command because of the way kids present themselves and also because they aren’t consistent with command words or hand signals. The world looks very different from a dog’s perspective and it’s asking a lot of them to perceive things the way we do.

“Forcing an animal to live alone, outside, goes against the dog’s two most basic instincts - the need for a pack and a den.” 

--Animals’ Agenda Magazine

They are Definitely Pack Animals. 

A sense of belonging to a family or pack is essential for a healthy emotional life. Dogs are known for the outstanding qualities of undying loyalty and constant companionship. These are not only the best qualities they have to offer, but they are capable of a deep level of bonding and it is also what they require, foremost. If you develop a loving, trusting relationship with your dog, he/she will be less inhibited to learn and more eager to please. 

With that in mind, it is strongly suggested that your dog is allowed in the home, at least while you are at home. A dog separated from the family is a dog isolated from the pack, which is the severest form of punishment in “wildlife” habitat (other than death). As a “pack oriented” animal they thrive on companionship. Because they are domesticated, they depend on you for this. Benefits to having an indoor dog are:

* They are cleaner, less likely to have fleas, ticks, and skin disease.

* Dogs observe body language and tone of voice. Indoor dogs know their owner better, leading to better behavior. They are also more likely to consider you the “leader of the pack”, or higher ranking.

* They are safer from being stolen or let loose (depending on your neighborhood).

* Dogs become acclimated to the inside of a house and are more well mannered when you take them places. 

* Dogs require a lot of sleep and are generally more comfortable inside - especially in the winter. Some breeds love the outdoors and do well outside while you are gone, as long as there is shelter from wind and rain, but should be allowed to be with you when you are home. 

Establishing a Dominant Role in the Relationship,

also referred to as the “alpha”, is accomplished with consistency in your mannerisms toward the dog. It is not a physical battle, but a match of the wits. You can spend years trying to dominate a dog and teach them nothing other than YOU are unpredictable. The leader of a pack in “the wild” doesn’t have yelling fits or tantrums, nor do they lecture and whine about how another dog behaves. Leaders are calm and in control. I like what Bonnie Bergin says about leadership in her book, “Bonnie Bergin’s Guide To Bringing Out The Best In Your Dog”

“Don’t confuse leadership with brute force. The leader is by no means the dog with the biggest teeth and shortest temper or the hunter with the heaviest club and nastiest disposition. Leadership results from well-rounded ability across the spectrum of important areas... they (dogs) constantly seek reassurance that their leaders remain capable of leading them. This is why dogs challenge each other repeatedly.”

The better you have mastered “basic obedience” (sit, down, stay, come, heal), the more overall control you will have with your dog. The majority of disobedient dogs are simply confused from their training, and often don’t understand what is expected of them. If you have been inconsistent in enforcing or giving commands, the dog will develop the habit of obeying inconsistently because that’s the standard you have set. I call it “selective hearing” because they simply tune you out if they’re not interested in what you want them to do. Let them know that what you say is important, by insisting on their attention when you give commands and following through when they ignore you. This must be done completely free of violence. There’s a very big difference between a scared dog and an educated dog. Harsh discipline distracts from a dog’s ability to learn and doesn’t teach an alternative behavior. 

THE DANGERS OF VACCINATIONS

THE DANGERS OF CLUMPING CAT LITTER