paws4training -more info

Offering new class in the community of children

2010-12-28T12:30:00.001-08:00

Prepping Kids for Pets

Did you give in to your kids’ constant requests for a puppy and leave one under the tree for them this year? Might want to consider an additional stocking stuffer in the form of one of the many puppy training classes offered by Wallingford’s Susan Oshie, a former vet tech and owner ofPaws4Training.

Oshie’s diverse curriculum covers all the bases, from puppy socialization (teaching them to sit, come, lay down, leave it and walk on a leash) to introducing kids to their furry new friends in the Kids and Dogs class. Geared to toddlers 3 and up, the class teaches the dos and don’ts of puppy love, from how to greet a dog (put your hand out flat under dog’s chin to let them sniff you first) to how to hold and pet them.

Oshie’s newest class, Introducing Your Dog to Baby, is for expecting parents and covers what to do before, when and after a baby joins the family. Her advice includes introducing baby smells and sounds beforehand and getting friends to help with walking the dog. In those first few months with the new babe, parents often don’t have time and energy for their pet. ”It’s okay to ask for help,” Oshie says, “because you’ve got to take care of your dog’s emotional, physical and mental needs.” The end result: a happier dog equals a happier family.

—Kavita Varma-White

Punishment and Aggression in dogs

2010-06-09T12:24:00.000-07:00

As a trainer I believe in ethical training techniques, health and well being of all dogs. Below is an article from The Animal Behavior Instutite on aggresive behavior and treatment in dogs.

6-9-2010

By Sophia Yin

According to a new veterinary study published in The Journal of Applied Animal Behavior (2009), if you’re aggressive to your dog, your dog will be aggressive, too.

Says Meghan Herron, DVM, lead author of the study, "Nationwide, the number-one reason why dog owners take their dog to a veterinary behaviorist is to manage aggressive behavior. Our study demonstrated that many confrontational training methods, whether staring down dogs, striking them, or intimidating them with physical manipulation, do little to correct improper behavior and can elicit aggressive responses."

Indeed, the use of such confrontational training techniques can provoke fear in the dog and lead to defensively aggressive behavior toward the person administering the aversive action.

Study shows some techniques can cause harm

New Study Finds Popular "Alpha Dog" Training Techniques Can Cause More Harm Than Good

"The client, an elderly couple, had a 6-year-old male, neutered Rhodesian Ridgeback that was aggressive to dogs" describes Dr. Jennie Jamtgaard, an applied animal behavior consultant and behavior instructor at Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine. "They had watched Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan and seen Millan place aggressive dogs in with his group of dogs and then hold them down on their sides or back if they were aggressive. So they brought their dog to the dog park and basically flooded him [immersed him in the aggression-inducing situation]."

Not surprisingly, they didn’t get far. "The female owner was trying to make the dog lie down while she stood on the leash, while all the dogs came up to hover and sniff. Her dog growled, then another dog growled back, and her dog (who probably weighed the same as she did) started to lunge and she couldn’t stop it. Then she was bitten while breaking up the fight that ensued. She could not have done an alpha roll if she had wanted to, though she did lament her obvious lack of being in the ‘pack leader’ role."

In this case, the bite was an accident. But it’s not always so.

Jamtgaard describes another case, an Australian Cattledog mix with severe aggression (lunging, growling, barking) directed at other dogs whenever they came into view, even hundreds of feet away:

"The dog was fine with people and had never been aggressive to people before this bite. The owners were Millan-watchers, and dealt with the dog in a completely punishment-based way. They thought this was what they were supposed to do, but felt uncomfortable and frustrated. They repeatedly tried to physically subdue the dog whenever it was aggressive, a technique they had done for months. They admitted to knowing things weren’t improving, but didn’t have other ideas. Finally, at PetSmart, the dog growled and lunged, and when the female owner—5 months pregnant at the time—tried to force the dog down, she was bitten on the arm. The bite was tooth depth punctures. That was when they called me."

Bite Incidences Come as No Surprise

Unfortunately, these bite incidences are not surprising. According to a new veterinary study published in The Journal of Applied Animal Behavior (2009), if you’re aggressive to your dog, your dog will be aggressive, too.

Says Meghan Herron, DVM, lead author of the study, "Nationwide, the number-one reason why dog owners take their dog to a veterinary behaviorist is to manage aggressive behavior. Our study demonstrated that many confrontational training methods, whether staring down dogs, striking them, or intimidating them with physical manipulation, do little to correct improper behavior and can elicit aggressive responses."

Indeed, the use of such confrontational training techniques can provoke fear in the dog and lead to defensively aggressive behavior toward the person administering the aversive action.

For the study, Herron, Frances S. Shofer and Ilana R. Reisner, veterinarians with the Department of Clinical Studies at University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, produced a 30-item survey for dog owners who made behavioral service appointments at Penn Vet. In the questionnaire, dog owners were asked how they had previously treated aggressive behavior, whether there was a positive, negative or neutral effect on the dogs’ behavior, and whether aggressive responses resulted from the method they used. Owners were also asked where they learned of the training technique they employed. 140 surveys were completed.

Some Techniques Triggered Aggression

The highest frequency of aggression occurred in response to aversive (or punishing) interventions, even when the intervention was indirect:

Hitting or kicking the dog (41% of owners reported aggression) 

Growling at the dog (41%) 

Forcing the dog to release an item from its mouth (38%) 

"Alpha roll" (forcing the dog onto its back and holding it down) (31%) 

"Dominance down" (forcing the dog onto its side) (29%) 

Grabbing the jowls or scruff (26%) 

Staring the dog down (staring at the dog until it looks away) (30%) 

Spraying the dog with water pistol or spray bottle (20%) 

Yelling "no" (15%) 

Forced exposure (forcibly exposing the dog to a stimulus – such as tile floors, noise or people – that frightens the dog) (12%) In contrast, non-aversive methods resulted in much lower frequency of aggressive responses:

Training the dog to sit for everything it wants (only 2% of owners reported aggression) 

Rewarding the dog for eye contact (2%) 

Food exchange for an item in its mouth instead of forcing the item out (6%) 

Rewarding the dog for "watch me" (0%) 

Who Uses Punishment-Based Techniques?

"This study highlights the risk of dominance-based training, which has been made popular by television programs, books, and other punishment-based training advocates," says Herron.

For instance, Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan – the popular National Geographic Channel television series – routinely demonstrates alpha rolls, dominance downs and forced exposure, and has depicted Millan restraining dogs or performing physical corrections in order to take valued possessions away from them.

And like their previous bestselling books, Divine Canine by the Monks of New Skete focuses on correcting bad behaviors using choke chain and pinch collar corrections rather than proven non-aversive techniques.

These sources attribute undesirable or aggressive behavior in dogs to the dog’s striving to gain social dominance or to a lack of dominance displayed by the owner. Advocates of this theory therefore suggest owners establish an "alpha" or pack-leader role.

But veterinary behaviorists, Ph.D. behaviorists and the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) – through its position statement on The Use of Dominance Theory in Animal Behavior Modification – attribute undesirable behaviors to inadvertent rewarding of undesirable behaviors and lack of consistent rewarding of desirable behaviors.

Herron stresses, "Studies on canine aggression in the last decade have shown that canine aggression and other behavior problems are not a result of dominant behavior or the lack of the owner’s ‘alpha’ status, but rather a result of fear (self-defense) or underlying anxiety problems. Aversive techniques can elicit an aggressive response in dogs because they can increase the fear and arousal in the dog, especially in those that are already defensive."

Owners Often Fail to See the Connection

Herron points out that, interestingly, not all owners reporting an aggressive response to a particular aversive technique felt that the training method had a negative effect on their dog’s behavior. For instance, while 43% of owners who hit or kicked their dog reported aggression directed toward them as a result, only 35% of owners felt that the technique had a negative effect.

Herron explains that one reason owners may have difficulty making the connection is that aversive techniques may temporarily inhibit reactive or undesirable behaviors – so that it appears the behavior has improved – but it’s not a long-term fix. In addition, owners may not have recognized non-aggressive fearful responses to the correction and may have felt the technique was indeed helpful in the particular context. However, increasing the dog’s fear can also increase defensive aggression in the same or other situations.

What Methods Can Be Used Instead?

These results highlight the importance of using positive reinforcement and other non-aversive methods when working with dogs, especially dogs with a history of aggression. Indeed, such non-aversive methods, which focus on rewarding desirable behaviors and changing the dog’s emotional state, work well for aggressive dogs. (See video links below for examples of positive reinforcement.)

So what about the Australian Cattledog and Rhodesian Ridgeback we met at the beginning of this post?

Says Jamtgaard about her cases, "The Australian Cattledog improved dramatically at our consultation, being calm during situations the owners had never witnessed before, such as the neighbor dogs barking at her only a few feet away. I think seeing what just a few minutes of work could accomplish by changing approach gave them the hope that it could work.

Within 4-6 weeks they began to be able to go on normal walks with her, with dogs at normal distances. I continued following up by phone with the owners every few days at first, then weekly for the first 3 months. They felt so good that they could treat her differently (more kindly). The owner now competes with her dog in weight-pulling contests and can be in close contact with other dogs they meet during contests and on the street, whereas before, the dog was reactive from over a hundred feet."

This calm behavior has continued well beyond the first months of training. Jamtgaard states, "I saw the owner 2 years after the consult, with toddler in tow, and things were continuing to go well."
"The elderly couple with the Rhodesian Ridgeback also achieved their goals in that 6-8 week range, structured similarly to the above as far as consults," says Jamtgaard. They were able to walk their dog safely and have him remain calm when they encounter other dogs. The dog can sit while they talk to the other dog owners. They do walk him on a Gentle Leader, but that helps with the safety issue of his size relative to their weight, should a situation happen. At last communication, approximately 6 months after our initial consult, things had continued to go well."

Using the crate properly

2009-11-23T16:45:00.000-08:00

Crates are meant to be used for short term confinement and management. Used properly they can be a poweful tool.

Here are some recommendations for using a crate:

They are used to manage when you can not visually supervise your puppy or dog. Some of the other options are gates, closed doors, x-pens and tethering.
The suggested time limit is 4-5 hours total for the day. Not including night time. There are exceptions to this based on individual circumstances.The time limit for for young puppies is 1 hour for each 4 weeks of age between elimination. Adult dogs can go longer.
When possible, acclimate gradulally. First while at home for short periods at a time, then increase. When leaving the house the same rule applies.
When making the transition to no crating and unsupervised time, just reverse the strategy, start with short times and then increase.
Crates are not appropriate for long term use. If you have to be gone more than 3 hours provide a potty area for your puppy. Make the potty area a different texture. You can use an x-pen or a gated room.
Crate size should be large enough for the puppy or dog to stand up turn around and stretch out on their sides comfortably.

If your puppy is soiling their crate something is wrong. They have been crated too long, they are afraid, they did not get to relieve themselves before crated. Making the crate smaller is not the answer.

It is important to provide adequate exercise, mental stimulation and socialization for your puppy or dog when using a crate. You must have the time and energy to give to your puppy. If they are spending most of the day alone it’s time to consider other options like daycares, walks during the day, or going to work with you. If your dog is being crated because they are misbehaving then some postive training can be the solution.

Training with Eloise!

2009-11-05T10:56:00.000-08:00

Eloise turned 15 weeks yesterday! I have had her for 7 weeks now and things are settling down. Having brought her home 2 weeks after a hip relacement surgery was alot to manage. The fog is settling and things are going well. She is doing wonderfully with potty and crate training.

We have been using an X-pen with her crate inside and potty pads down for overnight and for daytime if I had to be away for longer than 2 hours. The first week she was waking me up twice a night to take her out. Stumbling around in the dark with crutches and a puppy in a hurry to get her outside was comical. After bringing her back inside I had to lay down on the floor next to the pen until she settled down, quit whinning and went to sleep. Then I would crawl around the corner and get up as to not wake her!

I am happy to say I don't have to do that anymore. She is now sleeping through the night about 7 hours before waking me up (clean pad).

She has been attending puppy class and getting some crucial social interaction and play time with other puppies. We are lucky to have several other small puppies in class to play with. Emmy Lou and Leo are her best friends so far! It is challenging to have the smallest puppy in class but we are letting her find her way while still keeping unstressed and safe.

She took to the leash right away amazingly. Now that the crutches are gone I am doing more with with focused walking, no pulling and waiting at corners. She is a smart little girl and doing very well.

I have been teaching her to target. This an exercise that teaches your dog to touch your hand with their nose. "Touch" is a very useful command. For example, you can use it when your dog greets to avoid jumping or use it to teach a "come" command. I have transfered that to a Clik Stik.

I move it around the room and touch various things like her bed or a cupboard door. I am also teaching focus walking or heel. It can also be used to desensitize them to things they may be afraid of by holding your hand closer and closer to the scary stuff.

Here's how you teach a "touch".

1. Have a treat in one hand and present the other hand close to your dogs face( about an inch). When your dog touches your hand say "yes" and give them a treat. Repeat this seveal times.

2. Now that they are getting it, you can start saying "touch" and present your hand. As soon as they touch your hand say "Yes" and treat. Once they are getting good at this step you can start moving your hand a bit farther away from their face and start moving it around. Make sure you only reward for an actual touch or only when you ask for it.

3. Start to treat every second or third touch. Then you can start to eliminate the treat for each response. Treat only a faster response and you can add praise for the others.

Have fun with this. There's no limit to what you can teach your dog!

Having Eloise here has helped with the sadness I feel about "Nellie" my 15 1/2 year old Cocker Spaniel. She is doing a bit better as well. The cat however is not as sure. Let's just say she is getting alot more exercise!

2009-11-05T10:01:00.000-08:00

Teach Your Dog
to Meet and Greet

If your dog learns good manners, this can help him
have better (and safer) canine relationships.

Dog Watch Ask the Doctor

Dr. Suzanne Hetts
Animal Behavior Network

Many dogs have a difficult time “playing well with others.” This problem tends to be worse when the dogs are on-leash rather than off. Our one-year-old Irish setter puppy, Coral, is an exception. Her behavior illustrates a few important ideas about how you can help your dog learn to play well with others before problems develop. 

Coral does not like to have other dogs rush up to her. An over-enthusiastic greeting from a friendly dog that is much larger than she is will intimidate her. Coral needs a minute or so to size up the other dog. She will back away several steps – trying to put some distance between herself and the other dog – and slow down the greeting a bit. Coral wants to take her time performing the normal canine version of a “hand-shake,” by mutual “rear-end” sniffing not once, but several times. Sniffing then progresses to the ears and the face. If this initial get-to-know-you sequence is completed in a somewhat dignified manner, Coral is more than willing to be friends. 

A Proper Hello Many dogs seem not to have learned this slower, ritualized greeting that is more typical of wild canids. Instead, they run up to other dogs in wild abandonment, with no respect for the other’s personal space. They forego the canine niceties and just blunder into rough and tumble play, jumping and pawing at their new friends. Other dogs may find this lack of social grace offensive, not friendly. They may in turn react with threats and aggression, and a fight ensues. 

That’s why Coral does better greeting other dogs when both are on-leash. With the other dog restricted by the leash, Coral can more easily evade another dog’s over-enthusiastic advances until the greeting ritual is completed to her satisfaction.  

If your dog is a social blunderer, you can help her be more successful at making new friends by teaching her control. Rather than allowing her to rush up to another dog, begin to teach her to stand or sit still. 

Work on these behaviors first in a quiet setting so that your dog learns what they are. Next, begin to add non-doggie distractions, such as another family member picking up one of her toys, or jumping around excitedly. Your dog needs to learn that no matter what exciting event is happening, she’ll be rewarded for keeping calm and staying still.  When you start using other dogs as distractions, it’s likely you’ll have to start your training a fair distance away from them. It will be easier if you can first practice with other dogs that are familiar to your dog, before practicing the standing-still behavior when unfamiliar dogs approach.  

You may also find it easier if your dog is wearing a head collar such as the Gentle Leader, or one of the new no-pull harnesses. Avoid choke chains and pinch collars. Punishment or harsh corrections for not standing still will actually have the opposite effect, and teach your dog to anticipate “bad things” when another dog approaches.   Getting your dog to stand quietly is not the same thing as tightly holding onto the leash and pulling her away from the other dog. Those procedures usually promote “leash aggression,” in which dogs are more aggressive when encountering others on-leash than off.  

Leash aggression is generally caused by frustration and physical discomfort as owners pull and yank their dogs away from other dogs while the dogs are madly pulling and lunging in the other direction. Initially, many dogs just want to be friendly, but after repeated unpleasantness, the frustration turns into threats or aggression. If you are adept at shaping behaviors, you can also teach your dog to play-bow on cue. The play-bow is a ritualized, canine invitation to play. It communicates to other dogs that behaviors that follow should not be taken seriously. That’s one reason why dogs can show their teeth, bark and growl during play without fighting, because they’ve told one another this is play, not serious conflict.

How well behaved is your dog?

2009-10-15T16:46:00.000-07:00

I just took a behavior quiz relating to "Nellie" my 15 year old Cocker Spaniel. Happily I was able to answer ALWAYS to all the questions. I have had a great relationship with her and she has been a dog I could take anywhere with me. She would behave calmly, and was friendly to all humans and dogs. Now that I have a new puppy I am starting all over. I know the importance of training, management, supervision, and love in molding a healthy and well behaved dog! Take the quiz and see how you and your dog stand.

Quiz to follow in next post.

Animal Behavior Quiz

2009-10-15T16:39:00.000-07:00

The Dog Behavior Wellness Quiz

How Behaviorally Healthy Dogs Act	Always	Sometimes	Never
My dog is friendly toward people she meets – including well-behaved children.
My dog can get along with other friendly dogs, both those she lives with and those outside the family.
My dog can be left alone for reasonable time periods without becoming anxious or panicked.
My dog will relieve herself only where and when I want her to.
My dog will readily give up control of food, toys, and other objects to me, and share her sleeping and resting places with me.
My dog is relaxed during normal, everyday handling and touching such as when I wipe her feet, brush her, look in her ears, pet her, look in her eyes, or touch her collar.
My dog calms down quickly after being startled or getting excited.
My dog is not overly fearful of normal, everyday events.
My dog barks when necessary or appropriate, but not excessively.
My dog plays well with people without becoming uncontrollable or too rough.
My dog plays well with other dogs, without becoming uncontrollable, too rough or threatening.
My dog plays with her own toys, and doesn’t often damage my possessions.
My dog is affectionate without being needy, clingy or annoying.
My dog can adapt to changes, such as travel, moving, or confinement in a carrier, with minimal problems
My dog usually responds when I tell her to sit, down, come or stay.

Results

Remember - how you raise, train, and socialize your dog, and how well you meet her behavioral needs all have a huge impact on her behavioral health. All dogs, regardless of breed, have the potentially to be behaviorally healthy. It may be more difficult with some dogs, than others, depending on their natural tendencies.

Use this quiz as a positive guide to tell you what you need to work on, and don’t be discouraged or judgmental if your dog’s behavior isn’t everything you want it to be.

If your dog is in peak behavioral health, you answered Always to every question. Congratulations – you and your dog have a great relationship, your dog is sure to be a joy to be around and a welcome addition to your community.

If you answered Always to more than half the questions you likely have a good dog whose behavior needs a little tweaking.

If you answered Always to less than half the questions, your dog’s behavioral health definitely needs some attention.

BUT – not all questions are of equal importance. If your dog is not friendly, and has snapped or bitten people, even if you answered Always to all the other questions, your dog’s behavior definitely needs immediate help.

The other behaviors may be more or less important to you, depending on your expectations and lifestyle. For example, if you have children, it’s important that your dog not guard his possessions, but you may be willing to tolerate too much barking if your neighbors are not complaining.

ANIMAL BEHAVIOR ASSOCIATES, Inc.
Copyright 2002 All Rights Reserved.

Safety tips for Halloween

2009-10-08T12:27:00.000-07:00

Holleween can be a stressful day for pets. All those scary faces and the doorbell ringing over and over again. To help prepare get your costumes out early, put them on and give your dog some really yummy treats. This is the same method we use for socializing to new things. Pair up the treat at the same time the new thing is introduced. Now the association becomes a positive one. Some treats that I use are string cheese, tiny pieces of hot dog, cooked chicken, Natural Balance, or something beefy. Here are some safety tips for Halloween.

Don't leave your pet out in the yard on Halloween. There are plenty of stories of vicious pranksters who have teased, injured, stolen, even killed pets on this night.

Keep you outdoor cats inside several days before and several days after Halloween. Black cats in particular may be at risk from children's pranks or other cruelty-related incidents. Many shelters do not adopt out black cats on Halloween as a safety precaution.

Trick-or-treat candies are not for pets. Chocolate is poisonous to many animals, and tin foil and cellophane candy wrappers can be hazardous if swallowed.

Be careful of pets around a lit pumpkin. Pets may knock it over and cause a fire. Curious kittens especially run the risk of getting burned.

Don't dress the dog or cat in costume unless you know he or she loves it. Otherwise, it puts too much stress on the animal.

If you do dress up your pet, make sure the costume isn't annoying or unsafe. It should not constrict the animal's movement, hearing or ability to breathe or bark. Also, there should not be small, dangling, or easily chewed-off pieces on the costume that your pet could choke on.

Be careful not to obstruct your pet's vision. Even the sweetest animal can get snappy when he or she can't see.

All but the most social dogs and cats should be kept in a separate room during trick-or-treat visiting hours. Too many strangers can be scary for a dog or cat.

When opening the door for trick-or-treaters, be very careful your cat or dog doesn't dart outside.

Make sure your dog or cat is wearing proper identification. If for any reason they escape and become lost, you increase the chances that they will be returned to you.

Hope these tips are helpful.

Join us for our Halloween party at our training studio.

Find out the details at http://Paws4training.com

Senior dogs and my new puppy.

2009-10-04T19:34:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Paws4training and Susan Oshie"s new blog!

There are 2 reasons I wanted to do this. First to provide new information about training and all things dog!

Second, I brought home a new puppy 3 weeks ago and I wanted to share my experience with her so my puppy client's can follow along. You can be assured I am having the same issues come up as all of you!

This first came about because I was feeling so sad about my Cocker Spaniel "Nellie" who turned 15 years old in June. The decline of her life has left me grieving for a healthy, happy, and one of the best behaved dogs I have ever had. I can barely write about it without crying. It is such a loss.

She cannot hear at all. For the past year she does not even stir when I come in the door. That alone is so hard to bear because she was always there at the door with a tail wagging and welcoming home. NO MATTER WHAT! We all know how wonderful that feels. She doesn't see well at all. When we go outside to potty if I walk too far away she stands and stares not quite knowing where she is. I have to walk up to her and touch her so she knows I am there. Then she can sniff her way back to the door. The worst part is loosing my companion to take with me where ever I go. Nellie crossed the country from The Florida Keys to Catalina Island and back to Seattle. She was always so well behaved I could take her just about anywhere. My last partner was a Captain for American Airlines. We could put her in a soft crate or bag and take her on the plane from Seattle to Florida without her making a peep and calmly staying under our feet. We would sometimes sneak her into Hotels that were exactly dog friendly and no one would know she was there. When I started dog training she was present at most classes to keep the other dogs or puppies in line!

Now she stays home. Her life has gotten pretty small. She sleeps a lot and does not interact with me much. She has always been perfectly potty trained and now she is having accidents in the house. We have to confine her to the kitchen at night just in case. I am giving her injectable Adequan for her joint pain and she seems to be out of pain and comfortable.

I really felt that I needed to have a puppy to help me get through this last part on her life. I could not get through the day without crying. I had a client in one of my puppy classes with the cutest little dog "Maggie" When she started puppy classes she was all of 3 lbs maybe. She was quite shy at first but with continued exposure she was starting to interact and play with the other puppies. I have had her for boarding several times and she was so easy to take care of. She is a Cavipoo. Cavalier Spaniel and min poodle.

Long story short I now have new puppy. She is a Cavipoo. Her name is "Eloise" I made the decision to bring her home even though I had major hip surgery 5 weeks ago. So I have a geriatric dog and a 10 week old puppy and I am on crutches. (Down to one now!) It has been a challenge to say the least. But I know it will be worth the effort. I have been going through the normal puppy challenges. Crate training, Leash walking, dealing with chewing and managing her around the cat "Allie" and "Nellie". So I want to chronicle this new little life I have taken responsibility for. I take it seriously, and want to give her the best, safest, healthiest, joyful life I can.

So as I share with you my day to day experience I welcome your questions, comments and support going through the last part of "Nellie's" life and the beginning of "Eloise's"!!!!!!

Stay tuned !

I have posted below some information about Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome. I have experienced most of these symptoms with "Nelllie" There are behavior changes in our dogs as this happens and if we are aware of them we can provide the best care for our valued friends.

COGNITIVE DYSFUNCTION SYNDROME IN SENIOR DOGS

Training is still important for our senior dogs

Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome

(Brain aging in the dog) causing Behavior changes in the senior dog

As dogs get older they can start to have changes in their behavior that we as dog owners may think are normal signs of aging. Some of these changes may present as disorientation, changes in interactions with family members and other pets, sleep-wake cycle alterations, house training loss, and activity level changes(both increase in repetitive activities or decreased overall activity).

If you can answer yes to any of the following questions talk to your Veterinarian. (Go to the "Susan Recommends Page " for a list of Veterinarians in the area.)

My dog is less responsive to interactions (games, petting, walks)

My dog sometimes forgets to go outside to urinate or defecate

My dog sleeps more than before and wakes up at night

My dog wanders aimlessly in the house and/or appears confused

Many dog owners don't bring up problems with their veterinarian because they think the pet is just getting older.

First it is important to rule out any other medical condition before a diagnosis can be made. Then it is time to take a good behavioral history.

Behavior Therapy

Behavior modification and management are important in working with older dogs. Most owners focus on the importance of puppy training, but as dogs get older we tend to be more forgiving. They are supposed to know the house rules. But the need for training and structure don't go away with our older pets. In fact training and enrichment can slow the progression of CDS.

Providing simple, direct cues let's them know what is expected and giving short enrichment exercises may help.

Pain management might be needed to keep older dogs life enriched. Feeding toys (Kong, Busy Buddies, Twist-n-treats) are good options. Taking walks instead of runs, and tug games instead of chase games are good options for senior dogs.

You may need to take your dog outside more frequently or start using a crate again, if originally crate trained. Keep feeding toys simple. When going outside, try not to overstimulate. Stay close to home rather than going to the park where there may be too many dogs.

If your dog can't walk use ramps. If they can't see or hear well , use odor cues like scented candles or aromatherapy products like lavender to help them find their way around.

Use rewards not punishment and be consistent. It doesn't help to yell at your dog. They can become depressed. Be calm and empathetic to avoid stressing your dog. Try increasing activity during the day to help them sleep better at night. It can also help to have them sleep in your room, so they don't feel overly anxious and they sleep better.

There are some drug therapies available to help treat chronic anxiety, ongoing agitation, or depression in older pets, as well as some new therapeutic supplements.

It is hard as a pet owner to come to terms with our dogs growing old. It is important to know that there may be some solutions for the symptoms your dog is experiencing.

References

Roundtable discussion: Sponsored by Virbac Animal Health