The Thinking Dog Blog

Bubba for President

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My name is Bubba, and I approved this message.
My name is Bubba, and I approved this message.

I spent some time recently with a wonderful dog, Bubba. The first time we got to hang out was right after a particularly vulgar Republican presidential debate, and the contrast got me thinking about how this dog (and many, many other dogs) embody traits I’d like to see in a presidential candidate but that are sadly lacking in the current Republican contenders.

Some background: Bubba is the spokesdog for a local rescue organization, the Petaluma branch of Marley’s Mutts. He experienced some of the worst abuse that anyone can imagine. Actually, it’s worse than I could have imagined before reading his case file. The amazing Sacramento DA who put Bubba’s tormentor in prison, will be Skyping in to my dog law class, so I had to read the entire file.

I generally don’t give my students “trigger warnings,” but before posting these documents, I not only warned them, I put little Adobe sticky notes in the PDF to flag particularly graphic sections. It was that bad. I won’t go into details here, except to point out that Bubba’s missing eye is the result of repeated injuries caused by the monster who abused him.

So why does Bubba trump any current candidate in the Republican field?

He’s not angry or vindictive. He’s suffered real injury, unlike many Tea Partiers or angry primary voters. Rather than seek a scapegoat or, say, hold all white men responsible, he has forgiven all humans. He loves everyone. He eagerly approached every new person who entered the fundraiser where I was visiting with him. His tail was always wagging, his face openly welcoming and friendly. He was gentle with small children. He appropriately introduced himself to and played with a 4-month-old Rottie puppy who stopped by, and he was equally friendly with the several other dogs there.

He’s goal-oriented, too. When he detected a whiff of potential treats emanating, say, from my pocket, he focused on me like a laser, using the mind meld that Jana has perfected over the years. “Feed me a Charlee Bear. Feed me a Charlee Bear.” It worked. He also mind-melded the server, who brought him at least six cookies, and that was just what I saw. Nothing gets past this dog; he carefully checked all newcomers for the scent of treats. He just might be a Labrador wearing  a very convincing disguise.

Bubba doesn’t back down in the face of an army. When he met my class of 20 students a week later, he sized up the challenge, then gave each one a warm greeting — and the sniff test. He very quickly figured out that the little black pouches many students had contained treats, and he went to work. The students never stood a chance. Bubba probably didn’t need dinner that night.

What else does candidate Bubba have to offer? I’m not sure what his health care plan includes beyond “kisses to make it better,” but the price sure beats my current insurance, and it is a treatment with a long track record of success. His education platform emphasizes motivation and rewards. And, though we didn’t discuss specific issues, his domestic and foreign relations approach heavily focuses on interspecies cooperation, collaboration, and peacemaking; he disdains the threats, calls for attacks, and shunning of those who are different that are so much a part of the current campaign.

In all, he’s an admirable candidate. He’s overcome a difficult past, shows intelligence and integrity, and has a demonstrated ability to cross the (species) aisle and negotiate favorable deals. Bubba has my vote!

Please Back Off

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Not all dogs are as fortunate as Molly. Molly’s parents wrote to The Thinking Dog, asking for help getting people to understand that Molly needs her personal space. In this post, I am speaking for all dogs who are not as lucky as Molly.

Personal space is a cultural issue. Americans tend to like more of a bubble around them than people in some other countries. I’m not sure whether dogs in different countries or cultures have different needs for personal space, but I am positive that all of the dogs I know need people to respect that bubble. Especially people they don’t know well.

Dog bite stories in the media often say that “it came out of nowhere” or that the dog gave no warning signs. This is rarely true. Spending a few minutes looking at Facebook postings of photos and video of dogs with babies and children is a great way to gather photos of dogs showing dozens of warning signs or pleas for space. Watching those news videos of the “bites that came out of nowhere” also offers a catalog of behaviors that are clear warnings.

It’s not only children who do things that cause annoyance or stress to dogs: A particularly chilling video I’ve used in canine communication classes is one where a news anchor is severely bitten after putting her face right in the face of a stressed, overwhelmed dog — a dog who has spent the previous couple minutes (or more; it’s a short video) asking her to back off in every way a dog can.

The problem isn’t that the dogs are not giving fair warning, asking for help, or both; the problem is that most people aren’t listening or simply don’t understand the signs. Here’s a list of the most common stress signs:

  • Licking lips or nose
  • Turning the head away
  • Whale eye — wide eyes with the whites very clearly visible
  • Yawning
  • Ears back
  • Tail tucked
  • Scratching — self or the ground
  • Sniffing
  • Shaking or shaking off (as if shaking off water)
  • Bowing
  • Stress smile
  • Red eyes
  • Sweaty paws
  • Panting
  • Hypervigilance
  • Freezing

What do we do that is stressful or threatening to our dogs? Most dogs do not like being hugged or patted on the head. Frontal approach with direct eye contact is scary for many dogs. Many dislike rough petting or play hitting or people bending down, putting their faces right up close to the dog’s face and kissing or blowing at them or baby-talking them. In short, if you would be annoyed if someone did it to you, don’t do it to a dog, especially a dog you don’t really know. This doesn’t mean you can’t cuddle your dog; it means you should look for cues that he is enjoying — or uncomfortable with — what you are doing, and respond accordingly.

Some of the signs listed above do double duty: They are also what is commonly called “calming signals.” These are body language cues that dogs use to calm themselves or others. Dogs will direct calming signals to other dogs and to humans. A well-socialized dog responds appropriately — backing off, giving the dog some space, or responding with calming signals of his own. Unfortunately,  the signals are often subtle and, when noticed, misunderstood by many humans.

Cali stress
Stressed Cali

For example, the smile. A smiling dog might be a happy dog; depends on the smile. These photos show a happy Cali and a stressed Cali. She’s “smiling” in both. But in the relaxed, happy photo, Cali’s eyes are soft, her smile is loose and relaxed; in the stress photo, her eyes are hard and tense, and her mouth is tighter. For many additional (better) photos of stress, take a look at these blog posts by Eileenanddogs: “Dog Facial Expressions: Stress” and “Is That ‘Smiling’ Dog Happy?”

 

Happy Cali
Happy Cali

Other common calming signals that could be early signs of discomfort or stress are the licking the lips or nose, yawning, and turning the head away. When you notice these subtle signs, it’s a good idea to remove your dog from a situation that is becoming unbearable for him. Some dogs lick submissively — no, the dog is not “kissing” you because he’s enjoying the close attention — or shake or try to leave or hide behind their owners.

If the dog can’t escape the situation and the “aggressor” doesn’t back off, the dog is likely to escalate. Bared teeth, soft growls, or air snaps might be the first steps when a dog feels that he has no choice but to defend himself. And if the owners have taught the dog never to growl, as so many believe they should … the dog might just bite “without (obvious) warning.”

We’re our dogs protectors. It is our job to learn their stressors, heed their calls for help, and remove them from stressful or overwhelming situations.

Additional Resources

Want to learn more about dogs’ stress signals? Here are some articles and blog posts that offer good info and advice:

Your Dog Hates Hugs, by Melissa Dahl

It’s Only Funny Until Your Dog Runs Out of Spoons, E. Foley, Your Dog’s Friend blog

You’re Too Close! Dogs and Body Pressure, eileenanddogs blog

The Gift of Growl, Pat Miller

Preventing Dog Bites, Patricia McConnell

A Canine Stress Dictionary, and Signs That Your Dog Has Stress, and so much more on the Whole Dog Journal website

 

 

Rent a Dog?

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NOT available for rental

Last week, I ranted about why I dislike puppy-themed corporate promotions, like the Puppy Bowl. I mentioned a new trend: “rent-a-puppy” apps and services. I don’t put these apps in the same category as Puppy Bowl and Uber Puppy, yet I am ambivalent about them.

I had a long email chat about these apps with a dog-loving but dogless friend. He works full time, lives alone, and does not have a dog because he does not feel that he could give the dog the attention and exercise the dog would need and deserve. An admirable, if lonely, choice.

We’d both read about Bark‘N’Borrow, an app (it’s not the only one … Borrow My Doggy is another) that allows dog-owning and dog-craving members to meet up and “rent” or share dogs.

I was going to write about these apps then, but I hadn’t made up my  mind  yet about what to say. I am still on that fence.

I am less ambivalent about Puppies for Rent, which is exactly what it sounds like: a rental agency for homeless puppies. They live in foster homes and can be booked, according to the website, up to a week in advance for rentals, until they are placed in permanent homes. Sounds too much like Uber Puppies for my liking. No thanks.

Why am I ambivalent about the borrow-a-dog apps? On one hand, if you do leave your dog alone a lot, the option of a regular, trusted person taking her out or hanging out with her could be appealing. Could be nice for the dog, too. And certainly I see the appeal for dog-deprived people like my friend. On another hand, it just felt wrong. Renting out your dog? Like a car or a spare bedroom? Weird.

On yet another hand, if you met the right person, it could solve your dog-sitting problems. On the other hand (I get four; we’re talking dogs, after all) what if something happened?

Maybe it’s not so different from hiring a dog walker or dog sitter. I have a great dog sitter whom I met through an online pet-sitter agency. I’d only hire a dog walker who had experience, insurance, and solid references — but it might be possible to find a person through Bark‘N’Borrow who met those criteria.

Media describing these apps talk about how good people feel when they get to interact with puppies and how nice it is for people who can’t have dogs to get to play with them. Sure, that’s all true. But does it justify the stress and potential harm to the puppies? In the case of the puppy rental, I’m pretty sure the answer is no. In the case of a loving owner who carefully selects one or two “borrowers” who might themselves develop strong bonds with the dog, if it is a dog like Cali who loves all humans …? Still not sure.

I have no good reason for my ambivalence other than the uncomfortable feeling that serving as wingman to find dates for my dog feels like crossing a line. Maybe I’m just not ready for the so-called sharing economy to include my family members. What do you think?

Paws Down on Puppy Promotions

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worried puppyIt’s Super Bowl Sunday as I write this, and I am sure to rain on lots of people’s parades with what I am about to say.

Uber Puppies is a terrible idea.

Possibly piggybacking on Animal Planet’s annual Puppy Bowl, another bad idea that is really popular, Uber offers an occasional puppy delivery service. Both puppy-themed events occurred this week, amid lots of other festivities leading up to the Super Bowl.

Uber Puppies, for those who do not live in service areas (which, this week, were San Francisco, LA, Orange County, Calif., New York, Denver, and Washington, D.C.), brings a puppy to hang out with you, delivered by Uber. In the Bay Area, Uber worked with the SF SPCA and the Peninsula and Berkeley Humane Societies which, presumably, supplied the puppies. It was billed as promoting pet adoptions.

Uber marketed this venture the same way it promoted its other Super-Bowl-themed gimmicks, which included game-day delivery of wings and “backseat EA football tournaments,” whatever they are. The key difference here is that the other promotions didn’t exploit the irresistible cuteness of vulnerable living creatures.

Uber users could order a “puppy pack” for $30 and arrange delivery to a home or office. Yippee. A bunch of well-meaning people crowding around a scared, stressed-out puppy, thereby raising “awareness” of the need for pet adoptions from shelters. Is there anyone out there who’s likely to want a puppy delivery who’s not aware that shelters have lots of adoptable pets waiting for their forever homes? I didn’t think so.

On the same theme — I think the Puppy Bowl is also a terrible idea. I watched the first one and was disgusted, so I haven’t watched since. The puppies all looked terrified. I sometimes look at the promo clips and the highlights clips Animal Planet posts, and I see lots of scared puppies being encouraged to show very poor sportsmanship as they pick on other scared puppies. I know that people love watching it. And I know that it promotes adoption, but I also know that there are better ways to help homeless dogs.

Years of working with and studying dogs and puppies has taught me that awful or stressful experiences puppies have can shape their interactions with people and with other dogs for life. Flying dozens of puppies from all over the country to New York and then putting them together to play with other (unfamiliar) puppies in a strange, noisy place with with lots cameras, commotion, and unfamiliar humans pretty much defines “awful, stressful experience.” Most of these (shelter) puppies probably didn’t get ideal early-life socialization, either. We’re not exactly setting the puppies — or their future humans — up for success here.

See, I told you I was going to rain on your parade.

Just because people want to pet puppies or watch them playing on TV does not make these events a good idea, even if the goal is to “promote adoption.” Shelter puppies generally get adopted pretty quickly anyhow; it’s the adolescents and older adults who need the help.

Looking at the publicity for (and media coverage of) the Puppy Bowl and Uber Puppy, the events seem to be more about promoting corporate brands than about the welfare of the dogs involved or about helping dogs in general. I don’t like seeing puppies treated as things to be exploited for corporate gain, even if it’s ostensibly for a good cause. And I suspect, though I have no evidence, that the success of the first Puppy Bowls kick-started the commodification of puppies, now fully realized in Uber Puppies and a new trend: “rent-a-puppy” apps and services — the subject of next week’s post.

A Journey — or a Destination?

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Cookie, please

Jana and Cali have vastly different understandings of our morning walks. Each girl’s interpretation also describes her approach to life.

For Cali, the point of the walk is the destination. She wants to be at the park with every cell in her body. The closer we get, the harder it is for her to contain her excitement. She does her little skip-walk dance, where she bounces ahead, remembers, bounces back, walks nicely for two steps, can no longer contain her excitement, bounces ahead, remembers … I think she burns more calories doing this dance than she does at the park. Mostly because she spends too much time at the park jealously guarding her ball rather than running around chasing it.

Jana, on the other hand, is all about the journey. Even at the park, she’s on her journey. She investigates everything along the way with her full attention. Everything. Clumps of grass. Leaves, wood chips, tendrils of ivy trailing on the sidewalk, fence posts, trees … She looks and sniffs from every angle, breathing deeply and considering the nuances of the scent. Only then is she ready to move on … to the next leaf.

At the park, she sniffs and samples the grass, which is very fresh, green, and wet these days. She then rolls in it. Her favorite thing happened the other day: The mower was just finishing up, which meant that she got to roll in the freshly cut grass, turning herself light green in the process. I think “freshly cut grass” is her favorite scent. If I had shampoo that smelled like that, she’d willingly bathe every day.

Since walking the two of them presents certain logistical challenges, with one full steam ahead and the other moseying along … I tried taking them for individual walks. Jana was having none of it. She wanted to go with us. She’d bring me my boots, stand by the door, push her way out the door if I was leashing Cali, use all of her considerable expressive talent to communicate: Take me too! So maybe her walks are a little bit about the destination too.

Which is great, because Cali also has that bit of balance. Her delight in the journey is evident when we meet other people along the way. Her excitement is channeled at them as she beelines for this new best friend. Tail wagging, huge smile on her face, she eagerly waits for the person to greet her. Most do. To her credit, Cali brushes off the rare crushing rejection with aplomb. We’re on our way to the park, after all!

I ♥ Senior Dogs

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Christine_Crissy Field_smallI’m writing this on the 13th birthday of a good friend of Jana’s. Happy birthday, Christine! I was present at the birth of Christine and her siblings, and was lucky enough to work with one of Christine’s sisters for several months. She was very smart and went on to work at a facility for children who have been removed from their homes.

Anyhow, back to Christine. She’s been the best friend and companion of a good friend of mine since the day she was born. Christine’s mom lived with another good friend until she passed away a few years ago.

Christine, Jana, and I, along with an ever-changing supporting cast that now includes Cali, have spent many mornings at the beach at Crissy Field in San Francisco. Christina likes to find the biggest stick on the beach and then carry it all the way down the beach. That is a better beach habit than Jana’s — rolling in the sand over and over, to make sure that several pounds of sand are stuck all over her body.

Like Jana, who is only a few months younger, Christine is showing her age. She’s having a harder time walking, so we haven’t had a girls’ beach day in a while.

I’m thinking about Christine today and also about Leti, a good friend of Jana’s and mine who was a regular visitor at the park where we play each morning. I just found out that Leti, who was 15, passed away recently. My enduring image of her, as she enters the park and is released from her leash, is of an obviously happy golden bounding across the grass. She and Jana used to tag team the people at the park, begging for treats. I’ll miss her a lot … she was such a sweet and happy girl. I hope Jana is as happy and playful when she’s 15.

A couple of my local friends volunteer at a senior dog sanctuary, Lily’s Legacy. I’d love to get involved, but I’m afraid to. Their website is full of photos of elderly golden retrievers, and I am afraid I would scoop them all up and take them home. Two dogs more than fill my small apartment with toys and fur!

Happy birthday, Christine … and hugs to all the wonderful senior dogs out there!

Jana’s Fine … For Her Age

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I recently had a health scare with Jana. She’s fine, but it was worrisome. Added to a number of recent losses among my friends whose dogs were Jana’s contemporaries and, well, it’s rough.

Jana was in for her semiannual check-up. She gets far better health care than I do, but then again, in human age, she’s nearly 90. I hope I am as healthy, energetic, and playful when I get there!

Anyhow, during a brief ultrasound, the vet saw what looked like a mass on Jana’s spleen. She recommended a more thorough ultrasound and exam. In the days between the checkup and the exam, I had time to Google, ask around, and worry.

I read up on spleen tumors and treatments. None of it sounded good. I thought through the various possible scenarios. I hugged Jana a lot. She hated that.

The exam, I am pleased to say, showed nothing more than some discolored patches on Jana’s spleen. Jana has the heart and lungs of a much younger dog, is at her perfect weight, and has nothing more wrong with her than some (severe) arthritis. Except for the arthritis, she’s in better shape than I am.

But I see signs that she’s more frail. She stumbles sometimes. Has senior moments. Has mornings when she chooses to go back to bed rather than trek to the park. But there are also days that she asks for extra walks and rolls happily in the grass or wants to play tug or catch.

Another sign of her age is anxiety. When she’s anxious, she barks at … well, I can’t figure out what. I think she’s not seeing as well as she used to, and she gets startled more easily. I’ve tried several remedies for her anxiety. Some of them help some of the time. Treatibles are her favorite; she’ll often go into the kitchen, stand in front of the cabinet where I keep them, and bark. Melatonin, a new addition to the lineup, also seems to help. Sometimes a Comfort Zone plug-in helps; sometimes a wrap. If our friend Christina lived closer, she could offer regular Reiki treatments; that would probably help a lot.

Sometimes, though, when she’s agitated, Jana just wants to play. Or even (those who know Jana will know just how rare this is) cuddle! Those are my favorite remedies.

Jana Plays to Her Audience

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Jana has been very playful lately. While she’s the park policedog, barking at any younger dogs who get too carried away having fun and being rambunctious, she’s more relaxed at home.

I don’t know if the cooler weather has anything to do with her increased playfulness or she’s just feeling good. She often picks up a rope toy and asks for a game of tug or just grabs a favorite toy and plays with it.

A long time ago, she had a “Gefilte Fish” toy that would sigh, “Oy Vey!” and then make a bubbling sound whenever she squeezed it. It never failed to elicit a laugh from me, and she got in the habit of getting the toy, standing near me, and Oy Vey-ing away. She’d squeeze, I’d laugh on cue, and she’d do a delighted little prance. After about 15 seconds, the fish would stop burbling, and she’d look at me and do it again. And again. Over and over some days, just to make me laugh.

She was only about 2, and I think that is when I discovered that Jana has a silly sense of humor.

That sense of humor is evident in her recent game with the glowing ball that Deni sent for Hanukkah. The ball flashes red for a few seconds if it is bounced on the floor.

When she’s not playing tug, Jana is likely to dig through the toy basket for the glowy ball, bounce it, then roll it around in her mouth. She looks like a fire-breathing golden retriever. Since she thinks she’s a princess, I laugh and call her a fire-breathing princess. And this antic always gets a laugh. She really does play to her audience.

Thinking about Play

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Ever since the day that Cali growled at Barley over her ball, I have been thinking about this power struggle that Cali and I were engaged in. Though she seems to have won significant ground (see She’s Very Patient; or Is She Stubborn?), I am still trying to come up with the right resolution for this issue.

Cali clearly wants to play ball. At the park. Walks are OK, playing ball at home is OK in a pinch, but playing ball at the park is her one and only heart’s desire. She also wants to be sure that no other dog will take her precious ball.

I want Cali to get exercise, which does not happen when she is lying in the grass holding her ball. Walking on a leash is fine, but it does not provide enough exercise. Running after the ball is Cali’s favorite (and most effective) way to exercise.

I do not want Cali to fight with or even growl at other dogs at the park. I also do not want being at the park to be stressful for her.

How can I reconcile these sometimes-competing goals?

I seem to be on the right track with playing off to the side of the park, away from other dogs. It is not foolproof, but Cali does seem to be getting the idea that I know that I need to throw the ball away from all other dogs. I don’t throw it where other dogs are playing ball. Sometimes the action moves ominously close to Cali and her ball, but we’ve been pretty successful at avoiding social contact during our ball games. And she’s getting better and better about giving me the ball to throw again.

I happen to like the other people and dogs at our park, so, after a few throws, when Cali is hoarding her ball, I wander over to say hello. Jana wanders over, too, to see if anyone has forgotten the rules and perhaps brought a little cookie for her in their jacket pocket.  I’ve tried taking the ball back from Cali before my social hour, but it doesn’t work. She sits next to me, poking my hand or the bag where the ball is and bugging me to throw it.

Now I just let her keep the ball when I head off to be social, but I do watch carefully and if dog play seems to be spilling over into her corner of the field, I run interference. Sometimes, Cali even comes over to where I am, ball in mouth, and says hi to her favorite people. I can tell that she’s feeling more confident about the park people (and dogs) because, a few times, she’s actually given me the ball to throw when I was standing near other people and even dogs!

It feels like we are reaching consensus; hammering out a routine that works for all of us.

Our next area of conflict: what to do when it’s time to go home. Cali will often dig in her heels and refuse to move. If I can pry the ball from her mouth, she will follow me (and it) out of the park, then carry the ball home. But getting her to either leave willingly or give me the ball is still a struggle. When Jana was of an age and immaturity level to try out tantrums like this, all I ever had to do was walk about 10 feet toward the exit; Jana would always come running. But Cali would be perfectly happy if I left her at the park and just showed up to deliver meals and belly rubs several times a day, so “threatening” to leave her there isn’t a viable strategy. There are not enough hours in the day to wait her out. So I am still puzzling this one over. Suggestions are welcome!

Just Playin’ Around

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I don’t know if the cooler weather has anything to do with it, or a recent visit from one of the girls’ favorite aunties, but Jana and Cali have been very playful lately.

Each is playful in her own way.

As a younger dog (uh, princess), Jana played hard and liked playing with the big boys. Labrador boys. Or golden retrievers. Occasional other breeds but her reaction on seeing a Lab or golden, even from a block away, was joyful excitement; other breeds were generally greeted more warily. She’d get to know individuals and decide that certain of them could have her attentions. She’s like that with people, too.

rolling in leavesNow, as she ages, she prefers gentle play. Tug with me or a (very few) special friends, whom she will approach, tug toy in mouth, and invite to play. Catch, if the again, specially selected, person gently throws the ball to her, she will either catch it or nose bump it back in the person’s direction. The person’s job is to get it from her or catch it and toss it again. She especially likes playing this game in the water.

But Jana’s all-time favorite recreation is rolling: Rolling in grass, especially if it is so freshly cut that the mower is still working. Best of all if it turns her green. Rolling in sand is also excellent, mostly because that means we must be at the beach. Mud is pretty great, too. Jana has has a lifelong goal of becoming a black golden retriever.

For Cali, of course, the only game in the world that matters is tennis ball. Frisbee will do in a pinch. I don’t call it fetch, since that is rarely what happens. (The bringing it back part, I mean … there is something about the “retriever” part of their name that eludes both girls).

Photo by Christina Phelps

Cali rarely plays with other dogs, except her sisters, Dora and Alberta. She will occasionally play with a smaller dog. Like Jana, her reaction to large dogs of other breeds is wary avoidance. Also like Jana, she’s more interested in meeting other golden retrievers and some Labradors, usually the smaller, calmer ones. Unlike Jana, Cali rarely warms up enough to play with them.

When she gets into a good game of running after her ball and sometimes bringing it back but usually just hanging out with it in the middle of the park, she gets a good drool worked up. She’s developed the unusual talent of drooling onto her own head, as the photo shows. She usually soaks her feet, too. The tennis ball gets a pretty thick coating too, mixed in with dirt and who knows what else. I know that dogs don’t sweat, but Cali also seems sweaty when she’s been running. And of course her feet and legs and tummy get covered in mud (as well as drool). Her messiness is a reliable measure of how much fun a play session has been.