Dogs and Toddlers - Can They Get Along?

Dog bites are the second most frequent cause of childhood visits to emergency rooms. The vast majority of dogs bites involving children are from dogs the child knows or lives with. And when a child less than 5 years old is the victim, the family dog is usually the attacker.  

Young children who are just beginning to walk can be quite unsettling to some dogs. From the dog's perspective, "these little people are noisy, they throw things, they fall on me or trip over me, their movements are erratic and their behavior is unpredictable."

The risk is even greater in homes with old, sick or arthritic dogs, or with under-socialized dogs who never learned to enjoy children while they were puppies.

If your dog has growled or snapped at your child, seek professional help immediately. And of course,  it's always better to prevent aggression in the first place, by following these guidelines:

- Children should be taught not to approach the dog; instead the parent can invite the dog over to the child.

- Children must NOT approach a dog who is eating. 

- When the child is eating, the dog should be crated or  resting in his gated area.

- Learn to read your dog's body language. Pay close attention and learn to notice things like  stiffening, whale eye, hard eye (staring with dilated pupils), lip curls, lip licking and  stress yawns. Your dog is always communicating through body language. Learn to read these subtle signs, and give your dog some distance from the child when you see them. Don't wait for a growl, snap or bite to occur and then try to "correct" your dog. You can't scold aggression away. Instead, try to prevent it by noticing early warning signs like the ones above.

- A child must never be allowed to approach  dog who is tied up/tethered.

- While the parents are away and a baby sitter is on duty, the dog should be crated. It's too much to expect a babysitter to watch your dog and your toddler.

- Set your home environment up for success. Provide gated areas where your dog can rest peacefully without fear of being tripped over or jumped on. 

- Keep your child away from your dog's food, toys or beds.

- Always supervise interaction between your dog and your child, and teach appropriate boundaries to both. Never let kids and dogs play together unless you're right there in the middle of the action.

- Certain areas of the home can be highly prized by dogs. These places include:  a dog bed, under the coffee table, between the coffee table and the couch, on the couch, etc.  Use extra caution when high value places such as these are involved. If necessary, move furniture around or use gates to to prevent access.  

- Gates and crates can be a big help in creating safety zones - but never let a child reach through a gate or tease a dog who is in his crate or behind a gate.

- Never let a child play in a  dog's crate. 

- Dogs learn by association. These associations are powerful and can work for you or against you. Scolding your dog every time the toddler is around ("Get away from Junior's toys! Play nice! Put that down! FIDO NO!") teaches your dog that the child gets him into trouble. Instead, set your dog up for success by proactively arranging a safe environment. Form positive associations by using praise and play to reward good behavior when Fido and Junior are together.

Emotional Support Dogs for People with Alzheimer's

Choosing the right dog and the right trainer are two critical steps involved in the process of successfully bringing an emotional support dog into a family.

In her book  "The 24-Hour Rule: Living with Alzheimer's" Cheryl Levin-Folio writes, "Dogs offer unconditional love...comfort and a calming influence influenced by his emotional support animal training. 

The physical contact, we've discovered, is as important and effective as the emotional connection that comes with having dogs in the family. Lack of touch is devastating to anyone, particularly someone suffering with Alzheimer's."

Cheryl and her family worked with Carol Ross, CDBA,  to help  train Oliver, their English Creme Golden Retriever for his job as an emotional support dog for Cheryl's husband Michael.  In Chapter 8, Ross, a certified dog trainer and Director of Training for Canine Dimensions North Chicago region, describes some of the work she did with Oliver:

“I started working with Oliver when he was about eight weeks old. The window for socialization runs until they are about five months old. My first goal was to get Oliver up to American Kennel Club “Canine Good Citizen” standards. I wanted him to have good manners, be polite, and act appropriately wherever he went, no matter whom he was with. He had a little more training specific to being an Emotional Support Animal, so he’d stay close to Michael, literally touching him much of the time, place his head on Michael’s lap to help keep Michael calm as needed, and do things like “hold stay” for two hours so he could go on plane trips.

We were laying the groundwork for all of this starting at two months old. But the key piece when he was so young was introducing him to as many people and situations as possible. While working with me, he was exposed to at least 300 people, 60 friendly dogs, and wide range of environments, medical equipment, and behaviors. We went to all kinds of dog-friendly events, stores, schools, and parks, anything I could think of. We spent time downtown. We went to the airport.

A lot of this socialization was before we began to work on specific skills with Michael. In the early days, their job was just to form a strong bond. After that, we started the more formal “obedience” training. Like humans, dogs learn best when the process is simple. In this case, keeping it simple meant breaking the process down into smaller piece, and more repetition of each skill. Consistency is the key.

Through this process, Oliver and Michael learned the commands “Come,” “Sit,” “Down,” “Stay,” and “Drop It.” In addition, they mastered “Look” (for Oliver to make eye contact with Michael), “Touch” (for Oliver to gently touch Michael’s hand). “Enough” (Stop what you are doing!), and “Away” (give me a little space). Oliver and Baxter both learned “Go to Your Place” for when someone comes to the door who doesn’t really need a high-energy canine greeting committee.

This collection of commands covers most things that come up for most dogs and their people. Many dogs need additional training in this or that, specific to their situation and depending on their personalities, behavior and circumstances. A small dog that lives in an apartment and annoys the neighbors with barking can be taught to stop barking on command, for example.

Some dogs are trained specifically as service dogs for people with Alzheimer’s, which is mainly to help with a person who wanders or gets lost. But Oliver’s job is different – he’s for company, calming and comfort."

Does Your Dog Have "Bad Manners?"

• Is your dog pushy, defiant or disobedient?
• Does he refuse to obey commands unless he sees a food treat?
• Does he come when called only when he has nothing better to do?
• Does he beg for food when you're eating?
• Does he nudge your hand and demand petting?

If you answered "yes" I have some good news and some bad news. The good news - you can teach your dog to be a perfect little lady or gentleman! The bad news - this behavior in pet dogs has a direct connection to the behavior of the owners. We’ve all heard the old adage, “Treat your dog like a person and he’ll treat you like a dog.” Your dog is watching you, and learning from you, all the time.

Follow these two simple rules to help your “pushy” dog learn better manners:

1. Practice “The Deference Protocol”

   • The deference protocol requires your dog to earn everything that he or she gets from you. This important training principle is often referred to by trainers as NFL (“No Free Lunch”) or NILIF (“Nothing in Life is Free”).
   • The dog must defer to you by obeying a simple “sit” command before receiving toys, treats, petting, walks, food, going outside, etc. Before you do something for them, they must do something for you. “Want a treat? Sit.” “Want to go outside? Sit.”
   • When teaching your dog to defer, your attitude must be calm. No yelling, no drama, no hitting. Your relationship with your dog must be teacher/student. You are the teacher, the dog is the student.
     

2. Ignore all demands for attention.

   • Dogs must never be permitted to demand play, petting, toys or attention. The owner should initiate all pleasurable interaction with the dog. For example, when you return home, ignore the dog for 5 minutes, then call him to you to greet him. If Fido drops a tennis ball in your lap, ignore it. A few minutes later you can go get a ball and call him to you for a fun game of fetch. But it must be your idea, not his. You start the game, and you end the game.   
   
   Rude behavior in dogs did not happen overnight, and it will not improve overnight. But any dog can learn better manners if you are patient, consistent, and follow the above two rules.
   

What is a "Submissive Grin" in Dogs?

A submissive grin is a fairly uncommon gesture made by dogs.  It can be a bit tricky to tell the difference so people often misinterpret this signal of submission (i.e. a friendly smile)  as an aggressive snarl (exactly the opposite of the dog's intent).

A submissive grin can look like an aggressive snarl, but the two gestures are completely different in both action and intent. If you're not sure that you can tell the difference, here are a few things to look for: 

• Look at the overall body language - is it loose and happy or stiff and threatening?
• Look at the eyes - are they squinty (soft and averted) or threatening (staring and dilated)?
• What's going on in the environment? Has the dog just spotted the owner bringing the leash and is happy to be going for a walk? Or is he standing over a favorite bone stiffly (guarding it)?

Here are pics of 2 dogs. The dog on the left is doing a submissive grin and the dog on the right is doing a threat display:

Dog on left is showing full teeth with his mouth pulled back into a  "smile" - ears are gently back ("bunny ears") and eyes are squinty. This is a submissive grin.

Dog on right has her whiskers forward, hard eyes with pupils dilated, furrowed brow and a strong stare. This is a threat display.

Here is a video of a dog doing a submissive grin: http://youtu.be/Aw_1V1yguvE

When Family Dogs Fight

Lisa adopted Duke, a handsome Labrador Retriever mix in June. She brought home Luther, a friendly Rottweiler mix about 6 months later.  “The boys” as she called them, seemed to get along fine with each other for the first 3 months. Then one evening while Lisa was preparing dinner, a fight broke out between Duke and Luther in the kitchen. It was easy for her to break up the fight but a pretty scary scene nonetheless.  Three weeks later, the dogs fought again, this time in the back yard. That fight took longer for Lisa to break up and resulted in a trip to the vet for Duke to treat his wounds, and a trip to the doctor for Lisa to treat the accidental bite she got when she reached between the dogs to break up the fight.  Lisa noticed the fights were happening more frequently, and were getting more intense. She was faced with the heartbreaking choice of having to re-home one of her dogs, which to her was unthinkable.    

Some of the most challenging cases for dog trainers, are those involving aggression between dogs living together in the home. These cases are always difficult and there are many factors which will impact the chance of success, but some of the factors to consider are the sexes and breeds of the dogs involved, the total number of dogs in the home, the frequency of the fights and the severity of the fights. 

Same-sex fights are the most common. Male dogs fight with each other more often than females, but fights between female dogs tend to be more intense.  Fights between dogs of the opposite sex are less common, but do occur. In every case however, aggression is self-reinforcing. Every time there is a fight it makes it more likely that there will be another.

Cases involving occasional fights can be easier to deal with than cases where the dogs will fight every time they are allowed to come in contact with one another. Two fights in 12 months is a completely different dynamic than 12 fights in two months.

Fortunately for Lisa, she was able to change the “household rules” in time to prevent any more fights between Duke and Luther. She realized that in each instance there was a specific trigger for the fights. The presence of food had sparked the first one and the excitement of running around together in the yard “fence fighting” with the neighbor’s dog had started the second one. 

Avoiding known triggers is crucial.  Take complete control of your dogs’ daily routines.  Lots of obedience training and the use of dog crates, leashes and muzzles where appropriate, can help prevent future injuries. 

Aggression among dogs is essentially a means of preventing conflict. A growl or snap warns the approaching dog to back off, and if he does, conflict is avoided. When family dogs fight, something has usually gone wrong in the warning system.  Also, poor  management of the environment and the dogs by their owners can make things a lot worse.  

The two main areas to manage in a home where fights have occurred are excitement and resources. There is a thin line between excitement and aggression.  The more “amped up” your dogs are, the more likely they are to cross the line.  “Resources” are the things for which dogs in the home can compete. Obvious resources include food, bones, toys and treats. Less obvious, but just as important to consider, are things like a place on the couch or bed, or the attention of the owner. 

Fortunately for Lisa, she got the help of a good trainer and was able to put the above plan into action in time. With lots of hard work and diligent enforcement of boundaries and rules, Duke and Luther gradually regained trust for one another and are now living together safely and happily. Even so, she guards against a false sense of security.  “When I leave, I make sure they’re both in their crates,” said Lisa. “I realize that even though they’re getting along fine now, I can never leave them alone without supervision.”

Is My Dog's Repetitive Behavior Neurotic, Medical or Normal?

We recently received a question from a trainer.   The trainer observed that a dog she was working with would occasionally spin during food-based training. She defined the spinning as a “neurotic behavior” and asked how she could stop it.

Before trying to address a “neurotic behavior” one must first determine whether or not the behavior rises to that definition. Some of the common repetitive behaviors which can be correctly identified as “neurotic” or “obsessive-compulsive” may in other contexts be a) perfectly normal, or b) related to physical/medical conditions. Let’s look at four examples – spinning, licking, snapping and pacing:

·       Occasional spinning can be a normal behavior associated with arousal. Some dogs spin for a few seconds before meals, or when they see a leash and are excited about going on a walk. But spinning in response to stress (such as the behavior sometimes seen in dogs at animal shelters), or habitual, incessant spinning or tail chasing, can be problematic. 

·       Occasional licking and chewing on paws might simply be a self-soothing behavior when done occasionally, whereas habitual licking and chewing (especially to the point of creating hot spots) might be classified as an obsessive-compulsive behavior. Of course, it can also be caused allergies or fleas.  

·       Some dogs focus on and snap at real flies (even ones we can’t easily see). A dog is equipped with an amazing ability to detect movement. This is perfectly normal. People sometimes confuse "tooth clacking" with snapping. Tooth clacking can be a threat display, a demand for attention, or a stress signal. However, snapping at imaginary flies might be an obsessive-compulsive behavior, or it might be caused by an eye problem or a neurological issue.  It all depends upon the timing, context and frequency of the behavior.

·       Pacing – for example, a dog who picks a spot in the yard and walks back and forth repeatedly without any apparent reason – might be an obsessive-compulsive behavior, or it could simply be that the dog smells a critter or has recently chased a critter through that area, which of course would be perfectly normal if done occasionally and for short periods of time. 

These are just four examples; there are many others. Gathering detailed information through careful observation can help us determine what’s going on. Before we label a behavior as “neurotic” or “obsessive-compulsive” we should consider timing, context, frequency, intensity and several other factors which are listed below. When the “red flags” below are present, our concern rises, as does the likelihood that we may need to ask a veterinarian to assist with diagnosis and treatment options, including a complete medical exam and possible pharmacological intervention: 

•  Intensifies over time.
•  Has no discernible physical or environmental cause.
• Goes on and on for long periods of time.
• The behavior is causing physical injury to the dog. Some examples would be pica, or licking/chewing to the point of creating hot spots.
• Cannot be interrupted even with physical restraint.
• Increases in frequency or duration.
• Interferes with normal functioning.
• Increases with age. For example, when seen in a young dog, tail chasing might be playfulness, which tends to decrease with age - whereas obsessive-compulsive behaviors tend to increase with age. 

Now back to the trainer's question. When we watched a video of the "spinning  during training" it was clear that the spinning was triggered by the excitement of the training session. Despite the occasional spin, the dog was fully engaged in its environment and was focused on the trainer and the food rewards. He was happily and intently working with the trainer.  He was excited about earning food rewards (normal anticipation/frustration) and was fully engaged in the training activity. In this dog, the spinning behavior was perfectly normal. 

Who Should Treat Behavior Problems in Dogs?

The following is a blog post by Patricia B. McConnell, PhD, CAAB. McConnell is an applied animal behaviorist who has been working with, studying, and writing about dogs for over thirty years.  Even though this was written nearly 10 years ago, it is still a great “job description” for a professional dog trainer. 

Canine Dimensions certified dog trainers participate in company-sponsored training programs throughout the course of their careers. They learn #1 through 5 during initial training, and they are continually learning #6 through 10 over the entire course of their careers. The great thing about the dog training profession is that whether someone has been training dogs for 2 months or 20 years, the learning never stops!

Who Should Treat Behavior Problems in Dogs?

First off, I think that the most important factors related to who is qualified to treat a behavioral problem is their KNOWLEDGE and ABILITY, not their degrees or credentials. I am not dismissing the value of credentials, believe me, I busted my tail for my Ph.D. and I am very proud of it. I have tremendous respect for others with advanced credentials, and describe some of the vets that I work with as walking on water. I also add CAAB after my name with pride, just as I have tremendous respect for DVMs who are Board Certified in Behavior. But that said, who do you want helping you rehab a rescue dog who growls at visitors? Any dog trainer? Any vet? Any CAAB?  No... you want someone who understands canine ethology, as well as operant and classical conditioning, who can read communicative signals from dogs extremely well. You want someone with experience working with dogs with behavioral problems, who can refer to a vet when necessary, and someone you can relate to (and who can relate to you), who does a good job being your coach, teacher and cheerleader all at the same time. What qualifies someone to do that? Knowledge and ability, yes? But knowledge of what, and ability to do what? Here’s some thoughts – not inclusive probably, but good enough to continue our conversation.  

MINIMAL KNOWLEDGE TO WORK WITH CANINE BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS:

1. Canine ethology, including the influence of genetics on behavior, developmental influences (in utero, neonatal, early social development), normal social structures of dogs in different contexts, communicative signals (these need to be known in depth, such that a 10 millisecond and 2 millimeter change of a dog’s lips is clearly noticeable and meaningful to the observer), play behavior, predatory behavior, agonistic behavior.  

2. In-depth knowledge of operant conditioning (including + and – reinforcement and punishment, and when they are best used or avoided); in depth knowledge of classical conditioning, counter classical conditioning and desensitizing (and the difference between and when to use each one over the other).

3. Experience applying #’s 1 and 2 to behavior problems in dogs, ideally by first learning basic training and handling.

4. An in-depth understanding of what behavioral problems are often caused by or correlated with medical problems, including a good working knowledge of structure and function, basic physiology and what behavioral problems always require an appointment with a veterinarian.

5. An in-depth understanding of the most common diagnosis of behavioral problems, what behaviors are ‘symptomatic’ of these problems, and best practices to solve them. This includes knowing what these labels mean, how useful the labels actually are (not always) and how to help the client understand what we can and can’t know about what is motivating their dog.

6. Anyone who wants to work with dogs with behavioral problems, in my opinion, should be a good trainer with the ability to read a dog and know what he or she is ready for (or not), knows how to use their actions, including movement and voice, to influence a dog’s behavior, can read visual signals extremely well and is able to interpret them correctly (i.e., dog tongue flicks when asked to lie down). No one should ever give a client instructions about what to teach their dog, without being able to demonstrate how to do it successfully to the same dog, in the same context as the clients.

7. Consultants absolutely must have fantastic social skills with people, and be able to create a welcome and supportive environment for the client. Specialists who are great with dogs but not with people are not suited to do behavior consulting, period. There is no equivalent of surgery in behavioral treatment and rehab, in which the specialist never has to interact with the ‘patient.’ You’re either really, really good with people, or you’re in the wrong field. (Could I make it more clear how strongly I feel about this?!) The most common complaint that I hear from clients is that the trainer/behaviorist/veterinarian was rude/busy/disconnected/shaming etc.  I do not know this for a fact, but I believe that part of the bit of good I’ve been able to do in the world is because I like people as much as I like dogs, and I want to help them both.

8. The ability to take all the knowledge listed above and customize it for each case. Cook book solutions don’t work very often, and I’ve seen client after client who came to me after being given some handouts and some generic advice about this or that, which didn’t end up being very helpful. Being a behavioral consultant means knowing how to present information in a way that clients can use and adopt.

9. The ability to say, without hesitation, “I don’t know” and “I was wrong.”  

10. The ability to stay connected with a network of knowledgeable people.