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TO SUBSCRIBE: www.whole-dog-journal.com Copyright 2006, Belvoir Media Group, LLC THE WHOLE DOG JOURNAL

October 2006

The Whole Dog JournalVOLUME 9NUMBER 10

TM

FEATURES

A monthly guide to natural dog care and training

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

2 Editors Note24 Product and Expert Resources

3 Riding in Cars with DogsSafety gear and calm behavior should berequired for all canine passengers.

6 Butt Scoot BoogieIf youre lucky, you may never need todeal with your dogs anal glands. But youshould know what can go wrong, in caseyour luck runs out!

10 Teach Your Dog to ReadWere not kidding! Dogs can be taught torecognize written words as cues, and thereare some advantages to this technique.

14 Dog Gone DungFamiliarity with your dogs feces will helpyou monitor his health and detect anyillness quickly.

20 Up With Pups!How to build the healthiest foundation foryour new puppys body and mind.

$5.9

Planning forpuppies . . .page 20

Yes, Rover canreally read! . . .page 10

Shes got aticket to ride . . .page 3

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2|OCTOBER 2006 Copyright 2006, Belvoir Media Group, LLC TO SUBSCRIBE, CALL (800) 829-91

EDITORS NOTEEDITORS NOTE

There are two articles in this issue thatdeal with various things that happen atthe dogs nether end. Dog Gone Dungcontains everything you ever wanted toknow about dog poo and come on,

admit it: You were afraid to ask. Butt ScootBoogie is about canine anal glands, and whatcan go wrong with them, and what you shoulddo about it. Assigned months apart to two,ahem, regularWDJ contributors, they arrivedin my e-mail in-box at about the same time . . .

and so I thought, what the heck, lets just goahead and get it all over with at once.

Teaching dogs to read? Have we finally lostour minds? Actually, no! CJ Puotinens fasci-nating article on page 10 is about the efforts ofDr. Bonnie Bergin, who trains dogs for peoplewith all kinds of challenges, including the lackof ability to speak. She realized long ago thatdogs could be trained to recognize symbols even letters of the alphabet as cues for be-havior. Creative people (such as CJ herself) are

putting dogs ability to read to work in helpingkids learn to read. You have to check it out.

Finally, concerning Pat Millers article onthe facing page: Many of us bring our dogswith us when we take road trips or just run er-rands in our cars. The article reminds us ofsome critical car safety tips we ought to keepin mind for the sake of our dogs, ourselves,and our fellow drivers. Loose dogs, especiallyexcitable or unruly ones, really are a hazard tothemselves and others in cars.

A few days after Pat sent me the article, Ireceived the following e-mail from her:

So, Im driving back through town afterdoing shelter assessments this morning and inthe next lane (a one-way street downtown), I

BY NANCY KERNS

Bottoms Up!We may as well get it over with . . .

see a sedan with the front passenger windowopen and a tricolor Beagle-mix half-hangingout the window.

Hunh, I mused. I just wrote about that! Hereally couldfall out of that window!

So we go a couple of blocks, and I pullslightly ahead of the car. After I pass it, I glancein my rearview window just in time to see atricolor blob go SPLAT! onto the pavement.

I jam on the brakes, hit my flashers, jumpout of my van, and dash after the dog, who is

now limping down the street away from me, alittle stunned, but walking. I call to him, withno acknowledgment. He turns into a parkinglot that goes through to a busy street. Just thenthe owner comes up behind me and calls to thedog, who looks up but doesnt stop. The ownercalls again, running toward the dog, and thistime the dog pauses. The owner reaches for thedogs collar, but the dog evades his reach andcircles back toward me. I kneel and schmoozehim up, he comes up to me, and I calmly grasphis collar and hold him until his owner stepsup to take him.

As we walk back through the traffic jamweve created, the owner thanks me and says,I guess I wont let him do thatanymore!

Fortunately, no harm done, but in my 50- plus years Ive neveractually seen a dog fallout a car window. Talkabout synchronicity!

Pat finished her storyby writing, Hey, Nance,do you think you coulduse an article about win-ning the lottery?

THE WHOLE DOG JOURNAL

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MISSION STATEMENT: WDJs mission is to provide dog guardians with in-depth information oneffective holistic healthcare methods and successful nonviolent training. The methods we discusswill endeavor to do no harm to dogs; we do not advocate perpetrating even minor transgressions inthe name of greater good. We intend our articles to enable readers to immediately apply trainingand healthcare techniques to their own dogs with visible and enjoyable success. All topics shouldcontribute to improving the dogs health and vitality, and deepening the canine/human bond. Aboveall, we wish to contribute information that will enable consumers to make kind, healthy, and in-formed decisions about caring for their own dogs.

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TM


WHAT YOU CAN DO . . .

BY PAT MILLER

Riding in Cars With Dogs

W

Safety gear and calm behavior should be required for canine passengers

TRAINING

hen Im driving on the road andsee a dog in someone elses car,it makes me smile. I love itwhen people care enough abouttheir dogs to chauffeur them

around town. I love it even more when thedog is in a crate or seat belted in place.

My smile quickly vanishes, however, ifthe dog has her head stuck out the window,is sitting in the drivers lap, darting backand forth across the seats, or worse, riding

loose in the back of an open pickup truck.And the ultimate crime leaving a dog in ahot car motivates me to grab my cell phoneand call out the animal cops.

As much as we love our dogs and wantthem with us all the time, we have an in-controvertible obligation to transport themsafely, for their own welfare as well as ours,and that of other drivers on the roads. Alldogs, large and small, should learn to ride

politely in their cars. Theres a long list of

escape, get hit on the road, or run off anbecome lost.

An unsecured dog can interfere with tefforts of rescue workers in an emergenc

A dog with her head out the window csuffer injury to her eyes from bits of flyindebris, or worse, can have her head smashby objects that pass too close to the c(other vehicle mirrors, signs, branches).

A loose dog can fall or jump out of open window or back of a truck.

The temperature in a parked car onwarm (not even hot!) day can kill a dog.

Im probably missing some, but I hothats enough to make you stop and thinnext time youre planning an outing wiyour furry friend. That doesnt mean yohave to leave your dog buddy at home; the

safety hazards concomitant with having anunrestrained obstreperous canine in a mov-ing vehicle. Here are some:

A dog who interferes with drivers physi-cal ability to drive the car. A dog sitting onthe drivers lap can interfere with steering.A dog who gets on or under the acceleratoror brake pedals, hits the gear shift, or blocksthe drivers view can cause an accident.

A dog who interferes with drivers men-talability to drive the car. When the driversattention is taken away from the road to dealwith dogs behavior, the dog has become asafety hazard.

A loose dog can become a flying mis-sile if the car stops abruptly or is hit byanother car.

If the car windows break or the doorspop open in an accident, a loose dog can

Consider all the canine passen-

ger safeguards and select the

one that will best suit your dog

and your circumstances.

Train your dog to behave in the

car like you train him to do

anything: by setting him up for

success, and reinforcing him forthe desired calm behavior.

Be on the lookout for dogs at

risk of heatstroke in cars on

warm days. Dont hesitate to call

animal protection authorities or

the police department if you see

a dog suffering from the heat.

TRAINING

Dogs are safest in the car when they are in a sturdy crate that is securely fastened Dogs are safest in the car when they are in a sturdy crate that is securely fastened Dogs are safest in the car when they are in a sturdy crate that is securely fastened Dogs are safest in the car when they are in a sturdy crate that is securely fastened Dogs are safest in the car when they are in a sturdy crate that is securely fastened place, or wearing a harplace, or wearing a harplace, or wearing a harplace, or wearing a harplace, or wearing a harness and a seatbelt in the back seat of the carness and a seatbelt in the back seat of the carness and a seatbelt in the back seat of the carness and a seatbelt in the back seat of the carness and a seatbelt in the back seat of the car. Owners shou. Owners shou. Owners shou. Owners shou. Owners shoucarry water and a leash, and make sure their friends are wearing ID tags.carry water and a leash, and make sure their friends are wearing ID tags.carry water and a leash, and make sure their friends are wearing ID tags.carry water and a leash, and make sure their friends are wearing ID tags.carry water and a leash, and make sure their friends are wearing ID tags.

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are lots of options for keeping everyone safewhile enjoying canine company in your car.

Reducing the riskNot every dog loves car outings. Some high-risk car behavior is a result of canine stressand/or arousal. Reducing stress and arousalwill decrease car-ride risks and increase car-ride enjoyment for both of you.

Tools and techniques for reducing stress

in the car include covering your dogs crateto reduce sensory stimulation; using aCalming Cap (see Now You See It, NowYou Dont, next page) for the same

purpose; and incorporating a program ofcounter-conditioning and desensitization toovercome your dogs car-related fears andarousal triggers (see Road Scholar, May2001).

Additional tools for maximizing yourcar safety and pleasure are those that restrictyour dogs movement about the cabin. Manydog owners choose crating as a relatively

safe car restraint option. This can be an ex-cellent choice, and it does have drawbacks.To be super-safe, the crate needs to be fas-tened securely in the back of the vehicle.

Space is another consideration. Cratesrequire a lot of room. If you have a mini-car and a maxi-dog, theres no room for acrate you need to explore other options,like canine seat belts.

When the fasten your seatbelt signlights up on your dashboard, so can yourdogs. Many dogs ride comfortably andcalmly secured in their seats with a belt de-signed for just that purpose. There are

numerous models to choose from. (SeeSeat Belt Your Dog, February 2004.)

To avoid the potential for serious injuryto his neck, though, be sure to select onethat attaches to a harness, not your dogs

regular collar. Some dogs who habituallypace nervously back and forth in their carssettle down and relax when restricted by aseat belt. Its easier onyournerves, too!

If you choose the seat belt route, beaware that the air bag danger that precludessmall children from riding in the front pas-senger seat applies to dogs, too. Either

disable your passenger air bag so Rover canride in the front, or strap him into his seatbelt in the back seat.

There are dogs who are not good seat

belt candidates typically puppies, youndogs, and others who might be tempted totry their teeth out on the seat belt or harnesstraps. Reprimanding your dog for chewing his belt comes under the drivedistraction risk category. You can try ap

plying a sour-tasting product such as BitteApple to the straps. This works for somdogs but not all.

Another solution for strap chewers is

tasty stuffed Kong or other chew to keeptheir teeth otherwise occupied (see KingKongs, October 2000). Youll need to secure the Kong so it doesnt fall off the seaout of reach of your dog, by running a cordthrough the hole at the small end and tyingit to a handy spot in the car.

If that doesnt work, you may need tgive in and buy a bigger vehicle to accommodate a crate, or settle for a physicabarrier. You might also teach your dog tlove a basket muzzle and have him weaone while hes belted in the back.

Barriers are designed for use in stationwagons, mini-vans, and SUVs, and range in

price from $40 to $80. The metal barrierare pressure mounted, and tend to be stur

If youre one who likes to take your dog places with you, sooneror later youll inevitably be faced with the dilemma of what todo with him when you have to duck into a place of businessthat doesnt allow dogs. Every year, dogs are left in cars byunthinking owners. It doesnt have to be hot out just warm

and sunny for the temperature in your car to rise quicklyenough for your dog to suffer brain damage, even death.A surprising number of businesses allow dogs to accom-

pany their owners inside. Restaurants aside, operating on theprinciple of Its better to ask forgiveness than permission, ifit doesnt say No Dogs on the door, try taking your well-behaved dog with you. If youre asked to remove him, politelyacquiesce without argument it never hurts to try!

If you must leave your dog in the car at times,arm yourself with products designed to keep

him safe and cool. You can purchase carshades and reflector

cloths to keep tem- peratures down,

and windowvent guards

that allow youto leave car windows

open but prevent your dogfrom jumping out.

Wet pads and scarves thattake advantage of the effect

of water evaporation can help

your dog keep his cool for abrief stint in the car. Many dog

professionals use solar or bat-tery powered fans or ones that

plug into a car adapter to pro-

vide a cooling breeze forcar-bound canines.You may also want to pur-

chase a portable thermometerwith a remote reader. KatyMalcolm, a Peaceable Pawstrainer and affiliate, carries one of these when she leaves herBorder Collie, Josie, in her car. She can see immediately whenthe temperature in the car starts to rise, and removes the dog ifthe digits register above 80 degrees.

If you foolishly choose to leave your dog in your car unat-tended on a warm day, be

prepared to return to a broken carwindow and a missing dog. Thegeneral public has become awareof the danger to dogs in cars, andwill quickly call the authorities,who shouldnt hesitate to takewhatever steps are necessary tosave your dog. Thats the best-case scenario. You dont evenwant to think about the worst-case alternative.

Cooling Tools for Hot Dogs

Cooling

scarf by

Body Cooler,

(713) 541-6311

bodycooler.com

Thermometer with remote reader,

$25 (product #RAR 381-S). Oregon

Scientific, (949) 608-2848 or

oregonscientific.com

Window vent guard, available from

various catalogs and stores. $4 each

from dog.com, (800) 367-3647

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dier than the mesh ones, which attach withstraps.

Barriers are not as safe as crates or seatbelts. While they may protect human pas-sengers from flying dog bodies in case of awreck, they dont protect the dog from get-ting bounced about the back of the vehicle,or stop him from escaping through brokenwindows. If you have a large dog and a smallcar, barriers wont work; youre still out of

luck and will need to reconsider the seatbelt option.

Good car mannersCongratulations if you have already accus-tomed your dog to riding in the back seat(or way back of your car) with a harnessand securely fastened seat belt. This, or asecurely fastened crate, is the safest modeof car travel for your dog. But if you chooseto ride with your dog unrestrained in yourcar, the least you must do is teach him to becalm and lie down in a safe spot other than

your lap. (Dogs who are quiet and well-mannered in the car, but prefer to sit up andlook out the windows, would be safer if theywere secured with a harness and seat belt.When sitting up, a dogs center of gravity ishigher, putting the dog at higher risk of be-ing thrown through the air in an accident.)

Some dogs prefer to lie down on theback seat, the floor of the back seat, or theway back of a station wagon, with little orno guidance. Dubhy, our Scottish Terrier,lies like a rock on the back seat of a car you wouldnt even know hes there. In con-

trast, Bonnie, our newest acquisition, pacesnervously in the car, and if allowed will at-tempt to climb into the front seat, andsometimes my lap. Given how deeply in-grained this behavior is, attempting to trainher to lie down in the back seat would prob-ably cause both of us undue stress. We crateher in the car, even for short trips.

Your dog should have a solid and reli-able down behavior on verbal cue (seeSit Happens, February 2001) before youexpect him to ride politely in your car. If hedoes have a solid down, you can cue him(and reward!) for lying down quietly whileyou are driving (or rather, when you aresafely stopped during drives).

If your dog does notreliably respond toa down cue, a program to teach polite carmanners is in order. This will require two

people one to drive the car, one to rein-force your dog for appropriate car behavior.A large empty parking lot is a good place tostart your lessons, to minimize distractionsfor both driver and dog.

Cue your dog to lie down on the backseat. When he does, mark the behavior, withthe click! of a clicker or a verbal marker(such as the word Yes!), and give him atreat. Drive a short distance while yourhelper continues to mark the desired behav-ior and reward your dog at a rate of

reinforcement high enough to keep the dogin his down position. Depending on yourdog, this may be every few seconds to start,or it may be a slower rate if your dog isalready reasonably calm in the car.

Continue to drive short distances withstops in between to give everyone a break.Gradually increase the distance of your

practice runs, while your helper graduallydecreases the rate of reinforcement. As youincrease the length of the runs, keep the timebetween reinforcements of a randominterval some longer, some shorter. Thisway, your dog wont get antsy as he startsanticipating the next click; hell never knowwhen its coming! Have your helperultimately fade the clicks and treatsaltogether as the car is moving, since youwont be able to click-treat safely whenyoure driving alone. Your goal is to haveher reinforce polite car behavior onlyoccasionally, and only when the car isstopped.

When your dog rides well in an empty

Pat Miller,CPDT, is WDJs Training Edito

Miller lives in Hagerstown, Maryland, si

of her Peaceable Paws training center. Fbook purchasing or contact informatio

see Resources, page 24.

parking lot, move your practice sessions a parking lot with traffic, so your helper careinforce your dog for riding politely inmore stimulating environment. Again, stawith a high rate of reinforcement. When hhas impeccable manners in the parking lwith clicks and treats only when the car

stopped, youre ready to take it on the roastill with your helper present to reinforappropriate car behavior.

With that step accomplished, you can fsolo. Go back to the empty lot and give ittrial run. If your dog has learned his lesons well, youll zip through this part wiease. Drive a short distance with your dolying down in his back-seat spot.Dont tto click and treat while you are movin

Stop, click, and treat.As long as hes staying in his plac

gradually increase the length of your run

sometimes giving him a click and treat whyoure stopped, sometimes not. When heready, move to a parking lot with traffiand practice there until youre ready to fathe real world.

The Calming Cap is a relatively new dog behavior management/modification aidcreated by the Marin Humane Societys Director of Behavior and Training, TrishKing, CPDT, CDBC, in collaboration with Lisa Moore, CPDT. Based on the conceptof the hoods used to keep hawks and falcons calm during transport, the Cap screensout stimuli that arouse and excite a reactive dog. Made of a light single panel sheerfabric, it slips over a dogs muzzle and covers his eyes, attaching to the collar underhis chin and behind his head with Velcro straps. The lightweight material allows thedog some vision enough to navigate easily, but cuts out a significant amount ofstimuli.

Ive used the Cap successfullywith several clients dogs, and highlyrecommend it for car-reactive behav-ior. Most dogs seem to accept iteasily, with little to no desensitiza-tion. It works exceptionally well withdogs who become aroused or aggres-sive in cars, barking or lunging fromcar windows at people or dogs on thesidewalk or in other cars. Its avail-able in four sizes, to fit all breeds and

sizes of dogs.The Calming Cap, sold by Premier, is available only through trainers, veterinar-

ians, and some pet supply stores. You can read about the Cap at gentleleader.com, orcontact Premier at (888) 640-8840 to find a dealer near you.

Now You See It, Now You Dont

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BY CJ PUOTINEN

Butt Scoot Boogie

O

If youre lucky, you may never need to deal with your dogs anal glands.

But you should know what can go wrong, in case your luck runs out!

h, the smell! Anyone whos everbeen in the same room when afrightened dog blows her analglands or a veterinarian manuallyexpresses them will never forget

PREVENTION

Dogs who butt scoot on the carpet maDogs who butt scoot on the carpet mayDogs who butt scoot on the carpet maDogs who butt scoot on the carpet mayDogs who butt scoot on the carpet mabe giving you not-to-be-ignored informabe giving you not-to-be-ignored informabe giving you not-to-be-ignored informabe giving you not-to-be-ignored informabe giving you not-to-be-ignored information about a potentially serious conditiontion about a potentially serious conditiontion about a potentially serious conditiontion about a potentially serious conditiontion about a potentially serious condition

overly full or impacted anal glands.overly full or impacted anal glands.overly full or impacted anal glands.overly full or impacted anal glands.overly full or impacted anal glands.

TM



Get in the habit of checking your

dogs anal glands for swelling,

infection, or other problems.

To help prevent problems,

improve the diet and add fiber.

Have your veterinarian show you

how to express anal glands so

you can do it at home if

necessary.

Report any infection or anal

gland complications to your vet.

the malodorous experience. And anyonewhose dog has suffered from impacted, in-fected, or abscessed anal glands canempathize with the animals pain and dis-comfort.

Its wise for dog owners to be aware ofthe problems that can arise with theseglands, so they can seek appropriate rem-edies on their dogs behalf.

Where the problem liesDogs have two anal glands or sacs, one oneach side of the anus, between the internaland external anal sphincter muscles. Tech-nically, its the anal gland that produces fluidand the anal sac that stores it, but most vet-erinarians refer to either or both when theymention anal glands or anal sacs. Also called

scent glands, these organs produce a brown

or yellow liquid that is usually thin butwhich can thicken to a paste-like consis-tency. In small dogs, the glands are normallythe size of a pea, while in large dogs theyrethe size and shape of a kidney bean. At least,unless something goes awry.

Dogs, wolves, and other canids arentalone in having anal glands; cats, weasels,skunks, and various territory-marking mam-mals have them as well. Except for skunks,

which routinely use their scent glands fordefense, most animals release the contentsof their anal glands only when they defecateor when extreme fear causes involuntarymuscle contractions that expel fluid fromthe anal sacs.

Anal gland secretions are what makedogs smell fascinating, at least to other dogs.As dogs circle and inspect each others hindends, theyre savoring anal sac fragrances.

In healthy dogs whose diets contain suf-ficient fiber or roughage, anal glands donothing more than give fecal matter its dis-

tinctive fragrance. As stool is passed, thesphincter muscles squeeze the anal sacs andforce their contents onto the stools surface.But when sphincter muscles dont exert suf-ficient pressure, or if something blocks theflow of fluid, problems develop.

Signs of troubleThe most common early sign of overly full,blocked, or impacted anal glands is scoot-ing. Dragging her rear end over carpets,grass, or other rough surfaces is your dogsattempt to stimulate the release of anal fluid.Affected dogs may also lick or bite the analarea in an effort to relieve their discomfort.

Abscesses are boils, pockets of pus un-der the skin surface caused by bacterialinfections that produce heat, inflammation,swelling, and acute pain. If your dog whim-

pers or cries while attempting to defecate;if there is blood, pus, or swelling close tothe anus; or if he is in obvious pain whensitting or moving, he may have an abscessedanal gland.

In many cases, impacted and even abscessed anal glands can be treatesuccessfully at home, but its always a gooidea, especially if youre not yet familiawith anal gland problems, to have your veterinarian take a look. Some abscesses drainon their own while others need treatment.

Infected anal glands may require oraantibiotics, lancing, flushing, or other medical attention. For example, open channelor fistulas around the anus can result frominfected anal glands, making the conditiondifficult to cure.

In severe cases, infected sacs can be spainful that the dog requires anesthesia before the sacs can be treated. Emptied anasacs can be rinsed with a disinfecting liquid from an irrigation syringe and then fillewith antibacterial ointment, a treatment thamay have to be repeated several times. Thmost serious cases are resolved by the anaglands surgical removal.

PREVENTION

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Dr. Pitcairns Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats,

by Richard H. Pitcairn, DVM, PhD, and Susan Hubble Pitcairn.Rodale Books, 3rd edition, 2005

The Complete Herbal Handbook for the Dog and Cat,

by Juliette de Bairacli Levy. Faber & Faber; 6th edition, 1991

Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy, theavh.org

Linda Arndt, Canine Nutritional Consultant, greatdanelady.com

Jakes Remedy, from FrogWorks. Frances Fitzgerald Cleveland, (303) 378-6693, ffrogworks.com

Karen Doyle, Dogs Gone Grooming, Suffern, NY. (845) 709-5001

Resources

English Setter breeder Joan Mizer in En-gland told canine nutritional consultantLinda Arndt of Albany, Indiana, about aRottweiler whose anal glands were chroni-cally impacted until the dogs owner startedgiving him three pitted prunes daily. Afterthat, said Mizer, the dog never again re-quired anal gland emptying. When Mizerheard about the Rottweiler from her veteri-narian 10 years ago, she had two English

Setters whose anal glands had to be emp-tied frequently. She started adding threedried prunes to their food once a week andthey havent had an anal gland problemsince.

It is a lot easier to scatter a few pruneson food than to physically empty analglands, she said. Friends who have triedgiving prunes to their dogs have experi-enced the same happy results.

The only exception to the dried fruit rec-ommendation is the dog who suffers from asystemic yeast infection, such as candidi-

asis. Linda Arndt warns that many dogsdiagnosed with allergies are in fact suffer-ing from yeast overgrowth, a problem madeworse by foods containing sugar, which in-cludes all dried and fresh fruit.

Sources of fiber other than fruit are rec-ommended for dogs with chronic allergies,frequent ear infections, and other yeast in-fection symptoms.

Additional recommendations from ho-listic health experts include adding finelyminced wheat grass or other green herbs tothe diet at the rate of 1 teaspoon per 10

pounds of body weight (1 tablespoon per30 pounds) per day. Alternatively, you canfeed chopped vegetables, such as carrots orcelery; add aloe vera juice or gel to food atthe rate of 1 teaspoon per 20 pounds of bodyweight per day; or add a chlorophyll supple-ment to the dogs food according to labeldirections.

Express (the glands) yourselfEven in dogs who have never shown symp-toms, anal glands should be checked

periodically just to be sure that everythinglooks normal.

Veterinarians are used to expressing ca-nine anal glands, which is a smelly butsimple procedure. If its ever necessary foryour dog, have your vet show you how. Thissimple procedure can be done at home on

anal glands that are full and not releasingfluid on their own, but do not attempt toexpress anal glands that are painfully in-

fected or abscessed.

Expressing impacted anal glands is of-ten easier after the area has been treatedseveral times with a hot herbal compress orfomentation (see next section).

Professional groomers often performthis task when they are bathing the dog, toreduce the potential for creating a smellymess, especially on long-coated dogs.

When you have experience with this

task, youll find that it may be most effi-cient and clean to hold a warm, dampwashcloth or gauze pad over the area as youapply pressure to the glands. This is so theexpressed fluid can be easily wiped awayand wont squirt out and land on you which is definitely an experience you wontforget.

But when you are a beginner at this task,the washcloth can make it difficult to see ifyou are squeezing in the right place, andwhether anything is coming out! In this case,have gauze or cotton at the ready and

consider putting on some safety goggles orglasses. Really!Raise the dogs tail and take a look. If

the dogs anus was the center of the face ofa clock, the glands would be located ataround the numbers five and seven. The ideais to gently palpate the area with your thumband forefinger to locate the glands. Think

of them as small grapes embedded in thdogs flesh; you want to squeeze the juicout of them, without expelling the grapesthemselves. Firmly press your thumb andforefinger into the dogs flesh, outside othe area where the glands are located, anslowly squeeze the fingers together. If youdo it right, youll immediately see a thickfluid expressed on or around the dogs anusWipe away any expressed fluid with the tis

sue, gauze, or cotton. Check the fluid foblood or pus, either of which indicates aninfection.

Again, it may be easiest to have youveterinarian or groomer show you how todo this. And you definitely want to seek thattention of your vet if the glands appeabadly infected or abscessed.

Karen Doyle of Dogs Gone Groominin Suffern, New York, has dealt with thousands of anal glands in her 26 years as dog groomer. I didnt learn how to expresanal glands in grooming school because the

didnt teach it, she says. I learned by doing it on my own dogs. But even though ita simple procedure, it isnt something I droutinely. With small dogs, impacted anaglands arent usually serious, but wheneveI see impacted anal glands in a large breeddog, especially on two consecutive visits, suggest a visit to the veterinarian to find ouwhats going on.

You can get acquainted with your doganal glands just by checking them from timto time, she continues. Lift the tail, take look, and gently touch the area. Youll b

able to see at a glance whether the hair lookworn or bald from frantic licking or bitingand you can tell by touch whether the anasacs are full or empty. Pay attention twhether the area is hot to the touch, lookinflamed or swollen, is obviously causindiscomfort, or produces a thick rather thanthin discharge. These are all symptoms thaneed attention.

Herbal treatmentsJuliette de Bairacli Levys favorite way torelieve a dogs impacted anal glands is toapply herbs internally and externally.

Brew dandelion tea using leaves and/oflowers, she says, and add this to the dogfood and water as often as the dog will accept it. To brew the tea, use 1 teaspoon drieor 1 tablespoon fresh dandelion per cup oboiling water, cover, and let stand until cool

Fomentations are hot compresses, madby brewing and straining a strong herbal teaWhen applied to impacted or abscessed anaglands, they loosen, soften, and stimulat

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the glands and their contents, helping glandsflow on their own. For most dogs, fomenta-tions produce immediate relief fromdiscomfort. Impacted anal glands may im-mediately begin to drain, or applyinganother fomentation several hours later mayrelease trapped fluid.

Fomentations can help abscessed analglands by encouraging the abscess to cometo a head, burst open on its own, and drain.

To prepare a fomentation, add 1 table-spoon dried herbs or 2 tablespoons freshherbs to 1 cup boiling water, cover, and letsteep for 10 to 15 minutes. If desired, add 1tablespoon unrefined sea salt, which has itsown healing properties.

Pour the hot tea into a bowl. When thetea is cool enough to touch without burningyourself but still very warm, saturate a cleanwashcloth or other absorbent fabric. Wringit out slightly so that it doesnt drip. If nec-essary, hold the washcloth open and exposedto the air to let it cool slightly. Test it on the

inside of your wrist to be sure it isnt toohot. Fold the fabric in half and in half again.Hold the hot, wet cloth in place for three tofive minutes, or until it begins to cool. Dont

press hard, but apply just enough pressureto keep the fabric from shifting. Remove,soak the cloth again, and reapply for an-other three to five minutes.

Dr. Pitcairn recommends applying hotcalendula fomentations twice a day for threedays or longer. Other holistic health expertsrecommend hot chamomile, stinging nettle,lavender, red clover, or yarrow fomenta-

tions. Like calendula, these dried herbs areavailable in most health food stores.For anal gland abscesses, add a teaspoon

of coconut oil, 1 drop of lavender essentialoil, and/or several drops of grapefruit seedextract to any of these hot teas. All of theseadditions have disinfecting properties. Ob-viously, if your dog has a really painfulabscess, this treatment may not be appro-

priate. Use a fomentation or hot compressonly if your dog is comfortable with it.

Once an abscess begins to drain, the areacan be left alone, treated with a warm orcool compress, or sprayed with an herbaltea or with a mixture of 1 cup medicinal-strength tea and 1 tablespoon unrefined seasalt. A tissue, gauze, or cotton ball can beused to gently wipe draining pus from be-low the affected area.

As mentioned, serious cases may requiremedical intervention. Consult your veteri-narian about any abscess or impaction thatdoes not respond to home treatment or thathas progressed to an advanced stage.

AromatherapyAlthough many essential oils that have dis-infecting properties are not recommendedfor use around mucous membranes (becausethey can irritate or cause pain), some es-sential oils, when diluted with carrier oils,are gentle enough for application to ab-scessed or impacted anal glands.

The secret is to use a therapeutic-qualityessential oil that has both disinfecting andsoothing properties, such as lavender orsweet marjoram essential oil, and to dilute

it in a carrier oil that is quickly absorbed,such as jojoba, grapeseed, or sunflower oil.Hydrosols or flower waters are pro-

duced during steam distillation, and theycombine minute traces of essential oil withthe distilled plants water-soluble constitu-ents, making them safe and effective for petuse.

When used as a disinfecting hydrosol,essential oils that can otherwise irritatemucous membranes, such as tea tree ororegano, can be safely sprayed on the areato help heal the infection. (For instructionsand recommended resources, see ouraromatherapy series, published in the De-cember 2004, January 2005, April 2005,and August 2005 issues.)

Jakes Canine Remedy, a topical spraydeveloped by aromatherapist FrancesFitzgerald Cleveland, can be sprayed ontoabscessed, infected anal glands. In additionto helping clear infection, inflammation, anditchiness, its essential oils have analgesic

properties that help relieve pain. If one of

A long-time contributor to WDJ and auth

ofThe Encyclopedia of Natural Pet CarNatural Remedies for Dogs and Cats, another books, CJ Puotinen lives in New Yowith her husband, a Lab, and a tabby ca

my dogs had abscessed anal glands, shsays, I would definitely use it.

HomeopathyFor abscessed or infected anal glands, DPitcairn, founder of the Academy of Vetenary Homeopathy and a classically trainhomeopath, recommends Belladonna 6Give one or two pellets every four houfor a total of three treatments, he recommends. Give no food for 10 minutes befoand after treatment. No further homeopath

treatment will be needed for the next 2hours. If your dog is not noticeably improved by then, give Silicea 30C only oncproviding no food for one hour before anone hour after treatment. The Belladonnhelps with the initial inflammation anSilicea promotes the discharge of pus anencourages healing.

An ounce of preventionAnyone who has had to deal with anal glan

problems knows that preventing anal glan problems is well worth the investment time and effort. With the simple methodescribed here, you can help your dog e

joy a comfortable life free from the pain andiscomfort of impacted or infected anglands.

ItItItItIts all a little embars all a little embars all a little embars all a little embars all a little embarrassing, but rrassing, but rrassing, but rrassing, but rrassing, but remember: If it solves the premember: If it solves the premember: If it solves the premember: If it solves the premember: If it solves the problem and problem and problem and problem and problem and prevents thevents thevents thevents thevents thneed for a painful surgery one that does not always have the best results theneed for a painful surgery one that does not always have the best results theneed for a painful surgery one that does not always have the best results theneed for a painful surgery one that does not always have the best results theneed for a painful surgery one that does not always have the best results theholding an herb-soaked washcloth on your dogholding an herb-soaked washcloth on your dogholding an herb-soaked washcloth on your dogholding an herb-soaked washcloth on your dogholding an herb-soaked washcloth on your dogs bottom is as bottom is as bottom is as bottom is as bottom is a goodgoodgoodgoodgood thing!thing!thing!thing!thing!

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BY CJ PUOTINEN

Teach Your Dog to Read

C

No, really! Dogs can be taught to recognize written words as cues.

urling up with a good book? Maybeyour dog would like to read one,too.

Dont laugh. If Bonnie Bergin,EdD, has her way, dogs all over the

world will soon be reading maybe notbooks and articles, but individual words orsets of words strung together.

Now president of the Bonnie BerginAssistance Dog Institute, the worlds onlyacademic college that awards associate and

masters degrees in dog studies, Dr. Berginoriginated the service dog concept when shefounded Canine Companions for Indepen-dence more than 30 years ago.

The dogs she worked with were so in-telligent and responsive that from time totime she thought about teaching them toread. The idea stayed in the back of her minduntil 2002, when she began a canine read-ing experiment.

Now she has written a book,Teach Your Dog to Read: A Unique Step-by-StepProgram to Expand Your Dogs Mind and

Strengthen the Bond Between You, whichinvites everyone to join her.Its an exciting project, she says, be-

cause were on the brink of a revolution.

Dogs who can read are the dogs of the fu-ture.

In the future that Dr. Bergin envisions,dogs and their human companions will havea means of communicating that goes farbeyond whats possible now.

Dogs may, for example, combine theirexceptional sense of smell with their abil-ity to read and help medical doctors identifyspecific diseases, such as different types ofcancer.

Service dogs working with the visuallyimpaired will be able to recognize and lookfor exit signs, appropriate restroom signs,and other important markers.

Pet dogs will recognize and pay atten-tion to signs that warn them away fromfurniture or kitchen counters, just as theywill look for signs that invite them to re-lieve themselves in designated areas athighway rest stops.

Dogs participating in reading programswith children, adolescents, or adults willinspire and encourage those who are strug-

gling to read by showing how they arelearning to read themselves.Most important, she says, will be the

deepening of everyday communication be-tween dogs and their humans. I have beentraining my own dogs to go to posted signssaying water, treat, orpet me , to tell me whatthey want, says Dr. Bergin. Were still inthe early stages of this two-way communi-cation, but it has incredible implications.Dogs who can read will find it much easierto share information, and the possibilitiesare endless. In every way, teaching your dogto read can help your dog be a smarter, bet-ter companion, and it will deepen andstrengthen the bond that connects you.

How to get startedPuppies raised at the Assistance Dog Insti-tute are introduced to the written word at

just a few weeks of age. They literally growup reading. But while puppies and youngerdogs may have an easier time learning toread, its never too late (assuming that vi-

TRAINING

sion problems dont interfere) to teach olddogs new words. Your first reading lessoncan be this very afternoon. All you need aryour dog, yourself, and a sheet of paper.

For those who would like to use DrBergins flash cards, her printed cues ancartoon stick figures can be downloadedfrom her website (see Resources, pag24). But you can make your own flash cardby printing words by hand in large, darkblock letters or by using your computerlargest, darkest font (avoid fonts withsquiggles, serifs, or other elaborations)Print one word or cue per page in black inkon plain white paper, printed sideway(landscape orientation). You can laminatthe cards for durability.

Begin with a cue that your dog knowwell. But dont start with sit, she suggestsEveryone always starts every training session with sit, and its a pattern dogs com

TM



Make flash cards for the five

behaviors your dog knows best

and start teaching your dog to

read.

Work in short sessions, progress

slowly, and give high-value

rewards for success.

Think of different ways to

incorporate reading into your

dogs life and training.

TRAINING

Assistance dogs for people who hav Assistance dogs for people who hav Assistance dogs for people who hav Assistance dogs for people who hav Assistance dogs for people who hav

difficulty speaking would be wonderfudifficulty speaking would be wonderfudifficulty speaking would be wonderfudifficulty speaking would be wonderfudifficulty speaking would be wonderfucandidates for reading lessons.candidates for reading lessons.candidates for reading lessons.candidates for reading lessons.candidates for reading lessons.

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TO SUBSCRIBE: www.whole-dog-journal.com Copyright 2006, Belvoir Media Group, LLC THE WHOLE DOG JOURNAL |

to expect. I suggest starting with down orsome other command.

Make a list of 5 or 10 cues that your dogresponds to readily when you give a verbalinstruction. Dr. Bergins list includes down,sit, stand, roll (roll halfway over and ex-

pose stomach), turn (spin), shake, speak,bow, up (place paws on the edge of a table,countertop, desk, or wall), kiss, and go tobed. Save behaviors that involve a prop

(such as placing paws up on a table or fetch-ing a particular toy) until the dog is adept atreading other cues, because positioningyourself near a prop is a dead giveaway, andyou want your dog to focus on the card andits word, not on your body language.

We know that dogs can learn to readup to 20 written words, she says, fromthree-letter words that represent the mostbasic commands, to five-letter words thatcall for more dramatic responses, such asshake or speak, to three-word sentencessuch as Get the shoe.

Start in a quiet room with no distractions.Clicker-trained dogs or dogs trained with

positive reinforcement, says Dr. Bergin, aremost likely to offer a variety of behaviorswhen theyre motivated to earn a reward,and motivated dogs who offer different be-haviors learn quickly.

Day one lesson planDr. Bergin recommends following these fivesteps in your first reading lesson (downis a perfect first word) and whenever youintroduce a new word.

1. Get ready.

Hold your flash card in one hand behindyour back. Hold a treat, ball, toy, or otherfavorite reward in the other, or, if youre

holding a clicker, place the reward whereyour dog can see it or knows its there.

Without touching your dog or giving anycues ahead of time, have your dog stand infront of you. Then:

2. Present the card, and

3. Immediately say the cue.

Timing is essential, says Dr. Bergin.Your dog should get a glimpse of the worda split second before you say it. Also, if yourdog is more used to hand signals than ver-

bal commands, give the appropriate signalwith one hand just as you bring the flashcard out from behind your back with theother. Avoid making eye contact with yourdog, as that is a distraction. Look down atthe top of the card or past your dog (see

photo, below left).

4. Hold the card.

Hold the flash card still. Be sure youreholding the sign with your fingers awayfrom its letters. Dont move. Wait for yourdog to lie down.

5. Reward your dog.

As soon as your dog lies down, sayYes! in an enthusiastic, high-pitchedvoice. Dr. Bergin recommends clipping theYes! so that it almost sounds like Yesp!as this will help you say the word faster. Ifyou normally use a clicker to mark the endof a behavior, click as soon as the dog liesdown.

While saying Yes! or clicking, movethe card behind your back or set it on a tablewhere your dog cant see it. Leaving the cardin sight is like repeating a cue after yourdog has already performed the behavior.

Reward your dog with praise, a vigor-ous pet, a food treat or toy, or all of these sothat he feels appreciated and looks forwardto doing this again.

Repeat the exercise by doing the samefive steps in exactly the same way. Thenrepeat it again.

During the fourth run-through, if yourdog has been responding readily to the ver-

bal cue, present the card but dont say anthing or give a hand signal. Instead, just hothe card in front of you. Dont jiggle or mothe card. Hold still, exactly as you did the previous exercise.

If your dog hesitates for more than a feseconds or seems confused, go back to st3 and say the word down or give yohand signal. With time and practice, youlearn whether its more helpful to repeat

cue or to wait and let your dog figure it ouAs soon as he lies down without an

prompting from you in response to of tdown card, celebrate! Now is the time fover-the-top treats, praise, and enthusiastrewards.

Dogs love, need, and crave emotionsays Dr. Bergin. Thats why I prefer thword Yes! to the click of a clicker. Chargfeelings, preferably positive feelings, reiforce behavior. So shower your dog wi

praise.End todays practice session on a hig

note and continue tomorrow. Limit eacdays training to six to nine exercises pflash card, no more than 15 minutes totaWith young puppies, do considerably lesworking in shorter sessions.

Introducing a second andthird wordTo determine whether your dog is ready fa new word, test her to see if she respondto the down flash card without a verb

prompt or hand signal three out of fitimes.

To introduce a new word, such as sitfollow the same five steps as before.Most dogs anticipate the card that th

already learned, so dont be surprised if yodog lies down. If that happens, dont corect or punish her. Simply move bacencouraging your dog to follow, and repethe sequence of actions.

Many dogs sit before lying down, so this happens, you have a split second which to click or say Yes! while she still sitting.

As soon as your dog successfully siremove the card and reward her. Do thexercise two or three more times to reiforce the sit cue.

Now that your dog recognizes the wosit, start to mix things up. Without breakinstride or indicating in any way that somthing different is about to happen, show hthe word down without saying anything.

Most dogs respond correctly by lyindown, says Dr. Bergin. They get it! Thcan discriminate between the two words.

Dogs can also be trained to recognize andDogs can also be trained to recognize andDogs can also be trained to recognize andDogs can also be trained to recognize andDogs can also be trained to recognize andrespond to pictographs, as demonstratedrespond to pictographs, as demonstratedrespond to pictographs, as demonstratedrespond to pictographs, as demonstratedrespond to pictographs, as demonstratedby Chloe, a thrby Chloe, a thrby Chloe, a thrby Chloe, a thrby Chloe, a three-yearee-yearee-yearee-yearee-year-old therapy dog-old therapy dog-old therapy dog-old therapy dog-old therapy dogand her ownerand her ownerand her ownerand her ownerand her owner, author CJ Puotinen., author CJ Puotinen., author CJ Puotinen., author CJ Puotinen., author CJ Puotinen.

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Opinions About No Reward Markers Vary

your dog responds this way, con-gratulations are in order. Give aresoundingly positive Yes! andbe generous with praise and high-value food treats.

If your dog doesnt recognizethe difference between sit anddown, practice with each card afew more times and help out withverbal cues if needed. If your dog

offers an incorrect behavior, eitherignore the behavior or say Noin a calm, serious, low-key voice.Saying No in this way tells thedog that this isnt the behavior youwant, so try something else. Put alot of emotion into your Yes!whenever your dog does something cor-rectly, and keep emotion out of your Nowhen she does something else. (See Opin-ions About No Reward Markers Vary,below.)

End on a positive note when your dog

does the behavior you asked for, with orwithout a verbal cue, and you make a bigfuss and continue tomorrow. Limit eachdays training to about six to nine exercises

with each card, and with puppies, do less.Its important to stop while youre

ahead, says Dr. Bergin. Its easy to be-come enthused, especially if your dogcatches on fast, but if you push too hard,youll exhaust your dog, feel disappointed,

and youll both burn out. The best thing youcan do is end early, end on a high note, andlet your dogs mind grapple with this newchallenge while sleeping. A good nights rest

can improve the next days performance.

Continue to work in shortraining sessions. When your doknows three words, start mixinthem up and present them randomly. Always be sure your doresponds correctly to each worat least three out of five times before adding a new word. Use th

same procedure for introducineach new word.

Be patient, says Dr. BerginWhenever you introduce a newword, your dogs overall performance will decline. Your dogknows sit, down, and stand, bu

when you introduce the card for bow, hforgets everything. This is when readingbecomes an effort for your dog, just as iwas for us when we were kids. Be patientstick to the program, work in short sessionsreview the cards, and give verbal cues a

needed. Your dog will be stretching his minin new ways, and thats hard work. Do everything you can to make the experiencrewarding.

By the third word, many dogs exprestheir frustration by barking or vocalizingDont correct or even acknowledge this, jusignore it.

Motivated dogs may offer every behavior they can think of in an effort to win thtreat or reward. If your dog runs throughher repertoire by sitting, lying down, standing up, spinning around, waving, bowing

rolling over, and so forth, dont smile olaugh. Keep a straight face and calmly ignore or say No to each wrong answer andgive a highly enthusiastic Yes! for eachright one.

Some dogs begin shutting down whenthey feel confused, becoming less physicallactive and offering fewer behaviors. Youhave to counteract that lethargy by being good coach, says Dr. Bergin. Use whatever tools you have to infuse your dog withyour infectious energy and enthusiasm fothe upcoming exercises. Really cheer youdog on, wave favorite treats and toys, anmake the whole experience positive, upbeathappy, and rewarding, not a boring chore.

A lack of interest at the beginning of reading session is a bad sign, suggesting thayour dog may be on the brink of burnout. Ishe turns her head away, walks away, or jusdoesnt want to practice, take a break. If had to choose between burnout or stopping

prematurely, says Dr. Bergin, Id stoprematurely. Put the cards away for a few

In this article, Dr. Bergin describes using the word no in a specific way: as a noreward marker orNRM. This is a unique and neutralsignal that lets the dog knowthat the behavior he is exhibiting is not the desired one, so he should try somethingelse to find the desired behavior, for which he willbe rewarded. Dr. Begin recom-mends keeping any emotion out of your voice when using no in this way, so the

dog is not discouraged, but merely understands that he should try something else.The word is offered as information, not as punishment. A firm No should notsound threatening, angry, frustrated, or disappointed, says Dr. Bergin. Use it toinform, redirect, and guide.

However, the success of the word no as anNRM may hinge on more than justthe owners scrupulousness at saying no in a neutral way. Unfortunately, manydog owners use the word No! to stop their dogs from doing anything the ownerdoesnt like chasing a cat, sniffing a countertop (preparatory to jumping up andsnatching some food, perhaps), barking at someone through the living room win-dow. Thats why some dogs develop an unconscious negative association with theword; it becomes a precursor to being punished, or is experienced by the dog as

punishment itself. When these dogs hear no, even in a neutral tone, they may justgive up, thinking anythingthey do next will be wrong.

If your dog gets the concept of the neutral NRM, and keeps trying variousbehaviors when you mark his incorrect attempts with the word no, youre doing agood job, just as Dr. Bergin describes! However, if he shuts down or stops offer-ing different behaviors when you use the word, try saying it more brightly andcheerfully. Or, better yet, try a different NRM, one without any negative associa-tions for the dog. Some trainers use a word like Oops! which naturally comes outof most peoples mouths cheerfully. Other suggestions include not!, try again!(or just, again!), next!, or cold! (from the childrens game where a persontries to find a hidden object and is told warmer or colder based on his move-ments as he searches).

Is your dog going toIs your dog going toIs your dog going toIs your dog going toIs your dog going toask for a library cardask for a library cardask for a library cardask for a library cardask for a library cardanytime soon? Probablyanytime soon? Probablyanytime soon? Probablyanytime soon? Probablyanytime soon? Probablynot. But how cool wouldnot. But how cool wouldnot. But how cool wouldnot. But how cool wouldnot. But how cool wouldit be if she was able toit be if she was able toit be if she was able toit be if she was able toit be if she was able tospot and alert you tospot and alert you tospot and alert you tospot and alert you tospot and alert you tosigns for restrooms, yoursigns for restrooms, yoursigns for restrooms, yoursigns for restrooms, yoursigns for restrooms, yourfavorite coffee shop, orfavorite coffee shop, orfavorite coffee shop, orfavorite coffee shop, orfavorite coffee shop, orbank Abank Abank Abank Abank ATMs?TMs?TMs?TMs?TMs?

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BY SUSAN WEINSTEIN

Dog Gone Dung

Y

Familiarity with your dogs poop will help you detect illness quickly.

ou can learn a lot about your dogshealth from their poop. Its color,consistency, contents, odor, amount,and frequency can give you valu-able, up-to-date information about

their health. For example, it can provideearly warning that your dogs diet may beunsuitable, or that she may be grappling with

parasites, viruses, unfriendly bacteria, badwater, emotional upset, food allergies, orserious illness.

So try to check it out every day. Dontbe shy! You might use a twig to poke it apart,although picking it up carefully with a bagor scooper may yield a similar opportunityto observe its qualities. This way, youllcome to know whether your dogs poopseems right or wrong, and when you needto do something about it.

Anytime you are not sure of what youreseeing, check with a vet, an expert in ca-nine nutrition, or your reliable home library.Those specialty pet supply shops that ac-tively promote the raw diet and sell

ingredients for it often have staff who arevery well-informed.But theres no getting away from it

competent doggy-doo divination begins athome. And to recognize a problematic poop,we must start with a concept of the idealexcrement.

The perfect poopA dogs feces varies somewhat accordingto whether he eats kibble, canned, or home-

prepared food. But all well-formed dog pooshares certain characteristics. First, healthystool should have a relatively inoffensiveodor. For another, it will typically be brownand of an even, well-digested consistency.

Pet food industry professionals use ascale of 1 to 5 to rate poop quality. Usually,1 means liquid diarrhea, whereas 5 indicates

a hard and dry stool. The industry gener-ally agrees that 4 is ideal, says Claudia A.Kirk, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVN and ACVIM.Dr. Kirk, an associate professor of medi-cine and nutrition in the Department ofSmall Animal Clinical Sciences at the Col-lege of Veterinary Medicine, University ofTennessee, describes the perfect 4 as alight- to dark-brown stool that is well-formed, firm but malleable, moist, and doesnot fall apart when picked up.

Understand that every dog has her ownversion of normal. To be able to distin-

guish the good from the bad, you need toknow your own dogs poop when shes ab-solutely radiantwith good health!

Feces factsPoop is the by-product of the digestive pro-cess. Food is broken down into basic mol-

ecules in the stomach andsmall intestine, enabling thesmall intestine to absorbthem. Enzymes break down

proteins into amino acids,carbohydrates into sugar mol-ecules, and fat into choles-terol and di- and tri-glyceridecomponents.

Food particles not ab-sorbed by the small intestine

pass into the large intestine(the colon), along with gut se-cretions, pancreatic enzymes,bile salts, discarded intestinalcells, mucus, intestinal bacte-ria, secreted water, minerals,

HEALTH

and vitamins. This substance is typicallygreen and soupy.The party is not yet over when this mat

ter (known as the ingesta) reaches thcolon, which absorbs much of the watermany minerals, some vitamins, and mosbile salts. Any food that is still undigested

provides nutrients for the normal microbethat live in the lower gut. Fermentation othese nutrients occurs there, producing volatile (and often smelly) gases, altering th

pH of the colon, and even changing somof the food into short chain fatty acidswhich are very important for the health othe colonic epithelial cells (colonocytes).

Fermentation is a normal part of digestion; it produces essential vitamins such avitamin K. Vitamins, short chain fatty acids, certain minerals, and bile acids arabsorbed across the colon along with largamounts of water. As the leftovers movtoward the rectum, removal of the wateconcentrates the ingesta into what we knowas feces.

TM



Notice your dogs dung. A little

familiarity can teach you a lot.

Observe her poop every day.

Support her digestion naturally

with good food and, when

needed, gentle holistic help.

Dont change your dogs diet

quickly; take it nice and slow to

give her system time to adjust.

Know what kind of stools signal

a need for veterinary assistance.

When unsure of what you see,

ask your vet.

HEALTH

NorNorNorNorNormal poop for each dog varies. Ideallymal poop for each dog varies. Ideallymal poop for each dog varies. Ideallymal poop for each dog varies. Ideallymal poop for each dog varies. Ideally, though, it is, though, it is, though, it is, though, it is, though, it isneither too harneither too harneither too harneither too harneither too hard nor too soft, and not terd nor too soft, and not terd nor too soft, and not terd nor too soft, and not terd nor too soft, and not terribly smellyribly smellyribly smellyribly smellyribly smelly.....

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By the time it comes out of the dog, poopis made up of unabsorbed nutrients, cells,bile pigments, volatile fatty acids and or-ganic compounds, mucus, water,electrolytes, and additional metabolic waste

products.

Factors affecting stool qualityHow wonderful it would be if we could cata-log wayward types of feces and simply

cross-reference them to find out whether adog needs a new diet, more exercise, a par-ticular remedy, or a medical procedure!

Unfortunately, poop defies neat and tidyclassification. Problem poop can give us ahelpful heads-up about a dogs possible illhealth, but taken as a sign by itself it canrarely pinpoint the cause or severity of the

problem, since there is huge overlap acrossthe disorders, states Dr. Kirk.

All kinds of things can upset the diges-tive system:

Food digestibility

Innate bacterial population Intestinal disease Toxins Pharmaceuticals Botanicals (herbs) Vitamin supplements Nutritional oils

Nutraceuticals Food allergy or intolerance Vaccination Exercise Emotional stressHow can we tell the difference between

feces affected by what a dog ingests as op-posed to those reflecting the presence ofviruses, bacterial infections, parasites, sys-temic or organ disease or failure?

Unfortunately, (the latter) will look just likepoop from dietary indiscretion, food aller-gies, and so forth, Dr. Kirk says. So weneed to look at all of these different factors.

Food digestibility

The amount of food molecules enteringthe colon depends on a variety of factors.One is the dogs ability to digest an other-wise satisfactory meal. Another is theinherent digestibility of the food provided.If the diet is digestible, fewer molecules endup in the colon and fermentation is mini-

mal. But when lots of undigested nutrientsenter the lower small intestine and colon,fermentation can be profuse.

Whereas the colon normally extractswater from digested food, changing it fromliquid into something solid and well-formed,the production of large amounts of gas and

short chain fatty acids, when severe, wdraw water back into the colon. This is tsame process that occurs in people wilactose intolerance producing gadiarrhea, and flatulence, Dr. Kirk explain

Doggy diets vary considerably concering contents, combinations of foodstufand degrees of processing. Nevertheless, DKirk offers a few generalizations abosome common pet food ingredients that ca

affect stool quality.Fibers constitute an important comp

nent of the diet. Some are fermentable anothers are not. The type, amount, water solbility, water holding capacity, anfermentation rate of a fiber source signifcantly affects stool quality.

However, opinions differ about goosources of fiber for dogs. Dr. KarLilienthal, companion animal specialist anlecturer in Companion Animal Science the University of Nebraska in Lincolrecommends oats, carrots, and brassi

vegetables such as broccoli. She likes bepulp, since about half ferments in the guwhere its easily broken down by friendbacteria, and because the indigestible haimproves the stool quality.

Jennifer Lennon, founder of HealthPaws, a Toronto company that produces ra

How a Dogs Life-Stage Can Affect His or Her StoolFemales in estrusSome think the hormonalcycle of intact females

affects their digestivesystems. Othersobserve no differ-ences when femalesare in season.

Pregnant damsDuring the first sixweeks, the stool shouldnot change. As femaleseat more during the lastfew weeks of pregnancy,theyll have a greateramount of stool. This maybe loose. Diarrhea maybe seen before or after

the mother gives birth.Stools become blackishafter mothers eat placen-tal material.

Nursing mothersLactating moms some-times have looser stools.Their poop may also belighter in color, a result ofgreater fluid intake.

Nursing puppiesHealthy nursing pups tendto produce soft feces of apudding consistency andlight yellow to light browncolor.

Formula-fedpuppiesThese puppies poop

should be similar to thatof nursing puppies. Butformulas may producediarrhea and very frequentdefecation. The culprit isoften feeding manage-ment issues such asgiving cold formula, over-feeding, and usingcontaminated feedingequipment.

Teething puppiesSometimes these littleones have softer, less

formed stools. Thestress of dentitioncould be a cause.

Weaning puppiesWhile they adjust to solidfoods, puppies may atfirst have looser stools.But as they complete thetransition, their fecestypically become firmerand darker in color. Dur-ing this period, pupsoften experience changesand emotional stress thatalso cause diarrhea.

Young dogs(up to a year old)Young dogs may be gas-sier than older dogs andhave smellier poop. Thiscould be due to thestress of continuingphysical and emotionalchanges in their lives, orpossibly because the

gastrointestinal tract isstill developing.

Spayed orneutered adultsAlthough spaying andneutering doesnt appearto affect poop quality, Dr.Karr-Lilienthal indicatesthat stress at the time ofthe surgery (as with anyother veterinary proce-dure) could cause anepisode of diarrhea.

Senior dogsMany adult dogsproduce goodstool even

as theyage. Butothers in theirelder years maytend toward dryerpoop and constipa-tion. Possiblecauses includedrinking less wa-ter, being overfed byan owner who hasnt

yet realized the seniordog needs fewer calo-ries, and related

obesity. Another factorwould be getting lessexercise due either toarthritis or to thecalmer energy andgreater focus of thegolden years.

Any dogsRegardless of life-stage(unless its a puppywho has diarrhea), if anadult dogs poop strays

from the norm fora day or so, itshould not be

cause for alarm(with urgentexceptions; seepage 18). Butwhen poop issignificantly andpersistently lessthan perfect, itsimportant to try toget a handle onthe cause.

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diets for dogs and cats, favors ground wholeblack oil sunflower seeds, including thehulls; ground whole veggies, particularlyroots such as beets and carrots; and groundwhole pumpkin seeds.

Corn often gets blamed for causing vo-luminous, gloppy stools. However, Dr.Karr-Lilienthal believes that the story is alittle more complicated. Corn has a badreputation partly because its a fairly com-

mon food allergen, she says. She believesthat while corn offers some nutritive bene-fits when used to provide fiber, a problemarises when pet food companies use corn or other cereal grains as aprimary sourceofprotein.

On this basis, she says theres a positivecorrelation between the amount we pay forour dogs nutrition and its quality. Thecheapest foods, such as generic store-brandsand others, are usually formulated with in-expensive plant-derived proteins; their fibersources may be low-cost wheat middlings

or peanut hulls. The nutrients in foodstuffslike these arent readily available to the ani-mal, she warns.

Its actually more cost-effective to feeda more expensive, higher quality diet. Youhave to feed a lotmore of those really cheapfoods to get the right amount of nutrientsinto your animal. As a result, more comesout the other end that theyre not able toutilize. Sometimes those animals are moregassy, too, because of the poorly digested

proteins reaching the large intestine a lotof odor comes from that.

But not all plant proteins create the sameproblems. Soy is highly digestible; its issue(besides being another common allergen)is that its carbohydrates are too fermentableand can cause flatulence.

Dr. Karr-Lilienthal believes that dogsneed a minimum of 4 percent good qualityfiber; most pet foods provide a range of 4to 10 percent. A raw diet that regularly in-cludes ground whole vegetable matter willmore than meet this requirement.

Bacterial population

The bacteria that inhabit a dogs gut playan important role in her foods digestion andfermentation. The balance of intestinal bac-teria is affected by both diet and drugs suchas antibiotics.

Over time, intestinal bacteria adapt asmuch as they can to what the individual dogeats. A dog who dines on the same brandand type of commercial food daily will nor-mally adapt to that diet and produceconsistent stools.

In contrast, the poop of dogs who regu-larly consume a variety of foods, as thosewho feast on raw victuals usually do, tells asomewhat different story. The stool quality

of such a dog usually falls within a consis-tent range of whats normal for thatindividual.

In either case, changing the diet tooquickly or adding something new can causebacterial overgrowth and excessive fermen-tation, resulting in diarrhea. This is why itsimportant to allow a dog time to adjust tonew ingredients in the diet, or to new brandsor types of commercial foods.

Intestinal disease

Any disease that affects the intestine,

whether caused by parasites, malabsorption,ulcers, tumors, food allergies, bacteria, vi-ruses, or other culprits, can contribute tovomiting and altered stool.

Toxins

Toxins can come from many sources. Normal foods, plants, excess bile salts,metabolic by-products, and even the dogsown bacteria can produce them. Toxins canblock absorption, alter motility, destroynormal intestinal cells needed for digestion,and stimulate cells to secrete excess waterand electrolytes, all of which can create

problem poop.Keep in mind that any time your dog has

a persistently abnormal stool, seek profes-sional advice early.

Pharmaceuticals

Anything that upsets the tummy can af-fect stool quality. Chemotherapeutic drugsand laxatives (obviously!) are good ex-amples. Antibiotics commonly disrupt the

normal intestinal bacterial population, producing side effects such as diarrhea. Opioidoften cause constipation. Medications containing iron may cause constipation and

darken the stool.There are too many examples to list here

Always find out about the possible unintended effects ofany drug before you givit to your dog!

Botanicals (herbs)

Again, the possibilities are many. Somherbs may cause toxicity in an individuaanimal depending upon the dosage and othefactors. Others, like nettle, alfalfa, or flaxseed, may cause digestive upset (anddermatological reactions) if given in larg

quantities.As with drugs, learn all you can beforusing any herb, and administer it responsibly.

Vitamin supplements

Supplemented in appropriate amountsvitamins shouldnt cause a problem. However, Wendell O. Belfield, DVM, and otherfollowing his lead recommend using thsodium ascorbate or calcium ascorbate formof vitamin C. This is because the ascorbiacid form is hard on some dogs stomachsOil-based vitamins, such as E and A, maysoften stools as oils tend to do. Large doseof B vitamins may cause stomach upset anvomiting or, less commonly, diarrhea.

Nutritional oils

Large amounts of oils (for example, flaxfish, corn, and others) will cause greasystools and possibly diarrhea if added tooquickly or if given in excess. Introduce themgradually to your dogs diet.

Frequency, meaning how often a healthy dog poops, depends on the amount of fiberin the diet, according to Dr. Lisa Karr-Lilienthal. An adequate amount of goodquality fiber makes a dog more regular, as it does in humans, she says. Typically,we can expect a dog to have one to two bowel movements a day.

But like consistency, frequency varies according to what type of food the dogeats, and again within each food type. Dr. Karr-Lilienthal raises a concern aboutsome of the better commercial diets those that have a greater animal protein-to-

fiber ratio than others may at the same time contain insufficient fiber to promoteregularity. Dogs who eat super-premium commercial kibble or canned foods maytherefore pass stool as infrequently as every other day. This contrasts with dogs onraw diets that have a high fiber-to-protein ratio; they tend to poop more often.

Again, fiber quality makes a difference. And so do other factors such as suffi-cient water intake; the amount of water a dog drinks each day and the level ofmoisture in the diet itself both come into play.

What Frequency Is Normal?

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Nutraceuticals

Some will cause diarrhea. MSM, ursodiol,SAM-e, and chondroitin sulfates have re-

portedly caused GI upset in some dogs.Again, introducing them slowly may help.

Food allergy or intolerance

Food allergy or intolerance can cause in-termittent to frequent vomiting, diarrhea,weight loss, loss of appetite, itchy skin or

ears, eosiniphilic plaques, and a number ofless common disorders. Feces quality canrange from normal to diarrhea and with orwithout mucus or blood, depending on theseverity of the allergy and what part of theintestinal tract is most affected. Stools willoften be lighter in color, and diarrhea obvi-ous, but not always.

Vaccination

According to Dr. Kirk, a dog should notnormally have a stool change immediatelyfollowing vaccination; a reaction may indi-

cate an allergic reaction to the vaccine. Thiswould usually produce diarrhea that may ormay not include mucus or blood, and (or)vomiting, vasculitis, and hives. She statesthat vaccines for leptospirosis and rabies aremost commonly associated with this kindof reaction.

Note that allergic reactions and vaccineanaphylaxis have many other clinical signs,including acute respiratory distress anddeath or, later, immune-mediated phenom-ena such as thrombocytopenia or anemia.If you observe any change that makes you

suspicious of an allergic reaction followingany vaccination, inform your vet right away.Subsequent exposures tend to get worse andcould result in death.

Exercise

Dogs need regular exercise fortheir digestive health. Not enough

physical activity can encourageconstipation, as it does in people.But suddenly increasing a dogs ex-ercise level can cause diarrhea andlead to dehydration, according toDr. Karr-Lilienthal, because it re-ally stresses the animal out(physically). Instead, slowly buildtheir condition.

Emotional stress

Never underestimate the effectsofemotionalstress on a dogs well-being and digestive processes, nomatter what her age. As Dr. Karr-Lilienthal says, Anytime a dog is

stressed hes more likely to have diarrhea.Dogs are very emotional creatures!

Common dung disordersand how to treat themThere is also quite a long list of the ways inwhich a dogs poop can diverge from a nor-mal appearance and consistency:

Diarrhea and loose stool Constipation and dry stool

Dog is straining Poop that is flat on one side Greasy feces Extreme bad odor Absence of stool Odd colors Odd contents Poop contains hair Feces contains mucusWhile treatment for these conditions will

vary based on the individual and the sever-ity and duration of the abnormal poo, thefollowing are some generalized descriptions

and treatment recommendations.

Diarrhea and loose stool

Diarrhea is the most common sign ofdigestive disturbance. While its often oflittle concern, it can be serious. Diarrheascauses are almost infinite, including infec-tions, an ill-suited diet (one containingingredients that the dog is allergic to or in-tolerant of), emotional upset, ingestion oftoxic or bacterial-laden substances, worms,and many more. A lot of dogs cant digestthe lactose in milk products and get diar-

rhea from that.Diarrhea results when things move alongtoo quickly for the colon to extract enoughwater for the stool to take form. If it occursonly once or twice and then resolves itself,the dogs body was probably clearing itself

of material that wasinappropriate, irritat-ing, or teeming withunfriendly bacteria.

However, youllneed to be concernedwhen diarrhea is se-vere, contains orsmells of blood, con-tains raspberry-jamlike mucus, is ac-companied by othersigns of illness, orcontinues for morethan a couple ofdays. In these cases,it could be tellingyou either that the

diet is wrong for the dog or that the domay be perhaps urgently ill. Even in ledramatic cases, dehydration is always a dager with diarrhea; and chronic diarrhea clead to malabsorption and long-term deradation of health.

In general, if diarrhea appears simpand uncomplicated with no other symptomwait a day or two. Provide plenty of wateGive your dogs immune system a chan

to do its work. Think about what she mighave gotten into that she shouldnt have. the diarrhea doesnt clear up, start lookinto either the diet or illness for answers.

Consult with a vet anytime you see aditional symptoms, after two days with nimprovement, or immediately if your youn

puppy has the runs.

Constipation and dry stool

Possible causes for constipation inclufeeding a very high-fiber diet to a dog whdoesnt drink enough water to hydrate th

fiber; lots of bone meal in the diet; irosupplements; opioid drugs, or consumptioof indigestible items like wool, hair, plamaterial, rocks, or kitty litter. Lack of execise, obesity, diseases that decrease watintake or increase output (such as diabeterenal disease, liver problems, etc.), and h

pothyroidism can all cause constipation.More possible causes of constipatio

include neoplasia (growths) in the GI tramotility disorders, and abnormal anatomAnatomic issues such as a broken pelvnarrow pelvic canal, rectal or anal stricture

perineal hernias, and an enlarged prostacan constipate a dog. Any pain, includinpostural, can discourage a dog from defecaing. A dog locked in the house all day maalso become constipated from holding onfeces too long.

Ideally, every dog should have availaba source of fresh water at all times. This true even for dogs who eat raw diets ancanned foods, which contain lots of moiture. However, if youre gone all day oryou crate your dog (and especially if yofeed dry kibble), provide water in the moring and assure unrestricted access to it the evening and at night, so that he can drinuntil satisfied.

See if you can arrange things so thyour dog is not alone and indoors all daOld dogs, especially, need enough fiber their food and a predictable routine to su

port their regularity.For constipation, well-known anim

herbalists Mary Wulff-Tilford and GreTilford suggest offering organic, liv

Black or tarry stool mayBlack or tarry stool mayBlack or tarry stool mayBlack or tarry stool mayBlack or tarry stool mayindicate bleeding in theindicate bleeding in theindicate bleeding in theindicate bleeding in theindicate bleeding in theupperupperupperupperupperGIGIGIGIGI tract.tract.tract.tract.tract.

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cultured yogurt. If the dog is straining, theyrecommend ground flaxseed, psyllium husk,or marshmallow root to lubricate theintestines; give 1/4 tsp. of any of these herbsfor each 20 pounds of body weight plus lotsof water. Fresh chickweed may also help.

If constipation is chronic, reevaluatewhat youre feeding your dog. If the diges-tive system has suffered long-term damage,youll need to do further research for more

lasting solutions. Thoroughly check out thesafety of any herb or drug you consider giv-ing to a pregnant animal.

Should people give their dogs human-style laxatives for constipation, or drugs fordiarrhea? Not without your veterinariansinput and instructions for appropriate dose,cautions Dr. Kirk, because:

1) Some of the most familiar drugs for hu-mans are toxic in dogs and cats. Forexample, the common painkiller Tylenol cancause acute liver failure in both animals.

2) Some medications may contain otherdrugs that pets shouldnt have, but they arelisted in a form that owners would not rec-ognize.

3) Determining the correct dose for a dogis more complicated than it appears. Onedoes not necessarily scale up and down drugdoses on the basis of weight alone. On topof that, there are species differences in tol-erance and doses. So while Kaopectate,Lomotile, and Pepto-Bismol can be usedunder certain circumstances, Dr. Kirk says,check with your vet first to make sure ofthe correct dose, and that the drug does not

interact with other disease conditions ormedications the pet may be taking.

4) Over-the-counter human drugs are de-signed to be used for 1 to 2 days, oftenfollowing a dietary indiscretion. Long-termuse is not advocated.

From a holistic view, its far better tolook for and deal with the cause of poorstool quality or digestive unpleasantnessinstead of using a drug to control or pre-vent symptoms. For short-term distur-

bances, such as uncomplicated constipationor diarrhea, fasting is often the best answer.

Dr. Kirk advises, For dogs with dietaryindiscretion, a 24-hour fast with only clearliquids, followed by slow reintroduction of

the normal food, or starting with a blandiet such as cottage cheese and rice, or giving a therapeutic intestinal diet, works bettethan drugs. A number of holistic dog carbooks describe how to fast a dog safely, reintroduce foods afterward, and creatnatural therapeutic intestinal diets.

Straining

Anything that causes constipation coul

cause straining, plus any inflammation othe colon, rectum, or perianal region. Alsseen with lower urinary tract disease. Youmust figure out whether the straining is related to defecation or urination, as urinaryobstruction can be rapidly fatal.

Poop that is flat on one side

An enlarged prostate can press againsa male dogs rectum, causing him to strainand then pass a stool that appears flat oone side due to squeezing past the obstacleIt may also have a squishy or mushy con

sistency, for the same reason. If you seone-side-flattened feces, have your dog

prostate checked.

Greasy feces

A sign that your dog is not digesting thfat in his food. If it continues, look into possible causes of malabsorption, includin

pancreatic trouble, parasites, or others.

Extremely stinky

Excessively stinky stools can occur foa variety of reasons. In Dr. Kirks experi

ence, high meat diets typically produce thworst odor due to the skatols and sulfideproduced during meat breakdown.

In contrast, Lennon has found that withappropriate raw fare, dog poop frequentlyhas almost no odor at all. As with most otheaspects of stool quality, a healthy dog onraw rations may exude a wider array of aromas in her feces than a dog on processedfare, but Lennon has seen dogs on processefood whose stinky poop has become perfectly pleasant after switching to rawcomestibles. Again, the suitability of the dieto the dog and the degree to which the doghas adjusted to the diet will play a cruciarole in the olfactory aspect of doggy-do.

In any case, feces should never s

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