All posts by Dr. Marty Becker

Marty and QT Pi Happy Paws

Happy Paws magazine is finally here!

Fear Free

It’s hard to believe this day is here, but it is: Happy Paws magazine from Fear Free Happy Homes is on newsstands across the country!

I championed this magazine for the same reason I founded Fear Free, because I don’t believe animals should have to live with fear, anxiety, and stress. Thanks to advancements in the field of animal behavior and the skill and dedication of veterinary behaviorists, we know how to treat and prevent separation anxiety, boredom, stress, noise phobias, destructiveness, and more. What’s more, we understand the importance of ensuring our pets have activity, mental stimulation, and joy in their daily lives.

Putting all that informatino together in a way that pet owners can find and use, as well as focusing on those ideas that are supported by science, is a big job. But we couldn’t think of anything more worth the effort than improving the lives of pets and their people. That’s why we partnered with Meredith Publications — the folks who bring you PEOPLE, Real Simple, Family Circle, and many other magazines — to get this out into supermarkets, bookstores, and everywhere magazines are sold.

From an exploration of how dogs think to how to deepen the bond with your pet to the topic of toys, it’s all powered by the world’s top experts in behavior, training, cognition, and enrichment. What’s more, every one of us is a pet lover just like you. Our dogs and cats sleep on our beds. We sneak them treats. And (at least speaking for myself) we let them give us slobbery kisses.

Please pick up a copy on your newsstand today, and join us in celebrating, protecting, and nurturing that special connection we call the human-animal bond while bringing comfort and joy to our pets and to ourselves!

Not a fan of buying “off the rack”? No problem. You can also order Happy Paws online, and have it delivered right to your door!

Victoria Stilwell and Dr. Marty Becker

Join us to prevent dog bites

Companies That Help Animals, Fear Free, , , ,

Dog attacks are a nationwide issue and pose a double tragedy to the victim and the fate of the dog.

In 2018, there were 17,300 dog bite insurance claims and 670,000 dogs were euthanized. The CDC reports nearly 350,000 people were treated at hospital emergency rooms for dog-related injuries in 2017. Children and babies are at the highest risk for injury.

National Dog Bite Prevention Week is April 7 –13, and Fear Free and I are joining State Farm, the AVMA, and other organizations in helping spread the word about how to make our communities safe for humans and our canine family members alike.

I’m at the Anti-Cruelty Society in Chicago right now with Heather Paul from State Farm, trainer Victoria Stilwell, and members of the Dog Bite Prevention Coalition.

We’ll be bringing you two Facebook Live events today, one at 4 p.m. Eastern Time on Victoria’s Facebook page, and one at 8 p.m. Eastern from mine.

Additionally, on April 8, you are invited to attend a frere webinar on preventing dog bites with Victoria and Heather. All the details you need to join us are here!

red dog's eyes

How a dog’s eyesight really works

Veterinary Medicine

Why can the same dog who barks his head off at the slightest leaf blowing across the grass seem not to see the treats on the floor right in front of him? It’s all in the mystery of canine vision. Here’s how I explained it to a reader who had questions.

Q: I can throw treats on the floor right in front of my dog, and he never sees them. Why is that?

A: In some respects, dogs have great vision. Their eyes are adapted to help them see better in low light, for instance. And sighthounds bear that moniker because of their ability to detect motion at a distance, thanks to a long, narrow head that gives them a greater field of vision. They also benefit from a “visual streak,” an elongated area in the retina that provides a panoramic view of their surroundings and excellent peripheral vision. The average dog has a visual field of approximately 250 degrees, while brachycephalic dogs such as pugs have a visual field of approximately 220 degrees. Sighthounds? Their visual field is as much as 290 degrees.

But why can’t your dog see treats right in front of his nose? Canine eyes are set more on the side of the head. While that gives the average dog better peripheral vision than that of humans — although maybe not as good as that of a sighthound — it impedes depth perception. Most dogs have difficulty seeing things that are closer than about 10 inches, especially if those objects aren’t moving. And what the dog sees is not as clear as it is to a human, partly because dogs see fewer colors with less vivid contrast.

Interestingly, one study found that most dogs are neither significantly near-sighted or far-sighted. Two breeds that showed a greater incidence of near-sightedness were German shepherds and Rottweilers.

The bottom line: It’s easier for dogs to detect moving objects rather than something that’s right in front of them that isn’t moving. It’s a good thing they have a keen sense of smell to sniff out those treats.

Read more in Pet Connection, the weekly nationally syndicated pet feature I co-write with Kim Campbell Thornton and my daughter, trainer Mikkel Becker.

Male poodle peeing on tree trunk

How I learned to stop hurrying and let my dog check his pee-mail

Fear Free

Didn’t I read something, perhaps a soliloquy from a doggy Shakespeare who exclaimed from beside a fire-hydrant, “To pee, or not to pee, that is not the question.”? A dog’s motto is to pee frequently with as much volume and elevation as possible.

I long ago coined the now popular term “pee-mail,” which is basically a social media platform (or vertical surface) for canines. While some humans like my 94-year-old mother-in-law shun Facebook and Instagram, all dogs use Assbook and Piss-ta-gram. Unlike humans who have to log onto multiple sites and scroll to catch up on all their friend’s news, all a dog needs is a whiff of a very prominent vertical surface such as a tree on the trail, a signpost, or the iconic choice, a fire hydrant.

Unneutered male dogs feel the need to re-mark their own previous pee-mails because urine evaporates and the scent decays. A dog not only has to repaint his territorial signs for his own satisfaction, but also because it tells other dogs coming by who “owns” this territory and how much time has passed since that last individual come by. In my mind, I just think of rival gang members. In territories dogs share, which is just about everywhere you go walking a dog on a leash, everyone has to keep marking and re-marking to establish ownership.

Some dogs do more leg lifts than a kickboxing instructor and have made a career out of marking every real or even imaginary pole, post, tree, bush, or extra tall blade of grass.

While it’s an enrichment activity for dogs to sniff, mark, sniff, mark, and dogs should be given ample time to do so, some dogs take this activity to extremes. Not only does it get annoying, but it’s bad manners on your part to let him stop at every neighbor’s front yard. A good dog trainer can help you find the right compromise, with the perfect number of “sniffs and  lifts,” so both you and your dog can enjoy and be enriched by your walk.

puppy

Does your pup need to gain weight?

News

Obesity is an epidemic in pet dogs and cats, but there are pets who need to gain weight, usually due to a medical problem. So is your “skinny” pup really skinny, or are we just not used to what “normal” looks like? Here are some ideas I offered to a dog owner writing about her new puppy’s weight and diet.

Q: My new puppy is 5 months old and a little on the skinny side. Can you give me some tips on fattening her up? Should I cook for her or just feed her more of her regular food?

A: I’m betting that your puppy isn’t too skinny but instead is just right. When we picture puppies in our minds, the image is usually of a roly-poly fuzzball, but when it comes to growing puppies, being on the thin side is better. Puppies need to grow slowly and steadily. Putting on too much weight too quickly stresses their still-developing bones and joints and can lead to orthopedic problems such as hip dysplasia later in life.

A good rule to live by is “Watch the dog; don’t watch the bowl.” In other words, how the dog looks should tell you whether you’re feeding the right amount. A healthy puppy in good shape looks muscular but not fat.

To gauge your puppy’s overall condition, give him an “eye exam” followed by a hands-on test. Eye your pup from above; he should have a visible waistline when you look down at him. Then put your hands on him, thumbs along the spine and fingers spread downward. You should be able to feel but not see his ribs. If you can see his ribs, feed more.

I’m a big fan of feeding puppies with puzzle toys instead of bowls. Having to put forth some effort for their food keeps dogs from eating too much or too quickly. Put your dog’s normal amount of food in it and let him push, roll or manipulate it in other ways to get the food to fall out. Keep several and rotate them to keep your pup interested and challenge his brain and body.

Read more in Pet Connection, the weekly nationally syndicated pet feature I co-write with Kim Campbell Thornton and my daughter, trainer Mikkel Becker.