All posts by Dr. Marty Becker

A veterinarian’s guide to greeting dogs in public

Pet Connection

I was with friends in my hometown of Bonners Ferry, Idaho, and we were standing on the porte-cochere of a local hotel’s restaurant. Coming directly at us on a retractable leash was a cute, energetic canine with curly black hair, weighing about 12 pounds. What stood out to me was not his physical appearance, but his emotions: He was clearly anxious and fearful.

He ran around on the end of the retractable leash, zigging and zagging like a marlin hooked off the Baja Peninsula. Like a blinking neon sign, he alternated between relaxing and returning to his anxious, fearful behavior. His owner was oblivious to his fear, anxiety and stress. All he needed was the comfort of a couple of pet lovers, right?

Wrong.

Both of my female friends moved straight for the pooch, leaned over him, stretched out their hands toward his head and with direct eye contact said, “Aren’t you a cute little doggy!”

The dog was in full-blown panic.

For decades, millions of pet lovers have done exactly the same. Taught by parents, grandparents, friends, neighbors and other animal lovers, they learned to show affection for a dog by leaning in, extending a friendly hand and locking eyes in loving contact. But in working with dozens of boarded animal behaviorists, behavior technicians and trainers, I’ve learned that all of that is wrong. All of it!

Here’s how you should greet a dog.

1. Ask. Before you do anything, get the owner’s permission to pet the dog. Not all dogs like meeting strangers.

2. Play hard to get. Don’t rush toward the dog. Move slowly, talk slowly, extend your closed fist slowly. Let the dog choose if he or she wants to interact with you. Debbie Martin, a veterinary technician specialist in behavior and co-author of the “Puppy Start Right” book and preschool curriculum, says: “Let the dog make the first move. Dogs have an incredible sense of smell, and they can smell us from across the street. We do not need to reach our hands into their personal space so they can smell us.”

3. Get small. Looming over a dog can make him feel threatened or fearful. Rather than greeting a dog full-on, as if you’re a store greeter ready to shake hands, turn your body sideways to reduce your profile, thus presenting a smaller perceived threat to the dog.

4. Extend a friendly fist. Once the dog has made the first move and is signaling interest in interacting with you, put out a closed fist down low, and let him make the approach. This is less threatening (and less annoying to the dog) than reaching out with the open palm of your hand and petting him on top of the head.

5. Eyes right. Your mom was right when she told you it was rude to stare. Dogs think it’s rude, too. Don’t make eye contact with a dog. That’s considered a threat in his world. You can glance at him, but let your peripheral vision guide you.

6. Don’t touch the head. Dogs have special places they like to be petted, but the head isn’t one of them. The top of the head is taboo. Along the top of the back isn’t so good, either. The best way to pet a dog is to lightly scratch along the side of the neck, side of the chest, or at the base of the tail.

7. What if a dog doesn’t want to approach you? That’s his business. Be content to admire him from a distance. He’ll appreciate it more than you can imagine.

Read this and more, including how to pick the right litter box for your cat and treating tear stains on white fur, in this week’s Pet Connection!

It’s a Bonners Ferry Halloween to help children, pets!

This and That

To my friends in the Bonners Ferry community,

Can you join Second Chance Animal Adoption in making some Halloween magic for the children of Bonners Ferry while helping our community’s homeless pets at the same time?

We’re blessed to live in the Crown Jewel of the Gem State, the “Friendliest Town” in Idaho. It’s a small town where everybody knows your name, fundraisers punch above their weight, you can’t walk for exercise because people keep wanting to pick you up and give you a lift, and new residents learn to wave hello to strangers. But there are limitations to living in a small town, and that’s why we need your help.

Other than outdoor activities, there’s not a lot for children, teens, and families to do here. The Rex Theater remains closed, we don’t have a year-round pool, and there’s no meeting place for junior high students or teens outside of school.

To help remedy that and provide a fun, exciting, safe annual event, Second Chance Animal Adoption is holding its fifth annual Halloween event at the Animal Shelter & Thrift Store grounds on Friday, October 28, Saturday, October 29, and Monday, October 31.

There are special times for younger children featuring stories and games, and extra-amped-up scary times for those teens and brave adults who like their skin to crawl. There is no charge for admission, but we do accept donations. All proceeds help us to give a second chance to the homeless pets of Bonners Ferry.

Would your business consider a donation to our 2016 Howloween Town event? Sponsors will be listed in all signage and promotional materials, and recognized at the event and on any media where appropriate and possible.

Working together, we can make this event bigger and better, something that will even bring people into town from neighboring areas in Northern Idaho, Montana, and Creston, B.C. We promise the animals will be grateful!

Here’s a list of sponsorship opportunities:

  • $1500 – Diamond
  • $1000- Emerald
  • $ 750 – Ruby
  • $ 500- Sapphire
  • $250 – Pearl
  • Sustaining

Meet the Rockey Burkholder Business Challenge with a Diamond Sponsorship!

An anonymous businessperson has pledged a $1,500 matching challenge for businesses that sponsor the event! He made the donation in honor of Teresa’s brother, Rockey Burkholder, saying Rockey had always been very good to him when he was a little boy growing up here in Bonners Ferry. Meet the challenge and turn $1,500 into $3,000!

You can donate to the general fund or sponsor a specific area or activity such as:

  1. Games Area
  2. Treats
  3. Food for Volunteers
  4. An 8’ booth on the Board Walk – Created and manned by you! (6 available.)
  5. Construction

All of us in Boundary County know what an amazing region it is. Let’s create memories for our children that they’ll treasure long after their children have children! With your help, we can do it!

Please contact Mila Cousins at 208-276-9427 or milasue62@gmail.com with any questions, and let her know you’re on board the Howloween Town Express on behalf of our community, its children, and its pets in need!

Dr. Marty Becker

Never run from doggy danger!

This and That

My brother-in-law is developmentally delayed, and he’s also afraid of dogs. Because he doesn’t drive, he walks all over our hometown of Bonners Ferry. When he walks by a house where a dog growls or rushes to the boundaries of the property, his first instinct is to stare them down or run as fast as he can.

Unfortunately, both those responses are only going to make things worse, or create danger where none really existed. You should never bolt from a dog, because even Olympian Usain Bolt’s highest speed is only a match for a dog’s average 22 MPH. And chasing can sometimes trigger a dog’s prey drive, which can make you seem like a human chew toy and send you to the ER.

The best piece of advice I can give is to fight down the instinct to run, and instead stand perfectly still. Cross your arms to your chest to make yourself appear smaller and less threatening and avoid eye contact at all costs. If you have to move away, do so slowly while backing up – don’t turn around while retreating.

What if you’re not running from a dog, but just out jogging? Many dogs are drawn to fast-moving people

If you’re jogging, biking, or skateboarding and see a dog you’re uncertain of, slow down to a walking pace, or stop. If you’re on a bike, dismount without making eye contact with the dog and keep the bike between you.

Recently, my daughter, Mikkel, was out with a Beagle who got loose from his family. The dog was fixated and chasing after a skateboarder. The person on the skateboard was incredibly dog savvy. Instead of continuing to skateboard and having the dog chase after him (the dog would have been right on his heels, and it would have been a scenario of high excitement and chase where a nip could have happened) he instead stopped, picked up his skateboard and stood completely still. It stopped the dog who was suddenly far less interested and could be picked up and secured and taken away. Then, once the dog was secured he continued on his way. Smart kid!

It can be extremely difficult to overcome the urge to flee danger, but when faced with a possibly threatening dog, the advice to “be a tree” is your best bet for safety.

Human and veterinary medical pros team up to prevent obesity in pets, people

Veterinary Medicine

How can pets and people battle the epidemic of obesity affecting both groups? By being more powerful together than separately!

The One Health concept recognizes that the health of humans is connected to the health of animals and the environment, requiring interdisciplinary teams to address today’s One Health challenges.

The One Health Committee of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) in collaboration with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is partnering on a symposium entitled “Preventing Obesity in People and Their Pets: A One Health Approach” at the Emory Conference Centre in Atlanta, Georgia, from November 9-11, 2016.

At the event, co-speakers from veterinary and human medicine will explore the relationship between obesity and disease in humans and pets, together with the societal costs, behaviour and psychology of obesity. Co-speakers will also discuss One Health-focused initiatives which can be used as potential solutions to the growing obesity crisis in people and pets.

The Symposium will be chaired by Professor Michael Day, Chairman of the WSAVA’s One Health Committee (OHC). “Obesity in pets and people is a significant challenge facing the global One Health programme. We hope our symposium will lead to doctors and veterinarians working together to promote a world in which regular activity, a balanced diet, and healthy weight are part of every family and their pet’s life,” Professor Day said.

He added: “The WSAVA OHC is excited to host this major new initiative to mark the conclusion of our Phase II activities at the end of 2016. We are very grateful for the support of our existing sponsors for this event: Clinicians’ Brief, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Mars Pet Care and Nestlé Purina.”

Additional information and a registration link can be found on the WSAVA Preventing Obesity in People and Their Pets: A One Health Approach website.

This post was prepared from materials provided by WSAVA.

 

The stress-free way to trim a puppy’s toenails

Pet Connection, Veterinary Medicine,

Are you afraid to trim your puppy’s toenails? This is something you want to get right, or you’ll be setting yourself up for a lifetime of difficulties when it’s pedicure time. I teamed up with my daughter, trainer Mikkel Becker, to answer a reader’s nail clipping question.

Q: I just got a new puppy, and I’m afraid to trim her nails. I “quicked” my previous dog once, and I still shudder when I remember the screaming and the blood. How can I do it right?

A: Ouch! We feel your pain — and your former dog’s. But now is your chance to redeem yourself and set your puppy’s paws on the path to good walking condition. Here’s how to get started.

First, get the right size clippers for your dog. Ask your veterinarian, a professional groomer or the dog’s breeder to recommend an appropriate pair that’s not too large and not too small.

Get a lesson. Your veterinarian, a veterinary technician or a professional groomer can demonstrate the best technique to use.

The goal is to trim off the dead part of the nail without hitting the quick — the blood vessel that feeds the nail. If your dog has white nails, the quick is usually pretty easy to see — it’s the dark line you see running through the middle of the nail. It can be more difficult to spot if your dog has dark nails, but shining a penlight on the nail will often highlight it.

Trimming just before the nail curves is usually the best way to avoid quicking a dog. Hold your puppy’s paw firmly in one hand, and use your dominant hand to trim the nail. Do just one or two at a time, taking off just a small amount to make sure you don’t hurt her. If necessary, a spouse, child or friend can distract her with a spoonful of peanut butter.

Clip nails often, not only to keep them short, but also to accustom your dog to having her feet handled. How can you tell if the nails are at a good length? They shouldn’t touch the ground when your dog is standing.

More, including how to help pets and people as temperatures climb, in this week’s Pet Connection!