#tipsfromtamar

What we mean by HIGH RISK Shelters

We pull many of the dogs in our program from high-risk shelters. Others come from shelter and rescue partners who regularly pull dogs from high-risk shelters. This begs the question, what exactly are we referring to when we talk about high-risk shelters?

“High-risk” is not a legal or formal designation for any shelter, rescue, or other animal-related organization. We use this term to describe places that must euthanize due to constraints on the amount of space they have to house stray and surrendered animals. Any animal in one of these facilities is at higher risk of being euthanized, not as a result of the behavior or breed of the dog, but due to a limitation of space. Hence the colloquial term “high-risk.”  

For example, if a shelter has 45 kennels or runs to house dogs and a 46th dog is surrendered or brought in by animal control, a tough choice needs to be made. If the dog is brought in as a stray, are law protects it for a few days to give the rightful owner a chance to claim the dog. This means that if 15 of 45 dogs are on a stray-hold, the other 30 dogs are at a higher risk when space becomes a concern.  

There are very few “no-kill” shelters in the US, and they are generally referred to as sanctuaries. When a shelter or rescue uses the term “no kill,” they mean less then 10% of all animals that enter the facility are euthanized. These locations try not to euthanize for space, but they will turn dogs away when the shelter is full. This provides some protection so the dogs in their care have the best chance of being adopted. So where do these dogs that get turned away go? They often end up in “open intake” (high risk) shelters, which, by law, cannot turn animals away. They do not, however, have unlimited space or resources.

We need to have open-intake shelters.  We need somewhere for found and unwanted pets to go. We also need to help these shelters and the dogs placed in these situations.

That's where New Leash on Life- USA and small rescues step up and help the dogs and the community. We pull dogs from these high-risk shelters so kennels can be opened up for new dogs entering the system. This reduces the need to euthanize healthy, adoptable dogs. We also pull dogs from other local shelters and rescues who in turn take dogs from higher risk situations into their lower-risk facilities where the dogs have a much better chance of a live release- either permanent adoption or transfer into another organization.

We select our dogs based on a temperament test combined with the dog’s history (if known) and information garnered from shelter staff and volunteers.  We recognize that when we test dogs for our program we are doing so at probably the most stressful point in their lives. Often, volunteers and staff can give us more insight into an animal’s regular behavior then any test can, but we still need to test them. We know there will be other times in their life when they will be stressed, so gauging their reaction under stress gives us useful data points. Once we select our dogs, we are committed to them for the rest of their lives- they will never go back into a shelter. This means our dogs are safe from the risk of euthanasia, and they won’t put other dogs at risk by taking up a kennel or run.

How can you fit training into your busy schedule?

Our handlers in prison have scheduled training time throughout the day to dedicate to their charges.  They also have class with a veterinary technician and a trainer each week- multiple classes that are each 2-3 hours long.  That is a lot of time dedicated to training! On top of that they have their dogs with practically 24/7 for twelve weeks- that's a lot of time!  Most people, unfortunately, do not have that sort of spare time to dedicate to training their pet.

So how can you fit training into your busy schedule?  Taking a weekly training class or planning a few walks with training breaks is great- but not really practical for everyone.  Most people train their puppies stringently and often, but as your dog grows and develops training tends to rapidly dissipate- you’ve already done the grunt work after all in their puppyhood (hopefully!) However, just like with people, skills that aren’t maintained tend to lose their edge and can disappear entirely.  It is important to train your dog throughout their life in order to keep their obedience skills sharp.

One easy way to make sure you are rewarding good behavior and asking your dog to remember their basics is to put 10-15 treats in your pocket each day after work, and be sure to use them before you go to bed.  Don’t use them all at once!  That’s not really fun for you or your dog and might even teach your dog to only listen in short bursts.  Instead, try to give a cue and reward it randomly through out the evening and in different places in your home.  You don’t need to run to the cookie jar or look for a toy each time since you will have a few rewards ready and waiting in your pocket.  This trick will also teach your dog to focus more quickly and readily since they quickly learn that there is always a chance of reward wherever you are.  It also becomes more habitual for you to be aware of your dog and giving them clear communication- it's a win-win!

Long single activity sessions, like working on sit or stay, can be trying for you and your dog.  Most people want to keep working far past when their dog is getting stressed or feeling finished.  Lots of short quick sessions are generally much more satisfying for your dog and can lead to better long term learning- stress inhibits learning so by keeping training fun and stress free your dog will actually develop better retention.  

One way to play with short training sessions is to use commercial breaks.  Write a list of 4-8 cues that you want to work on and use the commercial break of your favorite TV show (if you prefer cooking you can train in between recipe steps while you wait for a pan to heat or water to boil). Each break, calmly cue one or two behaviors and reward with a quick burst of play or a good longer lasting chew to avoid frustration or anticipation on your dog’s side when you get back to your show or to preparing your meal. By the end of your show you should easily be done your list.  Next time you can use the same list in a different order or add higher criteria or even add new cues- keep it fun.  

Summer is a great time to get out and enjoy time with your dog on hikes, beaches, etc. You probably know that you need to stay safe in the summer sun, but did you know that your dog could fall ill to heat stroke too? With the temperatures climbing towards the triple digits it’s really important to keep your pet cool and comfortable.

Going out in the early morning or late evening is one way to avoid the midday temperature spikes, but sometimes you do want to spend the day out with your dog or have your dog join you on vacation.  While some things are pretty common sense: having cool water available, taking breaks, sticking to the shade when possible, etc.… there are a few cool products and ideas that you may not know about yet.

Dogs don’t sweat the way we do so they rely on panting and evaporative cooling to help maintain their body temperature.  This means that they can have a hard time cooling off, especially if they are brachycephalic or have a short muzzle like a pug or bullmastiff. To help your dog’s natural evaporative cooling process you can buy cool coats- sounds counterintuitive to put a coat on your dog in the heat, but cool coats are not exactly what you think they are.  Most cooling coats are reflective to help protect the dog from the suns rays and more importantly they are generally immersed in water prior to being put on the dog.  By wearing a cold wet garment the water will naturally evaporate off and help cool down the dog.  Some version actually have a gel core that you can put in the freezer prior to inserting in the coat which eliminates the need to rewet the coat throughout the day.

Another thing to keep in mind is that many dogs who live primarily indoors often don't have well callused paws.  While wolves and working dogs slowly develop thick calluses over their paw pads that protect them from ice, rocks, and hot surfaces- most pets have fairly soft pads, which offer little protection.  You can try to keep your dog on the grass or off hot concrete as much as possible, but sometimes your only option is hot sand, rocky paths, or hot cement paths.  In these cases you can consider getting paw protecting booties or covers- just be sure the sole is soft not hard rubber so your dog’s foot can move and flex naturally. Most dogs do not like wearing anything on their feet initially so you might need to spend some time at home acclimating your dog to the new footwear.

Lastly, whenever you travel with your dog, be sure to have a stocked first aid kit and all your dog’s necessary records and medications.  You are much more likely to see an injury when your dog is doing something out of the ordinary like jumping through waves, running up rocky surfaces, or racing through brush.  In terms of heat safety a small bottle of rubbing alcohol can be surprisingly handy (or high alcohol content beverages like vodka if you are so inclined).  While it may sound strange, pouring a bit of alcohol over your dogs paw pads can speed up the cooling process since alcohol has a much lower boiling point then water- which means it evaporates much more quickly and can help with the evaporative cooling process we discussed earlier.  Just be sure this gets nowhere near their eyes or mucus membranes!

We are so excited to be bringing in the next class of dogs for the Philly Prison System this week!  Each session we bring in a group of dogs that we hand select from local shelters- we choose dogs that we really believe will benefit from our program and who may not have a second chance without us.  Coming directly from a shelter, some of the dogs are still recovering from upper respiratory infections, injuries, or recent surgery.  They are taken right into a prison and given to their very excited and slightly nervous new handlers to begin their twelve-week journey to their new forever.

While this is super exciting for all of us- staff and handlers- it is difficult to say what the dogs think about all of these sudden changes and the new spotlight being directed right at them.  Since we do not always know a lot about each dog’s past, we make a few assumptions

1)The dogs may not be comfortable with the type of contact that many pets learn to love

2)Our handlers have a variety of experiences with dogs

3)It takes time to heal from emotional and physical injuries

Having already assessed the dogs in the shelter environment, we do know that the dogs that we bring in are safe to handle and be around.  That being said, they may not be used to typical pet handling including hugging, face to face contact, surprise petting, etc.… So our handlers do get some education prior to being matched with their dogs regarding proper handling and contact and we do not allow the dogs to come into contact with each other for a few weeks.  

As much as the handlers want to immediately hug their dogs, play, and in general treat them like a beloved family pet- the dogs are not ready for that type of interaction right off the bat. Everyone is instructed on respecting personal space and choices- the dogs all do make the choice to engage and seek interaction, and they all love it and thrive on it, but it can take time.

We put these rules in place so that the dogs can decompress and de-stress. We also want the dogs to settle in and heal in comfort and safety. This may be the first time that these dogs truly feel safe and it may take a bit of time for them to realize that they really are safe.  Prison is loud, it has hard surfaces, lots of people, and other aspects that may be inherently uncomfortable at first; by giving the dogs the time to adjust they quickly learn to accept the space as comfortable and predictable which is key to feeling secure.  

At the end of the day it’s not about anyone “taking” anyone for a walk, it’s about going out together to share in a joint venture.  Walks should be fun and engaging for both ends of the leash.

We are just getting ready to bring our newest class of dogs into the Philly Prison System next week and one of the most important skills that we will be working on all session is loose leash walking.  It’s certainly not uncommon to hear people calling out “who’s walking who out there?” or “you should put a saddle on that thing!” while the dogs are first learning how to walk nicely on a leash- possibly being on a leash for the very first time.

So, who is walking who?  Or who is supposed to be walking whom?  I think everyone can relate to the feeling that your dog is not engaged with you on a walk or is trying to lead the walk by walking far in front, pulling on lead, zig sagging around, etc.  Why does your dog pull and how much does it matter if they do?

First of all, lets dispel the most common myth: no, your dog is not trying to dominate you or force you to do anything.  Whether your dog is walking right next to you, behind you, or ten feet ahead of you- dominance is the farthest thing from their mind.  Fact: dogs move fast and process information primarily with their olfactory system.  Unfortunately people do not move as quickly nor do we see the world in the same way.  Your dog is not really thinking about you much at all on a walk, let alone thinking about the need to dominate you- and this complete disconnect is really the heart of the issue.  

If you want your dog to walk nicely on a leash, your dog needs to keep you in mind while out and about.  It’s not about taking your dog for a walk or being taken for a walk- it’s about a shared activity where you need to engage with your dog and they should engage with you.  If you are looking at your phone or listening to music and tuning out your dog, don’t be surprised if they also tune you out and enjoy exploring their surroundings.  You need to make yourself the best part of their walk! The squirrel 10 yards away is inherently fun- just by existing that squirrel has engaged your dog. Are you as engaging and fun as the environment around you?

There are many ways to build engagement and motivation with your dog on walks.  Too many people, our handlers included, naturally rely on the leash to limit their dog. Just because you are attached to the dog doesn’t mean you have any control- imagine if your leash or collar broke- would your dog stick close or take off?  Most of our dogs would take off when we first start working with them.  The goal is to have the leash there, but not rely on it- we want to be able to rely on our training.  Which means active training begins as soon as the dog sees the leash.

In honor of dog bite prevention week I just want to help you understand that any dog can bite and how to prevent a future bite by understanding a few key factors in what many people classify as “random” bites.  The news is full of stories of otherwise wonderful family dogs who bite “out of the blue” or “with no provocation.”  There are myths abounding regarding dogs who suddenly turn on their owners or whose brains outgrow their skull, etc.…

The reality is that every dog, every animal in fact, can and will bite given the right (or wrong) situation.  Different dogs clearly have different thresholds over which they are more likely to bite either in defense or offense.  Does this mean that every dog is inherently dangerous and we shouldn’t have pets? Of course not!  However it is helpful and important for everyone to know what factors can trigger a good dog to bite.  It's important to remember- good dogs can bite.  

Also important to remember- bites can be prevented. By understanding a few simple concepts and remember that dogs are in fact living beings with their own wants and needs, bites can in fact be prevented.

First of all, there is a great psychology theory that explains that everyone wakes up each morning with a pile of spoons- the number of spoons varies on the person’s health, tolerance, etc.… throughout the day every interaction or potentially stressful event takes away one spoon.  Once you are out of spoon you begin to lose the ability to make rational and reasonable decisions.  This same concept applies to dogs, however unlike us, our dogs are unable to decide which situations to put themselves in.  Essentially over the course of each day we take away a spoon from our dogs each time we put them in an uncomfortable or stressful situation.  While some dogs may have seemingly infinite spoons, keep in mind that being stressed, scared, or uncomfortable can lower a dog's resources.  

Secondly, you should also be aware of trigger stacking.  Trigger stacking occurs when a dog is exposed to multiple stressors throughout the day until they are pushed over threshold.  This is probably most common at parties and other get togethers where the family dog seemingly “lashes out.” The easiest way to think about this phenomenon is to think about how the events leading up to a party look to your dog: first you may spend time cleaning the house, setting up tables and chairs, bring in decorations etc. all of these are out the norm behaviors.  This might lead to mild stress for the family dog.  Then people start arriving and being raucous and probably physically touchy with hugs and pats etc.  The already mildly stressed dog gets another little burst of adrenaline and cortisol.  Like any good dog the dog eventually removes himself from the situation and lie down somewhere- most people assume they are tired from being over excited.  

Then the incident occurs- a person or child approaches or steps over the dog and the dog “bites out of nowhere.”  Realistically any of these events occurring in isolation would have been slightly stressful for the dog- but all of them in succession put the dog over threshold.  Everyone exclaims that the person was just walking by or was not even touching the dog- but what people fail to see is that the dog was set up for failure.  While parties are a good example of trigger stacking, most people also see this behavior pattern with reactive dogs on walks- they seem to lunge at dogs or people randomly when realistically they were likely stacking multiple stressful events throughout the walk and the last event was what put them over the top of their ability to manage.

Lastly, forced physical contact often leads to bites.  This includes petting dogs on the head without properly approaching them, hugging dogs, and staring directly at unknown dogs.  It is always important to approach dogs in a way that allows them to move away at will and to teach children to do the same.

By being more aware of some of the main causes of dog bites, we can greatly diminish the incidents of dog bites.  This week is national dog bite prevention week- most people assume this means avoiding dangerous dogs and discussing breed specific legislation.  However the real importance of this week is to understand that any dog can bite and it is really up to us to prevent them from being put in the position to bite. Being bitten by a dog is not just terrible for the person bitten, but it can also be deleterious for the dog.  

Spring Safety

It seems like spring weather is finally upon us!  After a couple of rough weeks there are finally plenty of opportunities to spend time outside with your pooch.  While walking, hiking and playing outdoors can lead to great relationship building and training opportunities, there are a few important safety tips to keep in mind this spring.  There are both indoor and outdoor risks that can pose a danger to your dog, so taking a few preventative steps can ensure safe adventures.

While outside with your pet, keep these few precautions in mind to ensure their safety during the springtime fun.  First, you should always have identification on your pet.  Collar embroidery or I.D. tags are the best option and be sure to update your personal information whenever you move or change phone numbers.  Your pet may already have a microchip implanted under the skin of their neck, which is a great tool that can link your pet back to you. However, remember to update it regularly and keep in mind that not every chip operates on the same frequency, which can impede a reunion.  Virtually anyone can read a collar tag, but not everyone knows to take a found dog to a shelter or vet for a microchip scan.  If your dog has allergies or your cat is prone to wander, you can add a tag with any specifics like “do not feed” or “medical alert” so anyone who finds them can help keep them safe.

When you are out with your dog in your garden or a public park, be aware that many decorative plants and seasonal foliage are poisonous for your pet.  Easter decorations and flowers can be especially harmful to your pet, as well, so be sure to steer clear of public decorations that may still be lying around.  Another, less obvious, plant danger lies in the fertilizers and insecticides many towns and neighborhoods use to safeguard greenery. Walking through these chemicals can lead to licked paws or minor burns so it’s always a good idea to wipe your dog’s paws if they’ve been walking through green spaces.

Along with spring flowers come springtime pests.  If your dog is not already on a year-round preventative for heartworm, fleas and ticks, now is a good time to talk to your vet about starting a preventative regimen.  With the warm weather come the mosquitoes and other pesky critters that can pass on deadly diseases, such as heartworm and Lyme so it’s especially important to protect your pet from these small assailants.  All of our prison pups are on monthly preventatives and supervised by our amazing veterinary care team.

Once you find the best product for your pet, be sure to also do regular spot checks for ticks and fleas, especially after a hike or any romp through tall grass.  One quick way to distinguish fleas from dirt is to dab any suspected spots with a wet paper towel. Flea dirt will leave a red residue while regular dirt will look like mud.  If you suspect your pet has any sort of infestation, schedule an appointment with your vet to rectify the matter so you and your pooch can continue enjoying the spring weather together.

Remember that you are not the only animals outside enjoying the warmer weather. Small, woodland creatures can pose a big bite risk to your pup so only choose well-traveled paths when adventuring outside and try to keep your pup out of any deep brush.

While working to protect your pet outdoors, don’t forget about common indoor dangers this spring.  With the nice, warm weather, many of us are tempted to open a window or leave the door ajar, but keep in mind that this may be an open invitation for your dog to get a quick jailbreak in this season, luckily our program dogs are behind real bars most of the time so they get to romp around in their play yard regularly without the need for concern.  Before you leave any windows cracked open, test your screens to ensure they haven’t come loose over the winter and make sure your storm door or screen door can lock shut.  Everyone wants to enjoy the cross breezes, but be sure that you don’t end up chasing a pup with three tails to the wind the next time you open a window or door.  

Spring breezes often bring out spring cleaning and minor fixing up around many homes.  Most cleaning products are toxic to your pet so always close all pantry doors and never leave a bucket of cleaning solution unsupervised. One quick drink for your pup can lead to one expensive vet visit for you. With minor construction projects can come all sorts of paraphernalia that your pup would love to explore: paint, nails, staples, and power tools are all important items to keep away from any curious noses and paws!  

Lastly, for your safety and theirs, be aware of any outside allergens that might be invading your home!  Air conditioning and fans do a great job of circulating cool air but they can also transfer allergens all over your home.  Changing your filters regularly and leaving your outdoor gear outside can go a long way in reducing the risk of allergens for you and your pet.  Pet wipes can also be very useful in helping clean off your dog before they carry dirt and pollens throughout your home so try to keep some stocked right by your door as a reminder to wipe down any dirty coats or paws.  

By keeping just a few safety precautions in mind, you and your pets can enjoy the spring weather in comfort knowing that you are prepared and ready for any springtime hazards.  

Giving your dog a chance

Springtime is the arguably one of the best times to be a dog: longer days, vacations with your family or to a fun kennel, lots to see and smell outdoors and it’s not too hot out! Most people with well-behaved dogs do enjoy taking their dogs out with them and you will often see dogs at picnics, street festivals, hiking, etc. This all sounds great! However, this all sounds great to us as people who love dogs. Do we know how our dogs feel about it?

Our assistance dogs in training need to learn how to behave and adjust to all sorts of events, people, and places.  This does not mean that they necessarily enjoy all of these experiences at the outset- but we spend a lot of time teaching them to enjoy and ignore all sorts of different situations using training techniques and positive reinforcement.

How your dog feels about or perceives things should be one of the top things on your mind as you enjoy this lovely weather. It’s a frequent question in dog sports and in the competition world, but it is a good one for all of us to adopt. In the past few years it’s been amazing how many events have become dog friendly and even dog centric!  The amount of pets you’ll see attending with their owners and socializing – or avoiding socializing – as the case may be, is incredible. There are even pet adoption tables at some events with kittens and puppies from local rescues waiting to meet people and begin the adoption process. Does your town host a first Friday event throughout the spring and summer?  I bet you’ll notice many pets and pet tables present if they do.

While many owners are proud and anxious to introduce their lovely new designer pup, their massive purebred behemoth, or their rescue from the wrong side of the tracks to every person and dog in sight, it quickly becomes clear that what is intended to be a fun conversation starter for the owner has quickly become miserable or stressful for their pet.

What’s fun for you is not always fun for your pup. This is not to say that there are not plenty of tail-wagging, tongue-out smiley faces, but there are often a similar number of wide-eyed, straight-backed nervous dogs whose owners have no idea they’d likely rather be home on the couch.

I find myself in this predicament pretty regularly with my lazier dog. She is social and well-behaved in public, but doesn’t have the stamina to really explore the places I’d love to take her. If I want to take her to an event, I must take into consideration how far and how long I expect her to be “on.” Will she collapse or misbehave if I don’t? No, she likely wouldn’t be that exhausted until she is far past the point of “no fun.”

My goal is never to push her to the point of exhaustion. I want her to have fun with me; a cooperative and shared experience. Due to her temperament, I know this means that if I want to take her with me I should plan to drive around for a while to find close parking, limit her time outdoors, and leave while she is still engaged. This often means I go to events that are otherwise dog friendly without her and ogle jealously at the people who are out having fun with their dogs, but I know my dog would not be one of them.

What does this mean for dog training specifically? When working with your pet, be sure to check in often to see that your pet is still having fun. Even down-stays can be fun if they aren’t drilled repeatedly and are rewarded richly.

How do you know if your dog is having fun? Give them a choice. If they choose to continue or to engage, it is pretty safe to assume that they are having fun. The choice must be clear and must be fair to give you an honest insight. Old school electric collar trainer will often say that the dog had the choice to preform or avoid the shock. What kind of choice is that?!

I think we can all agree that given those options, the dog has very little freedom of choice. In order to really know whether your dog is choosing to be in the training game with you, they need to have the choice to walk away or disengage without any repercussions. This is not to say that you can’t stack the deck in your favor. I would never recommend giving an impulsive dog the choice between heeling for a cookie and chasing a squirrel. I know I would lose in this situation and potentially reward my dog for leaving the heeling game.

Instead, I would stack the deck and start in a boring room. The dog can choose me or sniffing nothing fun in particular. Can sniffing be rewarding? Sure! But sniffing a boring room is not as fun as tasting a cheese cube. At no point am I giving the dog the choice between working and something aversive; just simply working or something neutral. The dog is free to walk away anytime, but the cheese stays with me!

As dogs improve in their skill set (i.e. as you practice), training becomes more fun for both of you and your dog will choose training in more and more distracting situations. The key is to make sure it really is fun for both of you, not just one party.

When working with your pooch or just planning a fun outing, set your dog up to have fun too!