By Debbie Bauer

Sometimes we know in advance if our dog will lose sight and/or hearing.  I have a senior dog now who is mostly deaf from age.  So far his sight seems OK, but I know it too may begin to fade.  There are some things we can do to help ease this transition for our dogs.

One is to teach hand signals to our dogs for basic every day behaviors (sit, lie down, wait at the door, come) and for some of the fun tricks they know (fetch, shake hands, spin, etc).  It’s fairly easy to teach dogs hand signals.  If you’ve originally taught your dog the behavior with a food lure, often the hand movement you use can become a hand signal for the behavior even when you’re no longer using food to elicit the behavior.  For example, many people raise their hand up when teaching a dog to sit – this same raising up of the hand can become the hand signal.  If you practice with the hand signal and reward often, your dog will respond just as easily to the hand signal.

Think of behaviors you ask of your dog throughout the day, and perhaps you are already using a hand gesture (signal) that you can continue using.  Sometimes use just the signal and see if your dog responds without your verbal input.  If not, you can remind with the verbal at first.  The sequence would be – signal – pause just long enough to see if your dog will respond – verbal to remind if needed – reward.

It’s important as your dog loses hearing to be animated with your praise – use petting, use play, always use a happy face, clap your hands.  If your dog was once hearing, praise will be important and the tone of your voice gives him cues.  You can begin now while he has hearing, to add these things – clapping your hands, smiling, acting happy in your body language – to your verbal praise so he begins to associate them together.  Dogs really tune into our body language.  But by teaching this when your dog can still hear, you will associate those body motions with all the lovely verbal praise that he’s already learned to love.

As dogs lose their hearing, they begin to sleep heavier and will often wake up with a startle.  Startling is a normal behavior and you may never get rid of it totally, but a dog that can hear will be woken up gradually by sounds in its environment which its brain will recognize.  As the hearing begins to fade away, noises may not sound the same and his brain may not be able to recognize what they are, or he may not hear the noises at all.  So when you do wake him up, or he gets bumped, he will jump up and be scared until he realizes where he is and who is with him.

It’s easy to help with this and you can play these games from the time your dog is a puppy, but I find it is important to revisit them as your dog becomes a senior or when you first notice his hearing may be fading.  Do lots of trading touch for treats.  You touch him, he gets a wonderful treat.  Do it a lot just as a fun game.  Do it when he is awake and paying attention at first.  Then do it while he is awake but perhaps not paying attention, so you surprise him a bit.  And lastly, do it every once in a while when he’s asleep.  It’s courteous to allow him to sleep without interruption, but sometimes there is a reason you will need to wake him up – be ready and give several special treats as soon as you wake him up.  Help him associate being startled with something good, so he won’t wake up fearful, he will wake up and look forward to the good treats that are to come.

If your dog is losing his eye sight, begin to teach him cues that will help him navigate his environment and stay safe.  If he can hear, use verbal cues to help him learn to stop, wait, to go up or down a step or curb, etc.  Help him.  Guide him gently so he learns new ways of navigating around the house and yard.  You may want to put a small bell on your wrist or ankle when you go for a walk so your dog can keep track of where you are and whether you’re moving or not.  Of course, you can also talk to or sing to him so he has a voice to follow.

Try to empower him and teach him problem solving as often as possible.  Teach him new ways to play with you that you both enjoy.  Think of how much he relies on the vision he does have during his daily activities.  Are there things you can do to help him get around safely?  Gates at the top and bottom of steps or drop offs are easy to implement.  Blind dogs can maneuver steps, but they should be supervised, especially in the beginning.

You will learn to watch out for obstacles that you don’t normally think about steering your dog around – fire hydrants, trees, branches on a bush, curbs, etc.  There are tools that can help a blind dog to navigate.  If you are thinking of using a halo harness, or eye protection, begin to condition your dog to them now, making sure you are creating a positive association and that you are both having fun.  It can be a scary transition for a dog to lose its sight.  Plunking a lot of new, weird equipment on your dog at this time can cause him to shut down and be more fearful.  Take it slowly.

When a dog in a multiple dog family loses its sight, there may be a period of adjustment among the dogs.  The blind dog may bump into other dogs or overstep their bounds into another dog’s space – something he would not have done before because he could see to judge distance, could see the other dogs, and could respond to their communications.  Now, he may find himself getting into trouble, as the other dogs may see him as rude stepping into their space.  Be prepared to supervise and to change the way you all interact for awhile.  If there is any tension, don’t leave a blind dog unsupervised with the other dogs, even if they have been left alone for years.  Separate or supervise.  At least until you’re sure everyone has adjusted.

At some point, your dog may lose both its sight and hearing.  Begin to teach touch cues for things that you communicate to your dog every day.  A touch cue doesn’t need to be complicated.  Touching a dog under the chin can mean, come forward, let’s go.  Putting a harness on will become a touch cue that you are going outside for potty or a walk.  Develop a language through touch.  Loving touch is very important just to show your dog how special he is.  We all crave touch and it is very important to a dog that is blind and deaf to continue to have special loving touch daily.

Most important of all, perhaps, is to realize that you will be sad when you realize your dog is losing sight or hearing.  This is normal and natural.  It’s OK to be sad and to grieve.  You and your dog will both go through a transition period.  Please be kind to yourself during this time, and have patience with your dog.  Help him and guide him.  Take time to help him enjoy things that he’s always enjoyed – sharing an ice cream cone, hanging out on the deck in the sun, going for a car ride, etc.  Together you will both start to realize a new reality that is not worse than before, but is just different than before.

By Debbie Bauer

Some people living with blind/deaf dogs report that their dogs have trouble staying asleep all night.  Often their dogs will wake them during the night and can’t seem to settle back down to sleep.

If your blind/deaf dog is unable to distinguish between light and dark, it may be challenging to help her tell the difference between day and night.  This can make it challenging for you to get enough sleep on a proper schedule.

Keeping a bedtime routine can be helpful.  Create as many clear cues as possible that it is bedtime and only use them when you want her to let you sleep all night.  Here are some ideas that may be helpful.

Create certain rules that pertain to night time only.  If you enjoy having your dog share the bed with you, it may be a good idea to keep the bed off limits to her unless it is time to actually go to sleep for the night.  Even if you don’t want your dog on the bed with you, you can keep the bedroom off limits until bedtime.  Then the bedroom itself will become a cue that it’s time for sleeping.

I think it does help if your blind/deaf dog can sleep in your bedroom.  Dogs do cue off our emotional state, our breathing, etc.  If your dog does wake in the middle of the night, it can help her fall back to sleep to realize that you are nearby and you are calm and sleeping.

If you use a crate or ex pen within your room, your dog can learn that while she is in her crate or pen, it is time to be still and quiet, and so, most likely she will sleep during these times.  Be aware that you are using a crate appropriately and that you’ve already taught your dog to know that a crate is a safe place to be, so she can be comfortable and not stressed.

You can reserve a special blanket or dog bed for your dog to only use at night.  It will need to be picked up during the day, or have access to it restricted in some way.  If used consistently, your dog will learn that this bed means that it is time to sleep.

Dog appeasing pheromones may be sprayed onto the dog’s bed to help her to relax.  Read the instructions, and allow the spray to air out slightly prior to putting the bed down.  Some of them are mixed with alcohol to allow it to disperse in the spray properly.  Your dog most likely won’t like the alcohol smell, but it will dissipate if you let it air out a bit.

A relaxing scent such as lavender or other essential oils can be diffused in the bedroom.  The scent will also become a cue.  Only use this scent at bedtime.  The diffuser can be used all night, or can be used for a while as bedtime is approaching. Be sure you are using a high quality therapeutic oil.  Some oils contain chemicals and a little bit of scent added, and won’t have much of an effect on the dog’s behavior.

If you need a way to confine your dog within the bedroom at night, the special bed can be put into an ex pen only at bedtime, or you can use a short tether near your bed to keep the dog on her bed.

Keeping your blind/deaf dog busy during the day with enrichment games and activities will help her to begin to differentiate between day activities and sleeping at night.  It will also help to tire out her body and mind so she is more likely to sleep at bedtime.

A nice bodywork (calm petting, massage, Healing Touch for Animals®, etc.) session before bedtime will help your dog to relax and calm down.

If your dog wakes you in the middle of the night and you think she needs to go outside, keep it very quick and business-like.  Keep any touching and interaction to a minimum.  Don’t let her loose in the yard to run and explore.  Don’t involve the other dogs.  Make it a very quick and boring trip outside on leash, stand still and wait for her to potty (no walking and sniffing), no treats or playtime, and right back to bed.

Do not give a treat for pottying outside. If you make getting up in the middle of the night fun for your dog and let her do things that she enjoys, she will continue to wake you up at night.  Keep it boring at night and exciting and fun during the day and she will learn the routine.

Some dogs enjoy a large stuffed animal to snuggle with at night so they don’t feel so alone.  Puppies especially are used to snuggling with their mom and littermates and a large stuffed toy or pillow will give them a sense of security.

An old-style ticking clock placed in the bed may also help sooth puppy to sleep.  It will provide a rhythmic vibration throughout the night.  If you remove it during the day, you can then use it as a cue to your dog that it is nighttime.  There is also a dog toy called a Snuggle Puppy that is said to do the same thing and provide a pulsing heartbeat sensation.  This might help your dog to feel calmer also.

Dogs with some vision, but that can only see close up, may like to have you nearby.  Put her bed or pen by your bed so you can put your fingers in to reassure her if she wakes up.  A nightlight may help her not be so anxious by allowing her to see somewhat if she wakes up.

If your dog can hear, you can use some of the music created specifically to calm dogs and let it play on a loop all night. You will need to take time to condition the music to times when your dog is already relaxed and napping for it to have maximum effect.  My favorites are the Healing Touch for Animals music CD’s and Through A Dog’s Ear CD’s.  They’re very relaxing and they help me sleep better too!

Read more: Through A Dark Silence.

An article I read recently in the New York Times (online) talked about a downside of a heavy emphasis on no-kill policies at shelters: By focusing on getting dogs and cats into new homes, the shelters might be neglecting the reasons many of those animals are in the shelter in the first place.

Many people abandon their pets because they cannot afford to feed them or house them or provide needed veterinary care.

I don’t for a minute think that that is the only reason animals end up in shelters, but I do think that some attention to those issues could reduce the number of pets who are abandoned by families who love them but cannot keep them.

Here in Missoula, Montana, an organization called Animeals (which also has a cat shelter and cat adoption, foster, and hospice care programs) addresses some of these issues. Animeals runs a pet-food bank and delivers food to homebound, disabled, and senior pet owners, often providing the help that allows them to keep their pets. It feeds homeless animals as well, delivering food to volunteers who feed feral cats and dogs. Animeals covers the entire (quite large) state of Montana. In other states, some Meals on Wheels programs deliver donated pet food along with the humans’ meals. Animeals also has programs to help families in crisis and to assist impoverished pet owners with vet bills.

It’s easy to say, well, people who can’t afford to have a pet shouldn’t have one … until you hit a rough patch, have a medical crisis, lose a job. Maybe the people could afford their pets until trouble hit. Maybe they made a poor choice in getting one. Regardless of how they got there, many, many pet owners could benefit from a helping hand once in a while. It makes more sense to me to keep pets with loving families, if all that’s needed is some dog food or money for a vet bill. That’s certainly preferable to seeing more dogs and cats languishing in shelters — or worse.

While it’s not going to completely solve the problem of overcrowded shelters and the killing of millions of dogs and cats each year, it’s an easy way to make a difference. See if there’s an Animeals-like program in your area. If so, support it. If not, consider working your dog-connected network to get something started.

I work with many owners of rescue or re-homed dogs and one topic I’ve thought about many times, sometimes raised by owners themselves and possibly a little controversial, is do we sometimes give up on our dogs too easily? Of course, an important aspect of this is whether we have the necessary, realistic expectations when taking on a dog in the first place.

In my experience, sometimes a dog and owner combination just doesn’t work for an infinite number of reasons – just like a human relationship!  In this situation, if you stick at it regardless, hoping things will improve, but you can’t change the environmental situation, can’t commit to working on a behavior change program, can’t invest the time, effort and emotional resources required for example, then it might be wise to contemplate a split. If, for instance, behavioral issues progress to the stage where they begin to impact upon human and canine welfare (including here physical, psychological, social and behavioral aspects), then radical change might be necessary for all sakes. Splitting a dog-human partnership may be of course deeply traumatic initially but can be relieving and very destressing long-term – for both parties.

On the flip side, how many dogs are relinquished to shelters because they are not thoroughly house trained, have exhibited aggressive behavior towards children or other dogs (note, aggressive behavior is often a by product of fear), barked incessantly, or become distressed when left alone? I mention these particular behaviors as these are the most common I encounter in this particular context. It can be aggravating to see since some of these dogs, through no fault of their own, may struggle to find new homes, either due to the policy of the shelter they now find themselves in, or other factors (such as how they behave in in a stressful shelter environment or more trivial aspects, such as their color). Surely, as owners, we should be better prepared and the onus should be on us to commit when we adopt our new pets and not think of them as disposable commodities. In the main, larger rescue centres will offer lifetime support and assistance to  pets that are adopted, but this is not always the case. There is still (in the U.K. at least) the awful problem of obtaining dogs (and other pets) via the internet. But if we are to get serious about insisting owners prepare properly for dog ownership rather than simply buy on a whim and dispose when they get fed up, then a systematic questioning of prospective new owners needs to take place. I know that I was near interrogated prior to adopting my dog and I didn’t object to that at all. It shows me that that organisation cares who the puppies were homed to.  At the moment, in my opinion, there is too much profit in puppies and too little care and compassion.

So, staying power – you’ve either got it or you haven’t! As I said earlier, if your circumstances aren’t right and you know deep down that your relationship isn’t working, you may need to re-think. If, however, it’s just a question of working at it, can you do that? Unfortunately, some believe that training and behavior issues can be solved overnight or at the latest within a week or so. The reality is very different. You have got to work at it and it can be hard. It takes time to unravel and unlearn what might be well-rehearsed, historically reinforced behavior. Patience is required. It might also be that owners have to completely change tack in their approach. Maybe they need to become aware of the fallout that comes from punishment, that dominance in dogs has been discredited by scientific study, and that the concepts of the alpha and pack leader approach lie in the dark ages. It’s hard to change, but a realization that behaviour modification incurs swings of both high and low can help. This is normal, so don’t give up just because things don’t go to plan. Just take a break then try again. One thing that can be guaranteed is that a commitment to your dog will bring you the greatest reward of all.

Getting a new pet is exciting and family members may feel eager to get started with all the fun they have imagined having with their new addition. That is certainly how I felt about every new animal which I took into my care over the years.

Even though the new pet may well be in a better place than previously, this is a significant change for animals and people alike. Planning ahead can help avoid pitfalls.

Considering the needs of the specific species is a good first step, and the principles of Brambell’s Five Freedoms is a sound foundation to build upon.

1. Freedom from hunger and thirst
2. Freedom from discomfort
3. Freedom from pain, injury or disease
4. Freedom to express normal behavior
5. Freedom from fear and distress

Many years ago my wife and I dreamed of getting a horse. Being city folk we did not know anything about horses so we volunteered at an equine therapy program and I spent 10 years working with about 12-15 horses. I learned from the horse savvy riding instructors and volunteers and also learned how to ride.

That encouraged us to wait until we had property in the countryside and could prepare the future home of our horse with a barn and paddocks. We knew horses require company so we chose to get a few lambs and spent one year learning about daily farm chores before getting a horse.

I knew even less about sheep than I knew about horses.

We visited a nearby farm on lambing day and picked out three youngsters which we named Pearl, Shirley and Bluebell. The farmer delivered them to our new barn and the first lesson I learned about lambs is that they are very skittish with strangers.

I read about keeping sheep and provided food and shelter, but I also provided their privacy and space requirements. I ignored them for about two weeks and let them adjust to their new surroundings until they felt comfortable.

My gentle Labrador, Charlie, and I hung out in the barnyard and let the lambs decide when they felt safe enough to approach. When they did so I offered cracked corn and apples, and when they chose to move away from me I respected that. They quickly learned to seek my attention and loved getting back rubs and gentle facial massages.

One of my favorite memories is sitting beneath a lean-to during a spring shower, with Charlie on my right and the lambs on my left. Today the sheep run to me whenever I appear and soak up their back rubs while licking their lips in delight. Our trusting relationship enables them to undergo annual shearing and veterinary care with relative ease in my presence.

Feeling prepared for horse ownership we picked Fancy from a ranch where she lived with 100 horses and a bunch of Labradors who ran freely about the place. Fancy has a gentle nature and was already used to dogs, and she has been happy to share space with our sheep.

We allowed her a couple of weeks to adjust, putting no pressure on her. Applying respondent conditioning I always carried peppermints, carrots or apples when I went to the barnyard. Fancy soon associated me with the treats and began nickering with joy each time she saw me.

She enjoyed daily grooming and walks on our trails with a halter and a lead rope, accompanied by our dogs. I slowly worked up to riding Fancy and we enjoyed 10 years on our trails until arthritis bothered her knee, at which time I stopped riding.

The care and welfare of our pets has always been the most important thing and our kind and benevolent treatment has been repaid by every pet we have cared for.

A few years passed and we adopted more dogs, Gandhi being the most recent. He was found as a stray several winters ago, starving so badly his ribs were showing and with intestinal worms. It was a bitterly cold winter and had he not been found it would likely have been his last.

He went into a dog shelter and was quickly transferred to The Labrador Connection, living with the same foster family from whom we adopted Buddha. We knew nothing about Gandhi except that he was about two years of age and that he had suffered prolonged trauma. His actual name was unknown to us.

We adopted our new dog on Christmas Day, gave him his new name, and his new home.

By that point I had become a dog trainer and had a solid plan to help Gandhi adjust. We worked through his (temporary) resource guarding and resolved his separation anxiety. Gandhi is extremely social and thrived in the dog daycare where I worked, taking Buddha and Gandhi with me three days a week.

My wife and I never put undue pressure on our pets, ensuring they enjoyed safety and daily enrichment, good nutrition and veterinary care.

For families who bring a new dog into their home I recommend “Love Has No Age Limit” by ethologists Patricia B. McConnell and Karen B. London. The book was written to help families bring an adopted dog into their home and while it is an easy read, it is comprehensive and very helpful.

When we consider the needs of animals in our care they may live out their lives as joyfully as possible, giving us the best of times with them in the bargain.

Johnny is five years old and he is a great kid. He is loving, does very well in school and absolutely adores his mom. 

One day he was playing in the park and was badly bitten by a spider. He was never afraid of them before until he got bitten. He became so fearful that every time he saw one he would cry, tremble and have a panic attack. He would sweat and almost faint. Almost all physiological signs of fear were present at the mere sight of a spider, no matter how far away.

Oh it was truly embarrassing… He did this in front of everyone. All the other moms had kids who were fine with spiders. Johnny was the only kid making a scene. This needed to stop.

Johnny’s mom called a child ‘expert’ who had experience with such situations. He told Johnny’s mom she was being too soft on her kid; she needed to show him that she was the boss so that he would not try to dominate her by having a panic attack – on purpose – when he saw a spider. He was clearly trying to be the leader of the family and take charge of the household by sweating and almost fainting. How dare he?! Involuntary crying, involuntary sweating and involuntary trembling were not acceptable. It was obvious that he was doing these involuntary (aka reflex) behaviors on purpose. And the expert was going to make sure the mom had complete control over the involuntary behaviors. 

So the expert showed mom how to get Johnny to stop reacting to spiders, and stop embarrassing her like that: every time her five year old son cried in fear when he saw something similar to what bit him, she should yell ‘NO’ at her son, stare at him, grab him by his shirt and hit him really hard. After all, he was definitely trying to take charge of her and the situation by having a panic attack and she needed to take back control. 

An article from Australian Dog Lover on how to create a “sensory garden” for dogs was a nice escape from the cold of a Montana winter. It’s filled with great tips for creating mental stimulation for dogs that you can adapt to any space.

The author describes watching how her dog used their outdoor space, and then designing around that dog’s preferences. But for those creating a sensory space for, say, a doggy day care or a training space or a dog park, it’s possible to generalize. It’s feasible to include elements that stimulate all five senses, as well as providing opportunities for movement — paths to run on, logs, rocks, or equipment to jump and climb on, and maybe a digging pit. For the senses:

• The most important sense for dogs is, of course, smell. Ideally, plant several plants and flowers that will bloom and grow at different times of the year offering a variety of enticing scents.
• For visual stimulation, the author of the article suggests rocks, logs, items of different heights to create variation.
• To stimulate hearing, she suggests running water, wind chimes, or rustling plants, like a bamboo grove. An urban environment might not need additional aural stimulation, though.
• Taste is a tough one, since we usually discourage dogs from tasting things. Obviously, avoid any plants that are toxic to dogs. To encourage smelling and tasting, the suggestions of verbena, thyme, valerian, and other safe and appealing plants are worth considering, depending also on what thrives in your climate.
• Finally, tactile stimulation is essential. Consider adding a sand pit for digging. Another suggestion is using a variety of textures — grass, mulch, and paths made of stones or crushed granite, or even sand.

The garden can and should be designed to appeal to humans as well as to dogs. Include shady spots to sit for both dogs (under large plants, maybe) and humans, flowers that are attractive as well as dog-friendly, and features like fountains, bamboo groves, and paths that have cross-species appeal.

By Jennifer Smith of EasyPetFence.com, a PPG corporate partner

Dog trainers, animal shelters and pet owners alike choose to fence-in yards for several reasons. For one, pet fencing allows dogs and cats to exercise; play; and socialize with other animals. Fencing is convenient for pet owners that may not have nearby dog parks to visit, or much time to take their dogs on adventure hikes or lengthy jogs. And, pet fencing keeps domestic animals secure and protected against potential wildlife attacks.

While there are many types of pet fence on the market, not all kinds are considered humane. In fact, one of the most popular types of fence for dogs is wireless fencing; but it is also the most inhumane type of pet fence. It is so inhumane that countries such as England and Scotland have banned it from stores, thanks to proposals from local animal welfare organizations.

Wireless dog fences, also known as invisible dog fences, use shock collars and electric pulses to jolt a response in dogs. Many new dog owners choose to use shock collars as training tools; but what they do not realize is that they are instilling fear into their dogs by inadvertently harming their pets. If pets walk outside of the yard’s perimeter, the collar shocks the dog and stops them from moving about the landscape out of fear of being shocked again. Why would pet owners want to hurt domestic animals that they love strictly to teach them a lesson?

Pet owners that choose to stay clear of wireless dog fences often turn to chain-link fences; but these types of fence are not much better. While chain-link does not harm animals physically and psychologically, the fence is difficult to install without professional help; bulky; and let’s be honest, unsightly in yards. Chain-link fences corrode after years in the sun and can cheapen the look of houses over time. If pet owners are considering using chain-link in yards, they would do well to investigate other types of steel fence and do a cost comparison between other humane fence types.

Other fence options that pet owners can consider using include plastic and metal fencing with PVC-coating. Plastic dog fences are used to secure small and calm dogs. This type of fence is not chew-proof, but it recommended for pets that will not pounce on, dig around, or challenge the strength of the system. Plastic fences are UV-stabilized to handle wear-and-tear from heat exposure and will last up to 20 years.

For large dogs with high amounts of energy, it is recommended to use steel fence with PVC-coating. While chain-link is made from galvanized steel, the PVC-coating on other types of steel fence, such as welded wire, will prevent chew marks from striking the steel core. This type of fence is stronger than plastic fence and will last up to 10 years longer.

Pet fencing is suggested for all types of animals to improve animal health and wellness. Some fence types are better than others for dogs, so, we recommend owners do the research to find the right fit for their dog.

About EasyPetFence.com

EasyPetFence.com cares about the outside safety and wellness of animals; which is why we only offer humane outdoor pet enclosures for dogs, cats and backyard chickens. Unlike chain-link fence that corrode, and wireless dog fence that shock dogs, an EasyPetFence.com fence will last up to 30 years in the field and look great in yards. EasyPetFence.com DIY pet fences are easy to install and do not require professional installation. 

By Yvette Van Veen

We’ve all heard it. “When do the rewards stop?”

By Niki Tudge and Susan Nilson

In recent years, much creditable scientific study has been given to dog training and behavior modification methods and their respective efficacy and consequences. The preponderance of the evidence shown by these studies indicates that the implementation of training and/or behavior modification protocols predicated upon outdated “dominance theory” and social structures (“alpha,” or “pack leader”), usage of physical or mental force, intimidation, coercion or fear are empirically less effective and often create as a consequence “fallout” behaviors, such as fear, aggression, global suppression of behavior, or total shutdown – behaviors which may be dangerous to the human and animal involved.

Unfortunately, and to the great disservice of dogs and their owners, some of these methods – specifically corporal punishment, choke chains, prong collars, shocking with an electronic collar, leash jerks, antibark collars and verbal punishment – are often used in reality television programming. Television broadcasters are responsible for the shows they air and for putting the welfare of pets ahead of what passes as entertainment. The Pet Professional Guild, an international member organization for force-free pet trainers and behavior consultants, thus appeals to all programming organizations to re-evaluate any decision to showcase forceful, painful and aversive training methods and equipment.

Regardless of any disclaimers or warnings given for viewers not to attempt the methods displayed at home, some pet owners will undoubtedly still attempt to use them, potentially leading to situations that risk injury (either to dog, human, or both), and/or psychological damage, and/or are extremely dangerous. In addition, the nature of reality television tends to promote the misconception that there are “quick fixes” to training and behavior issues, when, in the real world, a professionally devised and applied training and/or behavior modification protocol can take weeks, months or, in the case of separation-related disorders for example, even years to implement successfully. The Pet Professional Guild thus respectfully requests television channels to replace programming that promotes aversive tools and methods immediately with competent, progressive, force-free, formally-educated, scientifically-sound trainers and/or behavior consultants.

The current scientific data, in addition to the moral and ethical concerns about mental and physical damage to animals subjected to methods using force, fear and/or pain, have moved numerous professional organizations (including but not limited to the British Small Animal Veterinary Association, the American Animal Hospital Association, the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, and the British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) to advocate for the use of force-free, humane training techniques founded on evidence-based learning theories and avoid training methods or devices which employ coercion and force. To cite just one of them: “Aversive, punishment-based techniques may alter behaviour, but the methods fail to address the underlying cause and, in the case of unwanted behaviour, can lead to undue anxiety, fear, distress, pain or injury.” (BCSPCA, 2019). The Pet Professional Guild is just one of the growing number of international organizations that have taken a public stand advocating for force-free animal handling and training.

Pet Professional Guild’s mission is to promote the current and ongoing research and knowledge in animal behavior and training to those in the pet industry and, thereby, pet owners themselves. Further, it is the goal of the Pet Professional Guild to provide the resources, education and mentoring process to all professionals who are committed to following current science and research, much of which indicates that positive, humane training methods are more effective than aversive methods in terms of longevity and overall animal welfare. The Pet Professional Guild proudly counts amongst its ranks many “cross-over” trainers who have successfully abandoned outdated, aversive training methods in favor of humane and effective positive training methods. Many serve as mentors for others wishing to do the same, and the “force-free” movement is becoming a powerful movement impacting the entire pet industry.

As part of that mission, the Pet Professional Guild respectfully submits that showcasing training methods that use force, fear or pain is morally and ethically wrong, as well as damaging to the animal and the human-animal bond, and potentially creates hazards for the pet-owning public that may attempt to use such methods. Showcasing such methods risks creating significant danger for both animals and humans and perpetuates training methods which science does not support as effective and which the Pet Professional Guild deems to be the unethical treatment of animals.

How each of us chooses to treat pets is a voluntary decision but does vary due to our political and cultural diversity. Arluke (2006) discusses how the term cruelty is often minimized and glossed over and that there is a school of thought that “abuse is done deliberately, while neglect is unintentional or even accidental.” He goes on to detail how some believe that abuse results in tragic injury to animals, while neglect “only” creates hardship for them. Rowan (1993) suggests that the term cruelty should only be used in cases where the offender is in some way satisfied from the harm they cause. Regardless of where one stands on this point, however, and irrespective of the motives of the perpetrator and whether the cruelty be sadistic or negligent, no pet intentionally acts in order to seek punishment and no pet deserves to be the victim of cruelty (Hunter & Brisbin, 2016).

Hunter and Brisbin (2016) present a scale of normative behavior towards pets commencing with sadistic behavior and ending with empathy. The scale addresses whether cruelty is defined by motivation or hardship suffered and can be summarized as follows:

1.     Sadistic Behavior: This includes acts of intentional murder and the pleasurable sense of excitement perpetrators experience when inflicting pain. Displays of this are exhibited by audiences at dog fights and individuals who inflict torture on pets motivated by a sick sense of curiosity.

2.     Passive Cruelty: This speaks to ignorance, apathy and a generally immature sense of empathy as the perpetrator has feelings of disgust for or an ambivalence towards a pet, perhaps viewing them as a commodity only. “The moral consequence is that persons displaying passive cruelty ‘unsee’ the suffering of animals.” (Hunter & Brisbin, 2016, p.17). Many passively cruel behaviors are not considered illegal or pathological, like sadistic behavior. Examples include chaining a dog for 24 hours, social isolation, mental and physical deprivation, or just harsh and unyielding punishment and/or mental intimidation on the family pet.

3.     Neglectful Behavior: Although far from ideal, this can sometimes be remedied through local laws. It differs from passive cruelty as it is an involuntary lack of due care and may not be aimed at causing the pet to suffer. This encompasses owners who overlook necessary and important veterinarian treatment.

4.     Empathy: This is shown by people who consider it their moral duty to protect animals from cruelty. They have the ability to understand and empathize with the feelings of the pet and expect society to treat pets as they would like to be treated.

Examples of extreme incidents of dogs being killed or sustaining serious injuries at the hands of pet professionals are regularly reported in the media. These incidents have occurred at the hands of professional groomers, dog trainers and/or boarding kennels, the very professionals engaged and compensated by pet owners to care for their pets. It should, however, be noted here that, the pet training industry is “entirely unregulated, meaning that anyone can say they are a trainer or behavior consultant,” regardless of education, experience, skill, or knowledge – or lack thereof (Pet Professional Guild, 2016).
Listed below are just a few of the abusive practices still seen across the dog training industry:

• Hanging – the dog is raised off the floor by his collar or a leash, in some cases until he loses consciousness.

• Swinging – the dog is swung around with his feet off the floor by his collar or leash.

• Slamming – the dog is lifted up and slammed into the floor or wall.

• Shocking – electric shock is administered through a collar around the dog’s neck, stomach or genital area.

• Multiple shock collars attached to a dog around the neck, stomach and genitalia.

• Alpha Roll – the dog is purposefully rolled onto his back as a means to control and intimidate, often using harsh and offensive verbiage.

• Kicking, hitting, prodding – the dog is physically assaulted with a human body part or a prod-type instrument.

It may be commonly believed that to work in the pet industry one must love pets, yet this begs the question of how this can be possible given the varied topography of pet care. In addition to the examples of cruelty, abuse and neglect highlighted, we must also consider the number of pet professionals who still rely on outdated practices and cultural myths while ignoring the growing body of science that proposes specific, humane methods and approaches. One might argue that this is somewhat akin to a public policy that accepts the use of alcohol as an anesthetic and leather arm cuffs as restraints by some medical professionals as their standard operating procedure. We now know better. In fact, in most professions that embark on counselling, mental health or education, there is a professional expectation and, indeed, a legal mandate that, no matter what their field, a professional practice according to the best, most reliable and up-to-date scientific research available.

There are two important questions to be answered then:
1. The first is, what causes people, and, in particular, pet professionals to be cruel to the pets in their care?
2. The second is, how do said professionals accommodate the consequences of this cruelty?

While there is no complete or consistent explanation as to why people are sadistic or cruel to pets, those that choose to work with pets as an occupation, a commonality would appear to exist in that those individuals tend to view the animals as “other,” or significantly different to people. Hunter and Brisbin (2016) explain that the person may feel threatened by the existence of the pet, whether it be emotionally, egotistically, or physically. Their cruel behavior is then seen/identified or justified as teaching the pet a lesson, and/or there may be a motivation to nullify the “other” by inflicting suffering. Hunter and Brisbin (2016, p. 19) conclude that cruelty “in its various forms is thus a human emotional and cognitive response to perceptions or predictions of unpleasant contacts with companion animals.” It is not in the best interests of pets to intentionally set out to be annoying or frustrating, or to inflict pain on their caregivers. Frightening or aversive environmental stimulus including punitive pet training methods and scary techniques are more often than not the cause of aggression from pets directed to people.

Passive cruelty or neglect, meanwhile, tend to manifest from convenience or function. For example, in the case of professional groomers or dog trainers, these may be motivated by the need or desire to get results at whatever cost to the pet. Economically, they may be motivated by profit and the need for expeditious business transactions. These practices may include pinning down a dog to trim his nails or applying physical punishment to prevent a dog from pulling on a leash.

For those who do inflict cruelty, how do they accommodate the consequences of their behavior? In other words, how do they cope with it? How does a dog trainer justify to themselves that hanging a dog until he almost chokes, shocking a dog to the point where he is so fearful he loses control of his bowels, or physically hitting a dog, is acceptable on any scale?

We might ask the same of the groomer who physically pins a dog on the grooming table if he does not comply and stand in the position required for the perfect haircut, or of the dog walker who drags and chokes a dog to mandate that he walks at a specific and very unnatural pace. These are all examples of instances that are acceptable practices in the pet industry by individuals who have chosen to make their living training and caring for pets.

Arluke’s (2006) ethnographic study of animal control officers, animal hoarders and shelter workers “illustrated how an individual’s identification of animals interacts with emotions, professional standards and practices, willingness to obey authority and personal identity” These components along with early childhood socialization and experiences can create a social confusion regarding the ethical treatment of animals.” (Hunter & Brisbin, 2016, p. 19).

Hunter and Brisbin (2016) also reference that other studies that indicate a desire for power, social background, or other demographic factors may have an influence on individuals in terms of whether they may display passive cruelty or neglect towards animals.

Alternatively, it may just be that cruelty is influenced by the direct visibility of the act, or differing interpretations of cruelty towards different species. As summarized by Hunter and Brisbin (2016), Siobhan O’ Sullivan argues that animal cruelty is impacted by the visibility of the harm to the animal versus the normative assessments of cruelty and the current legislation to protect the animal.

When sadistic behavior, passive cruelty or neglect have taken place, pet owners may justify this by resorting to moral disengagement. The offender may be able to reconstruct or reframe their behavior as being acceptable without feeling a need to change either their moral standards or their behavior. “Moral disengagement is behavior designed to avoid censure for injurious conduct.” (Hunter & Brisbin, 2016 p. 20).

Vollum et al. (2004) surveyed Texas residents to gauge the perceived severity of numerous violent acts against nonhuman animals as well as the preferred criminal justice response and were surprised as the “findings lend some (albeit limited) support for an important theory of animal abuse (Agnew, 1998), as well as Bandura’s (1990, 1999) compelling theory of moral disengagement.” 

According to Bandura (2002), however, disengagement does not instantly transform a person from being kind and considerate to being cruel but is a more gradual process as they are exposed to more and more uncomfortable situations. In the case of a dog trainer or pet groomer, they may have started out by using aversive practices on pets and found that they paid off, thus making them able to tolerate the acts because of the benefit associated with them. These might involve saving a groomer time thanks to the ease of working with a dog who is pinned to the table, or, in the case of a dog trainer, expediting compliance via the use of shock while suppressing what some would find irritating yet are perfectly normal canine behaviors such as wandering, sniffing or lack of focus. Situations such as these may apply in a more difficult training environment for a professional who is on a time schedule, lacks knowledge, or has little empathy for the pet in their care.

Over time “progressive disengagement of self-censure” occurs and “the level of ruthlessness increases, until eventually acts originally regarded as abhorrent can be performed with little anguish or self-censure. Inhumane practices become thoughtlessly routinized.” (Bandura, 2002, p. 110). It must be of great concern to public policy makers that when a person inflicts cruel actions on a pet and undertakes moral disengagement “the continuing interplay between moral thought, affect, action and its social reception is personally transformative. People may not even recognize the changes they have undergone as a moral self.” (Bandura, 2002, p. 110). This should then be a concern to pet owners as pet professionals are more often than not held accountable for cruelty towards the pets in their care, who have little or no say in their own welfare.

All parties involved need to exercise moral agency, which has a dual purpose. It is both inhibitive and proactive. The inhibitive form is the power to refrain from behaving inhumanely whereas the proactive form of morality is expressed in the power to behave humanely. Therefore, people who practice higher-order morality do good things as well as refrain from doing bad things (Bandura, 1999).

In summary, Vollum et al.’s (2004) findings showed that “people are concerned about the social problem of animal cruelty and believe that it should be taken seriously by the criminal justice system.”  In 2019, The Animal League Defense Fund, the United States’ leading legal advocacy group for animals, released their 12^th annual year-end report ranking the animal protection laws of all 50 states.

They ranked each state under a three-tier system ranging from The Bottom Tier, The Middle Tier to the Top Tier. They rank the five best states for animals as:

1. Illinois
2. Oregon
3. Maine
4. Colorado
5. Massachusetts

And the five worst states as:

1.  New Mexico
2. Wyoming
3. Iowa
4. Mississippi
5. Kentucky

According to the report: “The disparity in various jurisdictions’ animal protection laws demonstrates the unfortunate reality that, in many places, the law significantly underrepresents animals’ interests.” It goes on to say that “the Rankings Report also presents an opportunity to improve laws everywhere.” (The Animal League Defense Fund, 2019).

As part of the PPG Mission we respectfully submit that showcasing training methods that use force, fear or pain are morally and ethically wrong as well as damaging to the animal, damaging to the human-animal bond, and potentially create hazards for the pet-owning public that may attempt to use such methods. Showcasing such methods creates significant danger for animals and humans and perpetuates training methods which science does not support as effective and which the Pet Professional Guild deems unethical treatment of animals.
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By Jenny Efimova

Reactive behavior is the tip of the iceberg. It’s what we see: the lunging, the barking, the snarling, the growling, etc. It’s what’s above the surface and it’s what we often want to stop. What we don’t see and what’s driving this behavior is the rest of the iceberg below: the fear, the anxiety, the stress, the frustration. So if we want the behavior to change, we need to look at the root cause, not just the symptoms.

When we change how a dog feels about a trigger, we help change how they act around it. We do this through the application of modern, science-based positive reinforcement behavior modification techniques including desensitization, counter-conditioning, and reinforcement of alternative behaviors.

What we don’t do to change how a dog feels about a trigger is use punishment and aversive tools such as prong or shock collars. No matter how these tools are marketed, packaged, and sold to us, and no matter how “properly” or “correctly” we use them, they work by means of pain and fear avoidance. They “work” by stopping the behaviors we see—the barking, the lunging, the growling. They “work” by temporarily suppressing these behaviors. They “work” by addressing the symptoms not the cause. They “work” by trying to chip away at the tip of the iceberg. But even if the entire tip is gone, the mammoth below remains.

What also remain are the countless risks associated with the use of pain-based tools including increased fear, anxiety, stress, avoidance, aggression, and behavioral shutdown.

The year is 2019, folks. Let’s get real. Don’t mistake behavior suppression for behavior modification. If your dog needs help, hire a reputable professional who understands the science of behavior and has the education, skillset, and experience (yes, those matter!) to create real, lasting, and humane behavior change.

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