Modern Dog Spring 2013 by Modern Dog Magazine

SPRING 2013

VOL 12

NO 1

28 FEATURES Breaking Bad Bad dog—or bad dog owner? Break your habits: 10 tips for a more harmonious household. BY STEVE DUN o

8 “People Foods” For Dogs Pep up your dog’s diet with these healthy additions from your cupboard and crisper.

Inspire: Distill Our Hearts Tito Beveridge, founder and CEO of Tito’s Handmade Vodka, on handcrafted artisanal spirits and the necessity of a dog’s company on long, lonely evenings camped out next to your still. BY ROSE FROSEK

104

Babies and Bullies, Part Two Jake and Charlotte, one year later. BY JENNIFER MESSER

Dirty Dog Problem-solving grooming products.

BANNED. The Heartbreak that is Breed 34 Specific Legislation The banning of breeds, confiscation of family dog, and the business of changing public perception. 52

Bargain Buys Top picks under $25.

Puppies! 62 Six perfect little ribbon bedecked baby-dogs, in all their wee adorableness. But be forewarned: a bunch of them are looking for homes. PHOTOGRAPHED BY TANYA KING

Puppies: Behind the Scenes Meet the cuties from the shoot, plus get a peek at the behind-the-camera action. (#bestjobever)

100

Can Dogs Tell Time? How dogs perceive time. BY STANLEY COREN

THE GOODS

BY COREY VAN’T HAAFF

32 Fab Finds for the Home Stylish additions to your abode. Stuff Your Dog Wants Thrill your dog with these fun finds.

BODY AND SOUL 74

Get Your Walk On; What is a Hot Spot? Health Alert: Toxic Toys

76 Operation Mexico A group of Canadian Football League stars put their 78 considerable muscle behind a spay and neuter effort in Bonfil, Mexcio. 80

Signs and Symptoms; The Find; Collars with a Cause; MD Poll

Christine Scott Bennett Actress Christine Scott Bennett on the life-changing wonders of volunteering and why dogs are the best (the wearing of sweatpants definitely plays a role).

Change Your Dog’s Diet, Improve Her Health Tackle specific health concerns by tweaking what’s in your dog’s dinner bowl.

Doggy Doula: Guiding Child-Dog Interaction

BY ELIZABETH PASK AND LAURA SCOTT

BY ROSE FROSEK

2 moderndog SPRING 2013

P H OTO H I R OSH I YO DA

Ask a Vet Lumps, bumps, and growths: what’s what.

BREED PROFILE 22

Read Your Breed Meet the Yorkshire Terrier and Labrador Retriever.

The Brussels Griffon Teeny, tiny, and as good as it gets. BY KELLY CALDWEL

We’re Giving It Away! We’ve got three months of groovy giveaways, from Puppy Care Packs to Kong treats, and winners every week!

Architecture for Dogs Free blueprints for architect designed structures for canines. BY AISHA TEJANI

The 10 Warning Signs of Cancer Early detection is key to successful treatment. A veterinary oncologist shares what to look out for.

64 28

P H OTO TA N YA K I N G

LIVING

Baby Love Cute overload! Irresistible reader-submitted photos of their little ones.

102

DIY EAT Thrill your dog with these recipes designed to put a spring in his step: Stew for Sad Dogs and Superfood Gravy. BY HENRIETTA MORRISON

109

How I Met My Dog My dog taught me the meaning of life. BY JEN REEDER

BY DR. GERALD S. POST

10 Fun Ways You Can Help Shelter Dogs Interested in volunteering some of your time and talents, but simply don’t know where to get started? We’ve got fun, easy-to-implement ideas to get the ball rolling! BY ROSE FROSEK

DIY CRAFT This super-easy, retro inspired no-sew dog bed is the 110 perfect Sunday afternoon project. BY ISABELLE GENEST DIY PROJECT Make it! This DIY yogurt drop recipe is single ingredient 112 frozen deliciousness dogs love. BY ISABELLE GENEST

Ask a Trainer: Dealing With An Obsession A rock-obsessed Pit Bull requires an intervention for his enthusiasm. BY COLLEEN SAFFORD Ask a Trainer: Litter Lovin’ Dog How to put the kibosh of litter box snacking. BY NICOLE WILDE

REGULAR FEATURES 6 8 10 12 14 26 129

Editor’s Letter Contributors Our Readers Write Stuff We Love The Scoop Smile! Photo Contest Marketplace

114

Ask a Trainer: Bring Me The Ball Already! Putting an end to the partial fetch. BY INGER MARTENS

114

Ask a Trainer: Clicker Training 101 Getting started with clicker training. BY TEOTI ANDERSON

119

Art Attack: 100 Days and 100 Dogs Artist Clair Hartmann’s painterly realism makes a mark. BY SHANNON CHURCH

121

Connie’s Book Club Curl up with a good dog and a good book. Editor-inChief Connie Wilson’s round up of this spring’s mustread titles.

124

Ask Dog Lady Bothered and bewildered? Crazed and confused? Dog Lady delves into your most dogged dilemmas. BY MONICA COLLINS

COVER LOOK Actress Christine Scott Bennett and her smiling dogs, Tyson, a Jack Russell/Beagle mix and Smurfy, a Miniature Pinscher. Photographed by Bobby Quillard.

4 moderndog SPRING 2013

136

Last Lick: Mister Pazu Mystery revealed. BY DIANA THUNG

In USA: MODERN DOG (ISSN 1703-812X) Volume 12, Issue 1. Published quarterly by Modern Dog Inc. at 142 Churchill Drive, Newington, CT 06111-4003. Periodicals postage paid at Hartford, CT and additional offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Modern Dog, PO Box 310402, Newington, CT 06131-0402.

o quote Oprah, “you radiate and generate more goodness for yourself when you’re aware of all you have and not focusing on your have-nots.” Over the years, I’ve advocated a similar philosophy and know for certain that being consciously grateful for even small pleasures or unexpected good news proves beneficial not only in terms of general happiness, but also in keeping the tide of good fortune flowing to you. With life constantly throwing us curve balls and our days packed with responsibilities, it’s easy to forget to take pleasure in the simple moments, even if it’s just a parking spot miraculously opening up in front of the store you’re heading to, enjoyment of cherry blossoms scattered by a warm spring breeze, dinner unexpectedly ready for you after a long day at work, or your dog overjoyed to see you come through the door. Being grateful leads to a happier life. Need to figure out how to get off the uptight, too busy merry-goround and smile more? Here is something, remarkable in its simplicity, that I recommend you try when you feel yourself getting into grumble mode—I know it helps me: Take a walk with your dog. First, be grateful you have a dog to walk with (not everyone is so lucky), then be thankful he’s getting you outside to enjoy the awakening of spring, giving you an opportunity for chance encounters—who knows what interesting things you’ll see or people you’ll meet! Next, recognize and be grateful that you’re getting exercise and fresh air rather than passively sitting on the couch

6 moderndog SPRING 2013

flopped in front of the TV (not that there isn’t a time and place for that!). Lastly, be thankful you have the opportunity to spend quality time with your dog and share in her delight in simply being outside. There’s nothing like watching your best bud’s exhilaration to get you into the present moment. It’s the recognition of these little things, the goodness in your life, and being thankful for them that will make a difference in your mood, energy, and what you ultimately attract into your life. I think this is something we all innately know, but sometimes forget. So, here’s to our dogs, our guides to a happier and more rewarding life! Hopefully this issue helps you along a path of happiness and gratitude. We spent a lot of time packing in all the goodness we encountered, from interviews with inspiring individuals to cool DIY projects, easy recipes guaranteed to make your dog drool (p 102), behavioural advice, wellness diets designed to combat chronic conditions (p 82), people foods for dogs (p 40), 10 ways to help shelter dogs (p 60), and so much more! Oh, and let’s not forget our awww-inducing all-puppy photo-editorial. If you’re looking for a new friend, some of these guys are up for adoption.

Wishing you a season of growth and renewal,

Connie Wilson, Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

The universe operates through dynamic exchange… giving and receiving are different aspects of the flow of energy in the universe. And in our willingness to give that which we seek, we keep the abundance of the universe circulating in our lives. —Deepak Chopra, from The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success

PHOTO KHAREN HILL

E D ITO R ’S LE T T E R

C ON TRIBU TOR S SPRING 2013

•

VOL 12

NO 1

Publisher

Modern Dog Inc. Editor-in-Chief

Isabelle Genest, 26, is a dog collar designer and DIY addict. Between drinking coffee, sewing, walking her dogs, and drinking more coffee, she’s gallivanting about meeting Australian brides—celebrity and non-celebrity alike—and creating custom ring bearer collars and leads for their four-legged friends. Isabelle recently launched her signature Dharf collection featuring stylish yet comfortable collars and accessories for dogs; check out her cute, fun creations at dharf.com. Flip to page 94 and 96 for two fun DIY projects she shares the how-to for in this issue: Yogurt Drop Dog Treats and a super-easy no-sew retro inspired dog bed.

Connie Wilson Editor & Creative Director

Jennifer Nosek Circulation Manager & Marketing Director

Jessica Nosek Circulation Supervisor

Jane Hope Design & Production

Maxine Matishak Design & Production Assistant

Vanessa Dong PHOTO JESSICA BLOOR

Sales & Marketing

Sara Lima, Mary Liu Editorial Intern

Aisha Tejani Accounting and Subscription Services Assistant

Celine Benipayo Controller

Cecilia de Roca Chan Donations Program Liaison

We’re simply thrilled to have illustrator Nick Craine’s work appear in the spring 2013 issue of Modern Dog. And we’re in good company—Nick’s illustrations have appeared in The Washington Post, The New York Times, and UTNE Reader, and he was chosen by Taschen for their round-up of 150 of the world’s best illustrators in their 2009 edition of Illustration Now. He lives in Guelph, Ontario with his lovely wife and son, tackling illustrations for articles like our piece on the mistakes dog-guardians make, “Breaking Bad. Bad Dog—Or Bad Dog Owner? 10 Tips For a More Harmonious Household” on page 36.

Jessica Nosek Honourary Editor-at-Large

Jytte Wilson Subscription inquiries call (800) 417-6289 Advertising inquiries call (866) 734-3131 In Canada: MODERN DOG (ISSN 1703-812X) Volume 12, Issue 1. Published quarterly by Modern Dog Inc. at Suite 202–343 Railway St, Vancouver, BC Canada V6A 1A4 POSTMASTER: send address changes to Modern Dog, Suite 202–343 Railway St, Vancouver, BC Canada V6A 1A4 In USA: MODERN DOG (ISSN 1703-812X) Volume 12, Issue 1. Published quarterly by Modern Dog Inc. at 142 Churchill Drive, Newington, CT 06111-4003. Periodicals postage paid at Hartford, CT and additional offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Modern Dog, PO Box 310402, Newington, CT 06131-0402.

604) 734-3131 OR TOLL FREE (866) 734-3131

PHONE (

FAX (604) 734-3031 OR TOLL FREE (866) 734-3031

The publisher is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, images, photographs or other materials. By accepting and publishing advertising the publisher in no way recommends, guarantees or endorses the quality of services or products within those advertisements.

Modern Dog’s Production and Graphic Design guru, Maxine “Hawk Eye” Matishak, has been beautifying the pages of MD for over four years now. Maxine always put tons of love into each issue, but she’s particularly proud of the Puppies! photo spread (page 64) and the DIYs featured in the spring edition (page 94, 96, and 102). Aside from being a design super-genius, Maxine also applies her talents to pen and ink drawings, painting, the accordion, and summer softball. To view more of Maxine’s work, visit inmodernthought.com.

8 moderndog SPRING 2013

Copyright 2013 by Modern Dog Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means, electronic or mechanical, including the Internet or photocopying without the written permission of the Publisher. Modern Dog and its logotype are the trademarks of Modern Dog Inc. One-year subscription prices: Canada $16CAD, U.S.A. $16USD, foreign $45USD. Subscription orders and customer service inquiries should be sent to Modern Dog Subscription Services, Suite 202–343 Railway St, Vancouver, BC Canada V6A 1A4

PRINTED IN CANADA

www.moderndogmagazine.com Publications Mail Agreement Number 40743013 We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage.

Bark Back! OUR R EA D ER S W R I T E I absolutely love the magazine. When I first ordered it, I just hoped it wouldn’t be like other dog magazines and it’s not. I am only sorry it doesn’t come every month. Can’t wait to see the next issue.—Lisa and Jeff Owens

L IK E! I was given some back issues of Modern Dog Magazine at the vet hospital where I work. I was really impressed with it. Keep up the great work!—Krista Pochedly-Davis Looked at issue of MD last night. First chance I’ve had. Love it. Page after page of great products and ideas. Please keep up good work. —Louise L Bell, DogVacay.com

WE’V E G OT M A IL Thank you for a great article (“Food Rules: How Dinnertime Affects Your Dog’s Behaviour”). However, you left out one key argument for not free feeding: When your pet is ill and you take him to the vet, one of the first questions you will be asked is, “Is he eating or drinking normally?” If a pet is being free fed there is no way to tell for sure, nor tell exactly how long it’s been that he has been off his food. Again, thanks for a great article!—Dawn Chamness, Animal Emergency Center OKC, OK [Excellent point, Dawn! If anyone would like to read the “Food Rules” article to which Dawn refers, go to: moderndogmagazine.com/foodrules —Ed]

How sweet is this? Reader Heather Ulmer snapped this super-cute photo of her rescue dog, Angel, enjoying a copy of Modern Dog.

I was just notified that I was the winner of the Friday Freebie giveaway! I am so excited and so is my beloved Briard, BB!! Modern Dog is such a wonderful magazine. I enjoy reading it so much. Your advertisers are where I start when I am searching for new products/solutions for my girlies. With best regards from me and happy tails from my Briards —Pat, BB, and Lorna Doone

Thanks for the article on urban dog life [moderndogmagazine.com/ indefenseofthecitydog]. The author is fortunate to have Central Park close by. In other cities, there are fewer and less expansive options. But one group here in the Motor City is working to address the “paucity” of spaces for dog play in the city of Detroit. Detroit Dog Park is working closely with the City of Detroit Parks and Recreation Department to “Adopt-a-Park” with a new charter as an open dog run. A steering committee of six urban dog lovers started the discussion by drawing attention to an underused park in the scrappy but vibrant Corktown area of the city. The small park stands in the big shadow of two Michigan icons, the long abandoned and hauntingly beautiful Central Railroad depot and the former Tigers Stadium. The group has raised over $15,000 through a Kickstarter initiative to fund the prep work from an expansive range of contributors near and far away. While additional construction funds will be needed, the design and construction plan appears to be playfully engaging for humans and dogs alike and practical enough to ensure that a safe and environmentally friendly space will open in 2013.—Alex and Bella [Thanks for writing, Alex. We are always behind initiatives for more parks, especially citizen-led initiatives such as yours that can transform and revitalize under used or even blighted areas of a city. Keep us posted!—Ed.]

SWEET TWEETS @MountainDogBlog we can’t wait to try the paw print project! Thanks so much for the post & your great magazine! Keep waggin’!!! @CanadaPooch @Moderndogmag is quite #crafty with this pawesome chalkboard dog-treat jar! @hausofpaws What a great article! We so love our Golden, Lucy. Huge fan of your mag & @carrieunderwood. Loved the cover! [Check out the above mentioned DIY projects at moderndogmagazine.com/ pawprint-wall-art & moderndogmagazine.com/articles/diy-chalkboard-jar.—Ed]

For a behind-the-scenes look at what we’re up to in the MD offices, the latest breaking stories and videos, cool contests, events, and exclusive giveaways, become a fan of Modern Dog on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Pinterest. Go to facebook.com/moderndogmagazine, twitter.com/moderndogmag & http://pinterest.com/moderndogmag.

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@ !

STUFF WE LOVE Modern Dog staffers’ picks of the litter 1 The On a Wing and a Prayer talisman from Smiling Blue Skies has me flying high! Created

to celebrate the special spirit and bond we have with our dogs, the four-piece charm collection can be configured in many different ways (on a necklace, bracelet, dog collar… you name it!). Plus, proceeds from this collection benefit the Smiling Blue Skies Cancer fund. Lift off!—Smiling Maxine Matishak ($85, smilingblueskies.com)

2 My pup loves to play out in the lake. It’s tons of fun, but it leaves him super-stinky.

So post-romp, we lather him up with Vancouver, BC fave Skoah’s K9 Shampu and Konditioning Spray. Both are full of botanical extracts like rosemary (for a shiny coat) and comfrey root (antibacterial). Afterwards, I have the sweetest, snuggliest dog around! –Jane ($30, skoah.com)

3 Eighteen-month-old Pug Hendrix is the very definition of the word “hyper.” But with Jolly

Pets’ Romp-n-Roll, I never run out of ideas to keep this little dude active. It’s perfect for our little tug-o-wars and his non-stop chewing; now he spares my shoes!—Celine ($19-24, jollypets.com or petco.com)

4 Following my dog Cash’s cancer diagnosis, he was put on a strict high protein, low carb diet, but his compromised immune system meant feeding raw was out. Thankfully, I found Amore’s Mega Morsels, a freeze-dried raw diet available in several allergy-friendly formulas including Kangaroo and Ostrich. Simply add water and wait 15 minutes for a meaty meal your dog will love!—Sara (Available in Canada from $21, amorepetfoods.com)

5 If your dogs are prone to the occasional accident, which, unfortunately, one of mine is

(see Rose the escape artist Dachshund), Flor carpet squares are a godsend. This genius carpeting solution is a system of carpeted squares available in a vast array of colours and cool patterns that you assemble to form runners, rugs or wall-to-wall carpeting. Best of all, you can easily remove a particular square for cleaning should it become soiled through an accident, a dog electing to drag her raw bone onto the carpeting, or an upset wine glass. Like I said: genius!—Jennifer (From $10 a square, flor.com)

6 I love to roll in goose poop, but when I do my mom yells “Oh No, Penny, No!” and then I

get a bath. But bath time isn’t so bad now that mom’s using Angels’ Eyes colloidal oatmeal shampoo with aloe and vitamins. It’s good for my skin, doesn’t leave me feeling itchy or dried out, and because it restores natural moisture, mom can wash me as often as she likes.—Wirehaired Dachshund Penny ($14, angelseyesonline.com)

(

7 I use my phone to capture all of my dog Molly’s cute and hilarious moments, so I hate when my phone runs out of battery. With Mophie’s Juice Pack Plus (which also acts as a protective, shock-resistant case), I don’t have to worry. Now I never run out of battery and can capture all the fun on my fully charged iPhone.—Vanessa (From $79, mophie.com)

8 The Lounger Bed from Dog Gone Smart is the coziest bed for pooches to relax in after a

day of walks and playtime. The soft cotton canvas and bolstered sides make it the perfect place for your dog to rest his weary head.—Mary (From $60, doggonesmartbed.com)

9 As a dog, it is very important to carry identification on you at all times, especially if you

are a silent escape artist like I am. My new Sailor ID tag is a lightweight, one-inch brass tag adorned with a matching antique brass anchor charm and stamped with my personal details, so everyone knows where I belong.—Miniature Dachshund Rose ($12, etsy.com/ shop/veryvintage)

10 To maintain or improve your dog’s joint health or function, I personally recommend Advanced Cetyl M from Response Products. Scientifically designed with cetyl myristoleate and other powerful joint health ingredients, the difference it’s made in our senior dog Rose’s mobility is quite remarkable. I use the human version and swear by its effectiveness!—Connie (from $39, responseproducts.com)

11 My dog, Max, seems to have found enlightenment with the only dog chew he has ever

loved (there have been many attempts at match making, believe me). He chews for hours and hours before collapsing to nap, I’m sure dreaming of his new best friend—the breathfreshening CraniVores beef dental chew with a cranberry center. Max, I am glad you have found your passion in life.—Aisha ($6, cranimal.com)

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CANINE NEWS AND REVIEWS

80% of ce Chan w! aw

Weather Puppy

P H OTOS M A RT I N U SB O R N E

The forecast? It’s going to be raining cats and dogs

DOGS IN CARS London-based photographer Martin Usborne takes us on an unforgettable journey with his photography art book Dogs in Cars (Kehrer Publishing, 2012), which has its awaited North American release this spring. From Lab to Greyhound, VW to BMW, every image is composed of a different dog in a different car. In a hauntingly beautiful way, Usborne’s moody photographs evoke emotions that all dog lovers can relate to. Usborne carefully captures each canine’s expression exposing a sense of voyeurism in each image and leaving the onlooker to decipher the scenario.—SI [ Just to be clear here, we don’t advocate leaving your unattended dog in a vehicle.—Ed.]

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Weather Puppy is quite possibly the best weather app we’ve ever seen. Aside from being free, customizable, and featuring puppy photos that change with the weather, it also acts as a platform for dog-related charities to fundraise from. The free app comes with themes, like outdoorsy or glamorous, but for $0.99 you can “Add Your Own Doggy,” or support an animal-related charity. Weather Puppy is currently partnered with the Austin Humane Society, Pennsylvania SPCA, San Diego Humane Society and SPCA, and the Humane Society of Utah, among others, allowing them to sell their own branded themes with the app to raise funds and awareness. Many animal organizations already sell their own calendars, making creating a theme on Weather Puppy an easy next step. Coming soon? Weather Kitty!—SC

THE SCOOP

BUSTED!

10 Myths About Guide Dogs

As amazing as guide dogs are, they still can’t read traffic lights In honour of April 25th, International Guide Dog Day, BC Guide Dog Services dispels 10 common myths about guide dogs for us

1 Guide dogs can read traffic lights.

A guide dog will lead its blind partner to a curb, then sit and wait for further instruction. The guide dog user will listen to traffic to decide when it is safe to cross.

2 Guide dogs never get to play.

Like humans, guide dogs have time to work and play. When they are not wearing their harness, guide dogs are like regular, wellbehaved pets—they have fun!

3 Guide dogs know where to go.

The guide dog understands commands like “forward,” “find the stairs” or “left” and “right,” but it is up to the guide dog user to direct the dog. Often the guide dog user will learn routes in advance by asking a sighted person or ask passersby.

Having a guide dog in a restaurant is a health code violation.

7 Any dog can be trained to become a guide dog. It takes a special dog with a particular personality to make a great guide dog. BC Guide Dogs carefully breeds its own puppies based on good health and temperament.

8 A blind person will only need one guide dog over his/her lifetime. A healthy guide dog can work up to eight years before retirement, which means that a blind person may need four or five replacement guide dogs in his/her lifetime.

9 Retired guide dogs are taken away from

5 All guide dog users are completely

their blind partner. In most cases, a retired guide dog stays with his partner as a pet. Otherwise, the dog is adopted by a carefully screened family.

6 Guide dogs are paid for by the

is working. It is best to ignore a guide dog when it is working. Any distractions may put both the dog and blind person in danger.

By law, a guide dog may accompany its user anywhere, including restaurants. blind. Only 10 percent of all legally blind persons are totally blind. Most can see light, shapes or movement. government.

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BC Guide Dogs relies on individual and corporate donations to cover the $37,000 cost of training each guide dog. The guide dog user only pays $1.

10 It’s okay to pet a guide dog when he

THE SCOOP

SURF Danes & Design If, like us, you adore canines (of course you do) and cool spaces and objects, you’ll dig The-Barkitect.com, a blog combining blogger/architect Becky Valentine’s love for both dogs and design. Valentine knows what she’s talking about; she designs dog-related buildings, such as progressive animal care facilities, for an Albuquerque, New Mexico architecture firm and has two Great Danes, Vader and Vixen, that she posts gorgeous photos of. Her blog highlights all sorts of terrific finds, from Dachshundprint ballet flats to adorable baby sweaters adorned with Saint Bernards, as well as dog-themed décor, photography, and art, plus design tips and tricks perfect for the canine enthusiast.—NS

Small Dogs Unite! Having grown tired of dealing with small dog stereotypes, two Dachshund owners decided they would show the world what their miniature pups could do. The result, YouDidWhatWithYourWeiner.com, is a blog dedicated to the outdoor adventures of all-terrain wiener dogs Chester and Gretel. These two little pups like to hike, travel, and even snowshoe with their favourite humans, who share these adventures along with tips specific to small, active canines, proving that small dogs are every bit as adventurous as their larger compatriots.—NS

Dog Meets Art What happens when you combine the world’s most handsome Rhodesian Ridgeback with an animal illustrator with a knack for DIY? You get OscarAteMyMuffin.com, a beautifully illustrated blog showcasing a collection of DIY recipes, arts and crafts, and stories intertwined with drawings and paintings of the multi-talented Natalya Zahn’s beloved dog Oscar. A girl after our heart, Zahn also has a passion for rescue. She recently dedicated a section of her blog to Rescued Besties, a 13-week feature where she outlined a rescue success story along with a stunning painting or drawing she did of the canine cutie. Her absolute love for her dog and passion for illustrating radiates through her blog. An inspiring, beautiful diversion. —AT

-alook ? likes

TOP 10 DOG NAMES

“Bella” Continues Reign as Most Popular Moniker Though the Twilight movie franchise has concluded, the popularity of the name “Bella” is showing no signs of slowing down among pet guardians, with the moniker once again topping the list of Veterinary Pet Insurance Co’s (VPI’s) most common dog names. VPI, the oldest and largest U.S. provider of pet health insurance, sorted its database of more than 485,000 insured dogs to determine the top 10 most popular names of 2012. 1. Bella 2. Bailey 3. Max 4. Lucy 5. Molly

6. Buddy 7. Daisy 8. Maggie 9. Charlie 10. Sophie

The preference for human names for furry friends continues to hold. Each of the top five dog and cat names were also among babycenter.com’s 100 most popular baby names of 2012. Meanwhile, traditional dog names continue to trend downward. Of the nearly half a million pets insured by VPI, only 11 dogs barked to “Fido,” and just 65 cats purred to “Fluffy. The popularity of people names doubling as pet names is a testament to the bigger trend of pet owners viewing their pets as members of the family,” said Curtis Steinhoff, director of Corporate Communications at VPI. “It’s now just as common for a pet to be named ‘Oliver’ or ‘Chloe’ as it is for a child.” Not that it’s all Bella’s and Max’s out there. Some of the more unusual names registered included “Chew Barka” and “Pico de Gato.”

moderndogmagazine.com

THE SCOOP

Caption This!

Exercise your funny bone. Create a caption for this cartoon and submit your entry at moderndogmagazine.com/cartooncaption. The most comic captions will be published in the next issue.

Modern Dog team members (and very good sports) Esther and Rose give “breading” a go.

THE BEST THING SINCE SLICED BREAD Breading—it’s not just for cats

The hottest new internet meme (well, depending on the circles you run in), has now branched out to include our canine friends. Not ones to be left out of the fun, particularly where edibles are concerned, dogs and their guardians have been getting in on the “breading” action. Breading, for the uninitiated, is when you take a piece of bread and make a hole in it, put it on your dog’s head, take a photo, upload, and laugh. The inexplicably hilarious practice came to prominence through sites such as breadedcats.com and catbreading.org, with the latter explaining its not just for cats, something a quick Google images search definitively proves. So, a call to action: send photos of your dog being breaded to dogbreading@moderndogmagazine.com for a chance to appear in the summer issue!

AND THE WINNER FROM THE WINTER ISSUE IS... “I have to admit I have come unprepared—I expected sheep trials! But since you asked, in my view the tools of fiscal policies are insufficiently utilized to ensure social equality...” SUBMITTED BY EVA CADARIO

RUNNER-UP CAPTIONS “Who let the dogs out? WHO? WHO? WHO? WHO?” SUBMITTED BY JOANNE MARSH

“You do not own a dog. You have a dog. And the dog has you.” —Chelsea Handler

You can follow Chelsea’s rescue dog, Chunk Handler, on Twitter at @chunkhandler. Of course, you can follow Chelsea too.

“I am sorry, but I cannot continue this debate without sniffing your bum. How else will I know who you REALLY are?!” SUBMITTED BY EMMA K.

“As your new leader I promise to.....squirrel!” SUBMITTED BY STACEY

“Breed restrictions...DNA poop testing...bark collars! My opponents are about to get a whiff of my ire ‘cause I’m gassed up over these indignities!” SUBMITTED BY KATHY KANTER

“I caught YOU petting a CAT!!” SUBMITTED BY CAREN GITTLEMAN

s y a w a e v i G t a e r G

ENTER TO WIN

We’re giving it away! Enter to win fabulous giveaways each and every week in March, April, and May. Go to moderndogmagazine.com/giveaway to enter! Lucky readers will win every week.

march

1st-7th

Four lucky winners will receive a KONG Treats Box with Soft and Chewy and Long Lasting Chew Treats! Your dog will love you for it.

22nd-31st

8th-14th

15th-21st Win one of four luxury plush toy accessory prize packs from PoochieHeaven.com.

Win one of twenty bottles of Waterless Bath spray by Natural Chemistry. Worry-free pet cleaning without the need for a traditional bath!

8th-14th

15th-21st

22nd-30th

8th-14th

15th-21st

22nd-31st

Win one of three six-month supplies of Dog Rocks, 100% natural and proven to prevent and rejuvenate urine burn patches on your lawn and shrubs.

april

1st-7th

Win a deluxe memory foam dog bed from BuddyRest. Handcrafted in the USA, this waterproof orthopedic bed utilizes the finest materials to provide unrivaled support and durability.

Win a weekend for two in a pet-friendly room at any one of the five Accent Inns locations in BC. Because a family vacation should include the WHOLE family.

Win one of four gift baskets filled with Whole Life Pet Products’ freeze-dried, single ingredient treats! USA-sourced and manufactured, Whole Life is the world’s first farm-to-friend treat.

may

1st-7th

Win one of three sets of Unleashed Life dog bowls in size medium—your choice of pure elegance Bone Appetit or high stakes Monte Carlo styles. Chow time!

Win one of four SUREswivel tie-outs for truly tangle free tethering of pets. Its 360-degree swiveling design makes it ideal for portable or permanent installations.

Win one of seven John Paul Pet “Puppy Care Packs” containing tearless shampoo, waterless foam shampoo, and full body and paw wipes!

Win one of four Popware For Pets Prize Packs, including collapsible feeder bowls, Grippmat, travel cup and the one-cup, collapsible KlipScoop for dry food bags.

Ten lucky winners will receive a two months’ supply of Bimini’s Best dog hip and joint health supplement designed to relieve discomfort, the occasional soreness, and tenderness.

No purchase necessary to enter or win. Beginning March 1, 2013 at 12:01 AM (PST) through May 31, 2013 at 11:59 PM (PST), enter each day at moderndogmagazine.com/giveaways. Each week’s giveaway ends at 11:59 PM (PST). Each week, the specified number of winners for that week’s giveaway will win the prize featured in the giveaway calendar (ARV: $200). Odds of winning depend on the number of entries received. Contest is open to legal Canadian and US residents 18 and older as of date of entry. Void in Puerto Rico and where prohibited by law. Giveaway subject to complete official rules available at moderndogmagazine.com/giveaway-rules.

GOOD DOG

READ YOUR BREED YORKSHIRE TERRIER

Following its transition from common rat catcher (hard to imagine the breed working in factories and coal mines in Industrial Revolution England, but there you have it) to desirable arm warmer in the Victorian era, the Yorkie’s popularity among seekers of fashionable four-legged friendship has only snowballed. This popularity—it is currently the fifth most popular breed in the US according to AKC registration statistics—is largely attributed to the dogs’ intelligence, energy, good looks, and affection for their owners. They are suspicious of strangers and have an acute sense of hearing, making them effective watchdogs. Ideal for apartment living—although also good outdoor companions— Yorkies are not well suited to homes with young children, primarily due to their very small size (under seven pounds). Yet their fierce loyalty and undying courage contribute to a reputation for believing they’re much larger than they really are. Read more at moderndogmagazine.com/breeds/yorkshire-terrier

P H OTO D E B SA M U E L

This tiny, terrific rat hunting dog breed rolls with the punches, reinvents self as lap ornament

LABRADOR RETRIEVER

It doesn’t take many trips to a dog park or beach to figure out which dog breed is ranked most popular in North America today. The high popularity of the Lab is due in large part to its great versatility combined with a typically easygoing, amiable temperament. Developed originally as a gun dog, the Labrador is now widely thought of as the ideal suburban family dog. Small children? The Lab will offer his back for standing practice. Little time for training? He may knock things over in his enthusiasm to see his people, but he will forgive, and forgive again. Formal, controlled development of the breed occurred in Britain under the auspices of hunting men who wanted a good, all-around, rugged and versatile retriever. In this they definitely succeeded. And, of course, Labs make great pets and companions. But the breed is not for everyone. A young Lab requires regular exercise and space to run around, and firm, positive education, or that otter-like tail will be sweeping everything off the coffee table and that big, muscular butt will be knocking over the lamps and plants (not to mention wobbly toddlers). “Willingness to please” is often dependent on whether or not there is an opportune food source around, as these sweet-natured dogs are enthusiastic—especially when it comes to dinnertime. Read more at moderndogmagazine.com/breeds/labrador-retriever Read all about your breed online at moderndogmagazine.com/breeds. From the Black and Tan Coonhound to the Chinese Crested, we’ve got you covered. Don’t see your breed up there? The profiles posted are those we’ve covered to date. Send us an email at info@moderndogmagazine.com and let us know which you’d like to see covered next!

22 moderndog SPRING 2013

P H OTO T R AC Y LY D I ATT

An affable athlete, a strong and versatile dog

DIRTY DOG O

ur dogs, bless their hearts, are dirty little beggars, forever blithely tromping through the mud en route to locating a dead thing to roll in. Then, skipping into the house, they surely settle themselves on the new white sofa or master bed, leaving a trail of dog hair and dry leaves in their wake. Thank goodness they’re so otherwise loveable. To tackle their predilection for getting down right filthy, we’ve rounded up the very best grooming supplies to ensure your pups are as clean and sweet smelling as one could wish for. Cleanliness may not be close to dogliness, but with the right arsenal of natural, high performing products, you can make sure your dog gets all the up-close cuddles she deserves, with no oily coat or stanky breath to stand in the way.

Tackle dirty fur with Epi-Pet’s Cleansing Agent Shampoo, a multifunctional, vet-formulated enzyme shampoo that effectively removes dead skin, dirt, debris, and excess oils. 16 natural extracts, including Bromelain, an exfoliating agent derived from pineapples, address not only mud but dry, flaky, itchy, irritated, oily, and smelly skin and coats, leaving a light lavender/vanilla scent in their stead. $10, epi-pet.com

Dirty Fur

Oily Coat Banish oily coats and general “dogginess” quickly with a dry shampoo. Fresh Dog’s allnatural dry dog shampoo powder is just the thing for de-greasing and deodorizing smelly dogs (as well as carpets, pet beds, and other fabrics). Just sprinkle on the dry shampoo powder, massage into your dog, then brush off the excess—no water required! (For carpets/fabrics, let it sit a moment before vacuuming it up.) $15, freshdog.com

hot spots + injured and speed the healing paws ofProtect injured paw pads with allnatural K9 Klear Up, a naturally antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and antiseptic balm containing just six hardworking ingredients. Plus, it multitasks, also helping to clear up the 17 most common canine skin and coat problems, from hot spots to acne to itchy skin. A miracle product! $40, k9klearup.com

24 moderndog SPRING 2013

Keep your dog’s mouth healthy and teeth clean by balancing the chemistry of your dog’s mouth. Leba III natural dental spray balances the oral environment without killing the good bacteria, stimulating enzymes to soften tartar. $50, lebalab.com

Stinky Breath

Non-reeking breath starts with proper dental care. Fetch4Pet’s five-piece set includes everything you need to start your dog on an effective dental program, from toothpaste and a finger-brush to an Arm and Hammer bakingsoda-powered water-additive that cleans teeth and freshens breath. $19, fetch4pets.com

lackluster coat

Do triple duty with Rockin’ Paws Show Stopper Coat De-Matting and Shine Serum. Formulated with avocado oil and jojoba oil, it adds shine and softness, restores moisture, and guards your dog’s coat against mats. Just massage a small amount of this leave-in product into your dog’s coat and brush through for beautiful, soft, shiny fur. $18, rockinpaws.com

Andis’ 15-piece cordless pet clipper kit offers everything you need for at-home grooming, from stainless steel sheers to six attachment combs and a clipper providing one full hour of cordless run time. Oh, and let’s not forget the instructional DVD! At-home Poodle cut, anyone? $88, andis.com

DIRTY BEARD+ PAWS

Tackle your dog’s lack luster coat and poor skin condition from the inside out with a daily dose of Omegas. Biologic Vet’s BioFATS fatty acid food supplement for dogs provides a precise ratio of omega 3-6-9 fatty acids to support healthy skin, a shiny coat, and maintain normal shedding. $27, biologicvet.net

Mats+ shaggy hair

John Paul Pet’s Awapoochi super-conditioner contains Hawaiian Awapuhi extract and a botanical blend that gently nourishes and revitalizes dull, dry coats. It even promises that the shine and luster of your dog’s coat can be renewed for days after application just by brushing (they call it Shine Memory). Plus, it’s tested on humans and is paraben- and EDTA-free. $12, johnpaulpet.com

Clean your dog’s smelly, food-collecting beard or dirty paws in a jiffy with Earthbath’s all natural wipes for dogs. These moisturizing towelettes quickly and easily remove grime and odours in between baths. $15, earthbath.com

Freshen up between baths with M&J Dog’s FreshenUp Coat Tonic. This light, all-natural, paraben- and sulfate-free spray conditions and refreshes, eliminating odour, soothing irritated skin, and lending a healthy sheen to your dog’s coat. Vitamin C, lavender, and peppermint guarantee a good smell replaces the doggie one! $17, mjdog.com

THAT “DOGGIE” SMELL

Shedding,/ Mats,& Tangles

Goodbye drifts of fur and tangled mats. Wahl’s Soft Grip Double Row Rake with Shedding Blade is designed to untangle mats and remove loose undercoat (and, hence, the amount of loose hair ending up on your floor). Works best for doubled coated medium or long coated hair. $18, wahlanimalstore.com

moderndogmagazine.com

! e l i Sm

Modern Dog’s Photo Contest Winners! Barney

Bogart

Mr.Kimble Benji

Charlie

Whistle Dexter

Merlin

26 moderndog SPRING 2013

Roxie

Stella

Minion

Tsuka

Bella Marie

Brody Schatzenheimer Duke

Edgar

Holly

Sasha

Sushi

Eddie Peanut

Think your dog ought to grace the pages of Modern Dog? Send us photos of your picture-perfect pooch! The winning entries will be published in Modern Dog magazine. Send photos to: Modern Dog Photo Contest, Suite 202, 343 Railway St, Vancouver, BC Canada V6A 1A4. Submitted photographs are property of Modern Dog and will not be returned. Please include your name, dog’s name and breed, address and contact info, including telephone number. Please send 4 x 6 print photographs or enter online at moderndogmagazine.com. Assignment of rights applies; see full details at moderndogmagazine.com/photosubmission.

moderndogmagazine.com

BREED PROFILE

The Brussels Griffon Teeny, tiny, and as good as it gets

MARY BLOOM © AKC

By Kelly Caldwell

t’s not easy to steal scenes from the likes of Jack Nicholson. But in the criticallyacclaimed ‘97 rom-com As Good As It Gets, a pint-sized dog manages to do just that. In the role of Verdell, an adorable pup became the film’s fourth major character. Virtually overnight, people were asking, “What kind of dog is that?” Those same people would soon discover what Brussels Griffon fanciers have known all along: this plucky pooch doesn’t just steal scenes—it steals hearts. The American Brussels Griffon Association (ABGA) describes the roots of the breed as humble, dating back to the mid-1800s, when Belgian coachmen sought small terriers to control rat populations in stables. Belgian street dogs were bred with the German Affenpinscher to create a wire-coated stable dog known as the Griffons d’Ecurier. Over time, those Griffons were crossed with a variety of breeds, including the Pug, the black and tan King Charles Spaniel, and the English Toy Spaniel. The end result: today’s Brussels Griffon. Appearance-wise, the breed is compact and sturdy. The Brussels Griffon weighs between eight and ten pounds, with the American Kennel Club (AKC) standard allowing for a maximum of 12 pounds. The breed’s coat comes in both rough and smooth varieties and allowable colours include red, black, black and tan, or beige. This intelligent and determined breed is loaded with personality, a trait evidenced by its humanlike facial expressions. Today’s Brussels Griffon has a singular purpose—to serve as a loyal companion. Griffons are well-suited for the task, given how closely they bond with their owners. This could be the right breed for you, if you like the idea of a Velcro dog. You know the kind—those cuddle monsters that stick right by you and can’t imagine why you’d ever want to do anything without them. That describes the Brussels Griffon to a tee, and fanciers wouldn’t have it any other way. The flip side to such devotion is that the Brussels Griffon can be a tad shy around strangers. That’s not a problem, just a part of their nature that needs to be understood and respected. Due to its compact size, the Brussels Griffon does not require extensive exercise. Daily walks will suffice. Those interested in pursuing other activities will find this intelligent breed responds well to training and can excel in conformation, obedience, agility, flyball, among other activities. As is the case with many Toy breeds, the process of house training the Brussels Griffon can be a bit of a challenge. You’ll need to be pre-

moderndogmagazine.com

The Brussels Griffon AKC Ranking: 77 Size: Very Small The AKC breed standard describes the Brussels Griffon ranging in size from 8 to 10 pounds. Grooming: Medium The Brussels Griffon may have a rough or a smooth coat. Twice-weekly brushing is recommended, along with trimming and shaping every few months. Activity level: Medium This tiny breed is well suited for a low-key lifestyle, but the Brussels Griffon stills needs daily walks. Heritage: This personality-packed Toy breed was developed as a ratter and companion. US and Canadian Rescue: brusselsgriffonrescue.org

If you like Brussels Griffons, give some consideration to: PHOTO MARY BLOOM © AKC

Profile:

pared for this, isolating your new pet to specific areas of your home and planning for a lot of potty breaks until your little companion is fully trained. Rest assured, your patience and perseverance will pay off. It’s a small price to pay for sharing your life with this special breed. Finally, in terms of health, the Brussels Griffon is a hearty breed with a life expectancy of 10 to 15 years. All dogs have health conditions to contend with, though, and the Brussels Griffon is no exception. Syringomyelia, Most Popular a disorder of the spinal cord, is noted Dogs in the U.S. as a concern in the breed; other issues According to the most recent such as patella luxation (dislocating AKC registration statistics knee caps), hip dysplasia, and eye [1] Labrador Retriever disease are also occasionally found. [2] German Shepherd Dog The ABGA strongly supports health [3] Beagle research and encourages responsible [4] Golden Retriever breeding practices. If you’re consider[5] Yorkshire Terrier ing a Brussels Griffon, be sure to work [6] Bulldog with a reputable breeder and seek [7] Boxer assurances of their commitment to the [8] Poodle health and temperament of their dogs. [9] Dachshund And remember that no matter what [10] Rottweiler breed you’re in search of, you can [77] Brussels Griffon always find your purebred pup through a rescue group. Check petfinder.com or breed specific rescue groups like brusselsgriffonrescue.org. The Brussels Griffon may not be right for everyone, but if you do open your heart and home to this small-but-mighty breed, you’ll soon learn what so many have already come to recognize— the Brussels Griffon truly is as good as it gets. n

The Pug

The Affenpinscher

READ YOUR BREED

The Manchester Terrier

For more breed profiles, go to moderndogmagazine.com/breeds

30 moderndog SPRING 2013

Free blueprints for architect designed structures for dogs By Aisha Tejani

ome of these designs are on the cray-cray side (we’re pretty sure our dogs don’t want a dog house with a rounded bottom that rocks when they enter or exit), but still, we’re thrilled by this project in which acclaimed architects and designers create structures for dogs with the aim of addressing dogs’ particular needs. Conceived of by Kenya Hara, creative director of Japanese household goods retailer MUJI, the Architecture For Dogs project, undertaken in collaboration with Imprint Venture Lab, is a collection of 13 designer/architect-built structures, each one specialized for a specific breed. Cool, right? But here’s the really novel part: free blueprints are offered online so you can recreate them at home. Hara states he wanted to “change the way humans interact with their dogs” by targeting the needs of the actual customers—the dogs. Hara handpicked 12 designers and architects from Europe, Japan, and the USA to each design and build a structure for a particular breed, providing them with information concerning the temperament, physical characteristics, and health issues. (Hara himself took on the teacup Poodle.) The designers then applied themselves to the task, taking up to five months to create their finished masterpieces. Despite the attention to detail, one of the designs was rejected—not by Hara, but by architect Sou Fujimoto’s subject, a Boston Terrier who refused to even go inside the test model. Accordingly, amendments were made until it met with the exacting Boston’s approval. Printable blueprints for each of the structure in the series are

32 moderndog SPRING 2013

available on The Architecture for Dogs website, where they will remain until October. The idea is that they can be replicated— and adapted—by anyone, anywhere on the planet with ordinary household tools and materials. The interactive website rates each design in terms of its complexity and the hours involved in construction. Structures that are considered difficult, such as the staircase for Dachshunds that involves a variety of materials (and probably the assistance of your DIY-experienced friends) are multiple-day projects, while those in the “easy” category, like the hanging paper house for Japanese Terriers, take just three hours, some of which is likely spent trying to keep your dog from ripping up the paper. Hara hopes that the designs will attract pet enthusiasts and architecture lovers alike and that they’ll form an online community. Users are encouraged to post pictures on the website’s community page of their tail-wagging dogs enjoying their new structures. Not so down with the DIY? This spring will see flat-packed, ready-to-assemble versions of each design in the collection available for purchase, allowing fans who don’t wish to amass the materials and tools necessary to build the designs themselves to instead buy and simply assemble. Looking for an excuse to do some travelling? A final exhibition of the project will be held in Tokyo’s Toto Gallery this October. Check out the designs and download blueprints at architecturefordogs.com.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY HIROSHI YODA

ARCHITECTURE FOR DOGS

Become a dog food ninja with the three-in-one Collapsible Klipscoop. It magically transforms from a food scoop into a collapsing and expanding measuring cup to a food-bag clip. Multitasking at its finest. popwareforpets.com

$25

Ruffwear’s Just-a-Cinch leash and collar combo is an easy and convenient way to get out for a walk. The climbing-inspired design is durable, reflective, and comes in four great colours. ruffwear.com

$16

From

These lovely ceramic hand-dipped twotone Dipper dog bowls are definitely on our list of must-haves. waggo.com

TOP PICKS UNDER $25

Bargain Buys!

$18

From

{EDITOR’S PICK}

When my discerning Dachshund Esther needs a new collar, I head to Hot Dogs All Dressed. Their quality handcrafted leather collars come in an array of beautiful colours and can be customized with decorations of your choosing, from totems (Esther’s choice) to stars to peace signs. They’re a steal of deal and won’t fail to fetch you compliments. hotdogsalldressed.com

$9 $9

Is your dog crazy for your Crocs? Let him go bonkers with these bright, buoyant toys! Your pooch will have hours of fun with Petmate’s durable, soft on the mouth Bonkers “Whoosh” toys made with the same amphibious material used in ubiquitous slip-ons. petmate.com/bonkers

34 moderndog SPRING 2013

Liven up your look with these cute dog-head earrings by Fa Fa. They’re made of hand-filled resin with nickel-free silver-plated hardware. etsy.com/ shop/fazjewelry

$20

Night owls can walk and play safely with SafetyGlo collars. The power pack charges with any USB port or with solar energy during the day, providing five hours of bright light at night, keeping your dog visible. safetyglopet.com

Breaking Bad

36 moderndog SPRING 2013

Bad dog—or bad dog owner? Break your habits: 10 tips for a more harmonious household By Steve Duno

Illustration by Nick Craine

hen Toby took his toy spaniel Bella out for a late night walk before bed, he hadn’t expected Buster, the neighbour’s old Shepherd mix, to bolt out of his backyard to greet them. Though Buster meant well, Bella was nonetheless badly shaken. Toby scooped Bella up and consoled her, then locked Buster back up in his yard and headed home. Two people made mistakes that night. Buster’s guardian should certainly have properly secured his side gate. But the other mistake made isn’t so clear to most of us. By immediately scooping Bella up and consoling her, Toby reinforced Bella’s fear, and helped solidify her growing dread of other dogs.

THE TEN Avoiding common dog handling errors can make the all difference in the world to a dog’s life. By setting up the home properly and abiding by a few time-tested principles, you can prevent disharmony and ensure a loving partnership that benefits all. The following ten bad owner habits are common errors pet behaviourists often see while diagnosing problem behaviours in a troubled pet home. By understanding why these habits are problematic and following the advice given on how to adjust your approach, you’ll take a huge step in making your dog’s life a better one.

1. Physical punishment Physical punishment creates anxiety in a dog and almost always increases the chances of future misbehaviours. It reduces the reliability of your dog’s training, increases the chances of fear aggression or destructiveness, and can even ruin a dog’s housetraining. The only time you should ever strike a dog is in self-defense. Otherwise, use praise and reward to positively shape behaviours, and employ your tone, body posture, eye contact, and leash control to discourage bad behaviours as they are happening.

2. Allowing too much independence too early on We often expect too much of our dogs too soon. This happens most often with housetraining; we achieve rudimentary success with a young dog and then give him the run of the home, including areas with little supervision from adults. If the dog has a series of mishaps and there’s no one around to catch him in the act, the behaviour can become self-reinforcing. The same goes for obedience. For instance, if you’ve mastered the recall in your backyard, and expect it to be just as sharp at a local park, you’ve probably got a surprise in store. With all that distraction present, it’s unlikely your dog will come to you. This effectively teaches him not to come. Many of us push a dog too quickly into off-leash behaviours, sometimes resulting in a lost or injured pet. As a responsible dog guardian, you should be absolutely sure of the reliability of a behaviour before moving on. Just because a fivemonth old-puppy has gone two weeks without an accident doesn’t mean he’s earned the right to wander the home freely. If he is not in sight or in a yard, then he should be in a crate, or contained in some manner so as to avoid wandering, which can lead to housetraining accidents or destructive behaviour. Regarding off-leash behaviours, you must “proof” them first, with increasing levels of distraction, before taking them out in public. Avoid going off-leash until you achieve perfect success on a long lead to ensure consistency and safety.

moderndogmagazine.com

If you reward your dog for sitting, she will quickly learn to sit on command. But if she plops her head into your lap and you respond by petting her, what have you taught her? You didn’t ask her to do anything; she simply came over. What it does teach her is how to slowly, methodically train you. The same goes for a dog who jumps up on people or play bites; if you don’t respond to it, it is interpreted as defacto praise, and the bad behaviour is thereby reinforced. Ignoring a bad behaviour is the same as condoning it. Practice a quid pro quo relationship with your dog. If you want to give her a treat, ask her to sit, lie down, or shake, then give it to her. Once you get her to understand that everything is earned, she will become a less pushy, more responsive, better-mannered dog.

4. Consoling The aforementioned story of Toby and Bella exemplifies this bad habit. Dogs think in concrete, not abstract terms; as such, if something bad happens to your pet and you immediately respond to her with nurturing concern, she will interpret your actions as praise for her behaviour. Consoling a dog immediately after a trauma will only teach her that showing fear or loss of confidence will invite attention from you. Instead of consoling your frightened dog, opt for calmly redirecting the dog out of the situation. If she gets scared of a garbage truck, quickly walk her out of the area then distract her with a quick obedience session. A quick “sit” or “shake” will break her fear fixation and get her thinking again instead of languishing in a reactive mindset.

5. Overfeeding Overweight dogs live shorter lives, have added stress on their musculoskeletal, respiratory, and cardiovascular systems, and stand a higher chance of developing diabetes or liver problems. Heat tolerance and stamina go down, as does tolerance to anesthetics. And they more often develop digestive issues such as bloat, diarrhea, constipation, or flatulence. Behaviourally, overweight dogs are more prone to begging and food aggression problems. Feed your dog only what he needs to maintain his ideal weight. If your dog has been overweight for a while, odds are you won’t be able to tell what is normal, so rely on your veteri-

38 moderndog SPRING 2013

narian to set that guideline. Then it’s simply a matter of adjusting food and treat intake on a weekly schedule. Weigh him every Sunday, and keep a chart. If he gains a pound, reduce food by 10 percent for a week then weigh again. If he loses a pound, keep doing what you are doing.

6. Repeating commands People often ask their dogs to “sit, sit, sit, sit.” Finally, after multiple requests, the dog slowly sits. The “sit” command, instead of being a fast, one-word request, becomes a tensecond, whiny, repetitive plea. Dogs in effect learn to wait until you’ve said it multiple times before they respond. Once you are sure your dog understands a command, ask once, and only once. If she disobeys, say “No,” (yes, you can say “no” to your dog), walk her around on leash for a few seconds, then step close, look her in the eye, and repeat the command. If she responds, praise and reward. If not, again say, “No,” then repeat. Once you get a positive response, praise and quit. In this way, you will teach her to respond the first time, something that might one day save her life.

7. Disciplining your dog after the fact Dogs live in the moment. If your dog tears up a shirt at 2 pm, then takes a nap until you arrive at 5 pm, the shirt-tearing party is over and completely forgotten. So when you come in and confront him, he doesn’t think, “Oh heck, I shouldn’t have done that.” He thinks, “Whenever she comes through that door, I’m going to get yelled at.” Unless you catch your dog in the act, do not reprimand. He will associate your anger with whatever is happening at that moment—you walking through the door, the kitchen light going on—whatever makes sense to him. If you do catch him in the act, you can intervene, but only if your dog is at that moment engaged in the unwanted behaviour.

8. Inconsistent rules Rules and routine are vital to harmony in the dog home, so we enforce them, consistently. But if other members of the family allow your dog to jump up, bark, or play bite, then mixed signals begin to confuse your dog, leading to stress and confrontation. Every member of the household old enough to have authority over your dog must abide by the same rules. Everyone must make her wait at the door, sit to greet, stay off the sofa, and

ILLUSTRATION NICK CRAINE

3. Giving unearned praise

Consoling a dog immediately after a trauma will only teach her that showing fear or loss of confidence will invite attention from you.

walk nicely. Keeping consistent rules will make for a calmer pet, so have that family meeting and let everyone know!

9. Skimping on exercise and enrichment Sometimes life gets in the way of us spending enough time with our dogs. But without regular activity, your dog will become restless, leading to possible misbehaviours. And she’ll gain weight and lose muscle tone, which will affect her health. If you have fallen into the trap of not exercising your dog’s body or mind, it’s time to make a resolution to change. Begin by taking her for a walk each day, on which she will sample sights and smells and get her muscles moving again. Or schedule a daily ten-minute session with a ball or Frisbee. Once each week, get her to a dog park. And to stimulate her mind, teach her a new trick each month. If you do, she’ll be happier, healthier, and better behaved.

10. Failing to dog-proof your property Even people with well-trained adult dogs often fail to properly “dog proof” their properties, resulting in destruction, and in thousands of dogs annually escaping or being fatally poisoned. These incidences can be avoided simply by making sure your home and property are safe for your dog. Search your home for anything that might be potentially harmful. Cleaners, paints, thinners, anti-freeze, oils, bottle caps, chocolates, raisins—whatever could harm a dog should be removed to a secure area. Even toxic houseplants such as dieffenbachia and various cacti should be located where a dog cannot get to them (see the ASPCA’s poison control page for a full list of toxins). Hide wiring under carpets or moldings and fit childproof locks on cupboards. Keep doors and windows secured. And keep the dog food inaccessible, so that your Mastiff won’t eat her weight in kibble and end up at the hospital. Inside, pick up all clothes, leather objects, remote controls, books—anything a young chewer might want to gnaw on. Replace these with veterinarian-approved chew toys and rotate these every few days to keep her interested. Outside, make sure your fence is sturdy, with no holes. If necessary, lay concrete pavers along the edge of your fence, to stop diggers from going under. As you did indoors, remove all toxic garden plants.

GOOD HABITS WIN THE DAY By turning bad habits into good ones, you will prevent misbehaviours, ease boredom, and create a safer, happier home for everyone. Remember, you can create harmony and good times just by taking precautions and by treating your dog consistently with the foresight and authority only you have. If you do, it’ll be smooth sailing, and an enjoyable time for all. n moderndogmagazine.com

MORE “PEOPLE FOODS” FOR DOGS Eat your way to good health: Pep up your dog’s diet with these healthy additions from your cupboard and crisper

Remember that treats and other additions to your dog’s regular meal should comprise no more than 10 percent of their daily intake. Always introduce new foods gradually to avoid stomach upset. When in doubt, consult your vet.

Honeydew Melon Try cutting honeydew flesh into

cubes and freeze for a cool, tasty treat. Honeydew is packed with vitamins and minerals that can help supplement your dog’s diet and are also rich in antioxidants that prevent cell membrane damage.

Cantaloupe

Cantaloupe is a great, naturally sweet treat you can share with your dog. (As with Honeydew, remove the rind and seeds, though.) Bonus: cantaloupe also contain a lot of water to refresh and hydrate.

Mango Mangos, nicknamed the king of fruits, are often

referred to as “super fruits” because of all the healthy, good things naturally in them. They contain significant amounts of pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), vitamins A and C, and copper, along with many other vitamins and minerals. Mango and other dark-orange-coloured fruits like papaya may also prove beneficial for dogs with arthritis, helping to ease joint pain. Try adding a cube or two to your dog’s dinner for a fresh, nutrient rich treat or pop some cubes in the freezer for a cool, tasty treat.

40 moderndog SPRING 2013

Pears Pears are a great source

of fiber, especially pectin, which helps keep your dog’s intestines healthy. They also contain vitamin C, which plays a role in antioxidant protection in the body, and potassium, which assists in muscle contraction and nerve transmission. Give your dog the occasional crunchy slice as a treat or blend it up into a smoothie you can share (go to moderndogmagazine. com/pupsmoothie for recipe).

Yucca Schidigera, also known

as Mojave yucca or Spanish Dagger, is especially beneficial to intestinal health. It creates a protective coating on the intestinal walls that helps reduce pathogenic organisms and deadly viruses, and helps good bacteria grow. These things assist in fighting infection and reducing swelling and inflammation, which is especially good for dogs with colon disorders. Yucca Schidigera is present in some quality dog foods, such as Breeder’s Choice and Canidae Beef and Fish Formula, as a soluble fiber to promote stool quality and reduce odour (Bonus: it naturally reduces the scent of ammonia, which is what makes urine and feces stink!). It can also be purchased as a supplement at some pet stores (Holistic Blend makes a yucca schidigera supplement especially for dogs) or at health food stores/herbal dispensaries. Though evidence has not been duplicated in animal-based research, Yucca schidigera is also thought to help with hip dysplasia, arthritis, and inflammation, reducing pain and increasing mobility by preventing the production of inflammatory mediators in the body. Be sure to ask your vet about dosage as yucca schidigera, along with other Cox 1 and Cox 2 inhibitors like willow bark and Asprin, can affect dogs more strongly than humans, and do keep in mind that evidence other than anecdotal is limited as to its efficacy as a natural pain reliever.

Licorice Root Licorice root has been used as a natural remedy around the

world for thousands of years. Its anti-inflammatory properties have been proven over and over, making it a good choice for pain relief, skin irritation (it can be used topically), liver health, stomach upset, ulcers, cancer treatment, and inflammatory diseases of all kind, as well as general immune system bolstering. Many holistic practitioners use licorice as a substitute for anti-inflammatory drugs or to reduce an animal’s need for cortico-steroids. A tincture of licorice root extract is the easiest way to get this miracle worker into your pet (not that it’s difficult, licorice root is naturally tasty and sweet). Ask your vet about dosage, but as a general guideline, the Whole Dog Journal offers the following: Dosage is entirely dependent upon individual needs and circumstances and should be determined by a trained practitioner, but 12-20 drops per 20 lbs. of body weight, two times daily for no more than two weeks, of low-alcohol licorice extract is a conservative starting point for those who insist on proceeding without professional advice. You can double this amount if you are using a cooled tea (1 teaspoon of the root to a cup of water).

Carob The safe alternative to chocolate!

Carob is naturally sweet and tasty and full of vitamins A, B, B1, B2, B3, B6, and D, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, manganese, protein, fiber, and pectin. With all that it’s no surprise carob helps improve digestion, lower cholesterol, treat diarrhea, coughs, flu, and anemia, and fight osteoporosis. It does not contain theobromine, caffeine, phenylethylamine or fromamide, all of which are present in chocolate and toxic to dogs. Carob is available in powder and chips which are easy to add to treat recipes and substitutes perfectly for chocolate.

Unsweetened Applesauce Apples, and

hence, applesauce (unsweetened, of course), are great for dogs—good news as dogs tend to love them. Apples contain lots of fiber and Vitamin C which is good for the immune system and bone and joint health. Enliven your dog’s dinner by topping it with a spoonful or try freezing applesauce inside of a treat-dispensing toy like a Kong (though you might want to give your dog this outside. Applesauce and carpets are not a great match). n

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inspire

Distill Our Hearts

The Making of a New American Classic Tito Beveridge, founder and CEO of Tito’s Handmade Vodka, on handcrafted artisanal spirits and the necessity of a dog’s company on long, lonely evenings camped out next to your still By Rose Frosek

ogs, obviously, are the cornerstone of all our favourite stories, but we also can’t resist a good entrepreneurial tale, especially one in which the protagonist perseveres despite a dubious outcome and triumphs over adversary, proving a multitude of naysayers wrong. Add to that an ancient art (bonus if it’s the distilling of a handcrafted spirit, as it is in this case), plus animal advocacy, and you’ve got us on the edge of our seats, cheering when the underdog turns out to be a great success and the accolades pour in. Now round out this magic equation with a photogenic pack of dapper rescue dogs and the undeniable hip-ness of the company in question, what with old school, classic Americana presently at the peak of coolness and buzzwords like “handmade,” “local,” and “artisanal” making headlines, and we’re hooked. Naturally then, we had to do a story on Tito’s Handmade Vodka, an artisanal American brand based in Austin, Texas. Begun by founder and CEO Tito Beveridge, Tito’s Vodka has been taking top honours at spirit awards, beating out the heavy weight competition like Grey Goose—pretty remarkable for a one-man start-up begun by someone with no background in the booze business. Not that it wasn’t a hard row to hoe. It took eight years to turn a profit, with Tito spending many a night on a cot pulled up next to the still, glad

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Tito spent many a night on a cot pulled up next to the still, glad for the company of his rescue dog, Jo. for the company of his rescue dog, Jo, who would warn of any unwanted company on their big, lonely property in the “boonies,” as Tito calls it, 12 acres in southeast Travis County, Texas. It’s the choice of locale that got Tito inadvertently involved in rescue, something the brand is now a vocal advocate of. The outlying location meant abandoned dogs just found their way there—strays, dumped dogs, mangy packs, pregnant bitches. As the company grew, so did the rescue efforts. “We’ll be driving down to the distillery and you might see three or four dogs running down the road. We never know if the dog belongs to a farmer or rancher or Mexican cowboy or somebody out there. Sometimes we’ll find dogs with chips—they’ll have been gone for a year and a half or something and we’ll get them calmed down enough where we can pet them and take them to a vet, see if they’ve got a chip on them,” Tito explains. “We know a lot of people in the liquor business, it’s a social, hot, style-y kinda business. So we started just looking for homes for all these strays. And it just evolved a life of its own, where, for whatever reason, people seem to like having a dog from the distillery.” (For people only. Alcohol is bad for dogs!) Elizabeth Bellanti-Walker handles “It kinda depends on what I feel marketing and social media for Tito’s like, but my old standby is always Handmade Vodka, and it’s through her Tito’s and soda (or mineral wathat a lot of these dogs find homes. ter) with a squeeze of lime and a Elizabeth is behind a lot of the compasqueeze of orange.”—Tito Beveridge ny’s rescue efforts and animal advocacy, from the fundraisers for Austin shelters to social media efforts to find homes for stray and shelter dogs. She has worked with Tito for years and he gives her free reign. As Tito describes her, “she just has this really big heart and is just wonderful, crazy, kinda hippie energy. She is just an absolute zany dog lover and a social media wizard so I just kinda let her do anything. She’s a real activist when it comes to dogs.” With team members like Elizabeth, it’s inevitable that some of the homeless dogs end up staying. Tito and his staff are all passionate about rescue, and many a stray has found a permanent home with one of the Tito’s Vodka staff. “I like having dogs out there,” Tito says. “Out there working, it really just kind breaks up the work day when you’re sitting there talking about business and the dog’s nuzzling you trying to get petted. I was just out there today and two of them were sitting there while I’m having a meeting.” Perhaps it was the loyal, non-judgmental, blood-pressure-lowering faithfulness of the distillery dogs that saw Tito through the tough eight years it took to turn a profit. With a family to provide for, there were certainly rough stretches. In the beginning, he was “literally a one-man show,” Tito shares, “working with my shirt off sweating with this hot stove and literally putting Elmer’s glue on caps and labels on by hand, hoisting barrels—I didn’t even have a forklift or anything.” He found himself at his lowest point when put all his money into trying to expand and built a really big, expensive still that he then couldn’t get to cook properly. The

Tito’s Tipple

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batches were large and he was already totally broke. At one point, being a perfectionist, he had to throw away a huge amount of vodka because it didn’t meet his high standards—even though he wasn’t sure if it was going to put him out of business or not. “It was ugly cuz I had got married and I got kids and then I had to do the ramen noodles and bean tacos thing, be late paying the mortgage,” Tito relates. Chastened but undeterred, he managed to keep his head above water and it all worked out—and then some. The spirit he produces was recently awarded higher points than that of the best vodka brands in the world, including Belvedere, Grey Goose, and Ketel One, and is available all throughout the US and in some parts of Canada and the Caribbean, as well as the Virgin Islands. Just how does it feel to pull off such a feat? “It’s really fantastic and a little crazy,” Tito tells us. “I had this idea to make really, really good vodka, really smooth and clean. When I got into this business, I had never been in a distillery before. I had a science and engineering background and I had a lot of practical work background, [so I just got to work] building stills from scratch, brewing a bunch of batches, and cooking it up. Winning the World Spirit Competition, unanimous judges’ choice, getting rated better than all the great vodkas of the world, it’s pretty amazing. I tried to raise money for years and nobody’d ever put in on it. I couldn’t get a single investor; everybody thought I was crazy. My high school friends tried to get me to go work for them in commercial real estate. They were, like, ‘man, you gotta give this up’ and I’m just like ‘no, I’m in this, I just gotta get the volume up.’ I couldn’t afford any employees so I’d make it and load it on the truck and drive and talk to salesmen and sell it. I did everything— accounting, regulatory stuff. To actually have it work out, it’s pretty cool.” n

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Team Tito: The distillery dogs.

Meet the Distillery Dogs STELLA is a Shepherd-mix that arrived at the distillery with a pack of wild dogs (including a coyote!) and proceeded to have seven babies in a woodpile. A vet visit determined she had severe mange and heartworm and had been shot in the past. Elizabeth Bellanti-Walker, Relationship Manager at Tito’s, adopted her and nursed her back to health. When Stella’s fur grew in and she felt better, it was clear she was a young dog, very smart, calm, and funny. Stella has gone on to do many photo shoots, be featured in national publications (along with Tito), and appear as a “spokesdog” at South by Southwest. Tito’s Operations Manager, Bryan, adopted one of her pups, naming her Tita. COWBOY is thought to be a brown Lab/Pit Bull mix. He showed up with the pack of wild dogs Stella was part of; in fact, it is thought that he is perhaps Stella’s father. Cowboy was adopted by Jeff Bryan Plater, another of Tito’s team.

ROSCOE is a big, brown mixedbreed dog and permanent resident of the distillery, rescued by Mark Schueke, one of the distillery employees. Roscoe is a fantastic ball catcher and all around love bug. He snores loudly and occasionally gets sprayed by a skunk. Roscoe works with security guards at night and sleeps in their office. PEARL BEVERIDGE, one of Tito’s dogs, is thought to be part Anatolian Shepherd and part Pit Bull. Tito saved Pearl’s mom, Lucky, an Anatolian Shepherd, from a euthanasia order, bringing her back to the distillery to gain strength before a spay appointment could be made. But while Tito was biding time, waiting for Lucky to be well enough to undergo surgery, Lucky got, well, lucky. Luck has now passed on but Pearl is one of her pups.

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BABIES AND BULLIES PART 2 Jake and Charlotte, One Year Later By Jennifer Messer Illustration by Jess Golden

“D

aa” is Jake’s only word so far. My partner Tim likes to think it means “dad,” but our stubby oneyear-old’s index finger pointed squarely at the dog says otherwise. Charlotte, our 12-year-old Pit Bull, has adapted well to her new name, along with the Neanderthal hugs, jocklike whacks, and obnoxious sounds emitted by her two-legged sibling. Admittedly, I’m longing to hear my son say “mama.” But for now I’ll settle for his monosyllabic reference to the big hairy beast that our relatives feared would harm him, the 80 pounds of terrier who is arguably his best friend. Our comedic duo of Pit Bull and toddler have turned out to be real bosom buddies. A far cry from the tragedy forecast a year ago by worried relatives who were adamant that a dog-aggressive terrier and a newborn have no business living together. The concern was misguided, but very understandable. Charlotte is a big, strong dog of ill-reputed breed and a downright nuisance with other dogs. She is the classic backyard-bred Pit Bull: a sweetheart with humans and a social misfit with her own kind. But Charlotte’s lifetime track record of being exceptionally people-friendly, and her ability to scrap without doing any harm to even her worst canine foes, makes her as safe as any large dog can be around babies. Not an easy sell for a breed with entrenched mythology about locking jaws and “turning” on people, even for my partner and I, two veterinarians able to cite

all the scientific facts and agreement of our expert colleagues. Despite some pretty pushy pleas to re-home her, Tim and I stuck to our guns and proceeded with the planning and work that is needed for any blended family of canine and kid. The training and safety considerations apply well beyond big burly terriers, so I’ll take the opportunity to share some pointers from our four step “tail” of success:

I am often asked why I would take the chance in keeping a large dog of ill-reputed breed in the house with a child.

Step One: First Impressions

No sooner did I deliver Jake than we delivered home some of his used baby blankets. You only get one shot at making a great first impression, so Charlotte’s first whiff of Jake was followed immediately by a five-star dinner of meatball parmesan. The order and timing is important when teaching new associations. First you present the thing you want the dog to like (baby smell), then something fabulous just a split second after (dinner). Easy when you are working with blankets and a food bowl, more complicated when working with five pounds of squirming newborn. So for our arrival home we had two extra adults on hand and preassigned roles. Tim was baby-butt-presenter, I was dog handler, our pet nanny was baby gate manager and my mom was on stand-by for post-greeting handoff of baby Jake. Yes, it was tantamount to stage planning for a Broadway production; laugh if you will, but it worked. We kept their introduction short and sweet: once Charlotte had some good sniffs and a few chunks of

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freeze dried liver, we passed Jake off to my mom so we could fuss over the dog like she was queen of the castle. Charlotte seemed impressed with the new addition, and we were rather impressed with ourselves. Jake was impressed with no one, and did what newborn babies do best—kept us up most of the night!

Step Two: Build a Foundation of Trust between Siblings Prenatal class prepares you to respond to your baby’s cry like a world class butler, prompt and reliable. They do not prepare you for juggling TWO needy creatures that must learn to like each other. We knew that when Jake cried he could wait an extra few seconds to be tended to, so we made sure we tossed something good Charlotte’s way en route. It didn’t take her long to go from tucking her tail to salivating when Jake wailed. And with four adults around there was usually enough manpower to give Charlotte some love and attention along with her snack. Charlotte adjusted very quickly to cries from a distance, but erratic movements and sudden screams in close proximity took a bit more time. As Jake grew so did our dependence on baby gates. Gates gave us control of when and where the two kids would have access to each other, enabling us to give our full attention when they were in shared space. Managing their access to each other allowed us to spend those first few months teaching them to like and trust each other, rather than having to harp on Charlotte to follow a bunch of new kid rules. We wanted all her neurons focussed on learning what a great addition Jake is, not trying to figure out what is permitted. And besides, we had enough work on our hands just keeping everyone housed, fed, and bathed—we weren’t looking for more! As Jake matured, his behaviour shifted from a pretty small repertoire of movements to new ones almost every day. He was getting strong enough to hurt Charlotte but was still too immature to be taught not to. By four months of age he could give a pretty good pinch, and the normal stage of experimenting with cause and effect made Charlotte a very attractive outlet

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for his ever increasing abilities. Our main job from four to eight months was to protect Charlotte from Jake’s uninhibited manhandling. We kept shared time short and well supervised, quickly getting a finger between his palm and her fur to prevent a tight squeeze, and intercepting eyeball pokes and foot bites. Being human, we’d miss the boat now and then, which was an opportunity both to gauge her reaction and make it well worth her while (think hotdogs and Frisbee, pronto) for tolerating him. The brief but regular interactions created a foundation of familiarity, fondness, and confidence between them in preparation for the next step— some rules of engagement.

Step Three: Teach Dog & Toddler Some Rules With a solid foundation of good feelings between them, it was time to put some rules in place. Dogs and kids learn new rules very easily—it is only when you go back and forth on whether something is or isn’t allowed that you create stress and confusion. Jake is being taught that he must not approach Charlotte while she is eating. Soon we will teach him to bring her dessert so that she will grow to like the sight of him approaching her dish. He is also not allowed to pinch her, grab her tail or feet, or bug her when she’s sleeping. Jake is just the right age to be learning that there are boundaries for everything in his life, including access to his furry friend. Likewise, Charlotte is being taught some boundaries with Jake: no snatching food from his mouth, knocking him over, or soliciting attention when we are changing or feeding him. Learners do best when they get feedback on what they are doing right AND what they are doing wrong, so long as the feedback is mostly positive and they are never scared or hurt when it is negative. A simple word to mark a mistake followed swiftly by loss of privilege is all the punishment either of them ever needs to get our message loud and clear. Of course, with two learners in the house it is important that they know which one of them we’re talking to, so we use different words to verbally reward and punish each of them: “Cookies” and

ILLUSTRATION BY JESS GOLDEN

Our comedic duo of Pit Bull and toddler have turned out to be real bosom buddies.

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Step Four: Let them Train Each Other We expect Jake to transgress—and to be chastised and even downright frightened by Charlotte when he does. Their solid foundation and Charlotte’s pristine track record of safety around dogs and humans will see them through. Jake has been socialized well enough to Charlotte that he should be able to endure a bark, growl or intentionally harmless snap without becoming fearful of her or, worse yet, of dogs in general. At 14 months, he is now old enough to connect cause and effect so that her punishment will impact his behaviour towards her (not pinch toes again), and I can use language now to help him with that learning. It is in his best interest to know that dogs can be scary if provoked. Likewise, Charlotte is very well socialized to Jake. She is always happy to see him, solicits his company, and has shown absolutely no aggression towards him. With this foundation of trust in place we now let Jake fend for himself a bit: he has mastered an effective ear-piercing shriek to stop her from stealing his coveted cheddar bunnies. Should they end up in a situation where Jake provokes her, I expect her to do with him what she’s done many times over with cats, pesky puppies, and the few dogs she’s known as friends—give lots of cues to tell him he’s doing something she doesn’t like, and eventually escalate to a impact-less snap if her warnings go unheeded. The silver lining to Charlotte’s rap sheet of canine fisticuffs is that she has demonstrated, paws down, that she is a safe biter. That may sound like an oxymoron, but dogs are designed to be able to argue and bite without hurting each other. Not all of them learn this in the critical first five months of life, but Charlotte did and she has had lots of canine kafuffles to prove it! This means that when push comes to shove and Charlotte bites, she can gauge to the nanometer what she does with her jaws and can brush skin without so much as an ounce of pressure. Her bite inhibition—the term for inhibiting force when biting—is our ultimate insurance policy regarding Jake’s safety, no matter what he may to do provoke her. We do not expect Charlotte to bite Jake, but we are absolutely confident that she would do him no harm if she did.

Life Choices I am often asked why I would take the chance in keeping a large dog of ill-reputed breed in the house with a child. My

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answer? For the same reason that I travel by car with Jake—the quality of life it brings us both is worth the risks. As Janice Bradley points out so well in her book “Dogs Bite But Umbrellas and Slippers are More Dangerous,” dogs are statistically a much safer bet than toys, playgrounds, caregivers, and, of course, car transport, which is hands down the biggest unnecessary threat to our kid’s lives, one which we nonetheless impose on them daily. When I watch my son hug his “Daa,” sneak his dinner to her under the highchair, and look for her as soon as he comes home from daycare, I know I’ve made the right choice. And I think Charlotte concurs. She’s taken to curling up next to his car seat on long journeys, despite plenty of room to sit elsewhere, and falling asleep alongside him—his little fist resting snugly on her big head. In fact, Charlotte seems to like most of her new life with our new addition, especially his generous attitude toward sharing food and toys. There is, of course, always room for improvement. Charlotte has suggested we get in gear teaching Jake a more reliable sit stay, gentler mouth, and to go potty on command. We may be new parents but we’re old pros at puppy rearing, so I know we’ll manage just fine. n

WHO SAYS BABIES AND DOGS CAN’T MIX? Did you miss the precursor to this piece? Visit moderndogmagazine. com to read Jennifer Messer’s account of preparing her dog Charlotte for the arrival of an infant in their house in “Pregnancy, Babies, and the Family Dog.” In this article, Jennifer, a behaviourist-trainer-vet, prepares her Pit Bull for the imminent arrival of an infant while reassuring her mother of her sanity. moderndogmagazine.com/ babiesandbullies

Want more? Flip to page 98 for more

proof positive that dogs and babies can be the best of (well supervised) friends. The result? Absolute cuteness. Modern Dog—bringing you your smile of the day.

ILLUSTRATION JOEL KIMMEL; PHOTO AND PAISLEY AND STELLA SUBMITTED BY RUDI TAYLOR

“Ah-ah” for Charlotte, “Good Job” and “No” for Jake. Feedback words for Jake will expand quickly, of course, and will simply not include the two I’ve always used for Charlotte. It is working out well so far. When Jake grabs a fistful of fur I can blurt “Cookies” to let Charlotte know there’s a reward forthcoming for tolerating the abuse and “No” to Jake, followed by an instructive “gentle” as I get Charlotte her deserved treats. If Jake persists he loses his playmate to the other side of the baby gate... a pretty harsh and effective punishment!

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The Pyramid Double Diner is perfect in its simplicity, holding and elevating two bowls in a classic, clean style.Starting at $50, petsstop.com

Style your couch or bed with these cool linen/cotton-canvas breed pillows, available in male or female designs or as matched sets and in a variety of breeds. From $32, perpetuallyyourspets.com

So this is for you to wear in your great looking home. Age of Reason’s Pug-printed, silk crepe-de-chine scarves are the perfect accessory for Pug lovers with an edge. $120, age-of-reason-studios.com Upgrade your dog’s dining situation with a sturdy yet stylish ceramic herringbone bowl, dishwasher safe, of course. From $17, bowsers.com

STYLE:

FAB FINDS FOR THE HOME

Pug Life. Artist Kelly Puissegur’s quirkily charming prints have definitely won a place in our hearts—and they’re a steal of a deal! An 8”x10” ready-to-hang mixed media print on a wood panel is just $36. etsy.com/ shop/retrowhale

Why save the fine china for special occasions? Bellomania’s Atrium dog bowl is handcrafted out of the finest porcelain and finished with gold plating on the bone shaped handles. Dinner is served. From $119, bellomania.com Naptime! Your dog will love this luxurious Sleepy Deluxe dog bed with its soft organic hemp-cotton covers (removable for washing). You’ll love the leather handles and lovely palette of colours it’s available in. From $266, cloud7.de

{EDITOR’S PICK}

Your dog might want to don a lampshade after seeing how many compliments these amazing Atelier Abigail Ahern dog lamps fetch. From $195, atelierabigailahern.com

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d e n n a

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What Would You Do if Your City Banned Your Dog’s Breed? The Heartbreak that is Breed Specific Legislation:

The banning of breeds, confiscation of family dogs, and the business of changing public perception By Corey Van’t Haaff

have a secret. It’s something that few people know about me, a dog fanatic that lives her life as an open book. I am scared of Pit Bulls. Terrified, actually. I am afraid to extend my arm, hand out, palm up, to a Pit Bull for fear of being attacked. And this is from a woman who greets every dog who comes her way with a “Hello baby” or “What a pretty dog.” For every breed but one, I will ask the owner, “Can I pat your dog?” and then gleefully rub the head of any pup whose owner permits it. Except Pit Bulls. This isn’t the result of some historic Pit Bull trauma. When I was in grade school, a Borzoi at the top of our street once lunged at me, tearing the collar of my coat. And as a child, visiting my grandpa, a pair of Pomeranians used to try to bite us kids through the fence. Neither breed scares me now. My sister had a Rottweiler and now has a Doberman, and I have no fear. I had German Wirehaired Pointers and currently have a large cross breed that is far more German Shepherd than Golden Retriever, and I have no fear. But I am afraid of Pit Bulls so I’ve kept my distance— and, until now, my secret. Then, I received a chance invitation to the Vancouver premiere of the documentary Beyond the Myth: The Truth About Pit Bulls, a film dedicated to demonstrating that Pit Bulls are saddled with an undeserved reputation fueled by ignorance and

misunderstanding. It heartrendingly illustrates the consequences of breed specific legislation (BSL). Imagine your dog confiscated by the authorities and put down simply because he is of a breed your city has legislated against. I RSVP’d in the affirmative. The viewing was a watershed moment. I realized I was guilty of buying into a myth. Somehow, somewhere, at some unknown point in time, I had allowed a notion to become a belief—one without a grain of evidence to support it. Fear has a way of doing that, insinuating itself though unsubstantiated. There are a lot of theories of how fear takes root. Certainly, in the case of Pit Bulls, there is a lot of blame on the media for reporting Pit Bull attacks differently than other dog bite incidents. If a Pit Bull is incriminated, the language employed is frequently more graphic and the breed is often only named (sometimes incorrectly) if it’s a Pit Bull. But more scary than my fear of Pit Bulls is the fact that this fear is so widely shared that many cities and jurisdictions have acted on it, introducing BSL that can either impose conditions on bull-breed dogs or prohibit people from owning or keeping the dogs within the jurisdiction altogether. Like Ontario—a province so scared of Pit Bulls, it banned them altogether (with few grandfathering exceptions). Think of it: your city empowered to outlaw your perfectly lovely, well-socialized dog simply because it is a member of a

The basis for BSL rests solely on a collection of perceptions such as the size of the body, shape of the head, and length of the hair. In other words, it is guilt by association.

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More breeds were added until Italy boasted BSL naming some 92 different dog breeds.

certain breed. BSL means a dog is considered vicious and then treated as such solely because of how it looks. It has nothing to do with past behaviour. It has nothing to do with current behaviour. It has nothing to do with the commission of an aggressive act. The basis for BSL rests solely on a collection of perceptions such as the size of the body, shape of the head, and length of the hair. In other words, it is guilt by association—you look like a guilty dog so you will be treated like a guilty dog. That was the case in the City of Denver where officials passed BSL and began seizing and euthanizing any dog it identified as a Pit Bull. Beyond the Myth relates the heartbreaking story of Desiree Arnold, who still grieves the death of her dog Coco, picked up for the sole crime of being a Pit Bull. City rules gave Desiree seven days to request a hearing or Coco would be killed. She found a third party outside the City who agreed to provide a new home for Coco, and Desiree waived her right to a hearing, allowing Coco to be released to a new caregiver. Ultimately, though, that arrangement fell through and Coco returned home, only to be picked up by animal control again after someone reported seeing her back in Desiree’s house. After five weeks of being kenneled behind a chain link fence without any natural light, where she would “scream bloody murder” every time Desiree visited then left, Coco was euthanized, her body returned to her owners in a garbage bag. What makes this terrible story all the worse is that Coco’s death was for naught. BSL does nothing to diminish dog bites and attacks. It is costly to enforce and cannot be enforced consistently as it is based on a look not a reality. “Knowing dogs, lots of Pit Bulls can be lovely, happy, friendly, kissy family dogs when they are raised and bred properly,” says Sarah Bull, the City of Coquitlam’s Bylaw and Animal Services Supervisor (her opinions are her own and do not represent the City). “Every decade seems to have a different breed that gets demonized. For Pit Bulls, it kind of stuck.” Compounding matters is the confusion over what dogs actually fall into the Pit Bull camp. Most people who speak of Pit Bulls are actually referring more broadly of a group of dogs that have Pit Bull or bull-breed characteristics, including muscular bodies, broad chests, short coats, and pronounced heads and jaws and cheeks. Profiling dogs as Pit Bulls is opening a can of worms, says

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Shelagh Begg, Director of the bull-breed advocacy, education, and rescue group Hugabull. There are only three recognized bull-breeds: the American Pit Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier, and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. “Everything else is a catchphrase or a mix thereof; all are based on a look not an actual breed,” Begg explains. This is important when it comes to breed specific legislation. If you ban a breed you need to first define the breed, or else enforcement personnel are left wringing their hands trying to enforce the law with a “looks like a duck, quacks like a duck” assessment. Begg says studies show that shelter workers incorrectly indentify a dog’s breed just by looking at it more than 85 per cent of the time. Knee-jerk reactions are not the basis for sage decisions and such is the case with BSL. Italy is a perfect example. It began banning specific breeds and, with new attacks implicating yet other breeds, (worth noting the bans already in place did not prevent bites), more breeds were added until Italy boasted BSL naming some 92 different dog breeds. Also of note is the fact that Italy has recently repealed breed specific legislation in favour of more general terminology that addresses the problem of irresponsible owners and proven vicious dogs. Begg says that there isn’t a single statistic to prove BSL works and in jurisdictions with BSL, dog bite statistics do not decrease. One of the reasons is that BSL doesn’t address vicious dogs; rather it addresses dogs that look like another vicious dog. The City of Coquitlam, BC had BSL. Until October 2011, the three recognized bull breeds were automatically considered vicious dogs and were required to be muzzled, along with other restrictive criteria imposed on them. Animal Services Supervisor Bull says, in her opinion, BSL doesn’t work as any breed of dog can display bad behaviour and can bite, and City resources and efforts are better spent educating owners, enforcing rules, and ticketing owners who fail to comply. “Punish the deed not the breed,” says Bull. The City of Coquitlam came to the same conclusion. Some of the criteria were hard to enforce, plus enforcement efforts were devoted to ensuring “perfectly friendly” Pit Bulls were muzzled, Bull says. Another problem with BSL is it acts to support and confirm people’s unfounded biases. “We’d had a lot of complaints because people were afraid of the look of a dog that had never

tried to bite anything. A neighbour would call us to report a vicious dog next door and we would ask, “Can you tell us about its behaviour?” and they would respond that it did nothing wrong but that they had kids and there was a Pit Bull in the yard next door and everyone knows Pit Bulls are vicious.” It took a few years, she says, looking at how the City could create a bylaw that would provide the tools to allow animal service officers to address problem dogs. The City went from a two-tier system (the dog was either a normal dog or a bull-breed dog and therefore vicious) to a three-tiered system outlining the approach for dealing with normal, aggressive, and vicious dogs, regardless of breed, based solely on exhibited behaviour. “From an enforcement perspective, it’s the best way to have consistency,” Bull says. “Pit Bull owners across the board have given positive feedback. They feel like they are being more fairly treated.” Coquitlam wasn’t alone in repealing ineffective and prejudicial BSL, says Hugabull’s Begg. Delta and Vancouver, BC, repealed their own BSL as did Edmonton, AB. Cincinnati, OH repealed BSL after living with it for nine years. But the question remains, why would any jurisdiction keep—or worse, introduce—BSL knowing it doesn’t address the problem? Why create a law that leaves us all vulnerable just because it wears a cloak of false protection? “Because it’s easy to do,” says Begg. “It’s easy to enact. You write it on a piece of paper. It gives policy makers an easy out to address a problem. An incident happens and the media glom onto ‘Pit Bull versus Dog’ story and there’s a lot of hype. The community cries for a breed ban in response and the policy makers feel pressure. Besides, they see that other places have done it.” Shattering entrenched irrational fears is neither fast nor easy work, but exposing them to the clear light of day is a good start. In the case of BSL, the documentary Beyond the Myth does just that, forcing an examination of mistaken beliefs and providing much-needed information to counter the myths and misperceptions surrounding this group of dogs. I know personally that the first step to addressing a fear is to recognize it as unfounded. I also know I need to take Begg up on her offer to spend some time with one of her “very clownish, gregarious, goofy, and loving” Pit Bulls because, as she says, until we look at the root cause of our fear, nothing is going to change. n

PHOTOS BY TANYA KING

“Punish the deed not the breed,” says Bull.

Bully for you? Get to know six of the beautiful bully breeds, including the four shown above, at moderndogmagazine.com/bullyforyou. moderndogmagazine.com

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THE 10 WARNING SIGNS OF CANCER By Dr. Gerald S. Post

Sadly, cancer is one of the leading causes of death in dogs and cats. Some estimates suggest that more than 50 percent of dogs over 10 years old will develop cancer. Early detection is key to effective treatment, so we had Dr. Gerald S. Post, a veterinary oncologist at the Veterinary Cancer Center, the world’s largest cancer center for pets, outline the 10 most common warning signs. If you do note any of the below afflicting your dog or cat, don’t panic—these are potential warning signs, not a diagnosis—but do visit your veterinarian.

1. SWOLLEN LYMPH NODES These “glands” are located all throughout the body but are most easily detected behind the jaw or behind the knee. When these lymph nodes are enlarged they can suggest a common form of cancer called lymphoma. A biopsy or cytology of these enlarged lymph nodes can aid in the diagnosis.

2. AN ENLARGING OR CHANGING LUMP Any lump on a pet that is rapidly growing or changing in texture or shape should have a biopsy. Lumps belong in biopsy jars, not on pets.

3. ABDOMINAL DISTENSION When the “stomach” or belly becomes rapidly enlarged, this may suggest a mass or tumor in the abdomen or it may indicate some bleeding that is occurring in this area. A radiograph or an ultrasound of the abdomen can be very useful.

Although bleeding disorders do occur in pets, they usually are discovered while pets are young. If unexplained bleeding starts when a pet is old, a thorough search should be undertaken.

7. COUGH A dry, non-productive cough in an older pet should prompt chest radiographs to be taken. This type of cough is the most common sign of lung cancer. Please remember there are many causes of cough in dogs and cats.

8. LAMENESS Unexplained lameness especially in large or giant breed dogs is a very common sign of bone cancer. Radiographs of the affected area are useful for detecting cancer of the bone.

9. STRAINING TO URINATE Straining to urinate and blood in

you have not put your pet on a diet, you should have your pet checked. This sign is not diagnostic for cancer, but can indicate that something is wrong. Many cancer patients have weight loss.

the urine usually indicate a common urinary tract infection; if the straining and bleeding are not rapidly controlled with antibiotics or are recurrent, cancer of the bladder may be the underlying cause. Cystoscopy or other techniques that allow a veterinarian to take a biopsy of the bladder are useful and sometimes necessary to establish a definitive diagnosis in these cases.

5. CHRONIC VOMITING OR DIARRHEA Unexplained vomiting or

10. ORAL ODOUR Oral tumors do occur in pets and can cause a

diarrhea should prompt further investigation. Often tumors of the gastrointestinal tract can cause chronic vomiting and/or diarrhea. Radiographs, ultrasound examinations and endoscopy are useful diagnostic tools when this occurs.

pet to change its food preference (i.e. from hard to soft foods) or cause a pet to change the manner in which he chews his food. Many times a foul odour can be detected in pets with oral tumors. A thorough oral examination with radiographs or CT scan, necessitating sedation, is often necessary to determine the cause of the problem. n

4. CHRONIC WEIGHT LOSS When a pet is losing weight and

6. UNEXPLAINED BLEEDING Bleeding from the mouth, nose, genitalia or gums that is not due to trauma should be examined.

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10 WAYS

You Can Help Shelter Dogs Interested in volunteering some of your time and talents, but simply don’t know where to get started? We’ve got a few fun, easy-to-implement ideas to get the ball rolling! By Rose Frosek

a donation box out in your 1 Put office

for gently used collars, dog toys, towels, and other pet items, as well as any newitem donations your co-workers care to make. At the end of two weeks, drop off the donation at your local shelter or rescue group. We guarantee they’ll be thrilled.

2 Share through social media,

Check out Petfinder.com and share an adoptable dog in your area through your Facebook and/or Twitter account. Even if you’re not directly responsible for finding that dog a home, it helps remind people of all the wonderful animals out there in need of a home. Even better? Vow to share an adoptable dog once a week. Or are you a marketing/social media wiz and want to make a slightly larger commitment? Reach out to a local rescue group (breed specific if you have a passion for a particular breed) and volunteer to manage their social media efforts or write the profiles for their adoptable dogs. Words are powerful and a descriptive entry accurately and compellingly “selling” the dogs can help them stand out and find a home.

Have decent (or down right great) photography skills?

Volunteer to take photos of the dogs up for adoption at your local shelter. It is amazing what a good photo can do to help boost the odds of adoption. Don’t worry if you’re not a professional photographer. Compared to a dismal kennel shot, any decent photo is a vast improvement and an immense help.

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a Knitting/Crochet/ 4 Start Blanket-Making Circle. Shelters are almost universally in need of blankets to cozy up their cages and kennels and provide a bit of comfort to the dogs they’re housing. Not down with the knitting needles? Purchase fleece from a discount remnant fabric store and cut it into 3’ x 3’ squares. And voilà, instant blanket! To get fancy on it, tassel the edges by cutting a fringed edge. Fast, cheap, but still cozy.

Put time spent on Facebook to good use! Hold a cakewalk! Volunteer to take photos!

5 Bottle Drive.

Help your local cash-strapped rescue continue doing their good work by collecting the returnable bottles from your condo/apartment building/office and donating the redeemed deposit to a rescue group. Simply put out a bin to collect the bottles (if you’re in a condo, check with your strata first) and put up a sign noting what rescue the bottle deposit will be donated to. Increase your haul by spreading the word in advance— employ your office photocopier to make flyers explaining your fundraising effort. You can amass a couple hundred dollars in bottles amazingly quickly.

Feeling crafty? Make bandannas. Shelter workers attest that

the presence of some flare (a bandanna, nice collar or cute toy) can garner a dog the attention it needs to find his forever home. Studies have shown that all-black dogs in particular have trouble standing out and are often overlooked. Fight “black dog syndrome,” as it’s known, with fun DIY bandannas. Get some inexpensive coloured cotton twill and cut it into triangles of varying sizes to accommodate different neck sizes. No need to finish the edges. Then drop off your handiwork at your municipal animal shelter. The perfect Saturday activity, and one that kids can get involved with, too.

7 Walk Dogs.

Volunteer to walk the dogs, play with them, or clean their cages. Volunteer help is greatly needed in many overcrowded shelters and your smiling face can make a big difference to both the morale of the dogs and the staff.

8 Toy Drive.

The next time you’re having a big get-together, like a block party or your annual open house or summer BBQ, suggest your guests bring a toy to donate to homeless animals, if they feel so inclined. It’s a great way to do some good while you’re socializing and most people are more than happy to contribute a little something as it feels good, costs hardly a thing, and takes hardly any effort.

9 One word: Cakewalk.

This is great fun at a larger fundraising event. Get your friends, neighbours, church group or book club in on it, and prepare to have a ball. Nostalgia, baking, and the fun of decorating your masterpiece, plus a charitable component? What could be better? For those unfamiliar with how a cakewalk works, it’s a bit like musical chairs, but without the chairs. Tape numbers on the floor in a circular pattern and set up a table to display all the donated decorated cakes. For each round of the game, be sure you have one person participating for each number taped to the floor. Each person playing buys a ticket (usually, the cost is a dollar or two) to enter the game. Everyone walks around in a circle as the music plays, stopping at the closest number when the music stops. Once everyone is stopped, a number is drawn out of a hat and the person standing on the number that’s been drawn gets to choose a cake. Then start all over with new players. This is frequently the most popular game at any fundraising event and a whole lot of fun, so don’t be surprised if your cakewalk is mobbed by participants. At the end, donate the money collected to “walk” in the cakewalk to your local rescue. Pretty sweet, right?

10 Foster.

Why not open your house and heart to a homeless dog that needs temporary shelter? The time commitment is often as short as two weeks, but it is a tremendous help to rescue groups, allowing them to take in more dogs in need of homes, dogs that in some cases would be euthanized if the rescues weren’t able to pluck them from an over-capacity kill shelter. And, of course, fostering is a godsend for the foster dogs, allowing them to know a home rather than a cage, so their true personalities can shine forth, helping them to find their forever home. In short: small time commitment, huge reward. n moderndogmagazine.com

These fun Mopz characters are lined with Go Dog’s Chew Guard Technology to stand up to tough play and are available in two sizes— small, outfitted with a squeaker, and large, which has a grunter. $12-15, godogfun.com

Make healthy, homemade doggie treats in this non-reactive silicone dog treat pan. Silicone can go straight from the oven to the freezer, so whether you’re baking dog biscuits or making pupsicles, its got you covered. Available in bone and paw shapes, and comes with several paw-licking recipes. Now who wants a treat? $18, hugspetproducts.com

Our dogs chew, chew, chew-se Mountain Dog Chews 100% naturally shed premium elk antlers. There are no added ingredients, just top-grade antler, so they’re safe, natural, and no animals are harmed in their making. Available in sizes to suit every dog. From $6, mountaindogchews.com

Go green while getting squeaky with it! This durable, eco-friendly rattler is made of hemp, has a double-sewn squeaker, and is made by disabled adults in Green Bay, Wisconsin, providing employment opportunities. $12, organicdogsandcats.com

Stuff Your Dog Wants

Thrill your dog with these fun finds

Simply Fido’s rosecoloured squeaky Lolly Lamb toy makes the perfect spring plaything for the pup that loves stuffies. Made from organic cotton, it’s outfitted with four squeakers for an extra good time. $17, simplyfido.com

Your dog will be transported back in time with these vintage Fogle and Pole dog beds made from pre-loved 1930s antique Welsh blankets filled with two layers of glorious duvet. $131, creatureclothes.com

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moderndogmagazine.com

Puppies! Photographed by Tanya King

Is there anything better than that new puppy smell? Revel in the adorableness that is the result of our all-puppy photo shoot. Some of these guys are up for adoption, current residents at an SPCA or in foster, rescued from rural northern communities, so you may want to approach with caution because there is some pretty irresistible cuteness on offer here. Just sayin’.

Neigel,

a 14-week-old Pug.

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Adoptable!

Spencer

is a 12-week-old Sharpei cross pup available for adoption through Bully Buddies Rescue, a BC-based rescue society focusing on finding bully breeds home. If you’re interested in adopting Spencer, go to bullybuddies.net.

moderndogmagazine.com

Adoptabl

Sally

is an eight-week-old Border Collie/mystery mix up for adoption at the Burnaby, BC SPCA. To submit an adoption application, go to spca.bc.ca/branches/ burnaby or call (604) 291-7201.

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Adoptable!

Another “mystery mix” from a northern BC community, Rye is thought to be a Longhaired Chihuahua/ Dachshund cross of a few months of age. Rye is available for adoption through the amazing Carried Through Rescue (carrriedthrough. com) operating out of the Vancouver, BC area.

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Adoptable!

is an eight-week-old mystery mix (black Lab/Shepherd cross?) available from adoption through BC-based Carried Through Rescue. To inquire about Roxanne, go to carriedthrough.com.

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Toby,

a three and a half month old Golden Retriever pup.

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BEHIND THE SCENES

Whiskey, a-three-month-old Schnauzer/Miniature Pinscher cross, is available for adoption through carriedthrough.com

BEST DAY EVER:

Modern Dog’s all puppy photo shoot By Rose Frosek Photographed by Tanya King

hen inclement weather foiled our initial plans for this issue’s photo-editorial, disappointment (dratted rain! Contemptible leave-choked gutters!) quickly gave way to euphoria when we settled upon an alternate theme, so perfect in its simplicity that it’s a marvel it wasn’t our first choice. The new subject? Puppies! After all, what could be more perfect for the spring issue, a season synonymous with renewal? And what could be more fun than a day spent photographing and cuddling and cooing over and inhaling the sweet scent of wee pups? The answer is, quite honestly, not much. Yes, sometimes this is the best job ever.

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Meet th Pups 10 AM Our first dog of the day was the irresistible Sally, who arrived along with three littermates transported by their wonderful guardians from the Burnaby BCSPCA. Only eight weeks old, these chubby, adorable pups weren’t even yet through their vaccinations, so we promised them the first spot of the day in an otherwise dog-free studio so that we could capture them in all their new puppy glory and share it with you. To say this was fun is a massive understatement. Could anything be better than that new puppy smell? Sweet, inquisitive, and playful Sally and her three sassy brothers are all up for adoption through the Burnaby BCSPCA. To submit an adoption application, go to spca.bc.ca/branches/burnaby or call (604) 291-7201.

10:45 AM Next up was Spencer, a confident 12-week-old Sharpei-cross pup currently in foster awaiting his forever home. This cutie is available for adoption through Bully Buddies Rescue, a British Columbia, Canada-based rescue society with a mission to place bully breed “ambassadogs” in loving and responsible homes. To inquire about Spencer, other available dogs, or fostering, go to bullybuddies.net.

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12:15 PM Accompanied by his guardian Laura Mamalick, Neigel, a 14-week-old Pug, was a showstopper with his perfectly curled tail, fawn colouring, and huge eyes. He raced around the studio floor playing, but turned into the perfect model on set, play bowing and generally charming the camera.

11:30 AM The pre-lunch time slot saw reader Shara Lee usher in Toby, a three and a half month old Golden Retriever pup that was all downy softness and gangly legs. An absolutely gorgeous pup, Toby charmed us with his puppy exuberance and sweet little face.

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1:30 PM Our last pup of the day was a little charmer, another of the Carried Through Rescue pups. Rye, a mystery mix from up North, is thought to be a Longhaired Chihuahua/ Dachshund cross. He is a little shy and sweet as anything, with his expressive face and soft golden fur. For information on adopting Rye, go to carriedthrough.com.

1 PM Carrie Corbett of Carried Through Rescue arrived next with a whole passel of puppies, including Roxanne, an eight-week-old mystery mix. Our guess as to her lineage? Perhaps a black Lab/Shepherd cross, but definitely 100 percent cutie. Roxanne was rescued from a rural northern community, along with two equally adorable littermates, Mr. Big and Magic Mike, by the BC-based Carried Through Rescue. They focus first and foremost on dogs from rural communities in northern BC, specifically dogs in the Terrace and Hazelton areas. These dogs are generally mixed breeds, and can be large or small, old or young. The quality of life for dogs in many rural communities is often poor, a result of a lack of education and a paucity of animal-focused groups, community support, and animal welfare organizations, as well as a lack of health care as vets are often very expensive and/or quite far from many rural communities. To inquire about Roxanne or her brothers, go to carriedthrough.com. moderndogmagazine.com

body &soul Actress Sharon Lawrence (“Grey’s Anatomy”, “Desperate Housewives”) with her dog Cooper at last year’s march in L.A.

GET YOUR WALK ON March Against Canine Cancer

The cost for cancer treatment can be extremely steep, putting treatment out of financial reach for many pet guardians. According to a poll conducted by the Associated Press and Petside.com, 40 percent of American pet owners worry they won’t be able to afford care when it’s needed. Mercifully, there are organizations out there to help. The Riedel & Cody Fund is one such laudable nonprofit, a charitable organization that provides funding and support for people whose pets have been diagnosed with cancer and can’t afford treatment. To raise awareness and money to aid in their mission, they’ve launched the 12 Million Dog March, so named for the 12 million dogs and cats that will be diagnosed with cancer this year. Marches will be taking place throughout the US, kicked off by a march in Chicago on the 19th of May, Pet Cancer Awareness month. Blue Buffalo will not only be on hand doing treat tastings, but for every walk participant they’ll donate $1 to the fund. Even if there’s not a walk happening in your area, you can still get onboard with the effort; virtual walkers—those signed up at riedelcody.org for a virtual march—will also have $1 donated on their behalf by Blue Buffalo. So come on, join the army of pet lovers marching against canine cancer. Sure, it’s a fearsome adversary, but one we’re determined to beat.

Friends For Life! Walk-a-thon If you’re in Ontario, here’s your chance to do double duty: get some exercise while helping dogs in search of forever homes. The Ontario SPCA’s Friends For Life! Walk-a-thon is the perfect way to have some fun with your dog while helping the thousands of animals in Ontario SPCA adoption centers waiting for their own “friend for life,” someone to love them and in return receive love back many times over. Designed to raise funds and awareness for the protection and care of all animals in Ontario, Walk-A-Thons are taking place province-wide May 25 and 26. Find a walk near you at ospcawalk.ca.

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This beautiful Chinese Crested may have spots, but they’re not hot.

What is a Hot Spot?

(Hint: it’s not WiFi) “Hot spot” is used as a general term and typically refers to acute moist dermatitis. It’s a spot between one to four inches in diameter (although they can get bigger if left untreated) of red, inflamed, itchy, sore skin which often exudes pus. They tend to pop up quickly. There are a number of factors, such as high humidity, bacteria on the skin, or broken skin (a small scratch or insect bite) that can contribute to them, all of which usually have a bacterial component and require veterinary treatment. There’s no dietary management for hot spots, but feeding a good quality diet that encourages healthy skin will help to prevent scratching and may help prevent hot spots from developing.—LP & LS

body &soul

HEALTH ALERT:

Harmful Chemicals Leach From Some Plastic Dog Toys Dogs chewing on certain plastic toys may be exposed to carcinogens and hormone-mimicking chemicals, a new study suggest Many will be aware of the risk of Bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates present in some baby bottles and toys, but what about the toys of our four-legged friends? BPA is a chemical used in hard plastics and vinyl that has been found to be an endocrine disruptor in humans, contributing to a variety of negative health effects such as hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, hormonally mediated cancers, and a host of other issues. Phthalates, another class of chemicals used in plastics, have also been classified as a “probable human carcinogen” by the Environmental Protection Agency. So is it far fetched to think that BPAs and phthalates in some plastic and vinyl dog toys could also be causing adverse effects in our four legged companions? Although there has yet to be research conducted as to the effects of these chemicals on dog health, there have been recent tests to measure how much of them are leaking from dog toys. Philip Smith, a toxicologist at The Institute of Environmental and Human Health at Texas Tech, became interested in chemical exposures from plastic “bumpers,” a common toy used to teach

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dogs to retrieve, after using them to train his own Labrador Retrievers. He undertook a study, along with master’s student Kimberly Wooten to determine how much of a risk plastic toys may pose. The study involved different dog toys in three different scenarios: brand new, weathered, and chewed. Results showed that chewed toys leaked the most chemicals into the artificial dog saliva they used for testing. When comparing toys, it was found that plastic bumpers had the highest amount of BPAs and phthalates. Although the study didn’t conclude whether these substances affect dog health, Wooten states, “BPA and phthalates can have effects on developing fetuses and can have a lifelong effect on offspring of lab animals.” A previous study by the Environmental Working Group found that dogs’ blood and urine contained the breakdown products of several phthalates at levels ranging from 1.1 to 4.5 times higher than the average found in people. Though little is known about any potential health risks for dogs exposed to hormone-mimicking chemicals since little toxicity data exist for dogs, Smith nonetheless concluded, “consumer education about potential risk seems to be warranted based on our data.”—AT

moderndogmagazine.com

body &soul Collars with a Cause Signs & Symptoms Could it be Hypothyroidism?

The lovely collars in the Kenyan Collection are beaded by Maasai women in Kenya allowing them to earn a living for their families while maintaining a traditional lifestyle. Each collar is an original, one of a kind design with hand-sewn beads and buckles hand-cast in brass. From $40, thekenyancollection.com

Sleepiness, weight gain, cold intolerance, bald spots, poor coat condition—these are all symptoms of hypothyroidism, a condition that typically affects middle aged and older dogs, occurring when the thyroid does not produce enough thyroid hormone (thyroxine). There is a genetic component to the disease; some breeds, especially the Labrador Retriever and Golden Retriever, are particularly predisposed to this condition. If diagnosed, your veterinarian will need to prescribe a thyroxine supplement. Once a dog is being treated for hypothyroidism, adding omega-3s to his diet will help with skin and coat repair.—EP & LS

MODERN DOG POLL Poll question: If you see someone fail to pick up after his dog, do you confront him? CAST YOUR VOTE AT MODERNDOGMAGAZINE.COM 78 moderndog SPR ING 2013

THE FIND

Stop the Scoot Save your rug and banish embarrassment. Put an end to your dog interrupting dinner by scooting his way across the carpet. Tasty duck-flavoured Pet Naturals Scoot bars contain three types of fiber to support healthy anal gland, digestive, and colonic function. $30, petnaturals.com

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body &soul Colleen Safford, aka the Doggy Doula, schools a furry student

DOGGY DOULA Pregnant? Have a spoiled dog? Now what? Doggy Doula to the rescue!

Our very own Colleen Safford, expert trainer and dog-obsessed mom, has devoted herself to easing the transition from having a dog in the house to having a dog and a baby. The effort, born from her own personal experience as mother of three and loving dog-owner, is designed to familiarize parents-to-be with the baby-dog relationship. “There is a serious lack of education regarding how to truly ensure that a dog and baby will hit it off. Bringing a blanket home from the hospital is simply not enough,” says Safford. The step-by-step process promises to prepare parents and dogs through a mixture of private lessons, speeches, group seminars, and Skype or phone consults. With the aim of decreasing baby-child animosity and accidents, as well as teaching a dog to go with the flow, Safford, aka the Doggy Doula, is here to guide both you and your dog through healthy dog-child interactions and keep your dog happy in the presence of kids. Visit doggydoula.com for more information.

Poll Result:

Lucky dogs. 96% of readers buy their dogs holiday gifts.

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Tips from The Doggy Doula on guiding dog-child interactions Parents often encourage very young babies to touch and “be gentle” from the first time they notice a dog in the home. This sets a child up for exploring a dog. A baby/toddler will not acquire the physical skills to handle a dog appropriately for years! It’s like handing a baby a BB gun and saying, “play nice.” Children of a young age just can’t “be gentle” at all times. It’s above both their physical and mental skill set. Instead of encouraging touch, take the opportunity to speak to the baby or child about the dog: “Aw, isn’t Sammy so cute! Sammy is such a great part of our family. We love him.” If the baby reaches for the dog, while we do not want to scare him, we just put limits on his access to the dog, like we do other things. If a child asks, “Can I pet your dog?”, you should say, “Hmm, let me see if Sammy wants to say hello.” If your dog does NOT approach the person or child, your dog is not in the mood. As a dog owner, you should respect and not force your dog to say hello. Instead, you can make an excuse: “Oh, Sammy just had a big play session and he’s a bit tired.”—Colleen Stafford

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NUTRITION

MANAGING CHRONIC HEALTH PROBLEMS: Change Your Dog’s Diet, Improve Her Health

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Tackle specific health concerns by tweaking what’s in your dog’s dinner bowl. A good diet that meets your dog’s unique health needs can help to prevent chronic diseases from progressing or recurring By Elizabeth Pask and Laura Scott

nfortunately, our dogs are prone to many of the same diseases we are. And, like us, many of these hit as our pets reach middle age, dratted aging! Indisputably, the diagnosis of a disease can be devastating, but take the reins—there are many things you can do to significantly support treatment. For one, a dog with chronic disease can greatly benefit from some diet changes. Altering the type and amount of some of the nutrients your dog receives can complement the treatments that your vet has prescribed. And taking control of your dog’s diet and health can help make a distressing diagnosis easier to live with. Just be sure to consult your veterinarian or veterinary nutritionist before implementing any changes, since dogs living with a chronic disease may have fragile health. It’s important to make sure any dietary changes are the right ones for your dog.

Cancer The word “cancer” conjures near universal fear in people. Everyone has had a pet, family member, friend or acquaintance diagnosed with cancer. Two things to take comfort in: 1) Veterinary medical research has made great strides in the treatment of cancer in animals, and 2) You are not powerless: address what’s in your dog’s dinner. Many dogs undergoing cancer treatment greatly benefit from specialized nutrition that will support the body and starve the cancer. In cancer diets, the calories should be coming from protein and fat and not from carbohydrates. Diets should contain 50 – 60 percent fat and 30 – 50 percent protein, with the remaining calories coming from soluble fiber, such as pectin, psyllium or pea fiber. In addition, the type of fat is important; it should be coming from fish oil or sustainable marine algae-derived omega-3’s, such as DHA Gold (dhagold.com) so be sure you are supplementing your dog’s diet with a high quality omega-3. Additionally, there is a whole arsenal of beneficial supplements that you should be adding to your dog’s dinner along with the omega-3’s, such as modified citrus pectin, which stimulates the immune system to kill cancer cells, and Turmeric/Curcumin, which has been shown to act in a number of ways to prevent the growth or spread of cancer cells for many different types of cancer. It works as an anti-inflammatory, as an antioxidant, and by encouraging cell death. Talk to your vet about dosage. Xue Yu Tang, a herbal supplement for blood stasis, is also used in cancer-fighting regimens, but talk to your vet about incorporating it into your dog’s diet as there can be some serious consequences to inappropriate use.

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In cancer diets, the calories should be coming from protein and fat, not from carbohydrates.

Veggies, especially the addition of cancer-fighting cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage and broccoli, should round out your dog’s dinner. Broccoli and cabbage are fine to feed raw occasionally, but if you are feeding them on a daily basis they should be cooked—cooking does not alter the antioxidant fighting ability—to prevent the naturally occurring glycosides in the vegetables from binding iodine in the diet. For more on canine cancer and diet, read “The Cancer Diet for Dogs: Fighting Back With Food” at moderndogmagazine. com/cancer-diet-dogs.

Heart Disease The biggest thing you can do for dogs with heart conditions is to prevent them from being overweight. Reducing the weight of a dog who is packing some extra pounds directly reduces the amount of stress that the heart is under. In addition to being low calorie, a heart disease diet should also be low sodium because dogs with heart disease have difficulty managing excess sodium. Treats, too, should all be low sodium. Try cheese (with no salt added), fresh or frozen fruits, and yogurt. If your dog has heart disease, be sure his diet contains added taurine and carnitine, which are amino acids that support heart function, as well as omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins E and C, and CoQ10 to support and help the body repair damaged heart cells. There is also some very promising evidence suggesting that Hawthorn berry

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(Crataegus oxyacantha) is beneficial in treating heart disease, improving myocardial function and benefitting the heart muscle. Do discuss your interest in this supplement with your veterinarian, though, before starting with a Hawthorne berry supplement as a dog with heart disease may be on a number of veterinary prescribed medications which may interact with the Hawthorne berry, potentially creating problems.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) IBD is a complex and poorly understood condition with multiple contributing factors. Dogs with IBD are at risk for developing multiple food allergies so changing your dog’s food may be the best choice, however you may need to do multiple diet changes, trying out different protein sources to find the right one. During an acute episode of IBD, the diet should be bland and contain a highly digestible single source of carbohydrate and protein. Avoid diets containing grains with gluten, such as wheat, oats, and barley, because they will act as a secondary source of protein and potentially complicate further dietary choices down the road. Rice-based diets are more digestible than potato- or tapioca-based diets so best is a diet containing rice and a novel meat, such as buffalo or catfish. However, finding diets that meet all these criteria can be difficult so often the easiest choice is a hydrolysed protein (HP) diet. HP diets are often suggested by veterinarians because of their high digestibility and their inability to cause allergies. Avoid diets high in fat (you want to choose a diet with less than 11% fat) because many dogs with IBD also have fat metabolizing problems. That being said, including some omega-3 fats in a diet for dogs with IBD has proven to be beneficial for gastrointestinal health. Many dogs with IBD do well with a diet containing fermentable fiber such as beet pulp or fructooligosaccharides (FOS). Lastly, dogs with IBD are prone to having problems with an overgrowth of bacteria in their guts. Bacteria are normal residents of healthy gastrointestinal tracts; however, IBD can cause alterations in the population of resident bacterial, allowing unhealthy bacteria to multiply and cause diarrhea. The addition of probiotics to your dog’s diet will help with this problem. Choose a probiotic product containing at least 100 million colony forming units (CFU)/gram of bifidobacterium and lactobacilli species.

Signs of Diabetes • • • •

Increased water consumption More frequent urination Weight loss Increased Appetite

Diabetes Diabetes is a chronic disease which is caused by a deficiency of the hormone insulin. There are a number of risk factors for developing diabetes, including obesity, pancreatitis, hypothyroidism, and genetic predisposition. Like humans, dogs can get either Type I or Type II diabetes. Type I diabetes is caused by a destruction of the insulin producing cells in the pancreas and is the type with the greatest incidence in dogs. Type II diabetes is less

Carbohydrates have the greatest impact on blood glucose levels, so take a close look at the carbs your dog is consuming.

Also try: CHROMIUM. Research has found chromium to be very beneficial in improving the cells’ uptake of insulin. FENUGREEK SEEDS. Fenugreek seeds, taken as a tea, can help lower blood sugar. common in dogs, and is caused by impaired insulin secretion or insulin resistance. While both types can benefit from dietary changes, Type I cannot be managed by diet alone and dogs with this type will need insulin replacement therapy. The goal with dietary management is to regulate the dog’s blood glucose levels. Once a dietary approach is chosen, dogs should stay on the same food and feeding schedule so that nutrients are provided consistently. Semi-moist foods and treats should be avoided as these typically have a lot of sugar (simple carbohydrates) in them which are quickly absorbed and cause a spike in glucose in the blood, something a diabetic dog doesn’t have the insulin capacity to deal with. There is no need to restrict protein intake unless the dog also has another condition, like kidney disease, requiring it; overweight dogs may need to have a fat-restricted diet to help them lose weight. But overall, it is carbohydrates that have the greatest impact on blood glucose levels, so take a close look at the carbs your dog is consuming. The diabetic diet should be high in complex carbohydrates (comprising 40 percent or more of total calories) and have moderate fibre levels. Complex carbohydrates require more digestion than simple carbohydrates and thus are absorbed into the blood stream more slowly. This provides a slow, steady input of glucose into the blood, as opposed to the quick burst that simple carbohydrates deliver. Look for a food that contains whole grain starches, like barley or sorgum. The timing of meals is also important. Meal scheduling will depend on the insulin schedule used, but in general four to five smaller meals should be provided. The first meal of the day should be offered before the insulin injection so that if the dog refuses to eat, the insulin can be withheld. Meals times should remain as consistent as possible and extra foods like treats and chews need to be figured into the schedule. Diabetic dogs can still have treats, but look for ones that are mostly complex carbohydrates and higher in fibre or protein. Try items like dehydrated chicken strips or sweet potato chews. Steer clear of the regular dog biscuits and avoid any of the semi-moist treats.

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CINNAMON. Cinnamon extract has strong antioxidant properties and can help maintain healthy blood sugar.

Allergies, Ear Infections & Hot Spots The skin is your dog’s largest organ and therefore a great indicator of your dog’s overall health. Skin health can be affected by many different nutrient imbalances. Issues with protein, vitamin A, vitamin E, zinc, and essential fatty acids can all show up as problems with the skin. Allergies often manifest as itchy skin, ear infections, poor coat quality or even hot spots. Food and environmental allergies are probably the most common causes of skin problems. In the case of the former, the best dietary management strategy is to avoid all exposure to the foods that trigger allergic responses. This, of course, can be very challenging, and for dogs that are extremely sensitive, even small amounts of the food can cause a problem. Start with a well balanced diet that provides optimal nutrition while avoiding the trigger foods. If you haven’t yet figured out which foods are the triggers, undertaking an elimination diet in which you rule out one ingredient (wheat; a particular protein source) at a time over a period of months will be necessary.

Bad breath? Try adding a bit of parsley to your dog’s dinner.

Choosing a diet that has a high quality protein will ensure that your dog has the building blocks needed for maintenance of healthy skin. Essential fatty acids, like omega-3 fatty acids, are also important for the skin. Omega-3’s play two roles: they act as an anti-inflammatory, helping to reduce any inflammation responses due to allergies, as well as form part of the cell membrane, playing a key role in cell health.

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Arthritis Arthritis is inflammation in the joint. There are a number of types, but the most common is osteoarthritis, which is a progressive breakdown of the cartilage in the joint causing pain, which can lead to loss of mobility and weight gain. A pain management plan should be combined with dietary management, a key component of which is keeping your dog at a healthy weight—a fit dog carries less weight and subsequently puts less stress on their joints. Since arthritis is an inflammatory disease, omega-3s are a wonder supplement because they reduce inflammation. There are some joint supplements available that contain high omega-3 fatty acids but you can also supplement your dog’s diet with fish oil capsules or marine-algae derived omega-3 capsules like DHA Gold. Glucosamine and chondroitin were thought to be very good supplements for relieving arthritis pain and increasing mobility, however, over the test of time, research has suggested that they are very poorly bioavailable to the body. As a result, these are better used as injectable rather than dietary supplements. The injectable products available have been proven to be very beneficial in increasing mobility in dogs, so ask your vet for further information. Finally, green lipped mussel (GLM) is a natural product that has been clinically proven to improve mobility in dogs. GLM contains omega-3 fatty acids and is thought to contain other antioxidants as well as glucosamine. The dose of GLM should be 0.3 percent of your dog’s normal food (0.3g GLM/cup of dog food).

Dental Health Dental disease, comprising gum disease (gingivitis), periodontal disease, and bad breath, is incredibly common in dogs. By four years of age, 80 percent of dogs will have some form of dental disease. Gingivitis is the inflammation of the gums caused by an over growth of bacteria. If left untreated, it can lead to periodontal disease, the inflammatory disease that affects the periodontal ligaments and alveolar bone. While gingivitis can be treated, periodontal disease cannot and often results in the loss of affected teeth. This is why your vet stresses the importance of brushing your dog’s teeth! Dogs consuming soft or tinned foods often have a higher inci-

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dence of gingivitis than dogs eating a dry diet, so giving your dog something to chew on can improve his dental health. Rawhide chews and hard bones has been associated with reduced plaque formation. Watch those bones. Some raw bones may be too hard for some dogs and can result in damage to the teeth. Cooked bones such as chicken or rib bones should not be given to dogs as these can splinter and pose a choking or gut perforation risk.

You can also encourage chewing by giving your dog a raw carrot or piece of sweet potato to chew on or a “dental” toy, a textured toy designed to maximize contact with the teeth. Make the dental toy more tempting by putting a small amount of peanut butter or spreadable cheese on it. Also try adding a bit of parsley to your dog’s dinner (1/2 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon depending on the size of your dog). Parsley has long been known for its breath sweetening properties and helps make those doggie kisses more tolerable. Many people claim that their dog’s teeth and breath improve dramatically when they switch from commercial kibble to a home-prepared diet. This may be due to an improvement in the quality of the diet, increased chewing for dogs fed whole bones, or the presence of fresh ingredients. If you’re not feeding a home-prepared diet, try adding fresh fruits and veggies to your dog’s dinner. For suggestions, see People Foods For Dogs:

moderndogmagazine.com/10-people-foods-dogs moderndogmagazine.com/10-human-foods-share moderndogmagazine.com/10-more-people-foods-dogs Water additives such as Healthy Mouth can also improve your dog’s dental health. Healthy Mouth is a mixture of natural ingredients that work to reduce the amount of bacteria in your dog’s mouth, thereby reducing plaque formation. It has been clinically proven to work in dogs, cats and horses and it is available from your veterinarian. If your dog doesn’t love the taste initially, use a slightly diluted form of the product and then work your way up to full strength over the course of a week. Diet certainly plays an important role in managing chronic health problems. As always, it’s important to work with your veterinarian on these issues as some dietary changes may have a big impact on the treatment protocol for your dog. A good diet that meets your dog’s unique health needs can help to prevent chronic diseases from progressing or recurring. And knowing that you are doing everything you can to help meet their health needs means one less thing to worry about and more time to spend out for a walk or snuggled on the couch. n

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OregaPet is a new line of natural first aid products for pets containing Mediterranean Oregano Oil. OregaPet Ear Drops quickly relieve inflammation, itching and other symptoms, while fighting the ear infection directly. Use OregaPet Ear Drops as a preventative before and after swimming, hiking and contact with other animals. oregapet.com

The Doctor is

Dr. Betsy Brevitz tackles common veterinary vexations

LUMPS, BUMPS, AND GROWTHS: What’s What

ogs can sprout a variety of lumps, bumps, and skin growths, especially as they get older. Fortunately, most are merely unsightly or messy rather than harmful. Here is a guide to some typical skin growths in dogs. No growth can be definitively diagnosed by its appearance alone, however, so point out such lumps and bumps to your veterinarian during your dog’s annual physical exam, and be sure to consult your vet if your dog has a lump that grows rapidly, oozes and doesn’t heal, or otherwise bothers you or your dog.

Warts. These firm, bumpy growths occur in both young dogs and middleaged to older dogs. “Puppy warts” are caused by a virus, appear around a young dog’s mouth, and go away on their own. Older dogs often grow warts on their heads or bodies. Warts should be surgically removed if they routinely bleed or become irritated, or if they grow on the eyelid margin and rub against the eye.

Pimples and blackheads. Dogs can get “clogged pores” just like people do, and these may form pimples or blackheads. Facial acne in dogs usually responds well to frequent cleaning with a benzoyl peroxide cleanser. Pimples or blackheads elsewhere can be a symptom of a bacterial skin infection or seborrhea.

Sebaceous cysts. These lumps are oil-producing (sebaceous) glands that have become blocked and enlarged, ranging from mosquito-bite-sized to an inch or two in diameter. They contain a whitish, greasy, paste-like combination

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of oil, bacteria, and skin cells. Sebaceous cysts will sometimes open and ooze their contents on their own, or the material can be squeezed out, but usually they will simply fill up again over time. If a sebaceous cyst is particularly messy or in an area where it constantly becomes irritated, it can be surgically removed.

Lipomas. Although these are commonly referred to as “fatty tumors,” they are benign, not malignant, and so are not “tumors” in the cancer sense. Rather, they are lumpy accumulations of fat—sort of the canine equivalent of cellulite. They usually appear in middleaged and older dogs and can range from one inch in diameter to eight inches or more, growing slowly over months to years. If your dog has lipomas, your vet

should (1) measure them during your dog’s yearly physical exam and note their location and size on your dog’s medical chart; and (2) when each new lipoma appears and if one enlarges rapidly, do a fine-needle aspirate (FNA) of the lump. An FNA takes only a few seconds, can be done during a regular exam, and is virtually painless. The vet inserts a needle into the lump and extracts a drop of its contents to examine under a microscope. If the contents are just fat, you can be reasonably certain the lump is a lipoma. If the contents include other types of cells, then the lump may not be a lipoma, and it would be prudent to remove it surgically and have it checked by a pathologist to make sure it’s not cancer. Lipomas that are large

Is it a bump? Or a lump? What’s dangerous and what’s innocuous when it comes to skin growths. enough to make a dog uncomfortable or interfere with his ability to walk should also be removed.

Elbow calluses. Large, heavy dogs often develop thick, dark, hairless calluses on the parts of their bodies that contact hard surfaces when they lie down, such as their elbows, hocks, or even over the breastbone. Sometimes these calluses crack and bleed or become infected. They can be treated by providing thickly padded areas for resting; using warm compresses or soaks two or three times a day; applying petroleum jelly, lanolin, or another softening and soothing agent (make sure it’s safe to eat if the dog can reach the area and lick if off); and oral antibiotics if the area is infected.

Hives or facial swelling. Hives are fluid-filled, blister-like swellings that crop up in groups when a dog has been exposed to something she is hypersensitive to, such as a spider bite, bee sting, or rarely, a medication or vaccine. They can range from about one-quarter inch to two inches or more in diameter. Facial swelling—in which the dog’s face becomes puffy—is a similar hypersensitivity reaction. If your dog suddenly sprouts hives, give

her the antihistamine Benadryl (diphenhydramine) at a dose of 1 mg per pound of her body weight (that’s 10 mg for a 10-pound dog, 25 mg for a 25-pound dog, and so on). If she’s very itchy or the hives are still spreading one hour later, call your vet. If your dog has a swollen or puffy face, call your vet or a vet emergency clinic immediately, because in severe cases the windpipe may swell shut, leaving the dog unable to breath and in need of emergency care.

Skin cancer. Dogs can get a variety of skin cancers, including melanomas, mast-cell tumors, and squamous cell carcinomas. They can look like anything at all: a lump, sore, or discoloration. Skin cancer may itch, hurt, or not bother the dog at all. Always point out new skin growths to your vet during your dog’s annual physical exam, and have your vet check out sores that take more than 10 days to heal, lumps that grow rapidly or swell and shrink, or any other skin growth that’s worrisome to you or your dog. n Excerpted from Hound Health Handbook © 2004, 2009 by Urbanhound, LLC Used by permission of Workman Publishing Co., Inc. New York All Rights Reserved. Available wherever books are sold.

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OPERATION MEXICO A group of Canadian Football League stars put their considerable muscle behind a spay and neuter effort in Bonfil, Mexico Photographed by Tracey Buyce

hey may look like guys you wouldn’t want to mess with when they’re on the football field, but they definitely have a soft side. Earlier this year, eight burly guys representing five teams from the Canadian Football League (CFL) travelled to Mexico to help out Cats and Dogs International (CANDi) with an animal sterilization effort in Bonfil, an economically challenged area of Cancun, Mexico. Unbeknownst to most tourists, off the pristine resorts in the Cancun area, nearly one million animals are suffering from starvation, abuse, and disease. Spearheaded by Chris Cvetkovic, long snapper for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and founder of his own non profit, Cvet’s Pets, the group of players—all passionate animal advocates—lent their brawn to help control animal overpopulation in this desolate area near Cancun overrun with suffering street animals. “When I learned about CANDi and the work they do with animals, I knew I wanted to be involved,” says Cvetkovic. “As I started talking to some friends across the league, I found seven stand-up guys whose hearts are close to the animal community.” With the help of famous friends like Cvetkovic and his friends, CANDi’s goal is to create more awareness while controlling the animal population. At the November 2012 clinic, over

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1500 animals were spayed or neutered thanks to funding by actor/comedian George Lopez, who helped to fund the clinic with Jennifer Lee Pryor and her organization, Pryor’s Planet, so named in honour of her late husband, actor/comedian Richard Pryor. CANDi’s efforts prevent thousands of animals from being born into lives of suffering. Already, a difference can be seen: the pet overpopulation in the Bonfil area is slowly starting to decrease due to these programs. Why focus on Mexico and the Caribbean when there are many stray dogs and cats needing homes in Canada and the USA? “Mexico lacks the humane programs that are available in Canada and the United States,” explains Darci Galati, president of CANDi. “Our goal is to bring about change to issues of overpopulation both internationally and in our own backyard. By offering these spay/neuter clinics, we are providing an affordable and humane solution to the problem in the areas, and giving a second chance to so many adoptable animals who otherwise may face being euthanized.” Galati adds that many people are simply unaware of how many animals are destroyed every year. “Education and awareness are key, and those are areas where Chris and the other players are critical to helping us achieve this.” n

Outside of the resort areas, there are many dogs on the verge of starvation, but this particular dog, now named Luna, won the lottery. She was taken in by CANDi, provided with veterinary care, and has a home awaiting her in the US once she is well enough to travel.

From top right: The Toronto Argonauts’ Andre Durie holds a pup rescued from the streets. Team All Star Operation Mexico, clockwise from top: Chris Cvetkovic (Winnipeg Blue Bombers), Chris Getzlaf (Saskatchewan Rough riders), Buck Pierce (Winnipeg Blue Bombers), Jabari Arthur (Calgary Stampeders), Brady Browne (Winnipeg Blue Bombers), and Ian Logan (Winnipeg Blue Bombers). Missing from this photo is Andre Durie. Brady Browne of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers with his newly adopted dog, Maya. She is now living happily in Vancouver, BC with Browne. Chris Cvetkovic of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers gives treats to starving street dogs.

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PET PROJECT

craft D.I.Y.

Super Easy Retro-Inspired No-Sew Dog Bed Yes, you read that right: a super-cute DIY dog bed anybody can make, no sewing involved! By Isabelle Genest Photographed by Jessica Bloor

STEP 4 Take your second piece of fabric and place the piece of fabric you just cut exactly on top. Trace the rounded circle onto the bottom square of fabric and cut.

Make this in about an hour! SUPPLIES • A pair of scissors • 2 squares of t-shirt or polar fleece fabric. Amount of fabric needed depends on how big you want your dog bed to be. My squares were 3 feet x 3 feet. • Pins to pin the fabric together • 1 elastic band (a hair tie works) • Stuffing (cotton batting, blankets, a pillow) or clothes you no longer wear • Dressmaking pencil to trace the fabric.

DIRECTIONS STEP 1 Fold both squares of fabric in four. Pin the fabric so that it stays in place. STEP 2 Take one of the folded squares of fabric and using your Center pencil trace a rounded shape. STEP 3 Cut the fabric along the curved guideline you just traced.

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Center

STEP 5 Unfold both squares of fabric. Once flat, place them atop one another (they should now be circles of the same size) and pin the fabric together. STEP 6 Cut fringes all around the circles, cutting both pieces at the same time. Try to make them all equal, but no drama if they aren’t. Fringes should be approximately ¾ inch by 2 ¼ inches deep. STEP 7 Unpin the fabric. To form the gathers at the center of the bed, take one of the circles and fold it in four to find the middle of the circle. Grasping the fabric from the center, take your elastic band and wrap it around so that you have about 3 inches of fabric gathered above the elastic. STEP 8 Lay this circle so the elastic-gathered side is facing up and place the other circle on top. Start tying both circles together by knotting the fringes together. Leave approximately 4 inches undone and start stuffing the bed, using pillow stuffing or old clothing you no longer wear. STEP 9 Once stuffed to your liking, tie the rest of the fringe, and voilá, a fabulous and comfortable DIY dog bed made without any sewing!

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PET PROJECT

make it DIY Yogurt Drop Dog Treats Single ingredient frozen deliciousness dogs love By Isabelle Genest Photographed by Jessica Bloor Sit, stay, down, shake… there’s nothing my dog Luigi won’t do for a YOGURT DROP! Too bad he can’t talk to confirm, but I’m 99 percent sure it’s his favourite treat (besides cheese and chicken). I thought these would be hard to make but it’s actually really simple and well worth the effort as they’re an absolute hit with most dogs.

VARIATION: Peanut Butter Yogurt Treats Prep time: 5 minutes Freezing time: 45 minutes

SUPPLIES • ½ cup fat free natural yogurt • ¼ cup natural peanut butter • 1 large Ziploc bag • Mini-cupcake pan and mini-cupcake paper liners

DIRECTIONS STEP 1 Place the cupcake liners in the cupcake pan. STEP 2 In a mixing bowl, blend the yogurt and the peanut butter together using a spatula. STEP 3 Pour the mixture into your Ziploc bag. Close it and, using your fingers, push the mixture towards one corner.

SUPPLIES • Low fat natural yogurt (live culture is best as it has the benefit of probiotics. If you’re choosing a fruit yogurt, be sure it has no sugar or artificial sweeteners added) • Ziploc bag or cake decorator bag • Cookie tray that will fit in your freezer

DIRECTIONS STEP 1 Put the yogurt in the Ziploc or cake decorator bag. If you’re using a

Ziploc bag, snip a small hole in one of the bottom corners. Squeeze the yogurt out onto the cookie tray, pictured above. STEP 2 Put the tray in the freezer and wait about an hour. Once they’re frozen, your Yogurt Drops are ready! How simple is that? Oh, and according to my vet they’re very healthy for dogs. He went into some doctor-talk about the repopulation of the digestive system with healthy bacterial flora—all I really know is that Luigi loves them. Keep in the freezer and take out as needed for treating your dog!

>> For more fun, inspiring pet projects, check out Isabelle Genest’s superfun blog, luigiandme.wordpress.com!

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STEP 4 Snip the corner of the bag to make a small hole and squeeze the mixture gently into each mini-cupcake liner. STEP 5 Place the tray in the freezer for approximately 45 minutes. Once frozen, take them out, and give one to your eagerly awaiting dog (remove the liner first). Place the rest in a container and store in the freezer, taking one out whenever your dog deserves a yummy little frozen treat!

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cutead! lo r e v o

lil rascals

reader-submitted photos of their adorable wee ones Peanut + Kalynn

Alida + Brenin

Logan + Lena Huey + Beatrice

Chase + Sophia

Zoë + Ruby

Nova + Chevy

Buster + Colton 98 moderndog SPR ING 2013

Paisley + Stella

Khloe + Harley

Lola + Avi

Mack + Rocklin Kaiden + Ghanghis

Kelly + Kaitlyn

Willow + Mason Patton +

Hannah

Molly +

Stella +

Hannah

Sami

Neechi + Mason

Callen + Hans

Chula + Natalie moderndogmagazine.com

PHOTO BOBBY QUILLARD

Actress, dog-rescue volunteer, and mom-to-be Christine Scott Bennett on the life-changing wonders of volunteering and why dogs are the best (the wearing of sweatpants definitely plays a role)

“Inbetweeners” MTV actress

Christine Scott Bennett By Rose Frosek

isappointingly, MTV’s brilliant series “The Inbetweeners” wasn’t picked up for second season, but we remain stalwart fans of actress Christine Scott Bennett, both in her role as the sexy mom on the series and in her real life role as a charmingly down-to-earth rescue proponent and mom to two dogs—and an infant on the way. We asked her a few questions about her pack and the pleasures of doing rescue work. Prepare to be inspired to don some sweatpants, roll up your sleeves, and hit the nearest adoption event. Q: First off, what do you love about dogs? A: What don’t I love about dogs? I love their loyalty. No matter what you do, no matter what kind of person you are—you don’t have to shower, you can be in sweat pants—they are non judgmental; they accept you as you are. Can you tell us about your dogs? I have two dogs. Tyson is a Jack Russell/Beagle mix and he’s 11. He acts like he is two. I wonder if he will ever slow down, but he

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has kept me on my toes all these years. My other dog is Smurfy. She’s three and a Miniature Pinscher mix. She’s got a Napoleon complex where she thinks she is a big bad ass. She’s quite interesting to take to the dog park when she is chasing around the big dogs. The two of them have definitely prepared me for kids. That’s right, you’re expecting! How far along are you? I’m 33 weeks pregnant, so quite far into it. One thing that I really think is cool is around six weeks Smurfy started guarding my stomach. That protective instinct of hers, a very motherly type instinct, is amazing. I sit down on the couch, and she sits right next to my stomach with her head on it, and if my husband tries to come close to my stomach to talk to the baby, she growls, like “back up!” How cool, at just six weeks she knew. Smurfy is a rescue, correct? Yes, Smurfy is from Tales of the City [an all volunteer, non-profit Los Angeles-based rescue organization]. I was actually working

“I always say I am a failed foster. That’s one thing I am happy to fail at.” with them and there was a dog there that I definitely wanted to help, but couldn’t because he was a big dog. Another foster said, “If you take Smurfy, I will help the big dog and bring it in.” So we did and the rest is history. Smurfy just weaseled her way into our hearts. I always say I am a failed foster. That’s one thing I am happy to fail at.

dog, the dog just chooses that person and then there’s nothing that they can do. They end up going home with that dog whether they like it or not. The biggest thing was getting them out of the cage, and showing how different of a personality the dog has outside of the cage vs. inside the cage. And it’s also free time and playtime for those dogs. It’s a no kill rescue but they still end up being in a cage “I really unfortunately think I would be a lot all week, boarded until they find a like Smurfy the Miniature Pinscher where home, so walking and playing with I bite off more than I can chew, and I speak before I think sometimes, and I get a little them is much needed exercise and fired up and very passionate.” fun for them.

Q: If you were a dog, what breed do you think you’d be?

How did you get involved with Tails of the City? There was a tough time a few years back. We used to donate a lot of money to charities, but we ended up moving out to California and our I love coming across adoption house—we had to short sale; we events. You see people encounter had some financial troubles. So we them and they weren’t intending decided if we couldn’t give money to adopt a dog… “I love Tyson’s orneriness and his curiosity. He’s so curious about the world. And it kinda to these organizations then let’s Sometimes it’s not the best to not makes you stop and realize, you walk by so give our time. Animals have always intend to get a dog. But I didn’t many interesting things everyday. Our dogs been it for my husband and I, so we intend to get my dogs and they stop and take it all in. I love that he reminds decided to go online and find some are my true loves, it would be like me of that.” sort of rescue group to help out. severing an arm if I got rid of them. [We] started volunteering with Tails Sometimes things just work out the of the City every Saturday for about way they are supposed to. three hours a day. We loved it. It didn’t feel like work and a lot of our close, close friends are from that rescue. It was one of those Why should people consider volunteering? things that was just the perfect fit for us. We were really lucky I think number one, it just shows you how different the world right from the get go. is. A lot of people are getting egocentric these days. When you volunteer, you get to be part of a couple different worlds that you What exactly did you do there to help out? wouldn’t have experienced otherwise. And doing for someone It was a little bit of everything. My husband and I tended to be else, you know that quote, for you to do something for someone the muscles because we were among the youngest of the group, who can never do anything for you is the most rewarding thing so we would take the second half of the adoption event. They had in the world? I think everyone should experience that… you can no one to break down the cages; the cages are heavy and dirty, so learn something about yourself. It’s just amazing the things that basically our main job was to get there and break down the cages, we’ve learned from the friends that we’ve made; it was so unexclean them out, load them on the trucks. But we would get there pected on every level. And it’s amazing how so many people are three hours early. We would walk the dogs, obviously pick up a interested [in volunteering]. I have countless friends who are like, lot of poop, clean out the cages. But the main thing was to get to “that sounds like fun, I want to do that” and I was the portal to know the dogs so that way we could help find a great fit for them. that world. I think people should try it because it’s a new experiBecause if you find that great fit, you really don’t have to sell the ence and isn’t that what life is all about? n

Q: Lessons learned from your dogs?

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NUTRITION

eat D.I.Y.

Stew for Sad Dogs On days when your dog seems under the weather and in need of some TLC, this warming, heartening stew with its lovely selection of sweet vegetables and fruit will help get his or her tail wagging again.

TAST TREAT Y S 3 STE IN PS!

By Henrietta Morrison

Some dogs are sensitive to new foods. It’s always a good idea to introduce new foods slowly in small quantities and/or check with your vet.

DIRECTIONS STEP 1 Dice or chop the turkey meat, making sure there are no bones. STEP 2 Heat the oil in a sauce pan, add the meat and brown over a medium heat. If you are using mince then just loosen this slightly and put it in the pan. Add the parsnips, carrots, oats and about 1 1/4 cups of water (enough to cover all the ingredients). Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes. STEP 3 Once the stew has cooked, peel, core and grate the apple and stir it into the stew along with the honey, herbs, and ground flaxseed.

INGREDIENTS • 1 lb (approx 500 g) turkey meat (e.g. breast or thighs) or ground turkey

Feed to your dog once it is cool enough to eat. If it’s a cold day, you can serve it warm, but not hot. It will keep in the fridge for four days.

• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil

TRY THIS: Nettles

• 3 or 4 parsnips, peeled and diced

A particularly rich source of minerals and vitamins (especially iron), nettles are good as a blood purifier and are helpful with skin conditions and allergies. You can also forage and pick your own young nettles— wearing gloves of course (uncooked they sting)! Cover with water and simmer for 10 minutes. When cool, add a few tablespoons of the liquid and cooked leaves to your dog’s food as an overall tonic.

• 6 large carrots, peeled or scrubbed and diced • 1 cup oats • 2 sweet eating apples • 2 Tbsp runny honey • 1 tsp dried (or 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh) herbs, such a parsley, rosemary, thyme, or turmeric • 1 tsp ground flaxseed

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Superfood Gravy The gravies that we enjoy are not good for our dogs because they are far too salty. Here, instead, is a gravy that is perfect for dogs—meaty, rich, delicious, and with some good antioxidants, so it’s healthy as well. Organ meat in the form of liver gives it a vitamin E boost, too. It does take a bit of time to prepare, but you can then pour it into an ice-cube tray, freeze it, and take out cubes to use when you need them.

INGREDIENTS • 1 Tbsp oil • 1 lb (approx 500 g) ground turkey • 4 oz (100 g) liver

STEP 2 Once the meats are browned, add the frozen peas then pour in 3 cups of water. Put a lid on the pan and leave to simmer for 30 minutes. STEP 3 Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool slightly then place the mixture in a food processor or blender and blitz until smooth.

• ¼ cup frozen peas • 3 cups water

DIRECTIONS STEP 1 Heat the oil in a frying pan and brown the ground turkey and liver.

It may still look a bit grainy once you have done this, but your dog won’t mind! Frozen in an ice-cube tray, this gravy will keep for up to two months. Warm to room temperature before feeding.

For more of Henrietta Morrison’s super recipes check out her wonderful cookbook, Dinner for Dogs (Ebury Press, 2012), $16.

ILLUSTRATION JESS GOLDEN

More DIY Eat Online

Beefy Agility Treats

Happy Brownies

Dogs De-Light

Make your dog smile with these drool-worthy yet healthy treats. These little soft nibbles are ideal for training, playing, and having fun. And with just five healthy ingredients, they’re a cinch to whip up.

Get your groove on with these healthy dog treats harnessing the deliciousness of carob, applesauce, banana, and peanut butter.

If your dog is in need of a tasty, low-cal snack, this is the recipe for you! This fast, fresh, and healthy treat will please your dog’s palate while keeping him trim.

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moderndogmagazine. com/happybrownies

moderndogmagazine. com/diydogsdelight

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CAN DOGS TELL TIME? By Stanley Coren

Illustration by Kim Smith

awaken to a cold nose against my hand. It is my 14-year-old Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, Dancer. Perhaps because of his age, he is more fixed in his daily routine than any of my other dogs. I glance at the alarm clock and mutter to him, “You’re an hour too early, old boy” before turning over to try to go back to sleep. 10 a.m finds Dancer is pacing by the door. Our postman starts his route with my corner house each morning at 11 a.m. Dancer usually stands by the door about five minutes before he arrives so that he can bark to announce the arrival of the mail. I am wondering why my dog’s clock-like precision is off kilter today when I suddenly remember that we have just shifted out of daylight savings time; all of our clocks—at least our human clocks—have been moved backward by an hour. Dancer is obviously still operating on daylight savings time. There has been a recent increase in interest about the question of whether dogs (and other animals) can tell time—not in sense of reading clocks, but rather in terms of whether dogs have a sense of the passage of time. To psychologists this is not a simple question since there are many different forms of time perception. The one which had gone awry in Dancer is what is called “circadian time” which comes from the Latin “circa” meaning around and “dia” meaning a day. It is the 24 hour clock which tells us to wake up in the morning, when lunch time is, when to expect dinner, and when to go to sleep. Dogs have a good circadian clock—as most of us can no doubt attest, they definitely know when dinner is supposed to be. Proving this is one of Pavlov’s famous conditioned reflex experiments. It involved spraying meat powder into the mouths of a group of dogs at noon every day for two weeks in a row and carefully monitoring the flow of saliva it produced. Then, on the 15th day, no meat powder was sprayed, yet the dogs still salivated almost exactly at noon. Circadian clocks depend on a lot of different things. To begin with, there are hormonal levels which fluctuate with an approximately 24 hour cycle and these changes in chemical levels could serve as a signal for the passage of time. Another indicator of the passage of time is that light levels increase and decrease over the day. However, just as important are the changes in activity during the day. Traffic noises outside fluctuate as we reach rush hour and activities inside the house, such as the family rising, washing, preparing food, and so on, also signal significant times during the day. I know, for example, that Dancer will adjust his circadian clock to match those of the humans in his family over the next few days simply by observing the flow of activities in my house.

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There are other forms of time perception, however. One of the most common is the perception of duration, which is simply how much time has passed since a particular event has happened. Dogs are pretty good at this as can be confirmed by nearly everybody who has trained dogs for obedience competition. For example, in the Open Level of competition the dog must hold a sitting or down position for a period of three minutes. Many inexperienced dog trainers train their dogs to stay in position for exactly three minutes, partly because this seems adequate for the task and partly because standing 40 feet away from your dog while both of you do nothing is rather boring. This is a bad move, though, since in actual competition judges and ring stewards are not always precise and events having to do with moving the competitors into or out of the obedience ring can take a bit longer than expected. As a result, the dog handler may find that at the very last moment, before he gets to his dog’s side, the canine duration clock times out and the dog stands up, ending that round with a disqualification. That is why most knowledgeable dog trainers over-time their dogs, keeping them in their sit-stay or down-stay for four or five minutes, thus leaving the dog’s clock still ticking if things go slowly in competition. Dogs can learn quite precise durations. Psychologists have what is called a “delayed response test” to test this aspect of time perception in dogs. The way a typical test occurs is that dogs are given a signal, say a click or a light flash, and then they must wait for a fixed interval of time before they perform a task, such as jumping onto a platform or pressing a bar. In one study by Belgian researchers, Beagles were trained to wait exactly 90 seconds between a sound signal and their response to it. If they responded too early they were not rewarded, and if they responded more than a few seconds too late they also did not get the treat that they were seeking. The food-motivated Beagles tuned their duration clocks quite finely to accomplish this task. When it comes to perceiving the passage of time, though, it turns out that although dogs can tell the difference between a short time and a long time, they are not so good at discriminating between long times and even longer times. An example of this comes from some research by Therese Rehn and Lindsay

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Keeling at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Uppsala. They were interested in the issue of separation anxiety in dogs since many dogs are left at home while their owners go to work each day and there had been some suggestions that the longer the dog is left alone, the more anxious it becomes. These researchers recorded the behaviour of dogs left by their owners for 30 minutes, two hours or four hours. The results showed that if the dogs had been left alone for two or four hours they greeted their owners with more excitement (as measured physiologically) and also were more active and affectionate in their behaviour, than when the duration of separation had only been 30 minutes. However, there was no statistical difference between the dogs’ behaviour if left alone for two or four hours. The researchers concluded the dogs were aware of the difference between the short time duration and the longer ones, but could not discriminate between the longer time intervals. Although this research suggests that dogs’ duration perception is far from perfect, they are probably the only animal whose accurate circadian clock has earned them a monument. Hachiko was an Akita owned by Dr. Eisaburo Ueno, a professor at Tokyo University. Every day Hachiko would accompany his master to the train station to see him off. Hachiko’s internal circadian clock triggered his return to the station each day at precisely three o’clock in the afternoon to greet his master. On May 21, 1925, Professor Ueno did not return; he had died earlier that day at the university. His loyal Akita, however, arrived on time and waited at the station until midnight. The next day and for the next ten years, Hachiko returned to the station at exactly three o’clock and waited for his beloved master before walking home alone. Nothing and no one could discourage Hachiko from maintaining his daily vigil. It was not until Hachiko himself died in March l934 that he failed to appear at the railroad station at the scheduled time. A statue in honour of the devoted Akita was erected near the Shibuya Station. It was destroyed during the war, but replaced in 1948, sculpted to be an exact replica by the son of the artist who had produced original statue. This train station is now a place where lovers go to touch the statue of the dog and to pledge that they will be as faithful to each other as Hachiko was to his master, although it’s doubtful they also promise to keep as accurate time as this dog did. n

ILLUSTRATION KIM SMITH

Although dogs can tell the difference between a short time and a long time, they are not so good at discriminating between long times and even longer times.

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HOW I MET MY DOG mee t rio!

“H

is mom was a Lab, and his dad was a traveling salesman,” said the guy at the animal shelter, gesturing to the 12-week-old puppy he was washing to get ready to meet us. The filthy little pooch had been living in a small cage with four littermates and had a bite on his cheek. It was heartbreaking. “Can he get some food?” I asked. “You can see his ribs.” After the puppy wolfed down a scoop of kibble, my husband Bryan and I went into a room where we could “get to know” the dog we might adopt. He was a little blond scamp with a Harry Potter lightning bolt on his forehead and a white pom-pom on the tip of his curly tail, which never stopped wagging. We sat on the floor and he jumped on us and ran around excitedly. His enthusiasm was infectious. Then he fell asleep on Bryan’s lap. I had that moment of clarity that anyone who has fallen head-over-heels in love has felt: I knew. I stood up. “I’m going to go sign the adoption papers,” I said. Bryan just grinned. When I came back, the puppy was still dozing as Bryan caressed his velvety ears. We tossed around names and landed on “Rio.” This was a crazy moment for us. For 18 years, it had just been the two of us. We never wanted to be “tied down;” we wanted to be able to travel. Plus, most of our apartments didn’t allow pets. Rio was our first dog. People say having a baby turns your life upside down. Apparently, the same is true for dogs. Suddenly we were setting the alarm for 3 a.m. to take Rio out to pee, buying chew toys, and reading “Puppies for Dummies” anytime he napped. We both work from home, but it was a challenge to get any actual work done— there was a puppy who wanted to chase my skirts, or roll onto his back to eat raspberries in the backyard, or go to puppy socialization parties at the local rec center. We took lots of training classes, and Rio learned quickly. “This is a dog that wants to please you,” his trainer told us. “He’s probably your once-in-a-lifetime dog.” As Rio’s grown, he’s become even more loyal and affectionate;

My Dog Taught Me The Meaning of Life By Jen Reeder

when Bryan and I hug and kiss, Rio tunnels between our legs to share the love. He makes us laugh every day with his silly antics. Like his first winter when it snowed, and he tried to eat the falling flakes, then ran happy circles around us for this new delight. “His motto should be ‘Born Ready,’” Bryan laughed. Now Rio is two and a half, and he’s already seen us through tough times. A few months before we adopted him, I had a traumatic miscarriage (is there any other kind?). He would join us at the fertility clinic to calm our nerves. But one month when a pregnancy test once again came up negative, the pain threatened to break me. We brought a picnic to a mountain lake, where we played the game, “What would our lives be like without children?” Rio was thrilled to be included, splashing in the water and chasing birds. As he ecstatically bounded back to us, ears flapping in the breeze, love and contentment washed over me and I realized, “This is more than enough.” The three of us were all the family we needed. But this year, we faced another challenge: Bryan’s autoimmune disease came out of remission, and he needed a kidney transplant. I wanted to be strong for my husband, so I’d wait until Rio and I were alone on a hiking trail to drop to the ground and weep. That sweet boy would circle back and nuzzle me until I stroked his head, got up, and kept moving. Sometimes he’d chase a squirrel or bark at a cow to reassure me that we were safe. I was approved as Bryan’s kidney donor. We popped a bottle of champagne to celebrate, and Rio pounced on the cork and chomped on it. When we went to the big city for the surgeries and weeks of recovery, Rio came with us. People without dogs protested: “You’ll need your rest! It will be too much for you!” Dog lovers agreed with us: “Of course he’s coming—dogs are healing angels!” The surgeries went great, and we’re all back home enjoying time outside as much as possible. The other day while hiking, I looked at our happy boy chasing a particularly pesky leaf and realized in just two and a half years, Rio has taught me the meaning of life: to bring as much happiness as possible to others and to yourself. Without intending to, he reminds me of it every single day. n moderndogmagazine.com

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ASK A TRAINER Colleen Safford Dealing With An Obsession My dog collects rocks. And protects rocks. He is a 17-month-old Pit Bull who gets along well with other dogs, loves people, takes treats gently from children, has a big vocabulary with a large arsenal of accompanying behaviours, and impeccable house manners. But whenever he is playing off-leash, he is intent on digging up a rock and carrying it around with him. Sounds innocent enough, but there are some big reasons why this needs to stop: 1. He makes these “sounds” when he does it that make him sound like he’s being abused, and you can hear it for miles across the water behind our house! 2. He has already chipped a tooth. 3. While his recall is amazing sans rock, with a rock in his mouth we can’t trust him to come to us when he’s off-leash. 4. When we’re visiting another person’s house, he WILL dig up their lawn to get to a rock. Not a great way to get invited back. 5. While he will hand over a rock to a person (even a child) with not an inkling of aggression (though it’s obvious he’d rather not), if another dog were to come near him, it becomes a bad scene. (Bones and rocks and some other high value items have been the subject of resource guarding to varying degrees—just from dogs, not people.) Help!—Renata Tweedy First, I must say that you rock! Seriously. As a dog trainer, helping a client look for what triggers their dog’s behaviour is one of the trickiest parts of the teaching process. For the numerous reasons you have listed, rocks are putting you and your dog in a hard place. Going forward you’re going to do your very best to ditch the rocky routine.

e PREVENTION AND DESIRED BEHAVIOURS Dogs are simply not wired to share everything they love with other dogs. It’s normal but nonetheless troublesome if it’s causing Rocky to get into fights. In order to maintain a social life, prevention and the teaching of some desired behaviours are the best solution. For now, you should not leave your dog outdoors in a yard unattended to practice his excavation skills. If you’re not present, it will be impossible to stop him, so he must be supervised for now. You may engage in social outings only once you have taught him “leave it” and an emergency “drop it.” Using prevention and a great proactive “leave it” BEFORE Rocky has the chance to get a rock into his mouth is truly the key to success. This is something you need to work on at home. Begin teaching and practicing “leave it” at home with low-value items. Over time, increase the value of the items, working your way up to

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rocks. When practicing “leave it” with rocks (at home only), give huge praise and treats to Rocky for coming away from the rock. While you still need to teach “drop it,” your goal is to only use it in a case of emergency; preventing Rocky from gaining access to rocks with a strong “leave it” command is your primary goal.

r REPLACEMENT BEHAVIOUR Teach your dog to do something new and more desirable, such as fetch, weaving between your legs as you hike, find the squirrel, or carry a rope toy, for example. The trick here—and your biggest job—will be to find what motivates and excites your dog nearly as much as the rocks, but not to the point of anxiety.

t BUILD MOTIVATION You can build your dog’s excitement for a new activity by making the world the best place ever with praise and food. Break out the tennis ball (or new object or activity) and put on your chirpiest voice. Teach your dog things get amazing when he looks at, touches, investigates or carries a tennis ball (or any other new object). Start off with really short sessions. He can have access to the ball for 30 seconds while you praise and play with him then put it away for a while and turn into a boring mom. No words, no treats. Do it again. And again. With each passing experience he will learn that you are fun and so happy when the ball is out and then things get boring again when it’s not. Your excavator will soon be a rock star if you are consistent in prevention and teaching him there are far more exciting things to do when exploring with you. n Trainer Colleen Safford raises awareness on pet-child safety, and understanding dog body language. Colleen’s companies, NY Walk & Train and Far Fetched Acres, have been voted “Best of NY” by New York magazine. Colleen receives daily training from her children and is proudly owned by her rescued Boxer(ish).

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ASK A TRAINER Nicole Wilde Litter Lovin’ Dog I can’t keep my dog out of the cat’s litter box. How do I teach him to simply stay away? —Jessica Matteson

With all the money we spend on expensive dog treats, isn’t it ironic that our dogs’ preferred delicacy is cat poop? Still, there is a solution to your problem. It has two parts: management and training. Management is simple, and should be maintained until your dog is fully trained. Choose one of three approaches: keep the litter box clean so your dog’s explorative efforts aren’t rewarded by finding buried treasure; place the litter box high enough so your cat can reach it but your dog can’t; or, lastly, place the box in a closed-off room with a small cat door. (The latter assumes that your dog isn’t tinier than your cat!) You’ll need to teach your dog to “Leave it.” Grab some treats. Place one in your hand and make a tight fist. Ask your dog to sit. Extend the treat hand forward with the palm side up, and allow your dog to sniff. Keep your hand still and your arm straight, and wait for your dog to back off. When he does, even the tiniest bit, mark the moment by saying, “Yes!” and then open your hand and give him the treat. After a few repetitions, your dog should be sniffing your hand for less time. In addition to backing away, your dog might sit. That’s fine, too. When you can predict that your dog will move away after a few seconds of sniffing, add the verbal cue, “Leave It!” after the first sniff. Next, place the treat on a chair, coffee table, or other object at your dog’s nose level or slightly higher. After asking your dog to sit, place the treat on the table and say, “Leave it,” but keep your hand hovering over it just in case. After two seconds of your dog not moving toward the treat, say, “Good!” and give him the treat. (If you can’t get two seconds at first, start with one.) Work gradually toward being able to leave the treat on the table without your hand near it. This next part is a bit more challenging, so begin practicing it only after your dog has mastered the previous step. Ask for a sit, and then place the treat on the floor a few feet from your dog. Give him the verbal cue to leave it. Some dogs will lie down— that’s okay. If your dog attempts to grab the treat, say, “Eh-eh!”

and use your foot to cover it. When he backs off, resume. Once your dog is a champ at the preceding exercises, it’s time to use objects. Begin with something that interests your dog but isn’t super-high-value, for example, a shoe or sock. Place it on the floor. As your dog approaches it, say, “Leave it!” When he backs away, reward with a treat. Be sure to stand close enough to quickly cover the object with your foot or grab it if needed. As each object becomes a mission accomplished, work up to the most valuable object—the litter box. Once your dog responds to the verbal cue to leave the litter box alone—first without any “buried treasure” inside, and then with—it’s time to get sneaky. Leave your dog with access to the clean litter box while you hide around a corner (or use a webcam to monitor the action). If he approaches the box, pop out and say, “Leave it!” It may take a few repetitions, but your dog will soon think you have eyes everywhere! For the final exercise, do the same thing but with tempting kitty treasures in place. Once you’ve achieved that, you should be good to go. And don’t forget, you can use the “Leave it” cue for other things you don’t want your dog to get into as well. n

With all the money we spend on expensive dog treats, isn’t it ironic that our dogs’ preferred delicacy is cat poop?

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Nicole Wilde is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer who lectures worldwide on canine behaviour. She is the author of nine books, including Help for Your Fearful Dog and Don’t Leave Me! She can be found at facebook.com/ NicoleWildeAuthor and twitter.com/NicoleWilde.

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ASK A TRAINER Inger Martins & Teoti Anderson Leaning in to pick up the ball causes a dog to back up in anticipation of the next throw.

Bring Me The Ball! My dog won’t bring the ball all the way to me. He just drops it five feet from me. I can’t get him to actually bring me the ball. Why does he do this and what can I do to teach him to bring me the ball? —Andrew Zusman Sounds like your game of fetch has an element of role reversal. If you’re laughing as you’re reading this, chances are your dog has successfully trained you to fetch! Most dogs love to fetch because it stimulates their natural prey drive—to chase and catch. Some dogs have such a high prey drive their senses go into overdrive at the anticipation of the ball being thrown, resulting in the abandoned attempt at bringing the ball back all the way. Dogs that bring back the ball only partially, dropping it a distance from you, mainly do so because it’s habit. You haven’t required them to bring it all the way back to you, and their anticipation of the ball being thrown again cuts their efforts short. The solution has a number of facets to it, including one frequently overlooked—human body language. For example, leaning in to pick up the ball causes a dog to back up in anticipation of the next throw. In order to undo the annoying habit of a partial return, you have to re-train the fetch process. Begin by using one ball only, bringing it out only for the game. Having balls lying around the yard encourage lazy games. The re-training process may have to begin in the home temporarily, where there are less distractions, smells, and noise than in the great outdoors. Using a hallway or large room, you can quickly rebuild the game with some reform to it. Have a treat in your pocket. Toss the ball once and then crouch down and call your dog to you with lots of praise and clapping of your hands. As he brings you the ball, reach in your back pocket for the treat, stand up, and gesture the letter “U” with the hand that’s holding the treat. This hand signal will direct your pup to sit. He will spit out the ball. Then give him the treat. The

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movement should be swift. If your dog doesn’t bring the ball all the way to you the first time, you can encourage him to come to you by taking a step back rather than towards the ball. Body language plays a huge part in dog training. Eventually, you will not have to crouch down or use a treat—just the hand signal for sit (without the treat) will suffice and your dog will happily bring the ball all the way to you in order for it to be thrown again. Practice in the house for a few days, always putting the ball away until the next game of fetch. Building slowly on how many times you throw the ball matters with breaking this habit. The new way of playing (bringing the ball all the way back to you) needs to be reinforced without distractions, so you need to make sure your dog doesn’t get tired or grow bored of the game before quitting the practice session. Within a week you should be back to playing fetch the fun way—with your dog, not you, doing the retrieving! n Inger Martens is a celebrity dog trainer and behavioral expert. An author, television and radio personality, she has been dubbed “Best Dog Trainer in LA” by Los Angeles magazine. She is currently excited to announce her new online resource for dog owners, pawsforaminute.com.

Clicker Training 101 I don’t know the first thing about clicker training but am interested in trying it out. How do I get started? If my dog is already an adult who is largely trained, is there any point? Does it work better for some dogs than for others? What are the benefits? Please help a newbie with a Newfie out!—Mark Charlemange It’s never too late to start clicker training! A clicker is a small, rectangular box that makes a clicking noise when you press the metal tab. It’s precise—the brief click is used to mark the second in time your dog performs a behaviour you want. Clicker training is fast, effective, and not only works great for dogs, but also other species. You can clicker train cats, guinea pigs, horses—even fish! Another benefit to clicker training is that it’s consistent, no matter who uses it. You can use it with your Newfie, and other family members can use it and it will mean the same thing to your dog. It’s also a kind way to train. You don’t have to use pain to

educate your dog. To get started, you need to teach your dog that the click sound means a reward is coming. A click is a promise. If you click, you treat. Get five small treats your dog will love. Get close to your dog. Don’t ask him to sit or anything. Hold your treat hand still. Click once, then deliver a treat to your dog within one second. Repeat until the treats are gone. Do a couple of these sessions until your dog perks up at the sound of the click. This shouldn’t take long. A good game to start with is 101 Things to Do With a Box. If you have used lure training with your Newfie, he may have a tendency to wait for you to tell him what to do, rather than trying new things on his own. You also need to learn to click at the right moments. This game will help you both! Get an empty box. Click for ANY interest in/interaction with the box. If he looks at it, click. If he noses it, click. If he paws it, click! Click for any interaction. If your dog is hesitant, be patient. Don’t poke at the box or give him any prompts. He needs to learn that his behaviour triggers the click and you need to learn not to do his homework for him! As your dog gets more comfortable experimenting, start shaping a behaviour. For example, if he is pawing the box, start clicking for the same paw each time, then work up to two front paws, then work up to him standing with front paws on the box. Keep your sessions very short, just a few minutes at a time. With clicker training, you don’t put a cue on a behaviour until the behaviour is in place. This is because words don’t mean anything to your dog until they are paired with an action many times. It’s easier for your Newfie to learn the associated cue words for a behaviour already in place. For example, when your Newfie is regularly putting his front paws on the box, you can then add a verbal cue, such as “Paws up.” If you get stuck, find a local clicker trainer to help you. Once you and your big boy get started with clicker training, you’ll find it’s a fun and effective way to communicate with each other! n Teoti Anderson, CPDT, owns Pawsitive Results (getpawsitiveresults.com), and is the past president of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. She is the author of Your Outta Control Puppy, Super Simple Guide to Housetraining, Quick and Easy Crate Training, and Puppy Care and Training.

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Espree’s Flea and Tick Shampoo is EPA registered safe for use on dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens to eliminate fleas and ticks on contact. Skin soothing ingredients ease scratching. espree.com Fluff & Tuff’s original designs, ultra plush fabrics, and durable construction techniques— including reinforced inner mesh liner, concealed double stitched seams, and embroidered eyes— create quality durable plush toys! fluffandtuff.com

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The new JAWS Collection features two-in-one toys with soft, rubber tines that massage gums while keeping your dog satisfied for hours with their edible, replaceable treats! hugspetproducts.com

Superior quality dog beds from BuddyRest are 100% made in the USA with True Comfort memory foam. Waterproof Crypton fabric completely repels moisture, stains and odours. Vet recommended. buddyrest.com

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Vitality treats from Himalayan Dog Chew contain essential nutrients to keep your companion healthy including yak and cow milk, sweet potato, carrot, broccoli, celery, green bean and flax seed. himalayandogchew.com

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Preserve your pet’s entire genome forever inside your very own DNA Capsule from SecuriGene! Collection is fast, painless and easy. The ultimate keepsake for the ultimate pet lover! securigenepets.com

The Slim Buckle Collar from California Collar Co. is handmade in the USA and available in many custom colours. Attached heart lock can be engraved with your dog’s info. californiacollarco.com

Turn special moments with your dog into a piece of art on tile! Tiles and Smiles transforms photos into keepsakes by infusing ink into specially coated tiles. Great gift! tilesandsmiles.com

No Mo “O”! When you’re in URINE, get ya some No Mo “O”. You’ll love this supereffective Pet Stain and Odor Remover. Non-toxic, non-irritating, biodegradable, cruelty free—and it works! no-mo-o.com

Does your dog sleep in your bed? Dog SnorZ pillowcases feature funny sayings and cartoons that recognize the love and humour of sharing your bed with your furry child. DogSnorZ.com

Veterinarian approved and beautifully designed beds for your pet from Katherine Elizabeth Pet Designs. Regroup and reset your canine’s muscular and skeletal system with their K-9 Comfort bed. kepetfurniture.com

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art attack

by Shannon Church

Clair Hartmann

n 2009, Clair Hartmann was selling her small format paintings at the local Riverfront farmers’ market in Wilmington, North Carolina, when she noticed just how many dogs there were. This recognition prompted an epiphany. “I want to paint dogs,” she thought to herself. “And I want to get really good at it.” What followed was a self-challenge to paint 100 dogs in 100 days, a project that honed her skills and left her more in love with her subject matter than ever. In a way, Clair had been working toward this point since she was a young child. Memories of her uncle sketching and painting clouds in the backyard during vacations nurtured early artistic leanings. Following high school, she attended The Art Institute for graphic design, then worked as a freelance graphic

What followed was a self-challenge to paint 100 dogs in 100 days. designer for 20 years before coming to paint full-time. But it wasn’t until she attended a demo by Charles Movallie at the Oil Painters of America Show that she really got in her groove, understanding that strokes and even missteps are an artist’s signature. Her uncle’s early influence has been followed by inspiration found in the work of Georgia O’Keeffe, Duane Keiser, Arthur Wardel, and Jeremy Lipking.

Between time spent at the farmers’ market and with her two Jack Russell Terriers, Chumley and Frida, Clair is never short of canine muses. She likes painting dogs because they make her smile, something she communicates though her paintings. “They just want to love and be loved,” she says. In her paintings, Clair ventures to distill the essence of each dog, describing her work as “a soul connection in paint.” Each painting starts with an image that strikes her in its lighting and composition, which she then manipulates, sketches, lays out colour for, and then gets to painting, a unique intersection of, as she calls it, “painterly realism and imaginary realism,” capturing the very heart of her subject. Commissions start at $325 for an 8” x 10” painting. Check out more of Clair’s work at clairhartmann.com. n moderndogmagazine.com

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from left: Oprah and her Golden Retriever Luke, from A Letter to my Dog: Notes to our Best Friends (Chronicle Books 2012); Puppyhood (Stewart, Tabori & Change, 2012)

Connie’s Book Club Curl up with a good dog and a good book

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CONNIE WILSON’S SELECTION OF SPRING MUST-READS.

A Letter to my Dog: Notes to our Best Friends By Robin Layton, Kimi Culp, and Lisa Espamer (Chronicle Books, 2012) Robin Layton, who at the tender age of 24 was honoured by LIFE magazine as one of the most talented photographers in America, has produced a heartfelt and emotionally compelling book of letters from owner to dog. Missives from us “regular” dog owners (like we could be considered that!) are intermixed with those from celebrities, including Chelsea Handler, Oprah, Tony Bennett, Rosie O’Donnell, and Rumer Willis, and accompanied by lovely photos. Expect to be moved by this disarming book. The love letters lay bare the deep emotional connection we share with our dogs and the many ways in which our lives are entwined. An absolutely lovely book and one that would make a wonderful gift for a dog-loving friend.—SC The Love Dog By Elsa Watson (Doherty, Tom Associates, 2013) This fun novel relates the romantic and professional travails of Samantha Novak, a recently fired paralegal who is approached by a Hollywood tabloid to write an exposé on the reality TV dating show “Love Dog.” Desperate for a job, Samantha takes the assignment and manages to work her way in as a handler for the canine star of the show, Apollo the Love Dog, in order to pick up dirty secrets. Uncovering the truth, however, proves harder than she thought when she begins to fall in love with both her canine charge and Mason Hall, the show’s attractive producer. Samantha then has to decide whether to expose the story and become a big-time writer, or quit and protect the interests of Apollo and Mason. A great diversion at the end of a long day.—AT

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The love letters lay bare the deep emotional connection we share with our dogs and the many ways in which our lives are entwined.

Dancing Dogs: Stories By Jon Katz (Ballantine Books, 2012)

Mariel Hemingway and her dogs, from A Letter to my Dog: Notes to our Best Friends (Chronicle Books 2012)

What’s a Dog For? The Surprising History, Science, Philosophy, and Politics of Man’s Best Friend By John Homans (Penguin Press, 2012) Author John Homans has fond memories of his childhood dog running free and doing typical 1950s-dog things. Homans’ dog was like most others at that time, largely unsupervised and free to pursue his own interests. Now an adult with a young son, Homans decides to get a dog that will hopefully fill a similar role in his son’s life. But when they adopt Stella, a Lab mix, she quickly becomes much more than just a dog; she insinuates herself as a member of the family and is treated rather like a human. Wondering what changed between his own childhood and his son’s, Homans sets about researching the history of dogs in an attempt to unearth some truths about man’s best friend. In the resultant book, What’s a Dog For? The Surprising History, Science, Philosophy, and Politics of Man’s Best Friend, Homans illuminates the evolution of the complex relationship between dogs and humans while entertaining us with his own experiences with Stella. Enlightening and very enjoyable, this book will prove a real treat for any dog lover.—SC

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Each chapter in Jon Katz’s latest offering, Dancing Dogs, will touch your heart, relating a story concerning the special kind of relationship only possible with dogs. In “Day in the Life of Pearl and Joan,” we meet the perfect pairing, Pearl and Joan, a human and a dog so in sync and reliant on each other the line blurs where one ends and the other begins. In “Puppy Commando,” Helen, a shy 12 year old, fights to keep Julius, a Beagle she met at a shelter, risking everything. And on “Gracie’s Last Walk” a woman takes a difficult last trip with her beloved dog. By the time she makes it home, she has met a new friend that will end up helping her on the next leg of her journey. With his enviable gift for storytelling, Katz shares a set of 16 stories about some truly special dogs.—SC

Puppyhood By J. Nichole Smith (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2012) When it comes to coffee table books, Puppyhood tops the list for irresistible subject matter. Photographer J. Nichole Smith trained her lens on puppies at the ultra-adorable age of six weeks in order to capture a collection of breeds as babies. Flipping from Keith the Shih Tzu to Tater Tot the Great Dane reminds you of the remarkable diversity within the species and the impossible cuteness of puppies. Like we needed a reminder, but we’ll take some time out to marvel over pups any day.—SC

BOTHERED AND BEWILDERED? CRAZED AND CONFUSED? IF YOUR DOGGIE DILEMMA HAS YOU DOWN IN THE DUMPS…

ask dog lady by Monica Collins

Dear Dog Lady,

When I moved to a new city neighbourhood, I was really pleased to discover there are a lot of people with dogs. Fritz, my Schnauzer (not his real name), and I have fit right in. I also met guy at a cookout in the local park. He is also a dog owner and has a Doberman Pinscher. I kinda like this man and want him to like me even though his dog is a horror and has nearly attacked Fritz a few times. When we’re together, I have to carry my dog or leave him at home. This guy is hot; his dog is not. Is there any future? —Gretchen, Portland, ME

Besides being “hot,” is this guy any fun? Or is he a reasonable person? Is he enlightened about training his dog not to attack other people’s dogs? Just asking. And just betting your answers are “no,” “no” and “no.” Dogs tend to reflect their owners. If the Doberman is aching for a fight, this evidence should lead you to wonder about the human holding tight (you hope) to the other end of the leash. Separate “hot” from “hot mess.” Look for another guy with a nicer dog. Fritz will thank you.

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Dear Dog Lady, My girlfriend has two dogs, a Jack Russell Terrier and a Weimaraner. They are both rescue dogs that have a really bad habit of going to the bathroom throughout the house. The Weimaraner has gotten better but still likes to pee on the ottoman. The Jack Russell continues to pee and poop in the house. Also, the Jack Russell likes to chase lights and shadows. The Jack Russell also shakes. She can be lying down and just shakes like she is having a seizure. The previous owner let the Jack Russell go to the bathroom in her house all the time, so this problem might be a tough one to fix. We use enzyme sprays and cleaners when we clean up after the dogs. We are starting crate training and wonder if you have any tips for us.—Derek, Watertown, MA Allow Dog Lady to gush about what a good boyfriend you are. Any guy who tolerates his lady’s dogs messing the house is a stand-up guy. Any guy who calmly asks for tips to solve the situation from “Ask Dog Lady” is a prince among men. You’re on the right track with the enzyme cleaners. You should also take the dog to a veterinarian to rule out any serious conditions.

And crate training is an excellent strategy to school the Jack Russell and ease her chaos. If the dog was allowed to use her previous home as a big bathroom, she was not given any boundaries, which also might explain her nervousness. Canines like to know the rules—especially Jack Russells, amazingly smart dogs that need lots of mental stimulation and exercise. (No wonder Jacks star in TV shows and movies from the Emmy-winning Frasier to the Oscar-winning The Artist.) Consistency and patience are the keys to better dog behaviour so keep on keeping on. Also, give both dogs plenty of outdoor time to run off steam and take care of business.

Dear Dog Lady, My five-year-old Dachshund has stuck to me like Velcro dog from the day I adopted her four years ago. She insists on lying on me anytime I sit or lay down. If she has access to the bedroom, I will find her settled in on my pillow on my half of the bed. During the day, I work from home and when I’m out of town she stays at a local doggie inn (with no reported behaviour issues). For many years, my partner and I have excluded her from the bedroom on weekends. Two

ask dog lady

weeks ago, she revolted against this pattern with whining, barking, pawing at the baby gate, panting, pacing, etc. This little Dachshund has even vaulted the three-foot-high gate to gain access to the bedroom. Once inside the bedroom and on the bed (under the covers), she was fine. What has changed to cause the revolt? Our habits are unchanged. Her health is fine and all her other habits are routine as far as I can tell.—Sleepless in the Master Suite, Chicago, IL Give them an inch, they take a mile. And dogs have no sense of human reason. You can’t expect your dog to turn off her yen to take to your bed only on weekends. Doesn’t work that way. If you want her to stay out of your bed, you must train her constantly and patiently to stay behind the baby gate in her own bed. Eventually, with persistence on your part—not to mention a few treat rewards for good behaviour—your determined Dachshund may eventually reckon with a ban from your bed.

Dear Dog Lady, Sorry to address a grievance that I am sure is an old topic: What advice do you have in dealing with a neighbour’s two barking dogs? Whenever they are in their backyard, they simply bark at almost nothing. There are times when other dogs pass in front of the house; the other dogs don’t bark but my neighbours’ dogs always bark. One of the dogs is a Border Collie and the other is Bernese Mountain Dog. I have always understood it is not the dog’s fault but the owners. Any advice would be appreciated.—George, Shaker Heights, OH This column exists to smooth relations between species. Your question is eternal in the dog arena. Barking dogs will always vex neighbours. There is nothing as annoying as a chronically barking dog within earshot. The best solution can be found in your neighbour’s good sense of responsibility toward the animals. Ultimately, this is not about the dogs but the people. Dog Lady gets on her high horse about misguided dog owners who take on too much dog. These large breeds, a Border Collie and a Bernese Mountain Dog, need lots of exercise and stimulation—especially the Border Collie that lives to herd. By cooping them up in a yard all day, these guys need to be bad. And their problems arise when they have nothing to do except harass other dogs, squirrels, and neighbours. Suggest politely to your neighbour that exercising the dogs would be the best course of action. A tired dog is a sleeping dog is a contented dog. moderndogmagazine.com

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ask dog lady Dear Dog Lady, I adopted a rescue dog in June 2011. She will be two years old in October. Whenever I stand or sit near my husband, she growls. The dog also rides daily with my husband in his car and stays downstairs with him at night until he comes to bed. I realize she’s possessive but how do we stop the growling? It doesn’t bother her at all when we are in the bed together.—Odd Woman Out, Seattle, WA Of course it doesn’t bother your dog at all when you’re all in bed together because she’s the woman in the middle. Truth be told, the growling is troubling. This expression of aggression is a problem for you to take up with your veterinarian who can refer you to a certified trainer if need be. A vet once told Dog Lady a story about a dog that growled at a husband whenever he tried to get into bed with his wife and the dog. The vet said she resolved the problem with food rewards. Certainly there are few dog problems that can’t be cured with a heady dose of chicken. Still, it’s important to give your dog boundaries. Providing her a sleeping area of her own and making her stay there should send the message that you, your bed, and your husband do not belong to her.

Dear Dog Lady, My pup has a case of fleas. I’m trying to break her of that with weekly flea baths and the drops. What seems to be a growing problem is gratuitous flaking dry skin, caused, I’m sure, by irritation and the residuals of parasite living. She’s experiencing wide-spread hair loss and acne-like bumps and zits as well. What do you recommend for a plan of attack so that my dog doesn’t scratch herself bald? Or could this be something more serious?—Ryan, Brooklyn, NY Not for nothing that you wrote your question on e-stationery from a major financial institution where, presumably, you are gainfully employed. So, please, invest a few dollars in your fleabitten darling dog. Take her to a veterinarian who can prescribe medication to purge the mites. Also, consult a medical professional about her skin condition. Dogs can develop benign lumps and bumps as they age. These skin perturbations need mapping to track changes over the years. Importantly, you should be in charge of your dog’s food. You can do research about organic and pure foods made without corn and wheat. In a few cases, these grains can cause skin allergies along with much itching and flaking. Don’t think you can take care of a dog on the cheap. With such obvious problems as flea infestation and wide-spread hair loss accompanied by skin disease, fork out money for some medical care. You owe it to the innocent, dependent creature in your care. Write questions or comments to askdoglady@gmail; read more at askdoglady.com or facebook.com/askdoglady.

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Mister Pazu

LAST LICK

Mystery revealed. Comic by Diana Thung

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