It has now been reported that Ontario’s pit bull ban isn’t working.[i] Results of a recent survey reveal no significant drop in the number of dog bite incidents in Ontario since the provincial government passed breed specific legislation in 2005.[ii]

Similarly, studies in Great Britain and Spain have shown that their respective bans have had similar results (read: none). Further, the Spanish study found that the dog breeds most responsible for bites, both before and after implementing the bans, were by breeds not even covered by them.[iii] Of course, both of these jurisdictions are carrying on with their bans in place.

The Toronto Humane Society’s spokesperson, Ian McConachie, sums it up when he says “dogs are not born violent… they are made that way by irresponsible owners who train them to be that way or neglect them and they develop behavioural problems. […] If we want to reduce the number of dog bites we have to address the root cause of the problem: those irresponsible owners who do not appropriately care for their animals”.[iv]

So the question is what do we do now? Clearly there is a problem, and the misguided breed ban seems to be a failed solution. But where did this trend come from and why? What can really be done about these blood-thirsty unruly dogs and what apparently is becoming an epidemic?

First, let face facts. As Clever Canines Behaviourist and Trainer Tracie Nielson teaches her clients, all dogs bite. There. It’s been said. Or perhaps more specifically, all dogs can and will bite given certain circumstances. Yes, even your kind-hearted Golden Retriever. So the cat (dog?) is out of the bag. When dogs and people interact, it can sometimes end in someone being injured. Now what?

Well, in an attempt to curb the number of times a small child is met with the pointy end of 42 teeth, our benevolent public officials have taken it upon themselves to do what they do best: legislate.

Like Dogs, Dog-Related Legislation Comes in Many Shapes and Sizes

There are a number of different types of breed specific legislation, and canine-related laws span the globe. The most strict form is an outright breed ban where, under no circumstances, is one allowed to posses a dog of a particular breed. This is the type of ban present in Ontario. No one is allowed to own, breed, purchase, or import a pit bull. This legislation was grandfathered in to allow folks who already had pit bulls (or ones that were to be born within 9 months of the legislation coming into effect) to keep their pets, provided they spay/neuter them, only use a leash 1.8 metres long or less,[v] and muzzle them in public. In the event the dog is proved to have bitten or attacked anyone, or “posed a menace”, they are to be immediately euthanized. The City of Winnipeg is the only other place in Canada presently with breed specific legislation. Theirs dates back to 1990 and bans owning “Pit Bull dogs”, which are defined as “(i) Pit Bull Terrier; or (ii) Staffordshire Bull Terrier; or (iii) American Staffordshire Terrier; or (iv) American Pit Bull Terrier; or (v) Any dog which has the appearance and physical characteristics predominantly conforming to the standards for any of the above breeds, as established by the Canadian Kennel Club…”.[vi] In the alternative to breed bans, related legislation can also involve mandatory spaying/neutering, mandatory registration or licensing as a “dangerous dog” or similar status, breed specific insurance requirements, or size/weight restricts. For example, in Fairfield, Iowa, all dogs upwards of 100lbs are banned.[vii] These bans can apply to individual dogs with a history of aggression or to breeds as a whole.

A group called the Responsible Dog Owners of the Western States compiled a list of all dog breeds for which there is some sort of ban or restriction somewhere in the United States, finding that there are 75 different restricted breeds the US, from the Airedale Terrier right down to the Wolf Spitz. I will give special mention to the following included breeds: Blue Heeler, English Springer Spaniel, German Shepherd Dog, Golden Retriever, Great Dane, Komondor, Labrador Retriever, Newfoundland, Pug, and Samoyed.

Breed bans and restrictions are certainly not a North American phenomenon, either. Twelve countries in total have some sort of ban against pit bulls (pit bulls being the most common – and sometimes only – target of these types of bans).

In Germany, ownership of pit bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, Staffordshire bull terriers, or bull terriers is banned and punishable by fines and a maximum of two years in prison. Great Britain authored its Dangerous Dogs Act in 1991,[viii] banning pit bull terriers, Japanese Tosas, Argentine Dogos, and Fila Brasilieros. The Ukraine has a Dangerous Breed List naming over 80 breeds, including several varieties of Bull Terriers, Bulldogs, Livestock Guardian dogs, Boxers, Briars, Labrador Retrievers, Welsh Terriers, German Shepherd Dogs and their mixes. The Ukrainian resolution also includes compliance requirements such as mandatory insurance and micro-chipping, restricted leash length, and muzzling dogs in public places, and further allows adapting municipal laws to enforce even more restrictions. In Ecuador, ownership of pit bull-types and Rottweilers is banned, and Venezuela has legislation pending for 2014 to enforce a ban on “pit bull-type” dogs.

Why the Ban?

In the United States, because state and local jurisdictions are afforded broad police powers, including protecting the public’s safety and welfare, lawmakers have not had trouble finding that breed specific legislation is rationally related to the issue of public safety from allegedly dangerous breeds of dogs.[ix]

The reasoning behind these breed bans is easy to figure out: when dogs and humans mix, sometimes someone winds up wounded. In the United States, approximately 800,000 people per year[x] seek medical attention due to a dog bite.[xi] Breed specific bans are an attempt to pin-point the repeat offenders, or the most dangerous dogs in the eyes of the public, and protect us from these menaces. The bans usually come about as a reaction to highly-publicised a fatal dog attack.

But one could argue – and I do – that such bans are misguided, have over-simplified the situation, and neglect a number of important realities. Not to mention they don’t seem to actually be preventing dog bites and other injuries. Problems & Criticisms1. While we appreciate Big Brother looking out for our safety and well-being, based on the numbers of dog attacks, you’re about 20 times more likely to get struck by lightening than you are to be attacked by a pit bull.[xii] Just sayin’.

2. As we’ve heard, all dogs bite. Not just pit bulls. And we can now see that the pit bull bans in Ontario and elsewhere have done nothing to reduce the number of reported dog bites over time. Simple bites aside, many attacks – and even fatalities – can be attributed to dogs whose breeds are not widely addressed by bans, and to ban one or two specific breeds and their mixes does nothing more than enforce an incorrect breed stereotype and encourage “breed profiling”. Most pit bull owners will be happy to attest that their dog is loyal, loving,[xiii] gentle, trainable, and a good working dog. In ban-free areas, pit bulls have been successful police and rescue dogs, as well as general service dogs.

3. We largely have the media to thank for public concerns about pit bull ownership. It is not hyperbole to suggest that one is more likely to hear of a pit bull attack on the news than, say, a poodle attack. And no, that does not mean that poodles never attack. It just means that it takes some extra searching to find the story of the Daschund who killed the elderly woman,[xiv] or the Jack Russell Terrier responsible for the death of a six week old infant.[xv] Of course, prominent in the story about the Jack Russell was the fact that the family owned a second dog – a pit bull. That the pit bull was not part of the attack was not mentioned.

An American report on media bias by the National Canine Research Council[xvi] compared the type of media coverage given for dog attacks that occurred during a four day period in August 2007. On day one, a Labrador mix attacked an elderly man, sending him to the hospital. News stories of his attack appeared in one article in the local paper. On day two, a mixed breed dog fatally injured a child. The local paper ran two stories. On day three, another mixed breed dog attacked a child, sending him to the hospital. One article ran in the local paper. On day four, two pit bulls broke off their chains and attacked a woman trying to protect her small dog. She was hospitalized and her dog was uninjured. Nevertheless, this attack was reported in more than 230 articles in national and international newspapers, on the major cable news networks, and was reported in far more detail than the incidents of the first three days.

It is not a stretch to see how such news coverage influences calls for breed bans from the frightened public and its legislators.

4. The statistics often cited to justify a breed pan and as “proof” that pit bulls (and other breeds) are truly heartless killers are dubious at best.[xvii]

One particular example I will note is the frequently referenced study by Merritt Clifton,[xviii] which pin points pit bulls as the most frequent offenders of dog bites and serious attacks. This study has several key problems. First, Clifton leaves attacks involving dogs whose breed was uncertain out of his study completely. Second, he starts with biased breed definition; why does he classify a dog as a “Pit bull/Lab mix” or a “Pit bull/Sheltie mix”, rather than Lab/Pit bull or a Sheltie/Pit bull? It appears that whenever one of the stereotypically “dangerous” breeds is in the mix (e.g. pit bull, Rottweiler, Akita), that breed is listed first and the bite or attack is accredited to the first breed and not the latter. This can definitely swing the results, and for Clifton to then tell us that pit bulls and their mixes are responsible for 74% of serious dog bites and attacks has to be taken with a grain of salt. Not to mention Clifton got his data pool solely from press reports and not hospital records or animal services, which, as noted above, is highly problematic, allowing media bias to influence his results.

Statistics on dog-related fatalities are more readily available than just simple dog bite incidents, and in Canada between 1990 and 2007 there were 28 human fatalities attributed to dog attacks.[xix] While some dogs responsible are listed as an unknown breed or generally as a mix, not one death is specifically attributed to a pit bull. In addition, as the National Canine Research Centre reports, the majority of dog-bite statistics are misleading since they include a number of animal exposures such as nips from excited puppies, scratches from a dog’s nail or tooth, individuals who are bit helping an injured dog, or bites by police K9 professional dogs while on duty.[xx] All incidents are tallied up under one heading, and the specific circumstances of each bite are not accounted for. 5. Have we learned nothing from Michael Vick? Pit bulls have their unfortunate involvement in illegal dog fighting partly to thank for the reputation of the breed as a whole. This, of course, is not at the behest of the dogs themselves, but due to the irresponsible, cruel, and morally reprehensible folks who buy, breed, or “train” these dogs to be aggressive specifically for the purpose of fighting. Until more is done to prevent these activities and punish the participants, we simply need to remember that the population of pit bulls and other dogs used for this awful purpose is not an appropriate representation of all pit bulls. To think otherwise would actually be judging a book by its cover, as they say.[xxi] Cesar Millan[xxii] himself is a big advocate of avoiding breed stereotypes; dogs are dogs.

6. Although breed bans are well-intentioned, they inherently assume breed is the most significant factor in dog bites and related incidents, when several other criteria should be taken into consideration when looking at the issue.

For instance, it should be noted that most (77%) of dog bites and attacks involve the dog’s owner or a friend, and over half of the bites occur on the dog owner’s property. Children are the most frequent victims of dog attacks, and of the 28 Canadian fatalities mentioned above, 24 of them (or 85.7%) were children under the age of 12.[xxiii]

The Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association published a study from Oregon which analyzed the number of overall dog bites was and found lower income neighbourhoods produced more biting dogs of all breeds, and fewer dogs that were neutered, which is considered to be another biting risk factor.[xxiv]

Further, in Canada, instances of dog attacks are disproportionately higher when involving multiple dogs and dogs in rural areas.[xxv] (This is not the case in the US.)

7. Once a ban is in place, problems with enforcement become an issue. Who determines whether a dog is one of the banned or regulated breeds, and what is the procedure for that determination? In North Salt Lake, Utah, the city manager has sole authority to make those decisions. In other places it is animal control officers or even the mayor; no special training in breed identification is required. Some places have implemented breed bans without any input from a veterinarian, which would presumably be expert to consult regarding identification of a dog’s breed). Ideally, I suppose, the advance of DNA analysis for dogs is becoming more available to remedy the current methods of “canine profiling” and arbitrary enforcement. But because, in the US at least, the government has the burden of proving that a suspect dog is one of the breeds banned,[xxvi] cities will have to seriously weigh whether or not they will pay the high cost of DNA tests or simply give up trying to enforce the ban.[xxvii]

8. Of course, the common – and largely unsuccessful – objection to these and related breed bans has been that the legislation itself is unconstitutionally broad or vague, and the terms used (such as “pit bull” or “wolf-hybrid”) are poorly defined if at all. It was on these grounds in Cochrane v. Ontario (Attorney General)[xxviii] that one Ms. Cochrane sued to attempt to prevent enforcement of the Ontario ban. She also argued that allowing the Crown to introduce a veterinarian’s certificate certifying that the dog is a pit bull as evidence violates the right to a fair trial and the presumption of innocence. In the end, the Court of Appeal[xxix] found that her “over-breadth” claim failed since the legislature had acted on a “reasonable apprehension of harm”, and disagreed that the definition of “pit bull” in the Act was insufficiently precise. The court restored the original wording of “pit bull terrier” in the ban on the basis that, when read in the context of “a more comprehensive definition”, the phrasing “pit bull terrier” was sufficiently precise. The Supreme Court of Canada declined to hear further appeal and the thus ban is currently upheld in its original form. 9. And finally, why are we banning dogs when it’s the owners we need to be addressing? Dogs do not bite without warning and rarely behave in an unpredictable manner. Dogs actually send very clear signals. As responsible owners (and ideally our dog’s Alpha figure), it is our duty to take steps to educate ourselves and learn to understand those signals. Dogs rarely bite without warning you first, and just because a human does not recognize that warning does not mean a ban on their existence is the only or best solution. A large number of dog bites and attacks could have easily been prevented with proper education.

Further, dogs that have been labelled as “aggressive” or “dangerously insecure” often have mistreatment by owners to blame for their dispositions. In fact, National Canine Research Council reports that 84% of US dog attacks that took place in 2006 involved owners who abused or neglected their dogs, or failed to properly contain them.[xxx] Instead of legislating dogs by breed, we should be focusing on dog owners by competence.

So What Now?

Simple: better legislation. Or more specifically, better, owner-focused legislation that has nothing to do with dog breeds.

Firstly, we can look at better enforcement of the dog ownership legislation currently in place. For example, the City of Calgary readily admits its animal by-laws are enforced on a complaint-only basis, when better enforcement of leash/dogs-at-large laws with adequate penalties for violators could help to curb the instances of dogs roaming loose or out of control. Calgary’s current animal by-laws limit leash length (2 metres/6 feet) and prohibit unsupervised tethering of dogs, which would be a step in the right direction if these laws were adequately upheld.

There should be improvements to the laws that hold dog owners financially accountable for failure to adhere to animal control laws in place, and also hold them civilly and criminally liable for unjustified injuries or damage caused by their dogs.

Instead of a breed ban, enact non-discriminatory dangerous dog legislation in its place. Take, for example, the Michigan dog bite statute which specifies that “[i]f a dog bites a person, without provocation while the person is on public property, or lawfully on private property, including the property of the owner of the dog, the owner of the dog shall be liable for any damages suffered by the person bitten, regardless of the former viciousness of the dog or the owner’s knowledge of such viciousness”.[xxxi] A law like this or similar targets the behaviour and the owner, rather than the breed of the offending dog.

Dog owners that have been found guilty of violating animal laws should be adequately punished and monitored in the future. This is an area that will need improvement, as Ontario’s Dog Owners’ Liability Act does not prevent a person from owning another dog after an incident. There should be harsher punishments for individuals found guilty of abusing or neglecting their pets, and they should be prohibited from owning future pets and be monitored. Currently in Canada, animal cruelty – other than upon cattle – is a “summary conviction” offence, and not a more serious “indictable” offence, meaning the accused is only “liable to a fine of not more than two thousand dollars or to imprisonment for six months or to both”.[xxxii] Oddly enough, the penalty for uttering a threat to kill, poison or injure an animal that is the property of any person, is greater than actually being cruel to the animal, as it can be proceeded with as a indictable offence with attendant liability to imprisonment for a term of up to 24 months. We also need to address the existence of puppy mills, where dogs are being interbred and poorly cared for (both physically and socially). Cross-breeding within generations can create unhealthy and unstable dogs that are potentially very dangerous and prone to life-long behaviour issues regardless the amount of training and socialisation. Dogs removed from their parents too young (so they are still “cute” for the pet store window display) frequently arrive poorly socialised and may require extra training, care, and attention.

In the US, where the population of abused, neglected, and rescue dogs is a serious problem, laws that mandate the sterilization of shelter animals and make low-cost sterilization services widely available are appropriate.

And of course, proper training and socialisation for all dogs should be encouraged and promoted. While these services do not come cheap, perhaps discounted obedience for low income families could be offered by municipalities.[xxxiii] Or perhaps government tax breaks to a certain extent for pet owners is an option. Owner and community education when it comes to dog ownership and interaction is the best and most immediate solution to the problem.

Once a ban is in place, by no means is it permanent. Legislation can be amended and reversed. In April 2007, Italy revoked its dangerous breeds list and replaced it with laws holding owners more responsible for their pets’ actions.[xxxiv] In 2008 the Netherlands also revoked their fifteen-year ban on pit bulls, acknowledging that the ban was unsuccessful.[xxxv] Cincinnati also lifted their ban on pit bulls after finding the ban expensive to enforce ($160,000/year) and after a number of losses in court, including one instance where an owner sued after the seizure of American Bulldogs that were mistakenly identified as “pit bull mixes”.[xxxvi]

In the Meantime…

Until dog-related legislation makes rational sense and is properly enforced, there are some common sense steps the rest of us can take to avoid been a dog bite statistic and fuel for breed ban advocates.

For Dog Owners:

1. Train your dog! It’s very simple and is the best preventative measure. And this applies to owners of dogs of all breeds. Just because your Chihuahua is not big enough to bite deeper than the leg of someone’s pants, and can be picked up when he’s being a jerk, doesn’t mean he isn’t a dominant little bastard in need of some serious obedience training. According to animal behaviourist, Stanley Coren, Ph.D., when dogs are given a basic course in obedience training they are 89% less likely to be involved in a dog bite incident.[xxxvii]

2. In relation to the above, avoid treat-training if you can. Now, I realise that suggestion opens up a whole different can of worms, but think of it this way: dogs who are constantly seeking food will be more likely to nip should someone’s small child still have the remains of his lunch on his face or hands. And then if his mother happens to report your otherwise friendly dog to animal services…. Well, the main point here is make sure you do not create a dog that is food-obsessed.[xxxviii] 3. Be in control of all interactions between other people and your dog, or other dogs and your dog. Just because someone says “he’s so cute” or “I love dogs” does not mean they are automatically qualified to pet your dog. If your dog is too excited, or if the person makes you uncertain of how the greeting will go, it is okay – and recommended – that you simply not allow them to meet your dog and move on. If/when someone asks to pet your dog, it is okay to say no; they are not public property. 4. Don’t leave your dog alone with children unattended. Ever.

5. Don’t leave your dog tethered and unattended, whether it be outside of 7/11, in your yard, or in the box of your truck. You never know who will attempt to approach her or if she could possibly escape.

6. Throw out your flexi-leash. You cannot control your dog (or keep them safe) when they’re 20 feet away. And it’s probably against the law anyway.

7. Take steps to properly socialise your dog with other dogs and other people. A good training regiment will include this.[xxxix]

8. If your dog does bite a person or another dog – no matter how serious – seek professional help to ensure it does not happen again.[xl]

9. If you’re going to rescue a dog (through a shelter, rescue organization, or privately through adoption), do your research. Make sure you know what you’re getting into and you’re ready and willing to meet the challenges of the commitment you are about to make. Be prepared – financially and emotionally – to deal with any behaviour or health problems you may discover.

10. If you’re going to get any dog, do your research; make sure you’re not supporting a puppy mill. 11. Ensure your dog is properly exercised. Always. Interactions involving over-excited dogs with pent-up energy can often go south – quickly. 12. Educate yourself about the laws and by-laws that affect you and your pet. If you see something you don’t like, canvass your representative for change.

13. Be a courteous and responsible dog owner in general. Believe it or not, not everyone likes dogs, and sometimes they’re simply not appropriate to bring along with you. Make sure you always pick up after your dog. Also be sure to register your dog with the proper authorities. Those fees usually go to the maintenance of the municipal shelter and the dogs there, and the up-keep of your local off-leash parks – not to mention registration will ensure he’s returned should he get loose and reported to the local animal services.

For Everyone Else:

1. Never ever pet a dog without asking the owner first. Ever. Remember: all dogs have the capacity to bite.

2. Never approach an unattended dog (even if they’re tethered).

3. Never leave your children unattended with a dog and always closely monitor child-dog interactions. Note that children are the most frequent victims of dog attacks. Ensure your child remains calm and are not running around or screaming. Excited small children can trigger herding, protecting, correcting, and prey instincts in all breeds of dogs – all of which can lead to nipping, biting, or even attacks.

4. When greeting a new dog, be calm. Teach your kids this.

5. Skip the baby talk: you’re just embarrassing yourself, the dog does not understand you, and it can cause excitement in the dog which can lead to jumping up and mouthing or nipping.

6. If you’re scared of dogs and one is approaching, remain calm. Don’t scream, run, or stare at them in horror; simply move confidently away from them. If you’re scared of dogs, avoid off-leash parks.

7. Don’t be afraid to report unruly or dangerous dogs, or dogs you suspect of being abused or neglected to the authorities. The animal by-laws are in place to protect you as well as the animals.

-Jen Kaiser, May 2010
Assistant Instructor, Clever Canines
Ruthless Killer?

[i] The Toronto Sun, April 28, 2010: http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2010/04/28/13747081.html

[ii] Toronto Humane Society: http://www.torontohumanesociety.com/

[iii] http://www.abanet.org/genpractice/magazine/2009/jul_aug/pitbull.html

[iv] The Toronto Sun, April 28, 2010: http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2010/04/28/13747081.html

[v] I completely agree. No dog ever needs a leash longer than 1.8 metres (approximately 6 feet), regardless of breed.

[vi] The City of Winnipeg, The Pound By-Law No. 2443/79

[vii] Read the ban here: http://cityoffairfieldiowa.com/utility/showArticle/?ObjectID=78&find=dog

[viii] Northern Ireland has the same restrictions under the Dangerous Dogs (Northern Ireland) Order, 1991

[ix] Campbell, Dana (July/August 2009). “Pit Bull Bans: The State of Breed–Specific Legislation”. GP-Solo (American Bar Association) 26 (5). http://www.abanet.org/genpractice/magazine/2009/jul_aug/pitbull.html.

[x] Consider when reading this that there are approximately 74.8 million dogs in the United States.

[xi] http://www.kboi2.com/news/local/50238067.html

[xii] Ibid.

[xiii] At the risk of humanising.

[xiv] Walsh, Barry (2005-05-18). “Dog mauling victim dies”. Chronicle-Tribune (Marion, IN).

[xv] “Kentucky Infant Killed by Family Dog” http://www.wbko.com/news/headlines/13946527.html

[xvi] (2008) Full report available on this website: http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/dog-bites/dog-bites-and-the-media/audience-interest

[xvii] Always read the fine print.

[xviii] Link to full text of study here: http://lassiegethelp.blogspot.com/2007/08/dangerous-breeds-dog-bite-statistics.html

[xix] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2387261/

[xx] http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/dog-bites/

[xxi] You’re not supposed to do that.

[xxii] Yes, the one and only Dog Whisperer. Highly recommended. Start with his book Cesar’s Way.

[xxiii] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2387261/#b12-cvj49pg577

[xxiv] http://www.kboi2.com/news/local/50238067.html

[xxv] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2387261/#b12-cvj49pg577

[xxvi] Under Ontario’s ban, it is actually the owner’s burden to prove their dog is not a pit bull.

[xxvii] http://www.abanet.org/genpractice/magazine/2009/jul_aug/pitbull.html

[xxviii] 2007 CanLII 9231 (ON S.C.)

[xxix] Cochrane v. Ontario (2008 ONCA 718)

[xxx] http://www.aldf.org/article.php?id=1029
[xxxi] M.C.L. § 287.351; http://www.animallaw.info/articles/aruslweiss2001.htm#n47

[xxxii] Criminal Code, s.787.

[xxxiii] One could always argue that low-income people who cannot afford pets should not have them in the first place, but we all know this is nearly impossible to enforce and people are going to do what they’re going to do. It is no coincidence that dog bites in low-income neighbourhoods is disproportionately high, and something should be actively done to remedy the issue.

[xxxiv] http://network.bestfriends.org/10615/news.aspx

[xxxv] http://www.torontohumanesociety.com/newsandevents/stories/2008/08-08g.asp

[xxxvi] http://www.thedogpress.com/SideEffects/side_effects_leg_01.asp

[xxxvii] Quote from Dr. Coren, article from Canada.com, September 11, 2009.

[xxxviii] Or toy obsessed, for that matter.

[xxxix] See: www.clevercanines.ca – all-encompassing dog training for dogs of any breed, age, or temperament.

[xl] Ibid.

It’s hard to pick an exact temperature because a lot of it has to do with the wind-chill in addition to the actual temperature.  If I were to choose a number, -10 is when risk starts to get involved.  It’s more about the prolonged exposure to the cold that can cause frost nip, superficial frostbite, or deep frostbite - each of which looks the same.

Frostbite is the death of tissue in the extremities.  Dog toes, tails, ear tips and scrotum are the most common frostbite areas.  Frostbitten tissue appears pale, usually gray in color, and is cold and hard to the touch.  As the area thaws, an area that has actual frostbite may turn red and swollen and be very painful as it heals.  In severe frostbite, within several days the tissue will start to appear black.  This is signalling that the tissue is in fact dead.  The body will usually shed this dead part of the body.  If the area does not heal in three of four days, amputation of the dead tissue should be done to avoid gangrene or mummification of the area.  If you suspect frostbite, it’s best to contact your veterinarian.

The physiological reaction in both humans and animals is this:  Blood is what keeps us warm.  With our vital organs being in the core of our body it is critical that our core remains at a constant temperature.  If the body detects that too much warmth is being lost in the extremities, the body will constrict the blood vessels to keep the blood closer to the core and protect the vital organs.  Without the circulation in the extremities, prolonged exposure can result in conditions such as frost nip or frostbite.

Rubbing or massaging tissue that is truly in the frost nip or frostbite stage can be painful and do more damage to the tissue.  If you suspect frostbite, you need to warm your dog up gradually.  Do not immerse your dog into warm or hot water.  You want to get their body warm enough so that their body starts to allow blood flow back into the extremities.

Wind-chill is a big factor that we need to consider.  The air close to your dogs skin is warm, but if a cold wind blows that warm air away it can affect the skin temperature immediately.  The cold air moving over top of the skins surface takes away the heat at a much faster rate.  If it is -10 with a wind-chill of -20, it means that the wind is stripping the heat away from the skin at such a pace that it would equal the temperature of -20 with still air.

Our domestic dogs do not have the insulation that they would if they were to be on their own in the wild.  Many people say things like, “She’s a dog, with fur, she doesn’t need a coat!”  If your dog is in indoor dog, then she is not producing the coat she would if she were always left outdoors.  True, dogs do have fur that will help to insulate them.  In order for that insulation to work properly, we need to be sure our dogs coat is free from mats and dead hair.  Mats and dead hair block the dogs ability to insulate that area.  This means that area will become more susceptible in the varying weather.  A thick coated dog, like a chow or a malamute, might welcome the cold weather and prefer that to indoors, while short-haired dogs can become immediately chilled after leaving the warm house.  

If you were to touch your dogs ear to your cheek, and it feels cold, then his ears probably need to be warmed up.  If your dogs ears are cold you can hold his ears in the palms of your hands.  This will provide temporary relief.  Rewarming should always be done slowly and given time to heal if there are actual signs of frostbite. 

Beware of cold temperatures.  If you find it cold for yourself without gloves or a toque, chances are it will be cold for your dog too. 

A sweater can help keep the core body temperature up.  It’s also important to remember that as your dog moves, his body generates heat that will help to keep him and all his extremities warm.  Unleashed has some great tools to help your dog battle the cold weather such as sweaters, jackets, boots, Mushers Secret and head muffs.  (Head muffs are like a neck warmer that you pull up over the dogs head to cover the ears and help add some insulation.)  Although your dog may still get cold, these tools will protect heat loss by blocking the wind’s ability to blow the heat away from the skin directly.

Dogs sweat through their feet.  If you keep them moving at a good pace it will help them to stay warm.  If they have time to cool down, the snow mixed with their warm feet will often create ice balls.  Ice balls can also build up under their feet as a result of the fur being too long between their pads.  You don’t want the fur to be too short in that area either.  We consider the fur at a perfect length if when you pull the fur away from their feet, it is the same length as their pads. 

A great foot product to try is the Invisible Boot or Mushers Secret, a natural wax that is excellent for keeping salt off paws as well as keeping snow from building up between the pads.  Another tip: be sure to keep your dog’s nails trimmed during the icy season.  It is not uncommon for a dog to be running about and upon a pivot get his nail caught in the ice causing it to rip off.

All dogs require a minimum of one hour of physical and mental exercise every day.  Many dogs require much more.  It can become a challenge when the weather puts limits on how much time we can stay outside for.  There are many creative options for how you can still provide this much needed release of energy, such as breaking up the walks into three twenty minute outings, putting your dog on a treadmill, having them wear a backpack, and playing mind stimulating games indoors.

The City of Calgary is asking us for feedback in how off leash parks in Calgary will be developed in the foreseeable future.  The City of Calgary has an on-line survey all about what we like, don’t like and what we would like to see in our city dog parks.  This survey is not just about the big three (River Park, Southland, and Edworthy,) it also asks about your local or community parks as they call them.

Dog parks in Calgary have been in the news quite a bit over the last few years and the City is looking to put a strategy together for future development.   This a “speak now or forever hold your peace” kind of situation.

Dog Owners vs. the Rest of the Public

Dog parks in Calgary are not exclusive to Dogs and their owners.  Dog parks in Calgary are all multi use areas, which means if you and your kid want to play soccer in the middle of River Park on a sunny July afternoon you should be able to.  This is where the conflict arises and hence all of the media attention.  Common sense would tell us to choose the field down the road to play ball, (you know - the one with the soccer nets and no dogs,) but common sense is not always that common.  Who wants to play in a field that has become nothing more than a glorified bathroom for canines anyway?  Let us not forget the cyclists who use the urban trail system that runs through many of these parks. I feel sorry for them if they have not already staked out an alternate route around these parks.  The pathways within the parks must be like a cruel game of Frogger (that 80’s Atari game where the frog has to cross the road without being flattend,) where the cyclist is the frog who must dodge all of the dogs or end up in hospital after an accident.  The non-dog owning public has a legitimate beef with the dog owners who use these parks - especially if the dog owners can not control their dogs.

Dog Owners vs. Dog Owners

Clever Canines graduates are among the most courteous and informed dog owners in the City.  Graduates have learned to watch out for dogs who are aggressive, owners who have no control, and situations which may be dangerous (parking lots, bikes, skateboards, etc.)  Unfortunately not every dog owner is a Clever Canines Graduate.  The most difficult issue within a dog park is the humans!  People tend to be root of 99% of the problems facing dog parks in Calgary.

Example:  Person brings dog over which they have no control to the park, and then they bring the dog’s favorite toy for a fun afternoon.  Unfortunately, someone else’s dog over which they have no control doesn’t have a toy.  Of course this often leads into dog ‘A’ taking dog ‘B’s’ toy to the dismay of owner number one.  When owner two tries to get out of control dog ‘B’ to return to them with the stolen toy and fails, owner ‘A’ goes from dismayed to angry.  Now no one is having fun in the dog park except for dogs ‘A’ and ‘B’ who are probably having a great game of chase while their owners duke it out.

This is one of a thousand scenarios played out in Calgary dog parks every day and unfortunately, if you spend any time at all in Calgary dog parks, you will have witnessed at least one shouting match and plenty of four letter fun-words.

What’s The Real Problem?

The real problem isn’t that people without dogs and people with dogs can’t share the same park.  The problem isn’t that more than one dog in the park at the same time is always going to lead to a confrontation.  In our classes we do both of these things all of the time.  The problem is that a majority of the dogs in the dog parks are missing something…… an owner who has invested time in training their dog.  No, this is not our way of soliciting new customers, and no, this is not a shot at people who have not taken our courses.  This is a simple statement of fact.  If you have control of your dog in all situations there will be no “situations”.  If your dog wants to go and say hi to the other people in the park playing ball you should be able to call him back immediately if he is not welcome.  If your dog does take the ball from another dog in the park you should be able to call her, retrieve the ball, and give it back to the other owner.

Calgary’s large dog parks are often a haven for lazy dog owners who think that letting their dog run wild absolves them of any responsibility for training them.  It is a sad truth that a vast majority of dogs in the big three dog parks are over-fed, under-exercised, and have socialization issues, oops did I say dogs – I meant owners.  As I stated earlier 99% of the problems are because of people.  People need to change their attitude about what constitutes responsible dog ownership and act upon it.   This means training them to obey commands the first time you give it.  This means not letting your dog run out of the car, across the street and through the parking lot as soon as the car is stopped near the dog park.  This means using common sense when bringing a toy to the dog park.  Do you really think other dogs will know that you only want to play with your own dog?

The Solution

We tell our graduates that “the only dog you can reliably control in a dog park is your own,” so if you are unsure of the other dogs maybe this is not the place for you and your dog.  Find a smaller less popular dog park and enjoy your time with your dog without having to worry about throngs of other dogs with owners who care more about whether or not Fido went “poopies” than if they are fulfilled as a species.   Until the vast majority of dog owners in this city change their perception of what a dog owners responsibility is the environment and issues in dog parks will remain.

Thanks to the City of Calgary for asking what we think in the form of a survey, it may not be perfect but I think this is kind of like voting.  If you don’t vote you really don’t have the right to complain.  I voted and I have filled out the survey!  Have you?

The Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society is a registered, non-profit charity whose mandate is to rescue abandoned, surrendered or abused small animals from First Nations Communities in Central Alberta, as well as other small animals in emergency situations at the discretion of the board.

These animals are placed in the safety of a foster home system while awaiting suitable placement in forever, adoptive homes. We provide veterinary care, food, basic training, love and support for these animals in foster homes as we search for appropriate adoptive homes.

AARCS has no paid staff and is run completely by a small group of volunteers concerned about the welfare of abandoned, abused and surrendered dogs in the province of Alberta. Our volunteers range in age from young children to seniors, but all are animal-lovers who are looking to make a difference.

Why you should help…

Please check out our website for why you should help such a worthy cause… here is just a couple stories of the many rescues that AARCS does for our four-legged friends.

“Fiametta – Fiametta was only 7 months old when she came into AARCS and at this young age was in a lot of pain. Her front leg had been broken at the wrist and the elbow joints causing her growth plates to close, and stunting the growth of that leg. She was never treated, walked with a severe limp and is in pain most days. This however does not stop her from being a happy and loyal puppy to had her leg amputated on July 9th, 2008. Fia has been adopted to a loving family in Edmonton.”

“Vylet - In March 2008 AARCS volunteers were involved in a rescue of six horses, and a very special little pup. Vylet was found scavenging inside the rib cage of a dead horse. She was extremely thin and suffering may not have noticed the staving horses. In all, six horses including a very emaciated filly (named Miracle) were rescued. Unfortunately, help came too late for an additional six horses which were found deceased.” Vylet has since been adopted to a loving home in Calgary.”

How YOU can help…

1. Become a Foster Parent!

Fostering is the foundation of AARCS. Without foster families we are helpless to help the many animals in need of rescuing. We do not have a shelter, therefore all our animals are placed in foster homes until they are adopted. AARCS rescues dogs in your back yard, here in Alberta!
These dogs do not have ANYONE to help them except for us (SPCA does not go where we go). The majority dogs we rescue will die of starvation, disease, parasites, be killed by other animals or be shot if we do not rescue them.
Here is what is involved: AARCS pays all reasonable expenses, including but not limited to all veterinary care and food and will provide other items when available such as toys, treats, kennels, etc. Foster homes provide a safe, loving environment until a suitable adoptive home is found and assists in providing basic training, house-training, and transportation to vet appointments, etc.
To become a foster parent, contact Deanna at 403-869-4694 or deanna@albertaanimalrescuecrew.com.

2. Donate to the cause

Monetary donations are always welcome. Veterinary bills are the majority of our expenses. We attempt to not have to buy additional supplies and count on donations for all of our expenses, but we are always in need of monetary donations to cover mounting vet bills. All donations over $20 are eligible for a tax receipt.
Gently used or new leashes, collars, toys, dog beds, blankets, towels, bowls, etc. All our dogs go to their new home with the very own “stuff” being a collar, leash, blanket and a toy. This helps when they transition to their new home so they still have the comforts of their foster home.
Crates, kennels are always in need to transport dogs from the reserves back to Calgary as well as many of the dogs are crate or kennel trained in their foster homes.

3. Become a Member!

Yearly membership fees ($25 family or $15 single) go directly to the animals that we rescue, and can help us when applying for grants/funding. Memberships are a way of showing the public and government that we are supported by the community, and also gives you voting privileges. Refer a friend, and ask them to refer their friends! It’s an easy way to help the animals and to know you are making a difference. Our membership form can be found on our website.

4. Adopt a Rescue Dog!

Without adoptive homes we would not be able to do what we do. AARCS has all kinds of dogs, big, small, puppies and adults & seniors. Most dogs are mixed breeds, but sometime we will get pure-breed dogs as well. Save a life - adopt a rescue dog!

Check out the website for more information on adoptions or how you can help. www.albertaanimalrescuecrew.com

Many owners find themselves standing in a cloud of dust after their dog has taken off in hot pursuit after a rabbit, or other small animals.  The frustrated owner starts shouting their recall commands after a dog who is disappearing along the horizon.

Chasing is an instinctive behaviour.  In the wild, bringing down game provided dogs with food.  Our domesticated dogs still thrill to the excitement of the hunt.  The things we find acceptable for our domestic dog to “hunt” are balls, Frisbees, or sticks.

When understanding instinct, it’s important to understand that it’s more than your dog just loving it.  The instinct triggers chemicals in the body that will affect his entire physical and psychological well being, and it feels great!  This internal chemical reaction pumps adrenalin through his system, giving him an overpowering emotion or exhilaration, sending him into a state of sudden ecstasy.  When your dog is in this state, there is nothing you can say or do to ’snap’ him out of it.  Calling him is wasting your breath, the most tasty piece of food is no longer desired, and chasing after him is just you joining in the fun.

The trigger of this excitement is often the movement of these prey animals.  Odd, sporadic, jerky, movements from animals like rabbits, squirrels, cats, gophers, and deer, create curiosity and excitement.  When the animal moves, the chase instinct is often triggered right then.  A rabbit standing still might be overlooked (as long as the dog can not smell it), but the slight movement of the rabbit will encourage the dog towards it.

The intensity of this instinct varies from breed to breed.  Long nosed dogs have good peripheral vision perfect for spotting prey on the move.  Short nosed dogs have less acute peripheral vision which prevents them from running like predators.  Terriers & Hounds were bred to hunt, and either hold or kill prey.  Retrievers to go after and bring back prey.  Working dogs to round up and herd prey.

While it is possible to control chasing behaviour, this instinct can never be totally eliminated.  If your dog has killed or maimed animals, you may never to able to break the habit of the chase.

So, what can you do?

• Know your dog.  Interrupt the chasing behaviour before it starts by anticipating when your dog is thinking about chasing the animal, and correct or distract him immediately.
• Pay attention to your environment.  Keep your dog on leash and do not allow him to run loose when you are in an area where these distractions exist.
• Refocus your dog’s attention on you!  Practice your obedience around your house and yard until your dog responds to your commands.  When ready, move into areas were there is more distraction to practice long down-stays or sit-stays.  As with all training, you need to build on ‘wins’.  You will have more success if you start with low value distractions and then build up to the larger ones.
• Pay attention to your dog’s body language and movements.  Often, when your dog sees something of interest, the first thing they will do is perk up their ears.  This is the exact moment where you need to interrupt your dog with corrections, obedience commands like a sit or a down, or direction changes.
• Do not allow your dog to stare at the animals.  By correcting your dog for just looking at the animals, you are letting him know you don’t want him to even think about chasing them.  Just watching can create fixations and build excitement.  Severe fixations are dangerous, as your dog could snap, bite or attack anything that stands in the way of the fixation… including you!  When your dog starts to look towards the animal, correct your dog’s focus back to you.
• Be consistent.  If you allow your dog to chase the rabbits while camping or at the farm, don’t expect your dog to ignore them when back in the city.  Rules need to be consistent; always or never.
• Practice, practice, practice.  Work on positive behaviour every day when you are out on your walks.  If you only practice once a week, chasing will win every time in your dog’s decision making process.
• Offer rapid obedience sessions with lots of quick sits or downs to keep his energy and attention focused on you.
• Distract your dog with a safe chase object or toy.  Experiment with different toys to see which your dog finds the most exciting.  Save that toy for the ’special’ occasions when you need to bring your dogs attention to you and away from everything else.
• Find opportunities to practice.  If there are areas on your walks where you regularly come across small, furry creatures, get your dog back before this area and put him back on leash to practice keeping his attention on you.  Set up situations and create distractions so you can practice your training.
• Never encourage your dog to chase other animals.
• Offer praise in the form of a nice long massage when your dog ignores the animals and looks at you.  This calming will help your dog relax.
• Find a professional trainer to help you work on your obedience commands around distractions.  At Clever Canines, all our training takes place outdoors where we are able to deal with all sorts of distractions, including other animals.

It is more powerful and successful when we teach dogs to ‘do’ something in place of whatever it is we want them to stop doing.  The brain responds quicker and stronger to a ‘doing’ message (positive) than a ’stop doing’ message (negative).  This is why obedience works.

Obedience training teaches your dog self-control, to respect you, and take you seriously.  Starting out in a controlled situation allows you to stay one step ahead of him.  By anticipating his reactions, you can correct him immediatley for even thinking about chasing (which is far more effective than correcting him after he’s begun running.)  Combine the correction with obedience training and massage.  The correction lets him know you disapprove of his actions, the obedience gives him something else to do, and the massage gives him a relaxed mood to return to.  You are telling him very clearly that it’s bad to chase, good to stop, good to sit, and good to calm down.

Watch out little Easter Bunny… the hounds are released.

Happy Easter from Clever Canines!

Are you and your canine companion living in a healthy home?

Do you really know what “Fido” is licking every-time he licks the floor, your cupboards, the walls, the carpet, or other items in your home? Did you know that cleaning products you are using right now might be shortening your dog’s life or contributing to disease or illness?

We all love a fresh clean home.  It gives us a good, healthy feeling.  The unfortunate fact is that often the products we use in our homes actually make our homes “dirtier” by exposing us and our pets to toxic chemicals.

Did you know for instance that many dishwashing detergents contain dry chlorine that becomes activated when exposed to water in the dishwasher?  Chlorine fumes are then released in the stream that leaks out of the dishwasher.  Chlorine gas can cause eye irritation and chlorinated chemicals are linked with other illnesses such as cancer.  Steam that comes out of the dishwasher does so right at the level that our small children and pets are walking and crawling.

Think of it this way; none of us would want our kids or our pets to “play” with toxic chemicals, so why would we use cleaning products that potentially expose them to these very chemicals?

Common cleaners give off fumes that have been linked to increasing the risk of children developing asthma.  “Domestic exposure of volatile organic compounds at levels even below currently accepted recommendations may increase the risk of childhood asthma.”  Asthma rates for children under 5 rose over 160% between 1980 - 1994.  And asthma is now seen in dogs as well!  Furthermore, strong links have been found between the use of domestic cleaning products and the risk of asthma.  (Source: Rumchev, K et al (2004) thorax, 59(9) 746-751);  thorax, Nov. 2003, 58(11), 950-954).

Many all purpose cleaners contain neurotoxins and nasal irritants that can be absorbed through the skin or inhaled.  Some of these solvents can cause hormone disruption.  Butyl cellosolve and formaldehyde are two such chemicals.  Degreasers typically contain petroleum distillates and butyl cellosolve, which can damage lung tissues and dissolve fatty tissue surrounding nerve cells.

Bleach is the number one household chemical involved in poisoning.  In humans, the chemical known as hypochlorite in bleach may cause reproductive, endocrine, and immune system disorders.  (Source: annual report of the American Association of Poison control Center Database 2005).

What about our four-legged companions?  They are at risk too!

Ammonia is found in many glass cleaners and the fumes from ammonia can irritate skin, eyes, and the respiratory system.  (Source: annual report of the American Association of Poison control Center Database 2005).

Carpet cleaners can be extremely toxic to children, who tend to play and crawl around on them.  Isn’t it possible that they affect our dogs as well?  Of course it is!  Carpet cleaners give off fumes that can cause cancer and liver damage and they accounted for over 5000 human poison exposures in 2005.  (Source: annual report of the American Association of Poison control Center Database 2005).

Scale and lime removers are products designed to do just that and to rid excess soap scum.  Among other things they can contain sulfuric acid that is corrosive, toxic to lungs and mucous membranes, and to the gastro intestinal tract.

Does your dog ever drink from the toilet bowl?  Toilet bowl cleaners are one of the most toxic and dangerous cleaning products on the market.  They are harmful to your health simply by breathing during use and are very toxic to the respiratory system in general.  (Source: annual report of the American Association of Poison control Center Database 2005).

Did you know that animal poisoning exposure cases totaled 131,336 in 2005 with dogs accounting for 89% of the cases?!?!!   In the USA, poisoning statistics from 2005 show that over 90% of poison exposures happen at home.  Over 120,000 children under the age of 6 were poisoned by household cleaners in that year!  (Source: USA National Center for injury Prevention and Control;  annual report of the American Association of Poison control Centers, National Poisoning and Exposure Database 2005).

What about the environmental impact of chemicals in household products?  Phosphates alone - found in many automatic dishwashing detergents - cause rivers and lakes to become clogged with masses of algae and weeds, robbing less aggressive plants and aquatic life of oxygen, resulting in lifeless streams and rivers.  It’s critical that we consider what goes down the drain!  The US EPA estimates that the average American household generates more than 20 pounds of household hazardous waste each year!  (The EPA designates toilet cleaners, tub and tile cleaners, oven cleaners, and bleach as hazardous waste.)  And cleaning products make up 176,000 tons of household waste annually.

What kind of chemicals are in the products you use?  Make sure you now what you are bringing into your house by going to the National Institutes of Health & National Library of Medicine Household product database.  You can search almost any brand of cleaner you use, find out what’s in it, and uncover its links to health effects.  Or, search by chemical ingredients (such as the ones we’ve talked about above,) and discover what brands contain it.

Much of the way we think about clean has been influenced by advertising.  We all think we know what clean “smells” like (pine trees, oranges, lemons, flowers, etc,) and we all think we know what clean “looks” like (such as little puffball armies of scouring suds), but in reality, clean looks… well… it just looks clean.  And clean smells refreshingly clean, devoid of any volatile organic compounds that give off some artificial smell.

So, what can you do?  Start by responsibly getting rid of the nasty stuff in your home.  Then choose products that are non-toxic, natural, biodegradable, concentrated, and hypoallergenic.  Products that are safe for you and your home, safe for your family and pets, and safe for the planet.

So, next time you notice your dog licking the floor, think about what it is that they are actually ingesting.  We all love our dogs and want the very best life for them.  That is why Tracie & Joe of Clever Canines have made the switch from traditional cleaners to safe biodegradable cleaners, like the ones that Shelley & Dave recommend.  Niko & Foster are very healthy and happy about the switch too!

Click here for more information on those products.   Or email Shelley, your Calgary Representative,   skrake@telus.net

Shelley Krake & Dave Johnson, Clever Canines Club Members

A year ago Menu Foods recalled all its products due to over 50,000 dogs and cats who fell ill or died due to contaminated wheat gluten that came from China.  For me, this was no surprise, it was bound to happen.  However, sadly, to many, many people, this was the first that they heard of pet food being inadequate and unsafe for their pets.

There are many other super scary and extremely gross things that get mixed up in some commercial pet food that is found on shelves in our very own city.  Dead zoo animals, road kill and euthanized cats and dogs often make it to rendering plants who turn it into “meat meal” before it ends up in our dog’s dinner bowl.

One of the scariest things I read from Journalist Jessica Smith from News Target Press Release is this: “The chemicals used to euthanize zoo animals, dogs and cats can survive the cooking process, which means these chemicals end up in pet food, and ultimately, in your pet.”

Chemicals, preservatives and many other common ingredients in commercial pet food have shortened our dogs life expectancy dramatically.  Severe problems like organ failure, liver dysfunction, breakdown of the immune system, allergic reactions, cancer and death; Not to mention, blindness, loss of hair and behaviour problems, including increased aggressiveness, can often be contributed to our dogs diet.

What else is scary?  Animals who died of illness, including cancer, are sent to pet food manufacturers.  That means your dog may be eating a diseased protein source.  Some companies even use saw dust as a filler in the food!  No kidding!

Often, the heart warming commercials we see on TV, the pretty packaging containing information we assume healthy when we see words like “all-natural”, “premium”,  “healthy-diet”, or even “preservative free” written on the bag is very misleading.  Often those words are false advertising. 

Unfortunately, many of our trusted veterinarians are not nutritionists and often their education on nutrition was either an option or taught by pet food company representatives, such as Hills, Iams, or Medi-Cal leading to one-sided education.

Tomorrow, Thursday January 24, 2008 at 9pm on CBC-TV will be a documentary called “PET FOOD: A DOG’S BREAKFAST”.  It will be repeated on Saturday January 26 at 10pm ET on CBC Newsworld.    http://www.cbc.ca/doczone/dogsbreakfast.html

Veterinarian Meg Smart, who is featured in the CBC documentary, says that if she brewed up a pot of leather boots, wood chips and motor oil, it would pass Canadian standards!!  What?!  Yup, it’s true.  The leather boots contain enough nitrogen, wood chips contain enough fibre and carbohydrates, and the motor oil contains enough fat to pass Canadian standards.

Another information source that I like is from a link that was sent to me in hopes that I would purchase the e-book.  Although I did not buy the book, I do like the first 5 minutes (out of the 8 minutes) of this audio slide show.  It provides point form information that speaks to the alarming misrepresentation of what we know (or don’t know.)  http://www.thedogfoodconspiracy.com/v/a/fk.html

When looking at ingredients on pet food bags, there are some major culprits that you should avoid:

• By-products  (this could mean any part of an animal not fit for human consumption.  Beaks, feathers, udders, hoofs, entrails, intestines, diseased or cancerous tissue, and on and on.)
• Meat meal (this doesn’t even identify the animal.  This could include rendered cats and dogs, dead zoo animals, and even road kill.  You will not know how much “real meat” is in the food)    
• Fish meal (again, a non-specific source of fish)
• Corn (anything with the word “corn”, including whole ground corn)
• Beet pulp  (this is a filler, no nutritional value, and it also helps to produce a firm stool, giving us the ‘illusion’ that the dog is healthy)
• Wheat  (this is a major reason for allergies)
• Peanut hulls  (this is a filler, no nutritional value)
• Brewers rice 
• Ethoxyquin (this chemical is used as a food preservative - it is also a rubber stabilizer and a major preservative in tires, keeping the rubber in them from oxidizing!  It is used to keep fats from turning rancid.)
• Sodium carboxy-methyl-cellulose  (this is an edible plastic filler that is outlawed for human consumption, but it’s still in some pet foods)
• Cellulose gum or Guar gum  (this is used to bind beak bits, ground bones and other ingredients into chunks or kibble)
• Potassium sorbate  (used to preserve the things that weren’t preserved before they went in!)
• Artificial colors/flavors  (these are harmful and toxic to dogs, and not to mention, unnecessary)
• BHA and/or BHT  (both are carcinogens) 
• Artificial preservatives
• Additives

What is sickening to note, is that the pet food manufacturer only has to list these toxic ingredients on the label if they were the ones who put it in their product…  That means that if it enters the pet food chain at the rendering plant or the slaughterhouse, it does not need to be listed!

Often if we see a list of vitamins or vitamin supplements on the ingredient list, like “vitamin E supplement, niacin supplement, riboflavin supplement, vitamin D supplement”, etc., it makes us feel good… after all, our dogs need vitamins, right?  But the truth is that these supplements have been added because the no-name meat was cooked at high temperatures and there is little or zero nutritional value left.  The supplements are added to provide the overall minimum level of nutrition requested.  However, these supplements are then cooked again at high temperatures and their quality is diminished. 

So, what can we do??  To start, we can educate ourselves.

Excellent books that Clever Canines highly recommends are:

• The Nature of Animal Healing,    from Martin Goldstein
• Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats, The Ultimate Diet,    from Kymythy R. Schultze
• Food Pets Die For: Shocking Facts About Pet Food,    from Ann Martin 
• Dr. Pitcairn’s Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats,   from Richard and Susan Pitcairn
• The BARF Diet,   from Dr. Ian Billinghurst
• (all books are available at Unleashed)

It is important to know where the ingredients for your pet food come from.  There are some great specialty stores in our city who can help educate you on ingredients, quality, producers, and what is best for your dog. 

Clever Canines highly recommends Unleashed, 2719 - 14 Street SW, www.unleasheddogs.net  Unleashed will only support pet food companies who do not source out ingredients from other countries, like China, who can provide the source of where their ingredients come from, and who have ethical practices.  The companies they deal with only produce pet food.   For example, Proctor & Gamble produce IAMS, Heinz produce Kibbles & Bits, Mars (Efam) produces Royal Canine.  As we all know these company’s main business focus is as far from pet food as the planet Pluto is to Earth and their business model is based on profit, not quality.

There are a few really great companies who produce a high quality diet.  These companies are not from a major manufacturer, which means that providing whole ingredients that are human grade are the only option for them.  Companies that I am proud to mention are, Origin (made here in Alberta), Innova, TimberWolf Organics, Natures Variety, and Solid Gold.  Many of these are grain free!  (All can be found at Unleashed.)

There are other ways to feed your dog a balanced, healthy diet that you can feel good about that does not include kibble.  Raw food and home cooked diets are notably popular.  Fact is, both our dogs, Niko & Foster, are on the BARF (Bones And Raw Food) diet.  There are enormous health benefits to our companion animals by returning them to their evolutionary diet.

By feeding raw, you are feeding a diet rich in enzymes that are biologically available to your dog.  Fresh whole foods including raw meaty bones, crushed vegetables, offal and other healthy whole foods make up your dogs evolutionary diet.  If choosing to feed raw, be sure to do your research to ensure you are feeding a well-balanced diet.  Again, talk to the knowledgeable staff at Unleashed for further information or to purchase your raw or cooked food.

Which ever way you choose to feed your dog, remember that there are several options and not all food is created equally.  Feel good about what you give your dog and have a happy, healthy life together.

Yours truly,

Tracie, Clever Canines 

It brings many people great joy to watch their dog pull the wrapping paper off the special gift that was placed under the glittery tree for them.  We’ll take photo’s of Fido ripping the paper and encourage him to unwrap his goodies so he can have something special on Christmas morning too. 

Is all of this harmless?

Some dogs display destructive behaviour, such as pulling apart your child’s toys, ripping apart shoes, shredding newspaper, etc.  This behaviour is unwanted and we discourage, discipline and correct our dogs from engaging in this destruction.  Dogs thrive off of having clear, consistent rules.  If, on Christmas morning, we are allowing, encouraging, and even cheering on our dogs to destroy the wrapping paper, we may be sending out inconsistent messages.

I have a client who called me in to help with her dogs destructive behaviour.  It started out as destruction only of paper.  After talking further, we uncovered the fact that this family always gave their dog a wrapped present on her birthday and on Christmas.  They also would give the dog a wrapped gift on their children’s birthdays too, because, they said, if they didn’t, she would proceed to unwrap the kids gifts.  At first this was funny.  Then it turned into trouble.  The dog-owner hosted a baby shower for a friend and while they were in another room playing a game, the dog helped herself to the gift table and unwrapped everything!  Baby outfits were grimy with slobber and rattles were punctured with teeth marks… so many things were destroyed.  After that, the family resorted to gift bags as the dog seemed to leave those alone.  As with many things that start out ‘funny’, it didn’t take long for this behaviour to spread to other areas of their lives.  If they left a book laying around, if a cheque or dollar bill fell on the floor, if they didn’t collect the mail as soon as it came through the slot, then the dog took it, shredded it, rolled in it, and tossed it around with enthusiasm and great joy.  On a daily basis the family would comb the house, room by room, floor by floor, to ensure that all paper products were clearly hidden or out of reach.  When the dog wanted to play it’s favorite game and couldn’t find a single piece of paper anywhere, she resorted to other objects.  Soon, purses, shoes, furniture, plants, decorations, even baseboards were a target.

Destructive behaviour is often a result of a lack of mental and physical stimulation, however, giving the dog inconsistent messages was also a major contributor to this problem.  Dogs can not discern between the paper that they can chew and the paper that they can’t.  This family was no longer allowed to give the dog a wrapped gift on ’special occasions’.  If they had a gift, they had to give it to her as is.

Before giving your dog a gift to unwrap, please think about the behaviour you will be encouraging.  For some dogs, this will not affect or create negative behaviour, and for these dogs, unwrapping a gift will be the joy we are ideally looking for.

The holidays also bring other concerns to mind. 

Gobbling up party snacks, chocolate, holiday baking, or exploring goodies found in trash bags can lead to a sick puppy!  Vomit and diarrhea are not fun to have to deal with!  You also don’t want to create an annoying begging behaviour, or contribute to obesity.

Watch that your dog doesn’t snack on holiday ribbons, tinsel, ornaments or power cords that can lead to an unscheduled emergency visit to the vet. 

Control your dog at the door when your guests arrive.  A pushy dog trying to get to your guests before you have a chance to say hello is a rude dog who’s showing your guests that he or she has a higher social status in the pack.  Also, while visiting other people’s homes, control your dog right from the beginning when you enter in their home.  Avoid allowing your dog to burst through the door and snoop through the hosts home.

For more tips on these above points, or to read about other ways to help you enjoy the holiday season, read my past blog entry called, “Happy Thanksgiving”!

For those of you looking for great gift ideas for your pooch, Unleashed, www.unleasheddogs.net  has a great selection of Christmas gifts.  Everything from squeaky reindeer, Christmas trees, and snowman plush toys, to soft crinkly candy canes, to gingerbread man and snowflake shaped rope toys.  Of course, there are also Apple Pie natural cookies among many other delicious treats.  If your dog enjoys a raw food diet, you can pick up some turkey necks or turkey meal patties.  So many choices.

From everyone at Clever Canines, Tracie, Joe, Niko and Foster, we wish you a happy, healthy, fun holiday season and all the best in 2008!

Tracie

Problem behaviour in dogs is getting worse in North America, but it’s not because our dogs are changing. They are still just being dogs… just as they have always been for the past 14+ thousand years. Their genetic make-up has not changed and their DNA is still 99.8% the same as a wolf’s. What is changing is our perception of dogs and how we treat them. Looking back only 70 years ago, things were very different, but it is durring this last 70 years that the shift started to happen. This is the time that kibble (and other convenient ways to feed dogs) was introduced into the market. It was also the time that the second world war was ending. So, among other things, this is what took place….

Dogs, from the time they were domesticated, served a purpose in our human world. When they lived with humans they had a job to do. There was no such thing as acquiring a dog because they are so cute, or because we want something to curl up with, or because we just want one. Some of their jobs, depending on the size and strength of the dog, would include turning wheels on roasting spits, water pumps or butter churns, pulling carts to deliver goods like milk and eggs, hunting, herding livestock, guarding livestock, tracking, vermin control, assisting the disabled, protection of property, territory or individuals, and many other things. These working dogs were treated like dogs… not like humans. They had a job to do and they loved to do that job. Dog’s slept outside and scavenged or hunted for food.

There were over 20,000 dogs serving in the canine core military service in WW2. Dogs hauled supplies, served as scouts, warned troops of incoming threats, caught spies, and visited injured soldiers. They have been credited by helping cut human casualty rates dramatically. Dogs were a natural choice for this job as they are territorial animals, have possessive and guarding traits, and are loyal companions. During WW2 many soldiers became very attached to these dogs and upon returning home from the war, many men took these dogs home with them. A dramatic shift happened… most of these dogs were brought into the family home and were pampered, fed on a regular basis and were no longer required to do the jobs they had before. The family ‘pet’ was introduced verses acquiring a dog for working needs. For many of these dogs, working for simple things like food and water was no longer required.

Now this might seem like a great thing for the dog because as a human, this is what we would enjoy, cherish and be grateful for. However, the dog is still the dog he or she was before this special treatment and by no longer having to do the jobs that they were bred to do meant that these dogs needed to find something else to channel their energy.

Today we offer pampering to our dogs on an even greater scale. We have bags to carry our dogs so they don’t have to walk, we have shops to take them to so they can be bathed, brushed and have little ribbons put into their hair, there are clothes we can buy to keep them warm and stylish, there are thousands of treats we can buy to say I love you, there are Louis Vuitton or Burberry collars and leashes we can accessorize them in, we buy them special beds to lift them off the floor, we give them their very own couch or furniture to get comfy on, we create a special seat for them so they can look out the window, we search for special bowls, we take them to chiropractors, massage therapists, or even psychics, we throw birthday parties and make them a special meat or biscuit cake, we wrap up Christmas presents and put them under the tree, we put costumes on them for Halloween, we take them on doggie play dates, and so many more things. Now granted, I do enjoy some of these things or even find things like Chiropractic care necessary for my own dogs, but what has ended up happening is our dogs are being treated dramatically different from the way they were treated only 50 to 70 years ago!! All of a sudden, our dogs are being treated not like dogs at all, but like little human babies with four legs and fur.

The reason people choose the dogs they choose has also changed. I ask my clients, “Why did you choose this specific dog or breed?” and the answers vary from, “Because I have always loved and wanted this breed”, “I had one growing up and it was a great dog”, “I wanted a non-shedding dog”, “I like the size of the dog”, “I saw it in the window and I wanted to rescue it”, “It’s the most beautiful breed I’ve ever seen”, “My kids picked it”, and on and on. My point is, our dogs were originally bred to do a very specific job and that very specific job is almost never the reason people acquire dogs today. We bring home hunting dogs and never ask them to hunt, or herding dogs and never ask them to move livestock, or scent dogs and never ask them to track. What often us humans fail to realize is that it’s okay not to have our herding dogs move livestock, for example, but we do need to fill that void with movement and exercise to expel that natural energy.

Majority of excessive, destructive, or annoying behaviour in dogs is related to a lack of leadership, exercise, and/or rules. Dogs need to have leadership from a confident, calm and consistent individual, they need to be exercised for at least an hour every single day, and they need to have rules, structure and limitations so they know what is expected of them within the pack. This must come above all other things, including love and affection!

In our current human society we tend to always look towards instant gratification. When we don’t see the reward immediately, often we move on to something else. This is the case with our own diets, exercise, careers, books we read, etc. When it comes to our dogs, instead of putting in the work, often we are looking for a magic wand or something easy that we can do to fix a problem. This leads me to what I read in the newspaper today…

DVD’s for dogs have been created to treat separation anxiety, loneliness and boredom that lead to problems such as whining, barking and destruction. The series offers a virtual car ride in the country, interactions with various animals from peacocks to horses, and a virtual rabbit chase! These DVD’s have a desensitization feature which claims to be scientifically formulated to soothe your pet and reduce hypersensitivity.

What??!?!?!!

Granted, I have not tried these DVD’s, but come-on… really?!

I have worked with dogs who literally attack the TV when other dogs or animals appear, when a doorbell sounds, or other triggers. Gee… I wonder what these DVD’s might provoke in some dogs?

Understanding your dog for who they are and doing the work to fulfill your pet not only rids your dog of annoying behaviours but it also creates a balanced dog who is happy and feels loved. There is no such thing as a quick fix. As with many things in life, short cuts do not work and magic wands don’t really exist. If you are having issues or challenges with your dog, the first question you must ask yourself is are you fulfilling your dogs needs, as a dog (not as a human)? That means offering leadership, exercise and having rules that your dog understands. If you are uncertain, find a professional who can help you understand your dog and why they are doing what they are doing.

At Clever Canines we don’t cover up problems, we fix them.

So… there’s my rant… all stemmed from one article in the newspaper…

Tracie

Please follow these guidelines to ensure a positive experience for your dog during Halloween, keep their stress and anxiety to a minimum, keep them safe, and above all else, keep them happy.

Do NOT leave your dog outside on Halloween.  Dogs can scare easily with all the trick-or-treaters coming to or passing by your home.  There are plenty of people who think that Halloween is a time for pranks that can turn cruel, malicious or misguided towards our animals.  Some think that they can get away with teasing, scaring, torturing, or stealing pets on this particular night.  Dogs have been spray-painted, had eggs thrown at them, gates opened to release them from the yard, ”sacrificed”, and many more hard to imagine horrible things.  Black cats especially become a target.  If you have cats, keep them indoors too!

If you are taking the kids out trick-or-treating it is best to leave your dog at home.  All the strange costumes, the heightened energy level and noise can startle your dog, draw out insecurities or put them on edge.  Even the sweetest of dogs can turn aggressive if they feel nervous, threatened or challenged.  For humans, scary is good at Halloween, but your dog may not realize the difference between “good” scary and “threatening” scary.  He may try to protect you from those unusual sounds and noisy, costumed strangers.  Keep your dog at home!

If you are welcoming trick-or-treaters to your home, put your dog (cat’s too) in another room with the door shut before the kids arrive.  The doorbell ringing constantly, the parade of costumed strangers marching up your door step, and the excited energy of the kids can frighten your dog and/or create stress and anxiety.  Even if your pet doesn’t view trick-or-treaters as dangerous invaders in his domain, he may decide he wants to go home with one of them–or, just run out and play with the entire group!  Don’t give your dog or cat a chance to bolt out the open door when your back is turned.  Many children are afraid of dogs or cats, and meeting one of these dreaded creatures at a door where they expect only candy can be traumatic.  A secure and quiet room with a bone or favorite toy can help ease and relax your pet.

Costumes are fun for many of us, however when it comes to our dogs it’s only fun if your dog enjoys it too.  Unless your dog is receptive to this sort of thing, you could be causing discomfort, stress or suffering to your dog by forcing a costume on them.  Some dogs don’t mind, and in that case you can have a good laugh and take a funny photo of your dog dressed up.  If you are going to put a costume on your dog, make sure that you never obstruct their vision, hearing, ability to breath or bark, or their mobility, (the dog should not be tripping over material!)  Try it on them in advance to see how they react.  It will be obvious if your dog is comfortable or not with being dressed up.  Never leave a dog unsupervised in a costume.  Don’t dress them up just because you think it’s cute… Please respect them if they would rather be left in their “birthday suits”.

Don’t leave jack-o-lanterns or candles burning in an area where your dog or curious cat can knock them over with their body or tails.  Not only could they start a fire but they could get seriously burned or injured as well.

Watch that your dog does not get a taste of any of the candy!  Sugar is not good for dogs and chocolate, especially dark chocolate, is very toxic to dogs and can cause heart problems, pancreatitis, or other problems… including death.  Foil or cellophane wrappers can upset their stomach or become logged in their digestive track which can make them very ill and possibly be fatal.

If you are having a party, especially a costume party, it is best to put your dog in a room where they won’t be disturbed.  Many dogs do not handle loud noises, music or crowds of people well.  Leave them in a room with a bone, a favorite toy and some water for the night.  If you insist on having your dog join the party, do not allow anyone to give your dog snacks, candy or alcohol.  Some people may think it’s funny to get the dog drunk, but it can kill them.  It’s better to hurt someone’s feelings by asking them to leave the party than to deal with a seriously ill pet.

Make sure your dog (or cat) has proper identification.  If for any reason your pet escapes and become lost, a collar and tags increase the chances that he or she will be returned to you.

UNLEASHED, 2719 - 14 Street SW, Calgary, has some great Halloween toys!  Bats, pumpkins, and more!

Be safe and have fun!

BOO!

Tracie