Poop #3

(by Jana Rade)

What’s in the Poop? (Part III)
Continued from part II

In the previous parts of our poop series we covered consistency and color. What else does one look at when examining a dog’s poop?

What’s in the coating?

Healthy poop should not have any coating on it.

Sometimes you’ll find stool that is covered by a slimy substance – mucus. Mucus is produced in the intestine to lubricate and protect the gut lining but normally it isn’t noticeable on feces.

Mucosal surfaces in the gut are part of the immune system, designed to detect and kill pathogenic organisms that may be trying to make their way through the gut lining.

When the large intestine isn’t happy and battling parasites, bacterial overgrowth, food allergy or intolerance, or even tumors (basically anything that irritates or inflames the gut wall), it can result in an increased production of mucus, which then becomes apparent on the stool. Even stress can cause mucus-coated stools.

One or two slimy stools don’t warrant rushing to a vet.

However, if this becomes a regular occurrence, or it is combined with other symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting or abdominal pain, the situation in the gut has gotten out of control and it’s important to have your dog seen by a vet.

What’s in the content?

Just like with vomit, the contents of your dog stools can sometimes provide an inkling as to what may have upset your dog’s digestive system.

Pieces of plastic, toys and other non-food items, tell you that your dog ate stuff that was not intended to be eaten, which could be behind the problem. One question left unanswered, however, is whether all the foreign material has passed or some still remains within the digestive tract.

If you find bits of undigested food, it’s either a reflection on the food or your dog’s ability to digest what they eat.

Things like pieces of raw carrots can appear in the stools in more or less pristine shape. Dogs are not designed to digest chunks of raw vegetables. Once I tried giving my dog a freeze dried raw food with chickpeas in it. Chickpeas are nutritious and seemed like a good ingredient. However, the chickpea grit came out exactly the same as it went in. Clearly, there wasn’t much nutritional benefit to be gained from feeding something that just goes through unchanged.

If food that dogs should normally digest well comes out untouched, then you have a serious problem on your hands.

If your dog’s stools look greasy, you might be looking at a condition that prevents the intestinal tract from absorbing nutrients normally (malabsorption).

What’s in the smell?

Poop does not smell like roses. It’s supposed to be stinky. But some abnormal smells are an indication of a problem.

Food-like, or smelling of sour milk — suggests rapid transit, malabsorption and/or irritation of the bowel; it can be a sign of overfeeding, particularly in puppies

Putrid smelling — suggests possible intestinal infection

Rancid smell — might indicate improper digestion

One bad poop, no bad poop

Bad poops happen, particularly since dogs tend to eat all kinds of things some of which are not meant to be eaten. If my dogs get a bad poop, I watch for other signs of a problem such as changes in appetite, drinking, vomiting, lethargy or anything else that seems off. If the dogs look fine and the next poop is the way it should be, I just file the event in the back of my mind (and in Cookie’s case on her chart).

If it develops into diarrhea, I generally give it 24 hours to resolve. If it doesn’t, or if it becomes severe, or accompanied by other signs mentioned above, I see a vet.

There are a number of things that affect stool quality and diet is definitely one of them. In an otherwise healthy dog, it can even be as simple as determining the right amount of dietary fiber for that individual. This can be quite a balancing act, particularly in large breed dogs. But before you make any assumptions and start playing with your dog’s diet, see a vet to make sure you KNOW what you’re dealing with.

Don’t forget the sample

Your vet can get a lot more information from your dog’s poop than you ever could. Not only do they evaluate all the above aspects, they can further analyze it and take a detailed look at what’s in the poop that is hidden from view. (a microscopic fecal analysis)

If you have any concerns, bring a poop sample with you.

Just like with urine sample, the fresher the better.

As always, understanding what poop should or should not look like is important to knowing when you should see a vet. If you do notice consistent abnormalities, see your vet sooner rather than later. It might save you headaches down the road.

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Poop #2

(by Jana Rade)

What’s in the Poop? (Part II – Color)
Continued from part I

Healthy poop is typically brown.

What makes poop brown is bile, a fluid released from the gallbladder that aids in the digestion and absorption of fats and fat-soluble vitamins and helps eliminate certain waste products from the body.

There can be some variation in color depending on what your dog ate, particularly when you’re feeding a variety of foods. Some manufactured diets will make dogs produce what might otherwise be considered abnormal stool (like the extremely light feces that are formed when dogs eat a prescription, soy-based, hydrolyzed diet), but if your dog is consistently on one type of food, you’ll get a feel for what’s normal for them.

Unless your dog just ate a box of crayons (yes, it can happen, it happened with Roxy), poop that is any color other than shades of brown is often a red flag that something is wrong.

Changes in color usually go hand in hand with changes in consistency.
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Pale or clay-colored stools (acholia) can develop as a result of gallbladder, liver, or pancreatic disease.

For example, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) may result in clay-colored diarrhea, caused by the pancreas being unable to produce the enzymes needed to digest food and inflammation and swelling blocking the passage of bile. Pale stools can indicate a lack of bile production or flow, suggesting liver and/or gallbladder disease.

Orange stools can be seen when a dog’s biliary system is blocked or when his or her blood cells are rupturing within the circulatory system.

Yellow or greenish stools are sometimes produced when material is passing through the intestinal tract more quickly than normal . It can be seen with Giardia, intestinal parasites or infections, and many other conditions.

Black, tarry stool (melena) signifies bleeding in the upper digestive tract or respiratory tract (with the blood being coughed up and swallowed). The black, tarry appearance is due to the presence of digested blood.

Potential causes range from GI ulcers, trauma, foreign bodies, infections, tumors, blood clotting disorders, kidney failure and more.

Bright red streaks/bloody stool (hematochezia) indicate bleeding in the lower GI tract and can be caused by enteritis (inflammation or infection of the small intestine), colitis (inflammation or infection of the colon/large intestine) or conditions affecting the anus or anal glands.

Jasmine sometimes got blood in her stool when her IBD was acting up. Enteritis and colitis can be caused by IBD, intestinal parasites, infections, foreign bodies, stress, and more.

Hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE) is a common cause of bloody diarrhea in dogs. This is a serious condition that can occur very quickly and be fatal if left untreated.

Bloody diarrhea in puppies could mean the dreaded Parvo, particularly if your pup is also vomiting and lethargic. In older dogs it could be sign of cancer.

Bright green stools could mean that your dog ate certain types of rat poison (the green dye is added to aid in its identification). This means an immediate trip to a vet.

Polka dot stools – if you find rice-like specks or spaghetti-like strands, you’re probably looking at worms.

Stay tuned for more poop talk.

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Poop #1

What’s in the Poop? (Part I)
The longer I’ve been a dog mom, the more attention I’ve learned to pay to poop. It started with Jasmine who had ongoing poop issues from the day she came to us. After years of being left in the dark, she was finally diagnosed with IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease). Every time her stool was normal, it made my day brighter.

Why does it matter what poop looks like?

Our guys get a bad poop every now and then. This is more of a reflection of what they got into than an actual health issue. If the abnormalities continue though, I look into figuring out what’s behind it. When the stools are consistently or chronically abnormal, you need to investigate.

What I consider ideal poop could be best described as hand-rolled chocolate cookie dough—brown, well-shaped, firm but not hard, kind of segmented.

(by Jana Rade)

What’s in the consistency?

To some degree, consistency can depend on the dog and their diet. However, stool shouldn’t be consistently too hard or too loose. Which brings me back to the cookie dough.

Diarrhea is a more common problem than constipation for dogs. In fact, people often think that their dog is constipated when in fact they have diarrhea. Lots of straining with nothing coming out can be a sign of large bowel diarrhea as well as constipation. It is important not to try to treat constipation without having a solid confirmation (pun kind of intended).

Constipation may simply be caused by insufficient fiber and water intake but can also have a more serious underlying cause.

With Jasmine, I kept a detailed chart where I entered day-to-day information, including her stool quality and number of bowel movements. There are official fecal scoring charts out there, going into various amount of detail. For Jasmine, I was using 5 values with 5 being ideal and 1 being watery (Jasmine didn’t have problems with constipation). The most typical scoring system goes to 7 with 1 being constipated and 7 being watery. (I came up with my own scoring back then before I knew there were systems in place already)

Nothing – it’s not good when a lot of straining and hunching doesn’t produce any poop at all. Your dog could be constipated or even blocked up. As mentioned above, though, severe diarrhea and colitis can cause similar symptoms. In either case, see a vet.

Small, dry, hard pellets – yes, that’s constipation. A couple of times Cookie got hard stools from eating too many bones and not enough vegetables. I immediately corrected that and things went back to normal. Constipation can have serious causes and effects. If Cookie had hard poops for more than one or two bowel movements and it didn’t resolve with adjusting her food, I’d take her to the vet.

Firm but not hard, dry logs that look segmented – that’s good poop in my books. With Jasmine, every time she had a poop like that, we celebrated.

Moist and soggy but still formed – this kind of poop gets me in an alert mode. Something isn’t quite right. JD and Cookie get these every now and then with the next poop being normal again. Something didn’t sit right but all is now good. When Jasmine got these, it meant her IBD was starting to act up. If my dog had these type of stools consistently, I’d investigate.

Pudding – poop that loses its form once it hits the ground; there is texture to it but it doesn’t hold shape. The gut isn’t happy. When it continues for more than one or two bowel movements, it’s time to do something. Could mean intestinal parasites, such as Giardia, intestinal infections (bacterial, viral or fungal), immune/inflammatory disorders, metabolic diseases (e.g., liver failure), heart disease, cancer, and more.

Watery – the gut is really unhappy. When Jasmine got these, her gut was in trouble. Large volumes of watery diarrhea, with or without blood in it, can be an emergency particularly in smaller dogs and puppies.

Stay tuned for other aspects of poop, such as color, coating, etc.

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Choosing a dog that is right for you

Choosing A Dog That Is Right For You

Choosing a dog that’s compatible with you and your family is an extremely important step towards becoming a responsible and happy dog owner.

To choose the dog that is right for you, it’s essential to find the information necessary to help you make a knowledgeable decision, evaluating your family, lifestyle, plans for the future, living space, financial situation and yourself. Always keeping everyone’s best interests in mind, including the dogs’.

Becoming a dog owner is a decision that needs to be planned carefully, although choosing a dog is an important part of this journey, you must cautiously determine first, if you and your family are ready to bring a dog into your home and handle the added work and responsibilities necessary to provide your dog with a quality life.

Once you have decided if owning a dog is the right thing to do, it’s time to move along and get into choosing a dog; and also think about where is best to get your new dog from and plan how are you going to start this relationship the right way.

The Importance Of Making The Right Choices

Most dog owners start their journey in dog ownership with plenty of good intentions and their heart overflowed with love, however overflowing shelters all over the world show that good intentions and a big heart are not the only qualities a responsible dog owner should have.

One of the most frequent reasons why dogs are surrendered to shelters are that their owners got them without knowing about the responsibilities involved in owning a dog and without thinking of the consequences their choices could have, specially for the dog, considering that only about half of the dogs that are surrendered to shelters are adopted, all the rest are killed within a few days.

The best way to avoid finding yourself in that situation is to inform yourself before owning or choosing a dog, considering all the aspects involved in choosing a dog that is compatible with your family, lifestyle, energy level, financial situation and future plans.

Now it’s your chance to make it right and create a great life experience for yourself, your family and your new dog.

Start by choosing a dog that fits in your lives.

Please continue reading and find all the information necessary to help you evaluate all the aspects that play a part in the process of choosing a dog and planning for a successful dog ownership experience.

STEP 1 – Let’s Make Sure This Is A Good Idea…

Before choosing a dog it’s important that you determine if bringing a dog into your home is a responsible decision. Don’t forget that as a dog owner you are responsible for caring and providing a quality life for your dog.
To find out about the benefits, commitment and responsibilities of owning a dog. Visit our Owning A Dog page.

But don’t stop there…. There are many aspect of your life that must be considered and evaluated to help you determine your potential to become a good dog owner.

* Is Your Family Ready To Have A Dog?

Bringing a dog into your home is a decision that needs to be discussed with everyone in your home, whether it’s your spouse, kids or roommates.

Talk about the idea of having a dog, the benefits, commitment and responsibilities involved in owning a dog.

Evaluate their opinions, to get a better idea of their understanding regarding the responsibility and commitment; and how eager they are to get involved in the dog’s life and care duties.

Watch for fearful reactions, jealousy, nervousness or if someone is against the idea of having a dog, issues like that must be corrected before you bring a dog home, to prevent behavioral problem between the dog and that person.

If you already own a dog(s), we suggest that you correct any behavior problems before you get another dog to prevent behavioral problems between the dogs.

Remember, it’s important to take everyone’s opinion into consideration, but ultimately you must be the one to decide if bringing a dog into your home is a responsible decision.

* Does A Dog Fit Into Your Long-Term Plans?

Take time to look into the future and evaluate if you are going to be able to fit your new family member into your plans and how changes will affect you capability to live up to your commitment, considering that a dog lives approximately 10 to 15 years.

Estimate how owning a dog is going to interfere in your plans for the future and how willing you are to modify your plans to accommodate your dog into them, think about changes like moving, having babies, changing jobs, traveling and others…

Timing is key for success, if you consider that maybe getting a dog right now is not a responsible decision, is always best to wait until the conditions are more favorable.

* Can You Take On The Financial Responsibility?

You must determine if you can afford the cost of basic dog care, which includes food, veterinary care, obedience and behavior training, shelter, safety and grooming.

The best way to make owning a dog more affordable, is choosing a dog that’s right for your budget and utilize the low cost resources available in your area.

Here are a few tips for choosing a dog that is budget friendly:

– Choose a dog from a shelter, their rates are considerably lower than a rescue organization or a breeder, and their dogs are just as good.

– Choose a dog with a mellow temperament, to save on extensive obedience and behavioral training.

– Choose a medium or small dog to save on shelter and safety.

– Choose a shorthaired dog to save on grooming.

– Choose a small dog to save on dog food.

– Choose the low cost veterinary care services provided by your local humane society or animal shelter. Services often include low cost vaccination, spay and neuter clinics, affordable veterinary care, financial help and more…

Please visit our resources page to find a list of reputable Humane Organizations.

* Do You Have The Time To Care For A Dog?

It is essential that you evaluate your time availability to take proper care of your dog, most of us have busy lives already and adding a new member to your family can become overwhelming if you are not prepared.

You must know if you will have the time and energy necessary to fulfill your dog needs for daily exercise, obedience training, socialization, potty breaks, playtime, and others; specially at the beginning where training and bonding require that you dedicate even more time, to prevent the development of behavioral problems.

* Is Your Living Space Adequate For A Dog?

It doesn’t matter how big or small your home is, if you get the appropriate dog for your space and provide plenty of physical activity a dog can adapt to any environment.

However, there are some indispensable safety requirements:

– If your dog is going to stay in the yard, it needs to be appropriately fenced to effectively keep your dog from escaping and also keep unwanted visitors out, like stray dogs or someone trying to steal your dog.

– Your home and your yard should be free of materials that could hurt your dog, like chemicals, toxic plants, exposed nails, unprotected balconies and others…

– Your home or yard must provide sufficient shelter from the weather, whether hot or cold, extreme temperatures can kill a dog quickly.

* Get A Free Trial… Consider Fostering A Dog

Homeless dogs in rescue organizations and dog shelters need foster homes until they get adopted to a permanent home. Fostering a dog is a great way to experience how it would be to own a dog.

If you decide that owning a dog is not for you, you can return the dog to the rescue organization it belongs to, or if you like the experience, perhaps you could even adopt your foster.

STEP 2 – Choosing A Dog

Now that you know about the facts involved in owning a dog and evaluated your real potential to become a responsible dog owner, It’s time to learn about the facts involved in choosing a dog that’s suitable for you, your family and lifestyle.

* Choosing A Dog Breed

When choosing a dog breed, consider size, energy level, temperament and what purpose the breed was created for.

Dog breeds where created by humans to create dogs that excelled at a specific purpose, whether it’s work, sports or companionship, find out what breed or breed mix would be more compatible with you, your family and your lifestyle.

If you have kids, choosing a dog breed or breed mix that is good with kids is important, but don’t forget to match their temperaments and energy levels no matter what breed you choose.

Choosing a dog based on its looks could be a big mistake, please do some research and make a responsible decision.

* Choosing A Dog With The Right Temperament

Your goal is choosing a dog with a balanced behavior. Curious, respectful and calm.

Evaluate your own temperament; are you excitable, mellow, soft, calm, strong, confident or vigorous?. Then look for a dog that’s compatible with it, ideally a dog with a similar or mellower temperament than yours.

Dogs that show signs of fear, insecurity, hyperactivity or over-excitement are cases that need more attention and training to become balanced.

If you become interested in choosing a dog that is fearful, insecure, hyperactive, overexcited, dominant or even aggressive, you can always consider the possibility of committing to help the dog overcome his issues.

– Should you consider choosing a dog with behavioral problems?

There are so many troubled dogs in need of a home with an experienced leader that can help them overcome their issues.

However, you should only do it if you are an experienced dog owner, have a good understanding of dog behavior and training techniques; and can provide the leadership needed to help a dog with behavioral problems overcome his issues.

Choosing a dog with behavioral issues is a choice that requires a higher level of commitment and work, but ultimately, helping a troubled dog find balance and happiness is an extremely rewarding experience.

Just make sure you are choosing a dog with an issue you can handle, if you don’t know how to properly correct the problem you could make it worse and instead of helping, you will be preventing the dog from having a real chance to have a better life.

* Choosing A Dog With The Right Energy Level

You must choose a dog that can be easily included in your daily routine, share your favorite activities and play an active role in your life.

Think about choosing a dog for a purpose, whether it is a jogging partner, a companion for walks, a playmate for the kids, a companion for a senior, someone to relax with, an adventure partner or others; and choose a dog with the right energy to serve its purpose.

The more activities you can share with your dog the more balanced your dog will be.

As a general rule it’s recommended that you choose a dog with a little lower energy level than yours.

Dog breed descriptions can give you a good idea of breeds typical energy levels and what kind of activities the dogs excel at, but to find a good energy match, you must also consider the dog’s age, since usually young dogs have way more energy than senior dogs; and when it comes to temperament, dominant dogs have more energy and strength than submissive dogs.

* Puppy, Adult Or Senior?

Here are few facts to consider about a dog’s age:

Puppies are the cutest things in the world, but on the other hand, they need lots of attention, obedience training, housetraining and socialization; in addition to that, they have lots of energy and if not exercised properly they can become destructive or develop behavioral problems.

Adult dogs are easier dogs, since they have already calm down and learned how to properly behave around people and dogs, most adult dogs are housetrained and against popular believe, training an adult dog is not difficult.

Adult dogs are recommended for families with kids because are more calm and even tempered.

Senior dogs are perfect companions for calm people or seniors; they need a calm environment and enjoy low intensity exercise. Adopting senior dogs is a great chance to provide comfort and happiness to a dog in his final years. However, you must consider that senior dogs are at higher risk of developing health problems.

* Choosing A Dog That Is Compatible With Your Other Dogs Or Pets

If you already own a dog, you must consider your dog’s temperament and find a dog with an equal or lower energy level, ideally a dog in the same life stage and similar age.

* Choosing A Dog You Can Handle

Powerful and big dogs are not recommended for inexperienced owners, they require owners that can offer strong leadership, good understanding of dog behavior, obedience training skills; which is crucial to prevent the development of behavioral problems.

You should also make sure you are physically strong and fit to handle a big and heavy dog; and provide the physical activity they usually need.

If you choose a puppy don’t forget to consider how big it will be when fully grown.

STEP 3 – Where To Get Your Dog?

Once you have come up with a good idea of how your ideal dog should be, it’s time to determine where to get this dog from and why some places are better than orders.

* Your Local Dog Shelter

Choosing a dog from a dog shelter is a great option; in a shelter you can find a huge variety of great dogs, including pure breed dogs. Dogs from shelters are temperament tested, vaccinatinated, dewormed, spayed or neutered and their adoption fee is very reasonable.

And best of all… you would be saving two lives, the life of the dog you are taking home and the life of the dog that takes his place.

However, when choosing a dog in a shelter it’s important that you don’t become overwhelmed by the harsh conditions; stay focused on choosing a dog that matches your criteria, and don’t let sadness or pity influence your decision. Remember that if you want to save a life and give a dog a great living you must choose one that is appropriate, that will be the dog you can really help.

* Dog Rescue Organizations

These organizations are also a great option, you can find great dogs for adoption there too and if you are looking for a specific breed there are pure breed rescues for almost all breeds with plenty of dogs waiting to find a forever home.

A well thought out dog rescue will require at least an adoption application, an interview and a home check visit, plus a contract with a variety of conditions, but you must keep in mind that they do this because it’s needed to ensure their dogs go to good homes.

A reputable dog rescue will also vaccinate, spay or neuter, microchip and temperament test all their dogs.

To find a respectable dog rescue organization you can search online at petfinder.com, pets911.com or your local humane society.

* Dog Breeders

Dog breeders are the way to go if you are looking for a pure breed puppy, these puppies are bred for good temperament and other traits depending of the breed.

Find a local dog breeder so you can go visit their facility and meet the puppy’s parents, while there you must pay attention to the dogs living conditions, their temperament and health.

A reliable dog breeder is a licensed breeder; which tells you that they take their business seriously enough to be licensed and operate in compliance with their local animal welfare laws.

* Where NOT To Get Your Dog?

Pet Stores and Online Sales are not good places to find healthy dogs.

A respectable and responsible dog rescue organization or dog breeder would never sell their dogs in a pet store, ALL dogs sold at pet stores come from puppy mills or negligent breeders.

Puppy Mills and backyard breeders are inhumane breeders that use cruel breeding techniques, no veterinary care for the puppies or their mothers, no positive human interaction and keep their dogs in the most horrible and unsanitary conditions a dog could live in.

Puppy mill dogs usually have health problems and malformations due to inbreeding, unsanitary conditions and cramped wire cages; in addition they have behavioral problems due to cruel treatment and lack of socialization.

That is why we ask you to please stay away from pet stores and Internet dog sales, as those are the outlets these cruel and ruthless breeders use to sell their dogs.

The best way you can help end this sickening business and end the suffering of those dogs is to never support their business by buying dogs at pet stores, the Internet or allowing yourself to be scammed.

You must be on the lookout, because they will pose as rescue organizations, reputable breeders, or loving dog owner that had an “accidental” litter or “found” a litter of puppies, making you believe that you are rescuing a homeless puppy.

How Can You Tell?

A trustworthy dog breeder or rescue organization will…

– Provide a complete and informational service.

– Have many questions and requirements for you, to make sure they are giving their dog to responsible and knowledgeable owners, they never let their dogs go to any home too easily.

– Answers all your questions.

– Give you an opportunity to see their facility to see if all of their dogs are healthy, well cared for and have good temperaments.

– Have good references.

In conclusion… If they only ask you for money, they are likely to be puppy mills or backyard breeders posing as dog rescue organizations or responsible dog breeders to sale their dogs.

STEP 4 – Dog Searching Day

Before you move forward and actually bring a dog home, there is something you must know…
Owning a Good Dog is not a matter of luck. It’s crucial that you commit to ensure your dog is healthy, friendly, well behaved and happy.

You must pledge to do whatever it takes to make sure your dog lives a quality life and never give up on him as challenges come along. Dogs are not disposable.

When you bring a dog into your home, your dog’s life is in your hands and you become responsible for his well being, physically and mentally; and also for the safety of everyone around him.

Now ask yourself… Are you ready to take on this commitment?

Well… Let’s Find Your Dog!!
Based on your previous research, by now you should have a very good idea of what you are looking for in a dog and where to get it.

But that’s not all you need to know…Now that you are ready to go out there searching for your dream dog, there are some important aspects you must consider to efficiently be able to recognize the behaviors that fit your criteria and spot the dog that’s right for you.

In this step you must be very careful and strong, all your research can go out the window if you let your emotions take over. It’s important that you remain focused and don’t get distracted by other cute or needy dogs you might see, just keep in mind the importance of choosing the right dog and the consequences of making a bad decision.

Your goal is to choose a dog with a balanced behavior; Calm, respectful and curious. It’s not about choosing the cutest dog.

Remember… Dogs that show fear, insecurity, hyperactivity or overexcitement are best for experienced owners that know how to correct those issues and prevent them from escalating into problems like aggression.

* Meeting And Evaluating Your Candidates

Whether you are choosing a dog from a shelter or choosing a puppy from a litter, you should follow the same guidelines.

You must introduce yourself to the dogs in a way that they can understand as trustworthy and respectful. Only that way dogs feel comfortable enough to show you their true colors.

The best way to accomplish that is to stand still and relax, before you have any kind of interaction with the dog, including eye contact. Just allow the dog to sniff you, after the dog is done you can touch or talk to the dog, making an effort not to share too much excitement or love, Just stay calm and allow the dog to be around you. If your kids are present, instruct them to do the same.

If the dogs are in kennels, avoid any interaction with the dogs until they can be taken out.

First, narrow down those dogs that you consider as good candidates according to your criteria. Start by looking for the right size, and other physical requirements you might have.

Once you get a chance to meet those good candidates outside a kennel you can start focusing on behavior, since true dog behavior only shows out of the kennel.

You must remain focused on your goal. So once the introductions are done, it’s time to look for the clues that will tell you about the dog’s temperament and energy level.

You should be able to identify these 3 most typical dog behavior types

* The “Pick Me!!” Dog

This is the dog that seems to be begging you to take him home, pushing everyone out of the way and jumping on you like you where made for each other, full of energy and extremely happy to see you.

Should you choose this dog?

I would recommend you to skip on that dog if you are NOT an experienced owner with lots of energy to burn and a strong personality.

Here is why…

– Begging, pushing and jumping on people or other dogs are clues of disrespect and dominant behavior. Therefore you must know how to control those behaviors before they become a bigger problem, generally aggression. A dominant dog needs an owner with a strong personality and good leadership skills.

– Hyper and overexcited behaviors are clues of high levels of energy, which require lots of physical exercise and training to keep your dog under control.

– Please don’t misinterpret the dog’s behavior, the dog is not begging you to take him home, he is just claiming you. See it as a red flag!

* The “Cool” Dog

This dog will come around you, sniff you and show just the right amount of happiness and excitement. This kind of dog is easier to deal with, playful and respectful, not pushy or overwhelming. This dog has a relaxed body language, like everything is just fine.

Should you choose this dog?

Yes, this is The Dog You Want To Pick, especially if you are an inexperienced owner.

Here is why…

– Dogs that show this kind of behavior tend to be even-tempered, respectful, submissive and easier to handle and train.

– But don’t get it wrong, any “cool” dog can become “not cool” if you don’t provide the leadership and exercise the dog needs to stay balanced.

* The “Shy” Dog

This is the dog that shows no interest on coming close to you, even if you call him or try to approach him. His body language is tense with low ears, low tail or tail between the legs.

Should you choose this dog?

This is another case that needs a more experienced owner, one that knows how to properly deal with issues like insecurity and fear. In this case love and comfort are not the solution.

Here is why…

– That lack of curiosity is a sign of insecurity or fear, which are behaviors that need to be corrected immediately and properly, since they can easily turn into aggression or other behavioral problems.

– If you feel compelled to adopt dog with issues like these it’s essential that you get professional advice immediately to help your dog overcome his problems; remember love and comfort are not the way to help dogs conquer their fears.

A Few More Tips:

– Take the dog for a short walk if possible; evaluate his energy level and how comfortable it makes you feel. If a dog feels like too much to handle, it probably is.

Pay attention of how the dog reacts to the outside world, cars, people, and other dogs. Avoid choosing a dog that shows signs of fear or aggression like barking or growling, unless you are skilled and committed enough to work on correcting those behaviors.

– If you are adopting a dog from a dog shelter or dog rescue, find out as much as possible about the dogs behavior, why and how the dog became homeless and also about health issues the dog might have.

– If you already have a dog at home, bring him or her to meet the candidates before making a decision. Remember, the dogs should have similar energy levels and get along well, with no displays of dominance or disrespect.

When it comes to choosing a dog that is right for your other dog(s), you should choose a dog that can mingle with your dog in a calm, respectful, submissive and playful manner.

– The day you go out to get your new dog, making a good choice is essential; but that’s easier said than done, there is a lot to consider and evaluate. If you are not confident about your skills to efficiently evaluate a dog’s temperament and energy levels it’s always a smart decision to ask for professional advice. Hire someone to go with you and guide you through the process of choosing a dog that is right for you.

– If you don’t find a dog that feels right in your first outing, come back some other day or go look somewhere else, but don’t rush into decisions, wait until you find the right one.

Now you have chosen your dog…

Now is your change to start living up to your commitment, but don’t panic, if you did a good job choosing a dog, you are in for a real treat… Owning a dog that’s perfect for you.

If you start building a relationship based on trust, respect and love with your new dog from your first day together, your dog will reward you beyond your expectations.

http://www.dog-obedience-and-behavior-support.com/choosing-a-dog.html

Canine body language

(From Victoria Stilwell “Positively”)

Because dogs don’t speak our language, the only way to truly comprehend and communicate with them is for us to understand and appreciate what they are telling us through their body and vocal language. Often, gestures or actions that we assume mean one thing are actually the dog telling us the exact opposite, and determining what that wagging tail or exposed tummy really means can sometimes be the difference between a belly rub and a bite.
Dogs communicate using a complex language of body signals that reflect what they are thinking and feeling. They use these signals consciously and unconsciously to communicate intent and ensure their personal safety by affecting behavior in others.

Appeasement & Displacement
A dog might try to appease another by actively seeking attention via one or more of the following behaviors:

muzzle and/or ear licking
jumping up
lowering and curving the body
blinking
clacking or exposing the teeth “(“smiling”)
lip licking
lowering the head and ears
play bowing

Although much appeasement consists of this active body language, passive submission such as cowering and body freezing seems to be done in response to escalating fear in the presence of a perceived threat. A socially experienced dog receiving these signals will tolerate this language of appeasement and reciprocate with appropriate signals; other less experienced dogs might take advantage of this deference and attempt to control or aggress.
In addition to appeasement, dogs also commonly use displacement signals to avoid confrontation. These body signals are used to provide a distraction – a way of covering up what the dog is actually feeling. Yawning, sniffing, scratching, sneezing, and licking are all active behaviors that keep the dog calm and provide a distraction to refocus the attention of others away from him.

Common Body Language
Any signal that is demonstrated by a particular part of the dog’s body must always be read in the context of whatever other body or vocal language the dog is communicating. Similar signals have different meanings in different situations, so the position of the body and other vocal signals will help you understand a dog’s intent and emotional state.

Stress/Discomfort/Nervousness Language
When dogs are stressed and nervous they exhibit many different kinds of behavior that either help relieve the stress they are feeling or appease a perceived threat. While dogs like humans, yawn when they are tired, they are also much more likely to yawn when they are nervous. Lip licking does not always mean a dog is hungry or has just eaten either, but is a very clear stress signal that is performed when a dog is nervous or experiencing fear.

Yawning can be a sign that a dog is tired, but it also signals stress
Lip licking or tongue flicking. Dogs lick their lips when nervous
Brief body freezing – the dog is still for a few seconds before reacting
Body freezing – the dog freezes until the threat goes away or he decides to use fight or flight
‘Whale Eye’ – the dog turns his head away but keeps looking at the perceived threat, showing the whites of his eyes
Head turn – the dog will turn his head away from a fear source as a gesture of appeasement
Furrowed brow, curved eyebrows – caused by facial tension
Tense jaw – the mouth is closed, and the dog is preparing for action
Hugging – a dog will gain comfort by holding onto his owner
Low tail carriage – indicates discomfort and uncertainty
Curved tongue – the tongue is curved at the edges from tension
Raspy, dry-sounding panting – nervousness reduces saliva production
Twitching whiskers – caused by facial tension
Shaking – caused by adrenaline release
Drooling – stress can also cause excessive salivation
Lack of focus – an anxious dog finds learning difficult
Sweaty paws – dogs sweat through their foot pads
Piloerection – the hair on a dog’s neck and spine stands on end (like human goose bumps), making the dog appear bigger while releasing odor from the glands contained in the dog’s hair follicles

Appeasement/Deference Language
Deference language is designed to appease a perceived threat, avoid injury and is crucial for survival. If the dog engages in non-threatening behavior this helps deescalate the negative intentions of another animal or human. Most appeasement behavior is extremely submissive with the dog lowering the body, making it appear smaller and less threatening. Socially appropriate dogs will respond positively to this deference while others often take advantage of what they perceive as weakness.

Head bobbing or lowering
Head turning
Averting eyes
Lip licking
Low tail carriage
Tail tucked between the legs
Curved and lowered body
Stomach flip – the dog flips over quickly, exposing his stomach; he is not asking for a belly rub, but signaling that he is withdrawing from interaction
Curious/Anticipatory Language
Dogs are naturally curious animals and the more confident they are, the more they can deal with novelty and change. All dogs will size up any situation to ensure safety using the following language:
Head cocked to one side or the other
Front paw lifted – anticipating what will happen and what the dog should do next
Mouth closed – sizing up the situation in preparation for action

Displacement Language
Displacement language helps the dog to self-calm and refocus attention away from them and onto something else. If a perceived or actual threat approaches and the dog is nervous or uncomfortable she will often indulge in behaviors that take the threat’s focus away from what could be a negative intention. The threat’s attention is diverted onto the behavior the dog is doing, like sniffing the ground or scratching and not actually the dog herself. These behaviors are often performed when the dog needs an outlet for their pent up energy or frustration, but can become compulsive if the outlets are not given. Displacement behaviors can result in compulsive behaviors including excessive spinning or licking.

Sneezing
Shaking
Sniffing
Nose licking
Yawning
Spinning
Pacing
Chattering teeth
Shake off – dog will release stress and tension by shaking their bodies as if trying to get water off their backs.

Defensive and Offensive Language
When a dog has to defend herself from an actual or perceived threat she will demonstrate defensive or offensive language in order to keep herself safe. This language manifests itself in behaviors that encourage a threat to keep their distance. If the threat does not back away and the dog has nowhere to go, defensive behavior will turn offensive and the dog will bite. These behaviors are usually easy to recognize and understand.

Body leaning forward
Tense mouth
Lips pushed forward and vibrating as the dog growls
Air snapping – the dog snaps in the air to warn something to back away
Snapping with skin contact – also a warning to back away
Fast nip – an immediate bite and release with bruising or slight wound, telling a threat to back off
Deeper bite – a dog that bites with more intensity is intending to harm
Bite and hold – intent to harm
Bite, hold, and shake – intent to harm and potentially to kill. Some dogs will bite, hold, shake, and disembowel stuffed toys, simulating the killing of prey; while this is prevalent among dogs with high prey drive, even dogs with low drive can indulge in behavior of this type. If your dog likes to disembowel stuffed toys, this doesn’t mean he wants to do the same with people or other animals. Sadie loves to disembowel toys, but she is incredibly gentle with people, especially children.
Wagging tail – again, a wagging tail does not always mean a happy dog
Hard, staring eyes

Relaxed Language
There is nothing better than being with a happy dog. The body is fluid and relaxed, the mouth is slightly open with tongue hanging to the side and all the signals a dog gives off communicate joy, confidence and a desire to invite play and attention.

Mouth slightly open, tongue relaxed and lolling to one side.
Small body freezes during play.
Play bow – this signal invites play and tells others that whatever action comes next is still just play.
Turning over, inviting belly rub – showing trust and enjoying social contact.
Relaxed facial expression.
Squinty or blinking eyes.
Tail wagging fast, either side to side or in a round motion like a helicopter.
Wiggling backside.

What does a wagging tail mean?
Tail wagging is a frequently misinterpreted signal. Most people believe that a wagging tail only means a dog is happy, which of course is often true, but some dogs also wag their tails when aroused, overstimulated and frustrated. You can usually tell the difference by looking at what the rest of the body is doing:

A confident or aroused dog will hold his tail in the air, allowing scent from the anal glands to circulate more freely and advertise his presence.
A dog that is wagging his tail but barking with a defensive body posture, tense face, and hard staring eyes is overly aroused and frustrated, which means that he should not be approached.
A tail that is held low or between the legs signals a lack of confidence, nervousness, or fear
A tail that is held high but wagged more slowly means that the dog is assessing a situation.
A tail that is extended and curved means that the dog is tense and ready to take offensive or defensive action.
A tail that wags around and around like a helicopter and is accompanied by relaxed fluid body movement and a wiggling bottom signals friendliness and a willingness to engage.
Research has shown that when a dog sees someone they like, his tail wags more to the right. When he sees an unfamiliar person, his tail wags more to the left. Subtle body language like this is easy to miss.

The tail is important for both balance and signaling, which is why the practice of tail docking, or partial removal of a dog’s tail, is so harmful. Because the tail is a prime indicator of mood, dogs with docked tails are unable to communicate properly using that part of their body, which means that other dogs and people miss vital signals.
– See more at: https://positively.com/dog-training/understanding-dogs/canine-body-language/#sthash.ZMoHWxZb.dpuf

Having visitors to your home and introducing to your dogs

This is how we manage introductions between the pack and guests. (Some may find this overkill, but this is what we do. It works for us!).

Basic Principle: It shouldn’t be “about” the dogs, i.e. they shouldn’t be the centre of attention. They should be incidental to the meeting of human beings. Ignoring the dogs is MUCH better than making a fuss of them.

• Person A goes outside and meets visitors/guests. Person A gets their attention and explains that he/she needs to communicate something important, namely how we are going to manage the introductions to the dogs safely. Make sure children are listening. Person A explains to visitors the process you will follow (namely steps below).

• Person A tells visitors the Basic Principle and the Golden Rule – namely that they are to follow the instructions you are about to give without deviation.

• Visitors (especially children) must be told to move in an “adult” fashion. No running, no jumping, no sudden movements, no shouting. Just calm, regular movements/gait. No running to hug people – there will be plenty of time for that later. And luggage is to be left in the vehicle for now.

• Person A walks the visitors to an agreed point on the property such as garden/garage, etc. Stop and hold at a given point.

• Person A starts a conversation with visitors. Eye contact and concentration maintained between visitors and guests. No distractions.

• The 2nd person then allows dogs out into the space a few at a time, in an order agreed with the 1st person.

• The dogs will likely rush over, bark, sniff, make a lot of noise. Visitors and guests maintain their position, their conversation and don’t pay any attention to the dogs whatsoever.

• Dogs will quickly get bored and go off and do other things. When all dogs have been introduced per plan and when dogs are calm, walk visitors into the house. Maintain conversations: remember dogs should not be the focus of attention. They are to be ignored until owners give the go-ahead to pet. No favourites – all to be treated equally.

• When it is time to bring luggage in, have owners go get it/accompany visitors (dogs may forget the person who came in, went out and then came back in again).

• Have visitors ask permission to do things (e.g. “Is it OK if I pet the dogs now?”), and then give specific instructions. Do not be afraid to say “No”, “Not yet” and “Stop!”.

• Visitors should understand there is to be no tail-gating (i.e. they go through a door/gate first, no dogs are allowed to go through the door with them/behind them, no dogs allowed to run IN through the door/gate as the visitors are going out etc).
Put simply: if a door is shut, and you are going through it, close it behind you. If a door is open, it is probably wise to check with the owners first if it is meant to be.

• Bedroom doors to be kept shut as dogs are incredibly inquisitive!

Our dogs are quite comfortable and have their areas they can retreat to should they need space, but you might find too that your own dogs prefer having baby-gates set up to keep themselves separate – only you will know your dogs well enough to determine that.

12 Helpful Tips for Finding your Lost Dog

(from Victoria Stilwell – “Positively”)
by Tim Link

As part of my animal consulting business, I have worked with people around the world who have missing animals. For over a decade, I have had a great deal of success in reuniting animals with their families. While no one can guarantee that a lost dog will be reunited with their family, implementing these steps will increase your chances of being reunited with your missing dog.

1. Create a laminated ‘lost dog’ sign that contains the word ‘REWARD’ at the top, a recent color picture of the animal in the center of the sign and the phone number to contact if your dog is seen by someone or found. It’s very important not to list any other details. Using too many details clutters the sign and makes it more difficult for people to remember the information. NOTE: Use a large enough sign that it can be seen by drivers from their cars. If the sign is too small, they will not be able to read the information.

2. Post the ‘lost dog’ sign around your neighborhood, at local veterinarian’s offices, at the county animal control shelter and at local animal rescue shelters.

3. If you live in a major city with a lot of restaurants nearby, provide each restaurant with the ‘lost dog’ sign or fliers. After all, the animal will find food wherever it is convenient.

4. If your dog is micro-chipped, contact the issuing company (e.g. Avid, Home Again, etc.) and ensure that they have your current contact information on file.

5. Visit your local animal control offices and local animal rescue shelters daily to see if your dog is among those at the shelters. Unfortunately, most animal control offices have a very short time frame that they can house animals. So, it’s very important to take the time to do this. In addition, the shelters often use volunteers to work in the facilities. These volunteers change on a daily basis. So, who you spoke to yesterday may not be there today.

6. Place a ‘lost dog’ ad in your local newspaper and on web sites that are typically used in your area to post missing pet information. Include the same information that you have on the ‘lost dog’ sign and fliers.

7. Check ‘found dog’ ads in the local newspaper, on local animal rescue shelter web sites and on various web sites where ‘found pet’ information can be posted.

8. Canvas a three-block radius around your neighborhood from your home. It is important to literally knock on doors and talk to your neighbors so they are aware that your dog is missing. If they aren’t home, leave a flier with your pet’s photo and your contact information on it.

9. Set a humane trap, pet taxi or crate in a safe area near the exterior of your home (e.g. front porch, deck, back porch, etc.) and cover the back and sides of the trap or carrier with a towel or blanket that has your scent or your dog’s scent on it. Check on the trap, taxi or crate frequently but do it discretely so as not to scare your dog away. Put a bowl of fresh soft dog food, peanut butter or your dog’s favorite treats in the enclosure to lure your dog into the enclosure. You may catch other animals as well, but you might also catch your own dog if they are nearby. If you do happen to catch other animals, release them from the trap while you are standing at the back of the trap. They will generally run away very quickly and not look back.

10. If you live in a neighborhood that has a homeowner’s association, contact one of the board members and ask them to post your dog’s information on the neighborhood’s web site and to send out an e-mail to everyone in the neighborhood asking that you be called if someone sees your dog.

11. Provide a “lost dog” flier to drivers with regular routes in the area and ask them to contact you if they spot your missing dog. This includes mail carriers, trash collectors, school bus drivers and delivery truck drivers (e.g. FedEx, UPS, etc.).

12. Actively keep searching for your lost dog no matter how much time has elapsed. Lost dogs can turn up weeks and sometimes months or years after they’ve gone missing.
The most important thing to do is to remain calm and implement a plan to find your lost dog.

– See more at: https://positively.com/contributors/12-helpful-tips-for-finding-your-lost-dog/#sthash.UDbw1DXP.dpuf