If a dog is is wagging his tail, it means he’s happy, right?  It’s conventional wisdom. If a dog wags his tail at you, he wants to be petted. If another dog is wagging his tail at your dog, he’s friendly.

Right?

Brace yourself: I’m going to burst that bubble. (Sorry – it’s for your own good.)  This is a myth, and a dangerous one at that.   A wagging tail can actually indicate a variety of emotions in a dog – and can even be a warning – and if I may speculate, I bet that a large percentage of dog bites happen while a dog is wagging his tail.

When a dog wags his tail, it signals a willingness to interact with what he’s looking at.  That’s all.   Does he want to be petted? Play with another dog? Chase you off his property?  Defend his bone?  Whomp on another dog in the park because it’s fun?  Once an interaction is invited, how that interaction will go, or what the dog’s intent is, must be read from the rest of his body and his face.

Here are some examples of dogs who are actually friendly, or soliciting a pleasant social interaction:

This is Irma. Note her soft, slightly squinted eyes and relaxed mouth. Her tongue is out only a little, and it’s relaxed, too (not curled up at the end, or hiding behind her bottom teeth). Under her fur, her ears are in a middle-position (not pressed back on her head, nor alerting forward), her facial muscles are relaxed and she almost appears to be smiling.  If after presenting her your hand to smell (an invitation on the human side to interact), if her face still looks like this, yes, you may pet her!

This is Rafter (mauling me in puppy class). Note that his tail is blurred – he is wagging it. Also note that his tail is in a middle-position – neither high over his back nor low toward the ground. His eyes, too, are soft and squinty, and note how far back his ears are (this is a signal of deference and affection, as is the lick-under-the-chin). He is relaxed, happy, and offering affection. Dogs will do this licking to other dogs, too – although depending on the comfort level of the recipient, sometimes they find it annoying.

Now, compare Irma and Rafter’s body language to these dogs’ (none of these are my pictures; I found them online):

This dog is not interested in a petting right now. Note that his weight is shifted forward onto his front legs, and they are slightly bent like he is ready to move. His ears are far forward – he’s on alert.  His eyes are NOT relaxed and squinty; rather they are hard, fixed on what he’s looking at, and his facial muscles are tense (see that little horizontal line below his eye where the muscles meet?) His mouth is closed and his lips are tight. And of course, the tail – it’s probably wagging. But in this instance, he’s still deciding whether whatever he’s looking at is a threat or not. The tail is held very high over the back, indicating a high level of arousal and possibly a “hair trigger.” If you petted a dog who looks like this, you would be risking a bite.

This dog has a closed, tight mouth as well. Again you can see the horizontal ridge below his eye where the muscles are tense. Notice how far back his ears are – they say, “I’m not sure I’m okay with this.” Also notice his eye – that sliver of white is called “whale eye” or “half moon eye” and what it means is, “this makes me a little uncomfortable!”  If a dog were looking at you like this and you went to pet him, you would be risking a bite.

Another example of dogs on alert. You can tell that their tails are wagging, but look at how stiff they are, just like the rest of their muscles. Both dogs’ weight is shifted forward, and both dogs’ ears are pricked forward. They are on alert. Their eyes are squinty but it’s most likely because of the light, because the rest of their faces are very tight, mouth clamped shut, wrinkles on the forehead. The dog on the left is air-scenting to gather more information about whatever is approaching. These dogs are guarding something and if you were to pet them right now, you would be risking a bite.
All of this said, if you have a child – or an adult – who needs to be educated about which dogs are friendly and which are not, break the cycle of bad information!  There are several fabulous educational programs available to teach children (and adults) to be safe around dogs.  Here are a few:

http://www.doggonesafe.com/

http://www.vet.utk.edu/dogbiteprevention/

http://www.livingwithkidsanddogs.com/

Have an idea for a training Tidbit? Let me know! I’d love to hear from you!

This one has some salty language in it, so if you don’ t like that kind of thing, you might want to skip it.  Consider yourself warned!

Texts from my dog

Want to pick the trainer’s brain for a while?  Are you ambulatory? Like spring weather?  Hate chronic brain disease? Then this is the gig for you!

No, seriously.  I know someone with MS. It’s a scary thing.  If your legs don’t do what you want them to do, the dog can’t be walked.  If your arms don’t do what you want them to do, the dog can’t be fed.  And if your brain refuses to form the words you need to communicate, you can’t even ask for help!  Talk about frustrating.

So, help us walk for a cure!  Join the team and get free animal training advice, a lovely walk in the park, and good karma!  Or if you can’t walk with us, be so kind as to donate $5 here.

From now until the walk, 100% of the proceeds from Puppy, Pipsqueak and Friendly Dog  socials will be donated to Team Fur and Feather Works – as if you needed another reason to attend a social!

JESUS CHRIST IN RICHMOND PARK

Don’t be a Fenton.   Talk to me about a Control Off-Leash class.

I have a DINOS.  I work with DINOS constantly.  My heart aches for them and their owners.  Its up to those of us with DINOS, and those of us who sympathize with them, to take a stand and pass the message along.  It’s the least we can do.

 DINOS. Click here.

One of my favorite DINOS sleeps after class.

It happens to all of us: as we age, our brains move a little slower, we take a little longer to solve problems, and it takes a little more effort to absorb new information.  It’s not that intelligence or problem solving capacity has decreased at all, it’s just that things are a little slower.  It’s a pretty clear pattern across all animal species.

But, did you know that studies indicate that dogs can suffer from cognitive dysfunction or dementia similar to that found in humans?  Sometimes it’s not just “normal aging” – sometimes it’s a treatable medical problem.  More severe than the normal slowing down of mental function, it’s called Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome and has similar (but not identical) pathology to human dementia.  It is not at all similar in pathology to human Alzheimer’s disease, although it is often mistakenly called “Doggy Alzheimer’s.”

And just between you and me, I’d wager a bet that it’s only a matter of time before other animals are found to suffer from dementia, as well.  Dogs just tend to be the most convenient test subjects because their lives are so closely tied with humans.

Cognitive function is defined as mental processes such as perception, learning, memory, awareness and decision making. A breakdown of these functions in a dog causes bizarre changes in your dog’s normal behavioral patterns, such as house soiling or getting lost in a once-familiar room.

Wondering if your dog is a possible victim of CDS?  Here is the basic “checklist,” although your veterinarian will be able to do a more thorough history and diagnosis.  You want to watch  for:

•     Orientation: meaning your dog may get lost in a small or familiar area.  He may suddenly begin going to the back door to potty, when for his entire life he’s gone to the front.  Some dogs appear confused, and may not be able to find their food and water dishes, or unable to find their way out from under a chair.

•     Social Interaction: Normally independent dogs may become strangely clingy.  “Velcro” dogs may become distinctly aloof.  Or even stranger, a normally affectionate dog will walk away in the middle of a petting, for no reason.
•     House training: dogs who have had perfect house training their entire lives may begin having “accidents.”  These are truly accidents; they are not in any way an attempt by your dog to transmit any sort of communication.  Rather they likely reflect a breakdown of memory and learning.
•     Sleep: circadian rhythms can be disrupted, resulting in a dog who appears to sleep more than is normal, or who becomes an insomniac.

Unfortunately, CDS is as difficult to treat in dogs as it is in humans.  Your veterinarian can prescribe a medication which is will help through its immune-system boosting and anti- neurodegenerative effects (meaning, it slows the breakdown of the connections in the brain and helps to grow new ones).  There is some evidence that diet rich in antioxidants can have a positive effect, as well.   And of course, behavioral and psychological support goes a long way, too.  The brain is incredibly malleable.  Help your dog to do the canine version of a crossword puzzle every day to keep his mind sharp!

Have an idea for a training Tidbit? Let me know! I’d love to hear from you!

This year, I’ll leave you with an important holiday message from our canine friends:

(click the image to enlarge it)

These two seem to have invented a fun game …

*disclaimer: empty carbs aren’t good for parrots and neither is standing on the stove, so please don’t copy this video. Parrots upset your dog’s digestion, so please don’t ever leave your predator pets and your prey pets together unattended.*

APDT Conference 2011- San Diego, CA

Many of you have asked about my trip to the Association of Pet Dog Trainers’ conference in San Diego in October.  It was fantastic!  Undoubtedly the highlight of my trip were the field studies at the San Diego Zoo and Sea World San Diego, especially since I work in multiple species and most of my clients live with more than one type of pet!  The trainers at these facilities were so gracious and endlessly patient in answering all of our questions about zoo animal training, husbandry, handling, and their education.  By the end of the trip to Sea World our entire group of dog trainers were all ready to ditch working with dogs and go straight to Orcas! (Not that that’s particularly likely … that water is COLD!)

And I have several videos as well:

First we met a cheetah.

Then, we met Daisy, the armadillo.

..And Tess, the sloth

And we talked with the marine mammal trainers, too.

And met Orchid the Orca

I can’t wait for the next conference!

And in addition (but making for less interesting video)  I learned all sorts of new and interesting dog training protocols, techniques, found some cool new equipment, met some brilliant animal trainers, and generated many, many new ideas which are already being integrated into my training of humans and animals!

The opportunity to receive continuing education in the very latest in animal training,  in such a hands-on, entertaining and integrative way, is so valuable in the dog training profession.  I’m very grateful for it.

Plus, I got my picture taken with Karen Pryor while simultaneously creating one of the most awkward, geeked-out fan moments of my career.  It was awesome.  The picture’s here on Facebook.

Click here to read her blog entry.

Puppy Kindergarten class is for making new friends!