My dog Mayzie was rescued by Second Chance Animal Rescue in Colorado. At the time, she was approximately two years old and had spent her entire life at the end of a rope in someone’s backyard. She had little food and water and only the frame of a drawer for shelter. To our knowledge, she had never lived in a house until she went to live with her foster mom.
When we adopted her two months later, we knew her history and that she was a “sensitive” dog. But beyond that, we really had no idea what we were getting into. Truth be told, I’m not sure we could ever have been prepared for the enormous project we were undertaking.
Mayzie was quite literally afraid of everything. A list of “Items That Terrified Mayzie” included: hardwood floors, stairs, the oven, the dishwasher, the BBQ grill, the umbrella on our patio set, the wind, ceiling fans, walks, getting in the car, getting out of the car …
Well, you get the idea.
Today, though, with a lot of hard work, patience and cheese therapy, Mayzie is a happy, funny, confident dog. Sure, there are things that still scare her, but she now has the tools she needs to deal with most things that come her way.
But, oh, I remember how challenging those first few days, weeks and years were. And I realize now that while there are many resources out there on how to help a fearful dog, they generally don’t prepare the human for the unique challenges and rewards that come along with it.
So if you’re just starting your journey or have been at it for a while, here are some tips to help your fearful dog.
Mayzie was a fearful dog when we adopted. Photography courtesy Amber Carlton.
1. A fearful dog’s journey isn’t a straight line — don’t expect it to be
Humans seem to be hardwired to want to get someplace by the shortest, most direct path. When it comes to working with a fearful dog, however, it’s best to accept that you’re going to be taking the scenic route. You should prepare for setbacks and breakdowns, and you may have to take an alternate route every once in awhile.
The fact is, setbacks are going to happen and they’re perfectly normal when it comes to our fearful dogs. But that doesn’t mean you’ve failed. Even in the worst case scenario, you’re likely not going to go back to the place you started. If you stay the course, you’ll be gaining ground and moving forward toward your goal. So when detours happen, acknowledge them but don’t let yourself be discouraged by them.
2. Learn to enjoy the perspective
After adopting Mayzie, I became hypervigilant about everything around us. What were the potential triggers on our walks? What might cause her to fly into a panic in the house? Frankly, it was stressful because it seemed that Mayzie’s many boogeymen were always lurking just around the corner.
But then I slowly began to realize something: I was seeing things in a way I never had before. Maybe the flowers in one of my neighbor’s gardens had begun to bloom. Or maybe another put up a new fence. And, wow, I never noticed that beautiful weeping willow down the street before. Once I began looking at the world through Mayzie’s eyes, I not only helped her, I received the gift of appreciating the world around me in a whole new way.
3. Revel in small victories
One morning on our walk, Mayzie stopped dead in her tracks and backed up several steps, her body low to the ground. I immediately became extra alert. What threat had I missed? Then I saw it. After a hard rain the night before, a large dahlia bloom had dropped onto the sidewalk and into our path. Any other dog wouldn’t have even noticed. Not Mayzie. This was new and different, and in the past it might have sent her into a panic to get away. I stood still, studying her for clues on the best course of action.
As I watched, she slowly crept her front legs forward, her neck outstretched, while somehow keeping her back legs poised for flight. Closer and closer she inched until she was finally nose-to-bud with the flower. As soon as she sniffed it, all tension released from her body. “Duh, mom, it’s a flower! And you were so scared,” she seemed to say as she trotted happily away. To anyone else, it might have seemed inconsequential. But to me it was another example of how far this fearful dog had come. I smiled all the way home.
4. There will be tough days and you might want to give up
About two weeks after we adopted Mayzie, we had a really, really bad day. Everything that could go wrong, did. I was at my wit’s end and felt completely in over my head. As my husband and I climbed into bed, I broke into sobs and blurted out, “I don’t know if we can do this! Maybe we should give her back to the rescue.” I shocked even myself by saying that. I was raised to believe that an animal, like a child, is a lifetime commitment, but I was tired and frustrated and simply didn’t know what to do.
My husband looked me in the eye and said, “She’s ours now and we’re not giving up on her. You’ll feel better after you’ve slept.” And you know what? He was right. I woke with a better outlook and renewed determination to help my dog. That wasn’t our last bad day, by any means, but I was better prepared for them in the future.
Mayzie happy and out on a hike! Photography courtesy Amber Carlton.
5. Just remember — it gets better
Five years ago, I never would have believed where Mayzie is today. Never. I couldn’t have conceived of a reality where she would love to go for walks or that I could flip on the ceiling fan without a second thought. Yet here we are. Some days/weeks/months, it felt like we were making no progress at all. But looking back on it, I realize that things were getting better even if it was hard to see at the time.
One of the best pieces of advice I got was to start a journal to keep track of progress. I started a blog. You might prefer a notebook. But whatever you do, write it down. It’s so helpful on the difficult days to read about how far you’ve come, how much progress you’ve made and how it really has gotten better.
6. It’s one of the most rewarding things you’ll ever do
I can’t even begin to count all the hours and money I’ve invested in helping Mayzie become the dog she is today: happy, healthy and with a full, rich life. Is she “normal” (whatever that means)? Well, no, I guess not and probably never will be. She was too far behind the eight ball to ever catch up completely. But every minute and every dollar I’ve spent have been worth it. All the work we’ve done together has created a trust and a bond that is rare and unbreakable. It’s been an amazing, challenging, crazy roller-coaster of a ride, and I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat.
If you have a fearful dog, remember that it gets better! Photography courtesy Amber Carlton.
Your turn: Do you have a fearful dog? What has been your biggest challenge or reward? Tell us in the comments!
About the Author: Amber Carlton is owned by two cats and two dogs (all rescues), and is affectionately (?) known as the crazy pet lady amongst her friends and family. She and her husband (the crazy pet man) live in colorful Colorado where they enjoy hiking, biking and camping. Amber is a freelance copywriter and blogger for hire and also acts as the typist for her dog’s musings at Mayzie’s Dog Blog. She encourages other crazy pet people to connect with her at her business website, on Twitter or on Facebook.
Read more about dog fears and anxieties on Dogster.com:
- 5 Road-Tested Tips for Traveling With Fearful Dogs
- How I Helped a Labrador Puppy Overcome His Fear of Human Touch
- How I Taught My Nervous, Skittish Dog to Be Brave
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Big Dog-Little Man BFFs Will Make Your Day
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Big Ben is very patient with his tiny toddler bestie!
We’d love to see these two in a photo shoot! <3
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As a dog parent, one of my worst nightmares is dognapping. As a result, I’m pretty obsessive about the safety of my own dogs, and I always worry about dog theft when I see dogs tied to bike racks and lampposts outside of coffee shops, grocery stores and other spots around New York City. So, what is dognapping? Why does it happen and are certain breeds or types of dogs targeted? How do you prevent it in the first place? What do you do if it happens to you?
Dognapping — the basics
An abandoned dog. Photography by Shutterstock.
An estimated two million pets are stolen every year in the United States. The American Kennel Club, which tracks instances of dog theft from their National Pet Theft Database, found a 31% increase in dognappings in recent years, with newly stolen dogs reported daily from communities across the country.
Dognappings happen for many reasons and dogs may change hands multiple times after being stolen, which makes them even harder to locate. Thieves often steal dogs hoping to make money off of them. This might be someone looking to collect a reward, or something even more sinister. Intact dogs (canines that aren’t spayed or neutered) may be sold to puppy mills or backyard breeders, small dogs or dogs of popular, expensive breeds might be taken and resold, or dogs may be sold to dog fighting rings either as fighters or bait dogs.
According to Pet FBI, some of the top small dogs targeted for cash include purebred Yorkshire Terriers, Pomeranians, Maltese and Chihuahuas, while Pitbulls, Boston Terriers, German Shepherds and Boxers fall victim to theft for dogfighting rings. In NYC, there has been a rise of dognappings of small dogs in return for cash.
How do you keep your dog safe from dognappers?
Never leave your dog unattended in public places or in your yard
Unattended dogs are easy targets for dognappers. If you are running errands that aren’t dog friendly, leave your dog at home.
Be proactive about dognapping
Hopefully your dog never goes missing, but you’ll need to prove he belongs to you if he does. Microchip your dog, and ensure that your contact information is up to date with your microchip company. Thieves could remove a collar and tags, but microchips are permanent forms of identification for your dog. Some dog guardians even use the advanced technology of Dog DNA tests to prove the identity of their dogs.
Hire professionals when it comes to pet-care providers
In recent years, there have been several high-profile cases of dogs going missing while in the care of dog sitters — and never being seen again. Only hire responsible, insured and trusted pet-care providers and always check references before hiring a walker, daycare or sitter.
Use caution with overly curious strangers
Be very guarded with your dog’s information. Sometimes, dognappers will try to determine how much a dog is worth, and if they’re spayed or neutered before taking them. Deflect detailed questions from strangers — particularly about how much your dog cost.
What do you do if someone steals your dog?
Get help
Immediately call the police and your local animal control department. File a police report.
Talk to everyone
Try to find any witnesses who might have seen the dognapping occur. This will help you and the police get information about who has or had your dog. Distribute current, clear photos of your dog right away.
Research and use every available resource
Search out local lost and found groups online and on Facebook.
Other helpful sites include:
Contact the media
Social media sites like Facebook are instrumental in spreading the word about lost or stolen dogs. Don’t forget to contact your local media — newspapers, TV and radio — to try to increase coverage of your dog’s disappearance.
Protect yourself, too
People whose dogs are missing are vulnerable to being taken advantage of even further. I can’t even imagine how desperate I would be if something happened to one of my dogs — I would want to do everything and anything in my power to get them back. The Better Business Bureau warns pet owners to watch out for scam artists who demand reward money before they return the missing dog. For example, someone calling to say they are a long-haul truck driver who found your dog out of state and requesting money to get your dog back to your state, or someone saying they need money for airline tickets and a crate to ship your lost dog back.
Thumbnail: Photography by Shutterstock.
Read more about dog safety on Dogster.com:
- 7 Storm Preparedness Tips for Dog Owners
- 6 Household Cleaning Products That Are Not Safe for Dogs
- When Should You Call an Emergency Vet and How Do You Find One?
Sassafras Lowrey is an award-winning author. Her novels have been honored by organizations ranging from the Lambda Literary Foundation to the American Library Association. Sassafras is a Certified Trick Dog Trainer, and assists with dog agility classes. Sassafras lives and writes in Brooklyn with her partner, a senior Chihuahua mix, a rescued Shepherd mix and a Newfoundland puppy, along with two bossy cats and a semi-feral kitten. Learn more at sassafraslowrey.com.
The post Dognapping: How to Protect Your Dog and Get Him Back If He’s Stolen appeared first on Dogster.
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Why do dogs pant? My dog, Baby, and I go hiking through a nearby forest just about every day. By the time we return home, we’re both huffing and puffing a bit harder than normal. The hotter and more humid the weather is, the more I sweat, and the more intensely my dog pants. While I’m always sweating like a maniac, though, Baby remains as dry as the proverbial bone. Does her tongue, lolling off to one side, help her stay cool?
Why do dogs pant?
A dog with his tongue out next to a bowl of strawberries. Photography by duxx/shutterstock.
One of the most obvious differences between humans and dogs is how our bodies respond when they start to warm up. Dogs can manage rising body temperature through sweat and through their blood, like us, but not effectively. For dogs, panting is the primary mode of heat relief.
Do dogs sweat at all?
Yes! Dogs have glands all over their bodies, just like we do, but theirs serve different functions. Most of the pores and hair follicles on our bodies can produce sweat. For the most part, a dog’s glands release oils and scent chemicals called pheromones. Between baths, the oils protect and condition the skin and coat, while the pheromones are largely used to communicate with other dogs.
A dog’s true sweat glands are located on their noses and feet. No one’s really sure what a dog’s sweat glands are actually for. Moisture on the nose might help them detect scents with more precision. When dogs sweat through the paw pads on their feet, it could be for added traction. Whether we’re talking about a Maltese or a Mastiff, a dog has so few proper sweat glands, they’re practically useless for cooling a dog’s entire body.
How dogs beat the heat
In the summertime or after a period of heavy activity, you may notice that what little exposed skin your dog has changes color slightly. Pigmentation and markings vary from dog to dog, but when a dog gets hot enough, his normal skin color takes on a pinkish hue.
As a dog’s body heats up, the blood vessels closest to the skin widen or dilate. Warm blood passes through these expanded vessels, cooling down on its way back to the heart. Since dogs show very little skin and can’t sweat anywhere near as much as we do, temperature control is left to their mouths!
How does dog panting work?
Have you ever posted a photo of your dog’s mouth hanging open for “Tongue-Out Tuesday”? These images are endearing, even comical. When it’s hot or humid, and your dog’s tongue is at full extension, it means he’s doing all he can to cool off! The methods dogs and people use differ, but the effects are the same. When we sweat, the hottest fluid in our body rises to the surface and evaporates. That evaporation cools us gradually.
Panting does the same for dogs. The warmest part of a dog’s body is the chest cavity, where his heart and lungs are in constant motion. The more real estate a dog can expose to the open air, the faster super-heated fluids can evaporate. A wide-open mouth also gives moisture a chance to evaporate from every surface the open air can reach, including a dog’s windpipe and lungs.
When dog panting’s not enough
In theory, the more intensely a dog pants, the more relief it provides. If the heat is extreme, or if your dog has a short muzzle, even panting at full strength can’t keep him from overheating. Limiting exercise to short bursts in the morning or evening, making sure your dog has fresh water and letting him lounge around with the air conditioning on are always winning strategies!
Thumbnail: Photography ©eurobanks | Thinkstock.
Read more about dog behavior on Dogster.com:
- Is Your Dog Eating Poop? How I Got Mine to Stop
- Can Dogs Cry and What Exactly Is Dog Crying?
- Dog Trancing — What Is It and Why Does Your Dog Do It?
Melvin Peña is a writer, editor, social media manager and SEO specialist who spends most of his time in Durham, North Carolina. His interests include his dog, Baby (of course!), art, hiking, urban farming and karaoke.
Editor’s note: This article appeared in Dogster magazine. Have you seen the new Dogster print magazine in stores? Or in the waiting room of your vet’s office? Subscribe now to get Dogster magazine delivered straight to you!
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I’ve had and walked dogs since childhood. Until last autumn, I’d never given a second thought to how I walked them. I’d just always clipped a leash to the ring on the dog’s collar and got on with it. In October of 2015, I was conducting interviews for a Dogster magazine article on the health benefits of dog walking as exercise. As I noted in the piece, when dogs and their humans establish a regular walking routine, the benefits — emotional, mental, and physical— pass up and down the leash.
The article wasn’t published until February of 2016, but two of the interviews I conducted— with Tricia Montgomery, founder and CEO of K9 Fit Club, and Jt Clough, author, dog trainer, and inter-species life coach— made an immediate impact on both me and my dog, Baby. I was fascinated by how passionately each of them spoke about using a dog harness instead of the standard collar clip. The long-term risk to a dog’s neck over years of pulling and being pulled had simply never occurred to me, and I’m convinced that these interviews may have changed the course of my dog’s life.
Two weeks after I got Baby in 2014, with the leash clipped to her collar. (Photo by Melvin Peña)
Dog harness revelations
One of the questions I’d formulated for my interviews had to do with chest or waist leashes for dog owners versus the traditional method of holding the leash by hand. When I asked Montgomery and Clough about these rigs, I was taken aback when each of them turned their answers toward a dog harness, specifically.
Clough: I have become a proponent for dog harnesses. The love of my life is my 10-year-old Weimaraner; she got a neck injury… My realization was that I was pulling on her neck all the time. That’s how we’ve always been taught to control our dogs. The benefit of a harness for a dog is [that it’s] really helpful for [reducing] wear and tear on their bodies.
Me: The risk of repetitive stress injury never occurred to me.
Clough: It really became apparent looking at her X-rays. If you’re pulling on that all the time… They withstand it a lot differently than we do, but their ligaments, their bones, and the way they’re put together, the wear and tear is the same. You can only pull on something, or jerk on something, so many times before it has a life-long effect.
The dog harness made an immediate difference both to Baby and to me. (Photo by Melvin Peña)
When I asked Tricia Montgomery about harnesses, the echoes of what I’d heard from Clough startled me.
Montgomery: I’m a huge advocate of harnesses. I believe harnesses work for the dog. The harness controls dogs just a little bit better. Keep in mind that excessive pressure for the dog on its neck or cervical [vertebrae] can cause so many issues related to whiplash lameness.
A little thing like a dog harness makes a big difference
I’d adopted my dog, Baby, about 18 months earlier, and had only ever walked her the same way I’d walked every dog I’d had before, with the leash attached directly to her collar. It didn’t take long for me to learn that Baby, a Bluetick Coonhound mix, is a puller. She’s powerfully scent-motivated and physically very strong. With Clough and Montgomery’s words ringing in my ears, I thought about all the times I’d already tugged at Baby’s leash, and, by extension, her neck.
I also thought about all the times she tried lurched off at full speed after an intriguing smell, straining her own neck in the collar. I felt a compounded sense of guilt, not only for my baby puppy, but also for all the dogs I’d ever had. Having lost my previous dog, Tina, in the spring of 2014 to a debilitating idiopathic condition that robbed her of the use of her hind legs, I could only wonder what role, if any, a lifetime of tugging and pulling from both ends of the leash might have played.
Now we never walk without the dog harness. (Photo by Melvin Peña)
Dog harnesses work!
Within a day, I’d obtained a simple harness for Baby and haven’t looked back since. As with any dog accessory, there are a wide range of options, sizes, and price points. The harness I got was literally the simplest $12 to $13 dollar one at the pet store. We slide her front legs through two hoops, and clip it over her back, where I attach the leash.
It took a while for each of us to get used to it, but the difference in handling her was immediately noticeable. I feel more in control of her when we walk, and I am confident that Baby’s risk of unforeseen spinal trauma is greatly reduced in the process. Sincerest thanks to Jt Clough and Tricia Montgomery; Baby thanks you, and so do I!
Read more about dog walking on Dogster.com:
- When Should You Hire a Dog Walker and How Do You Find the Right One?
- Why You Should Let Your Dog Sniff During Walks
- 7 Ways to Turn Your Dog Walks Into Workouts
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The information available in canine urine is astounding. From a proper sniff, dogs can learn about the sex, reproductive status, diet and stress level of dogs who have been there before. Urine is used to communicate about territories, to mask the smell of other dogs, to detect females who are likely to be reproductively receptive and to compete with other individuals. It’s no wonder that our canine friends find urine so compelling that they are irresistibly drawn to it. As anyone who has spent even a little time with dogs knows, urine sniffing is a favorite pastime.
A recent study called “Length of time domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) spend smelling urine of gonadectomised and intact conspecifics” was conducted to investigate whether gonadectomy (being spayed or neutered) affects urine-sniffing behavior. Since gonadectomy has significant impacts on body chemistry, it has long been suggested that it disrupts the flow of information available through urine that dogs have evolved to detect over many generations.
Researchers tested the affects of gonadectomy in urine sniffing by recording how long dogs sniffed urine from intact versus gonadectomized individuals. They found that dogs spent more time sniffing urine from spayed or neutered dogs than from intact ones. One possibility is that the dogs are spending a longer time sniffing such urine because they are trying to figure out the information it contains. Because it may have a combination of chemicals that is different than the range of compounds that the dogs have evolved to understand, it may be harder for them to make sense out of it.
Interestingly, this study contradicts the findings of Lisberg and Snowdon, whose 2009 paper also analyzed the investigation patterns of unfamiliar urine and found that dogs spent more time sniffing urine from intact dogs than from gonadectomized ones. One possible explanation for the difference may be that for the current paper, the dogs were tested indoors, but for the 2009 paper, the study took place outside. (Fewer distractions inside may also explain an average sniff length of nearly 13 seconds in this paper compared with just over 5 seconds in the older study.) Another difference between the results of the two studies is that the recent research found no difference in sniffing time related to what kind of dog was doing the sniffing (male or female, intact or gonadectomized) but Lisberg and Snowdon found that neutered males and intact females both spent more time sniffing urine from intact males than from neutered males.
More research is definitely needed if we want to understand the complicated behavior of urine sniffing, which may involve many interactions between environment and individual traits of the dogs—both those who are the sources of urine and those who sniff if. Research is time intensive and can be costly, which is why I’m so impressed by this particular study. It was conducted in a single home in which the 12 dogs recruited to be sniffers all live, there was no funding source for the study and all of the urine in the study came from out of state to insure that the urine came from unfamiliar dogs. Kudos to the authors for taking the initiative to conduct a cool and clever experiment!
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