“Now, Class…” Courtesy of Itchy Paws Pets
This conference took place a month ago: the evening of March 21 at the Recreation Park Community Center. Attendance was lower than expected, possibly because of a conflict with LBUSD’s Open House. No one would argue that parents should be involved in their children’s education, and it’s hoped that the next conference scheduling will allow animal-welfare education to be extended to more families. So that the information gleaned from the conference reaches as many people as possible and the article itself won’t be overly lengthy, I’ve divided the conference information into three sections: care, which was addressed in the last Pet Post; training, which is the subject of this article; and abuse, which will be discussed in the final section. For a full, informative PowerPoint presentation, visit prosecutor Doug Haubert’s website. KK
All work and no play—not that anyone four-legged in the house has a job description—make Jack Russell a dull dog. And while I strongly advocate sparing the rod when it comes to disciplining the pet as well as the child, firm nonpunitive discipline for both is as essential to everyone’s well-being as the love that accompanies it.
“According to American Animal Hospital Association, about 96 percent of dogs who wind up in shelters have had no obedience training,” said Alex Macias, adoption coordinator for Long Beach Animal Care Services. Training opportunities for dogs and their humans are plentiful in Long Beach, and this portion of the workshop strongly advised taking advantage of them.
Macias also focused on aggression and social behavior of both canine and human companions. Play, exercise, socialization and training—including agility training if the human is so inclined—are essential for canine fitness and happiness. Recreation areas for dogs have become popular and are growing in number; they work well for exercise and socializing, but dogs being dogs (and people being people), there have to be rules.
Dog parks are great for socializing and exercise, but there are rules to follow. Courtesy of Itchy Paws Pets
Projecting a drawing of three humans yakking on their cell phones, oblivious to one of their dogs getting a little too friendly with another, Macias specified these guidelines for dog-park (and beach) etiquette:
- All dogs must be up to date on their vaccines.
- Do not bring an intact male or a female in heat to a dog-recreation area. This can lead to aggressive behavior or unplanned pregnancies, the latter of which contributes to shelter overpopulation.
- No dog under 4 months old should be taken to a dog park. Dogs this age are usually not current on their shots and could also be injured or frightened by older, larger dogs.
- Treats while other dogs are around is a no-no. Other dogs in the park could become food aggressive, and a fight could result.
- If your dog is untrained or doesn’t respond to commands, don’t let him or her off the leash.
- If your dog is “dog reactive,” i.e., acts in an aggressive or inappropriate way with other dogs, don’t bring him or her to the park.
- Similarly, and most importantly, you should be watchful for signs of aggressive behavior in dogs, whether it’s yours or another person’s. Training certainly helps, but sometimes, one dog will find a problem with another dog for no reason obvious to the human. Macias described what type of signals to be aware of aside from the expected snarling and hackles rising: ears down and back, eyes slightly squinted, tight mouth, rigid face and stance, and “whale eye,” which is when the eye rolls sideways but is still on you—there’s a photo of it on the PowerPoint). Macias said that whale eye isn’t commonly noticed as sign of aggression, but we’ve all seen it, and it’s unsettling when you notice. And never get between two fighting dogs, as they’ll consider you part of the fight and will likely attack you. Macias advised being willing to remove your dog from the park if he or she shows signs of aggression. [Be hopeful that other dog owners will do the same—you know how that goes.]
- And for Pete’s (and other humans’) sake, clean up after your dog
In brief, Macias said that dogs should be treated as if they were small children. I’ll add that her guidelines are plenty good for adaptation for small children, excepting, of course, the intact-male and in-estrus-female codicil.
Macias followed through with the subject of aggression by identifying eight types of aggressive behavior in dogs:
- Territorial (associated with guarding an area)
- Dominant (conflict with another animal or human)
- Maternal (perception of an animal’s young being threatened)
- Fear (this can also be stimulated by previous abuse)
- Pain (can be a reflex from it)
- Predatory (could be anything from chasing small animals to skateboarders—dangerous for all involved)
- Punishment (resulting from inappropriately punishing the dog)
- Possessive (it’s his human, or cat, or toy, or goodie, and no creature should forget this)
“You should study body language to understand other dogs, not just your own,” dog trainer Stefanie Villalobos, co-owner of Itchy Paws Pets, later told me. “You should also practice basic training commands regularly with your dog so that in a stressful situation, they are more likely to listen. Training should always feel like a game, and more owners should take the time to understand what positive-reinforcement training is. It’s not only more humane but much more effective.”
Villalobos also said that first-time visitors—humans, that is—should seek advice from dog-training professionals if they’re nervous about visiting dog parks. “One training session can be so enlightening,” she said. “Sometimes, people confuse play with what is actually dogs competing to show their strength. If one or both dogs get too serious, that’s when it becomes a fight. Rough play is not OK! There has to be an understood low threshold of ‘violence’ maintained and respected by all dogs in order to create a harmonious environment. This way, it’s easy to spot trouble makers and steer clear!”
Be aware of when it’s just play (like here) and when it gets too rough. Courtesy of Itchy Paws Pets
At the Q&A period, Macias answered such questions as what age an animal should be spayed or neutered (eight weeks, but don’t wait too long if you don’t want spraying and unwanted behavior or litters); the limits on number of animals allowed in Long Beach (total of four of any combination of cats, dogs, rabbits); and if the permitted number could be raised because of all the needy animals, and how was the number arrived at in the first place (good questions, Macias said, although there needs to be a limit to avoid hoarding).
And one attendee did ask when a dog is too old to be taught new tricks.
“Never!” Macias said.
A dog teaches a boy fidelity, perseverance, and to turn around three times before lying down.
~ Humorist Robert Benchley
Virtually Pets
Roo
From a rescuer friend: “Meet Roo, a very special senior boy! We only have a few days, or he goes to the pound. He’s very scared as you can see in the picture, as the only family he has known is letting him go. He’s currently staying in someone’s garage for the next few days. Please spread the word for him. Whether you’d consider fostering, with all expenses paid by Fur-Ever Home, or want to keep him forever, please let us know. We simply cannot let this sweet boy go to the pound—he won’t make it out alive.” Read the following e-mail excerpt below from the present owners, who are obviously hurting .
Hi, this is Roo! Please help him find a good home. Age: 9; weight: 55 pounds. Up-to-date vaccines. Breed: tricolor hound blend, has a microchip, neutered, located in Tustin. Sweet, loving, obedient personality. Loves children, extremely patient, house-trained. He loves to be around people and be a part of the group whether outside or inside. He barks at other dogs but is not aggressive. His favorite place to sleep is next to you. Due to unwanted circumstances, we are unable to keep our family dog. Our family is moving and staying with in-laws with no space for our dog. We have had him since he was a puppy, and this is the hardest thing we have to do. He deserves better than to go to the pound. Please help. Contact info: [email protected].
Pet Projects
Veggie Grill Fund-Raiser Helps Ward Off Dog Days
On April 18, the Veggie Grill at the Long Beach Marketplace, 6451 PCH, donated 50 percent of the food and beverage take from between 11 a.m. and 10 p.m. dining toward the purchase of a cooling system for the canine residents at Long Beach Animal Care Services (ACS). Shelter reps reported a total of $1,451.97 at day’s end, giving the shelter a grand total of $2,159.97 when added to funds already raised. No hot dogs in the shelter, thanks to the Veggie Grill! There is another ACS fund-raiser in the works for the autumn; the Pet Post will keep you informed.
Update on the Ag Gag Bill
Social Compassion in Legislation (SCIL) president Judie Mancuso writes this in regard to the announcement of the opposition to AB 343 in the last Pet Post:
“Dear Friends: Your calls and letters worked! Activists, concerned citizens and many organizations all came together for the demise of AB 343—Patterson (the “Ag Gag” bill). Thank you so much for your help. [Mancuso included a link to the hearing, with the chair explaining that the author pulled the bill from committee. She also provided one for an ABC News article on the bill’s fate.] Thank you for your support when we send these alerts. Your voices were heard.
Sincerely yours,
Judie Mancuso, president, Social Compassion in Legislation”
Foster pets need temporary loving homes. This will help better their chances of adoption, and you can help! Potential foster parents (of all ages!) must fill out and submit an application, available here http://www.spcla.com before attending class. Sunday, May 19, spcaLA May Foster Class, P.D. Pitchford Companion Animal Village and Education Center, 7700 E. Spring St., Long Beach, 10AM–noon.