Stop! You’re ‘Over-Socializing!’

A few weeks ago, I heard probably the WORST piece of dog training advice I have ever seen anywhere. And the reason this person felt they could give this?  They claimed to be a ‘certified dog trainer’.  It was so bad I actually waited to write about it, so you didn’t have to hear me REALLY rant.

Now, first, let me say there is NO REGULATION on dog training.  There may be some schools that are considered better than others, but NONE of them can be taken as definitive.  And these schools run the gambit from petstore-type training to independent ‘schools’ that run certification programs. Most training schools believe in Purely Positive training, but certainly they don’t all work that way.  And, ultimately, anyone could create a theory, design a school, and voila!  There ya go, no matter how false or dangerous their methods are.  Now that doesn’t mean I disagree with ALL dog trainers, ALL of the time.  I don’t.  But being a ‘certified’ dog trainer is a somewhat dubious claim.  Every person who enrolls their dog in a class or with a trainer owes it to themselves and their dog to rigorously vet the person’s methods to make sure they HONESTLY believe it is the best choice for their friend.  (Note: there are certain federally recognized programs for SERVICE dogs, highly-trained skills, but even this type of training is largely unregulated.  Such is the world of dog training.)

And just to add fuel to that particular fire, the ACTUAL science of dogs is still in its infancy.  Translation: science is still ‘discovering’ things about dogs that dog owners have known for YEARS.  Science isn’t making a contribution to dog training theories at this point precisely because they are still studying dog BEHAVIOR.  So no, whatever method the school is using is not dog-specific ‘science based’ (and if they make this claim, chances are good they are actually talking about Skinner’s theories of behaviorism.. which was largely discredited as a solo working theory of training ANY ANIMAL many years ago).

At any rate, I’ve already called the credentials into question, so let’s look at this person’s claim.

She claimed that dogs today are ‘over-socialized’.  Her definition of the sin?  Dogs that are *gasp* friendly to people, even strangers.  Not kidding.

Now, let’s look this theory over, back to front.

First, as I’ve said elsewhere in this blog, true protection dogs are HIGHLY TRAINED.  Sure, Fifi can bark like she’s a biting dog when company comes to the door, but she is doing a job (sounding the alarm), and she trusts that YOU will make the call.  You open the door, and Fifi knows her job is over.  She greets the company like they are her bestest long-lost friend, and life proceeds as usual.  She is not a trained protection dog, and she would no more bite your guests than pee on their feet.  This doesn’t mean she doesn’t perform some of the actions one would consider ‘protecting’, but she certainly isn’t going to ‘sic’ your guests.

Now, you potentially could teach your poorly-socialized dog a similar skill, but he is going to be distrustful.. which means his behavior will be completely unpredictable when you open the door.  It is, however, doubtful he will greet anyone in a friendly manner unless he knows them well.  Instead, he may hide.  He may continue to growl and menace your guests.  He may try to guard you, or a host of other behaviors.  What IS certain is that he isn’t going to trust you to make the call, and only he will decide which reaction he uses.

Which is not to say, of course, that you can’t train your dog not to go to everyone. And dogs do need to learn that YOU get to decide whether a visit with a stranger on the street is in the cards or not.  But that has absolutely nothing to do with socializing or not socializing, and everything to do with TRAINING YOUR DOG to wait on your command.  A friendly dog given the OK is going to be a friendly dog interacting with someone.  An under-socialized dog given the OK is still going to be an unpredictable, under-socialized dog.

I was once traveling through an international airport.  They used trained drug-sniffing dogs to check carry-on luggage for contraband.  And yet, the dog who sniffed my bag wagged her tail and gave me a cursory lick on my hand, as well.  I have no doubt she would have alerted at need, but friendly dogs are a credit to society, whatever their profession.  And police dogs, too, are HIGHLY trained.  They don’t make an attack call on their own, which is why police officers can safely take them home at night.

A Real Life Worst-Case (but common) Scenario

Now let’s take a look at this from another side: in real-life with our pet dogs.

We have all heard the old adage ‘to err is human’.  That goes for our dogs, too.  We can minimize the risks by teaching solid obedience, but no matter how well-trained your dog is, he or she is still going to screw up at some point (I once was in an obedience class where the instructor’s OWN highly-trained GSD walked to the center of the circle of dogs and took a poo on the floor.  It happens, folks).  That means some day your dog is going to get off-leash outside and suddenly go deaf.

In an effort not to ‘over-socialize’ your dog, per poor dog trainer instruction, you kept his social time to specific people.  Consequently, he is used to short people, or tall people, or skinny people, or overweight people, or (more probably) adults and calm, dog-knowing kids who never ever grab dogs.

Today is Fido’s day.  In your normal everyday rush, you accidentally didn’t close the front door tightly, and he wanders into your unfenced front yard.

And a non dog-savvy child happens by.

Now all dogs NEED to be socialized to kids.  Some dogs might see them as prey.  Some see it as a herding-opportunity (and may nip heels).  Some dogs may even see the child as a noisy intruder.  It doesn’t matter what breed your Fido is.  Without exposure, and regardless of how Fido sees the child, his anxiety is going to be high simply because he is in an unfamiliar situation.

Let’s pretend your under-socialized Fido miraculously fails to become immediately territorial or aggressive to this unknown, and imagine that he has just enough social skills to want to check out the intruder before making up his mind.

He approaches the child in the usual posture of an uncertain dog, with tense body, tail held high, maybe even his hackles up.  The child, again with the usual non-dog-savvy nature of children, does what these kids do: completely ignores the body language, squeals in a high-pitched voice, and reaches for uncertain, on-the-edge Fido. And you can almost bet money that the child will throw her arms around your dog’s neck and lean into his face for a kiss, even if it means the child has to chase or grab Fido first.

Accidents could happen in this scenario EVEN WITH well-socialized dogs.  But what about YOUR dog, who was already nervous?  The child may wear the scars for a normal (if not very socially correct) behavior for the rest of her life.  And that is YOUR FAULT.

And no, this isn’t something you can predict.  I brought Rover to an older-kids-and-adults (so I thought) family function.  He had been there multiple times, and I felt confident he would be fine.  What I didn’t know was somebody had brought their 2yo granddaughter, whom neither I nor Rover had ever met.  And she proceeded to hug AND FALL flat on top of my dog.  Solid socialization saved the day.  Both child and dog walked away, none the worse for the experience.

Socialization is the Name of the Game

I’ll repeat this again: dogs SHOULD BE friendly to people.  All people.  It doesn’t mean your dog will never find someone he doesn’t trust (dogs do that, too), but that isn’t the same thing as under-socializing your dog on purpose so that he is ALWAYS distrustful.  That isn’t a balanced dog, folks.

And again: protection dogs are TRAINED.  They are not allowed to make those decisions on their own, they are given COMMANDS.  And dogs that are ‘protection’ dogs and are allowed to make those decisions on their own are NOT pets.

I fervently hope that this was really just one person’s opinion, and that there isn’t actually a dog-trainer school teaching this crap.  And hopefully, this person isn’t actually allowed to instruct new dog owners.  To think we could be PURPOSELY CREATING under-socialized dogs is just.. horrifying.

Be both a good dog owner AND a responsible neighbor.  Socialize your dog.

Bits- “It’s [not] all in how you raise ’em!”

Differential gene expression in brain tissues of aggressive and non-aggressive dogs

And I’ll put it in layman’s terms here for the people who don’t feel like plowing through.

A small number of dogs were studied.  The dogs ranged in ages from 15 mos to 13 years.  The breeds of dogs were mixed for both the control group and the ‘aggressive’ group.  Dogs in the control group were euthanized for reasons unrelated to aggression and were reported to be ‘non-aggressive’.  Dogs in the aggressive group were euthanized for human-based aggression: growling, lunging, and biting their owners or others.

8 genes were demonstrably different between the two groups.

Although this is just a preliminary study (again, small sample size, and I, a non-scientist, have a host of questions remaining), it does have implications for our dogs and for humans.

Set down your banner and take up science!

Studies such as this scare people who believe “It’s all in how you raise them”.  I understand that- and I think folks worry that it will give ammunition to the Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) people.  But it shouldn’t, and it doesn’t.

This study actually PROVES that dogs either have the genes, or they don’t.  Dogs who had the genes were aggressive.  Dogs who didn’t, weren’t.

Although it’s too soon to make solid conclusions on that, I’d think it would give the lovers of ‘dangerous breeds’ hope for changes to their breed’s profile.  For the owners of these breeds who know the genetic makeup of their own dog, they can honestly say he/she is safe.  What better ambassador is there?

And it also means if he does have them, and all dogs WITH them become aggressive, then no matter how you raise him, he will STILL become aggressive.  It won’t be your fault because you screwed up, and you won’t suddenly become ‘one of those bad owners’.  Really, the fallacy in the argument is if someone is unlucky enough to get the bad apple, they are blamed for how they took it out of the barrel.  If you aren’t going to watch where you stick your hand, you had better hope your own luck never runs out.  Your own breed fan clubs certainly aren’t going to support your claim that you did the best you could.

What it doesn’t say…

This study is not conclusive.  It is too small to say FOR SURE that other things can or can’t affect whether dogs become aggressive.  It is too small to answer the questions I have, and I am not convinced that, by itself with no other information, we can decide ALL DOGS carrying the genes are aggressive, and ALL DOGS who don’t, aren’t.  This study also was based on dogs who were ALREADY aggressive vs. dogs who ALREADY were not, which leaves room to figure out if environmental factors might have contributed, or if the conclusions were inevitable.

And of course, NO study should be used as evidence that we don’t need to train our dogs.  Whether most dogs have the genes or not, and whether most dogs will ever get to the biting-people stage or not, we still need to be forming our pals into good canine citizens.

Conclusion

I, for one, am hopeful for the continuance of these studies. They are just the tip of the iceberg for a better understanding of dogs.  Dog training theories (including my own) tend to be based on psychology or behavior, but what a difference a true understanding of the physiology of dog minds could make!  Instead of stumbling around trying to find the ‘right’ fix for an aggressive problem, we could know if a medication might be a better choice.  Taking this into consideration when breeding would be a boon for dogs, as well: by removing ‘aggression genes’ from the gene pool, far fewer incidents of aggression would occur, fewer dogs would have to be put down, and traditionally ‘dangerous’ breeds could become safer (eventually changing the minds of people enacting breed specific legislation).

No, it isn’t all in how you raise them- no matter what breed we are talking about.   With the continuance of studies such as these, we can all look forward to a future that can predict (and prevent) severe aggressive tendencies in our pet dogs.

The saddest thing I ever did see

For another post I wrote on this blog, I have been researching the culture surrounding our shelters, rescues, and the issues facing homeless animals.  It’s been a depressing road.

But recently I was on someone’s blog- a rescuer.  Seems like a nice enough person.  And, unlike some of the stuff I’ve been reading lately, she didn’t seem like ‘one of those rescuers’.  Anyway, before I slip off into a tangent, this particular rescuer has been wrestling with some moral questions.

First I want to apologize- I’m not going to mention your page by name.  I don’t know you, and I’m not sure how many hate comments people might like to put here if I let them, and (if it’s even one) I’m not going to accidentally send them to your blog to hate on you (or me) there.  But if you happen to catch this, thanks for your thoughtful posts.  Breath of fresh air, really.

She asks a question at the end: if you got a dog, and realized it actually belonged to a homeless man, would you give the dog back?

It’s a valid question.  And it brings up a strong memory for me.

When I was a teenager, my dad lived in a big city.  My parents had gotten a divorce, and every weekend we spent with dad in his apartment.  We were country girls, so it was exciting for us.

I remember a man in that city.  Shabbily dressed.  I remember him going into a store, and leaving his five dogs outside.  The dogs weren’t tied.  They formed a circle near the door, and stayed there waiting until he came out.  Their eyes never strayed from the door, despite the traffic just behind, or the pedestrians walking by.  My dad, who worked in psychiatric care, explained that the man was homeless.  He had been nicknamed ‘the dog man’.

The man wandered the streets of that city for a handful of years with his dogs, the best behaved pack I have ever seen.  All walked perfectly with their man.  Although I’m sure they were all on-leash, I never saw one.  Just a lovely circle of dogs, following their beloved master on his daily rounds.

One day, a news story came on.  I remember the images of the man’s residence: something like an underpass formed his roof.  He slept on an old army bunkbed.  His only other possessions were some beat up dog bowls.

He wasn’t on the news because they had helped him find a home. No.  He was on the news because they had taken his dogs.

That was more than 20 years ago now, and I never met that man.  I don’t know his name, or what he looked like.  I don’t remember any distinct breeds in his pack, just a mix of mutts of all different sizes.  And I remember them sitting there, untied, waiting.

My heart hurt back then, even as a selfish kid.

With time and wisdom, we can sometimes understand situations that didn’t make sense when we were children.  As our age and experiences grow, we can feel our childhood hurts drift away like dandelion fluff.

But not that man, and not his dogs.

Oh, I understand the immediate thoughts that run through your head, the ADULT thoughts.  The HUMAN thoughts.  Wait, the food!  Wait the vet care!  What, no shelter!  I know, I’ve thought of them, too.  I have no answer for those questions.

But I don’t remember sickly skinny dogs.  I don’t remember sad dogs, begging to be taken away.  I just remember those dogs, sitting patiently, waiting for the man they loved to come out, to walk the miles, to continue their journey.

So to that woman who asked the question, I would ask one of my own: who gets to decide what makes a ‘home’ for a dog?  Who decides what is adequate care?  I would argue that nothing loves more than a dog.  And therefore, nothing could hurt so much as being sent (or taken) away.  No, not even when we think they could have ‘better’.  Unless there is actual abuse, starvation, or sickness, we should not be taking (or keeping) dogs ‘just in case’.

I don’t know what happened to the homeless man’s dogs.  Our shelters were more overcrowded then, and much more so in the cities. It was long before the no-kill movement, and none of those dogs were cute, or purebred, or young. I can make a guess- and if anything the memory has become more brittle, the edges sharper.   Such is the way of age, wisdom, and the curse of knowing it could still happen as easily today.  We are lucky to have rescues like the lady with the other blog, but what about the dogs for which there isn’t one?  What about the dogs who run out of time, who aren’t as ‘adoptable’?  And what happens to their hearts, what happens to US, when we make a choice they would never have made for themselves?

As has often been said, injustice comes in many forms, and we can’t be too quick to think we are a saving angel.   Which, after all, would the dogs choose?  In the end, really, isn’t that what it should be about?

I am proud of you, rescue lady, for asking the questions.  Bless you on your own journey.

A few years ago I volunteered for a very small amount of time for the homeless division of our local VA.  During that time, a homeless man came through with his dog.  Even while the VA was deciding what to do, there was never any discussion of taking his dog by force- they really worked to keep the two together.  Thankfully, the group home he was headed to bent the rules and let him bring his dog.  Although that can never quite make up for my memory, it helps to know the rules are now acknowledging the importance dogs play in human lives- to the benefit of both.

Bits- Attachment Disorder

Before I get into this, I first need to clarify.  This is NOT about Separation Anxiety in your dog.  Dogs with that issue are generally normal dogs, and you would not be able to tell they have an issue unless they are left alone.  In a way, it is the exact opposite of what I’m discussing here.

I’m including this link in my blog for a host of reasons.

But here is the one that matters:

If you’ve ever faced this situation with a dog, it is absolutely heart-breaking, exhausting, frustrating.  And it probably isn’t your fault.

Attachment disorder in dogs

Excerpt:

Dogs with attachment disorder have likely been abused or deprived of attachment or bonding within the first several weeks to several months of life. Dogs with attachment disorder may exhibit any number of behaviors such as hyperactivity, they can be destructive, eat too much or too little, become clingy or unable to bond with their owners, and they can be impulsive.

I disagree with the writer that it is a good idea to shower dogs with attachment disorders with hugs and kisses.  Timid dogs may find the situation frightening and invasive, dominant dogs may find it intrusive.  In both situations, you are setting yourself up for a bite AND you have your face directly in the line of fire.

And I’m personally not sure you can ever trust a dog with bonding issues that is showing dominance and aggression.  I realize we want to save every dog, but realistically a dog who cannot bond with people AND thinks people exist to dominate could very well be a ticking time bomb.  I will research this issue more and post any additional information I can find.

Addendum: it might be interesting to compare the situation of human-dog bonding to an article describing the training of livestock guardian dogs:

The critical period for dogs to form social attachments is roughly between 3 and 12 weeks of age (Landry 1999b citing Freedman et al 1961, Scott 1962, 1968 and Scott and Fuller 1965). This process is distinct from imprinting as described by Lorenz (1937 reviewed in Landry 1999b), which occurs when the pup first opens its eyes at about two weeks old. Social attachment becomes difficult after 16 weeks and so it is essential to begin the training of LGDs as pups; there are examples in the literature of unsuccessful attempts to introduce adult dogs to livestock in Namibia (Marker 2000c) and among the Navajo (Black and Green 1984).

Source: http://doczine.com/bigdata/2/1367013626_ed56fe8bdb/livestockguardingdog.pdf

Although, of course, that is a discussion of bonding livestock guardian dogs to the stock they will guard and may be distinctly different, it is interesting to note that this article feels it is extremely unlikely that a dog can be ‘socialized’ to this duty after the 16 week period has closed, and yet we feel we can somehow fix the problem in pet dogs and humans regardless of age.  I will continue my search for applicable information.

I am a bit concerned that the rise in ‘feral’ and street dogs being added to the ‘adoptable pet selection’ available from rescues and shelters may give sharp rise to the numbers of these cases, although only time will tell whether that concern is valid or not.

It might also interest you to compare this to the similar condition called Reactive Attachment Disorder (or RAD) in children:

Mental Health: Reactive Attachment Disorder

excerpt:

Common Symptoms of Inhibited RAD Include:

Detached

Unresponsive or resistant to comforting

Excessively inhibited (holding back emotions)

Withdrawn or a mixture of approach and avoidance

Common Symptoms With Disinhibited RAD Include:

Indiscriminate sociability

Inappropriately familiar or selective in the choice of attachment figures

(excerpt taken directly, formatting is mine for ease of reading)

Note: most behavioral issues in dogs are well within the definition of ‘normal’, and this posting should not be used as an excuse for laziness when training your dog.

The Fallacy of “Adopt, don’t Shop!”

warning: some of the links I’ve included in this post contain graphic images or text with graphic descriptions.  Although I am not in favor of ‘shock value’, in order to share the full extent of the issues discussed in this post, I feel these are necessary for this piece.

I’ve been sitting on this post for a while, because I’m having some difficulty figuring out how to say this without seeming very anti-adoption.  But a few days ago another sad eyed dog with this slogan came across my desk.  And just today a friend (who has always been involved in rescue) was berated for *gasp* considering purchasing a baby animal instead of ‘adopting’.  It’s time.

I absolutely believe if you can adopt- if you have the time, resources, and don’t mind dealing with a bit of uncertainty- then taking in an adult dog from any source should be top on your list.  I have adopted numerous dogs from shelters- and all have been wonderfully sweet animals.  With only one exception (listed below under ‘diseases’), I haven’t regretted bringing home any of them.  One shelter dog became the best trained dog I’ve ever owned (with incredibly reliable off-leash obedience) and another was my daughter’s best friend and guardian- and my little girl still cries about her, even four years later after her death.

But here’s the sticky wicket.

We don’t all want shelter or rescued dogs every single time we are in the market for a new family member.  And not every situation is the right one for a ‘shelter pet’.

Should we be ashamed of that fact?  No.  Because the truth is the folks buying into ‘adopt don’t shop’ and ‘don’t buy when shelter pets die’ haven’t really thought things through.  They are working off ignorance and emotion, rather than the realities of the current, and future, implications.

Here are some of the truly under-handed things that I think make shelters a less-than-savory place to get your next pet.  Please keep in mind, not all shelters or rescues are guilty of these, but many ARE:

Dogs are currently being brought in from other countries.  That sounds great until you think… Wait, aren’t our shelters already overcrowded with our own homeless dogs?  Great article on it’s impact here.  For further thought:  How many of the dogs on ‘euthanasia statistics’ lists are actually brought in from another country, and how many local dogs miss out on a home because of this practice?

The paperwork is silly. Perfectly wonderful families get rejected for not meeting some arbitrary definition (set by faceless nameless unknown persons) of ‘perfect’, even if the rescue center or shelter doesn’t meet it’s own definition of that word.  The family will find another dog somewhere else, but the dog in rescue might have missed his only chance.  For further thought: if rescues are turning away GOOD families, eliminating a spot for a new shelter dog in foster, then don’t they deserve some of the blame for euthanasia rates?

Diseases.  Too many reports of this lately: 15 treated after Vt. puppy tests positive for rabies from 2013.  And dogs brought in from other countries add to that problem: health risk .  Guess we got off cheap when our shelter pup just spread parvo-virus in our yard, died slowly over six days despite constant vet care, infected another dog, cost us $1200, and took a huge emotional toll. For further thought: how will bringing in diseased dogs from other regions or countries affect the incidence of disease in owned community pets?

Aggressive dogs end up in shelters, too.  The new trend is for the shelter to try to ‘rehabilitate’ the dog.  When aggressive (or potentially aggressive) dogs are adopted out, people DIE.  An article that says there is an actual difference in the GENES of aggressive and non-aggressive dogs here.   For further thought: how effective is rehabilitation, how honest is ‘honest enough’ to keep new adopters safe, and is this really the best use of limited funding?

Shelters have some odd practices.  Shelters ship in dogs to meet ‘supply and demand’ needs.  I am not opposed to shipping in dogs to fill empty cages (unless, again, you are shipping in disease or getting dogs from out of the country), but seriously, shelters should not run off a business model, and dogs aren’t “stock” for your “customers”.  Here’s a link to a humane society in MA, addressing some of these same concerns.  For further thought: what differentiates shelters working to fill orders for adopters from puppy mills and pet stores doing the same for customers?

IF the ultimate goal is to get homeless dogs into homes, none of these things may matter to you, and by all means I suggest you adopt a shelter pet.  Truly, there are some great dogs waiting in shelters.  And we really CAN’T stop adopting all shelter pets: a proportion of those animals are from the US, and we need shelter adoptions to keep our stray and homeless populations in balance.  Due to the current practice of moving dogs from areas of our country over-run with abandoned dogs to areas without a stray/homeless problem, more dogs are available in places that can and will find room for them.  Although I believe there is still a disease risk with this practice, this cause ultimately helps families and dogs to find each other.  You just need to be aware of what you are doing, what you are supporting, and ultimately what you will be saddled with.  NEVER EVER purchase a shelter dog (or any pet, for that matter) out of guilt or pity.  That feeling will last exactly as long as your tolerance for house-soiling, running away, and food guarding.  Choose a shelter dog because it is right decision for you and your situation, and choose with your head.

But if ANY of this information causes you to pause, I encourage you to  research the issue more thoroughly, and make a determination based on facts.

I’m going to mention a few other things here that concern me.

1.) There are questions arising about the statistics of homeless cats and dogs.  First, an advocate of the no-kill shelter movement believes we actually have THREE TIMES more homes than we have shelter pets to fill them here.  Reports have also filtered in that the same animals are counted multiple times.  Currently, there is no way to know exact numbers on abandoned animals, and we really don’t know how many HAVE to be euthanized due to lack of homes or space.  And here‘s another article declaring pet overpopulation a ‘meaningless term’. Without solid evidence of a current problem, how can we really justify the vilification of quality pet breeders and the people who choose to purchase puppies?

2.) If animal shelters and rescue groups are going to continue to bring in mixed breed animals from other countries, how can we ever get to the point that we can safely start renewing our dog populations with temperamentally and physically healthy animals?  Why aren’t they just emptying their kennels and endorsing the responsible high quality and healthy pets?  Wasn’t that their original goal?

3.) If shelters are going to go to other sources (out of the country) to provide the ‘right sort’ of dogs for adopters, aren’t we really just creating constant demand for irresponsibly bred animals when we ‘adopt’?  Are we helping fix a problem or enabling questionable practices?

4.) Shelters, by moving animals around inside our own country, and bringing in animals from other places, are creating serious health problems like rabies.  Knowingly infecting clean communities with diseases, sickening healthy owned pets, and ultimately putting human health at risk doesn’t seem very humanitarian, and certainly isn’t safe for the animals already in our care.  Who authorized such a practice?

5.)  Are shelters places of refuge for homeless pets, or sellers of a ‘product’ who happen to be blessed with a feel-good image?  Why are they adopting out sick and dangerous animals if there is a ‘home shortage’, wouldn’t it be better to find a home for the adoptable animals who are healthy and temperamentally sound and who will otherwise be euthanized?  Wouldn’t it be better to free up cages, if there is a space crisis, for more adoptable animals if that is your goal, rather than profit from every single animal in your care? (here‘s a wonderful article from one humane society.  Scroll down for their advice on aggressive dogs.  Hallelujah!  But here‘s a balancing article.  I wonder what their plan was if the volunteer hadn’t been attacked?  I sincerely hope she’s ok.)

6.) Animal Rights groups like Peta and the HSUS have also added to advertising campaigns.  Both of these places have a tremendous amount of money at their disposal, and many people don’t realize that they aren’t actually fighting for animal welfare: Peta ultimately wants to outlaw pet ownership, and HSUS spends it’s donations on lobbying efforts against ranchers and farmers.  Both groups have admitted ending all intentional breeding of dogs and cats is part of their goal (and more: Peta wants to end all animal ownership, and the HSUS wants to stop all animals used in farming).  Independently, each has stated that they feel no real attachment to pets.  You can read direct quotes from both groups here.  I am mentioning them because too many people are unaware that neither  is quite what it seems: Peta kills most of the animals entrusted to it’s care and the HSUS is not only NOT connected to local shelters, they contribute less than 1% of their donations to help shelter pets.  They are also the group that somehow forgave a certain sports star for torturing and fighting dogs (here’s an update on the Vick dogs from 2012, if you are curious.) to the horror of many of us.  Can we be entirely sure that their budgets aren’t also being used to promote myths like the title of this piece, in their own continuing efforts to discontinue all breeding of healthy puppies and kittens (even by responsible breeders) for a political agenda?   (for information on how the two groups are linked, here‘s an interesting one.) And if neither of these groups is involved, what about some other, lower-profile ‘animal rights’ group?  Are you sure when you use these slogans to encourage your friends to adopt, you aren’t actually parroting the propaganda of a fringe group you would never support?

7.) My pet lives in my home, with my family.  Ultimately, shouldn’t it be up to me to decide whether the best choice is a purebred with known breed characteristics or a mixed breed with an uncertain history?  Hands down, puppy raising is a difficult endeavor, but shouldn’t it be up to me to decide whether I want to put in 2 years of solid work to create the perfect dog forever, or if I want to spend 15 years on behavioral management with a rescue?  Isn’t it my responsibility to be honest about my time, energy, resources, and safety concerns?  Are you going to give me a pass when my ‘rescue’ mauls your children or infects your dog with a deadly disease?  (you can laugh here, but one of my neighbors brought home an enormous aggressive dog to ‘rehabilitate’ from a shelter.  It escaped and was running loose for 3 days.  Not quite Cujo, but terrifying just the same)

8.) You also need to be aware that, while you are being told only shelter pets are worth owning, institutions and activities that use dogs have their OWN breeding program.  Here’s some examples of specialized groups that know shelter dogs aren’t the right fit for every situation:  AKC show dogs are not shelter dogs (nor are there shelter dogs in their bloodlines, or they couldn’t be AKC).  Top sports dogs , herding dog,  Seeing eye dogs , and even  service dogs are being specifically bred for training in programs.  That doesn’t mean shelter dogs can’t be those things- just like it doesn’t mean you can’t get your perfect dog there- but it does mean the chances you will end up with the ‘perfect dog’ for every family and every situation is going to be more like gambling than starting with the right puppy from the right breed will ever be.  Shelter dogs just aren’t the best choice for every situation, and any group knowledgeable about dogs is aware of that.  So why are you led to believe something else?

9.) No- I don’t hate animal shelters, and I’m certainly not snobby about purebred or mixed-breed animals.  What I DO hate are lies, propaganda, and underhanded attempts to delude people into making poor choices based on emotion.   Shelter pets are a worthwhile endeavor for the right situation.  But for every rescue story (shelter or otherwise) that turned out well for my family, I can think of two others that ended in disaster (in one case, a little boy was bitten in the face by an enormous dog).  And those aren’t media stories that are twisted in some way, or ignorant owners: these are all dog-knowledgeable families I know personally who worked hard with their ‘second-hand’ dogs and expected to keep those animals for life.  I don’t want your story to be added to that sad roster because you thought the only moral choice was a shelter pet.  The truth is the majority of dogs get there for some REASON that rarely has anything to do with a move, a new baby, or a death.

I used to be just like you: was convinced that the only way to go was a rescue, that it was selfish to want to raise a puppy when so many other pets were in need.  Wisdom teaches a lot of lessons, sometimes in an incredibly painful way.  If you can adopt, do.  But don’t put your children, your spouse, your other pets, or your community in danger because you have become convinced that all dogs take work, so you might as well do the right thing.  No matter what you are told, it may not be ‘right’ for your situation at all.

10.) And the real reason this stuff drives me nuts: follow it to it’s logical conclusion.  If everyone adopted shelter pets, and NEVER bred anything else, what happens in 20 or 30 years?  Breeders are already slowing down their own practices due to pressure.  Service and working dogs will be created for people who need them.  Puppy mills will have long since ceased to exist (thankfully).  What options will be left for the folks who want to purchase healthy happy animals for pets?   Are we all to be trapped in the cycle of adopt-rehabilitate-adopt-rehabilitate foreign street dogs until our breeds are lost, dogs aren’t considered temperamentally stable, and the idea of kids and dogs together becomes a myth?  SOMEONE needs to be willing to breed safe and healthy pets, and that means there will NEED to be a faction of non-sterilized healthy animals to breed from.  How can that happen, if we expect everyone we know to only ever adopt from the shelter, and if we mercilessly attack the very people who have the key to the future of dogs as we know them? Here‘s someone else, talking about the same thing.

Conclusion

Again- I am NOT against adopting a homeless or needy animal, from any source.  There are many wonderful shelter dogs.  There are many adult dogs in private homes that are going to the shelter unless someone is willing to take them, as well.  And dog lovers DO have a responsibility to help as many of these animals as we can.  But we cannot adopt blindly based on guilt or pity, and we need to be sure we are making the right choices for our families, our situations, and our communities.  Animal shelters are trying to do the right thing- I honestly believe that.  But there are some misguided hands in the soup, confusing the true goal of animal shelters and rescues which should ALWAYS be to adopt out as many animals as they possibly can to good homes.  They need to work hard to correct obedience and non-aggressive behavioral problems.  They need to be religious in sterilizing the animals in their care, rigorous and thorough when checking for illness and disease, and they need to work much harder to solve our own adoption and pet problems before ever considering bringing in dogs from any other country.  Until they are back to serving our communities in a responsible and realistic manner, with honesty and integrity, and until they are back in the business of putting themselves OUT of business, I will continue to be skeptical about what they are doing.

And along the way, we need to be realistic about our own needs, and not be falsely persuaded that buying a pet from a breeder is the root of all evil.  It isn’t, folks.  I want a future with healthy dogs still in it, don’t you?

*Note: multiple times in this article I refer to responsible breeders breeding healthy, true-to-breed pups.  That should not be misconstrued as an endorsement of puppy mills, which are horrible places, breeding countless puppies at a time, with limited human interactions and riddled with genetic disease.  Responsible breeders breed limited litters, consider genetics when making decisions, and provide social interaction and medical care to their dogs.  Backyard (or hobby) breeders- who have also been vilified- aren’t necessarily following the strict genetic and health regime of breeders but neither are they the equivalent of puppy mills, and should not be regarded as such. Both AKC breeders of pedigree dogs and hobby breeders are important to the future health and genetic diversity of the dogs we know and love.  And no- I’m not a breeder, and it is doubtful I will ever breed a litter of pups.  But I DO look forward to another 40+ years of delightful dog ownership.

My eyes! My eyes! (on watching a dog show)

I was watching a big name dog show.  I love dogs- what absolutely beautiful animals.

But I feel compelled to say this:

WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?!

The winner of ‘best in show’ had so much hair he couldn’t see, let alone do the job he was bred for (a dog who works in the field should NOT be a magnet for every bush, briar, thorn, or burdock for miles around).  The top German shepherd was so wrongly shaped it made me sick to my stomach.  And the collie… I could have wept.

I’m going to give just my personal opinion here.  You can disagree- that’s certainly your choice.  It is JUST my opinion, nothing more.

Border Collies: listen, folks.  These dogs were bred for a JOB.  The ones in the show ring are referred to as ‘barbie collies’ for a reason.  I have no idea what the intelligence status is (a mark of a top-notch BC), but for goodness sakes, breeding for that silly fluffy coat is ridiculous.  It’s a Border- bred for speed, grace, intelligence, and most of all WORK.  It shouldn’t look like it was dressed for a party.

German Shepherds: Not my breed, but I’m going to say what no one else seems to be.  NO DOG should look like it’s rear is going to give out.  Thank GOODNESS for the breeders (back-yard or otherwise) who are still keeping some functional-looking dogs out there.  I can’t imagine half of those show GSDs working in a police environment, and I’m not surprised the incidence of nerve damage is so high.  Poor, poor dogs.

Collies: I absolutely adore collies.  Think Lassie.  Watch some old episodes.  See that wonderful, almost Roman-type nose?  See those wonderfully large and expressive eyes?  Now watch a dog show… rat-nosed, tiny weird eyes.  I can’t even look at those dogs anymore.  I don’t know what they are doing to collies.  What a complete travesty for such a noble animal.  Someday I’d like to own another Rough Coated Collie- but not unless I can find one unpolluted by the current trend.

And oh wait- one last dog I need to mention.  Not a breed I’m familiar with, but the thing would NOT let the judge touch her.  Acted very fearful, like she might bite if he pushed the issue.  IT WAS A TOP-RATED DOG SHOW, FOLKS!  WTH is a dog like that even DOING there??  (and worse: the commentators kept saying the breed was ‘protective’.  Well the breed may be but in this dog, I saw highly fearful behavior.  If this is a breed known for ‘protection’, than she is an even WORSE example of the breed than I’d thought).

There are plenty of other dogs being pointed at by the world at large (bulldogs come to mind, but there are many others).  But I’ll leave it there… my personal pet peeves.

I’m going to let you in on a secret.  Most of us want healthy, happy, smart dogs.  Most of us care LESS what they look like, and more what they ARE.  We want SOLID dogs, dogs who are direct descendents of their working heritage.  Dogs with nice temperaments, a minimum of health problems, loyalty, and stability.  We do NOT choose our dogs based on fluffy coat, a certain shape to the eye, or a certain gait.  We frankly don’t care how well they match the standard for looks if they fail in the vital areas.  I don’t know what the heck those show people are breeding for, but it certainly isn’t a more USEFUL or temperamentally STABLE dog.  Sad.

Keep it up and all of my future dogs will come from those infamous non-papered ‘backyard breeders’*.

*Note: I know lots of nice dogs from such a breeding.  If your neighbor mates his unpapered cocker spaniel to your unpapered cocker, congrats!  You are now a ‘backyard breeder’, and should be thrown under the bus (just kidding!).  As long as both dogs have solid temperaments and are healthy, I have zero issues with what you have just done.  Until it became the acceptable norm to only get shelter dogs or dogs from a ‘top-notch papered breeder’, this WAS the way our dogs were bred.  I’m also going to let you in on a secret: since there are MANY unregistered or unpapered dogs in any breed, but only a handful that fit the ‘official’ papered criteria, guess which group has the most genetic diversity, an important component in long-term health?  And there is a VAST difference between a ‘puppy-mill’ and a backyard breeder.  And no, I don’t breed puppies.  I’m just realistic.

On Wolf-Hybrids: Just say NO

Once upon a time, I answered an ad in the newspaper for kittens.  These were supposed to be special kittens, with unique markings.  But, I was told, they would still act like regular cats.

Six months later, the tiger-lookalike was killing my pets, destroying my house, and terrorizing my neighbors.  It once tried to drag me under a door jam and left claw marks on my leg.  Tiger experts were stumped- it didn’t act quite like a tiger, they said.  And cat experts were no help either.

Of course that story is a complete fabrication.  We did once own a crow.  And there was a (very short) relationship with a highly scented skunk.  (Shout out, and huge apologies, to the random stranger who probably had to sell his car.  Thanks for the lift, Mister!)

But no tigers.  Not ever.

Owning an animal that is supposed to be wild is bad.  Despite laws making it illegal, I have trouble painting it with a broad brush because if it wasn’t for some really distant human ancestor, we could say goodbye to our house pets, goodbye to the cow and pig in our diets, and goodbye to many wonderful farms.  No more horses for riding, no more guinea pigs talking to me.  Domestication has to start somewhere.  I feel, I suppose, similar to how I feel about zoos: no doubt they provide an important service to children, giving them the opportunity to observe and learn about animals up close.  But until you have looked directly into the eyes of a bored chimpanzee, you really can’t conceive how miserable those wonderful creatures truly are.  I’m not for closing down zoos- but it certainly isn’t kind to the animals forced to live in such unnatural conditions, even if they have been in captivity for many generations.

While I can make exceptions with completely wild animals (in the right situations, anyway),  I am COMPLETELY opposed to purposely crossbreeding domesticated animals to wild animals.  This attitude goes hand-in-hand with thinking we can somehow predict how that crossbred animal will act.   We can’t.  And no matter what we try to provide in our current society, we cannot create a place that will mimic a suitable habitat.

I knew someone with a wolf-hybrid.  The animal was wonderfully calm, and really just acted like a large dog.  She was one of the lucky few, though.  FAR FAR more stories are out there from people who have owned the animals and either had to surrender them because they could not handle the animal, or that they then kept the poor thing in a tiny cage, or someone died when they made a misjudgement.

Dogs are wonderful creatures, available in a wide assortment of personalities.  There are dogs who look like wolves, and dogs who are ‘stubborn’ (which is a wonderful mimic for an animal who was never meant to cooperate with humans).  There are independent breeds.  There are dogs known for high prey drive, and dogs known for dog-aggression.  Plenty of dogs will compete with you on the social ladder, regardless of breed.  Some will guard food or toys from you, just like the wolf-dog you covet so much.  But ALL are domesticated, and ALL are safer for you to own than a hybrid.

Although I don’t subscribe to the theory that dogs can be ‘confused’ due to the mix of genes (wild or domestic?  fetch or kill?), WE can never be certain what we are getting when we crossbreed a dog to a wolf.  We can’t be sure that this particular animal will behave like the last one we owned, even if the mix is identical.  And all of those things you can take for granted in your domestic dog- all of those misbehaviors you so easily corrected- have the potential to be so hard-wired into your new ‘pet’ that you are faced with uncontrollable drives.  I don’t quite understand why people refer to these things as WOLVES (which they aren’t) and then expect them to act like domesticated dogs (which they also AREN’T).

Frankly, I would rather see people LIVING with wolf packs than mixing dogs with wolves.  At least, then, you can have an expert on hand to tell you exactly what to expect.

One last note: if you are considering this mix because, HEY, that’s where dogs came from so it’s just like stepping back in time.. you are completely wrong.  Although we aren’t certain exactly how dogs became domesticated, theories range from people selectively breeding the tamest camp-followers (which the ‘wolf’ side of your mix certainly wasn’t) to wolves selectively breeding for this trait themselves (again, not your mix).  There was also an intermediary step where wolves developed into ‘proto-dogs’, not a wolf but not yet our dogs.  NONE of these theories say a highly wild, human-avoidant wolf was forced into captivity and bred.  What you are considering purchasing is the product of an animal who should be enjoying complete and absolute freedom, but has been forced into domestic servitude.  That animal was then bred to a domesticated dog.  You are perpetuating heartbreak, not history.

So save yourself- and your future companion- the horror of a relationship that is almost certainly doomed.  Pick a dog, any dog you like.  Just skip the ‘wolf’ that isn’t one.

What can happen when you think you can handle a wolf-dog here

On Wolves and Dogs: non-scientific comparisons

The following is not meant to be a scientific discussion.  Nor will I verify anything I mention in this post.  Please do not use this as evidence in your college paper, or regard it as anything more than my own personal opinions and observations, no more nor less valid than your own.

When I have based something on actual evidence I am aware of, I will mention that it is based on research.  It is up to you to search for those experiments, studies, or theories and find out the truth of what was proven.  But all other opinions are just my own rantings.  I am certainly not an expert in wolf behavior (unless you count reading everything I could find and watching every wolf docu available for the last 20+ years*).  With the exception of a wonderful experience observing juvenile wolves in a zoo setting, and an equally horrible experience watching bored adults elsewhere in another zoo, I have no personal interactions with these beautiful animals.

That’s my disclaimer.  Now on to my opinions.

First, on why I’m writing this, and what I’m trying to share.

Back in the old days, we all said dogs were a sort of domesticated wolf, and therefore all of a dog’s behavior could be traced to wolf ancestry.  More recently, certain dog trainers have come at this issue from both sides, while never actually talking about it.  And a few famous people have declared that not only are our dogs NOT wolves, but that wolves aren’t even wolves the way we thought they were.

This, then, is my take on the entire topic.  I don’t expect to change your opinion, especially if you are as strong-minded as I.  I just hope to offer up a few grains for your consideration.  In my opinion, politics is playing into this, but it goes further than that (as it often seems to): scientists come up with wonderful experiments, but never seem to really put ALL of the pieces together.  I’m not sure who is supposed to be doing that, but it leaves giant gaps for ignorant opinions to fill.  And here is my addition to that canon.

Wolves:

Wolf packs are very hierarchical, with an alpha male and an alpha female at the top. The rest of the wolves are largely made up of off-spring of different ages, although a few wolves in the pack may be unrelated adults.  Wolves do not tolerate other wolves in their territories (and have been known to kill these animals). Wolf packs tend to be relatively small, although some may grow to a number of animals for a short time.  Only the alpha pair is technically allowed to mate, which results in a group of animals who can be something like an extended family.  Sometimes, though, secret trysts do happen, resulting in pups born unrelated to the actual alpha male, and resulting in pregnant non-alpha females.

The recent suggestion is that wolf packs are held together by bonds of love and friendship, but that is a ridiculous human take on the pragmatism of a wolf pack.  They live in harsh environments, must hunt and kill to keep themselves fed, and although they may be gentle to injured members, very few animals in the kingdom are known to protect sick and weak animals in quite the way humans do.

Wolves are social animals, but packs are not rock-solid groupings. Wolf packs may break up if the alpha pair is killed, or if they are traumatized by other events.  Often members splinter off to go in search of their own mates and their own territories.  Occasionally these single wolves may find a mate of the opposite sex and start their own packs, but they are also often killed when they invade another pack’s territory, or face starvation when they are on their own.  Due to the highly territorial nature of wolves, it is very difficult for wolves to assimilate into other established packs (although not unheard of).  A single wolf is generally a wolf looking to belong, not an animal content on his own.

It is entirely unnecessary to ignore or downplay the role structure of wolf packs.  Since wolves seek companionship, and some are naturally more timid than others, roles within a wolf pack serve to keep a pack strong and stable.  As human beings, we often root for the underdog, but that just isn’t how it works in wolf societies.  In particular, the breeding rights aspect means only the strongest genes get passed to the next generation, which makes ALL wolf packs stronger.  And the Omega (bottom rung) wolf may get picked on, but he is far from a social outcast.

We can, perhaps, compare wolf behavior to that of other canids if we are confused by recent changes of opinion.  The Painted Dogs of Africa also form packs based on heirarchy, complete with submissive displays from sub-animals and breeding rights reserved for the leaders.  Coyotes, too, form packs and engage in dominant and submissive displays.  Dingos have a unique ancestry, including a period as domesticated pets, and although their engagement in packs is more fluid, they compete for territory and dominant breeding rights.

We may try to dress it up, but the reality is that wolves have small, hierarchical groups with a single pair mating and producing the members of the pack.  The animals tend to stay together based on family groups and to ensure their own survival.  ‘Bonds’ as we think of them really don’t come into play here, especially since wolves may splinter off from a pack for a wide range of reasons.  Violence may be uncommon, but the threat of violence is not  (which describes many groups of social animals, with posturing, threat displays, and other forms of non-violent aggression).  Humans engage in this stuff as well.  Like all other animals in the animal kingdom, the biological function of wolves is to survive and produce the next generation.  We can (as for all predatory animals) break down their drives into very specific categories: mating rights, territory, food.  Wolves have an additional drive in common with social animals (and many other canids): a group cohesion that forms the basis of their packs, and the necessity to have that pack led by strong leaders.

Dogs:

Dogs are not, and have not been, wolves for thousands of years.  Just within the last 200, dogs were bred into very specific breeds, further changing their appearance and behavior.

It is helpful to know that science has compared the behavior of our adult dogs to that of juveniles of other species.  Dogs engage in play and appeasement behaviors long after the point that other animals have entered a more serious adulthood.  I would even argue that our dogs are chronically stuck at the dog equivalent of a 12 year old human: responsible in their own way, but largely unable to make the decisions that would enable a wolf to survive.

If we carry this analogy further, then, we can understand why groups of feral dogs in Chicago and wolf packs are absolutely nothing alike.  If you put a group of 12 year olds together in a field, they aren’t necessarily going to develop a running government, or come up with realistic plans to earn money and acquire food.  Nor will they be worried about tomorrow’s rainy weather.  They simply can’t. They are still human beings, but have not yet learned the life skills or acquired the brain maturity necessary to function in the adult world.  When we say our dogs have short memories, or that they live in the moment, what we are really acknowledging is the adolescent thinking processes our dogs are stuck in.

Current estimates for dog domestication run from 10,000 to 40,000 years.  Again, in that time we have bred our dogs further and further away from the wolves they used to be.  They were bred to automatically see their human partners as the ‘alpha’ members of the pack, to work with and for us, and to understand our verbal commands and body language.  We carefully created that desire to work: compare it to training a cat or even an actual wolf, and you will see a drastic difference in the trainability between all other species and dogs.  Although the actual DNA differences are small, our determined selective breeding has changed the behavior of our dogs in very significant ways.

Dogs also do some pretty amazing things: they make solid eye contact with us, something completely unnatural (and unnerving) to wolves.  They purposely engage us in play.  And if your dog loses his ball under the couch, chances are good he will come to you to ask for help.  On the flip side, wolves are much more apt to critically problem solve without assistance, and much better at reaching logical understandings about their environment.

Recently I read a book that described dogs are our ‘symbiote’.  I don’t entirely agree with that, but I do think it’s helpful to see dogs as animals we have made entirely dependent on human beings.  Cats in feral colonies can be caught, neutered, and released back.  Just like goats and pigs, cats quickly become truly wild animals when they are without humans: capable of feeding and caring for themselves.  Dogs, on the other hand, grow thin, hungry, and lost.  They struggle to survive.  Even in areas where food resources seem large (poor countries with enormous garbage dumps, for example), dogs still look scraggly and sick.  We really cannot form opinions of dogs based on their behaviors in feral or wild domesticated dog packs: it is not their natural environment.  It would be the equivalent of letting a miniature horse onto the range, or a Rex cat loose to observe how it copes in the woods: when we remove or change basic components of an animal’s makeup, when we tamper with genetics, we have effectively eliminated all possibilities that an animal can function on a natural level.  And no species has been as tampered with as the domesticated dog.  Rex cats are still cats, miniature horses are still horses.  Dogs are certainly not wolves, and if we truly want to understand the behavior of dogs in their ‘natural’ environment, we need to study them with their human families.

This, then, is the reason for my statements elsewhere that human-based aggression in our dogs is completely unnatural: dogs really cannot thrive without us.

Putting the pieces together:

So wolves and dogs are not the same thing, and your dog is not wild.  Feral and wild dog packs may very well be held together by bonds of friendship (which is, fundamentally, the way dogs operate) but wolves are held together by family connection, safety, and drives that are highly biological in nature.  Dogs and wolves, however, differ by only .2% in their DNA- closer, by far, than humans and chimps or bonobos (which are 98.8 % identical).

Really, though, that stuff only matters on the surface.  Whether dogs and wolves are close or far apart, they are still very related and we can look at certain behaviors in wolves to better understand our dogs.

Wolf packs do not calmly and nicely share food.  They fight, they growl, they steal.  Wolves keep order in a pack with eye contact and body posture, so to the casual eye, all may look peaceful.  That isn’t really what is going on, though, and if you observe body language, particularly between the Alpha and Omega wolves, the distinction becomes clear.  Our dog’s behavior around food comes from these same foundations.  We may think the behavior is unnatural because we are used to sitting around the dinner table, but dogs do not share as naturally as we do… it’s in the genetics.

Hopefully, I don’t have to explain ‘prey’ behavior to you, but I will tell you herding, tracking, and even pointing dogs are all using a modified version of that behavior.  Dogs following a scent and dogs that point are engaging in the early portion of a hunt, while herding dogs are performing the middle (chasing) portion.  These dogs are not expected to kill the animal (or person) once they find him or her.  We have manipulated the ultimate goal, but the chain of behaviors is based on the same instincts.  Of course, some dogs still engage in the entire process, including killing, but dogs rarely eat what they’ve killed, and generally keep killing if there is more prey available.

Pulling on leashes and puppies following close are both part of what I call ‘natural following distance’ that dogs share with wolves.  Adults in a wolf pack with stick by their leaders when they are out hunting or walking, although wolf packs may not follow directly behind their leader (in fact, one cannot determine who is the Alpha based on walking position alone). All Puppies are pre-programmed to follow.  They need to be, or there would be far more losses in a pack.  You can see the same behavior in your dog puppy when he follows you, and you can hear it in his whimpers when he is separated into another room.  Although adult dogs don’t generally follow as closely as puppies do, some breeds or individuals within a breed definitely become our shadows.  As for pulling on the leash- although it can be connected to dominance issues (your dog thinks he’s the boss and he’s dictating the speed and direction of your walk), it also tells you how unnatural it is for dogs to be that close to the other members of the pack while walking.  If that same pair (human and dog) go into a large field with the dog off-lead, there is a very good chance that the dog will stay in sight, frequently run back for a check-in, and even follow their owner at a distance. (note: if you try this, please make sure the field is fenced for safety!)

Play behavior in dogs is also traceable to wolves.  All sorts of chasing games (balls, frisbee) are prey behavior.  Tug of war games are also a form of prey drive, and terriers in particular may indulge the neck-snapping shake of the toy, although all dogs seem to enjoy this game.  And remember: your dog is stuck in adolescence, so his play behaviors are the equivalent of wolf puppies learning to be adult wolves.  Your dog probably won’t be serious when he tries to steal the toy (just like wolf puppies playing with a bone), but an adult wolf isn’t going to pull punches if you have something he wants. Play for both dogs and wolves can also be a time to work out dominance and submission, although I’ll discuss that further in another post.

Territorial aggression makes complete sense when we consider the wolf ancestry of our dogs.  Wolves do not tolerate strange animals in their territory, and are quick to fight or run them off.  It also explains why your dog might act aggressively in your yard, but be a gentleman when out on a walk or somewhere visiting.  Some territorial aggression in wolves is micro-aggression: that is, directed at members of the pack.  The alpha wolf gets to claim the best places.  When your dog growls at you or a family member while your dog is on your bed, he is also engaging in a type of territorial guarding.

Aggression toward other dogs is actually a completely natural behavior.  Once again, wolves do not tolerate strange wolves.  Thankfully, we can quite easily socialize our puppies away from this behavior.  We should, however, look at dog-aggression as a natural behavior we are working to steer our dogs away from, not as an aberration or ‘bad’ behavior.

Dominance and submission are as present in dogs as they are in wolves.  My heart goes out to dog owners who hit puberty with a dog who has not learned the human is the ‘Top Dog’.  Dogs during that period are making almost daily power-plays, and unless a human is paying attention, the dog is going to be the one calling the shots.  ALL dogs work on these roles, though: it is present in a group of puppies growling at each other, and present in older dogs as they vie for attention or the spot near the fire.  This does not mean all dogs are born for the dominant position, though, because they certainly are not.  Just like humans, some were born to lead and some to follow.  And often we can’t spot the hierarchy in our groups of dogs unless something is amiss and actual aggression breaks out.  But I really think it goes further than just a straight-out grab for the best spot on the bed.  Strong packs require strong leaders.  The Alpha may get the spoils, but he also gets all the headaches of making the big decisions.   A dog trying to be the alpha isn’t telling his human pack that he dislikes them.  In his canid way, he is saying that he will keep order and protect them from danger (just like the Alpha wolf in the pack).  It is, perhaps, an uncomfortable form of love.  It doesn’t make this behavior acceptable- far from it- but we can stop pretending it doesn’t exist because it doesn’t fit our fuzzy concept of our dogs.   It isn’t a kindness to leave our dogs trying lead in a society populated with human laws and rules.

Again, though, many of the interactions our dogs have with us are unique.   The behaviors your dog displays in his relationship with you are based on his social relationships within his human/dog pack, NOT what a wolf would display with other wolves (or what a wolf would display if he was living in your home).  Theory says even a dog’s barking (something wolves rarely do) was developed specifically to communicate with us.   Many of the quirks our dogs display in friendly social situations are better traceable to their breed characteristics than to their wolfish ancestry.

In Conclusion

So there it is, my treatise on why we can- and can’t- consider wolf behavior when we are dealing with our own dogs.  At the end of the day, we have bred dogs with a concentration on their role as our social partners, and this is the very reason that our dogs work so hard to please us- and why we get so much joy out of owning them.

Let’s separate the truth from the propaganda, the realities from the politics.  Let’s spend less time trying to figure out why our dogs do what they do and trust that we already KNOW.  Dogs are not alien animals, they are not a strange new discovery we found in the rainforest.  Dogs have been with us almost from the moment we became our modern-day selves, and some people think we wouldn’t have been nearly as successful without them.  None of my opinions were spun out of thin air.

I’ll leave you with one last tidbit, this time from actual science: when we pet our dogs, their brains release oxytocin.  This is the identical chemical breastfeeding mothers get that helps them to bond and love their infants.  But the wonderful thing is we ALSO get a boost of that same chemical.   And chemical changes in our brains mean as we were changing dogs to fit with us, dogs were also changing us to fit with them.  Let’s honor that by considering all aspects of our dogs, and honoring our dogs AS dogs: not wolves, not furry people.  Dogs have woven themselves into the history of our own species, and hold an extra special spot in our lives.

If you would like to read more about genes in dogs and wolves, click here.

And here‘s an interesting one on the differences in very young pups of both species.

 

 

 

*More recent documentaries are starting to take a political turn in their observations and reporting, referring to wolf ‘families’ and editing footage to make wolves seem entirely peaceful.  This is a complete fallacy: estimates say that the majority of wolves which die in the wild are killed by OTHER WOLVES, giving lie to the idea that wolves gleefully congregate together, or that they are entirely non-aggressive.  We can understand and appreciate wolves without ignoring the truth of their natures.  I invite you to watch both new and old documentaries on these wonderful animals with fresh eyes.  Once again, the truth lies at neither end, but instead, somewhere in the middle.

Where oh where… (Your Perfect Dog pt. 4)

Ok, so now that you’ve narrowed it down to either a puppy or an adult dog, and you know your breed of choice as well as any breeder might, it’s time to figure out where to look for your new friend.

Puppies

Shelters: Once again, getting any dog from a shelter is a risk.  It is true with puppies, however, that sometimes the breeders of the pups couldn’t find homes for them, and dropped them off here.  These pups might be the same age as a pup you would buy otherwise, and may be just as ready to learn your rules.  I will give you a note of warning though: a number of diseases in puppies are fatal.  Not all shelters are as quick to detect these as they should be.  Learn from my experiences: make sure your pup is healthy no matter where you find him or her.

Breeders: these are usually insanely knowledgeable folks who dearly love their dogs, and their breed.  You can usually get papers to establish the parent dogs, and generally have a good idea what sort of diseases run in their background.  Generally, these pups have had health checks.  Good breeders want you to have success with your pup, so sometimes they have lengthy questionnaires or restrictions on what you can feed your dog or how you can house him/her.  Pups may also come with a spay/neuter contract, and the lineage papers may cost extra.  You are, however, paying for valuable knowledge.

Backyard Breeders: I actually think these guys have a really bad reputation for very little reason.  Although papers won’t be available, and you may have limited knowledge on health risks, these pups are sometimes raised around children, held often, and there are limited litters born at a time.  The owners generally bred a housepet to someone else’s beloved housepet.  You will probably be able to meet the parents, as well.  Some may have had health checks, but others will not.  Costs are less than for established breeders.

Puppy Mills: I probably don’t need to explain this one, but a relative recently confused ‘backyard breeder’ with ‘puppy mill’ so I’m going to explain the difference.  Puppy mill puppies are a product.  No matter what conditions the kennels might be in (some are better than others), the breeding parents of these dogs are kept just for that purpose, and little time or attention is paid to maintaining sanity or social skills.  Little (if any) attention is paid to genetic diseases or genetic behavioral problems.  Dogs may be inbred and show a number of horrible or fatal physical deformities that will shorten the life of your dog.  Puppy mill pups are a huge risk, but these folks are smart and will not tell you that it is what they are.  Hint: stay away from any ads that sell multiple breeds from the same seller.

Ads (newspapers, local publications) may be a mix of the previous choices, although truly good breeders usually have a waiting list for their pups.  Once again, ask lots of questions and make sure you can meet the parent dogs (at least mom) before you choose your puppy.  I caution you not to buy a pup based on a picture.  I’ll talk more another time about what to do when you are staring at those adorable faces, but for now just make sure you ACTUALLY meet the puppy in question before you commit to anything.

Internet ads might work, but I’m a bit wary of them.  It’s too easy for puppy mills to look like a legitimate breeder through this medium, and too easy for you to miss signs that your dream puppy is going to give you a lifetime of problems.  The litter in question might also be thousands of miles away, forcing you to buy sight-unseen.

Pet Stores: historically we have been told that these places are populated with puppy-mill puppies, that the dogs have health and behavioral problems, and that one should NEVER get a pup from a pet store.  More recent evidence claims the opposite: that these are healthy, happy, vet-checked pups who are perfectly sound and adoptable.  I have yet to make my mind up on the matter, so I leave that up to you.

As with any long-term purchase, ask LOTS AND LOTS of questions, no matter which route you take.

Adult Dogs

Shelters: again, shelter dogs are a risk, so just know that going in.  Worse, your shelter dog has lived under stressful conditions, sometimes for months, so the dog you see in the kennel is not necessarily going to be the dog you bring home.  That isn’t always a bad thing: some dogs will act incredibly rambunctious because they need to burn off energy, others might act nervous simply because of the stimuli there.  Previously housebroken dogs may also have forgotten their potty skills while at the shelter, so be ready to retrain if you go this route.  It does make it hard to know exactly what you are picking out, so look for an average dog- not too excited, not too scared.  Be sure to read the kennel card carefully and talk to the staff.  Shelters are usually wonderful about taking back a dog that isn’t working out, and can give advice on behavioral issues after you get your dog home.

Breeders: often breeders will hold back a dog as a future breed or show prospect, then change their minds.  These may be half-grown dogs of good bloodlines with solid health checkups.  Your main question needs to be whether this was a dog raised in the house or if this dog was primarily kept with other dogs- dogs past a certain age kept primarily with other dogs will not bond as easily with you, and may not have learned basic house manners.  Meet the dog, and ask LOTS of questions.

Friends and family: often a family you know will need to rehome their dog.  Usually (although, trust me, not always) these people will be very forthcoming about the behavioral problems you will be acquiring with your new dog.  Hopefully the dog will be trained in some basic obedience and health checks will be current.  As I mentioned on my prev. post, though, sometimes what they found acceptable in their home is NOT in yours.  That doesn’t mean you can’t teach the dog a different set of rules, just that it will still take time even if they feel he/she is already the ‘perfect dog’

Ads: Ads are the riskiest choice for an adult dog.  I’ve already laid out why that is in my previous post, but, in addition, there is a chance a stranger from an ad won’t be willing to take back their problem dog if it really doesn’t work out.  Choose with care.  I’m also a bit alarmed at the prices people are trying to get for these dogs: it is far better to buy a pup (if you can find one) for the same price and skip the hassle of trying to undo someone else’s mistakes (A VERY well trained dog may be worth the extra cost, but that is not usually what you will find in advertisements).

Once again, NEVER EVER buy a dog based on guilt or emotions.  You may be buying a dog because you’ve always loved dogs, and you WANT ONE, but you need to make sure you use your head to make the best decision.  Be smart, pick a dog you can live with no matter what age or where you buy.

Methods and Magic: Stand

There are a host of different ways to teach this very basic, but fundamental, skill.  As is the case with all of these techniques, this is NOT a complete list, so if you are struggling, ferret up an alternative that will work for your dog.

Although this particular skill has never been very useful to me, it’s still a nice one to teach your dog just in case you need to use it.

Hands off method (Positive): from a sit, pull the treat toward you until your dog stands up to follow the treat.  When you like what this looks like, add the command ‘Stand’.  Phase out the treats.

Hands on method (modified dominance): Put a hand gently under your dog’s tummy, directly in front of his rear legs, holding him up.  Give the ‘Stand’ command.  Praise.

What I like: I have used the hands-off method, pulling the treat forward to put my dog in a stand.  Again, though, I find this of limited use in our daily lives, although it is a necessary skill for dogs who are going to be used in the show ring or various forms of competition.

Also make sure you practice this one with the ‘stay’ command.

For the basics on how to make sure you manage to teach your dog obedience commands (and other behaviors):

It’s Not Rocket Science

And for more on specific training methods for obedience:

Methods and Magic: Leash Training

Methods and Magic: Come

Methods and Magic: Sit

Methods and Magic: Lie Down

Methods and Magic: Heel

Methods and Magic: Stay