![]() Posted on February 6, 2014 by Jennifer Cattet Ph.D. When we compare the lives of wild animals to that of our pets, there is a striking difference in their activity levels. Dogs, cats, birds, hamsters and gerbils of all sorts, spend a large part of their days just lying around with nothing to do. Their wild cousins on the other hand, see their days filled with challenging activities such as hunting, scavenging, foraging, and gathering food. They experience the thrill of tracking a prey, the excitement of finding a new food location and the satisfaction of a nap to recover from all the activity. Of course life in the wild isn’t all rosy and animals are also constantly at risk of being killed by larger and stronger animals, but it’s important to keep in mind, when we look at our furry friends of all shapes and sizes, that this is the life they were built for. Surviving requires lots of exercise and constant problem solving. So what happens to our pets when they’ve lost the opportunity to use those skills? When humans are put in prison and confined to a life with little change they get very bored and highly motivated for any chance of stimulation. We can’t ask animals if they’re bored or not. So researchers have been looking for objective ways to measure boredom. Boredom in animals has mostly been studied in caged animals. Many zoo or laboratory animals are confined to very small cages with little to do. Due to their limited ability to interact with the world at large, they often present abnormal behaviors. These animals lie down and sleep a lot. They also tend to engage in stereotypical behaviors that are repetitive and don’t seem to serve any particular purpose, like pacing or chewing on the bars of the cage. Rats may chase their own tail, tethered sows can engage in chewing air, monkeys will rock incessantly and parrots will pull out their feathers until they’re completely naked. Caged animals often look apathetic or depressed. Such animals will also over-react by displaying fear and aggression to new or sudden events. These behaviors are said to be abnormal, because they would never occur in the wild. Just like humans, bored animals also seem to crave stimulation. A study on two groups of captive mink showed that when the animals have nothing to do in their cage, they are three times quicker at investigating new objects than those living in an enriched environment (Meagher & al. 2012). Millions of dogs are confined for extended periods of time. Strays and unwanted dogs, dogs trained for police or service work or dogs used by biochemical research or food industry are all housed in kennels. Concerned for their welfare, many have looked into enrichment options to improve their living conditions. Studies have even shown that when given food enrichment toys, the dogs were generally more active but were also less likely to bark (Schipper & al., 2008). By providing ongoing mental stimulation, enrichment feeding toys have also been shown to slow down our dog’s cognitive decline due to age (Milgram & al., 2005). When living in a home environment, dogs get more opportunities for stimulations. Many get regular walks or play time with their guardian. Still however, even with the best of intentions, our busy lifestyles cannot provide our canine companions the level of activity and mental stimulation that they need. For most dogs, a typical day consists of lying around for 8-10 hours, waiting for their humans to come home. When the humans finally get home, they are busy with homework, chores, emails to return, Facebook and Twitter to update, phone calls to make, etc…. Once all done, there is often little energy left to spend entertaining Fido. In the end, the luckiest of dogs may get a little over an hour of interaction and activity at best. So what happens when dogs get under-stimulated and bored? They look for things to do. Dogs will raid the laundry basket, tear up stuffed animals or chew on the furniture. They’ll bark at the neighbor’s dog, dig holes in the back yard or look for ways to escape. Just like in other species, many dogs also engage in behaviors such as excessive licking, spinning, tail chasing, hair pulling, nail biting or air biting. In the end, many behavior problems would be avoided by simply providing Bitsy and Rex with something to do. There are a number of toys on the market, from the squeaky ones to the chewy ones. But most of us have notices that it doesn’t take long for our pooches to ignore them. A recent study confirmed that dogs show a strong interest to new toys but after a short while, when the dog has become familiar with the toy’s smell, taste, sound and feel, they lose their appeal and the dogs quickly ignore them (Pullen & al., 2012). So how can we keep our dogs busy and happy? Here are a few suggestions:
Just as dogs can get tired of any particular toy, enrichment opportunities have to offer variety and constant challenge. Anything, no matter how fun, that is repeated over and over again can turn from fun to torture. So the trick here is to constantly look for new things to do, for new ways to challenge the dog, for games that get increasingly more difficult. Dogs are smart animals and just like people, they need activity and mental stimulation. Our only limit is our imagination… Jennifer Cattet Ph.D. Which is Better For Your Dog?By Laura Pakis ![]() How often have you heard dog owners say, “My dog flunked obedience class.” With so many different methods, settings, and styles of dog training, obedience problems can inevitably result — depending on what they choose and the temperament and personality of the dog. Similar to humans, dogs learn in a variety of ways. And just like humans, some dogs take longer to grasp a concept than others. One theory for an average dog learning a task is as follows: 24 hours: If not repeated; the memory is absent. 1 to 5 Days: repeated daily; the task is in short term memory. 1 to 30 Days: repeated daily; the task in long term memory. Improvement in a dog’s performance continues when training is effective. Of course environmental factors (trainer effectiveness, task complexity, lesson style, etc.) influence the time frame, as do the dog’s genetic factors. Another statement of expected learning curve is more profound. An average student with an average dog needs about 3 months for a task to be 85% reliable. A good student with a good dog decreases the number of weeks to 10 for 85% reliability. And a poor student with an average dog increases the amount of time for 85% reliability to about 4 months (most likely due to inconsistencies and poor timing). So what type of setting is best to train a dog? There are several factors to consider before deciding whether a group class or private lessons fit a client’s situation and personality. Time, money, what their goals and needs are, as well as knowing what environment works best for the dog’s personality and temperament are all factors. The benefit of a group obedience class is, economically, it’s more affordable. Many opt toward the group because of this, but once they enter the group, they find that the other benefits are the camaraderie; the friendships they gain, or the commiserating of their dog’s problems to one another. Classes can also offer a competitive edge that pushes members to improve and “keep up” and a great energy is created with a group of people working hard and feeding off that energy. Human nature is such that we enjoy doing things in a group; however group classes are not designed to be effective with all dog owners or puppies. If someone is looking for training that will be safe, relationship-based, and 100% focused on them, then private one-on-one dog training is the best bet. Some argue that private training yields the best results because the trainer is going to gear every session towards their client’s goals using training methods appropriate for their dog’s personality and temperament. Private lessons provide much more detail to training. This is a disadvantage of group classes where the trainer’s focus is divided among several individuals and a variety of dog personalities. Group classes can be set up to be more successful by reducing the number of participants to around 6 or less, or arranging it so the dogs are of similar personality and temperament. Offering aggressive dog classes or fearful dog classes can be beneficial since many of these dog owners already have the stigma that they have a “problem dog”. Working with other owners of similar dogs in small groups can also provide the catalyst to build confidence in the owners. Another possibility that works well is to use both environments to your advantage. Start off the dog’s training using private lessons. Then once the dog has a solid foundation of obedience, continue training using group classes to improve command reliability or develop a specialty such Therapy Dog or Agility. It is difficult to say that one environment is better than the other. Both types of training environments have their advantages and disadvantages. One thing they have in common is they help dog owners stay focused on their goals for a well-mannered dog. The benefits of either type of training are accountability and scheduling. For many people, making an appointment with a trainer helps them stay true to their commitment to training their dog. No matter which training environment your client chooses, it is important to remember that training never ends. Just like any good relationship, you have to keep working at it. A six or eight week course is not a lifetime guarantee of good behavior, nor is a series of private lessons. Training is an investment in gaining the tools to maintain a dog’s good behavior. Obedience is a way of life and one every dog owner should participate in. Dog food labels are EXTREMELY difficult to read and unfortunately, the dog food industry is poorly regulated. Please take the time to educate yourself on what you are feeding your babies. Remember that if you have any questions about nutrition or what to look for on a label, ask your vet. There are also numerous websites dedicated to explaining the ingredients in almost every brand of dog food and as well as what to look for on the label. Despite upwards of tens of thousands of consumer complaints and two prior lawsuits filed against the Nestle Purina Petcare Company’s Beneful brand of dog food, California federal judge, U.S. District Judge Edward Chen ruled in favor of the dog food giant, citing failure to prove the product was unsafe and that allegations heavily relied on a veterinarian’s inadmissible opinions.The lawsuit began after California dog owner, Frank Lucido bought a bag of Purina’s Beneful dry dog food in December of 2014 and began feeding it exclusively to his dogs. About 2 weeks after beginning to feed Beneful, his German Shepherd became violently ill. The first symptoms that Frank and his wife noticed were that the Shepherd was losing hair and giving off an unusual odor. Two days later, a veterinarian examined their dog and found internal bleeding and a malfunctioning stomach and liver, symptoms consistent with poisoning. One week later, on January 23, 2015, Lucido’s wife found their English Bulldog dead in the backyard. A necropsy revealed signs of internal bleeding and lesions on his liver, consistent with those same symptoms the Lucido’s German Shepherd suffered.
As a result of his dogs’ illnesses and thousands more similar complaints of illness and death by other pet parents, Frank Lucido filed a class action lawsuit against the Nestle Purina Pet Care Company on February 5, 2015. The more than 3,000 complaints against Beneful “show consistent symptoms, including stomach and related internal bleeding, liver malfunction or failure, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, weight loss, seizures, bloating, and kidney failure,” according to Frank Lucido v. Nestle Purina Petcare Company, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. In an analysis of Beneful samples, the plaintiff’s expert found: “An analysis of 28 samples [from bags of Beneful suspected of causing illness in several dogs] revealed three types of toxins: propylene glycol; mycotoxins, a fungal mold on grain; and the heavy metals arsenic and lead. But the level of toxins found in the dog chow did not exceed limits permitted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration [FDA]. Plaintiffs’ expert analyzed 28 of 1,400 dog food samples from incidents of dogs that got ill after eating Beneful. The sampling was limited because not all dog owners had kept the chow. The expert, animal toxicologist Dr. John Tegzes, claimed the FDA based its dog chow toxin limits only on short-term exposure and did not consider the effects of long-term exposure. He said studies used to establish FDA tolerance limits were ‘poorly designed’ and tended to look only at the effects on dogs over weeks, rather than years. While Tegzes could not say definitively that the toxins caused the dogs to get sick, he concluded that chronic exposure to mycotoxins, heavy metals and glycols posed a ‘significant health risk’ to dogs and could adversely affect their health.” Following the judgement in their favor, Nestlé Purina spokeswoman Wendy Vlieks released the following statement: “Today’s ruling confirms what millions of pet owners already know — that Beneful is a safe, healthy and nutritious dog food that millions of dogs enjoy every day.” Although the food is advertised as healthy and nutritious, third party testing found dangerous levels of mycotoxins, a toxic secondary metabolite produced by fungus (mold) that occurs in grains, especially corn, a primary ingredient in Beneful dog foods. Other sources point to propylene glycol, an ingredient commonly found in anti-freeze and a known toxin to dogs and cats, which is also found in Beneful and other Purina brand foods. Although the judgement sided with Nestle Purina in this case, any pet parents feeding Beneful brand pet foods may want to carefully consider that choice, keep a watchful eye for any unusual symptoms or illness, and research the complaints of other dog and cat owners in order to make an informed decision regarding their dog’s diet. February is National Pet Dental Health Month...and it will be here before we know it! In order to get your pet ready for their February dental exam, Doggie Stylez is offering FREE TEETH BRUSHING with every full groom, clean-up, or bath through the end of January. PLUS you get to keep the toothbrush to continue your pet's oral care at home! Call us today to get booked for your pet's grooming service and FREE teeth brushing!
In honor of our GRAND RE-OPENING, we are offering a 2 day only DAYCARE SPECIAL beginning Thursday, September 29, at 7:30 am until Friday, September 30, at 6:00 pm!
Purchase: 5 day daycare package get 1 ADDITIONAL DAY FREE 10 day daycare package get 2 ADDITIONAL DAYS FREE 15 day daycare package get 3 ADDITIONAL DAYS FREE Month Unlimited package get 4 ADDITIONAL DAYS FREE CALL OR COME BY TO PURCHASE! *******WAIT THERE'S MORE****** For the month of October we are offering our "RE-FUR-AL" program. Refer a new client and get a free day of daycare! Just have the new client tell us your name when they come for their grooming, boarding, daycare, or training and we'll add a day of daycare to your account! We can't wait to see everyone this Saturday, October 1, at 11 am for our ribbon cutting! DON'T FORGET TO SHARE! You don't have to have a wiener |
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Doggie Stylez Packmates,
As of June 1, the daily rate for a single 1/2 day of daycare will be $15 and a full day of daycare will be $20. As always, you get great savings with our daycare packages! Rates for month unlimited packages will remain the same. As always, please call ahead or schedule in advance to make sure your spot is reserved!
Barks & Wags,
The Doggie Stylez Pack
As of June 1, the daily rate for a single 1/2 day of daycare will be $15 and a full day of daycare will be $20. As always, you get great savings with our daycare packages! Rates for month unlimited packages will remain the same. As always, please call ahead or schedule in advance to make sure your spot is reserved!
Barks & Wags,
The Doggie Stylez Pack
Tis' the season....for pictures with Santa Paws! Mark your calendars...December 6th from 9am-4pm, Doggie Stylez is hosting the 1st annual "Glam Pics with Santa PAWS" Bring your pooch, your kids, the whole family and friends to have your picture made with Santa Paws. Stay for some milk and cookies, play in the park, and leave with a stocking for your favorite furry family member! For a suggested donation of $15 you'll have a great picture to go with your Christmas cards! All proceeds benefit Caring Counseling Ministries! We can't wait to see you there!
Ho! Ho! Ho! And remember to share this post with family and friends!
Ho! Ho! Ho! And remember to share this post with family and friends!
Guess what, Doggie Stylez pack mates...Doggie stylez now grooms cats!!! That's right, the first Monday of each month groomer Andrea Pike has set aside to groom your cat! These kitty days WILL fill up fast, so call Doggie Stylez ASAP to get your feline friend scheduled for their groom!