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:

1. We just can’t say it enough: a tired dog is a good dog. A walk in the park is a great way to provide physical activity, mental stimulation and bonding time. Walking the dog for 30 minutes to an hour a day is a really good habit to develop (for more about how walks can benefit your dog visit our blog ‘Walking the dog has big impact‘.
2. Dogs love to chew. There are a number of safe chew toys that many dogs really enjoy. Look for antlers, ram horns or Nylabones® . Providing Fido with lots of chewing options will contribute to keeping your belongs untouched.
3. Dogs do not need to eat in a bowl. Hide piles of food around the house or in the backyard or scatter your dog’s meal in the lawn. Stuff toys with your dog’s food and hide the toys. The new high tech Pet Tutor® will shoot out the food, little at a time, for the dog to chase making feeding into an energy burning activity.
4. As an extension of the point above, there are a number of food puzzles on the market. The Buster®  cubes, the Tug-a-Jug™, the Kong® toys, the Tricky Treat™ Ball and many more offer a variety of challenging options for the dog to stay busy while eating. Others such as the Nina Ottosson or Kyjen®  puzzles, the IQ Treat Ball™, will stimulate the dog’s problem solving skills. With its variety of features, such as the movement activated remote, the Pet Tutor®  can also help transform many toys and objects into interactive and fun enrichment tools.
5. Train your dog. There is no limit to what your dog can learn. Spending a few minutes everyday to teach your dog a new trick will not only provide him/her with needed mental stimulation, it’s also quality time spend on your relationship.
6. Social time with other dogs. Dogs are social animals and off-leash play times keep your dog’s social skills sharp, reducing the chances of developing reactivity and fear.
7. Play with your dog. Nothing replaces a chance to play with you. Many dogs enjoy playing tug-a-war or fetch. 
8. Sports and other activities. From Freestyle to Flyball, Frisbee, Agility and Nose-work. There are a number of fun things to do that allow the dog to run and use his skills. Stimulating and energy burning, these activities are great for both dogs and owners!

​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.

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.

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.

Doggies Stylez will be holding their 1st Annual Wiener Dog and Wiener Wanna Be Races at the Heartland Pet Fest September 18th. Sign ups start at 1pm, Races start at 2pm.

If you don't have a wiener but still wanna race, then the Wiener Wanna Be race is for you! Any non-wiener is eligible to race against other non-wieners!
Just let us know when you register that you are a Wiener or a WIENER WANNA BE
If you haven't experienced a Wiener Dog Race, now is the time to watch and cheer on the wiener dogs!

Contact Erica's Doggie Styles at (618) 889-4712
http://www.doggiestylezinc.com/

RULES AND REGULATIONS

The “race track” will be 35-40 yards long.

One handler will be holding the dog at the “start” line and the second handler will be at the “finish” line.

The coordinator will signal the start of the race and the first handler will release the dog with NO other actions.

The second handler can attract the dog’s attention but MUST stay behind the finish line.
Qualifying race assignments will be made at time of receiving registration forms.

1st and 2nd place dogs in each qualifying race will move on to the quarterfinals.

If less than 25 dogs - qualifying and quarterfinal races will have four (4) dogs per race and five (5) if over 25. A decision will be made night of race (based on the number of dogs) as whether to have a Semifinal race so that only five (5) dogs will race in the finals.

You may bring your dog’s favorite toy. (Toy may not be bigger than 8 inches).

No food (human or dog food) or other pets are allowed in racetrack area.

All dogs “must” be on a leash.

Owners are required to clean-up after their dog’s accidents.

Dogs should be on their best behavior (i.e. no fighting, biting or aggressiveness). Unruly dogs will be asked to leave

Only two owner/handlers allowed in the racetrack area at any time.

Any questions please contact Dawn @ 618-922-4689 or see a volunteer at the race track area.


https://www.facebook.com/events/1761232727457027/

Join us September 17th & 18th for the 2nd Annual Heartland Pet Fest! 

ENJOY:
-Gift bags
​-Door prizes
-Raffles
-Silent Auction
-Meet with the industry's leading professionals
-Music and activities for the whole family

Stop by the Doggie Stylez booth for a FREE training consultation with trainer Christy Anderson!  

Join us September 18th at 2:00 pm for the 1st annual Doggie Stylez Weiner Dog Races! Prizes will be given to 1st, 2nd & 3rd place weiners.  Early pup sign-up is only $15 or you can sign-up the day of the event for $20. Click below to print registration form and rules.
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