Adrienne Farricelli CPDT-KA, Author at Daily Dog Discoveries

30 Fascinating Differences Between Wolves and Dogs

March 14, 2025August 19, 2016 by Adrienne Farricelli CPDT-KA

A common question people ask is what is the difference between dogs and wolves? The answer is there are many differences and it is therefore wrong to assume that dogs are just wolves sharing our living rooms! Sure, dogs and wolves share 99.96 of their genes, and since they have the same amount of chromosomes (to be exact, 78 arranged in 39 pairs) this makes them capable of mating and even giving life to offspring; however, this 0.04 percent difference is enough to set wolves and dogs quite distinctly apart. Wolves and dogs are not only different from a physical standpoint but a behavioral one as well, not to mention differences in the ways they develop, form social bonds and reproduce. Following are 30 fascinating differences that sets dogs and wolves apart.

Physical Differences Between Wolves and Dogs

1) Variability/Uniformity. Sure, there are several dog breeds that look like wolves out there, namely Siberian huskies, Alaskan malamutes, German shepherds and many more, but Chihuahuas, beagles or a dachshunds are sure a far cry from looking like wolves! There’s no denial over the fact that dogs are the most varied species on earth coming in all sorts of shapes, colors and sizes, but wolves, on the other hand, are quite uniform when it comes to appearance.

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2) Dogs have a head that is smaller than wolves. Generally, a dog’s head is 20 percent smaller than the head of a wolf.

3) Dogs have smaller brains compared to wolves. It is estimated that wolves have a brain that is around 30 percent larger than the brain of a domesticate dog.

4) Dogs have smaller jaws compared to wolves. Wolves need strong jaws so they can to crush bones so to reach the soft marrow, which brings us to number 5…

5) Dogs have the same type of teeth as wolves and even the same number (42). Both wolves and dogs have 20 teeth in the upper jaw and 22 in the lower jaw. Dogs however have smaller teeth compared to the teeth of wolves.

6) Dogs not only have smaller teeth, but their bite forces are weaker. Wolves have phenomenal jaw strength that according to Barry Lopez in Of Wolves and Men has a “crushing pressure of about 1,500 (lbs/square inch) which is a whole lot if compared to the average 740 (lbs/square inch) crushing pressure of a German Shepherd.

7) Dogs tend to have eyes that come in several colors. We have dogs with brown eyes, blue eyes and even one eye of one color and one eye of another. Wolves tend to have eyes of various shades of yellow to amber, but never brown.

8) Dogs have a prominent stop, the indentation in the dog’s skull most prominent when the dog’s head is seen by profile. Wolves don’t have such a prominent stop; rather, their foreheads are pretty straight from head to nose.

Developmental Differences Between Dogs and Wolves

9) Generally, dogs are slower to develop compared to wolves. According to Alexandra Horowitz, puppies open their eyes around two or more weeks; whereas in wolves they open as early as 10 days.

10) Dogs enter the critical socialization period at four weeks, while wolves begin much earlier at two weeks. According to a study conducted by Kathryn Lord, wolf pups were found to be already walking and exploring at 2 weeks of age even though still blind and deaf; whereas, dog pups begin the socialization period at around 4 weeks when they already can see, hear and smell.

11) Dogs have a longer primary socialization period compared to wolves. This offers them the advantage of having more time to become accustomed to interactions with people and their surrounding environment.

12) Dogs unlike wolves retain juvenile characteristics even as they become adult (neoteny). These characteristics include large eyes, shorter muzzles, bulging craniums and floppy ears.

Behavior Differences between Dogs and Wolves

13) Dogs are domesticated and can be trained. Wolves can be somewhat trained, but they cannot become domesticated.

14) Other than retaining juvenile physical traits, dogs also retain juvenile behaviors compared to wolves. Dogs are prone to whining even as adults, while adult wolves seldom whine.

15) Dogs are predisposed to barking for various reasons, while adult wolves tend to seldom bark. Wolves though rely on many other forms of vocal communication and they use their signature howl for long-distance communication.

16) In dogs, play behavior is more exaggerated than in wolves and it’s retained into adulthood. While adult wolves may occasionally play, play behaviors in dogs are more easily stimulated.

17) When dogs are given a puzzle to solve, dogs will often look at their owners for guidance. Wolves on the other hand will try to solve the problem on their own.

Hunting Differences Between Dogs and Wolves

18) Coat color in dogs is very varied and their coat colors no longer play a main role for camouflaging in their surroundings. In wolves, coat color is still important for blending in their surroundings and it’s therefore limited to white, black, grey, to red and tawny brown.

19) In dogs, the predatory sequence in several breeds has been truncated which comes handy to the shepherd and hunter. Dogs may therefore eye, stalk, chase, but without killing and ingesting. Wolves need to go through the entire predatory sequence from start to finish instead in order to survive.

“Wolves kill prey, while dogs live in partnership with humans…”~Kathy Sdao

Reproductive Differences between Dogs and Wolves

20) Dogs were and continue to be selectively bred so to help suit humans purposes for work and companionship. Humans choose the best specimens to breed (hopefully!). Wolves reproduce through natural selection through Mother Nature’s “survival of the fittest.”

21) Domestication in dogs has ameliorated a female dog’s ability to reproduce. Living in the safety of a home and with the help of a breeder, litters of pups have a higher chance of surviving. Wolf pups instead must endure many challenges.

22) Dogs tend to reach sexual maturity around 6 to 9 months of age. Wolves instead reach sexual maturity around 18 to 24 months of age.

23) Female dogs (besides some exceptions) generally go in heat two times a year. Wolves go into heat only once a year.

24) Female dogs may go in heat at any time of the year. Wolves are seasonal breeders, going into heat in the spring so their offspring have time to develop and become stronger before winter.

25) Female dogs give birth in whelping boxes and their owners provide their puppies with “puppy mush” to help them transition into eating solid foods. Mother wolves build a den to raise the pups and will regurgitate their meals to help wean the pups.

Social Differences Between Dogs and Wolves

26) Most domesticated dogs live among humans nowadays, so they can be considered members of human social groups, explains Horowitz. Their social group include their human family, other dogs, and other pets living within the household. Wolves on the other hand, live in packs and their social group comprises the breeding pair, its offspring, and several relatives. “Wolves packs are families, not groups of peers vying for the top spot… They are not alpha dominants any more than a human parent is the alpha in the family, ” points out Horowitz.

27) Generally, dogs are accepting of other dogs and will continue to socialize for the rest of their lives, even though some dogs become more reserved during adolescence and some obvious exceptions. Wolves instead tend to form tight family units and are generally not accepting of stranger wolves.

Over time, we have adapted and designed dogs to fit us and our world, and it should be strongly emphasized that they are separate to and different from wolves. We do not look at the ape world to show us how to teach our children how they should behave…we must afford our dogs the same courtesy of treating them as the species they are, and not as wolves in dog’s clothing.”~Toni Shelbourne

Other Differences dog sit

28) Dogs now live into old age when living among humans. According to Egenvall and colleagues (2000) data from insured dogs has revealed that an estimated 65 percent of domesticated dog living in a household will still be alive after 10 years of age. Old wolves instead are quite a rarity in the wild.

29) Various tests conducted by Brian Hare revealed that puppies were spontaneously adept at reading human gestures, whereas wolves were not.

30) Dogs are generally good at adapting to changing situations; whereas wolves are wary and do not adapt well to novelty and this tendency carries on even when raised in captivity.

As seen, even though dogs and wolves are genetically similar, we must remember that there are at least fifteen thousand years (or many more) separating them and therefore dogs are a far cry from being the socialized wolves some people still tend to portray.

” We have enough science on dog behavior and the principles of learning that dog training should not be based on “what my daddy did” or some method arising from misinterpreted wolf behavior. Dogs are not wolves. They don’t act like wolves – and frankly we don’t want them to.” Lore I, Haug, DVM, MS, DACVB,

References:

Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know, By Alexandra Horowitz, Scribner; a edition (September 28, 2010)
Lord, K. (2013), A Comparison of the Sensory Development of Wolves (Canis lupus lupus) and Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris). Ethology, 119; 110-120
The truth about wolves and dogs, By Toni Shelbourne, Hubble & Hattie (November 20, 2012)
Dog Behaviour, Evolution, and Cognition, By Adam Miklosi, Oxford University Press; 1 edition (February 15, 2009)
The Genius of Dogs: Discovering the Unique Intelligence of Man’s Best Friend, By Brian Hare, Vanessa Woods Oneworld Publications (6 Feb. 2014)

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Keeping Your Dog in the Yard Due to Behavioral Problems? Give him Another Chance

March 14, 2025August 18, 2016 by Adrienne Farricelli CPDT-KA

Many dogs are kept outside in the yard all the time each and every day with little social interaction. If dogs could talk, we would likely hear a variety of reasons as to why they were relegated to their yard rather than spending quality time inside the home with their families. The reasons may be several ranging from allergies to hygiene or odors, but sadly in many cases, dogs are kept in the yard because they never really had an opportunity to learn how to be an inside dog or perhaps they were given the opportunity several times, but the dog just didn’t meet the owner’s expectations. Interestingly, a study provides an insight into the dynamics behind the effects of not meeting a dog’s minimum daily social interaction needs and how it can affect behavior.

Dogs are Social Animals

Dogs are social animals who crave companionship and have a strong desire to spend time with their families. When dogs are socially deprived, this can cause serious welfare implications. Human contact is so cherished among puppies and dogs that the timely implementation of social withdrawal as experienced during a brief time-out, works as punishment for dogs who crave social interactions with their favorite humans. Of course, the amount of social interaction needed with humans varies between a dog and another and there are several breed variances. Some dogs need more, while some others may be more on the independent side. This article is therefore mostly meant for those frustrated dog owners who wish to bring their dogs inside, but have relegated them to the yard due to behavior issues and the dogs are suffering the consequences, particularly lack of sufficient social interaction.

“Separation and isolation represent strong aversive events for puppies and dogs alike, forming the emotional basis for time-out procedures used in puppy training and behavior management.” ~Steven R. Lindsey

Idle Paws at Work

On top of lacking social interaction, dogs who are relegated to the yard have a strong need for exercise and mental stimulation. It’s often forgotten that dogs have a past history as natural scavengers/hunters who spent most of their days foraging in search of of food. On top of that, many dogs were selectively bred for performing tasks such as hunting, herding and retrieving.

With no way to get rid of pent-up energy and with little to do, dogs kept in the yard all day alone may therefore be forced to find their own forms of entertainment, but these hobbies won’t be appreciated by their owners. Idle paws are a devil’s workshop and dogs may therefore start digging, scratching, chewing and may also engage in incessant barking. Not to mention, aggressive displays targeted towards passersby.

“Chronic isolation situations can be very agitating. For example, long-term confinement to a backyard with a view of passers-by will often (and ironically) product aggressive displays in what would otherwise be a friendly dog.”~Jean Donaldson

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Double the Trouble

Getting another dog to keep the dog company in the yard may seem like a good solution to help make the dog less lonely, but many dogs still crave human interaction. In a study conducted by Meunier et al. in 2012, it was found that, given the choice, dogs chose interactions with humans over interactions with other dogs. Owners who therefore decide to get another dog in hopes of keeping the other dog company, should keep in mind that they may end up with two dogs with a strong desire to interact with humans and spend time in the home with them. Denying this access and/or not providing sufficient human interaction often results in two dogs who are bored, frustrated and likely to engage in undesirable behaviors such as barking and destructive behaviors.

The Indoor/Outdoor Conundrum

Many dogs who are relegated to the backyard have a history of bouncing off the walls, jumping on people, acting destructive and overall wrecking havoc in the home. Owners may therefore give up keeping the dog in the home or may try to give the dog a few chances before making a final decision. However, many times when dogs are brought inside after being out for a while, their behaviors will not meet the owner’s expectations which can lead to the dog being kept permanently in the doghouse. Yet, there’s an important phenomenon to be aware of before giving up on these dogs.

A study by Waller and Fuller in 1961 revealed that when puppies were brought up in semi-isolation their needs for social contact triggered excessive activity when they were put into a social situation. However, when kept with their litters, there was a 75 reduction in in the number of social contacts. This seems to suggest that dogs have a biological need for social interaction and when the need for a minimum amount of daily social interaction is not provided, they make up for it, compensating with excessive activity when placed in a social situation, suggests Nancy Kerns in the book “Whole Dog Journal Handbook of Dog and Puppy Care and Training.”

Waiting it Out

What does this mean for the dog owner? It’s suggestive that it might be worth it to wait it out rather than sending the dog out again the moment he misbehaves which will be ultimately adding more fuel to the fire causing the dog’s chances for becoming a house get dimmer and dimmer. Sure, the dog will likely act crazy in the home after being socially deprived and inadequately exercised for some time, but if you grit your teeth for a while, you may find that with time, you will up the chance for him to learn how to behave in the home. If your dog is a handful, and of course if he acts aggressively at any time, keep everyone safe and consult with a trainer or behavior professional.

When you feel things become unbearable, you can always invite your dog to the yard and engage him to play a structured game or you can use a baby gate and provide your dog with an interactive toy to keep busy while you carry on errands around the house. Of course, make sure to provide daily walks, training and opportunities for mental stimulation. And if you are away for a part of the day, it may be a good idea to hire a dog walker. As seen, as a general rule of thumb, most dogs prefer to stay inside the home with their families along with enjoying the many perks of the great indoors such as soft pillows, warmth and cool air in the summer.

“Dog’s physical, social and behavioural needs are very complex. Meeting these is hard, if not impossible, for dogs living outside. Therefore, we advise against keeping dogs outside. Instead of keeping your dog outside, ask someone to visit and walk them at least once each day.”~RSPCA

References:

Oh Behave!: Dogs from Pavlov to Premack to Pinker, By Jean Donaldson, Dogwise Publishing (April 1, 2008)
Whole Dog Journal Handbook of Dog and Puppy Care and Training, By Nancy Kerns, Lyons Press; 1 edition (December 1, 2007)
Handbook of Applied Dog Behavior and Training, Adaptation and Learning, By Steven R. Lindsay, Iowa State University Press; Volume One edition (January 31, 2000)

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Dog Word of the Day: Muzzle Punch

March 14, 2025August 17, 2016 by Adrienne Farricelli CPDT-KA

Dogs are masters in communication when it comes to body language resorting to subtle signs such as a quick flick of the tongue to more evident ones such as an air snap or a muzzle punch. It’s important to take notice of these signs and learn what dogs may be communicating, so to understand what is triggering them in the first place and address the underlying emotional turmoils. Muzzle punches in dogs should be taken seriously as based on context they can sometimes be a warning of an impending future bite and therefore a professional should be consulted for safety.

Pack a Punch

As the name implies, a muzzle punch is when a dog purposely bumps into a person or other dog with his muzzle while the mouth is closed. The “punch” can range in intensity from a slight poke of the muzzle to a more forceful push. When dogs deliver a muzzle poke or punch they may target different body parts.

A muzzle punch can take place when the dog is jumping up towards the face of a person or it can be targeted towards a person when he or she bends down towards the dog perhaps to kiss or hug him.

If you have ever been muzzle punched by a dog, you likely know it as your nose of jaw may be hurting. Some people even develop nose bleeds.

According to Patricia McConnell, a muzzle punch may fall into several different categories: attention-seeking muzzle punches, playful muzzle punches, affectionate muzzle punches and warning muzzle punches.

As with several other behaviors in dogs, it’s important to look at the context in which muzzle punches occur and other accompanying postural signals so to better understand under what category this behavior may fall into.

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Punching In

A dog may playfully deliver a muzzle poke to the owner’s hand or back of the leg to elicit attention or as an invitation to play or seek affection. Muzzle pokes can also be directed to the shoulder of another dog as a way to test (in a rude way) whether the other dog is willing to play. In these cases, the muzzle pokes may be a distance-decreasing signal meaning that the dog wishes to decrease distance, get closer and interact. Below is a video of a dog who barks and repeatedly ‘muzzle pokes” another dog to get him to play. Or in other words he is “pestering the dog” to convince him/her interact.

Punching Out

Some muzzle punches can be a distance increasing signal meaning that the dog is trying to increase distance so to stop an interaction that isn’t welcomed. In this case, the muzzle punch can be a precursor to a bite. A dog may for example give a hard stare and then deliver a muzzle punch in the face when he’s chewing a bone as a warning to tell the person or dog to move away from his resource. Or as mentioned, it can take place when a person bends down as to loom over the dog to pet him or perhaps deliver a kiss or hug.

Below is a video of a dog who happens to muzzle punch a person who is kissing him/her. The person was very lucky not to get hurt. Notice the “pre-muzzle punch signs” consisting of whale eyes and the dog trying to turn the head away.

Muzzles and Muzzle Punches

Often, people assume that when dogs are kept on a muzzle they are completely safe to be around as they may not be able to bite. Yet, dogs can still cause injuries despite wearing a muzzle. A muzzle doesn’t prevent a dog from delivering a forceful muzzle punch which can injure a child or small dog, and on top of that, basket muzzles still allow fingers to make it through the openings. Sometimes, dogs even manage to remove them.

A muzzle is therefore not a tool meant to solve behavior problems and a dog wearing it is not supposed to be exposed to situations he’s not ready to deal with. A muzzle is meant to be used in conjunction with behavior modification techniques as the dog progresses. As you can see in the video below, a dog can still potentially harm even when muzzled which can lead to potential injuries.

“Muzzling is not a guarantee of safety and caution should still be exercised when working with an aggressive dog. Dogs wearing a basket muzzle can still cause injury by performing a muzzle punch…” ~Debbie Martin

Did you know? A muzzle punch is classified as a level zero (along with air snapping without contact to the skin) on a Cara Shannon Dog to Human Bite Hierarchy. While level zero may seem low, it’s still suggestive of an intent to harm and should be taken seriously.

Disclaimer: this article is not meant to be used as a substitute for professional behavioral advice. If your dog is muzzle punching or showing other signs of aggression, please consult with a behavior professional.

References:

Canine and Feline Behavior for Veterinary Technicians and Nurses, By Debbie Martin, Wiley-Blackwell; 1 edition (November 17, 2014)
Raising Canine, Cara Shannon Bite Hierarchy, retrieved from the web on August 17th, 2016
The Other End of the Leash, Muzzle Punches, Air Snaps and Tooth Clatters Revisited, retrieved from the web on August 17th, 2016

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What’s The Name of That Slit in a Dog’s Ears?

March 14, 2025August 16, 2016 by Adrienne Farricelli CPDT-KA

dog ear fold If you ever carefully looked at your dog’s ears you might have noticed a fold of skin on the outer side of his ears. Many dog owners wonder about this anatomical feature. “What’s the slit on the side of my dog’s ear? What’s that extra flap doing on the edge of my dog’s ear?” Does that pocket on the outer edge of a dog’s ears have any particular function? To get an idea of exactly what skin fold in a dogs’ ears we are talking about we have attached a picture on the left.

Interestingly this extra fold of skin has a name, so today’s trivia question is: What’s the name of that double flap of skin on the edge of a dog’s ear?

A External pinna

B Rose ear fold

C Henry’s pocket

D Aural hematoma

The correct answer is: drum roll please….

drum

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The correct answer is C, Henry’s Pocket.

Also known as cutaneous marginal pouch, Henry’s Pocket is a fold of skin that forms an open pouch on the dog’s lower edge of the ear. This anatomical feature is particularly noticeable in cats, but it’s also quite visible in dogs especially those with little hair in their ears and dogs with erect ears.

A Possible Function

As of today, the function of this pocket remains unknown (Kumar 2005). There are however some theories that it must have something to do with helping dogs detect sound. The outer portion of a dog’s ear that is visible is known as pinna and it’s made of skin and cartilage. The pinna works as a funnel that helps the dog gather sounds that are then funneled to the ear canal where it travels to the ear drum. While some sound waves enter the ear drum directly, some other sound waves may bounce off the ear flap causing a slight delay before they impinge upon the dog’s ear drum. Sound waves that reach the dog’s Henry Pocket, are further delayed considering that they tend to bounce around that area. What does this possibly mean? It could mean that those slits on the edge of dog’s ears may play a role in attenuating lower pitches while helping the dog detect high-pitched sounds. But again, this is just an assumption! Some people believe instead that the fold is there to help the dog flatten his ears to protect them. Until research is conducted, we can only make guesses.

A Weak Spot

A dog’s cutaneous marginal pouch is a preferred location for vets to use for skin biopsies of the ear when needed to diagnose conditions such as pemphigus foliaceus or small vessel vasculitis. Because the Henry’s Pocket is a preferred site for ear mites or ticks to hide, it’s an area vets often check often upon physical examination of the dog. Also, being that this area is dark and often moist, it can attract bacteria and fungal infections. Vets may therefore sometimes get a swab sample from this area so to evaluate it microscopically.

References:

Lomond Hills Veterinary Clinic, Henry’s Pocket description, retrieved from the web in Aug 16th, 2016
August, John (2009). Consultations in Feline Internal Medicine, Volume 6. Elsevier Health Sciences

Photo Credits:

Flickr Creative commons, tanakawho, Yokozuna, CCBY2.0
Flickr Creative Commons, Allan Henderson, Nahni Big Ears CCBY2.0

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I am Your Dog’s Pupil

March 14, 2025August 15, 2016 by Adrienne Farricelli CPDT-KA

The saying “the eyes are the window to the soul” has a medical application as well. From a medical perspective we should also say “the eyes are the window to our health” considering the many notions we can deduce from simply looking into the eyes of another person or an animal. Because most dog eyes are brown, looking into the pupil may be a bit challenging at times, but it’s good to get acquainted with how those pupils look like normally so that we can identify signs of trouble promptly and refer to our veterinarians. So today, let’s learn more about a dog’s pupil, what it does, how it works and things to watch for.

Introducing Your Dog’s Pupil

Hello, it’s your dog’s pupil talking! Yes, to simply put it, I am that black circle that you find in the middle of your dog’s eye. Well, to tell you the truth, I am not really black. That’s just an optical illusion!

In reality, I am a black hole and appear black because I am an opening that allows light to enter your dog’s eye and the inside of the eye is generally dark. I can be of different shapes and sizes based on the species you are looking at. For instance, in goats and horses, I am oval, in cats I am a thin vertical slit, but in dogs and humans I tend to be round.

I am an Adjustable Opening

For sake of comparison, you can compare your dog’s eyes to a camera that takes pictures of the world and sends those images to your dog’s brain through the optic nerve. When it comes to me though, you can think of me as an adjustable opening. The iris (the colored part of the eye) acts as a camera’s shutter and basically regulates how much light should enter and reach me. The amount of light that reaches me therefore elicits the iris to change my size. When it’s dark, the iris muscle contracts so to enlarge me so to allow more light into the dog’s eye so he can see. When it’s bright instead, the iris muscle expands so to constrict me so to allow less light into the dog’s eye. My size is therefore controlled by two groups of smooth muscles of the dog’s iris: the iris sphincter muscle and the iris dilator muscle. These two muscle basically work in opposition. Pretty neat no?

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Did you know? The technical term for when I constrict is “miosis” (allowing less light in) whereas, the technical term for when I dilate is “mydriasis” (allowing more light in).

I Act as An “Eye-Opener”

On top of shrinking and dilating in response to light, I also react to certain stimuli and situations. For instance, if the dog sees something scary, I may dilate too. There’s yet no proof to back up why I do so, but experts theorize that it’s part of a survival tactic.

Basically, I dilate so to allow more light to enter the eyes so that the dog’s brain can process information quicker when every second counts. I therefore act as an “eye-opener” so to say, so to help the dog take in more visual information about his surroundings in such a critical time.

According to Scientific American, the autonomic nervous system responsible for the fight and flight response is what triggers me to dilate when under stress, whereas the parasympathetic system, responsible for “rest and digest” functions, causes me to constrict.

When Things Go Wrong

When I am working properly, I will dilate and constrict based on the amount of light entering the eyes, but when things go wrong I may stop from properly responding to light. In some cases, I might not look good from the get-go and you can notice abnormalities in my size. This is one of the main reasons why veterinarians often check a dog’s eyes as part of the physical exam and check my dilation or constriction in different lighting situations as a diagnostic tool.

Anisocoria, is the medical term for when the pupil in a dog’s eye is different from the other. Basically, in this case, I am bigger in one eye compared to the other. According to veterinary ophthalmologist Caryn E. Plummer, anisocoria may be indicative of some type of ocular or neurological disorder. However, not always this is detectable from onset; it may be necessary to shine a light in the dog’s eyes and watch how I respond both in bright and dim lights. This should be done by a vet, or even better, a veterinary ophthalmologist specially trained in evaluating eyes. Just consider that there are many conditions that may cause anisocoria in dogs such as an eye injury, inflammation somewhere within the eye, Horner’s syndrome, glaucoma, uveitis, exposure to toxins, head concussions and even cancer. Also, a very important important piece of information needed is uncovering which pupil is the abnormal one. Is it the dilated one or the constricted one?

“If anisocoria occurs suddenly, you should consider this an emergency situation and seek veterinary care immediately to lessen the chance that your dog’s vision will be permanently affected.”~ Dr. Cheryl Yuill, VCA Animal Hospital

Sometimes, I may also appear dilated in both eyes. When I no longer constrict in response to light this is often a sign that the dog’s eyes are no longer capable of recognizing light on the back of the eye causing blindness. Several conditions can cause this, such as blood clotting problems, infections, high blood pressure or a mass around the area of the optic nerve, explains Dr. Christian K.

Other times, I may appear dilated in both eyes. Dog owners describe their dogs as having “pin-point’ pupils. This can be due to exposure to chemicals such as pesticides, exposure to certain medications such as opioid drugs or benzodiazepines, or traumatic brain injury affecting the front of the brain stem, explains veterinarian Dr. Altman.

In some cases abnormalities in my shape can be due to congenital eye problems affecting me or the surrounding iris such as persistent pupillary membranes in dogs, coloboma, iris hypoplasia, sunburst pupils

As seen, I am very important when it comes to your dog’s vision and by looking at me, vets can even sort out medical problems. If you notice anything odd with me and the surrounding eye, please see your vet sooner than later. A “wait and see” approach could cost your dog’s vision and even affect his health, so keep an “eye” on me and report changes to your vet promptly! Yours truly,

Your Dog’s Pupil

Disclaimer: this article is not meant to be used as a substitute for professional veterinary advice. If your dog has signs of eye problems, please see your vet promptly to protect your dog’s vision.

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Are You Inadvertently Reinforcing Your Dog?

March 14, 2025August 14, 2016 by Adrienne Farricelli CPDT-KA

Dogs are often accused of barking in our faces, pawing at us, acting pushy, begging at the table and stealing our stuff, but it’s not always the dog’s fault; often we are inadvertently reinforcing their behaviors without noticing. Every time we look at dog behavior, both the “good” behaviors or the ones that we perceive as “bad,” it’s helpful to take a critical view and evaluate what is fueling the behavior in the first place. By carefully evaluating the dynamics, it often turns out that what we do is what is actually fueling the behavior, and therefore the resolution to the problem relies on us changing our ways rather than trying to change our dogs!

Dogs are Always Learning

We often think that our dogs are learning only during training sessions, but actually dogs are in a constant state of learning, and that includes learning good behaviors and the bad ones too! While it’s true that young dogs come with a great advantage when it comes to their brain’s ability to create new neural pathways, the plasticity of the dog’s brain lasts a lifetime, meaning that a dog’s brain never stops changing and adapting. Yes, young dogs in particular, are easily influenced and particularly malleable to learning new behaviors. but old dogs can learn new tricks too as new studies have found that even in old age the brain has the ability to be plastic. Following are several ways dogs may learn undesirable behaviors because of a history of owners inadvertently reinforcing them.

“Neuroplasticity never ends, you can in fact teach an old dog new tricks, it just might take a little longer.” ~Shelli R. Kesler, senior research scientist at Stanford University School of Medicine.

Pushy Pawers

Raise your hand if you ever ended up petting your dog while you were talking on the phone. There’s nothing wrong with this really, except when you start rewarding your dog for acting pushy. So you might be petting your dog for a few seconds and then you may stop. Then, because your dog was enjoying the interaction and wants more, he pushes his head under your hand. So you absent-mindedly resume, petting him once again. Then again, you stop. At this point, your dog puts his head on your lap, but since you are not petting him, your dog paws at you so you end up petting him again afterward.

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This scene repeats over and over when you’re on the phone or watching TV, and at one point you may notice that your dog has now started pawing at you more and more often when you’re not petting him. Soon, you are upset that your dog has learned a new bad habit. Off the forums you go to ask for help. “Help, my dog paws at me insistently when I speak over the phone or watch TV! How did this happen? Why is my dog so pushy lately?”

This is a classic example of inadvertently rewarding pushy behavior in a dog. The dog started asking to be pet more and his persistence was reinforced over time. The dog therefore learned that nudging worked in getting attention, but then when the the owner was distracted, he has found that pawing may work. Persistence pays off.

“Clients often tell me that they don’t have time to be constantly rewarding their dog. However, many owners are masters of positive reinforcement-but don’t realise it.”The APBC Book of Companion Animal Behaviour

Boredom Barkers

This other cliche’ is also a common one: dog owners are sitting on the couch and ready to watch their favorite television show after a long day at work, and here comes Rover who starts bringing his toys and barking at his owners.

Perhaps these dogs have been bored and lonely all day long and have been anxiously waiting their owners’ return in hopes of some fun activity. So the owners finally come home and what? They sit on the couch? Rover must desperately come up with some plan to get them to interact with him. So off he goes to fetch a toy and he presents the slimy ball to them. But nope, that doesn’t work to get them to launch him the ball and interact with him.

So next comes plan B, trying to bark at them. “Hey, toss that ball, won’t you? Let’s play! Let’s do something! Just please, please, please don’t just stay hours watching that box again, I have loads of energy, ya know?” So at some point, the owners make him happy, they finally toss the ball and they toss it several times when their dog barks at them as a reminder, just to shut him up and watch the movie in peace. What did this just teach the dog? That persistence pays off! Too bad though that their owners often end up needing to hire a trainer weeks later as their dog’s barking starts getting out of control.

Bold Beggars

Who can resist a dog looking at you with pleading eyes as you are enjoying a juicy steak? Many can’t. That’s why there are so many begging dogs out there. Begging at the table is reinforced when owners think their dogs look cute so they give in and give them a tasty morsel. Obviously, the consequence is a dog who will always be sticking nearby the table, making a cute face. Totally expected.

At times, though the behavior is inadvertently reinforced. Sloppy eaters like kids may drop many crumbs or the kids may be purposely passing the dog the broccoli they don’t want to eat. Even food accidentally dropped and quickly collected by Rover who coincidentally was at the right place, at the right time, can be reinforcing. No wonder why Rover loves to stick by the table!

Understimulated Stealers

Have a dog who loves to steal things? Have you ever found yourself chasing your dog around the table when he gets a hold of your shoes/socks/underwear/anything you hold in your hands? While this may be frustrating for the owner, the dog is likely instead having a blast! In the dog world, playing a game of keep away is one of the most fun ways to play. One dog grabs a toy and the other dog chases. This game can be highly rewarding for a dog who has loads of energy and a need to play, so this behavior is likely to continue. A fun way for a bored, under-stimulated dog to get his own form of entertainment and involve the owner!

Jolly Jumpers

So you know that your dog is not supposed to jump on you, so you make sure you don’t pet him unless he standing is on all fours or sitting. However, when you come back from your week-end trips, your dog is so happy to see you, you cannot resist the commotion and just pet him while he’s standing up against you happily licking your face.

And some goes when aunt Molly comes over. She has owned dogs all her life and doesn’t mind having him jump on her, but you make sure he doesn’t do that with anybody else.

What happens next? You guessed it, you’ll have a dog who will jump more and more and who doesn’t have a clue of which guests he can jump on and which ones he cannot, but the behavior is worth trying as eventually one person or another gives in and greets him happily.

Negative is Better than Nothing

Many dog owners are surprised when they are told that for many dogs any kind attention can be rewarding, even the negative type. Imagine for a moment a dog who is left alone all day while the owner is at work. He spends hours at at home doing nothing and eagerly awaits his owners to come home in hopes for a walk or a game of fetch. His high hopes and expectations start fading though when the owner sits on the couch with the remote in his hand. So the poor dog starts casually chewing on the owner’s shoe. The owner get angry “Bad dog! Leave my shoe alone.” Bingo, the dog got at least some attention from his owner! He looked at him and then even talked to him! Soon the dog learns that when he craves attention, all he needs to do is do something the owner doesn’t like.

Playing the Slots

Think that it’s OK every now and then to give in? Think again, this is the best way to give the dog the idea that there are no consistent rules and that persistence pays off. It’s the canine version of playing the slot machines, sooner or later he will win the jackpot. So say, you never feed your dog at the table but then one day you feel sorry because he had a bad day at the vet. So you hand feed him a little piece of steak. Then, for another week no more feeding at the table but Buster is always nearby the table staring at you in hopes of a tasty morsel. All until the next vet visit when you feel compelled to give him a tiny piece again. This is the best way to pave the path to a persistent begging behavior because the behavior is put on a variable schedule. And don’t just assume that giving a teeny piece in a blue moon won’t lead to begging; studies have revealed that animals will persist and keep trying even if the reward is small and given sparingly.

Did you know? It’s important for everybody to be on the same page when it comes to changing dog behavior. As Steven Lindsay claims goes a long way: “Finally, inadvertent or bootleg reinforcement is a frequent problem in family situations where differences of opinion exist regarding an unwanted behavior… One family member may may feel strongly that the dog should not be allowed on furniture while other members enjoy such behavior and allow it in the objector’s absence… Training requires a united front with a shared sense of purpose and agreement on the behavior being modified.”

Catch your dog doing good! — Catch your dog being good!

Tackling the Issues

When your dog behaves “badly” stop punishing and instead critically evaluate whether there’s inadvertent reinforcement at play. If so, stop reinforcing the behavior (expect a few extinction bursts in the process) Also, make a commitment to use management techniques so to prevent these behaviors from happening in the first place (for instance when you come home from work, walk your dog, play with him and provide interactive toys before sitting on the couch) and train alternative behaviors so that you can provide reinforcement for behaviors you want (eg. train your dog to drop instead of running after him or teach him to go to his mat and enjoy his Kong during meal times rather than begging for table scraps). Set your best buddy for success!

Also, it’s important to capture those moments when your dog is behaving well. Many dog owners fall into the trap of interacting with their dogs only when they are misbehaving while missing all those wonderful opportunities to reward all those good behaviors that go unnoticed. So pay attention to what your dog is doing so you can change the dynamics and pave the path for catching more good behaviors so to help your dog become a better behaved companion.

References:

The APBC Book of Companion Animal Behaviour, By Sarah Heath, Rosie Barclay, Julie Bedford Souvenir Press (April 1, 2016)
Handbook of Applied Dog Behavior and Training, Vol. 1: Adaptation and Learning Volume One Edition, by Steven R. Lindsay, Iowa State University Press; Volume One edition (January 31, 2000)

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Surprise! Your Dog is Not Aggressive As Thought

March 14, 2025August 13, 2016 by Adrienne Farricelli CPDT-KA

How many times have you heard somebody say: “My dog is aggressive?” Most likely, if you are a dog owner, or frequent people with dogs, you have heard somebody make this statement at some time. Perhaps you may have even made that statement yourself to warn others about your own dog. Depending on who you talk to, the word “aggressive dog” may translate into mental images of a dangerous, snarling dog or perhaps thoughts about legal liabilities. Today, we’ll be discovering how labeling dogs as aggressive is not only harmful to the dog itself, but also inaccurate if we take a closer look into the dynamics taking place behind those “language barriers” between humans and dogs.

Aggression in Humans

What exactly is aggression? Psychology expert Kendra Cherry, defines aggression as “a range of behaviors that can result in both physical and psychological harm to oneself, others or objects in the environment.”

This definition is quite clear and easy to understand for us humans overall, but when it comes to dogs the problem with this definition is in its interpretation.

It seems like many people may interpret things differently, depending on who you ask. What behaviors in dogs are really meant to harm? Sure we may list lunging, barking, growling, snarling as behaviors that could potentially harm a person or other dog, but is the dog intently wishing to harm when he engages in such behaviors?

As humans, we have complex minds and we often engage in sophisticated thought processes. We plan attacks, go to war, behave out of spite, take revenge and we are even able to harm others emotionally, but what about dogs? Are our dogs really “aggressive?”

” In the end, we may rightly call much human behaviour aggressive. However, dogs are not human, and it’s not fair to project human qualities onto them.” ~Alexandra Semyonova

Aggression in Dogs

When it comes to dogs, things are quite different than in humans. Dogs don’t act out of spite, they do not plot revenge, they don’t strategically plan a war or look for ways to hurt others emotionally.

In dogs, “aggressive” behaviors are often adaptive, meaning that they have a survival purpose and the purpose in this case is attaining a certain level of control over their environment and its associated events.

This doesn’t mean that dogs are taking every chance they can get to take control over us, “dominating” us as some television show may portray. It simply means that dogs may engage in aggressive behaviors so they can avoid certain things and attain others that make them feel safer.

There is often an element of reinforcement playing a part in the background of dogs who are engaging in aggressive displays. For example, if a dog is fearful of men wearing hats, his barking and lunging keeps men with hats away and the dog soon learns that his behavior works so he’ll be likely to engage in the same behavior next time.

Same goes with dogs who “hate” the mailman or a dog who growls when in possession of something. This latter dog is likely telling the person or other dog something along the terms of “I don’t trust you near my resource, now please back off!” Obtaining distance can be highly reinforcing to a dog who feels threatened by someone who risks taking his resource away.

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“Survival itself is the ultimate goal of adaptive behavior. In order to achieve survival, an animal must adapt and control events that impact upon its needs. Aggression is one behavioral response towards that goal.” James O’ Heare

Aggression to Avoid Aggression

Dogs often engage in natural behaviors that are actually meant to avoid aggression in the first place. In other words their “aggressive” displays are meant to actually avoid causing harm.

The barking, growling and tooth displays are ways dogs are trying to inform other people or dogs about how they feel. They’re a dog’s plea to please listen to his feelings so he doesn’t have to escalate his behavior to a potential bite. It’s the canine version of a child “using his words” if you will.” How any times do we will tell children who resort to hair pulling or pushing: “Use your words!”

If you therefore understand a dog’s language, you may see that dogs generally try to do “everything in their power to avoid aggressive encounters” as Alexandra Semyonova points out in her book “The 100 Silliest Things People Say about Dogs.”

Dogs therefore tend to engage in what biologists refer to as “ritualized aggression.” While barking, growling and teeth displays are common straightforward ritualistic displays, there are several more subtle ways dogs attempt to manifest their discomfort in a situation. Whale eyes, lip licks, head turns and yawns are all part of a dog’s extended early warning system.

Too bad these subtle warning signs of increasing stress are often missed by many dog owners. If these signs aren’t noticed doesn’t mean the dog didn’t send them out, it’s likely they simply weren’t recognized by the owner, or worse, were suppressed using punishment (never punish a dog for growling!) Avoid punishment-based techniques because they do more harm than good, leading to more defensive behaviors down the road). Then, dogs are blamed for suddenly “lashing out” when they instead tried really, really hard to communicate with us, but we didn’t give them a chance. Talk about language barriers!

“Hard stares, growling, snarling, snapping and biting without maiming force are the “legal” conflict resolution behaviors in dog society.”~Jean Donaldson

The Problems With Labels

What happens when dogs are labeled as aggressive? This “umbrella term” gives the impression that dogs are dangerous, unpredictable and untrustworthy all of the time. Instead, most dogs who are labeled as are aggressive are only acting “aggressively” in specific contexts and situations.

Dogs may therefore act “aggressively” when they feel threatened when people or other dogs come near their bone or when people come near their perceived properties. Just because a dog acts aggressively in a certain context, doesn’t make him aggressive all the time!

Same goes with humans. If you get angry at a person who cuts in front of you when you are in line or tries to steal your wallet, does that mean you are “aggressive?” Certainly not! It’s human nature to over-generalize behaviors.

We therefore end up with dog owners making absolute statements such as “my dog hikes his leg ALL the time” or my dog is NEVER listening. And then comes the labeling cliche’ with its associated statements “my dog is stubborn, my dog is hyper or my dog is aggressive” when in reality the dog is acting this way only certain times.

“There are very few dogs who are prone to aggression regardless of the situation. That’s why it’s helpful to think in terms of of aggressive behaviors rather than aggressive dogs when trying to reduce your dog’s tendencies to growl or bite. Usually these behaviors are related to specific events, relationships or environments.~ Dog Time

Aggression isn’t Descriptive

When we label a dog or a specific dog breed as aggressive, we are perpetuating a belief that the behavior is reflecting the dog’s essence. This can be harmful to both dog and owner because it often implies the belief that that specific dog cannot change.

And every time the dog behaves in a negative manner, it’s taken as evidence that the dog is bad, and thus “aggressive.” We therefore end up missing the important fact that the dog is most likely just a dog who behaves normally most of the time, but just happened to react aggressively in a particular context.

Also, labeling a dog as “aggressive” gives little information about what is really happening and it doesn’t help much with arranging a plan to tackle the issue.

“Aggression as it used to describe a dog’s behavior, is not an adjective, it’s a verb.”~ Sarah Hodgson

Changing Labels

What happens though when we replace the term aggressive with something else? This makes us see things from a whole different perspective.

So instead of saying “my dog is aggressive” using the word aggressive as an adjective, we would perhaps say “my dog acts aggressively” or “uses aggression” or “behaves aggressively” when he has a bone.”

This description can be further broken down by removing the term aggressive altogether and describing the aggressive behavior instead, as such: “My dog growls when he has a bone” or even better “my dog growls when he has a bone and I come close to him.”

We now have a clearer picture of what the dog is doing and in what circumstance the behavior is taking place. This can be very helpful for when we consult with a professional and are describing the issue and it helps us also see the behavior from a more positive perspective.

“Actions can be changed, DNA cannot. If you believe your dog IS shy, scared, soft, aggressive, etc., you will become crippled in your training of him by his personality. However, if you believe your dog is acting in a certain way, you will treat him very differently because you will believe you can change his behavior.”~ Connie Cleveland

Normal, Natural Behavior

Interestingly, many of us aren’t much surprised when a cat hisses and attempts to scratch when cornered or when bulls react by lowering their heads or when a horse tries to kick another horse.

When it comes to dogs though, our expectations become astoundingly high. We don’t want them to show any signs of aggression throughout their lives, not even the ritualized ones. An expectation that not even us humans can meet, points out Jean Donaldson in the book “Mine!”

A clarification is important at this point: while most dogs are never aggressive all the time, all dogs are capable of acting aggressively. From puppies, to small dogs, to old dogs to mixed dogs, all dogs have a pre-installed tendency to act aggressively when the need arises. If dogs did not have this tendency, this species would probably have been wiped out and extinct by now as acting aggressively is how dogs protect themselves from harm.

Acting aggressively is therefore normal and natural behavior in dogs, humans and other living creatures. This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t take aggressive behaviors seriously, to the contrary, it means that it’s very important to acknowledge the language barriers that divides us and to listen to what dogs are trying to say so that we can take note and try to effectively address our companion’s internal emotional turmoils.

“Our expectations of dogs are very high, actually. The standard we have set for them is one we would consider absurd for any other species of animal, including ourselves… This is exactly like you going a lifetime without ever once losing your temper, swearing at another driver in traffic..writing a hot letter to an editor, ..calling a lawyer…And if it wasn’t enough, we also want dogs to be suddenly aggressive if a crime is being perpetuated against us” ~Jean Donaldson

Disclaimer: this article is not meant to be used as a substitute for professional behavior advice. If your dog is showing aggressive behaviors, please consult with a qualified professional invested in using humane behavior modification methods.

References:

Dog Time, Understanding canine aggression, retrieved from the web on August 13th, 2016
The 100 Silliest Things People Say about Dogs, By Alexandra Semyonova, Hastings Press (July 27, 2009)
Mine! A Practical Guide to Resource Guarding in Dogs, by Jean Donaldson, Dogwise Publishing; 1st edition (January 1, 2002)
Aggressive Behavior in Dogs, by James O’Heare, 2014, Distributed by Dogwise Publishing

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Five Fascinating Facts About Your Dog’s Nostrils

March 14, 2025August 12, 2016 by Adrienne Farricelli CPDT-KA

That dogs have a dazzling sense of smell is a known fact that most people are aware of, but many folks might not know much about a dog’s nostrils, those openings that allow dogs to breath in air, exhale and evaluate all those interesting smells lingering around.

Like us, dogs have two nostrils, but a dog’s nostrils are quite interesting to discover more about considering their roles in taking in all sorts of smells. So today, let’s learn more about a dog’s nostrils. So here are five fascinating facts about dog nostrils just waiting to be discovered!

1) Wiggle that Nostril

Dogs have the ability to move their nostrils independently. Yes, that means one at a time. When they do this, they are evaluating the smell and perhaps even trying to determine exactly from what direction the scent is coming from. Cool, eh?

2) Pant or Sniff?

While dogs can move a nostril independently from the other, on the other hand, they are not able to pant and sniff at the same time. This is why when you present a panting dog your open hand with a bit of food on it, he will stop panting. When he does this, he’s temporarily turning off his normal breathing process and “switching on” his scent processing ability so to check it out, explains Stanley Coren in the book “How Dogs Think.”

This also explains why working scent dogs become less reliable when the weather is particularly hot. According to research conducted by Irit Gazit and Joseph Terkel, reduced olfactory efficiency was noticed in sniffer dogs when they were overheated. This can obviously turn quite problematic for search and rescue teams, but it can remedied by keeping the dogs cool and allowing them time to acclimate to hot weather.

“Dogs cannot simultaneously pant and sniff or breathe through their nose, and they have alar folds/flap on the sides of their nose that move up and out when they take a deep breath. This means you can use the movement of these folds -the dilation of the nostrils- to indicate and confirm when the dog is holding his breathe.”~Karen Overall

3) Right Nostril Bias

In humans and dogs, it’s a known fact that the brain is divided right down the middle leading to a specific hand preference. We therefore have “lefties and righties,” but what about dogs? We know that dogs seem to have a paw preference too, but even more interestingly, it looks like when it comes to dogs, nostril preference is also present and it’s used accordingly based on what they’re sniffing.

In a recent study conducted by Siniscalchi, M., et al, dogs were exposed to six different types of smell and their reactions to these smells were evaluated. The dogs were introduced to the smell of food, the smell of a female dog in heat, the scent of lemon, an odorless cotton swab, the smell of sweat coming from a vet and the smell of adrenaline.

The dogs were allowed to investigate these smells several times and watched carefully. It was noticed that when they investigated these smells for the first times, they used their right nostril. After some time though, they then switched to using their left one. The only exception to this rule occurred with the smell of the vet’s sweat and the smell of adrenaline which they must have categorized as “aversive.”

At a closer evaluation, this”right nostril bias” isn’t surprising because the olfactory system is displayed ipsilaterally (affecting the same side of the body) and therefore the right nostril is known to connect with the right side of the brain and vice versa. From previous research it’s known that the right hemisphere of the brain is the side that tends to deal with novelty and the elicitation of emotions associated with the fight or flight response, while the left hemisphere tends to deal with routine investigation, approach behavior, and attractiveness.

4) Those Interesting Slits

Why do dogs have slits on the sides of their nostrils? Well, believe it or not, even those slits have an important role. While the front part of the nostrils take in air, those slits on the sides are there so to allow the air to escape when the dog exhales. When the air flows out of the side slits, it creates a swirl that helps with the sampling of new odors. But wait there’s more! Those slits may also carry another important role, but this time, it has to do with awww, cute baby puppies…

“Here’s why this is particularly special: the photography also reveals that the slight wind generated by the exhale in fact helps pull more of the new scent in by creating a current of air over it.”~Alexandra Horowitz

5) Heat Sensors

Mother Nature may spare puppies from being able to see or hear at birth, but she was certainly generous in the olfactory department. Not only can puppies smell at birth and even prior to being born, but their noses appear to be equipped with special heat sensors.

Ever wondered how a newborn puppy is able to crawl back to mom? Momma’s smell may play a role, but Yngve Zotterman, of the Swedish Research Council, actually discovered another fascinating perk.

Basically, puppies are equipped with special heat sensors which are located around those nostril slits and the opening to their nasal passages. It has been found that these sensors are capable of detecting infrared energy that’s radiated from warm objects. Fascinating stuff!

“Evolution has provided an additional source of sensory information to help the puppy at this critical time in the form of special heat sensors in his nose”~Stanley Coren

References:

Siniscalchi M., Anna M. Pepe, Salvatore Dimatteo, Giorgio Vallortigara & Angelo Quaranta (2011). Sniffing with the right nostril: lateralization of response to odour stimuli by dogs, Animal Behaviour, 82 (2) 399-404. DOI:
Irit Gazit, Joseph Terkel, Explosives detection by sniffer dogs following strenuous physical activity Applied Animal Behaviour Science, Volume 81, Issue 2, Pages 149–161
How Dogs Think, Understanding the Canine Mind By Stanley Coren, Free Press; 1st edition (August 3, 2004)
Why Does My Dog Act That Way?: A Complete Guide to Your Dog’s Personality, By Stanley Coren Free Press; 1 Reprint edition (December 4, 2007)
‘Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know, By Alexandra Horowitz, Scribner; a edition (September 28, 2010).
Manual of Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Dogs and Cats, By Karen Overall, Mosby; 1 Pap/DVD edition (July 9, 2013)

Does My Dog Have Separation Anxiety?

March 14, 2025August 11, 2016 by Adrienne Farricelli CPDT-KA

Your dog whines, cries and chews on things when you are gone, but not always these signs are indicative that your dog is suffering from separation anxiety. For a good reason, behavior experts call separation anxiety the “great imitator” as it can mimic other medical and behavioral diagnosis. While in this article we will be pointing out other possible conditions that may look like separation anxiety, it’s important to understand that they are not intended to be perceived a diagnosis. Only by seeing your veterinarian or consulting with a behavior professional you can really find out the real answer to “does my dog have separation anxiety or not?”

Importance of Differential Diagnosis

When a dog or person presents with symptoms, it’s important to obtain a correct diagnosis. In medicine, the practice of distinguishing a particular disease or condition from others is known as “differential diagnosis.” By collecting the patient’s medical history and perhaps running a battery of tests, doctors, through a process of elimination, can heighten the chances for a correct diagnosis while eliminating the most imminently life-threatening conditions.

A differential diagnosis procedure is important when it comes to behavior problems too. Dogs may show signs of a specific behavior problem, only to discover later that it was a totally different type of behavior issue or even the result of a medical condition. No wonder the treatment protocol didn’t work! For this reason it’s important to consult with a professional who asks questions and uses a a systematic diagnostic method so to rule out other potential conditions causing similar signs.

Did you know? A possible cause of separation anxiety appearing so prevalent nowadays is the fact that due to the raised awareness of it, separation anxiety is misdiagnosed with some frequency, explains Pat Miller, dog trainer and owner of Peaceable Paws.

My Dog Has Accidents When I Leave

A dog who eliminates when he is left alone may be a sign of separation anxiety, but it also can be something else. If you are away for a good part of the day, it could be your dog simply cannot hold it for so long. Young dogs may have not been completely house trained and older dogs may be suffering from an underlying medical condition. A dog who starts having accidents out of the blue can be highly indicative of a possible acute medical problem such as a bladder infection. It’s therefore important to evaluate several possibilities.

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For instance, dogs may eliminate when they are frightened or stressed which can happen when they are home alone and exposed to scary noises. There are also chances that dogs who use doggy doors may have been frightened by scary stimuli in the yard so they no longer feel safe and start eliminating in the house. Some dogs may urine mark when they have access to windows and watch other dogs walk by which makes them feel compelled to urine mark. And then you have dogs with a substrate preference, who eliminate in the home simply because they have access to their favorite substrates (eg. carpet, tiles or hardwood floor.)

My Dog is Destructive When I am Not Home

A dog who is destructive when left alone may be a sign of separation anxiety, but it can also be something else. Young dogs are often left home alone with lots of energy to spare, so when boredom sets in, they may decide to entertain themselves by disassembling the remote, destroying pillows and even removing the “entrails” from the couch. If your dog has been punished in the past for chewing items or acting destructive, there are chances he has associated your presence with punishment, so he’ll therefore chew when you are out of the home. Stop punishing your dog and instead manage his environment and provide him with plenty of acceptable things to chew on. Also make sure to meet his needs for exercise and mental stimulation!

Dogs who are stressed, aggressive or scared, may also become destructive at times. These upset dogs may be trying to escape from scary noises and aggressive dogs may start chewing on window sills and doors if they are bothered by triggers such as people or dogs walking by the house, explains veterinary behaviorist Dr. Stepita. Sometimes, female dogs may dig at their bedding as a sign of false-pregnancy (pseudocyesis) following being spayed. In these dogs, hormonal supplementation can help them out, explains veterinarian Etienne Cote.

” Dogs with territorial aggression vocalize in response to their triggers (people, dogs) passing by and approaching the house. They may even become destructive, chewing and scratching door frames or window sills during aggressive episodes”~ Dr. Stepita

My Dog Cries When I leave the House

A dog who vocalizes when left home alone may be showing signs of separation anxiety, but it also can be something else. If your neighbors report your dog vocalizes a whole lot during the day while you’re out, there can be chances that he’s reacting to sounds such as door bells, trucks passing by, dog tags jingling, critters in the attic or people talking.

Many dogs will also vocalize when they hear other dogs barking, when they are protective of their perceived territory and when they feel fearful and stressed from some noises. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) may cause signs similar to separation anxiety. Also, it’s important to consider that senior dogs may vocalize more as they show signs of cognitive decline and some may start experiencing distress as they’re relying on their owners more and more for reassurance when their sight or hearing weakens.

“Senior pets may have greater difficult adapting to change and health problems may further contribute to the problem. As the pet’s anxiety and insecurities increase, the pet may seek out the owner’s attention. “~ Gary M. Landsberg et al.

The Importance of Context

Signs of separation anxiety in dogs tend to occur in a specific context: when the owner is getting ready to leave and when he’s gone. Generally, these signs tend to get increasingly more severe as the owner is leaving with the peak taking place shortly after the owner leaves. So if say a dog eliminates in the home when the owner leaves but also does so on the days the owner is at home, it’s likely that the elimination is not related to the owner’s absence.

Same goes with chewing. If the dog chews on more generalized items than door frames, windowsills and walls (as these are perceived by the dog as the barriers separating them from the owner), there are chances that the destructive behavior is not linked to separation anxiety but due to something else.

“Sep-anx dogs are often model dogs when they’re not left alone.”~Jean Donaldson

The Importance of Recording

So how can dog owners have a better idea on whether their dog has separation anxiety or not? A good place to start is by videotaping the behavior in the owner’s absence. By simply placing a camera at an effective angle that captures the entryway including doors and windows can be quite insightful. Even better, setting up a live webcam can be quite helpful so that the dog owners can return in case the dog is about to become destructive, or worse, risks injuring himself. Showing the video then to a behavior professional may be quite helpful as it can provide an important puzzle piece along with other clues obtained from the dog’s medical and behavioral history.

As seen, separation anxiety may be sometimes tricky to diagnose. Best to play it safe and obtain a proper diagnosis by first seeing the vet so to rule out certain medical disorders, and then consulting with a behavioral professional so to ensure there are not other possible conditions at play.

“It is critically important that a problem behavior be correctly identified prior to the implementation of a behavior modification protocol. It does no good to try to modify separation anxiety if that’s not really the problem.” ~Pat Miller

Did you know? Separation anxiety is different from isolation distress. According to Malena DeMartini, dog trainer and author of “Treating Separation Anxiety in Dogs,” a dog suffering from separation anxiety experiences extreme distress when separated from a specific person, or, occasionally, two people. On the contrary, dogs suffering from isolation distress suffer from the mere fact of being isolated, therefore as long as they have a caregiver to keep them company, any person “will do.”

References:

Psychology Today, Separation Anxiety: The Great Imitator, Part 1, retrieved from the web on August 11th, 2016
Clinical Veterinary Advisor: Dogs and Cats, By Etienne Cote, Mosby; 3 edition (December 23, 2014)
Do Over Dogs: Give Your Dog a Second Chance for a First Class Life, By Pat Miller, Dogwise Publishing (June 25, 2010)
Behavior Problems of the Dog and Cat3: Behavior Problems of the Dog and Cat By Gary M. Landsberg, Wayne L. Hunthausen, Lowell J. Ackerman, Saunders Ltd.; 3 edition (December 28, 2012)
Oh Behave!: Dogs from Pavlov to Premack to Pinker, By Jean Donaldson, Dogwise Publishing (April 1, 2008)
How Serious is it and Does it Matter, by Malena DeMartini, retrieved from the web on August 11th, 2016

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Dog Word of the Day: Stretching the Ratio

March 14, 2025August 10, 2016 by Adrienne Farricelli CPDT-KA

What does it mean to stretch the ratio when it comes to dog training? First of all, it’s important to understand how dogs are trained in the initial stages of learning. When it comes to dog training, positive reinforcement is a very powerful and effective tool as it offers the win-win situation of strengthening desired behaviors while making the training process fun and rewarding without resorting to pain, punishment or intimidation. To better understand what stretching the ratio means, we will therefore have to take a peak at what happens to dogs during the initial stages of learning and how we can balance a reduced reliance on treats with keeping the dog motivated and happy.

The Power of Positive Reinforcement

When we apply positive reinforcement, we are basically adding a consequence that, from the dog’s perspective, is rewarding enough so to entice him to want to repeat the behavior. The power of positive reinforcement is that it results in behaviors increasing and strengthening. So for example, if we are training our dog to sit and give him a treat every time his bottom touches the floor, with time and practice, we will see an increase of the sitting behavior.

When we provide our dogs with a reward for every desired response, we are using what is known as a Continuous Schedule of Reinforcement (CRF). This schedule is not limited to dog training. We can see plenty of examples of this happening in our everyday lives. Every time we press the power button on our remotes, our T.V. it turns on (when the battery is not dead of course), every time we turn the notch of our gas stove, the burner lights up, every time we insert a dollar bill in the vending machine, it releases our favorite soda.

The Problems With Using CRF

While a continuous schedule works great initially when we first start training a new behavior, if we continue rewarding the dog all the time for every correct response we will eventually end up rewarding also below average responses. For example, when we reward our dog for sitting correctly all the time, most likely among those sits are also slow-to-respond sits, and we may expect even, sloppy sits (with the legs spread out to the side) to mix in every now and then. By continuing to dole out treats for every single correct response we will be therefore removing opportunities for improvement and the quality of the behavior is affected. On top of that, the longer the dog is rewarded for every correct response, the harder it becomes to start phasing out all those rewards when a dog has relied on them for so long. This results in a dog who expects a reward every single time.

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” If you reward a dog for every correct response, approximately 50% of the time you will reward the dog for above–average responses and 50% of the time you will reward a dog for below average responses. It is simply too silly to reward a dog for below-average responses.” Ian Dunbar

A Bit of a Stretch

Stretching the ratio is the procedure used to gradually increase the number of responses required for the dog to earn reinforcement (rewards that increase/strengthen behaviors). We don’t want to phase out the food rewards completely, otherwise the behavior risks becoming extinct eventually disappearing from the dog’s behavior repertoire. So at some point, once the dog shows signs of responding at a steady rate, it’s time to stretch the ratio and start working our way up from a continuous schedule to an intermittent one, where behavior is rewarded randomly on some occasions and not others, which works great for maintaining behavior and preventing it from becoming extinct. This schedule indeed leads to permanence of the behavior. An intermittent schedule also works great for gradually thinning out those food rewards, so that the dog doesn’t rely on them too much. Yes, gradually is the important keyword here!

“Stretching the ratio: gradually increasing the number of times a behavior must be performed to qualify for reinforcement. May produce ratio strain if done incorrectly.” ~Science of Behavior

Preventing Ratio Strain

Just like an elastic band may break if you stretch it too much, your dog’s behavior may start breaking apart if you stretch the ratio too much. Ratio strain is the technical term used to depict the phenomenon when a dog’s pattern of responding begins disrupting because of stretching that ratio too much. It’s the classic cliche’ seen in workplaces across the globe when workers start grumbling because they are overworked and underpaid.

So asking too much and giving a low rate of reinforcement frequency can cause problems that may lead to dogs getting too frustrated, showing displacement behaviors and giving up. Just imagine what a person would do if the vending machine doesn’t deliver the soda upon inserting the dollar bill. Most likely, he may try pushing the buttons and possibly even kicking the machine!

So to prevent this from happening, we can stretch the ratio very gradually, and if we need to remedy the situation, we can temporarily increase the rewards for a bit until we reestablish the behavior and then we can start gradually stretching.

The process of stretching the ratio must therefore be very gradual as we’re shaping persistence. We would therefore start by giving a treat to the dog for every successful sit at first (CRF), then as the dog responds at a steady rate, we can start giving the treat every other sit, then we can start rewarding randomly like the third sit, the second sit, the fifth sit, etc. This is a good time to start raising criteria, raising the bar and paying attention to what the dog does so we can start picking out only the best sits to reward, so that we improve quality. Once we have successfully stretched the ratio, we should see a dog who is on his toes and eager to work for that random reward, yes, just like a gambler playing the slots at Vegas!

“Casinos, believe me, use the power of the variable ratio schedule to develop behaviors, such as playing slot machines, that are very resistant to extinction, despite highly variable and unpredictable reinforcement.”~Karen Pryor

An Up and Down Process

Moving from a continuous schedule to an intermittent one is not a clear cut process like turning on a light switch. For example, when your dog learns to sit reliably in your living room (like at least eight times out of ten,) you may start giving treats randomly, but then, once you’re out in the yard, where there are more distractions around, your best bet is to move back to a continuous schedule temporarily until your dog responds reliably in spite of those distractions. Also, when training a dog to perform a behavior when using shaping (a training method that entails rewarding successive approximations of the final behavior ) ” you’ll also find yourself rewarding continuously and then variably at times as you establish new criterion.

“Reinforcement may go from predictable to a little unpredictable back to predictable, as you climb, step by step, toward your ultimate goal…Marian Breland Bailey told me she called this a “shaping schedule.” It’s a natural part of the shaping process.”~ Karen Pryor

Tip: If you couple giving a reward with praise (eg. good boy!), your dog will associate those words with something good, so that when you’re not giving treats, praise will still have good value to communicate a job well done!

Did you know? Stretching the ratio is astutely used in gambling establishments. Card sharks will let you win frequently during the early stages of play and then once you’re hooked, they’ll stretch the ratio gradually and then start winning more and more of the games, explains Paul Chance in the book “Learning and Behavior.”

References:

Clicker Training, Extinction and Intermittent Reinforcement, retrieved from the web on Aug 10th, 2016
Clicker Training, Reinforce Every Behavior? retrieved from the web on Aug 10th, 2016
The Whole Dog Journal, Common Training Mistakes, retrieved from the web on Aug 10th, 2016
Learning and Behavior: Active Learning Edition (PSY 361 Learning) 6th Edition, by Paul Chance, Cengage Learning; 6 edition (February 22, 2008)

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