By looking at the color of our faces we often can deduce important information about our general state of health; whereas in dogs, the color of their gums can give us a glimpse about their health status and capillary refill time is quite an important piece of information! Contrary to what many people may have heard, a dog’s nose is not the quintessential indicator of health as we may have thought. There are sick dogs with wet noses and healthy dogs with dry noses. That moisture on dog noses may just tell us how much humidity is in the air, just as our lips tend to get dry or stay moist based on weather. So today, we will be learning more on capillary refill time in dogs and how it can help assess our dog’s health.
A Baseline Assessment
Lets face it, dogs don’t get pale as humans do when they are sick, nor do they blush when they are hot or feverish. Fortunately though their gums don’t lie when it comes to giving us an idea about their overall health, which is why vets skip feeling the nose and go straight to taking a peak at the gums and the mucous membranes of the inner lower eyelid instead. It’s important for dog owners to get accustomed to the normal color of their dog’s gums so to recognize early signs of trouble.
A baseline assessment taken when your dog is in good health is therefore helpful so in the case of need, you’ll be able to promptly recognize changes and take action as needed. This may turn helpful should you one day find yourself calling the emergency vet wondering if you need to take your dog in and they ask you to check the color of your dog’s gums. Getting your dog used to having his gums checked from an early age with lots of praise and positive reinforcement is therefore a big plus. Make it fun and rewarding!
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Tip: make it a habit to also check how your dog’s gums feel. A healthy dog that is properly hydrated should have gums that are glistening and slick with saliva. Dry, tacky and sticky gums may be a sign of dehydration.
Capillary Refill Time (CRT)
Because your dog’s gums are closely related to his circulatory system, you can gain a lot of information by just looking at them. Healthy gums are highly vascularized which means that they are supplied with blood through many tiny capillaries. This is what gives your dog’s gums that nice bubble gum color when he’s happy and healthy. Nice pink gums tell us that there is enough oxygen circulating in the bloodstream.
Another way to assess proper blood flow to the dog’s gums, is by calculating capillary refill time which checks the level of blood perfusion. To do this, gently press your finger on your dog’s gum until it blanches (becomes white). Next, release your finger and evaluate how long it takes for the gum to go back to its pink color. Preferably, it should take 1.5 seconds for the blood to return back into the capillaries and for the gum to return to its original color, but less than 2 seconds is fine too, explains veterinarian Ron Hines.
Did you know? In dogs with dark or black gums, this test may be difficult to perform. You may to hunt for a pink spot or bypass this test and just check the color of the dog’s eye tissue instead.
Signs of Trouble
Prolonged capillary refill time is indicative of tissues not receiving sufficient oxygen. According to Pet Education, a capillary refill time is therefore sign that the blood is not flowing as it should. This can happen with several health conditions. For instance, in the case of shock due to internal bleeding, the decreased blood volume causes the dog to become lethargic, have low blood pressure, rapid breathing and prolonged capillary refill times. In a dehydrated dog, the volume of water in the dog’s bloodstream lowers making blood thick, concentrated and difficult to circulate, hence the lower capillary refill times. Dogs with heart problems are also prone to slower refill times too as their heart fails to pump effectively causing blood to not be able to flow to certain areas as it should.
Did you know? A too fast capillary refill time may be a problem too! According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, a fast capillary refill time may be indicative of “fever, heat stroke, distributive shock, or an early compensatory stage of hypovolemic shock.”
References:
Merck Veterinary Manual, Primary Survey (Triage) and Resuscitation, retrieved from the web on May 31st, 2016
Pet Place, Heart Rate, Breathing Rate & Temperature – What Is Normal in Dogs? retrieved from the web on May 31st, 2016
Second Chance Info, Why Is My Dog ‘s Capillary Refill Time Increased? retrieved from the web on May 31st, 2016
When it comes to the many types of leashes for dogs, there are several to choose from and the retractable leash is one option. As the name implies, the retractable leash may sound like a good idea as it allows dogs more freedom on walks, but there are several drawbacks when it comes to their efficacy and safety. It’s important to understand how these leashes work before purchasing one as there are several things to become aware of. So today, we’ll be taking a closer look at retractable leashes for dogs, how they work and their pros and cons.
At a Closer Glance
In the world of dog leashes, there are regular leashes that typically come in lengths of 4 to 6 feet and then there are retractable “leashes” which offer the possibility for dogs to wander at distances generally ranging from 15 to 25 feet.
How are these “leashes” made? A retractable leash has a plastic handle which houses a thin cord that releases courtesy of a spring-loaded device that activates when the dog pulls. As the dog walks, the owner has the option to allow the cord to release or retract, thus, dog owners can control how much the leash extends through the use of a button on the handle.
The main appeal of these leashes is the fact that dogs can be granted more freedom for exploration, but as mentioned they have some drawbacks worth mentioning.
What is a martingale collar? Also known as greyhound collar or half check collar, the martingale collar may at a first glance almost resembles a regular collar but at a closer look, it comes with an extra twist. This collar may not be as popular as other types of dog collars, but it has some advantages that makes it a preferable choice with certain types of dogs. Nowadays, more and more people are discovering martingale collars which is causing this collar to slowly gain more and more popularity.
Purpose
Designed with sight hounds in mind, the martingale collar is particularly suitable for dogs with necks that are larger than their heads, hence its other names “greyhound collar” or “whippet collar.” Dogs with this type of conformation are more likely to back out of regular buckle collars, therefore the martingale collar was crafted with these dogs in mind.
A martingale collar therefore offers more control but when properly fitted without the choking effect of choke collars. For this reason, this collar is also referred to as ” the humane choke collar.”
As such, martingale collars are not meant to be used with the intention to jerk, choke or intimidate dogs; therefore martingales are not meant to be used as corrective tools.
“It has recently become fashionable again to fit collars which slip, tight up behind the dog’s ears. This disgusting practice seen by some as a ‘miracle’ which stops dogs from pulling, does so because when the lead tightens the collar causes extreme pain to the TMJ’s (hinges of the jaws) and the pressure points at the base of the skull. It is most definitely against the UK APDT policy to use ANY collar to jerk, pull or choke a dog.” ~Association of Pet Dog Trainers UK.
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Design
The martingale collar is equipped with two distinctive loops: the larger loop, which is often made of fabric and is the actual collar that is slipped over the dog’s head and encircles the dog’s neck, and the smaller loop, known as the “control loop,” which can be made of chain or fabric, that has a ring that is used to attach the leash to it.
When the dog tries to back out of the collar, the tension on the leash causes the small loop to become taut, causing the large loop around the dog’s neck to tighten and prevent escape. When the dog is not actively pulling, the collar instead should sit comfortably loose on the dog’s neck.
Pros of Martingale Collars
Following are some advantages of using martingale collars. If you are unsure which type of walking equipment is most suitable for your dog, consult with a reputable, trainer focusing on positive training methods.
Works well for dog breeds with a particular conformation, heads that are smaller than their neck, as seen in several sight hounds such as greyhounds, Italian greyhounds, borzoi, whippets and saluki or rough collies.
Works well for dogs with very smooth hair on their necks which causes regular collars to slip easily off.
Works well with fearful dogs who have a history of slipping out of their collars.
The collar tightens when you need it the most (dog trying to back out and escape)
Works well for fluffy, heavy coated dogs as this collar does not break up the fur on the neck as much as with a standard flat collar.
Doesn’t choke as choke collars do.
The pressure is distributed around the entire neck rather than concentrating in one area (the trachea), which is preferable, but can still cause damage in dogs who pull overtime!
Some models offer now a quick release buckle.
Can be used along with a harness (leash attached to both) as an extra security measure for squirmy dogs.
Cons of Martingale Collars
It is not meant to be worn all day
As with other collars, it can be dangerous if left on during dog play (even if supervised).
May not be readily available in some pet stores
Is not crafted to hold ID tags
Martingales with a chain may rust and stain a dog’s coat.
In order to be safe and effective this collar must be properly fitted.
It is not designed to stop dogs from pulling. A front-attachment harness along with training, can help stop pulling.
References:
Association of Pet Dog Trainers UK, APDT Policy on Half Check Collars, retrieved from the web on May 18th, 2016
Photo Credits:
Martingale collar with chain loop; martingale collars also come with a fabric flat tab or loop instead of a chain, and optional buckles on both styles. by Schizek, public domain
Fiona takes her modeling seriously, by Lindy, Flickr, Creative Commons
The opposition reflex in dogs may sound like some sort of political party, but dogs can care less about politics, at least until the day candidates start making promises of free bones or free treats! Until that day, the opposition reflex remains an interesting phenomenon that can help you become a better dog owner, and once you understand its dynamics, you may get closer to having that polite dog who walks on a loose leash you have always dreamed of. So today’s word of the day is the opposition reflex. While this may not be a scientifically accurate term, it’s worthy of discovering some more as it may provide some benefits.
A Look Back
The opposition reflex in dogs is nothing new, it has been actually studied about a century ago. We must thank Ivan Pavlov (yes, the Nobel Prize winner Russian scientist who discovered classical conditioning) for its discovery, but back in the old days, the opposition reflex was referred to as the “Freedom Reflex.”Pavlov stumbled on this phenomenon when a dog was placed in a stand and he noticed how the dog would initially stand quietly, but as time went on, the dog would start struggling to get out of this restraint by chewing on it, scratching the floor and so on. After observing this puzzling behavior for some time, he came to the conclusion that what was happening was the expression of a special “freedom reflex” that elicited the dog to react when he was constrained in the stand. He later mentions that the he was able to “inhibit this reflex” by feeding the dog in the stand.
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“For a long time we remained puzzled over the unusual behavior of this animal, until it occurred to us at last that it might be the expression of a special freedom reflex, and that the dog simply could not remain quiet when it was constrained in the stand.” I.P. Pavlov (1927, Vol. I, Ch. XXVIII)
Why Does it Happen?
There is belief that there is some biological reason behind the opposition reflex as it’s triggered by the fight, flight and freeze response. Pavlov remarked “it is clear that if the animal were not provided with a reflex of protest against the boundaries set to its freedom, the smallest obstacle in its path would interfere with the proper fulfillment of its natural functions.” His findings suggested that when an animal was suddenly trapped or restrained from normal movement, the animal would do two things: struggle to break free and then, if feasible, re-orient himself. It ultimately makes sense from a survival, adaptive purpose to fight restraint. Martin Seligman states “The drive to resist compulsion is more important in wild animals than sex, food, or water.” On top of that, the opposition reflex allows dogs to maintain physical equilibrium allowing them to better balance themselves which has also an obvious survival mechanism.
Did you know? The opposition reflex isn’t present in dogs only, it’s seen in many animals. For example, when horses are tied up, the opposition reflex can cause them to pull back which can cause even serious injuries. People who fish also mention an opposition reflex when the fish, caught on the hook, start tugging back.
When Does it Happen?
The most common reference to the opposition reflex in dog training revolves around walks. If you happen to pull your dog in one direction, you may notice how he pull in the opposite direction. Pulling back on the leash will make the dog pull more forward (forging ahead), while pulling the dog forward will make the dog pull back (balking, with feet planted on the ground). You can see the opposition reflex in action as early as a puppy gets to wear a collar and leash the very first time. A little bit of pressure on the collar and voila’ the pup will plant his feet to the ground and try to pull the opposite way even if the pressure on the neck feels uncomfortable.
Of course, there can be much more going on when dogs pull on the leash and the opposition reflex is only a part of the puzzle. Pulling on the leash is also very reinforcing, whether it’s to move forwards to go sniff a bush or meet another dog, to drag the owner home to escape from a frightening situation. Dogs also have a faster pace than humans and it therefore comes natural for them to have a head start especially when they have loads of pent-up energy!
Positive Solutions
With this in mind, how can we therefore deal with the opposition reflex? Skip the leash pops, collar corrections and aversion-based training tools like prong, choke and shock collars which only makes matters worse. Jean Donaldson in her book “The Culture Clash” suggests a simple solution: playing the red light/green light game with your dog. Basically, you move forward only when the leash is loose (green light) and you stop walking as soon as the leash becomes tense (red light). After the dog learns the rules of the game through several reps, he will come to realize that in order for the walk to continue, the leash must be loose. It’s also a good idea to train a dog using positive reinforcement to yield into slight pressure versus fighting it.
Is the opposition reflex always a bad thing? No, it can actually be put into good use! Pulling carts, sleds, weight pulling, the sports or skijoring and bikejoring can all be fun activities for dogs. Some trainers use gentle restraint (by holding a dog back by the collar or leash) to cause a bit of frustration/increased motivation that comes handy when they want the dog to sprint into action such as running an agility course.
Along with training, the choice of training tools may also come handy when it comes to defeating the opposition reflex on walks. Michael Ben Alexander, Ted Frienda, and veterinary behaviorist Lore Haug evaluated in a study several training tools and classified buckle collars and regular harnesses as subjected to the opposition reflex. Nowadays, new harnesses like the Freedom harness have been crafted to counteract the reflex, by better distributing the pressure and providing natural feedback. So instead of being stuck in the “leash pulls/dog pulls back” pattern, these harnesses shift to the “dog pulls/harness pulls back” one, explains Certified Canine Behavior Consultant Michele Godlevski in the book “Take Control, But Don’t Lose Control: Help for People With Dogs That Are Excellent Human Trainers.”
“An opposition reflex beefed up by selective breeding results in dogs like huskies and malamutes who really, really love pulling in harness.”~ Jean Donaldson
Is There an Emotional Opposition Reflex Too?
Did you know? Sheila Booth in the book “Purely Positive Training: Companion to Competition” adds an interesting twist to the opposition reflex. She mentions an emotional side of it where the more we try to make a dog stop doing something, the more the dog gets determined in doing it. Doesn’t this ring a bell?
This is something we also see in human toddlers, further points out Sheila Booth. Don’t toddlers after all, always seem to be after the “forbidden fruits” they have been told to stay away from? Moral of the story? It’s far easier training to manage a dog’s environment to prevent rehearsal of unwanted behaviors and get into the great habit of teaching a dog what to do instead of what not to. This leads to less frustration and happier relationships between dogs and dog owners, a win-win!
References:
Purely Positive Training: Companion to Competition, By Sheila Booth, Podium Publications (January 1, 1998)
Culture Clash: A New Way Of Understanding The Relationship Between Humans And Domestic Dogs, by Jean Donaldson, James & Kenneth Publishers (January 19, 1996)
Conditioned Reflexes, By I. P. Pavlov, April 30, 2012, Courier Corporation
The Motivated Brain: A Neurophysiological Analysis of Human Behavior, By Pavel Vasilʹevich Simonov
Obedience training effects on search dog performance Michael Ben Alexander, Ted Frienda, Lore Haug, Applied Animal Behaviour Science
Michele Godlevski, “Take Control, But Don’t Lose Control: Help for People With Dogs That Are Excellent Human Trainers”
At some point or another, dog lovers may stumble on the word “teacup puppies.” Most likely, there was some flashy ad on the Sunday newspaper advertising “teacup puppies” for sale, or there may have been a first-person encounter with one. As cute and innocent as the word teacup puppy may seem, there’s really a lot to become aware of before falling into the temptation of getting one. The saying “knowledge is power” can help make a difference between getting a healthy puppy or a sickly one that can bring on many heartaches and considerably lighten the wallet.
What are Teacup Puppies?
As the name implies, teacup puppies are very small dogs which are meant to fit inside a teacup or coffee cup.
Also known as micro dogs or pocket-sized dogs, these small dogs often weigh considerably less than the standard weight set forth by the American Kennel Club or other breed club.
For example, generally, teacup Yorkies will be weighing less than 4 lbs when fully grown, when the breed standard for this breed is 7 lbs maximum.
The term “teacup” is not considered an official term nor is it endorsed by any major breed registries. Teacup puppies may belong to different breeds.
Wondering about teacup dog breeds? Common teacup dog breeds include teacup Yorkies, teacup Chihuahuas, teacup Maltese, teacup Pomeranians, teacup pugs, teacup poodles, teacup silky terriers and teacup shih-tzus.
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How are They Created?
When breeders selectively breed small dogs, they may occasionally stumble on runts of the litter.
While a reputable breeder will sell these smaller than average pups with spay and neuter contracts so that these dogs produced by accident cannot reproduce, an unethical breeder instead may intentionally breed two undersized dogs to produce litters of smaller than average puppies.
These puppies are then called “teacup puppies” and breeders ask a premium price for them marketing them as valuable. How much does a teacup puppy cost on average? A teacup puppy may easily cost anywhere between is $750 to even $2,000.
Did you know? The American Shih Tzu Club clearly states that an ethical breeder will not advertise a runt as a tiny teacup but would sell it as a pet quality puppy meant to be exclusively kept as a companion.
Problems With Teacup Puppies
Being below the breed standard’s size, comes with several potential problems. There are several reasons therefore why teacup dog breeds aren’t everyone’s “cup of tea.”
Producing smaller versions of dogs that are already small to start with, risks magnifying the chances for health problems raising their ugly heads.
What health problems are likely to happen? Hypoglycemia (rapid drop of blood glucose in the blood), larger moleras, hydrocephalus, liver shunts, heart problems, lowered immune function, seizures, teeth problems and fragility due to small bones are just a few.
Due to their fragility, teacup puppies are also not a good match for families with small children as they may inadvertently injure these petite dogs in play. Teacup puppies also often require more frequent feedings due to their fast metabolisms and risks for low blood glucose.
Of course, there are exceptions to the rule, and there may be healthy teacup puppy specimens, but buyers should be aware about the extra care these dogs may require when it comes to their general health and well-being. To make things more insidious, many health issues mentioned above may not be immediately apparent to new puppy owners but may only pop up later on.
“Micro dogs weighing three pounds or less at adulthood are more prone to serious health problems and generally live shorter lives.” ~Dr. Marty Becker
Why are They so Popular?
The market of selling puppies is often shaped by current trends and fads. The teacup puppy fad has been alive and well for some time and breeders take advantage of this so to place a high price tag on teacup dogs.
The term “teacup” is therefore a buzzword meant to attract buyers, a strategic marketing ploy. While teacup puppies aren’t endorsed by any reputable breed registries, celebrities are often to blame for the popularity of these small dogs.
Carrying a pooch in a pink handbag may be cute and trendy, but dogs are not fashion accessories and shouldn’t be treated that way. Many pups that are purchased by impressionable people who are prone to copy their favorite celebrities sadly end up later on in shelters because, when purchased on a whim, people fail to realize the amount of care and money involved in meeting the needs of these small dogs.
“The terms “imperial” or “tiny teacup” should be regarded as what they really are…. A MYTH often used by unethical breeders to create a market for dogs that do not conform to the breed standard.” ~American Shih Tzu Club
How to Get One
Where to buy a teacup dog breed or a teacup puppy? For prospective dog owners who want a teacup puppy, their best bet is to avoid breeders who purposely breed them and ask a hefty price for them.
Pet stores should also be avoided as they are mostly supplied by puppy mills. A better option is purchasing a toy dog that is of normal weight and size for the standard or asking around as reputable breeders sometimes unintentionally end up with smaller-than-average puppies.
A reputable breeder breeds for sound health, good behavior and longevity and will provide buyers a contract with a health guarantee. Other places to look at are rescues or shelters who often have an abundance of small dogs in desperate need of caring and loving homes.
Did you know? It’ against the Yorkshire Terrier Club’s code of ethics for breeders to use terms such as “teacup”, “tiny specialists”, “doll faced”, or similar terminology to advertise their puppies and the Chihuahua Club of America does not endorse nor condone the use of terms such as “teacup, Pocket Size, Tiny Toy,or Miniature and cautions perspective puppy buyers to not be misled by them.
References:
Vet Street, by Dr. Marty Becker, 5 Toy Breeds That Worry This Vet the Most, retrieved from the web on May 4th, 2016
American Shih Tzu Club, Imperial Shih Tzu, retrieved from the web on May 4th, 2016
The Yorkshire Terrier Club of America, Code of Ethics, retrieved from the web on May 4th, 2016
Chihuahua Club of America, Teacup Statement, retrieved from the web on May 4th, 2016
Photo Credits:
A Teacup Yorkie, by Swatjester, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.
According to James Serpell, Professor of Animal Ethics & Welfare at the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, the dog is the most variable living mammal on earth, coming in many shapes and sizes, therefore it’s not surprising if there are so many anatomical differences among one dog and another. It’s therefore not surprising that we have quite a variety of different head shapes in dogs including wedge heads, deer heads and apple heads. Today’s spot of honor though is dedicated to the egg-shaped head, which is quite unique and therefore found only in a couple of dog breeds.
The Egg-Shaped Head
What exactly is an egg-shaped head? As the name implies, it’s a head that has an oval appearance that resembles the shape of an egg or a rugby or American football. The head’s outline is therefore oval, curving gently downwards and there is a lack of hollows or indentations. Basically, an egg-shaped head totally lacks a stop.
What is a stop? It’s that indentation that starts from the dog’s forehead and ends at the muzzle that is commonly seen in most dogs. It’s particularly evident when the head is seen from one side. In the picture to the right, you can clearly see a dog with the stop. It’s that dip in the dog’s forehead right between the eyes and the muzzle.
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Breeds With Egg Heads
What dog breeds have an egg-shaped head? There seem to be only a couple. In the bull terrier, the egg-shaped head is its most recognizable feature along with its triangular eyes which gives this breed its desirable “varminty” expression. According to the American Kennel Club standard for this breed, “Full face it should be oval in outline and be filled completely up giving the impression of fullness with a surface devoid of hollows or indentations, i.e., egg shaped. In profile it should curve gently downwards from the top of the skull to the tip of the nose.”
The other breed that has an egg-shaped head is the miniature bull terrier, which is the smaller version, but categorized as a separate breed by the AKC. The miniature bull terrier shares the same head standard requirements than the standard bull terrier.
A Look Back
One may assume that the egg-shaped head would be a product of evolution, but it’s actually man-made, the product of many years of selective breeding. The bull terrier’s history dates back to an era when in England bull and terrier crosses were used in blood sports and vermin control. These bull and terrier crosses were obtained by crossing Old English terriers with Old English bulldogs. Bull and terrier crosses were soon quite popular as they combined the speed of the terriers with the tenacity and strength of the bulldog.
In the mid 19th century, James Hinks of Birmingham, England, started crossing existing bull and terriers with his white bulldog “Old Madman” and various”English white terriers” which are now extinct. He also mixed in other dog breeds. The products of his breedings were white dog with better legs and a nicer head. Back at that time, these dogs were called the “Hinks breed” and the “White Cavalier” but they didn’t have an egg-shaped head yet. Hinks aimed for a gentleman’s companion rather than a pit fighter, so he focused on producing white dogs meant to sit alongside gentlemen as they drove their carriages around parks. There is belief that Dalmatian blood was added for elegance, and then borzoi and collie blood was added too so to elongate the head and reduce the stop. The first modern bull terrier produced in 1917 was “Lord Gladiator” which had no stop at all. Soon, most bull terriers specimens were selectively bred to be without stops.
Did you know? At the time the bull terrier was created by Hinks, the British were ruling India and Pakistan and brought along bull terriers and English White Terriers, creating the Indian Bull Terrier and the Pakistani Gull Terr, which many consider as being similar to the original Hinks Bull Terrier without the exaggerated head shape of contemporary show bull terriers. Today, there’s a renewed interest in recreating the old Hinks bull terrier.
References:
Live Science, How did dogs get to be dogs? by Remy Melina, retrieved from the web on April 27th, 2016
Encyclopedia of K9 Terminology, By Edward M. Gilbert, Jr, Patricia H. Gilbert, Dogwise Publishing; 1st edition (September 18, 2013)
United Kennel Club, Bull Terrier Official Breed Standard, retrieved from the web on April 27th, 2016
The New Complete Dog Book: Official Breed Standards and All-New Profiles By The American Kennel Club, Lumina Press; 21st ed. edition (November 11, 2014)
Dogs communicate a whole lot through body language, and inguinal presentation is something that pops up every now and then during dog-to-dog and dog-to-human interactions. The inguinal area is located by the dog’s groin, it’s basically the lower portion of the abdomen, the area that people most commonly refer to as the dog’s “belly.” Because this area holds important vital organs, exposing it has several special meanings to dogs, therefore, it’s interesting discovering what messages inguinal presentations in dogs may convey. We must remember though that the meaning of ‘exposing the belly,’ like many other dog behaviors, vary based on context and therefore does not have a single, universal meaning.
A Look Back
Inguinal presentation occurs when a dog rolls over its back and presents the inguinal area. It’s a behavior that is reminiscent of the early days when puppies were just days old and unable to relieve themselves on their own. Along with providing warmth and milk, mother dog’s responsibility also entailed licking the helpless pups’ nether regions so to stimulate them to potty. This requires the collaboration of the pups, who have to remain passive and provide inguinal presentation without putting a struggle. This behavior then persists past this time and becomes part of a puppy’s behavior repertoire.
According to Michael Fox, in the book “Understanding Your Dog” by six weeks of age, most puppies exhibit several species specific behaviors such as face licking greetings, inguinal presentation and anal and genital investigation. Puppies who are kept in the litter with their siblings and mom up until 8 weeks basically learn the ABC’s of communication and valuable lifelong lessons about being a dog.
Yo! I am just a puppy!
“I am Just a Puppy!”
A puppy may engage in inguinal presentation when he’s in the presence of other older dogs. The puppy will rollover and expose the inguinal area and may urinate too. Ian Dunbar claims that the puppy must be saying something in the lines of: “Yo! Sniff this urine. See, I’m just a young puppy and don’t know any better. Please don’t harm me. I didn’t mean to jump on your tail and bite your ears. He! He! He!”
The distinct smell of the pup’s urine along with the puppy’s size, vocalizations and over all infantile looks, inform other dogs that he’s just a puppy and therefore should not be considered a threat. This acknowledgment often evokes tolerant behaviors from the adult dogs in the social group. All it takes is for the adult dogs to take a sniff and then they walk away.
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A similar interaction may happen at times with humans. When humans engage in behaviors that a puppy may perceive as bold or intimidating such as reaching for the pup, or even looming over to pet him, the puppy may manifest deference or fear by flipping over on his back and exposing his belly. A trickle of urine may accompany the inguinal presentation, as a further way for the puppy to prove that yes, he’s just a puppy! This is often referred to as “submissive urination.” How should dog owners react? They should acknowledge the pup’s message and plan to appear less assertive in future interactions.
“For submissive and fearful urination, it is important that the owner and all visitors interact with the pet in a less assertive or threatening manner. All training should be reward based and physical restraint or physical punishment must entirely be avoided.” ~ VCA Animal Hospitals by Debra Horwitz, & Gary Landsberg.
“I Respect You”
Most puppies outgrow submissive urination as they become more confident and attain better urine control; however inguinal presentation tends to persists into adulthood in dogs, especially when they encounter other dogs who are more assertive. It’s not unusual to see an adult dog in an interaction with another dog flip over his back on the ground exposing the vulnerable belly, back legs spread out and head to the side. This presentation often elicits investigation from the other dog which should give a quick sniff and get the message. The same behavior may be carried out in the presence of humans. The dog rolls over, lifting the leg to expose his inguinal area. According to Ian Dunbar, dogs in this context may be saying something along the lines of: “I am a lowly worm. I respect you and I would like to be friends.”
“I am Uncomfortable”
In interactions with humans, dogs may flip on their backs and expose their bellies when they are uncomfortable or even fearful. In this case, the dog is trying to engage in an appeasing gesture, meant to say “Please let’s stop this interaction, it’s making me nervous.” In this case, the dog keeps the ears flattened and the tail is tucked close to the body so that these body parts are kept out of danger.
The lips may also be pulled back and the head may be turned away to avoid direct eye contact. It’s important to accept this dog’s request for more space and these dogs should not be touched. Failure to respect this request may lead to a dog who may resort to biting because his “I am uncomfortable, please stop” message has gone to deaf ears.
“I am Relaxed”
Not all inguinal presentations necessarily mean that the dog is acting out of fear or they want us to stop the interaction. In some cases, the dog is actually relaxed and rolls over his back in a happy, contented way. These dogs actually have learned that when they expose their belly, they’re more likely to get a belly rub, so they’ll happily flip over in hopes of getting one. In this case, the dogs are often, but not always, limp as a noodle as they await the pleasure of a massage, explains veterinary behaviorist Dr. Lisa Radosta.
Some dogs typically go belly up at your feet when you come home from work and would love a little slice of attention after being lonely for part of the day. A sign that they are enjoying the interaction is that the moment you stop rubbing their belly, they’ll paw at you, or move closer to you, in hopes that you’ll continue the interaction. If you are not familiar with the dog or not sure what the dog is trying to say, it’s best to play it safe and walk away.
“In general, it is best to assume that a dog who offers the inguinal presentation signal doesn’t want you to rub him, but instead wants you to leave him alone.When in doubt, it is best to walk away.” Dr. Lisa Radosta
“I am Playing”
Dog play often involves lots of role reversals. Dogs take turns being on top, then on the bottom, being the ones chasing and then being the ones being chased. It’s not unusual therefore to see some dogs flip over and present their belly when they are playing with a playmate they know well. Why do they do that? Many have assumed for many years that exposing the belly in this case, was the canine version of raising a white flag or to appease a contender who has gotten too rough, but an interesting study conducted by Kerri Norman and colleagues at the University of Lethbridge and University of South Africa, reveals an interesting twist. Out of 248 rollovers observed during play, the researcher found that none of them occurred as a submissive response to aggressive behavior by another dog; rather, the rolling over was apparently a combat tactic, basically, a way to block playful bites and launch attacks on their play mates!
“Most rollovers were either defensive (evading a nape bite) or offensive (launching an attack). None could be categorized as submissive.”~Kerri Norman et al.
“I Feel Secure”
In a previous article, we looked at different dog sleeping positions and discovered some interesting findings and possible interpretations behind those curious sleeping postures. In what we called “the dead cockroach” position, dogs sleep belly up exposing the inguinal area to the air. This is one of a dog’s favorite summer sleeping positions as dogs have less fur on their bellies, and therefore, exposing it to the air is an effective way to cool down. We also found out that this sleeping position is one that’s often seen in dogs who feel secure in their environments, as, in the case of a threat, they would have to flip themselves over the other side in order to get up quickly back on their toes.
References:
Understanding Your Dog, by Michael Fox, Dogwise Publishing (May 25, 2015)
Behavior of Wolves, Dogs and Related Canids, by Michael Fox, Publisher: Dogwise Classics Edition: 1971
VCA Animal Hospital, Submissive, Excitement, and Conflict Urination, retrieved from the web on April 20th, 2016
Dog Star Daily, Dog Communication, retrieved from the web on April 20th, 2016
Florida Veterinary Service, Inguinal Presentation, by Dr. Lisa Radosta, retrieved from the web on April 20th, 2016
You may sometimes stumble on the term “prompt” especially in dog training circles. What exactly is a prompt, and why is it important to understand its meaning? Let’s first start by taking a look into the etymology of the word”prompt” so to gain a better insight. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary Website, the word prompt derives from the Latin word”promptus” meaning “to bring forth.” In a theatrical sense, the word was used in the past to mean “to assist a speaker with lines.” A prompt is therefore a “hint,” basically some type of aid meant to bring forth and “prompt” a certain behavior making it more likely to happen. A more fancy way to put it is defining a prompt as an antecedent (something that happens prior to a behavior) that evokes a dog to perform a behavior that otherwise is not very likely to occur. The act of using prompts, is known as “prompting“ and it’s not exclusively used in dog training; indeed, it has even been used to teach autistic children!
A Glimpse Behind the Scenes
Some people may watch a dog perform tricks and remark as they watch in awe: ” Wow, I could never get my dog to do such a thing!” The fact is, when somebody looks at an impressive dog trick, they are looking at the finished product of many rehearsals and miss out seeing everything that has happened behind the scenes.
Just as with actors, it takes many reps and the addition of aids (prompts) to “assist the speaker with lines” in the case of an actor or ” to encourage a dog to evoke a behavior” in the case of a dog learning a trick that’s not part of the dog’s normal behavioral repertoire.
When we watch the finished product, whether it’s an actor acting in a movie or a dog performing a trick, we are basically seeing days, weeks or even months of hard work. For more on the processes and procedures behind dog tricks, read “The Secret Behind Dog Tricks.”
Did you know? Because prompting is so helpful in helping a dog or a child succeed, it’s often referred to as “error-less learning.”
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Types of Prompts
This trainer uses a ball to lure the dog to perform behaviors
As seen, the use of prompts are hints, or better aids, meant to increases the likelihood of a behavior. Most prompts come directly from the trainer and there are different categories. What are examples of some prompts in dog training? Several examples are listed in the book “How Dogs Learn” by Mary R. Burch and Jon S. Bailey.
If you encourage your dog to jump over an obstacle by pointing, the pointing hand gesture is a gestural prompt.
If you jump over the obstacle yourself first to show your dog what to do, (might be worthy of trying since turns out dogs are pretty good in mimicking our behaviors a study says) you are using a modeling prompt.
If you simply stand by the obstacle and tell your dog “over” you are using a verbal prompt (but in this case though it’s more likely a cue than a real prompt, explains Jean Donaldson in her book “Oh Behave! Dogs from Pavlov to Premack to Pinker)
If you are guiding your dog through the obstacle by using a leash, you are using a physical prompt.
And what about using a treat or tossing a ball to guide the dog over the obstacle? In this case, the treat or ball in dog training is called a “lure” (yes, just as a fishing lure that attracts fish!) and the treat may work as an olfactory prompt and the hand movement that is used to guide the dog may work as an orienting prompt.
“The orienting prompt is developed by training a dog to follow the movement of the hand closely… Also, orienting lures, like a ball or stick, are frequently used to guide the dog into the desired behavior. Once the behavior is mastered, it is then brought under the control of a word cue or gesture while the orienting lure is simultaneously faded out.”~ Steven R. Lindsay
Prompts Getting in the Way
At times, we involuntarily deliver prompts and we aren’t fully aware of them. An example is a person who tells a dog to sit and without noticing it, simultaneously lowers the head downward. The person is not fully aware of the lowered head action, until he watches a video recording of his own behavior or he is told about the head lowering action by a person observing.
It may seem something minor to us, but dogs being masters in reading our body language, readily notice those lowered head motions and pay closely attention to them. So when we reward a dog for sitting upon saying the verbal cue “sit” we may think we’re rewarding the for attending to the verbal cue “sit” while from the dog’s perspective he’s actually attending to our lowered head motion!
The lowered head motion becomes so relevant to the dog that the moment the person becomes aware of it and says “sit” without lowering the head, the dog doesn’t sit because the head lowering movement (the most salient prompt from the dog’s perspective) overshadows the verbal cue.
This is just an example of an unintended prompt insinuating itself in our training sessions without us even noticing. On top of lowering the head, there are many other even more subtle prompts that may be evoking the sitting behavior such as making eye contact, standing in front of the dog (try asking a dog to sit with your back to him, if he doesn’t sit, most likely standing in front of your dog and looking at him is the most relevant prompt).
Before blaming our dogs for poor performances, we should really critically observe what we are doing! This is why it’s important to pay attention when we are training so to avoid unintended prompts to get in the way and gain control. Recording yourself or having a person watch you, is also helpful if you are in doubt.
“Recall that when reinforcement occurs, it reinforces all the antecedent stimuli present and that includes any non-evocative stimuli we might seek to install as the primary cue as well as any prompts we might use and even perhaps unintended but present stimuli.” ~James O’ Heare.
Cleaning up the Act
While prompts are helpful in allowing a dog to succeed, we want to get rid of them quite early in training as they can become quite habit forming, which leads to problematic prompt dependence. After all, if an actor is always readily helped every single time he forgets a line, the actor risks relying on suggestions too much and his performance will significantly lower! Same with dogs.
The term prompt is indeed, as we have seen, used to depict aids that are temporarily used in the initial stages of training. Some people refer to them as crutches, supportive aids that may allow you to float just for the time being of getting acquainted with water until you learn how to swim.
To take training to the next level, it’s important that prompts are replaced with a new permanent cue, which becomes the primary, evocative stimulus once the prompts are faded into less significant forms or extinguished. There are different procedures to use in dog training to fade the reliance on prompts. Here are a couple.
“Since fading is the technology for eliminating the prompt, prompting and fading go hand in hand.”~Pamela Buitrago.
Problems with Food Lures
With dogs, one of the most important prompts to fade right away is the presence of food. If we need to always show a food lure to get a dog to jump over an obstacle, that day we are caught empty handed with no treats, we shouldn’t be surprised if the dog doesn’t jump over!
Some refer to over-reliance on the visual appearance of treats as a form bribery. They say that the food lure becomes a bribe, basically a promise communicating to the dog “Hey dog, you see this treat? If you jump over, you’ll have it!” Paul Owens, the original Dog Whisperer, (yes he was the very first to call himself this way!) in his book “The Dog Whisperer: A Compassionate, Nonviolent Approach to Dog Training“ writes “A bribe is a lure gone astray.”
But is this really what’s actually happening?
“Unlike luring, which is a precise educational process used to teach a willing puppy and/or novice dog the meaning of the request, we assume bribed individuals know what we want, but simply just don’t want to do it. Thus, bribery is a coercive attempt to corrupt the will of the trainee.”~ Dr. Ian Dunbar
On the other hand, several claim that dogs don’t really go on a strike when they don’t see food (unless perhaps owners are purposely dangling food in their faces to get them to do behaviors they know well). Another possibility of what may be happening is that the presence of food has become the most salient prompt, the most important piece of information telling the dog what to do. Without, it, the dog is lost without the aid, just as a child deprived of arm floaters, has no clue what to do to stay afloat.
Basically, the food lure has become a long-term part of the antecedent cue, explains Kelly Gorman Dunbar on Dog Star Daily. The food is telling the dog exactly what to do and the dog overly depends on it. Regardless of what is truly going on, one thing is for sure we want to prevent this over dependence.
Even puppies can be trained with prompts!
Fading the Food Lure
When we use a food lure to guide a dog into performing a behavior, it’s important to fade the reliance of the food lure. This is done quickly as soon as the dog grasps the physical mechanics of the wanted behavior, through a process known as “fading the food lure.”
If you have been using a food lure under the form of a treat to make your dog sit by guiding the treat from the your dog’s nose over the head and then saying “yes!” and rewarding with a treat the moment his rump touches the floor, after a few reps you want to stop showing that treat.
How do you do this? You simply stop showing the treat. Here’s how.
After a few reps with the treat, you suddenly mix in a rep without the treat by fooling your dog into thinking you had it. Simply keep the treat in your other hand or in your pocket or treat bag, guide your dog to sit using your hand gesture as if you were holding the treat, and when his rear touches the floor, say “yes!”and immediately reward him with the treat from your pocket or treat bag. Your dog may likely think for a split section ” Hey! you just tricked me! Your hand was empty!” but then he’s quickly reassured, “Oh, there it is! That’s cool!”
At the same time, you’re also reassured: “Hey, I can get my dog to sit without a treat in his face! Cool! “Soon, you both learn that dog training can keep on going with no food is in sight. A win-win! On top of that, since your dog is no longer passively following the food, there’s some more active learning going on as the prompting power transfers from the food lure to the hand signal.
Now, it’s time to decide what to do next with hand signal, do you want to stick with it and fade it out a bit or transfer it exclusively to a verbal cue? Or do you wish to use both?
Note: for those who like to use properly conditioned target sticks to train behaviors, they offer the advantage of being a step ahead in the process compared to luring with food in a hand as they are in a sort of way the equivalent of a hand motion without a food lure. As Ken Ramirez states “Luring keeps the animal thinking about the reinforcement or the treat, while targeting gets the animal thinking about the task.”
“In the early stages of training, treats are lures. After the dog knows how to perform a behavior, treats are rewards when given after the fact to reinforce the behavior.” Pat Miller
Prompt Delay Procedure
There’s nothing wrong with using hand signals to train dogs, they can actually be quite impressive to watch as dogs perform behaviors without the trainers saying a word, but people may prefer to stick only to a verbal command.
In this case, the prompting power of the hand signal (gesture prompt) must transfer to the verbal cue. How is this done? Through a process known as “prompt delay procedure.”
This transfer takes a bit of practice as from a dog’s perspective, our body language and movements are more salient than our verbal cues as dogs don’t speak English as a second language! Here’s how to do it.
If you have been using an upward hand gesture to get your dog to sit and your dog reliably responds, you now want to introduce the new verbal cue. Anytime you need to introduce a new verbal cue it must consistently precede the known gestural prompt, so simply, say the verbal cue “sit” right before you perform the hand signal. When your dog’s rear touches the floor, say “yes!” and promptly reward. Repeat this several times.
What we are trying to accomplish is sort of telling the dog “You hear the word “sit?” It’s the same thing as the hand signal.” Through several reps, the dog starts pairing the two and catching on. Because dogs like to anticipate (dog trainers call this “jumping the prompt”), at some point you may notice your dog sitting the moment you say “sit,” even before you perform the hand signal! — but if you wish, you further help your dog by purposely delaying the hand signal after saying “sit” to give your dog time to think and see what happens next.
If your dog sits upon hearing you say “sit,” make sure you follow with an enthusiastic yes! and give two to three treats in a row to inform your dog that “Bingo! You got it right!” When the dog starts reliably sitting upon hearing the verbal cue “sit,” it’s a sign that the evocative power has successfully transferred to the new verbal cue.
Prompt Fading Procedure
For dog owners who would like to continue using a hand gesture to get their dog to sit or perform any other behaviors that were taught through gestures, they may want to make the gestural prompt less and less prominent. How can we gradually reduce the prominence of the prompt?
The way to do this is to make the hand gesture gradually less and less evident. This process is easier than the prompt delay procedure above as we’re not looking at transferring control from gestural prompt to a verbal cue which can be tough for dogs.
Instead, here we are just making the gestural prompt less evident. How do we do this? Through a “prompt fadingprocedure.”
To accomplish this, we simply morph the original hand gesture making it less and less evident. If done gradually enough and through repeated trials, most dogs quickly pick on courtesy of generalization. The dog basically learns to attend to less-specific criteria because it shares some resemblance of the old gesture. So if we were making the dog sit by using a hand gesture starting close to the dog’s nose and then upwards over the head, now we can moving our hand gradually less upwards, then gradually farther away from the nose, until the dog sits with a mere upwards gesture of our hand.
The goal is to make the new gestural prompt less and less similar to its original luring motion and more and more like the final gesture we wish to use. Using this method, you can train your dog to perform behaviors with very subtle gestures. Now call that impressive!
References:
Springer Science+Business Media. “Dogs imitate novel human actions and store them in memory.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 16 July 2013.
The Science and Technology of Dog Training, by James O’Heare, July 8, 2014, Dogwise Publishing
How Dogs Learn, Mary R. Burch, Jon S. Bailey, Ph, Wiley, May 4, 1999
Oh Behave!: Dogs from Pavlov to Premack to Pinker, By Jean Donaldson, Dogwise Publishing, Apr 1, 2008
Handbook of Applied Dog Behavior and Training, Adaptation and Learning, By Steven R. Lindsay, April 29, 2013 John Wiley & Sons
The Dog Trainers Resource 2: The APDT Chronicle of the Dog Collection, edited by Mychelle Blake, Dogwise Publishing, Aug 1, 2006
The Dog Whisperer: A Compassionate, Nonviolent Approach to Dog Training, Paul Owens, Norma Eckroate
Adams Media, Feb 12, 2007
Dog Star Daily, Lures, Rewards and Bribes, retrieved from the web on April 13th, 2016
Positive Perspectives 2: Know Your Dog, Train Your Dog, By Pat Miller, Dogwise Publishing, Sep 15, 2003
Targeting vs. Luring, By Gale Pryor, retrieved from the web on April 13th, 2016
The term achondroplasia is used to depict dogs who have bones that do not grow to normal size, causing them to be of a disproportionate short stature leading to what is known as “achondroplastic dwarfism.” Achondroplasia is considered a genetic condition, meaning that it’s passed down from a generation to another. As much as this disorder may appear problematic up to the point of being crippling in severe cases, achondroplasia is actually encouraged in certain breeds of dogs and is even in their breed standard.
A Lesson in Etymology
To better understand anchondroplasia, let’s first start off by taking a look at the history of the word. The “a” in this case is used to mean “not.” The word “chondro“comes from the ancient Greek word, khóndros, which means cartilage, and the word “plasia” which means growth. Put all these words together and you get “a condition where there is no cartilage growth,”or to word it even better, “a condition where there is deficient growth of cartilage.” How does this happen though?
A Glimpse at the Process
When a puppy is developing in the womb, its skeleton is made of a flexible material known as hyaline cartilage. Only later, as the puppy develops, its cartilage will transform into bone, through a process known as ossification. When puppies have a mutation in the gene responsible for converting cartilage to bone, this results in shorter bones, a peculiarity that is readily noticeable soon after birth. In particular, the effect is most noticeable in the bones of the legs which appear shortened. This is why the term micromelic (meaning short limbs) acondroplasia is often used. On top of appearing shortened, the legs may appear deformed with bowed forelimbs.
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Desirable in Certain Breeds…
As mentioned, achondroplasia is acceptable, up to the point of desirable, in certain dogs breeds. In these dog breeds, the achondroplasia isn’t fruit of an accidental breeding, but it’s actually wanted and purposely encouraged. In many dog breeds, it’s even written in the breed standards. What dog breeds are traditionally classified as being “achondroplastic?” Here is a brief list of some common achondroplastic dog breeds:
Basset Hounds
Welsh Corgi
Dachshund
Skye terrier
“Some breeds of dogs have been bred through the selective encouragement of achondroplasia to achieve short limbs, such as the Dachshund, Skye Terrier and Welsh Corgi.” ~Vetary
Achondroplasia in German shepherd
Undesirable in Others.
While achondroplasia is desirable in certain dogs breeds, in some others it’s not in the breed standard and it’s considered a serious genetic fault. In this case though, it would be more correct to say that these dog breeds suffer from “chondrodysplasia.” In this case, if we look at the etymology, we will notice the the word “chondro” again coming from the ancient Greek word, khóndros, which means cartilage, while the word dysplasia comes from the Ancient Greek dys-, meaning “bad” and plasis, meaning “growth.”: Put these words together and you have a bad, or better, “abnormal development of the cartilage.”
In what dog breeds is this highly undesirable? In many, but it’s considered particularly problematic in Alaskan Malamutes, Scottish deer hounds, Karelian Bear Dogs, Norwegian elk hounds, Great Pyrenees, German shepherds. The condition in these dogs may not be readily detectable at birth, but signs may manifest later on when the affected dogs show shortened limbs compared to other dogs of the same breed and age. In severe cases, these alterations may cause a crippling effect, but in less severe cases there may be no associated clinical problems. Fortunately, in the negatively affected breeds, the alterations appear to be due to autosomal recessive inheritance, making them slightly less likely (which is why we don’t see it quite as often); whereas, in the dog breeds where it’s desirable by standard, it’s a matter of dominant inheritance.
“Professor Hannes Lohi’s research group at the University of Helsinki and Folkhälsan Research Center has identified a mutation in ITGA10 gene, causing chondrodysplasia in two dog breeds, the Norwegian Elkhound and the Karelian Bear Dog.” ~Science News
Advantages of Short Legs
Why would certain dog breeds be purposely bred to have short legs? It turns out, short legs may have provided several benefits in a dog’s past as working partners. For instance, in the dachshund, those short legs and long backs allowed these dogs to easily fit in tight spaces so they could effectively flush out burrowing animals. In the basset hound, those short legs helped these dogs follow scent without getting too far as hunters followed on foot. In the corgi, those short legs helped these herding dogs effectively duck from kicking hooves, explains Caroline Coile in an article for Vet Street.
References:
Vet Street, Short on Leg, Long on Love: Learn About The Dwarf Dog Breeds, by Caroline Coile, retrieved from the web on April 6th, 2016.
The University of Sydney, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Disorder Achondroplasia, retrieved from the web on April 6th, 2016.
Canine Inherited Disorders Database, Osteochondrodysplasia – skeletal dwarfism, retrieved from the web on April 6th, 2016.
Helsingin yliopisto (University of Helsinki). “New dwarfism mutation identified in dogs.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 26 September 2013
In human psychology, self-handicapping is a term used to depict those situations where people make excuses for their poor performances so to justify their potential failure, and therefore, protect their self esteem, but in the dog world, the term self-handicapping has a quite different meaning. In dogs, self-handicapping is mostly seen in social situations, and its most relevant application is seen during play. If you ever frequented a dog park or watched dogs of different sizes play, you may have perhaps seen this endearing phenomenon take place many times.
Dog Playing Versus Fighting
Dog play often incorporates elements that are drawn from other “serious” behavior contexts. There may be elements seen in hunting (stalking, pouncing, chasing), elements seen in fighting (growling, snapping, biting) and sometimes even elements seen in courtship and mating (mounting). As in children play, puppy play often entails enactments of things dogs will be doing in their adult lives (there are also patterns that are unique to play though). What differentiates play from real fighting though? How can dogs communicate playful intentions, without getting in trouble with other dogs?
For starters, well-socialized dogs use meta-communication signals (meta-signals) which are meant to tell the other dogs that they are playing and that anything that follows is not to be taken seriously. A common example of a meta-signal is the quintessential play-bow, which in a sort of way is the equivalent of a child saying “let’s pretend!” This signal informs the other dog that anything that follows is just play and it’s not to be taken seriously. Other than using meta-signals, dogs who have learned to play appropriately know that in order to keep play safe and from getting out of hand, they must fine-tune their tactics and inhibit/restrain themselves so to prevent conflict which may arise when there is too much loss of control.
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Adjusting Play Styles
When dogs play together, there are chances that one dog is much bigger, stronger, healthier, more confident or faster than the other, and if no restraint occurs, this bigger, faster and stronger dog may eventually end up not playing fairly, or worse, frightening or hurting his play mate. Fortunately, on top of inhibiting themselves as they do normally with dogs who are similar to them, dogs have also shown the capability of adjusting their play styles when they sense that a playmate is disadvantaged in some way. This adjustment in play style that occurs when a play partner is perceived weaker, younger, or less motivated, is known as “self-handicapping.” Following are some examples of dogs engaging in self-handicapping behaviors:
“Self-handicapping occurs when individuals place themselves in disadvantaged positions or situations that could make them more vulnerable to attack by ‘opponents.” Camille Ward et al.
Examples of Dog Self-Handicapping Behaviors
A dog with superior abilities plays the role of being the weaker party. You may see this when a large dog “turns the tables” and allows a smaller dog to chase him as seen often in role-reversals. In such an instance, self-handicapping may occur simultaneously with role reversal.
A dog with superior abilities puts himself in disadvantageous positions or situations. An adult dog may keep his head lower or stay in a vulnerable belly-up position when he plays with a puppy.
A dog with superior abilities adjusts his playing style to facilitate the play partner. The stronger dog may tug more gently with a dog that’s half his size.
A dog plays with a cat by lying down on the floor and engaging in very light paw touches and gentle mouthing behaviors.
Dogs may also engage in self-handicapping when they play play with us! You may see it in particular when they play with children (but don’r rely on your dog’s judgement, always, always, always supervise all dog/children interactions to be safe!)
Keeping the Game Alive
What’s the function of self-handicapping?Why would a dog give his playmate a competitive advantage? Most likely because it shows playful intent and keeps the game going. When a stronger, faster or bigger dog decides to put himself at a disadvantage, he’s likely doing so to keep his opponent “in the game.” It’s similar to a father who kicks the ball lightly and allows his child to win every now and then.
In dogs we might never know if there are any similar “altruistic” emotions going on, but it’s function appears to be to keep the interaction going and keep play session alive. The ability to self-handicap in dogs has likely a learned component. Like a small child pointing out to an older child “you play too rough!” a small dog might yelp or retreat to warn the bigger dog to play nice. Reminiscent of his past as a puppy when in the litter his siblings might have acted the same way, along with reminders from other past play sessions with dogs, the larger dog likely gets the message and make adjustments so to “play nicer.”
“From a functional perspective, self-handicapping and role-reversing, similar to using specific play invitation signals or altering behavioural sequences, might serve to signal an individual’s intention to continue to play.”~ Marc Bekoff
The Bottom Line
Self-handicapping is sure an endearing behavior to watch, but not all dogs know how to apply it. Self-handicapping is a voluntary behavior that requires the dog’s ability to judge his playmate’s abilities and then make the necessary adjustments to maintain the play session worthy of continuing for both parties. This requires a great level of self-control in the midst of play which can become difficult to gauge when arousal levels get high. It’s a learning process that may take time as dogs mature and learn to control themselves better. Dog owners though can help by teaching their dogs better emotional control through structured games such as Ian Dunbar’s Jazz up and Settle Down game and by stepping in when their play with other dogs gets too rough.
“Self handicapping requires a lot of emotional control, and the irony about play is that part of its fun is that we can throw aside some of our inhibitions and lose a little bit of control. I suspect this is where a lot of dogs get into trouble. ~Patricia McConnell
Did you know? A study has shown that during play among litter mates, male puppies self-handicapped when playing with females more frequently than females self-handicapped with males. For example, the pups would lick the female pup’s muzzles giving them a chance to bite them or they suddenly would flop to the ground ” like a boxer down for the count.”
“We know that in feral dog populations, female mate choice plays a role in male mating success, perhaps males use self-handicapping with females in order to learn more about them and to form close relationships with them — relationships that might later help males to secure future mating opportunities,”said Ward, in the study.
Partner preferences and asymmetries in social play among domestic dog, Canis lupus familiaris littermates, Camille Ward,Erika B. Bauer, Barbara B. Smuts, Animal Behaviour Volume 76, Issue 4, October 2008, Pages 1187–1199
Social Play Behaviour Cooperation, Fairness, Trust, and the Evolution of Morality, by Marc Bekoff, retrieved from the web on March 30th, 2016
The Other End of the Leash, Play and Self-Handicapping, by Patricia McConnell, retrieved from the Web on March 30th, 2016.
NBS News, When Puppies Play, It’s Ladies First, By Jennifer Viegas, retrieved from the Web on March 30th, 2016.
Pros of Martingale Collars
Cons of Martingale Collars
How are They Created?
Did you know? The
