Book Review: Dog Sense by John Bradshaw

This excellent new non-fiction pick surveys the latest animal behavior research and makes recommendations for the future of dogs as companion animals.

First Bradshaw debunks the conventional wisdom that dogs are "little wolves" that seek to control their "packs" (households) through dominance. He attributes this misinterpretation to earlier wolf research that studied captive packs in zoos, where groups of unrelated wolves struggle to establish workable relationships and dominance and submission play important roles. Natural packs in the wild that are basically family units whose behavior is characterized by affiliation and cooperation.

After setting the record straight about how wolves actually behave, Bradshaw draws clear distinctions between dogs and their wild ancestors. He chronicles the way in which the domestication of dogs may have occurred, illustrating the many ways in which dogs endear themselves to us by providing not only practical services like guarding, herding, hunting and hauling, but affection, companionship and play.

Nevertheless, Bradshaw observes, just as dogs are not "little wolves", they're also not "little people" and most probably do not experience the range of emotions we are tempted to project onto them, such a guilt or revenge. Treating a dog like a child can put the dog in a baffling and frightening situation: Fifi almost certainly will not recognize a cause and effect relationship between the trash container she overturned and spread throughout the house earlier in the day and her owner's anger upon returning home.

Finally, the book explores how we should manage our relationship with dogs going forward. After all, inviting our furry pals into our houses and bedrooms raises expectations about their behavior that are increasingly hard for dogs to achieve. Such natural doggie pursuits as digging, barking, rolling in dead things and scavenging food are discouraged in household pets; dogs labeled as "wild" or "destructive" often find their way into rescue organizations where they face a lonely life or, considering the oversupply of dogs, eventual destruction.

Six do's and don'ts:

• Don't be an alpha: Trying to control dogs by acting dominant will just frighten them.

• Understand your dog's emotional limitations: The latest research suggests that dogs can feel love but not guilt.

• Avoid punishment: As a general rule, positive reinforcement is the best way to control a dog's behavior.

• Respect your dog's senses: Dogs have been extremely sensitive ears and noses, and intense stimuli can make them miserable.

• Look beyond breed: Personality and trainability should be the priorities when selecting a pet.

• Teach your dog to cope with being left alone. Dogs are emotionally dependent upon humans and can become distressed without us.

Lucky Cats! Adoption Fees Waived for Adult Cats August 27-28, 2011 at the Cape Cod MSPCA

Meet Jaxx, a polydactyl cat at the MSPCA. This cat has an extra toe on each of its front paws, a much beloved trait which many people consider lucky. There are a lot of these guys in New England and especially Boston, and they are known as Boston thumb cats and mitten cats because the extra toes look like a thumb and are used by some cats to catch objects with one paw, open latches and other feats of dexterity.

The trait was favored by sailors and spread throughout the Atlantic trade routes from Boston on ships. Sailors considered them lucky and since sailors needed all the luck they could get they took them on board where they performed as superior climbers, mousers and ratters.
Sadly, these cats were persecuted in Europe during medieval times because they were considered “witch cats” and destroyed, but they were welcomed in New England and have become quite common. One reference we found noted that they are especially common in Yarmouth. If so, yippee for Yarmouth! The trait is common in Maine Coon cats where it is thought that the extra toes act like snowshoes. Ernest Hemingway loved them and of the more than 50 cats who live on his Key West estate, more than half are polydactyl, giving rise to the term Hemingway cats.

Jaxx is available for adoption as well as many other charming felines at the MSPCA Centerville Adoption Center and that a special adoption event August 27 and 28 offers cats over 1 year old for free! Whether you find a polydactyl cat or not, you will be changing the luck of any cat you adopt. Come by the Adoption Center and take a look. Even if you can’t find room for a new kitty in your home, these wonderful critters will give you a smile.

Note that if you have a polydactyl cat, you have to make sure that cat is “sharpening” those extra claws or they can curl into the pad and hurt your kitty’s feet. If your thumb cat is too squirmy to trim those nails, call us for a “nails only” appointment.

"Short But Not Too Short"

It seems this is what we most often hear requested by customers: "Short but not too short." Oh my gosh, can you imagine how hard it is to guess what someone else means by short? We group our clips into "functional" categories so it's easier to communicate with customers about what they have in mind.

A "buzz" or "shavedown" is the shortest clip we do, about 1/16th of an inch or a little longer. It creates a fine, silky texture on many soft haired dogs and cats - like a fine Persian carpet. This is the length we must clip when a pet's coat has tangles or mats, because we have to be able to get the clippers under the knots or mats, which lie close to the skin. We also clip lots of cats into lion cuts at this length. It takes about 3 months for a cat to re-grow a coat clipped this way. Amadeus, the labradoodle pictured here, received a buzz cut this weekend at Country Garden's Dog Days of Summer as a fundraiser for Barnstable Dog Parks.

A "summer" or "utility" clip is 3/8" - 3/4". These lengths give pets more coverage but are short enough to avoid matting and can help keep pets cooler during hot weather. Less hair on the pet also means less hair in the house. Pets with fluffy undercoats, such as huskies and many cat breeds, look better with tighter clips.

At about 1" many coat types will knot and mat so the choice to preserve a longer coat length involves a commitment to brush and demat regularly or arrange for professional grooming at least once every month.

At Aussie Pet Mobile Cape Cod, we offer "preferred customer" discounts for those who want to get on our schedule at least once per month. Call the office for pricing at 508 534 9875.

Mats and Haircuts

We who have the longhaired breeds struggle with mats. It seems that one day your dog has a few knots and tangles which you religiously comb out and the next day, boom! You have mats and your dog will have to be shaved down to start anew.

Many customers ask us not to shave their dogs down to the skin. You probably chose your dog at least in part because of his or her beautiful coat and you don't want to lose it. But here's the thing with mats. Once you get them you have to shave close to the skin to be humane. Also, you wouldn't want the cost of attempting to preserve the coat as it would take many hours longer to do.

What happens is that the hair of many breeds known for mats has a rough texture on the hair shafts that tends to knot and tangle where hairs rub together. The knots and tangles twist in the friction areas, such as under the "arms" and behind the ears or wherever your dog or cat sleeps or rubs. As they twist, the knot takes up more and more of the "slack" hair, making it larger and tighter to the skin. Thus, a fully formed matt lies right up against the skin, often getting impregnated with skin and dander and making a big mushy mess.

If you're old enough to remember using a telephone with a spiral cord between the phone and the receiver, you'll remember how each time you picked up the receiver it twisted that cord and over time the receiver got so tangled and twisted that you couldn't really put it up to your ear and you had to untwist and tangle the thing.

That's how it is with mats. However, the phone doesn't have sensitive skin, and your dog does, so pulling on the mat to untangle it hurts your dog. The quickest and least painful solution is to shave under them. This removes them with no irritation to your dog and less cost to you. Sometimes if you catch them while they're still loose knots you can preserve a little bit of coat length, but if you're feeling mats, they're already close to the skin and you'll have to shave close.

The good news is that hair grows fast. If you do have to shave your dog down, his or her hair will be back in a few weeks and you can start again. If you keep your dog's coat less than 1" long and brush every day you'll never be troubled with mats. And if you mess up, as most of us do, and the mats get away from you, we can give your dog a stylish short clip and get him clean and cute again. No worries.

Rescue Story: Barney

This gorgeous boy came to the MSPCA when his elderly parents had to move to a small, second story apartment, where Barney couldn't follow them, in order to cope with some health challenges. Although matted and dirty, Barney is every inch a gentleman, here pictured getting some special attention from MSPCA visitor Savannah Janik-Pecknold.

Barney and Savannah have something in common: they are both nine years old. For Savannah, that's the age of discovery - finding out about life and its promise. At nine years of age, Barney has reached his peak performance of giving love and requesting little in return. He's definitely a senior in terms of his breed's life expectancy, but clear-eyed and big-hearted, he seems poised to take on the next phase of his life with grace and dignity.

The American Kennel Club describes the Great Pyrenees dog as having "the distinct impression of elegance and unsurpassed beauty combined with great overall size and majesty… He possesses a keen intelligence and a kindly, while regal, expression. Exhibiting a unique elegance of bearing and movement, his soundness and coordination show unmistakably the purpose for which he has been bred, the strenuous work of guarding the flocks in all kinds of weather on the steep mountain slopes of the Pyrenees."

We spent our Sunday afternoon with Barney today to give him a makeover to help him find a home for his golden years. We styled him as a lion, leaving a generous mane and natural front legs while clipping out the matted and dirty areas around his hindquarters, tail and chest. In a few weeks his glorious white coat will fill back in, but in the meantime, he's clean and cool for summer.

Barney's a gentle giant and a willingly soul. He gamely tried to jump into the van and onto the grooming table, but needed some help as he's weak in the hind end. He walks easily on a leash and seems comfortable either lying down, or sitting for short periods. He didn't object to his bath at all, in fact, he jumped right into the hydro-bath (with a boost) and seemed to love being dried and brushed out. He needs so little to be safe and comfortable: board and room with a soft bed and a weekly brush would fulfill his needs.

Aussie PetMobile Cape Cod would like to support Barney to be happy and healthy and pledges to discount Barney's regularly scheduled grooms by 10% for life.

Sunburn and Your Pet

Everyone knows you should protect your skin from sun damage by wearing a hat, staying in the shade and using sun protection products, but fewer people are aware that sun is a medical risk for their pets as well. Light or short coated dogs such as Maltese, Boxers, and the Bully breeds are especially vulnerable, as is any dog clipped short for the summer and those breeds that are susceptible to skin tumors such as Dobies, Poodles and Schnauzers. Even a shaggy-coated companion can get burned in sun-sensitive areas such as the nose, ear tips, belly or groin if exposed to bright sun for long periods of time, such as a day at the beach or on the boat.

Happily, you can take much the same precautions with your dog as you do for yourself. Provide shade and apply a sun protection product on sensitive areas that's especially formulated for dogs (cats too!) Using human sunscreens is risky because dogs, and particularly cats, will likely lick the product off and then you have to worry about whether it's safe to ingest. Probably not.

Several companies make sun protection products for animals, Epi-Pet, Doggies and Nutri-Vet are names you may see at your local pet store. Whichever product you choose, note that Octyl Salicylate products should not be used on cats because if ingested it breaks down into a substance that's toxic to them. Check your pet store for these products and others and keep some on hand when your pet is exposed to intense sun. With pets as with people, you need to use a significant amount (one tablespoon for every body part) and re-apply every 4 - 6 hours to be effective.

At Aussie Pet Mobile Cape Cod, we use a sun guard product on every light-coated dog we clip during the summer months but the protection is temporary so owners need to be aware of sun risks and be prepared to continue treatment as needed.

Happy summer!

The Fur Side: De-Shedding Your Pet

One of my customers made me laugh by telling me she was imagining that we had a machine that we could put a dog into with just its head sticking out that would just suck out all the extra hair, kind of like what you might expect to find in an "I Love Lucy" episode. That would be nice, but de-shedding is just hard work, tools and technique, no machine at all.

I invited my customer into the grooming cabin to watch how de-shedding is done. First we clip nails, clean ears and eyes just as we do at the beginning of any groom. On big dogs we would use our high velocity drier to blow away dead hair and debris (small dogs are often wary of the noise of the drier and honestly, it's so powerful it could blow a very small dog right off the table!)

Then we use a de-shedding shampoo and a rubber curry tool in the bath to give a vigorous massage that releases and washes away dead hair. Following the rinse we massage in a de-shedding solution for at least five minutes, concentrating on the dog's heaviest coat areas, around the neck and hindquarters. Typically after a de-shedding bath the tub is coated with a layer of hair and the drain basket is totally full. After a thorough rinse and leave-in conditioner, we dry with the high velocity drier, again blasting out more hair. Whew! That was a lot of work and now the grooming cabin is filling up with hair that we'll conveniently suck into our shop vac, and you won't have in your house, but the real work starts now.

We use a de-shedding tool, or what's often called a carding tool, to remove excess undercoat. Furminator makes a line of these products for consumer use but many brands have been made and used in the grooming business long before Furminator captured the consumer market. We carefully draw the ultra-fine teeth of the de-shedding tool through the clean dry coat until it's captured all the excess hair, which can take a half an hour of more of dedicated work. These tools can irritate skin so it takes experience to know how much pressure to apply and how much repeated combing can be tolerated without redness or soreness developing. I often collect the hair gathered with the tool into a bucket to make it easier to clean the cabin and I can see how much hair is removed by the de-shedding process even after a professional bath and brush. For a medium or large dog, I can expect to gather 2 to 3 gallons of downy, "dust bunny-like" balls of undercoat just using the de-shedding tools. See Clover's picture at the head of this article.

We de-shed cats too, although most of our customers prefer a lion cut to reduce the amount of hair in their homes and their cats' tummies. Either way, having your dog or cat professionally de-shed can reduce the amount of hair in your home by 60 - 80% if done regularly. With a light coated dog, we might recommend you try de-shedding in spring and just professional baths the rest of the year to keep the "fur side" under control.

On their web site, Furminator says that shedding is the number one complaint of pet owners. I don't doubt it!