Sophia Yin, DVM, MS  December 10, 2009.

Clients frequently tell me that they think their cat or dogs like each other but they aren’t sure. They sometimes point out that their pets sleep together, but does that mean they’re best friends? It could but it doesn’t necessarily. They could just be sharing beds because it’s comfortable or convenient. True “friends,” actively seek eachother and hang out, play together, and perform affiliative gestures such as mutual grooming.

Here’s a photo of Jonesy and his bratty younger, but bigger sister, Lucy. Jonesy pretty much just tolerates her. Sometimes he puts up with her pestering, and other times he exercises his Sailor’s mouth. When she’s in the more comfortable bed he sometimes joins her because that’s the most comfortable spot.

Here’s Jonesy with Homer (tricolor JRT) and a visiting JRT. Homer would actively seek Jonesy out and lie next to him. That would sometimes make Jonesy grumble under his breath. Homer did indeed look up to Jonesy. But, as usual, Jonesy could care less about Homer.

Tell me about your pets who sometimes share a bed. Are they best friends or just convenient buddies?

By Sophia Yin, DVM, MS   December 1, 2010

I’ve heard that a tired dog is a behaved dog. Will exercise solve most of my dog’s problems? Dogs are natural athletes and as such need exercise every day; however, exercise is not a substitute for training. In fact, for many dogs, vigorous exercise just gets them into better shape.  For instance my Jack Russell Terrier can easily run 18 miles and still have enough energy to bounce up and down when he thinks I’ll play fetch. When I’ve taken him out for a 10 mile run, I frequently forget as soon as we’re back that he’s been exercised.

Do I need to be the boss when training my dog, cat, horse or bird? While you will need to set rules and limits so that your pet knows how to behave, you don’t have to teach the behaviors by using force such as pinning them on their sides or yanking with a choke chain. You can instead train the pet by rewarding the good behaviors immediately as they occur and ensuring the pet does not get rewards for bad behavior. As a result, your approach for getting Fido trained should be more like a game of chess and less like a boxing match.

If I train my pet how long will the training last? Animals learn and change their habits throughout their life. This continual learning is important because an animal in the wild that stops learning won’t be able to adapt to its environment and survive. Continue reinforcing good behaviors throughout the animal’s life.

What’s the most common training mistake people make? People think they’re only training during planned training sessions when in reality, animals are continually being rewarded for good and bad behaviors all day. As a result of the lack of awareness owners often spend more time accidentally rewarding the undesirable behaviors than rewarding the desirable ones.

What’s the most important thing you to understand about your dog or cat or horse to modify behavior? The most important point about animals is that animals perform behaviors because the behaviors have been reinforced. In order to change behavior, we have to reward an alternate behavior that you would prefer and remove all rewards for undesirable behavior. This means that you have to recognize what might be reinforcing bad behavior so that you don’t accidentally reward it.

What do you use for rewards for pets? It’s important to use everything that motivates your pet, to your advantage. Food rewards work well because, for instance, if your pet eats 100 kibble a day, you can reward him 100x for the same behavior in one day, which means he can learn the behavior and form a habit quickly. Once he knows the behavior well, you can give the food rewards intermittently and alternate with other reinforcers. Ultimately you want to use what’s most reinforcing to the pet at the instant. For instance if you’re teaching your dog to sit before going out the door, at first reward with a sequence of treats for sitting and looking at you for permission before you let him out. Once he’s consistently good at this behavior, you no longer need treats because his ultimate reward is getting to go out the door once he’s automatically sat for you.

What’s the most important behavior you can teach your pet? In general, for dogs and cats, the most important behavior is to teach them to ask politely for things they want by automatically saying please by sitting and looking at you for everything they want-that means food, petting, being picked up, going out the door, getting leash on, etc. By teaching them to learn to earn everything they learn that focusing on you isn’t a chore, it’s just the way they get what they want. They also learn emotional self control-that no matter how excited they are for the ball or treat, they only get it if they choose to sit and politely ask for permission. Then, in other situations where they want something or are unsure of what to do, they will tend to look to you for guidance. In other words they will start seeing you as a leader. Incidentally, the second most important behavior to teach your dog is to come running when called even with lots of distractions. [ok to link to video say please by sitting 1,2, stellah learns to earn, come when called]

What’s special about horses? One important reinforcer for horses and other herd animals that is not a reinforcer for dogs and cats is rest. As a result, when working on an exercise with a horse, goat, or cow as soon as it performs the exercise correctly, you can reward it by letting it rest for an amount of time equal to the time and effort the exercise took.

What’s special about cats? Because cats often have their food out at all times and have not been exposed to many different foods you often have to first add treats to their meal so they learn to like the treats. Then you often have to cut back on their regular meal because they are getting too much and train them during mealtimes until their food becomes a valuable resource. Another peculiarity of cats is that they are good at pretending they have a low attention span or don’t get it. They may meow and meow or walk around aimlessly until you just walk over and give them the treat or reward. In these instances, rather than walking over to them when they really want your attention, walk away so they know that if they don’t play your game, you’ll remove all chances of a reward. Usually they will follow you and try harder to do what you want them to do to earn the reward. If they don’t, then stop the session and resume a little later.

What’s special about parrots? Most parrot species are very both very social and very vocal. They spend much of their time communicating back and forth loudly with their mate or other members of their flock. As a result, attention, and talking are very rewarding to them, even if that talking is yelling. Face it, when we yell at them it sounds a lot like the squawks they give to eachother. Be sure you use these things as rewards so that you’re training good behaviors rather than always providing these things freely without thought and consequently, sometimes as a reward for bad behavior.

Are some species such as dogs smarter than others such as cats? This depends on how you define intelligence. If you define the most intelligent animal as the one that gets its way, then cats are hands down much smarter than dogs. People tend to think that animals that don’t learn what they are teaching must be stupid rather than considering the fact that maybe they themselves are bad teachers or that they are using the wrong incentives or motivators. When animals are trained using positive reinforcement and behaviors are shaped in a stepwise fashion cats and many animals one might consider dumb, can learn as fast as dogs.

Are some dogs smarter and easier to train than others? The first part is difficult to answer because intelligence can be measured in many ways. But more importantly, smarter does not mean easier to train. The easiest dogs to train are those that are relatively calm and have a dependent personality so that they want to please you. Because they have a follower personality, they learn what you want despite the gaps in your training and are happy to oblige. Dogs that are more independent and consequently could care less about verbal kudos have to be trained more methodically and with things that are actually motivating to them. When trained in a stepwise fashion you may not notice much difference in speed of learning and they will appear happy and willing to learn too. When you skip steps or use rewards that the dog doesn’t care about, these dogs come off as stubborn and willful. When you combine independence with high energy and arousal such as a Jack Russell Terrier, plus a strong ability to problem-solve or tenacity in getting to what they want, you can be in for a big struggle. If you’re not a step ahead and several IQ points smarter, your cute puppy Einstein may developing into an evil genius.

Do you use only positive reinforcement? No. While it’s essential that we focus on reinforcing good behaviors, it’s equally important to remove rewards for undesirable behavior (scientific definition = negative punishment). If both are not done equally, then the animal will continue to be confused as to which behavior you want and a good habit will never be formed.

What are the most common mistakes people make when using positive reinforcement? A common mistake is that people don’t distinguish the difference between a lure/baiting and a reinforcer. A lure is when the animal sees the motivator such as food or a toy in front of his face and performs the behavior because he’s just following it. A reinforcer is when the dog performs the behavior and then he may or may not get the reward after he performs the behavior. In one case-luring-the pet can see the food or toy and decide whether he wants to follow it and perform the behavior. In the second case, he doesn’t always get the reward afterwards and he doesn’t know until after he performs the behavior whether he will one. Many owners start with luring and never progress beyond needing to bait. A second common mistake is that people often praise or pet animals as a reward when the animal shows no behavioral indication that he finds these rewarding.  With wild animals such as giraffes, the training is still paired with food usually so the only negative is that the giraffe has to hear a lot of blabbing. For dogs, the praise and petting is often in lieu of something he would rather have such as food, so the dog ends up getting bored.

If I use food/treats for training won’t the pet only behave when I have food? If you train incorrectly or incompletely with food then you will always need food around for the animal to perform the behavior. Conversely with punishment you’re likely to always need the punisher (choke chain, pinch collar) on the dog or readily available so that the dog knows that if he doesn’t behave he will get punished.

The way to wean off food rewards is to first reward enough so that the animal learns the behavior well in different contexts. Then the handler should start rewarding with food more intermittently and sometimes switching and using other rewards that the dog wants at that instant, such praise or toys. One mistake is to accidentally make it black and white to the dog that training occurs in specific sessions and at other times they don’t require or reward the same good behavior. In fact they may even accidentally reward bad behavior. In other words they have not made it a habit yet that the dog behaves throughout the day, it’s only habit to behave during training sessions. What owners should do is have the reward available every time during the day that they need it until the dog learns to behave well all the time.

Won’t using treats train the dog or horse to be nippy? Your pet will only become nippy if you reward nippy behavior. For instance if you feed the food reward when your dog lunges for the food or horse grabs then you will train the dog or horse to lunge to get the food. The best way to prevent nippy behavior is to reward the horse only when he stands with his head away from you and to reward the dog only when he’s gentle.

Do people have naughty pets because they treat them like their kids? People should not spoil their kids or their pets. Spoiled kids who have no boundaries tend to grow into depressed adults. Spoiled dogs who have no limits tend to be more anxious or frustrated than dogs with clear rules even though they may have access to everything they want.

Is punishment ever appropriate? Punishment, which for the purpose here we will define as force or coercion, can range from verbal reprimand, to a painful jerk on a choke chain or pinch collar, to using an electronic shock. It’s anything that the animal dislikes or wants to avoid and it decreases the behavior being punished. While punishment can be effective in some situations, it is generally a more advanced technique and can have many side effects. People tend to use punishment indiscriminately because it’s the first thing that comes to their mind. That is, they use punishment because they are not proactive enough to reward good behavior and prevent rewards for bad behavior. As a veterinarian my job is to recommend the techniques that are safest to both animal and human and that are effective. Consequently, I do not recommend punishment as general approach to training, because other safer and equally or more effective techniques are available. When punishment is used, it should be used with full knowledge of the potential side effects so that they can be avoided or remedied if they do occur. Here are several considerations when deciding on whether punishment is appropriate.

• In general, punishment should only be used after the handler has a strong history of reinforcing the good behavior so that the pet has an alternate appropriate behavior it knows to perform.
• Punishment should only be used as a way to buy time to reward the good behavior frequently enough so it become a habit. In general my recommendation is that if punishment is used, it be used for one specific behavior and that an alternate behavior be rewarded 50x to every punishment.

• Punishment can cause the other pets in the household to become anxious and fearful. Although the punishment may not be directed at them it may still scare them. Since it’s not related to any behavior that they can control, meaning they have no way to predict when or prevent it from occurring, they are likely to become more anxious.

• Punishment must be strong enough to get a clear reaction and so that the animal does not habituate to (adapt to or get used to) the force used. The problem is that this can also cause injury to the animal if it’s too high. And it can cause anxiety if the timing is not right or the owner doesn’t consistently punish every single time the bad behavior occurs.

• Generally negative punishment (removing the reward for bad behavior) and positive reinforcement are easier to perform and more effective than using force (positive punishment). Both require the same timing, but as you’ll see, positive punishment may require more strength and more speed.

• Punishment can cause animals to become more aggressive and aroused. For instance, animals are often scared when threatened with punishment and may become defensive when they can’t flee. When animals are fearful of being hurt, they can run, freeze or fight. If running or freezing doesn’t work, then they are more likely to fight.

For more information on punishment download the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior’s (AVSAB) Guidelines on the use of punishment.

QUESTION:

My 8 week old puppy won’t sleep in her cage and when ever she is in it she whines even if I’m still beside her and no body can sleep what should we do?

ANSWER:

Brittany, it’s a good thing that you’re asking now rather than waiting several more months when the behavior is even worse. This is a common problem that many new puppy owners have. And it’s made worse when they let the whining puppy out because then the pup quickly learns that whining works and now, can whine for hours on end.

While people might think that just nixing the crate expectations will solve the problem-you’re right in pursuing the issue. Your pup gets frustrated and anxious when she can’t get to you on her own terms.  Right now it’s just the crate but down the road you’d probably find the same results if you separate her from you by putting her in another room, on the other side of a babygate or just tethering her by leash on the other side of your backyard.

Crate Training Starts by Feeding the Pup All of Her Meals in Her Crate

The first thing you can do is feed all over your pups meals in her crate. If your dog really dislikes being confined, start by feeding her daily meals just outside the crate. When she’s comfortably eating her meals in this new location, move the food just inside the crate so that she has to stick his head in to eat. Within a days or two, you should be able to move the feeding location farther in the crate so that she has to step in with her front feet. In this manner, move the feeding location farther and farther in. Once she easily goes in and out on his own, which usually takes no more than a few days, you can start shutting the door while she’s eating or putting her in with a special toy, which can be a Nylabone® Rhino or a tasty bone. As soon as he’s finished, or just before, open the door to let him out. You can also randomly place secret food surprises for Fido to find in her crate. Try peanut butter smeared on the back wall of the crate or pieces of hot dog under his blanket. This process sounds like it will take a long time, but in reality it usually takes less than a week, even with adult dogs that don’t like the crate.

Put Really Tough Puppies through the Learn to Earn Program

If the above method doesn’t work within a week or her behavior gets worse, it’s time to teach Fido that they only way she gets your attention is when she sits or lies down away from you. This is part of what is called the Learn to Earn Program where dogs learn to say please by sitting to get whatever they want.

First Teach Her To Say Please By Sitting

This starts first by teaching her to sit automatically to get treats from you. Just hold the bite-sized treats in your hand and stand completely still. When she sits, immediately get the treat to her while she’s still sitting. Then give her a few more treats sequentially for remaining seated. For fast training, it’s best to have her earn her entire meal for automatically sitting but spread it out a kibble at a time, throughout the day.  If she’s earning 100-200 kibble for sitting and remaining seated, she’ll learn to sit when she wants things from you virtually overnight.

[Watch the MannersMinder DVD chapters on say please by sitting which is soon to appear on the Online Animal Behavior Courses at www.AskDryin.com/elearning]

Next Apply the Automatic Sit to Other Situations

Next it’s time to apply the sit to other things she wants. One exercise is called the “leave-it game.” Have her on leash and toss a treat out of her range. When she gets to the end of the leash, she’ll pull for a few seconds, then when she figures out she can’t get the treat she’ll come back and sit and look at you. When she does, give her a treat for the polite “say please” behavior and then a few more for continuing to look at you. When she’s stable at looking at you then reward the eye contact by letting her get the treat on the floor. The goal of this exercise is to teach her self control. That instead of impulsively demanding what she wants, she controls her excitement and asks politely you by politely sitting and looking at you.

Now Train Her That Sitting or Lying Down Calmly Get Her Your Attention

Ok, now for the real work. She knows to automatically sit for treats and to get an item that’s out of her reach. Now we are going to make you the item out of her reach that she must sit or lie down calmly for in order to gain access. Tether her 2-10 feet away from you while you watch T.V. or are engaged in some other activity. Ignore her pulling, whining, pacing to get to you. When she sits politely, give her several treats in a row and/or pet her for 5 seconds at a time if she’ll remain seated when you do so. Then toss a treat on the floor so she’ll get up and you can repeat the exercise. You may need to wait 20-30 minute for the first sit. But if your timing is good and you pair the reward with her sitting, then next sit will take probably ½ the time. And shortly thereafter she’ll be sitting every 30 seconds.

The goal is that the lightbulb goes on and she understands that sitting or lying down quietly is what makes you give her your attention. From now on the only way she gets your attention is for sitting and you continue to practice tethering her away from you so you have many opportunities to make it clear that calming sitting or lying down gets her what she wants. Once she’s making the association you can walk away and then come back while she’s still sitting or lying down. Now you’re working on a sit or down-stay.

[Refer to Chapter 22 in How to Behave So Your Dog Behaves or stay tuned for the Online Education portion of AskDrYin.com]. First come back frequently and then wait longer and longer in between. Also practice walking out of the room. She must sit or lie down before you approach her.

Now Transfer the Training to the Crate

Now have her go in her crate and block her from coming right out. You can do this by shoving your hand with a treat right in her face to block her path out. Once she’s stopped  guide her into a sit with an additional treat. Better yet have her lie down.

[Refer to Chapter 21 in How to Behave So Your Dog Behaves or to the MannersMinder DVD or stay tuned for the Online Education portion of www.AskDrYin.com]

Once she’s sitting or lying down continue with a few more treats every few seconds or a short petting bouts, then stand back and go back and reward her again for remaining in place. Then let her out of the crate. Now she’s getting treat and petting rewards for going into her crate and lying down and she gets the added reward of coming out. Repeat this until she acts like she’s clearly having fun running into the crate because it predicts that she will earn your attention and get to run out. Now, with the door still open add a down or sit stay. That is, work on being able to be far away or in the other room. I find the easiest way to do this is to practice when I’m watching T.V. or working on menial tasks around the house. And, actually, I’m really lazy, so rather than my going back and forth, I prefer to use a MannersMinder, a remote controlled food-reward dispenser, to automatically dispense food at set intervals or to dispense using the remote control.

Switch to Closing the Crate Door

Next for that all-important final phase. Have the pup go into the crate and lie down, close the door, feed her treats, then open the door while she’s still lying down and let her out. So the door should just be closed for a short amount of time. Short enough so she’s just thinking about treats and rewards and not how she’s locked inside. Then systematically increase the time she’s in the crate.

Again, at this stage, I prefer to use the MannersMinder so that I can walk away and reward her with food rewards while I’m far away. The goal is that the treats are coming frequently enough so that she is focused on the food and that I get back before she has a  chance to get anxious. So I can increase the interval between treats sequentially from 5 to 7, 10, 15 or more seconds as long as the puppy remains relaxed, lying down, and focused on the food rather than looking like she wants out.

By the beginning of this stage, your problem pup should already be relaxed in the crate because she’s learned overall that remaining calm is what gives her access to you. And this final stage should go really fast.

The End Results

For me it would probably just take a day or two to get through this program, but it may take you a bit longer since you aren’t being coached through each stage. In any case, if you can get her to understand that being calm and control her emotions is what gives her access to you, you’ll have a puppy who can quietly sleep in her closed crate whenever you want! If you’re still having problems in a week or two it’s time to find professional help for her. Fast!

Day 2 of My Trip to Indonesia by Sophia Yin

It’s day 2 of my trip to Indonesia and today I visit Asri’s brother’s family. They have a puppy named Cream Puff that the breeder sold to them as a poodle. At 8 weeks it was hard to tell, but now that she’s 5 months old, it’s clear, she’s probably more like a “moodle” (maltese-poodle mix).

Elisa, Asri’s sister-in-law, and the kids, Gaby and Sean, never take Puffy out on walks because the streets are too crowded and the general Muslim population doesn’t like dogs. But in spite of this, Puffy is well socialized to people because many people-cooks, helpers, neighbors, visitors come to house on a daily basis. In Indonesia, anyone who has a little money hires helpers because help is inexpensive.

Puffy Learns to Sit instead of Jumping and Nipping at People’s Feet

Puffy’s biggest behavioral issue as a puppy is that she loves to jump on people and nip on their feet. In Indonesia, since most people go shoeless in the house this can become a big issues early on. Luckily both behaviors are simple to fix with one solution. We just train her to sit for bits of her kibble instead of jumping on and nipping the kids or parents when she wants attention. I work with her first and she’s a quick study, just like the average dog that I see in the U.S. Although I have to lure her with a bit of her kibble-which Elisa’s withheld from her morning meal-after 5-10 minutes she’s readily without my needing to lure her. I can just reward her with the kibble after she’s sat instead of showing it to her first.

The Kids Play the Human-Training Game

Now the kids get to try. But first they have to see what it’s like to be the dog so they can train empathetically. We play the training game where they reward behaviors closer and closer to their goal behavior.  First, I train Gaby to spin in a circle. I start by saying “yes” and immediately giving her a tiny treat whenever she turns her head clockwise while standing stationary. After she does this 5 times in a row, I no longer reward her for this behavior. Instead I wait until she offers to turn her body as well as her head clockwise about 45°. In this manner, I gradually reward behaviors that are closer and closer to spinning 360° in a clockwise circle. Within minutes she’s spinning 360°.

Next it Gaby’s turn to train. She trains her brother Sean. She wants him to turn 45° to his left, walk over to a chair and stand in front of it. The problem is that she accidentally starts by rewarding him for turning 90° and so he thinks this is the behavior she wants.

When she realizes her mistake she shouts, “Wait, start over.” So she can start with a clean slate. But that’s not allowed. A dog wouldn’t know that the behavior you just rewarded 5 times was a mistake and he shouldn’t repeat it anymore. So, instead she has to fix what she’s trained. She has to start saying “yes” and then rewarding right before Shawn turns all the way 90°.  This is tricky because he’s turning fast. So she has to be quick. After  marking the correct with a “yes” 3 times in a row, Shawn understands that he’s supposed to only turn 45°. Then after rewarding him for this 45° turn 5 more times in a row, Gaby no longer rewards this behavior. She wants him to search for a different behavior. One that first requires turning 45°.  After 10-20 seconds of searching and trying different behaviors, Shawn makes a move in the right direction. He starts to take a step forward. “Yes,” treat! From there it only took several more minutes for Gaby to get the goal behavior.

When it’s Sean’s turn to train, it’s a different story. I’ve chosen something more difficult for him. I want Gaby to flap her arms like a bird while raising her leg. Gaby plays the very outgoing pooch. She tries different behaviors and doesn’t give up, even when the first four or five don’t work. She tries kicking her feet, walking around, jumping, but her arms are completely stationary. She doesn’t even think consider moving her arms. Shawn can’t figure out what to do so he walks around her while trying to decide. Gaby turns to face him as he moves around. She thinks that his movement must be a cue, part of the training.

Elisa states, “It must be really confusing for the dog. They don’t know when we mean to be training them and when the people are just standing around trying to figure out what to do.” To get her to start lifting her arm, I reach my hand out as if to give her something. When she starts to raise her arm to take it, I say “yes” and treat her.  I repeat this several times and then do it with the other arm, and she quickly understands that waving her arms is good. Then it’s on to getting her to also raise one of her legs. I have to use a similar trick to get the initial foot lifting, but it’s not too difficult from there.

Once the kids have finished training eachother, they get to play with Cream Puff. We work on their treat delivery speed first so that Puffy gets her rewards right when she sits and before she has a chance to get up. And as a result, the kids are able to train her to sit, even when they run to the other side of the room in just minutes. “This is so much easier than yelling at her when she does something wrong!” Exclaims Elisa.

Generalizing the Good Sit Behavior

Now, we apply the behavior to other situations where Puffy is excited. For instance, when she comes over for attention, the kids just wait until she sits and then pet her. And when they want to eat in peace without having her stand under the table or jump on them, they tether her by leash to furniture several feet from the table while they eat so that they can eat and go back and reward her when she sits patiently.

Like most dogs who get rewarded for sitting 50-200x in a day, Puffy’s training goes quickly. If they continue at this rate her calm sit behavior will become a habit. Her test comes later in the afternoon, when the 3 year old neighbor, Eva, visits. Eva usually runs from Puffy as Puffy nibbles her feet. But today she learns to reward Cream Puff for sitting. She stands still holding a few pieces of kibble in her hand-the kibble we just pulled out of her bowl, which was sitting, uneaten on the floor.

Cream Puff’s Good-Behavior Test

When Puffy sits, “Quick, give her the treats,” Gaby tells her. Puffy wants the kibble from Eva’s hand because Puffy likes the interaction as well as the food. Puffy consistently sits for Eva without first jumping within just minutes. We have to instruct her each time so she doesn’t accidentally reward Puffy when Puffy’s standing. Then we ask, “Eva” now run to the chair, ” (which is 2 feet away) and then stand still. She does it and when Puffy gets to her and sits instead of jumping, she gives Puffy the treat. A few times Puffy starts to jump, but stops and sits immediately when Eva stops. We just have to be sure Eva runs for short enough distances so that she stops before Puffy jumps.

After each treat, Eva wants to continue training. Elisa says, “Eva, you were scared of Puffy before, right? “Eva says, No.” She can’t remember she was afraid before. She just remembers she likes Puffy now and can get Puffy to sit.

My Trip to Indonesia: Day 1 (Sept 2009)

It’s the first day of my last-minute vacation trip to Indonesia-only the second actual vacation I’ve taken in 15 years. A few weeks ago, out of the blue, my college roommate Asri who had just received her U.S. citizenship emailed me. “Sophia, I’m going to Indonesia to visit my family next month. Do you want to come?”

“Yeah, right,” I thought. But then she added. “We’re going to Bali. It’s really nice there. We can snorkel and watch dolphins.”

Then I, the one who usually has to make a list of pro’s and cons before even deciding to take a day off to spend with friends, said “yes.” At the time, I was secretly hoping that I’d be able to take photos of free-roaming village or street dogs. Luckily, after I booked my flight, Claudia Kawczynska, editor of the Bark learned of my vacation plans and hooked me up with the Bali Animal Welfere Association (www.bawabali.org), an organization that helps spay, neuter and vaccinate dogs on Bali. As a result, I was all set to spend some volunteer time too.

So I’m here in Jakarta, Indonesia now-we leave for Bali in a few days-watching the crazy traffic, inhaling the smog, and being thankful that I don’t live here. Traffic is crazy, even compared to Market Street during rush hour in San Francisco. Motorcycles crowd 2-3 to a lane routinely driving within inches of the cars.

And it’s common to see cars and motorbikes approaching you head on. Somehow, like flocking birds that change directions simultaneously, the vehicles, turn, veer and merge seamlessly. People also randomly help guide traffic. It’s not their official job, they’re just doing it for donations. Drivers give them “tips” for their help.

Traffic is so bad it would be faster to walk from one location to another, if there were sidewalks and you could handle the walking several miles in a sauna. It takes 30 minutes to go 2 miles during rush hour. Of course walking would probably lead to asphyxiation from the oxygen-depleted air.

I’m keeping my eye out for pets and stray animals. There are a lot of stray cats in Jakarta. Asri tells me that people do not routinely spay/neuter here and vets may not recommend it.

There are not many dogs seen on the streets here in Jakarta. In fact, I don’t see any. Ninety to 95% of people here are Muslims but unlike other majority Muslim countries the government is not Muslim.  In general, Muslims consider dogs to be filthy. They don’t feed strays like people in the U.S. might. And dogs are not welcome in the house. Dog owners in Jakarta tend to not walk them in public. Owners tend to not to let their dogs go up to people and lick them. That would be considered ultra-filthy.

Cats, on the other hand, are practically considered holy. Injuring a cat, even accidentally is considered bad luck.

But Indonesia is a diverse country so not everyone has the same views. In fact Indonesia is comprised of 17,508 islands. The 5 most prominant islands are—Java (where Jakarta and the central government is located), Borneo, Sumatra, Sulawesa, and part of New Guinea. Bali is a small island located just south of Java and we’ll be going there in a day. The view of dogs and the presence of dogs and cats there is very different. So in the next few blogs I”ll be providing a glimpse of how dogs, cats, and the wild animals (monkeys) coexist with humans on the island paradise of Bali.

By Sophia Yin, DVM, MS  September 24, 2009

In these difficult times, it can be challenging to care for your pet and to know when you’re getting the most appropriate care. In fact one pet owner once wrote to me for advise regarding what to expect from her vet. “Dr. Yin, she says, “ I no longer trust veterinarians to practice ethical medicine. Three years ago, our newly-purchase guinea pig showed signs of mite infestation. A vet specializing in exotic animals put her on a two-shot course of ivermectin. After the second shot a week after the first, she went into convulsions. There was an emergency room visit with follow-up at the vet’s office. She recovered but a month later the mites returned. I brought her to a different vet who treated her with flea powder, a much less invasive approach. This cured her.”

She went on to explain another case. “We also had a male cat with terrible “blood crystals” which caused severe urinary problems. Medications didn’t help and neither did surgery. It was a stressful time as I was due to give birth. Our poor cat was no longer the playful, affectionate companion we loved. I brought him to the vet for assistance and he insisted on giving heart medications. I tried this and he didn’t improve. We had to have the cat put down the day I came home from the hospital.”

These situations gave the owner a bad taste. And made her wonder: What should pet owners expect from veterinarians? How do we know what the standard of care should be?

These are good questions and they also remind me of something a veterinarian colleague once said, “Instead of giving us all of those classes and a diploma at graduation, they should have just given us a crystal ball and a magic wand. Clients would be happier.”

But we graduated with neither which is why veterinarians can’t predict the future any better than the Wall Street experts can predict the stocks, bookies can predict exact Superbowl outcomes, and the every-day individual can predict what will go wrong the next time he upgrades the operating system on his man-made PC.

Even when your veterinarian follows a diagnostic and treatment plan devised by God himself, which for mite infestations in guinea pigs currently involves a 1-4 shot course of ivermectin at 1-2 week intervals, patients may respond poorly. What’s more, cures are only temporary if the inciting causes, such as mites on neighboring guinea pigs, aren’t stamped out too.

The problem is that fixing an ailing pet is not like fixing a car or TV or someone’s bathroom sink. It’s more like solving a mystery and trapping the source. When looking for the culprit, detectives don’t just ask which one test in the sure-fire solution. Instead the answer requires a pain-staking search for multiple pieces of the puzzle. A mold of a suspicious footprint, a search for telltale stains, analysis of DNA, interviews with anyone remotely involved. Gather the right pieces and the picture takes shape, but the process takes time and skill and different detective teams may come to the solution through different steps.

Similarly, to diagnose your pet’s problem, a thorough physical examination plus the owner’s detailed account are an important start and may do the job. But many cases also require multiple tests. Each test can reveal something different but the puzzles picture is revealed only when all the pieces come together.

This can add up quickly. As pet owners ourselves, we veterinarians know. We often perform the ultimate work-ups and treatments on our own pets with ideal or less than ideal results. For me to the tune of $1500 for my cattledog several years back and for one of my classmates $4000.00 for her 14 year old Rhodesian Ridgeback. And my family’s aged Scottie it involved diagnostics for lymphosarcoma, and a splenectomy which cost us for about $2000.00 even with my huge veterinary discount. The surgery and chemotherapy provided the dog with 3 good months, followed by remission and then euthanasia. It was a short remission but well worth it for us.

A cat with urinary tract disease would put any veterinarian on red alert. It could get better on its own but it could also mean a long recurring problem that might involve surgery without being completely resolved. And if all else failed or even before, we might also choose to treat less pressing or obvious problems such as a heart condition or the stressful environmental situation going on at home in the hopes that that’s what’s throwing the cat’s system over the edge.

While you may not be able to afford all the tests or treatments it’s your veterinarian’s job to offer you the Gold Standard in care and work down from there rather than to judge your financial situation or the strength of your bond with your pet and offer you less. When vets make assumptions about what owners can afford Kitty may get short-changed. When owners continuously complain about being offered the best, they may no longer get such offers.

As a pet owner, your job is to decide what you can afford, and what you think is best for your entire family. Your vet should do his best to work within your needs, giving you options and then help you weigh your chances. This partnership works best when clients establish a regular relationship that involves annual pet check-ups, follow agreed-upon treatments to the tee, and appear for scheduled rechecks even when the problem seems cured. This allows the vet to understand your pet better, to modify treatments based on your pet’s response and to further discuss any questions you may have. If you’re still unsure about your pet’s care, keep asking questions, or seek a second opinion from a board certified veterinary specialist. Have your records sent first so that the specialist can get a complete view. But please remember, even specialists don’t graduate with a crystal ball.

For more information on pet diseases check out the following veterinary-sponsored web page: http://www.VeterinaryPartner.com

For dog owners check out “Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life” by veterinarian, Dr. Nancy Kay. (www.amazon.com)

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Sophia Yin, DVM   September 4, 2009

While many of you already know that chocolate can make your cat or dog sick, did you know that onions can kill? I learned this my second year in veterinary school. But I didn’t really appreciate it until the big onion incident that occurred during my senior year. Well, maybe the incident wasn’t all that big; it only involved one dog. But it was my own dog, Max, a 72-pound adult Boxer. And it nearly killed him.

Not surprisingly, pets actually have to eat the onions to get sick, but depending on their size, they may not have to eat much. One fourth of a cup can make a 20-pound dog sick while several cups may be needed to make a large dog sick. Cats are even more sensitive.

You’re probably asking yourself, “What dog or cat with brains would eat onions.” Well, the onions don’t have to be raw. They can be fried as in onion rings, dehydrated, as in Lipton Soup, or prepared in some other tasty form such as sautéed with mushrooms and steak, or hidden in a souffle. In a scattered rash of cat onion toxicity cases a number of years back, the culprit was onion powder used to flavor some baby foods. Veterinarians often temporarily feed meat baby food to cats who are infirmed and unwilling to eat their regular foods. So when the baby food formulations changed, some cats took a turn for the worse while under veterinary care. Due to public pressure baby foods no longer contain onion powder.

In Max’s case, the onions were fried, dried and then left on the coffee table by my roommate before she left for the weekend. I never saw the pound or so of deadly cuisine. All I found was an empty bag and drool on the floor. If I had known what was in the bag, I would have taken Max to my veterinarian immediately. Instead I took him two days later, after the normally boisterous prankster collapsed while exercising. We performed a bunch of diagnostic tests, and on examining the blood work, found the tell-tale signs—little purple clumps in his red blood cells that virtually screamed onion toxicity.

Onions cause toxicity by oxidizing an oxygen-transporting protein called hemoglobin in the red blood cells. When oxidized, hemoglobin forms clumps which can’t carry oxygen as well. These small clumps, called Heinz bodies can be seen in the red blood cells when the blood is viewed under a microscope, especially when the cells are stained with a special stain called New Methylene Blue. Although a number of other compounds can cause Heinz bodies, when a veterinarian sees Heinz bodies in many cat or dog red blood cells, onion toxicity is the first differential that leaps out on the list. Normally, in dogs with onion toxicity a moderate number of red blood cells may contain Heinz bodies. In Max’s case, most of the red blood cells carried the protein clumps.

Heinz bodies don’t usually cause life-threatening problems themselves; the red blood cells can still carry oxygen, just not as efficiently. Heinz bodies cause problems by decreasing the red blood cell lifespan. As a result, the onion-eater becomes anemic. If a large amount of onions is eaten at one time, the pet may develop a sudden anemia several days following the onion feast. If the dog or cat eats a small amount of onions every day for many days, he may gradually develop anemia over weeks to months.

Onion toxicosis is not a tremendously common occurrence. Annually, the ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center in Urbana Illinois records only a handful to a dozen calls on onion toxicity and toxicity from its relatives in the Allium genus, garlic and chives. Probably because with low dose exposure, pets may not develop signs severe enough to take to a veterinarian or at least not sick enough to perform diagnostic bloodwork for a definitive diagnosis.

It’s a good thing the incidence is relatively low, since patients that do eat enough onions to develop toxicosis often need to be hospitalized for several days. In cases of severe anemia, they may even need a life-saving blood transfusion. Max did. Luckily most victims of onion over-ingestion respond well to treatment and recover.

Interestingly, garlic can cause the same problems as onions, but since garlic is usually only used in small amounts, dogs and cats aren’t likely to ingest a toxic quantity.

The signs you see with onion toxicosis are signs of anemia and low oxygen such as lethargy, weakness, red urine, decreased stamina, and pale or bluish gums, especially with exercise. While onion toxicity is not a common cause of these signs, consider onion toxicosis if you see these signs and know your pet has gotten into onions recently. If by some freak occurrence, your dog or cat does engage in an onion feast, bring him to your veterinarian immediately. She may induce vomiting or administer a product to help decrease the absorption of the onions. If you take this trip in time, your onion eater may be spared many or all of the hazardous sequelae of onion toxicosis and you may be spared the much larger bill associated with intense hospital monitoring and a several night stay.

Footnote: other human foods to avoid include moldy walnuts, grapes or raisins, chocolate, fatty foods.

For more information on the ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center, go to http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/. To consult with a veterinarian at the Center’s emergency hotline for a $60.00 fee call (888) 426-4435.

Sophia Yin, DVM, MS.      September 11, 2009

Ok. By now, most of you know the potty training basic plan. Take the puppy out first thing in the morning and stand around until she does #1 and #2. Then praise her when she does, give her a treat and some play time and water. Then, throughout the day either have her tethered to you or on leash nearby or in her crate where she’s not likely to potty. Or keep an eagle eye on her so you can take her out at the first sign she has to potty. That sign may be: she’s just eaten, or drunk water, or woken up for a nap, or is now sniffing around. Interrupt accidents and rush the pup to a proper potty place but don’t punish her or scare her or she may just learn to sneak off and potty behind your back. And of course clean all accidents up promptly with an enzymatic cleaner.

Every days thousands of people hear this advice and try to follow it only to be frustrated. The issue boils down to several factors, which can be addressed with a few tips.

Puppy Pottytraining Tip 1: Some dogs are potty geniuses. Others aren’t. Some dogs learn virtually by magic. You take them out frequently for a few days and all of a sudden they’re potty trained. In fact my parents’ last four dogs were like that. Meaning, if you’re sort of consistent, the pooch will learn. But in other cases, the dogs seem to be potty training dunces. Realistically, in the wild, feral dogs may keep their immediate sleeping area clean, but areas close by are “in bounds.” So it’s not that odd that your dog thinks his actual bed should not be a potty spot but the rug right next to it is ok. In these cases, potty training is really just about forming a habit-never giving Rover the opportunity to go in the wrong place. Only give him opportunities to potty in the right places.

Puppy Pottytraining Tip 2: Some puppies will potty even when tethered close to you. For some puppies, tethering them close to you won’t prevent them from going potty it will only give you a better chance to keep an eye on them. And some puppies can potty in the blink of an eye. For these puppies you’ll have to rely on keeping them crated in a small den-like crate and then bringing them out for potty sessions where you make sure they potty before they are allowed to play. If they don’t potty quickly, they go back in their crate for 15 minutes before their next potty opportunity. They must learn to potty automatically when you take them outside and then never get the opportunity to have an accident when you’re inside. Once they potty they can play but if they’ve eaten or drunk water, you’ll have to bring them outside again after another 10-15 minutes before they go back into their crate. In fact you may be having 15-minute play sessions in he house every few hours and then long play session outside since otherwise when they’re in the house they are resting in a crate.

Puppy Pottytraining Tip 3: Realize that young puppies have frequently potty urges. Young puppies can potty a lot! Especially if they’re only 7-9 weeks old. They can drink water and then seemingly 5 minutes later pee it all out. So just because they pottied outside 5-10 minutes ago doesn’t meant they won’t do it inside as soon as you look the other way. So if you find that you have this problem of pups pottying even shortly after they’ve pottied outside, instead of saying “But they just pottied outside,” or ” I just let them play unsupervised for a minute,” get a clue! Expect them to potty even right after they’ve gone outside and whenever you leave them unsupervised and change your behavior accordingly. That is, be ready to crate them or keep your eye on them at all times.

Puppy Pottytraining Tip 4: Some puppies need to learn to hold their #1 urge a little bit. Some puppies need to learn to hold their pottying. I’m talking primarily about pee. These pups seem to just potty whenever they get a slight urge as if pottying is a pastime. These puppies need to be crated for longer periods for at least several days. In general, during the day they can be crated the same amount of time as their age in months. So an 8-week old puppy can be crated for about 2 hours and a 12 week old can be crate for around 3 hours during the day. Once your vet has assured you that the frequent piddling is not due to a urinary tract infection, start crating the puppy for longer hours. For instance start crating the 12 week old for 2-3 hours at a time so she learns to hold it and when you take her out, reward her with long play sessions so she gets enough interaction, play and training time too. But when finished, put her back in the potty-safe crate area.

Get the idea. What I’m telling you is that for some dogs, you can’t cut any corners. You can’t let them wander out of sight for 2 seconds or expect that they will hold it if they’ve just gone potty outside and had a drink of water. For these dogs you can try a doggie diaper. Maybe they won’t potty in that. Or you can try an indoor potty system where you place them in an exercise pen with a sleeping area and a fake grass potty system or pee pad potty area and no other type of surface. They can learn that the different substrates are for different purposes. But chances are you’ll have to just get realistic and alternate between strict crating, safe potty times outside, and eagle-eye supervision when they are getting their playtime. That means you’ll have to make a special effort to be sure they get enough playtime too which adds even more planning to your puppy care. But that’s the joy and pain of having a puppy. And the reward of having the house as a potty free zone is priceless.

Please share your puppy potty training story. How many accidents did he/she have. Was it easy or hard? How long did it take? Readers want to know!

By Sophia Yin, DVM, MS   September 5, 2009

Every year, when badly behaved dogs become the object of media focus someone asks me, “ Do you think pitbulls should be banned as pets?” To which I usually answer, “No, but some owners should be banned from owning pitbulls… or for that matter, Jack Russell Terriers, Basenji’s, Border terriers, Bengal cats and even Budgies”. In fact some people shouldn’t have pets at all.

Not because these people are cruel or have mean intentions, but because even the simplest pet can turn out to be more than the average person can handle, especially if the pet isn’t suitable for that person’s expectations and abilities.

Let’s face it, adopting a pet isn’t like purchasing a T.V. or kitchen appliance. TVs and appliances come with a set of instructions, work right out of the box and require minimal maintenance. And notice that even with these simple appliances getting them to work right sometimes takes longer than expected.

Pets on the other hand are a work-in-progress. What you end up with depends on how much time and effort you’re willing to put in. For instance, even rodents such as hamsters can be friendly enough to come when called, greet you at their cage door, and ask to be held and petted. But when not handled enough early on, they may instead spend most of their time hiding from humans and even biting when handled. This takes the fun out of interactions, which leads to a boring life for the tiny companion.

While owners may fail to notice that their caged pet is not living up to its full potential, with pets that freely share our living space, problems are more prominent. Owners who lack a plan with these pets frequently end up lacking a pet when they can’t stand it anymore.

Owner Expectations Must Match the Pet

As the owner of two rejected Basenjis, Renvelyn Grey knows about inappropriate owner expectations.

“Henry’s first owner got rid of him when she got sick of coming home to torn up pillows, sheets and shoes,” says Grey referring to her more recent adoption. Any basenji owner should know that for basenji’s this behavior is status quo. This breed is as curious as a three year old kid and individuals tend to examine and dissect all objects with their mouth.

“Henry’s previous owner walked him several miles a day but that’s not enough for these guys, they need lots of training,” says Grey. They also need more environmental management to keep them out of trouble. The Grey’s have babygates blocking off many rooms, they pick up all their shoes and clothing, and they make sure they’ve taken the trash out. With these household modifications and lots of training, the two Basenjis make perfect companions for the Grey’s.

Other breeds and individuals can be equally trying and the problems sometimes have to do with intelligence. States Terry Lake, owner of a Jack Russell Terrier named Jackie, “My partner says she wishes we’d gotten a dog that wasn’t so smart.”

Jackie is a wonderful, entertaining, companion for the Lakes, but due to her high energy, curiosity, and great problem-solving skills, she can be as much work as a pair of twin toddlers. Says Lake, “She has out-smarted every obstacle we’ve used to keep her from going up the stairs, and she once had a bath in the sink and because she likes water, we now have a hard time keeping her out of the sink where she tries to turn on the water.” Jackie’s also a problem in the truck where she rolls down the electric window by putting her paw on the button. “We roll-it up, says Lake, “and she rolls it down again.”

Jackie’s wild on walks too, where she bounces around like a superball attached to an elastic string. As a result, she rarely gets walked which means she not only misses out on exercise opportunities, but she also lacks the socialization to new humans, other animals, and the every-day sights which she needs in order to assimilate into city or suburban life.

These challenges are finally changing though. Lake took the time to trek 80 miles once a week for private training lessons with Jackie. After two private training lessons Lake was able to walk Jackie peacefully on leash with the aid of a Gentle Leader head collar and he can finally count on her undivided attention in the house on request.

Cats Can be Challenging Too

Of course problems involving pet suitability aren’t limited to dogs. Cats too have a wide range of personalities and consequently have to be matched to the correct household. Karsan Elliot found out the hard way when she added a Bengal cat, the feline equivalent of trouble, to her collection a “very happy pack of diverse dogs and 2 Abby cats.”

Says Elliot, “Spike relieved himself all over the home office and constantly beat up the other cats.” Like a teenager with time on his hands and no-one to focus his energy in the right direction, Spike just dominated the household. Elliot eventually had to give Spike up but was extremely fortunate to find a more appropriate home. For other cats, a poor match ends up spelling death in animal shelter after several failed adoptions or when abandoned on the street.

Choosing the Right Pet for You

So how do you find out whether a specific pet is suitable for you? You’ll have to put in the time ahead of time. Interview breed rescue organizations since they consist of breeders and individuals who regularly deal with placement mistakes. If the individuals do not acknowledge the difficulties of the breed or individual or know the common health problems and behavioral issues and how to prevent them then look elsewhere.

Go to dog or cat shows or canine sporting events and talk to many different breeders or trainers or experts. Some veterinarians and animal shelters even offer a service that helps match you with a pet. And most of all, ask yourself, what kind of time and effort are you really willing to invest and what to you expect for your work? Can you put up with a dog or cat that requires the same attention as a team of toddlers or do you need a couch potato who’s always happy to see you but just as happy to lounge around? Your honesty regarding both your needs as well as the pet’s can mean the difference between a happy relationship and an early demise for a potentially loving companion.

Originally appeared in SF Chronicle in 2005

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By Sophia Yin, DVM, MS    July 19, 2009

“I wish someone had shown me this towel wrap technique before cats had scratched my arms for 13 years,” says technician Brandy Oates, a veteran at handling pets as she practices what I call the Burrito Wrap on a stuffed cat.

She’s attending the Low Stress Dog and Cat Handling Lab at the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) conference in Seattle, Washington. While I have already taught this lab at a number of universities, including Colorado State University, UC Davis, and University of Wisconsin, this is the first time I’ve taught this particular lab at a national veterinary conference.  Technicians and veterinarians are attending from all over the nation.

You might wonder why seasoned technicians would need to take such a course. Well, just as medical advances necessitate regular continuing education, handling techniques have greatly changed. With the advent of a behavior specialty in veterinary medicine several decades ago, the emphasis on behavior has finally trickled down to every-day veterinary practice.

Older techniques focused on placing a “death grip” on the pet and immobilizing them by stretching them out. Low stress techniques rely on holding the pet in a manner that keeps them comfortable.

For instance, many technicians still restrain cats for blood draw by holding their head up with one hand and stretching their front legs out in an attempt to prevent being clawed. Unfortunately, this uncomfortable position actually causes cats to struggle. The more natural low stress position requires just guiding the head upward by placing a closed-fisted hand on either side of the neck. After trying the positioning on a cat, Gerrie Brocker states, “This technique is much safer for me and the cat struggles less.”

Attendees will go back to their practices and share their knowledge. Shannon Burcham states, “(I learned) The new toweling techniques and now I feel more confident about instructing my staff on their restraint techniques.”

Hopefully their hospitals will successfully implement their newly learned skills.

For more information on low stress techniques go to www.nerdbook.com/lowstresshandling. To schedule a talk or lab on this topic go to http://www.askdryin.com/seminarsandclasses.php