Pit Bulls in the Dog Park - Part 3 of 4

Hi everyone!  Last week I left you with some questions to share with your family and friends, sorta like a little "pop quiz" and I am excited to hear how you did on the answers. 

Just as a refresh, here are the questions, along with the answers:

1.  TRUE OR FALSE -- "Smart Socializing" involves setting your dog up for only positive dog-dog interactions.

TRUE! - The more positive interaction ANY dog gets with other dogs, the more likely he will develop and maintain dog-tolerant behavior for life.
Right: This female puppy's all-positive exposure to this well-socialized adult dog was planned for her benefit. She grew up to be a 'Dog Selective' adult meaning, she's easily offended by rude behavior from strange dogs, but she enjoys many trusted dog friends for play and socializing fun.
- See more at: http://www.badrap.org/node/98#sthash.SVY1Z54l.dpuf

TRUE!  The more positive dog-dog interactions your dog has, the more his chances are increased that he will be dog tolerant.  Even a dog that starts out with selective tolerance for other dogs can be trained to be dog tolerant by intentionally setting him up with positive dog-dog play time.

TRUE! - The more positive interaction ANY dog gets with other dogs, the more likely he will develop and maintain dog-tolerant behavior for life.
Right: This female puppy's all-positive exposure to this well-socialized adult dog was planned for her benefit. She grew up to be a 'Dog Selective' adult meaning, she's easily offended by rude behavior from strange dogs, but she enjoys many trusted dog friends for play and socializing fun.
- See more at: http://www.badrap.org/node/98#sthash.SVY1Z54l.dpuf

TRUE! - The more positive interaction ANY dog gets with other dogs, the more likely he will develop and maintain dog-tolerant behavior for life.
Right: This female puppy's all-positive exposure to this well-socialized adult dog was planned for her benefit. She grew up to be a 'Dog Selective' adult meaning, she's easily offended by rude behavior from strange dogs, but she enjoys many trusted dog friends for play and socializing fun.
- See more at: http://www.badrap.org/node/98#sthash.SVY1Z54l.dpuf

2.  TRUE OR FALSE -- Dog parks are a dependable place to begin socializing your dog.


FALSE!  Dog parks are a great place for dogs to interact and run off their energy.  But, the dog park is not a good place for all dogs, and that doesn't mean there is anything wrong with your dog.  The dog park is definitely not the place to train your dog to be sociable.  The tricky part about a dog park for dogs that aren't yet well-socialized is that it forces the dog to come face-to-face with situations that make him feel uncomfortable, and this may trigger defensiveness and other reactions that break into a fight.  And as I said before, if you want your dog to be properly socialized for life, you really don't want him to ever be in a fight if you can avoid it. 









3.  TRUE OR FALSE -- My dog is really good with the other dogs in my home, and with my cousin's dog that lives close by.  Doesn't that mean he will be fine with all other dogs he meets?


FALSE, FALSE FALSE.  Your dog's reaction to canine family members can be very different from his reaction to dogs who are not part of his family.  There are many situations where 3 dogs can live together in perfect harmony, all with different levels of "social."  They can be "dog social," "dog tolerant" and "dog aggressive," but never show their differences to each other in the comfort of their own home.  It is important to know your dog's individual social limitations so that you don't set him up for failure.  Here is a great link from our friends at Bad Rap that talks more about this topic:

http://www.badrap.org/node/97






4.  TRUE OR FALSE -- It's OK to wait until your dog experiences his first fight to know it's time to begin managing and training him about good doggie citizenship.


FALSE. You want to avoid at all cost your dog ever getting into a fight with another dog.  Dogs learn from their bad experiences just like we do, and a bad fight will likely leave him with a lasting impression that will affect his future tolerance for other dogs.

A dog’s first fight is always the one you want to avoid. Why? A bad fight can make a huge impression on your dog and cause him to have a shorter fuse the next time a dog-dog conflict comes up. Dogs learn from their bad experiences just like we do, so it’s best to protect them from conflict. - See more at: http://www.badrap.org/node/98#sthash.SVY1Z54l.dpuf

5.  TRUE OR FALSE -- A good way to socialize a dog is to let her walk up to other dogs she doesn't know while on her daily walk.


FALSE.  The tension that builds at the end of a leash can lead to very intense "arguments" between two dogs that don't know each other.  Also, allowing your dog to participate in this type of greeting can set the stage for him pulling wildly on his leash the next time he passes a dog on a leash that he wants to meet.  It can also lead to a fight (and that's not something you ever want to happen).

I used to be very leash aggressive and still have my times when I need to be reminded how to behave.  My mom got this crazy idea from some book that she read and she started giving me treats every time we would see a dog approaching us on a leash.  Not just any treats, but my favorite, all time, best ever, good girl Annie treats.  Cheese, bacon, and chicken lead the list of things she carries around with us when we go for a walk.  Sometimes I think she is crazy, but it is working.  I am almost at the point where I think I will be able to pass another dog on the same side of the sidewalk and not pitch one of my little frantic fits.  (I have it down really well now that I don't pay any mind to other dogs if we are on the other side of the street.)  Also, it's important to share with you that my "leash behavior" has nothing to do with how I act toward other dogs (or any other animals) when I am off leash.  I am a very good girl at the dog park, and really hate it when other dogs get into brawls.  Makes me sad, and sometimes I run through their little group just to break them up (and it usually works!).

Here's a little tip for when someone tries to approach your dog with their dog on a leash.  Just smile and step in front of your dog and say politely, "sorry we are in training.  We are not ready for a meeting right now."   


How did you do?  I would really love to read your comments and ideas.

Also, I would really like to say that I am really glad that the dog park rules say that dogs can't be in the dog park with their leashes on.  Never, nada.  Dogs don't always show their true colors when they are at the end of a leash (me!!!) and if your dog doesn't do well off-leash around dogs, then either you need to work with your dog a little more in a smaller group, or he isn't cut out to be in the dog park at all.  He's still a great dog, but his social circle just needs to be a little smaller.  I would volunteer to be part of a small play group with any dog that is having trouble at the dog park.  Just comment here and we can make a play-date!



 

Ask Annie (April 19, 2013)

 It's good to have my that my parents have their taxes done and now I'm back doing the things I love ... and this is one of them!

One of my readers asked a question about how to help a high strung dog deal with anxiety. She said her family has a lot of anxiety and the dog seems to pick up on it, he is restless and seems on edge a lot.  Her name is Jackelyn and I think she must love her dog a whole lot to be concerned about his anxiety.  

So, here is what I can tell you, based on what I know about it.  

Dogs exhibit anxiety for many reasons, some because of environmental stressors and many times because of separation.  Sometimes they are anxious because they are bored. 

 It's very important to remember that a tired dog is a happy dog. 

Panda

Also, did you know that your dog is very perceptive of your emotions and how you are feeling?  Some say that a dog can hear your heartbeat from 5 feet away.   

You say that there is a lot of anxiety in your home, but with no further details, it’s hard for me to know if this is an ongoing issue, or whether it is temporary or permanent.  

 Dogs are pretty adaptable and just need to know that they are part of the family.  We need our time to shine and be the center of attention within the family, and and we need a chance to work off our energy (after all, we are dogs). 

Tessie

Let’s just say that your house is full of activity and kids and just busy-ness from two working parents with kids and lots of responsibilities and chores and activities and more to do than you have time to do it.  Where does your dog fit into the family?  Does your dog get to go for a walk everyday?  This is not only important for your dog’s daily life, it is essential to her well-being, and can be a huge contributor to stress.  

Bella

In many ways, it is important to put yourself in your dog’s place. Try and imagine how you would feel if you had to stay inside your house, except for short potty breaks, everyday, all day long.  How do you feel when you have gotten out for a brisk walk or jog, or a workout at the gym?  Your dog feels the same way!  For families who have a fenced-in yard, it is easy to fall out of the routine of walking your dog, but a daily walk is vital, especially for a dog that is prone to anxiety.

Does your dog have a job?  Does he get to solve puzzles?  This is a great area to explore, and can be accomplished with a little imagination and things you have around your house.  Here are a few ideas:

Rocky

Get a box (judge how big or small by the size of your dog) and fill it with crumpled packing (or other non-toxic) paper.  Add bits of dry kibble or your dog’s favorite treat (maybe some chunks of cheese) and let her figure out how to get to all of those yummy morsels.  He will have to tip the box, rummage through the paper, sniff, scratch, tear and most of all use her brain to get what she wants out of the box.

Does your dog have a Kong? If not, he is in for a treat.  My mom and dad fill my Kong with layers of yummy stuff and when I am finished digging all that stuff out of there, I am exhausted and usually fall asleep when I am done. Here are some ideas of what you can layer in your dog’s Kong (and don’t let this stop you from letting your imagination go wild, because your dog is going to love whatever you fill it with): 

• dry kibble
• cheese chunks
• pieces of cooked carrots 
• cooked peas
• broken pieces of doggie treats
• pieces of cooked chicken

Once you have the Kong almost filled with the layers of yummy stuff, top it off with canned dog food or peanut butter and watch your dog go to town.  (You’re gonna want to give it to him in a place where it’s OK that he makes a slobbery mess, but it’s sooo worth it!)

Another idea that will prolong the “job” of emptying the Kong is to freeze it.  You might want to have 2 Kongs on a rotation so that one can be freezing while the other is being ravaged emptied.  

Lacey

My mom has read about others who buy beef bones at the pet store, empty them out of all the gross chemical laden stuff that comes inside of it when you buy them, and then stuff the hollow bones with the yumminess of your choice.  Like I said, let your imagination run away and you will have one very happy(ier) dog. 

One game you (or your older kids) can play with your dog is the “cup game.”  Put 2 or 3 cups upside down on the floor and put a Very Tasty Treat under one of the cups, but don’t tell your dog where it is.  Challenge your dog to find which cup has the treat, and then he has to figure out how to get to it.  Do it over and over again, each time changing the location or order of the cup containing the treat. 

Many of my friends that suffer from anxiety wear thundershirts.  If you haven’t heard about them, here’s where you can read more about this wonderful invention: http://tiny.cc/vwrqvw 

Here is a picture of my friend, Cookie, in her Thundershirt.  Cookie loves it and it helps her very very much.

Cookie

 You can put your dog into a thundershirt if you know she is getting ready to experience a certain stressor such as thunder, fireworks, or the vacuum cleaner.  If your dog is generally anxious, at least in the beginning of seeking solutions, you can let him wear it most of the time.  It will make him feel secure.  I have never used one, but I know they have worked wonders for my friends and I also know they use them at the shelter for the dogs who need them.

Similar to the theory behind a thundershirt, does your dog have a crate?  A place to call his own, where he can retreat whenever he wishes?  When used properly, a crate is a wonderful part of a dog’s life.  It’s a cozy little place where a dog can go to feel like nothing can harm him.  His very own den filled with his very own scent where he can go and get away from it all. 

Snuggles

 I hope I have given you some helpful information, and I am really happy that you follow my column.  There are lots of books out there about ways to help your dog overcome anxiety.  My favorite two experts on the issue are Jean Donaldson and Sue Sternberg. 

Your dog is lucky to have a guardian like you who cares so much that you look for answers to his issues. 

 

What Would Your Dog Say About You?

There are so many books out there about dog training that it's easy to be overwhelmed, and I have picked up many a book (even bought it for my Kindle) and decided after about a chapter or two that it just wasn't for me. It didn't apply to my dogs, or it seemed to conflict with what I think makes sense.  I have read some books that made me think if I followed their advice my dogs would laugh at me.  Then there are other books (and there are many) that make us stop in our tracks.  They strike a cord and make us say, "now that's what I'm talking about."

One of those books is William E. Campbell's Behavior Problems in Dogs (1999, BehavioRx Systems).  You can read more about it on this Amazon link.

Bill Campbell helps us to begin to question how much of our dog's dysfunctionality begins on the human side of the dog-people relationship.

I am not writing about answers because I don't have all the answers.  I am writing about questions.  Questions to ask ourselves.  What would your dog tell you about you?  What would he tell you about your communication skills?  About your method of teaching him things?  What would your dog say about you as his guardian?

The answers probably lie somewhere in the middle.  We all have good days and bad days, and even the best dog owners feel guilty for not spending enough time with their dogs.  If we foster or have a Good Buddy, we (I) sometimes walk through the door after a busy day of errands and volunteering and see the happy eyes of our own dogs and realize they have been waiting for us to get home and spend time with them.  Gulp.

So, here are the questions that are offered by Mr. Campbell about what type of dog owners we are.  None of them are desirable and perhaps the truth lies in the possibility that we all possess at least a little of a combination of them (of some I hope none) ....... 

• Are you a domineering/physical type of owner who insists on subservience and uses excessive force and/or punishment to gain obedience?  How much force is too much?  I am still haunted by the sounds of my grandfather's dogs being whipped into submission outside the farmhouse where my grandparents lived when I was a little girl.  I remember waiting and watching for the dogs to come back into the house and to see their tails wagging and then I knew they were OK.  Or at least I thought.

• Or are you a domineering/vocal type of dog owner who yells and uses stern tones to gain obedience from your dog?  What do our dogs think when we are at the end of our rope and we yell at them?  How often does it really produce lasting results?  
  

• Do you try to gain cooperation or other favorable responses from your dog by coaxing or bribing or seducing them into doing what you want, or what they should be doing?

• Are we sometimes a little too permissive because we are insecure about our relationship with our dog?  We want their love and loyalty, but we don't follow through on any form of discipline because we are fearful of losing some connection with our dog?

•  Are you an ambivalent owner/guardian?  Do you have mixed emotions about the animal that ultimately lead to problems that seem overwhelming to you?

• Do you project emotional and intellectual abilities onto your dog that only humans are capable of possessing?  This type of dog owner often misinterprets the dog's behavior and usually already "knows" all the reasons the behavior exists.  For example, did you know that a dog is not developed enough to act out of spite?  That their brains never develop enough to feel hate or contempt?  
  

• Some people love dogs but they know little about them and follow everyone's advice, no matter how ridiculous or outrageous.  Or they don't give their dog enough credit for needing good, solid leadership, so they don't seek advice at all.

•  Have you ever used "common sense" suggestions or methods, even in the face of poor results?

• Have you ever been too rigid or extreme in your attitude about guidance or advice and got in your own way of helping your dog to solve a problem?

Yep, lots of questions, just as I promised.  But just like I promised, there are no answers here.  They are in what you read, in what you experience with your dog, and in what you learn from other dog owners, shelter staff, experienced trainers, and trusted "dog friendly" friends. Pay attention to what makes sense to you and what works for your dog.

The reason this information struck me so strongly is that I see myself at various stages of my life with dogs in little bits and pieces of some of these questions.  Not the hitting ... NEVER the hitting.  But the rest I think we can honestly say to ourselves that we have either been there at some time along our journey with our dogs, or we are moving through some of these blind curves right now.

The answers?  You will find them.  Keep holding your dogs (and your Good Buddies) close to your hearts and look for answers.  Read good books by great authors like Sue Sternberg, Jean Donaldson, and Bill Campbell.  Victoria Stillwell and Cesar Millan have great training tips and advice for all types of dog owners.

One thought before we go ... no dog is going to continue exhibiting the same behavior over and over again if he/she is not somehow rewarded for it. 

     



 

Is A Game Just A Game?

 Dogs like to play and run.  They like to be engaged with other dogs or people.  But what happens when they don't have humans around to engage them, play with them, teach them things?  They create their own "games" and find things to occupy themselves, which creates many a difference of opinion about what is a game and what is the definition of a toy.

Did your Good Buddy end up in the shelter because he thought Aunt Margaret's wig was a fuzzy toy?  Did he think that shag carpet was remarkably similar to the freshly-mowed lawn in the backyard?  Is he still really puzzled why he got in so much trouble for chasing the family kitty?  And why, a dog wonders, is drinking out of the toilet such a bad idea?  After all, it is a bowl and it contains water. 

Are these "bad" dog behaviors?  No.  They are dog behaviors.  And for the short time we have these dogs in our program, we can teach them things.  We can teach them to play with things that really are doggie toys.  We can teach them games that tease their brains and make them feel useful and challenged.  We can teach them that they get ignored when the jump up on us, but they get rewarded when they keep their feet on the floor.  We can teach them that one emergency recall word that will stop them in their tracks and prevent them from chasing or running off into a dangerous situation, whatever it may be.  We can teach them to walk with a loose leash (this is a biggie).  And above all, they will learn to trust us.

Some dogs are just waiting for the chance to learn things.  They are smart, but have never had anyone who cared about them enough, or never knew that dogs want to learn, they want to be in a relationship with us, their humans.  They have energy but they don't know what to do with it.  They want to play, but need to be taught which things they should choose for their toys.

That is where we can help them shine, and here are a few ideas to help our Good Buddies, compliments of Jolanta Benal, who writes a blog called The Dog Trainer.  

The Find It Game

The easiest doggy game of all may be “Find It” -- you can’t go wrong when sniffing and food are involved. Show your dog a piece of dry food or a tiny treat. Say “Find it!” and toss the food on the ground. If your dog doesn’t quite get the idea of hunting outside the bowl, start her off by dropping the treat right in front of her. Then at each repetition, toss it farther and farther away. You can feed your dog entire meals by playing Find It; for some reason, dogs rarely seem to get bored when looking for food. Make the game more challenging by asking your dog to stay while you hide the treat behind a piece of furniture or in another room. Come back, release your dog from the stay, and wish her happy hunting. I do not suggest using the couch cushions as a hiding place.

 

Hide and Seek

The hidden item in “Find It” can be a person, too, which turns the game into hide-and-seek. This is easiest to teach with two human players -- one to go hide, the other to stay with the dog and encourage him to find the one who’s hiding. The person hiding can make a big fuss over the dog once she’s found and then reward by throwing a treat or toy, or play a quick round of tug.

Go Wild and Freeze

There are many ways to play “Go Wild and Freeze” – here’s one. Start by dancing around and acting excited till your dog gets going, too. After a minute or so, you all of a sudden stop moving. Ask your dog to sit, or down, or do another behavior she knows well. The moment she does it, start dancing around again; when your dog joins in, stop, ask for that sit or down again, and reward her by re-starting the party.
Mix things up by varying what behaviors you ask for and how long you wait before re-starting the game. If your dog is super-excitable and likely to mouth you or ricochet off you, start with a pale-vanilla version of “going wild” -- your dog’s introduction to this game can be “Take a Single Step and Freeze.” You can also retreat behind a baby gate if need be.
“Go Wild and Freeze” is not only fun, it helps teach your dog self-control as she learns to respond to your cues even when excited. End the game clearly, for example by saying “All done!” and sitting down with a book. If you say the same phrase every time, your dog will learn that it signifies the end of play for now. Ignore any attempts to reel you back in -- otherwise, she will learn that pestering works.

These are just a few games that you can use to get started.  Let your imagination run wild and have fun with your Good Buddy.

Another priceless training tool ... pay attention and catch your dog doing something good.  It's not always easy, and it's easy to miss many cues when our dogs are quietly doing what they are supposed to do.  When you pass another dog out on a walk, your dog has the choice of whether to bark and lunge or quietly keep walking and mind her own business.  Catch that moment to praise and reward.  The list goes on but you get the idea.  Dogs LOVE to do a good job and they LOVE to be rewarded.  Rewarded with what you ask?  In the beginning it really doesn't matter.  Find their currency and use it to your advantage. It might be food, it might be praise, or it could be launching into a game of chase.

Have fun with your Good Buddy!
  

A Doggie Do Over

Athena is available for adoption at the Humane Society of Warren County

Athena is going through a transformation. A kind of doggie do-over. She is beautiful and filled with possibilities and potential -- something that has always been true, even before she came to our shelter. But it was when she arrived at the homeless shelter -- some mistakenly would say it's the end of the line -- that she got her big break.  She is part of the HSWC Good Buddy Program, and her Good Buddies (Donna and Emily) are helping her with finding her true potential -- being all that she was meant to be.  Making her more adoptable so that when she finds her forever home, she has the confidence and knowledge to show them just what she's made of.  It's a doggie do-over!

One of Athena's issues is that she jumps.  She is full of energy and doesn't know what to do with it.  So she jumps -- when she wants to leave her kennel, when she wants to go for a walk, sometimes she just jumps because she likes to jump.

Here's the really, really good news.  By the time Athena finds her forever home, she won't be a jumper anymore.  Really!  Her Good Buddy, Donna, has a plan to cure this jumping and it's something we want to share with all of our Good Buddies (and guardians of other Jumpers out there) so that you can put this in your toolbox of ideas that might come in handy one day. 

Here's Donna's plan:

Everytime she enters Athena's kennel and Athena starts doing her jumpy-thing, Donna will turn her back and not engage Athena in any way.  And Donna will wait for the jumping to stop.  No touching, no talking, no correction.  Just cause and effect.  Donna might have to wait a minute, or two, or thirty.  It's a patient waiting game, but it works.  Athena will learn that the effect of her jumping is that she gets ignored.  It's the same way our dogs at home learn when they hear the doorbell it means someone is at the door and barking is required.  (Well, it's true, right?)  Athena may not give up her jumping on the first day, or the second day, but by the third day, Athena should figure out that her jumping creates a dead-end.  Her doggie-problem-solving skills are going to kick in and she's going to figure out that when she stops jumping, she gets hooked up to her leash.  Her kennel door opens and she goes outside to do something fun.  No delays, no getting ignored, no having her humans turn their backs on her.  No words are required, and never, NEVER is negative reinforcement used to teach a dog anything.  It's sorta like magic, but it really works! 


We are so very, very excited to see the progress that Athena makes and we promise to update you!  We invite you to visit Athena at the Shelter and watch her "not jump."

The Planet of Gorn

Jean Donaldson is probably one of the best experts on dog behavior, and it is no accident that her book "Culture Clash" (Buy it on Amazon) is on the top of our list of "Good Reads."  Her books are entertaining and easy to read, but filled with so much information that it takes a long to read, them, not because they long books, but because every page contains an "ah-ha" moment, and you have to take the cap off of your highlighter and mark on almost every page before you move on.

Here is an excerpt from "Culture Clash" book that will leave you spellbound:

"Imagine you live on a planet where the dominant species is far more intellectually sophisticated than human beings but often keep humans as companion animals. They are called the Gorns. They communicate with each other via a combination of telepathy, eye movements and high-pitched squeaks, unintelligible and unlearnable by humans, whose brains are prepared for verbal language acquisition only. What humans sometimes learn is the meaning of individual sounds by repeated association with things of relevance to them. The Gorns and humans bond strongly but there are many Gorn rules that humans must try to assimilate with limited information and usually high stakes.
You are one of the lucky humans who lives with the Gorns in their dwelling. Many other humans are chained to small cabanas in the yard or kept in outdoor pens of varying size. They have become so socially starved that they cannot control their emotions when a Gorn goes near them. Because of this behaviour, the Gorns agree that they could never be house humans. They are too excitable.

The dwelling you share with your Gorn family is fitted with numerous water-filled porcelain bowls, complete with flushers. Every time you try to urinate in one, though, any nearby Gorn attacks you. You learn to only use the toilet when there are no Gorns present. Sometimes they come home and stuff your head down the toilet for no apparent reason. You hate this and start sucking up to the Gorns when they come home to try and stave this off but they view this as increasing evidence of your guilt.
You are also punished for watching videos, reading certain books, talking to other human beings, eating pizza or cheesecake, and writing letters. These are all considered behaviour problems by the Gorns. To avoid going crazy, once again you wait until they are not around to try doing anything you with to do. While they are around, you sit quietly, staring straight ahead. Because they witness this good behaviour you are so obviously capable of, they attribute to “spite” the video watching and other transgressions that occur when you are alone. Obviously you resent being left alone, they figure. You are walked several times a day and left crossword-puzzle books to do. You have never used them because you hate crosswords; the Gorns think you’re ignoring them out of revenge.

Worst of all, you like them. They are, after all, often nice to you. But when you smile at them, they punish you, likewise for shaking hands. If you apologize, they punish you again. You have not seen another human since you were a small child. When you see one on the street you are curious, excited and sometimes afraid. You really don’t know how to act. So, the Gorn you live with keeps you away from other humans. Your social skills never develop.

Top Ten Behaviour Problems of Pet Humans on Planet Gorn

• Watching TV
• Use of water-filled porcelain bowls as elimination sites
• Listening to music other than Country & Western
• Talking to other humans
• Smoking
• Sitting on chairs (“How can I get him to stop sitting on CHAIRS?!”)
• Toothbrushing
• Eating anything but (nutritionally balanced) Human Chow
• Shaking hands to greet
• Smiling

Finally, you are brought to training school. A large part of the training consists of having your air briefly cut off by a metal chain around your neck. They are sure you understand every squeak and telepathic communication they make because you sometimes get it right. You are guessing and hate the training. You feel stressed out a lot of the time. One day, you see a Gorn approaching with the training collar in hand. You have PMS, a sore neck and you just don’t feel up to the baffling coercion about to ensue. You tell them in your sternest voice to please leave you alone and go away. The Gorns are shocked by this unprovoked aggressive behaviour. They thought you had a good temperament.
They put you in one of their vehicles and take you for a drive. You watch the attractive planetary landscape going by and wonder where you are going. The vehicle stops and you are led into a building filled with the smell of human sweat and excrement. Humans are everywhere in small cages. Some are nervous, some depressed, most watch the goings on from their prisons. Your Gorns, with whom you have lived your entire life, hand you over to strangers who drag you to a small room. You are terrified and yell for your Gorn family to help you. They turn and walk out the door of the building. You are held down and given a lethal injection. It is, after all, the humane way to do it.

This nightmarish world is the one inhabited by many domestic dogs all the time. Virtaully all natural dog behaviours – chewing, barking, rough play, chasing moving objects, eating food items within reach, jumping up to access faces, settling disputes with threat displays, establishing contact with strange dogs, guarding resources, leaning into steady pressure against their necks, urinating on porous surfaces like carpets, defending themselves from perceived threat – are considered by humans to be behaviour problems. The rules that seem so obvious to us make absolutely no sense to dogs. They are not humans in dog suits…

 It is as inherently obvious to dogs that furniture, clothing and car interiors are good for chewing as it is inherently obvious to you that TV sets are good for watching. If I reprimand you for watching the TV, your most likely course of action is to simply watch TV when I’m not around… Housetraining is another classic example… Owners interpret dogs who “refuse” to eliminate on walks and then go on the carpet when the owner leaves the room to answer the phone as “getting back at them”. Absolutely not so. The dog has simply learned to go to the bathroom on an obvious toilet – the carpet – when the attacker is not present.  He behaves obsequiously on the owner’s return to try and turn off the punishment that inevitably occurs when certain context cues (owner plus poop on rug) are present. It is clear from his terrified, submissive posture that the dog would dearly love to avoid that punishment if only he knew how. If someone punished you in a certain circumstance, you would beg for mercy too, regardless of whether you had any clue as to why they were about to punish you. It’s Orwellian what we do to dogs.