The Whole Dog Journal

TM

Volume 11
Number 7

A monthly guide to natural dog care and training

July 2008 $5.95

features The root of

the matter . . .
page 3
3 Improve Your Dental Acuity
What do you know about your dog’s
teeth? Probably not enough! A visit to a
veterinary dental specialist is invaluable
for detecting and fixing dental problems.

8 (Peace) Fully Equipped

How to choose the most appropriate
training gear for your dog.

4 How Green is Your Tripe?

1
This raw, unprocessed meat smells worse
than anything you’ve ever smelled before
– but many owners swear by its health
benefits for their dogs.

0 Scared to Be Home Alone

2
A dog with separation anxiety or
isolation distress must be treated
promptly, lest he destroys your home
– or himself.

Worried about
a walk-out . . .
page 20

Dou you know what’s wrong also in this issue

with this picture? . . .
page 8 2 Editor’s Note
24 Product and Expert Resources

to subscribe: www.whole-dog-journal.com Copyright © 2008, Belvoir Media Group, LLC THE WHOLE DOG JOURNAL | 
 editor’s note

The Whole Dog Journal

TM

Pay Attention! Editor-IN-CHIEF – Nancy Kerns

training Editor – Pat Miller
PUBLISHER – Timothy H. Cole
circulation directoR – Greg King

How to get the most out of walking your dog. editorial office
E-mail: WholeDogJ@aol.com
mail: PO Box 1349
Oroville, CA 95965
By nancy kerns packages: 1655 Robinson Street

F
ew people pay attention to their dogs
when walking with them, I’ve noticed.
I’ve observed this on many occasions,
Oroville, CA 95965
and give him a treat. With this sole exception,
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no walkers seemed to notice when their dogs Phone: (800) 829-9165
were being good – and none appeared to no- internet: whole-dog-journal.com/cs

but the point was brought home rather tice when their dogs were pulling them toward u.s. mail: PO Box 420235
Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235
forcefully for me recently. a bush or piece or garbage on the sidewalk. canada: Box 7820 STN Main
Just the other day, I spent the better part of Never mind that their arms were being pulled London, Ontario N5Y 5W1

a warm, late afternoon in an upscale Bay Area
neighborhood, in an effort to take some pic-
tures of the many dog owners I knew would
be out walking with their dogs. I was hoping
practically out of their sockets, or that they
had to brace themselves against being pulled
off their feet (or pulled to a halt when their
dogs stopped to sniff or pee); these owners
back issues, website inquiries
Phone: (800) 424-7887
E-mail: customer_service@belvoir.com
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u.s. mail: PO Box 5656

to take a good picture of a relaxed person just sort of passively, ineffectively, only partly Norwalk, CT 06856-5656

and a well-behaved dog, walking calmly on
a loose leash and a plain collar. I wanted the
picture to illustrate the article that appears on
page 8 of this issue.
I saw dozens of dogs and dog walkers
– but not a single pair who met the criteria for
the photo I wanted (I used an older photo for
the article). Mostly, I passed dogs who were
pulling their owners this way and that. And
many of them were wearing choke chains or
pinch collars. Have you ever noticed that most
dogs who wear these collars pull anyway? (If
you want to know why, read Training Editor
Pat Miller’s article on page 8.)
I also saw several dogs wearing harsh
collars (and one wearing a head collar) with
a retractable leash! Folks, a retractable leash
literally trains dogs to pull against the mild
pressure of the spring-loaded cord, so they
can reach whatever they are pulling toward
– which is highly reinforcing.
But here is the thing I find most puzzling:
with a single exception, none of the dog walk-
ers appeared to be paying a bit of attention to
their dogs. I saw only one woman who noticed
when her dog happened to be walking at her
side, and took the opportunity to praise him
Mission Statement: WDJ’s mission is to provide dog guardians with in-depth information on
resisted their dogs’ movements.
What were they paying attention to? Their
walking partners, stroller-bound babies, cell
phones, iPods, and goodness knows what else.
But with the sole exception of one attentive
owner, they were neither paying attention to
nor taking the opportunity to train their dogs
to walk on a loose leash.
Many people today are multi-tasking:
combining the dog-walking chores with ex-
ercising for personal fitness, returning phone
calls, and spending some much-needed time
with a friend or child. But if they want a well-
behaved dog as much as I would like them to
have one, they need to focus on their dogs!
When your dog pulls toward something, don’t
let him reach it (and thereby be reinforced);
stop in your tracks and resist until he slacks
the leash. Carry treats, watch for even fleeting
moments of good behavior – and reinforce it
the moment it occurs.
Before you know it,
walking your dog will
be much more fun
– and photogenic!
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(ISSN #1097-5322) is published
monthly by Belvoir Media Group,
LLC, 800 Connecticut Avenue, Nor-
walk, CT 06854-1631. Robert Eng-
lander, Chairman and CEO; Timothy
H. Cole, Executive Vice President,
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Chief Operating Officer; Greg King, Executive Vice
President, Marketing Director; Marvin Cweibel,
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The Whole Dog Journal makes every effort to
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ment that is authoritative, reliable, and practical.
It is not intended, however, to replace diagnosis
or treatment from a veterinarian or other qualified
dog professional. The Whole Dog Journal does
not assume any legal responsibility. Readers should
always consult qualified healthcare providers for
specific diagnosis and treatment.

effective holistic healthcare methods and successful nonviolent training. The methods we discuss Subscriptions: $39 annually (12 issues). Bulk
will endeavor to do no harm to dogs; we do not advocate perpetrating even minor transgressions rate subscriptions for organizations and educational
institutions available upon request.
in the name of “greater good.” We intend our articles to enable readers to immediately apply
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Whole Dog Journal , PO Box 420234, Palm
should contribute to improving the dog’s health and vitality, and deepening the canine/human Coast, FL 32142
bond. Above all, we wish to contribute information that will enable consumers to make kind,
The Whole Dog Journal, PO Box 39, Norwich,
healthy, and informed decisions about caring for their own dogs. ON, N0J 1PO

|July 2008 Copyright © 2008, Belvoir Media Group, LLC to subscribe, call (800) 829-9165
 h ealth

Improve Your Dental Acuity

What do you know about your dog’s teeth? Probably not enough!
By lorie long

B
etween runs at a recent agility com-
petition, I was chatting with Katie
and Nora, a couple of handlers I
often see at trials. Coincidentally,
all three of our dogs had received
an annual health examination from our
respective general practice veterinarians
recently, with all dogs earning good re-
ports. And all three of us had been told by
our veterinarians that our dogs had broken
or chipped teeth. My veterinarian had
noted a “slab fracture of the upper fourth
premolar” on the health summary report
for my 10-year-old Border Terrier, Dash.
The recommendation we were all given:
“Keep an eye on the teeth.”
Katie said she had observed a red
“pimple” or swollen spot on her dog’s gum
right over her dog’s broken tooth just that
morning. She had decided that the waiting
and watching were over and she was going
to bring her dog to a canine dentist. Keeping an eye on your dog’s teeth, and even daily brushing, constitute just part
Within a couple of weeks we found of responsible dental care. Regular examinations by a qualified veterinary dental
ourselves together again and Katie told us professional, complete with radiographs, are necessary for definitive diagnoses.
the outcome of her dog’s visit to the canine
dental specialist. The dentist discovered an could impact her overall health,” Katie told
old fracture in one tooth that had broken Nora and me.
What you can do . . . through the enamel, dentin, and pulp layers Within 24 hours, Nora and I both made
■ Arrange for a comprehensive oral of the tooth. The pulp area of the tooth was appointments with canine dental special-
health assessment for your dog exposed and dead. The root had abscessed ists to have our own dogs’ oral health fully
performed by a canine dental and the infection had broken through evaluated. All three of us have learned that
specialist.
into the gum, creating the red “fistula” or our dogs’ teeth should receive frequent
pimple Katie had noticed. and professional attention, and that earlier
The dentist discovered a second bro- interventions could prevent a lot of pain for
■ Provide toys that will not break
ken tooth that had gone unnoticed, but our dogs – and our pocketbooks!
or abrade your dog’s teeth when
which also had abscessed and sustained
chewed or mouthed.
significant damage to its crown. The dentist The tooth and
performed a root canal on the first tooth, nothing but the tooth
■ Practice good dental care at and surgically extracted the tooth with the I scheduled a comprehensive dental assess-
home by brushing your dog’s crown too damaged to save, thereby elimi- ment for Dash with Timothy Banker, DVM,
teeth daily with a nating sources of infection and chronic FAVD (Fellow, Academy of Veterinary
toothpaste made pain in her dog’s mouth. Dentistry) in Greensboro, North Carolina.
for dogs. “The dentist told me I had waited much A practitioner of advanced canine dentistry
too long to repair the teeth and that these for more than 26 years, Dr. Banker started
■ Leave tooth conditions caused a lot of pain for my dog, by giving me a “tour” of the anatomy of a
scaling to the not only when the initial damage occurred, dog’s tooth and the structures that support
professionals. but on an ongoing basis. They also created it in the jaw.
a chronic infection in my dog’s mouth that The tooth consists of the enamel, or

to subscribe: www.whole-dog-journal.com Copyright © 2008, Belvoir Media Group, LLC THE WHOLE DOG JOURNAL | 
the hard but thin outer layer. Beneath the
enamel is the dentin, a porous material
that looks like a sponge under a micro-
scope. Soft pulp fills the inner cavity of
each tooth, sometimes called the pulpal
chamber or root canal. Each pore in the
dentin contains nerve fibers that connect
with the pulp, making the interior of the
tooth very sensitive.
The structure that supports each tooth
is called the periodontium. It consists of
the cementum, which lines the root of the
tooth below the gum line; the periodontal
ligament, which attaches the tooth to the
alveolar bone; and the gingival tissue, or
gum, which surrounds the tooth roots.
“It’s important to evaluate both the teeth
and the periodontium in a comprehensive
oral examination,” says Dr. Banker.
Dr. Banker described the steps he and
a technician specifically trained in canine
oral procedures would take during Dash’s
dental assessment:
With a dog under anesthesia, Dr.
Banker first looks at the inside of the dog’s
mouth, at the outside and inside surface of
each tooth, and compares one side of the
dog’s mouth with the other for inconsisten-
cies or asymmetry. He checks for retained
puppy teeth, crowded teeth (teeth too big
for the size of the dog’s mouth), signs of
oral cancer, and any indications of trauma
to the mouth. He checks for malocclusions,
or bad bite patterns, since poor tooth align-
ment can cause trauma when teeth don’t
meet properly or injure the soft tissue in
the mouth.
Next, he palpates, or feels, inside the
dog’s mouth for problems not visually
appreciated. Using a probe, he examines
the periodontium surrounding each tooth,
detecting and measuring any pockets that
can host bacteria. Pockets result from the
loss of tissue and bone when a dog’s body
reacts to the bacteria contained in the
plaque in a dog’s mouth. After identify-
A probe indicates that the break in
Dash’s tooth extends into the pulp.
|July 2008 Copyright © 2008, Belvoir Media Group, LLC to subscribe, call (800) 829-9165
ing any broken teeth, he uses a probe to
measure the depth of the break or fracture,
determining how far into the tooth the
injury extends. He takes color photos to
document his findings.
Next, Dr. Banker takes digital radio-
graphs to evaluate the status of the dog’s
mouth below the gum line, including
damage that has occurred without exte-
rior evidence, the presence of suspected
abscesses at the root of injured teeth, loss
of bone or ligament strength due to injury
or infection, and to confirm the depth of
any periodontal pockets. Finally, he thor-
oughly scales, cleans, and polishes the
dog’s teeth.
“Cleaning is only a small part of a
comprehensive oral assessment,” says
Dr. Banker. “In an ‘awake’ oral exam, the
doctor can screen only visually. Under
anesthesia and using dental tools and
radiography, the doctor can thoroughly
examine each of the dog’s 42 teeth, includ-
ing the fine details. Doing a full diagnostic
evaluation – that’s where it all starts.”
The root of the matter
After Dash’s diagnostic procedure, Dr.
Banker and I met to discuss his findings.
Dash had a slab fracture (a section of the
crown of her tooth had sheared off) of
her upper left fourth premolar with direct
pulpal exposure, deep periodontal pockets
around the tooth, and indications of an ab-
scess at the root. She had a fracture in her
upper right fourth premolar that extended
into the dentin and pulp, also with indica-
tions of root abscess.
Dash also had a deep periodontal
pocket around another tooth, and bone
loss at the root of her lower central incisors
(two little front teeth on her bottom jaw).
One of these little incisors was loose due
to the loss of bone, although I had never
noticed it. All of these conditions were pos-
sible sources of pain and infection. Only
A probe finds deep periodontal pockets
beside Dash’s premolar.
the slab fracture was visible by looking in
her mouth.
“If a person got any of these injuries,”
Dr. Banker commented, “he would be
complaining and going to the dentist im-
mediately.”
Dr. Banker and I discussed a treatment
plan for Dash. He talked about some fac-
tors he considers when counseling clients
about treatment options:
■ Is the tooth strategic (needed for hold-
ing or chewing, like a canine tooth or a
molar) or is it more cosmetic (an incisor
that’s visible in the dog’s “smile”).
■ How deep is the fracture?
■ What is the condition of the root?
■ What is the condition of the remaining
crown of the tooth?
■ What is the age of the tooth? Immature
teeth with significant root damage are more
difficult to save than mature teeth.
■ What is the age of the dog? An ex-
traction, which requires less time under
anesthesia, may work better for an elderly
dog with other health problems; saving a
strategic tooth using a root canal proce-
dure may work better for a young dog or
a healthy older dog.
■ What is the condition of the periodon-
tium surrounding the tooth?
■ What is the whole medical history of
the dog?
■ What is the anticipated subsequent
behavior of the dog?
Dr. Banker talks with each owner about
the behavior that likely caused the tooth
A digital radiograph shows Dash’s deep
periodontal pockets.
damage and assesses what changes can be
made after treatment.
For instance, if a client gave her dog
hard toys and rawhide chews, and her dog
broke his tooth on one of them, Dr. Banker
asks if the dog will continue to have access
to hard toys and rawhide chews after the
procedure. If the answer is yes, Dr. Banker
may advise the client to extract the broken
tooth rather than save it with a root canal.
After all, continuing to chew hard objects
is likely to reinjure the tooth and require
extraction in the future.
After a canine dentist has performed
a root canal on a tooth, the structure of
the tooth has been compromised although
it has been returned to good health. The
tooth will not be as strong as a healthy,
normal tooth and therefore becomes more
susceptible to breaks in the future.
“I make every attempt to save strategic
teeth,” explains Dr. Banker. “Extractions
come with risks. Dog’s teeth are designed
to stay firmly in the dog’s mouth. Many are
large and firmly embedded in the bone and
it takes effort to remove them.
“In a person, the crown-to-root ratio of
a tooth is about 1 to 1 – that is, about half
the tooth area is above the gum line and half
resides below it. In a dog, the ratio is about
1 to 2 (twice as much tooth area resides
below the gum line as above it). Serious
complications can occur from extractions,
like fracturing the mandible (lower jaw
bone) or injuring the nasal cavity. If the
extraction site is not closed properly, oral
or nasal fistulas may result.”
In addition to extractions and root
canals, a canine dentist may recommend
root planing to clean out periodontal
pockets, the removal of infected material
from the gum tissue, grafting with implant
material to fill and close pockets, and the
application of time-release antibiotic and
anti-inflammatory medications or tooth
surface sealants.
Dash’s premolar after root canal, with
material filling its complex structure.
to subscribe: www.whole-dog-journal.com
Of Teeth and Bones
by Nancy Kerns
Many of WDJ’s readers feed their dogs a home-prepared diet that includes a
certain amount of raw bone (such as chicken necks or wings); many others offer
their dogs large, raw, meaty bones for recreational chewing. Most veterinary
dentists frown on these practices, due to the potential for injury to the dogs’ teeth.
Damage from chewing bones can and does occur to some dogs who chew or eat
bones; however, many raw feeders are aware of the potential for these injuries
and feel that the benefit of the diet far outweigh the dental risks. Other owners
prefer not to take these risks, including raw bone in their dogs’ diets only in a
freshly ground form.
If you are one of the owners who do
feed bones to your dog, you can make
the practice safer for your dogs’ teeth
by taking the following precautions:
■ It’s crucial to be familiar with your
dog’s chewing style before you give
him any sort of bones. Does he try to
get chew objects between his back teeth
and bear down with all his might? Does
he tend to wolf down whatever he’s
chewing? Has he ever broken a tooth
Beef leg bones are hard, and can
while chewing? If so, in our opinion, contribute to dental injuries. How-
you should give him only Kongs or ever, this bone has lots of tissue on
other safe, indestructible chew toys it for the dog to concentrate on.
for recreational chewing. Letting him
loose on any type of recreational bone could invite serious trouble.
Only moderate and light chewers should be given recreational chew bones.
And in either case, supervision is essential.
■ Start giving your puppy fresh recreational chew bones when he is very small.
Dogs who grow up chewing on bones tend to handle them more casually and
adeptly than dogs who get them only as a rare treat. Infrequent, overenthusiastic
chewing is bound to cause a problem.
■ If at all possible, buy a fresh, raw bone from your butcher. Some supermarkets
can provide frozen raw bones. Ideally, buy fresh bones that have lots of tissue
still clinging to them. Tearing the tissue off the bones provides great exercise
and entertainment for your dog.
■ Buy bones that are too large for your dog to fit between his back teeth.
■ Discard any bone after a day or so of chewing. As bones dry out, they become
harder and more brittle, increasing the danger of splintering. The bacterial count
on an old bone will also increase as time passes.
■ Choose joints, like knuckle bones, instead of straight, tubular, marrow bones,
which are harder and stronger (because they are weight-bearing bones) and can
damage your dog’s teeth with less chewing pressure.
■ Avoid narrow bones like ribs, which even small dogs can get between their
back teeth, or any bone that has small pieces that could break off and cause a
choking or blockage hazard (such as a shank fillet).
■ Don’t buy “sterilized” or dry bones, which can be extremely brittle.
Copyright © 2008, Belvoir Media Group, LLC THE WHOLE DOG JOURNAL | 
 In Dash’s case (she is almost 10 years
old), we opted for a root canal of her right
upper fourth premolar to save this strategic
tooth. Due to the severe damage to the
crown of her left upper fourth premolar
with periodontal bone loss, Dr. Banker
declared it a poor candidate for a root
canal and advised surgical extraction of
this tooth as well as her loose lower inci-
sor. Due to the complex construction of
the premolar, Dr. Banker relied on digital
dental radiography during the procedure to
insure that he had removed all of the pieces
of the extracted left premolar and that the
material he injected into the root canal of
the right premolar had completely filled
and sealed it. He applied implant material
to her deep periodontal pocket to encour-
age healing and bone regrowth.
Dash’s premolar after surgical extrac-
tion. It was too large and complex to
remove in one piece.
After about two weeks, during which
Dash’s abscesses and surgical sites healed
completely, she began to act like someone
had subtracted five years from her life. She
has more energy and stamina now, and flies
around the agility course like a youngster
again. That result is common, according
to Dr. Banker.
“Dogs instinctively mask evidence of
pain,” he says. “Isn’t it better to find early
indications of potential abscesses by radio-
graphs than to wait for painful infections to
grow and break through the gum?” Long-
term, painful and infectious conditions can
drain a dog of vigor and strength.
Finding the right canine
dental professional
I asked Dr. Banker how owners can decide
who should perform dental procedures on
their dog. He suggested asking the vet-
erinary candidates the following questions
before making a decision:
■ How much training do you have in this
particular procedure? How long have you
|July 2008 Copyright © 2008, Belvoir Media Group, LLC to subscribe, call (800) 829-9165
been performing it? More experience and
training is better.
■ How many of these procedures have
you done on this particular tooth (canine
vs. molar vs. incisor)? Molars and canine
teeth are more complex in structure than
incisors.
■ Can you discuss how you would handle
any complications that might result from
this procedure?
■ What kind of equipment do you use for
root canals? Mechanized drills that shape
the root canal predictably, Dr. Banker says,
are superior to hand drills and files.
I asked Dr. Banker how much training
in canine dentistry was typically offered
in veterinary school. He answered, “It
varies greatly from school to school. A few
schools have canine dental departments
and include dentistry in the core curricu-
lum. Others offer dentistry as an elective
and students can graduate without having
received any training in dentistry at all.”
Dr. Alexander Reiter, D-AVDC (Diplo-
mate of the American Veterinary Dental
College), D-EVDC (Diplomate of the Eu-
ropean Veterinary Dental College), is an
assistant professor of dentistry and director
of the Dental Residency Program at the
University of Pennsylvania School of Vet-
erinary Medicine in Philadelphia. UPenn
provides an extensive core curriculum in
veterinary dentistry.
“Canine endodontics can’t be taught in
a weekend of continuing education,” states
Dr. Reiter. “It requires years of experi-
ence to consistently show good outcomes.
Accessing, filing, shaping, cleaning, steril-
izing, drying, filling and restoring a root
canal takes skill and practice.
“A dog should have an annual oral
examination performed by a canine den-
tal specialist,” he continues. “A dog may
present with jaw swelling, foul breath, in-
flammation of the soft tissue in the mouth,
altered eating habits, lack of energy, and
other dramatic indications before a vet-
erinarian or owner may become aware of
a problem.
“I consider [conditions like tooth
fractures, abscesses, and periodontal
pockets] to be open wounds in a dog’s
mouth and the daily source of inflammatory
material deposited directly into a dog’s
bloodstream. These conditions need
immediate attention.”
Cause and effect
The doctors described how dogs usually
injure their teeth and gums, and how own-
ers can prevent it.
“My son was playing hard tug with
his Golden Retriever-mix when the dog
yelped and dropped the tug toy. I checked
his mouth and one of his teeth had turned
pink. The dog had injured the pulp in his
tooth and it was hemorrhaging internally,
even though the tooth had not suffered a
break or fracture. Internal tooth damage
can result from a concussion as well as
from a break,” Dr. Banker said.
Dogs have 10 to 20 times the bite
strength of a person. When they bring that
to bear on a hard object, like a cow hoof,
something’s gotta give, and it’s usually
the dog’s tooth. “It’s a myth that dogs
need to chew on hard things,” comments
Dr. Banker.
According to Dr. Reiter, plaque min-
eralizes on teeth in two to three days and
then cannot be removed by simple brush-
ing. Teeth that are not brushed build up
a layer of bacteria-laden plaque that can
cause periodontal disease and, upon enter-
ing the bloodstream, can cause diseases of
the kidney, liver, lungs, and heart valve.
“I estimate that 80 percent of dogs have
constantly inflamed gums,” he says.
Tennis balls, especially wet and dirty
ones, are abrasive and can wear the protec-
tive enamel off dogs’ teeth. Some dogs like
to chew on large sticks, stones, rocks, and
even large ice cubes.
“Regarding prevention,” Dr. Banker
quips, “as a colleague of mine says, ‘If
you wouldn’t hit yourself in the kneecap
with it, don’t give it to your dog to chew!’
Provide toys with smooth surfaces for your
dog and avoid tennis balls.”
Oral hygiene at home
Both Dr. Banker and Dr. Reiter agree that
regular tooth brushing with a toothpaste
made for dogs is the single most important
step an owner can take to prevent canine
oral health problems. They recommend
brushing twice a day if possible, or at least
once a day. “Daily brushing encourages
owners to look in their dog’s mouth regu-
larly and notice changes and problems,”
adds Dr. Banker.
Dr. Reiter emphasizes the importance
of a high quality diet. He suggested that
owners discuss the usefulness of products
such as dental rinses, gels, and sealants
with their canine dentist. Of course, a
regular oral health evaluation by a knowl-
edgeable canine dental specialist ranks
high on his list of preventative measures.
Both doctors discourage owners from
hand-scaling plaque from their dog’s teeth
at home. Dr. Reiter explains that scaling
at home can place tiny scratches on the
surface of the tooth, thereby making it
more prone to retain plaque build-up in
the future. Canine dental specialists pol-
ish a dog’s teeth after scaling to restore a
smooth tooth surface.
Also, during scaling at home, a dog may
jerk away or turn his head unexpectedly,
causing the scaling instrument to lacerate
the dog’s gum. An owner could dislodge a
chunk of plaque that the dog could aspirate
into his lungs. An owner who is unskilled
in scaling a dog’s teeth could cause the dog
to become nervous about people looking
and working in his mouth.
“Home scaling does not reach sub-
gingival (below the gum line) material or
into any pockets around the dog’s teeth,”
says Dr. Reiter. “And don’t be tempted
to bring your dog to a groomer or other
person who advertises anesthesia-free
dental cleanings. There’s a lot of water
spraying around during a dental cleaning.
Canine dental professionals use a cuffed
endotracheal tube to administer anesthesia
during the procedure. The tube has an
inflatable collar that protects against the
accidental aspiration of water and debris
into the dog’s lungs. Only an ‘asleep’
procedure insures sufficient cleaning of the
teeth above and below the gum line in an
environment that’s safe for the dog.”
“Supra-gingival (above the gum line)
Canine Dental Resources
To locate a canine dental specialist,
visit the website of the American
Veterinary Dental College. The site
contains a list of its diplomates. See
AVDC.org or call (856) 229-7696.
Or visit the website of the
American Veterinary Dental
Society. Its website contains a list
of its diplomates. See AVDS-online.
org or call (800) 332-ADVS.
The website of the Veterinary
Oral Health Council contains information about the efficacy of canine dental
health products, like tooth gels and dental chews. VOHC authorizes the use of its
registered seal on products that have met its standards for effectiveness in retarding
plaque and tartar on the teeth of animals when used as directed. See VOHC.org or
call (856) 229-7696. (Note: The phone number for the AVDC and the VOHC are
the same; they share a contact person.)
Ten-year-old Dash healed quickly from her extensive dental surgery, including the
extraction of a loose lower incisor. Within two weeks, she was acting five years
younger; prior to the procedures, she must have been behaving in a stoic manner,
as dogs instinctively do to mask pain.
scaling is mostly cosmetic, not thera-
peutic,” agrees Dr. Banker. It creates an
inappropriate, false sense of security that
‘the problem has now been handled.’
The removal of sub-gingival plaque and
calculus is the most important part of the
treatment of periodontal disease.”
Not a laughing matter
“Years ago,” Dr. Banker recalls, “I had a
friend and client who brought his six-year-
old Golden Retriever to me for the dog’s
first oral health exam. The dog’s two lower
canine teeth were fractured, exposing the
pulp, which was now dead. I suggested
doing a root canal on the teeth. My friend
just laughed. However, after some thought,
he did take my advice and I performed the
work. Two weeks later he called and asked
me ‘Banker, what have you done to my
dog? He’s acting like a puppy again!’ ”
Today, root canals for dogs are becoming
well-accepted by owners and are no longer
a laughing matter.
Dr. Banker will check Dash’s root canal
in six months. Following her experience,
I brought my six-year-old Border Terrier,
Chase, to Dr. Banker to have his own den-
tal assessment and cleaning. Fortunately,
Chase had no fractures and only one small
periodontal pocket to treat. As with most
terriers, his teeth are crowded; we will
watch for any periodontal disease that may
develop due to the twisting of his large
teeth in his small mouth.
Now, like me, my dogs have a dental
specialist to help optimize their health.
Lorie Long, an agility enthusiast, lives in
Virginia with her husband and two Border
Terriers. She is the author of The Siberian
Husky (TFH, 2007) and the soon-to-be-
released A Dog Who’s Always Welcome:
Assistance and Therapy Dog Trainers
Teach You How to Socialize and Train
Your Companion Dog (Howell, 2008).

to subscribe: www.whole-dog-journal.com Copyright © 2008, Belvoir Media Group, LLC THE WHOLE DOG JOURNAL | 
 training

(Peace) Fully Equipped

How to choose the most appropriate training gear for your dog.
By pat miller

O
ne bright spring Sunday, my hus-
band and I took a motorcycle trip
through Virginia, stopping in the
dog-friendly town of Leesburg
for lunch. As we ate I watched a
steady stream of leashed dogs walk by our
restaurant window. Before long I noticed a
strange consistency: every single dog was
wearing a prong collar. The sun dimmed
a little for me, because I cannot imagine
a training situation for which I would
be willing to use a prong collar – and I
certainly wouldn’t use one as an everyday
dog-walking tool. But the collars appeared
to be commonly accepted and used in that
community.
A roomful of dog trainers will never
agree on the best equipment for walking,
training, or exercising a dog. If you restrict
membership in the room to “positive”

What you can do . . .
■ Consider your own training
philosophy. Be clear with yourself
about how you want to train
your dog. Writing it out can
help you formulate and make
a commitment to a cohesive
training mission and program.
■ Analyze the tools and methods
you currently use. Are they
congruent with your philosophy?
If so, give yourself a big click and
treat! If not, determine where
you need to make changes.
■ Be a critical thinker. Filter all tools
and techniques through your
own training
philosophy and
mission before
adopting them
for use with
your dog.
The goal: A happy, confident, well-behaved dog, who understands how to elicit
frequent praise and rewards from his happy, positive owner. His collar and leash
are essentially a backup safety device to keep him attached to his owner – not
necessary to physically control or restrain him.
trainers you’ll find more agreement, but Next, think about your dog training
you’ll still be a long way from unanimity. philosophy and mission, as these will at
Even with a shared dog-friendly training least partly dictate what sort of training
philosophy, experiences with and opinions tools you’ll consider. The more commit-
of various training tools will differ. How ted you are to your own training mission,
do you decide which training equipment is the easier the decisions become about
right for you and your dog? which tools you’re willing to use; either
they’re congruent with your philosophy,
Your responsibility or they’re not.
First, understand that you, alone, are For example, if you, like me, are
responsible for choosing appropriate, strongly committed to positive, “do no
humane, effective training equipment for harm” training, you’ll automatically rule
your dog – not WDJ, your trainer, spouse, out the use of training tools that are de-
your dog’s breeder, or acquaintances from signed to inflict discomfort on the dog.
the dog park. It’s your responsibility to Tools that positive trainers choose to use
make sure that the equipment fits your most often are generally neutral at their
dog properly, and that it does not hurt or worst, and at best, positively reinforcing.
stress your dog. Ask for the opinion of My professional mission is to train
dog-friendly professionals you trust, but animals and their humans using modern,
don’t be pressured into using any gear that effective methods based on sound scientific
appears to bother your dog if you want him principles of learning and behavior, with
to trust you and enjoy your time together. an overriding emphasis on positive rein-

|July 2008 Copyright © 2008, Belvoir Media Group, LLC to subscribe, call (800) 829-9165
forcement. WDJ’s mission statement says,
“The methods we discuss will endeavor to
do no harm to dogs; we do not advocate
perpetrating even minor transgressions in
the name of ‘greater good.’ ”
Tools and fools
Some people will argue that all training
tools are neutral – that it’s the way they are
used that can cause pain or harm to a dog.
These people sometimes say, “It’s not the
tool, it’s the fool . . .” suggesting that if a
“fool” chooses to use equipment harshly,
it’s not the fault of the equipment.
Perhaps. However, it’s a plain and
simple fact that some tools are designed
and built to be strongly aversive to the dog,
some mildly aversive, and still others are
designed to be non-aversive.
In behavioral science, the term aversive
is defined as something the subject (in
this case, a dog) will work to avoid, and a
reinforcer is something the dog will work
to obtain. Positive training rests solidly on
the philosophy that it’s more effective and
more humane to award primary and sec-
ondary reinforcers for desirable behaviors,
rather than apply aversives for undesirable
ones. In other words, we seek to set the dog
up for success and teach him what to do,
instead of setting him up to make mistakes
and teaching him what not to do.
Note that it doesn’t matter that you
think cheese is delicious; if your dog spits
it out, it’s not a reinforcer for him, and if
you try to use it to reward him your train-
ing will fail. The same principle applies to
pats on the head, praise, or anything else
you use to reward your dog. If he likes it,
it’s a reinforcer. If he doesn’t, it’s not. The
solution to a reinforcer that doesn’t work is
to find something more reinforcing.
On the other side of the coin, if some-
thing you do to the dog doesn’t cause him
enough discomfort that he works to avoid
it, it will fail as an aversive. For example, if
your dog pulls, and you put a choke collar
on him, but aren’t willing or able to jerk the
leash strongly enough to be aversive to the
dog, the dog will keep pulling. This is why
so many dogs pull, gagging and choking
on the end of their choke collars.
Here’s the problem: The only way to
make an ineffective aversive more effective
is to cause more discomfort – a tactic that
actually encourages escalating levels of
force or pain in order to achieve training
goals. Enter the prong collar and the shock
collar, which are designed to deliver more
discomfort to the dog with less handler
effort.
We’ve presented many articles in WDJ
that explain why we promote positive
training. Some of the risks of aversive
techniques are listed in “The Potential
Pitfalls of Punishment,” below. You have to
decide what techniques and tools are right
for training and handling your dog, based
on your unique training philosophy.
To help you analyze which tools are
most likely to help you, without hurt-
ing your dog, I’ll share my professional
opinions about the tools most commonly
recommended by positive trainers, always
with an eye to whether their intended func-
tion is neutral, reinforcing, or aversive,
and how they may be, in fact, perceived
by the dog.

The Potential Pitfalls of Punishment

■ Training with physical “corrections” can cause physical order for the dog to make the association between the behavior
pain and/or damage to your dog. and the consequences.

■ It is difficult to gauge the appropriate intensity of an aver-
sive punishment. How hard a jerk on the collar is enough to
have the desired effect of suppressing behavior without men-
tally or physically damaging the dog? Sometimes you don’t
know until it’s too late.
■ Use of aversive techniques can damage the dog’s confidence,
as well as his trust in and his relationship with his human.
■ Some dogs will associate a strongly aversive tool with
whatever stimulus is present when he feels the pain – another
dog, a jogger, a child? A negative association with that stimulus
may then trigger future aggressive behavior from the dog.
■ The dog can develop a “punishment callous.” Many dog
owners are (with good reason) reluctant to apply effectively
aversive punishments, so they give ineffective corrections or
mildly effective ones. The dog learns to tolerate those, and the
owner must then punish harder in order to be effective.
■ The behavior may return when the aversive stops. If the
behavior is hardwired and/or highly reinforcing, the dog may
continue the behavior whenever the aversive is not present.
■ It is difficult to have perfect timing. Just like a reward, a
aversive must happen within a second or two of the behavior in
■ It is difficult to be perfectly consistent. If you apply the
aversive intermittently, the dog learns he can succeed some-
times, so it’s worth trying again.
■ Punishment can suppress desired behaviors and inhibit
“offered” behaviors. The dog learns it’s safest to do nothing.
■ Punishment shuts down behavior, but doesn’t teach the dog
an appropriate behavior to use in its place.
■ The suppressive effect of the punisher is limited to the
presence of the discriminative stimuli. The dog learns not to
do the behavior when you’re there, because the punishment
only happens when you’re here to deliver it. The dog who hops
on the sofa the instant you’re out the door isn’t being sneaky.
He’s simply learned it’s safe to be on the sofa when you’re
away, not safe when you’re home.
■ It is rewarding to the punisher. You may see an instant
response, or even appeasement behavior that looks like guilt,
so you have the satisfaction of knowing you made an impres-
sion (at least you think you did). Since behaviors that are
rewarded persist or increase, punishment is self-perpetuating
in the punisher.What’s more, if you punish in anger and your
violence is reinforced, you are likely to get violent more, and
more easily.

to subscribe: www.whole-dog-journal.com Copyright © 2008, Belvoir Media Group, LLC THE WHOLE DOG JOURNAL | 
 leas h es
Basic leashes
Cotton, leather, and nylon leashes are de-
signed to be neutral, and most dogs appear
to perceive them that way, at least initially.
If your dog makes a positive association
with the leash (leash means walk – YAY!)
then it can be used as a reinforcer. Your dog
can learn to work (sit) for the leash if he
learns that “sit” means the leash appears,
which makes a walk happen. If the leash
is used as a tug toy (as widely practiced
by some agility trainers), then the positive
association is “leash means play!” and
leash-play is a reinforcer for good or excel-
lent behavior on the agility course.
This dog clearly has a positive associa-
tion with her leash.
A leash can also be an aversive, if a dog
makes an association between wearing the
leash and being punished during training
or while walking.
For some dogs, the positive associa-
tions of going for a walk or training can
outweigh the negative associations of
aversive tools sometimes used in walking
or training. The dog may still enjoy the
activity, although perhaps not as fully as
if the aversives weren’t in use.
Stretch leashes
Some have built-in elastic pieces; others
are comprised of a length of stretchy rubber
tubing. The elasticity is meant to absorb the
impact that occurs when your dog hits the
end of the leash with his body weight. Used
carefully, this feature might minimize or
prevent damage to your dog’s trachea.
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However, these leashes are usually
marketed as a way to decrease your dog’s
pulling behavior. If it does succeed in do-
ing that (which may be doubtful) it does
so by working as a mild aversive. This is
confirmed by makers of the products; we
found the following statements in ads or
packages for products of this type:
“Made from latex that will stretch to more
than six feet in length; this stretching con-
tinuously, gently corrects your pet.”
“As your dog pulls, the leash stretches, and
the resistance your pet experiences teaches
them [sic] not to tug anymore.”
“While softening the shock against the
dog’s neck, reducing the risk of throat and
spinal injuries, the leash delivers an effec-
tive correction and release.”
Note the use of terms such as
“correction” and “teaches them not to”
(our emphasis). These are your clues
that the intent of the product is to teach
the dog what not to do (not pull) rather
than to reinforce the desired behavior
and thereby teach him what to do (walk
politely). Remember that this is the basic
philosophical difference between positive
training and training with aversives.
Long lines
Many long-line products are available,
from light lines (thin nylon cords) to long
lines (flat cotton or nylon) that range in
length from 10 to 60 feet or more. Long
lines are neutral tools that can be given a
reinforcing or aversive association for your
dog, depending on how they’re used.
In general, the purpose of a long line is
to give your dog more freedom while still
maintaining control – very useful when
you’re working to generalize a reliable re-
call, or just to give your dog more exercise.
When used with proper safety precautions,
I find they fit nicely into my training phi-
losophy. My cautions include:
■ Long lines should not be used where
the line might pose a tripping or tangling
danger to other dogs or humans.
■ Be careful not to let your dog run full-
speed into the end of a long line for fear
of injury to his spine.
■ Don’t let go! If your dog runs off into
the woods dragging a long line, he can get
tangled and trapped.
Retractable leashes
The retractable leash is commonly seen
on trails, in dog parks, and on city streets.
Invented in Germany, the leash consists of
a plastic handle in which a spring-loaded
cord is stored. When the dog moves away
from the owner, the cords unreels any-
where from 15 to 30 feet, depending on
the model; when the dog moves toward
the owner the cord retracts into the handle.
The owner can lock the leash at any time
by pushing a button on the handle.
While it is neutral by design, as a tool,
the retractable leash can be detrimental
to training a dog to display polite leash
manners. It teaches a dog that pulling
against the tension of the spring-loaded
cord frequently gets reinforced with
greater freedom. A handler can eliminate
this inadvertent reward by locking the
button, preventing the leash from paying
out more cord – then he may as well use
a regular leash!
Retractable leashes also send the dog
confusingly mixed messages: sometimes
you have to stay close; sometimes you can
go 30 feet away. This plainly encourages
dogs to pull frequently to test the distance
allowed at any given time. I don’t recom-
mend their use.
The concerns mentioned above about
long lines also apply to retractable leads.
Here are some additional caveats:
■ If the line does get wrapped around dog
or human, the narrow cord can cause seri-
ous injury – burns, cuts, even amputation
of digits.
■ Unlike a long line, which must con-
stantly be managed, it’s easy for an owner
to be inattentive to the retractable leash,
since it manages itself. Inattentive users
may inadvertently allow their dogs to do
inappropriate things, like rudely approach-
ing other dogs and people.
■ The handle can be cumbersome to hold
and is easily dropped. When dropped, the
clatter can frighten the dog, and if he bolts,
he is chased by the loud, clattering handle.
This can pose a disaster for a frightened
dog!
 collars
Flat collars
Buckle or snap; nylon, cloth, or leather;
this is a neutral, inoffensive tool. Its
primary purpose is for hanging ID tags;
providing an attachment for a leash is its
secondary use. Of course, “the fool” can
misuse a flat collar, but it’s not intended to
be used aversively.
The potential for misuse of a flat collar
includes forgetting to adjust it as your dog
grows (shelters around the country come
upon dogs with ingrown collars from time
to time – grounds for cruelty charges);
yanking on the leash to “correct” your
dog; and adjusting it too loosely around
your dog’s neck so that he can back out of
it and escape.
Limited-slip collars
Also called a martingale or Greyhound
collar, the limited-slip collar is a flat collar
with a loop incorporated into the product so
the collar tightens around the dog’s neck if
he tries to back out of it – a maneuver that
some dogs are quite skilled at performing.
Properly adjusted, the collar tightens just
to the size of the dog’s neck, and doesn’t
cause choking.
Limited-slip collars
are especially useful
for dogs with narrow
heads, who can easily
slip out of even a
moderately tight collar.
I recommend them to
some of my clients,
and we use one on our
Australian Shepherd,
who came to us with a
well-practiced collar-
slipping maneuver
in her behavior
repertoire.
har n ess es
Walking harnesses
A well-fitted walking harness presents little
in the way of aversive application. It’s an
excellent option to prevent pressure on and
damage to the trachea – useful for dogs
who have suffered tracheal injury, as well
as dogs in general.
Because it is so comfortable, a walking
harness can actually contribute to the rein-
forcement of pulling behavior, especially
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Head collars/halters
Hailed as a positive training tool when it
first arrived on the scene in the mid 1990s,
the head halter has stirred much discussion
among trainers. This tool works like a hal-
ter on a horse; it controls the dog’s head,
and where the head goes, the body must
follow. Some halter proponents suggest
that it also mimics the sensation of a
mother dog carrying her puppy by
the scruff, and that this function
calms the dog wearing the hal-
ter. I’m not convinced, and I
haven’t seen any studies to
support this hypothesis.
To the human perception, the head
halter appears much more positive than
a chain, prong, or shock collar around a
dog’s neck. To a significant number of
dogs, however, the halter seems to be at
least mildly (and in many cases
greatly) aversive. Most dogs need
to be desensitized to a head halter
prior to actual use. If you put it on
without a gradual introduction and
lots of association with a reinforcer
(treats!) you’re likely to get lots of
resistance from
the dog – paw-
ing and clawing
at the halter, bucking
against the leash, and at-
tempts to rub it off. Many
dogs, even when they’ve
accepted it, will still try
to rub it off if given the
Limited-slip opportunity.
collar In addition, the head
halter tends to suppress
behavior and subdue
the wearer. People often
mistake “subdued” for
“calm.” If your dog’s
if the human on the other end of the leash
allows the dog to move forward while pull-
ing. Because the harness straps distribute
pressure across the dog’s chest, discomfort
is mild, if it exists at all, and it’s easy for the
dog to pull. That’s why they use harnesses
for sled dogs!
Another consideration is that the leash
usually attaches to a ring on the harness at
the middle of the dog’s back, which gives
Copyright © 2008, Belvoir Media Group, LLC
whole personality changes – his tail
droops, his eyes lose their sparkle – then
you’re looking at a subdued dog, not a
calm one. There may be times when that’s
useful, but a positive training program
generally avoids behavior suppression and
encourages the dog to offer behav-
iors that can be reinforced.
There are a number of
different models of head
halter. Each new design
that comes on the scene
purports to be more easily
accepted by the dog. That tells
you something!
This is one of the tools that positive
trainers disagree about. I still have head
halters in my supply cabinet and may find
a rare occasion to use one, but I generally
encourage clients to consider other options.
Other trainers
rely heavily on
head halters,
and report very
little problem
with acclimat-
ing their clients’
dogs to them.
As always,
your dog is the
one who should decide. If he tells you he
finds it aversive, listen.
One of the concerns about head halter
use is the potential for injury to the dog’s
spine if he lunges at the end of the leash
and the halter pulls his head sideways.
Until recently, the inventor of the original
design stoutly asserted that there were no
proven cases of injury related to head halter
use. In 2007, one clearly verifiable incident
was reported of a dog suffering injury to
the nervous system as a direct result of the
head halter. The dog recovered.
the human very little control of the dog’s
front end. Properly used in training, with
reinforcement for appropriate leash behav-
ior, a walking harness can complement a
positive training program.
Some walking harnesses offer a ring in
front, at the dog’s chest, similar to front-clip
control harnesses (see next page). That may
be a good choice for the dog who does well
in a walking harness but tends to pull.
THE WHOLE DOG JOURNAL | 11
No-pull squeeze harnesses
This type of harness has straps that tighten
around the dog’s front legs when he pulls.
There are several different brands, but they
all function similarly. This tool may be
mildly aversive, or simply provide a novel
sensation that causes the dog to slow down.
Either way, in order to be effective, the
trainer must reinforce the improved leash
behavior provided by the dog’s response to
pressure, or the dog tends to fairly quickly
learn to pull despite the pressure.
In the models I’ve seen, the leash at-
taches to a ring
on the dog’s
back, again
giving little
control of the
front end. Dogs
don’t seem to
find them particularly aversive, but I’m not
sure they’re particularly effective.
Front-clip control harnesses
This training tool offers one significant
advantage over most walking harnesses:
the leash attaches to a ring at the front of
the dog’s chest, providing better control of
the dog’s front end. The majority of dogs
accept this tool without protest, and for
many, there is an instantaneous and sig-
nificant decrease in pulling and increase in
owner control.
Combined
with rein-
forcement for
polite walking
this is my positive
tool of choice for
dogs who pull.
That said, it’s not the right tool for all
dogs. A small percentage of dogs do object
to the harness. Also, some dogs are dif-
ficult to fit, and others experience chafing
under the front legs where the straps can
rub. Attaching your leash to the front ring
of a regular walking harness (some have
it, some don’t – shop carefully!) may be
a better choice for dogs who have trouble
with the front-clip control version.
The answer is . . .
Again, you have to decide which equip-
ment best suits your dog. Keep the pros and
cons of each training tool in mind, be true
to your training philosophy, listen to and
respect your dog, and let the sun shine.
Pat Miller is Training Editor of WDJ. See
page 24 for contact information.

What to Do If Positive Tools Don’t Work?

So, you’ve made a commitment to positive training for your
dog. What if the “positive” tools don’t work for you? Per-
haps you’re a senior citizen with a high-energy, obstreperous
adolescent Labrador, or you’re challenged by some medical
condition that limits your physical abilities in some way. What
do you do then?
In regards to training tools and methods, the International
Association of Animal Behavior Consultants follows the
principle of LIMA, which stands for “least invasive, minimally
aversive.” That means you always choose the most positive ap-
proach you can that will be effective for you and your dog.
When it comes to tools that are mildly to moderately
aversive, each dog owner and each trainer has to locate the
line for the individual dog she’s working with. Our Scottish
Terrier is reasonably comfortable with a head halter – I might
use it with him if I had to. Our Bonnie doesn’t like the harness
– she gets a pass on it.
As I said earlier in this article, I cannot imagine a training
situation for which I would be willing to use a prong collar or
shock collar; my line is clearly drawn there. I’m not willing to
risk the loss of relationship, the loss of trust, and the potential
for aggressive behavior that can come with the use of strong
aversives. Nor do I want to damage the willingness to offer
behavior that can occur when strong aversives are used to
suppress behavior.
You may find that a head halter gives you the additional
control you need and can’t get with another piece of equipment
more to your dog’s liking. If that’s the case, and the halter is
your best choice from a LIMA perspective, then you’ll need
to take the extra time to desensitize your dog to the possibly
aversive sensation of pressure on a strap across his nose.
You may find that’s reasonably easy to do with your dog,
or you may have to do a lot of conditioning to give him a very
positive association to the new tool. Set it up so that the head
halter equals very yummy treats – even before you try to put
it on him: Head halter equals very yummy treats when you let
him stick his nose into the loop. Head halter equals very yummy
treats when you put it on him briefly. Head halter equals very
yummy treats when he takes a few steps with it on. Eventu-
ally, head halter equals wonderful walks – with lots of yummy
treats. You get the idea.
In addition, there are other things you can do to maximize
the effectiveness of your training tools. You can:
■ Exercise your dog well before you take him for a walk. A
tired dog is less likely to pull on the leash.
■ Train in a low-distraction environment with high-value
reinforcers, so that his polite walking behavior is well
established before exposing him to high-level distractions.
■ Teach polite greeting behavior as well as polite leash walk-
ing so he’s not constantly lunging to greet people and dogs.
■ Increase distraction level gradually, continuing to train in
the face of higher-level distractions.
■ Even when he’s reasonably well-trained to walk on leash,
carry very high-value treats with you to use when he’s chal-
lenged by an extremely high-level distraction such as a cat,
squirrel, or bunny darting across his path.
■ Address other conflicting behaviors such as reactivity with
an appropriate behavior modification program.
Finally, don’t hesitate to consult with an experienced be-
havior professional who is committed to positive techniques.
Sometimes, a private lesson or two may give you more ideas,
techniques, or inspiration to get past the training challenge you
are experiencing.

12|July 2008 Copyright © 2008, Belvoir Media Group, LLC to subscribe, call (800) 829-9165
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 n utr ition

How Green is Your Tripe?

This old-fashioned cut of meat is a wonder food for dogs.
By cj puotinen

E
eeewww! What’s that awful
smell?
If your dog thinks it’s the most
exciting thing you’ve ever put in
a bowl while you gag and hold
your breath, it’s probably green tripe
– raw, unprocessed stomach tissue from
ruminants such as cows or sheep. Tripe
fans claim that this smelly meat has
multiple benefits for dogs who are lucky
enough to have it regularly fed to them.
Mary Voss knows the fragrance well.
Twenty years ago, she and her husband,
Peter, lived in the Netherlands, where they
bought their first dog, an Afghan Hound.
“All the old-time breeders there fed
their dogs green tripe,” she says. “It was
sold in stores and was easy to find, so that’s
what we fed our dog, too.”
But after moving back to the United
States, she found that the only tripe sold
in markets was white honeycomb tripe A Place For Paws sells many types of raw diets for dogs, including ground tripe
that had been bleached, scalded, and deo- (in the container at far left). A Place For Paws grinds the fresh “green” (raw,
dorized. Her growing canine family did unprocessed) tripe (the two tissues at right) with fresh cow blood (for consistency).
without until local butchers put her in touch Photo by and courtesy of A Place For Paws.
with farm slaughterers who agreed to sell
her tripe fresh from the cattle. “The first time I brought a cow’s stom- and digestion when they switched to a
achs straight from a farm,” she says, “it was diet comprised mostly of green tripe. One
a hot day, the drive was over 100 miles, and of her rescues, a 12-year-old whose teeth
What you can do . . . the container in the back of my truck stank were so terrible that she had trouble eating
■ Give your dog some green tripe. to high heaven. When I finally got home, and who was so weak that she could barely
Most dogs love it, and it’s good the dogs went berserk. They couldn’t see walk across the backyard, thrived on tripe
for them.
the truck, but they were so excited by the and lived to be 17. “She could still run
smell they were screaming.” with the pack, discipline the ‘young and
■ Feed the best quality tripe you From that day on, Voss kept her dogs restless,’ and had the most beautiful set of
supplied with fresh tripe, which is called white teeth without ever having a dental
can find, such as coarsely ground
“green” even though it’s really brown, cleaning.”
tripe from grass-fed animals.
because the tripe of grass-fed cattle has a For a while, Voss collected stomachs
greenish tint. The terms “green tripe” and from farm-slaughtered cows and cut up
■ Use dried or freeze-dried tripe “dirty tripe” refer to the raw, unprocessed the huge (60- to 100-pound) organs herself,
treats for training; meat (not the contents) of a ruminant’s wearing rubber boots, rubber gloves, and
most dogs love stomachs. a heavy duty butcher’s apron while wield-
them, making In 1997, Voss wrote “No Guts, No ing a hose, two buckets, and a large, sharp
them very Glory,” an article about green tripe, for the knife. For convenience, she eventually
useful, high- Afghan Hound Review. In it she described started a co-op that distributed raw frozen
value, and how her dogs, who were already on a well- tripe from other sources to dog lovers.
healthy treats. balanced raw diet, experienced immediate However, quality was always a concern, so
improvements in coat, skin, energy, teeth, five years ago, she opened her own small

14|July 2008 Copyright © 2008, Belvoir Media Group, LLC to subscribe, call (800) 829-9165

Jade is a six-year-old Irish Wolfhound, belonging to Ika and Ulli Peiler, of Sligo,
Ireland. The Peilers have raised Wolfhounds on diets comprised mostly of green
tripe for almost 30 years. Photo by and courtesy of Ika Peiler.
factory in Hollister, California. “We started
in a 1,000 square-foot building,” she says.
“Now we’re in a 6,000 square-foot build-
ing. The word has definitely gotten out.”
Every week, Voss ships 8,000 to 10,000
pounds of frozen, raw, green tripe from
pasture-fed cattle to dog lovers across the
country.
Thanks to industrial equipment, the
work of turning cow stomachs into ground,
frozen green tripe is now easier, but most
of us would still consider it daunting. In
June, Mike Rowe, host of the Discovery
Channel’s program “Dirty Jobs,” visited
Voss’s facility for an episode that will be
broadcast this fall.
It’s international
Tripe may be an unfamiliar dog food in
the United States, but not in other parts
of the world.
Gerry Briffa, who has supplied raw
meat for zoos and pets since 1960, has
met and spoken with breeders in Europe,
South Africa, Australia, and around the
globe who swear by green tripe.
“They all say the same thing,” he says,
“that it keeps the dogs healthy, is easy to
digest, and it helps dogs live longer.”
Katrina McQuilken was raised in Rus-
to subscribe: www.whole-dog-journal.com
dogs,” she says, “but now we need extra
freezer space for all the green tripe that
customers order. Customers who grew up
in Poland, Hungary, Germany, and other
countries in Europe tell me that this is what
their dogs at home ate.”
Knocknarea Irish Wolfhounds, near
Sligo, Ireland, is owned by Ika Peiler and
her husband, Ulli, who have raised Irish
Wolfhounds for more than 25 years. “Once
a week,” Ika says, “Ulli goes directly to the
source, a medium-sized slaughterhouse.
The meat is for the local market, so the
animals are all young heifers under 24
months. We also collect the stomachs of
lambs.”
As the complete digestive system is
removed in one piece, Ulli Peiler first
separates the tripe section from the in-
testines, liver, and spleen. He trims off
excess fat before opening and emptying
the stomachs, turning them inside out
and rinsing them, which he does not for
hygienic reasons but because sand and soil
that animals pick up while grazing cling to
their stomach linings.
Once home, the bellies are chilled for a
few hours, then sent through an industrial
meat grinder. For years the Peilers cut tripe
into fist-sized pieces, but that was such
sia, where she says everyone fed raw tripe hard work that they invested in grinding
to their dogs. At the Ridgewood, New equipment. Red meat and hearts are ground
Jersey, pet health food store that she runs separately. Liver, which is not suitable for
with her husband, Karl, McQuilken finds grinding, is cut into pieces. The week’s
that demand for tripe is increasing. “We supply is refrigerated, with any surplus
have always carried raw meat dinners for frozen in bags.
Bovine Anatomy
Cows produce four types of tripe because they have four stomachs.
The paunch or rumen is the first and largest compartment. It provides what
is commonly known as plain, flat, blanket, double, or thick-seam tripe. The
French call it gras-double because
of its smoothly seamed exterior
and interior lining. All ruminants,
including cows, goats, sheep, and
deer, have a rumen.
The reticulum is the cow’s
second stomach, and its surface
has a distinctive honeycomb tex-
ture. Honeycomb tripe is sold
in supermarkets after being A view of a cow’s rumen and reticulum.
scalded, sterilized, and bleached. Photo by and courtesy of Mary Voss.
Honeycomb tripe is favored by
chefs because it’s more tender than plain or flat tripe.
The omasum or psalterium is the cow’s third stomach. It is also known as
leaf, book, or Bible tripe.
The abomasum is the cow’s “true glandular stomach.” This compartment is
the least important in culinary circles.
Copyright © 2008, Belvoir Media Group, LLC THE WHOLE DOG JOURNAL | 15

Five-foot-tall Erica Rice, a production
manager for A Place For Paws, displays
an entire cow stomach before it is cut
and ground up for dog food. Photo by
and courtesy of A Place For Paws.
“We fed nothing but tripe to our own
dogs in the early years,” says Ika, “but we
encountered fertility problems. Our bitches
would not conceive. We read two studies
that a veterinary student in Germany con-
ducted for his doctoral thesis and learned
that tripe lacks the amino acid tyrosine,
which is apparently needed to kick-start
the pituitary gland and the process of
conceiving.” Red meat contains tyrosine,
and when the Peilers began adding it to
their dogs’ tripe diets, healthy puppies
soon followed.
Dogs who board with the Peilers eat
only fresh raw tripe. “It’s convenient,” says
Ika, “and the dogs eat it right away. More
importantly, the dogs do exceptionally well
on their all-tripe diet.”
The Peilers’ own dogs eat mostly tripe
with occasional organ meats, red meat, and
bones. Ika Peiler says, “They don’t need
or crave anything else, except that preg-
nant bitches go off their tripe and prefer
muscle or organ meat and meaty bones
toward the end of gestation, and they dig
into carbs after whelping. That is the only
time we give carbohydrates, in the form of
raw crushed oat flakes in milk. It is a great
way to stimulate milk production, and the
conversion from carbs to milk is much
16|July 2008 Copyright © 2008, Belvoir Media Group, LLC to subscribe, call (800) 829-9165
quicker than from fat to milk. Once their
milk production is in full swing and there
is a constant supply of food for the dam,
she won’t want oats any more and we can
cut them back.”
Tripe’s benefits
Reports from tripe enthusiasts make it
sound as though green tripe can bring dead
dogs back to life, and that’s not much of an
exaggeration. Mary Voss began to appreci-
ate tripe’s benefits when a friend involved
in all-breed rescue asked her to help save a
litter of infant Rottweiler puppies that had
been abandoned in a carport in winter.
“There were nine in the litter,” she says,
“and they split the pups among three of us.
Our job was to bottle-feed and wean the
pups, then bring them back at eight weeks
for adoption.”
Voss started weaning her charges at
four weeks and gradually added green
tripe. “When we brought the pups back
together again, the three I raised were big-
ger, stronger, and more robust,” she says.
“Their coats glistened and their eyes were
bright and alert. Most of all, their person-
alities were confident, fun-loving, and just
good-natured. The other pups were smaller
and sickly, their coats were dull, and they
were not very alert. Their temperaments
were also questionable because they
seemed too shy to be Rotties.”
When asked to describe the benefits
of feeding green tripe, the breeders and
dog lovers we polled all mentioned im-
provements in health, appearance, and
disposition. Puppies thrive while avoid-
ing bone growth problems, older dogs
become more lively and active, digestive
disorders vanish or improve dramatically,
skin problems disappear, coats shine, coat
color improves, eyes brighten, muscles
become toned, teeth look terrific, stool size
diminishes, and endurance and stamina
increase. Dogs with behavioral problems
become calmer, some chronic illnesses or
conditions improve or disappear, dogs with
breeding problems successfully reproduce,
pups raised on green tripe excel at every-
thing, elderly dogs resume their careers and
win competitions, and the list goes on.
Of course, not every dog will respond
dramatically to green tripe, but enough
have to make it seem like a cure-all.
Several analyses show that tripe’s
calcium-phosphorus ratio is 1:1, which is
considered ideal for dogs. Its overall pH is
slightly acidic, which aids digestion. The
protein content of raw tripe is 10 percent
and its fat content is about 5 percent. Tripe
contains the essential fatty acids (linoleic
and linolenic) in their recommended pro-
portions as well as magnesium, potassium,
B-complex vitamins, the amino acid tau-
rine, other amino acids, about 4 percent
fiber, and trace amounts of other minerals
and vitamins A, C, D, and E. Green tripe
is approximately 78 percent water or mois-
ture. The protein level of dehydrated tripe
is about 21 percent.
“We were surprised to find that tripe
contains large amounts of Lactobacillus
acidophilus, the lactic acid bacteria that
is the main ingredient in probiotics,” says
Voss. “Green tripe is also loaded with
gastric enzymes, other gastric ‘juices,’ and
amino acids. The same gastric juices that
help cattle with digestion aid the canine in
digesting and efficiently utilizing food, and
the amino acids are necessary for muscular
development. As a bonus, coarsely ground
tripe works like dental floss and is one of
the best cleaners for a dog’s teeth.”
As with any dog food, the right amount
depends on the dog’s age, metabolism,
and activity level. Couch potatoes don’t
need much, while dogs working in adverse
conditions require thousands of calories
per day.
In Orange County, New York, Jeanne
Patterson lives with three Irish Wolf-
hounds, two 155-pound males and a
Liam (Cnoccarne Carrowmoragh), a
four-year-old Irish Wolfhound owned
by Jeanne Patterson of New York, was
weaned on tripe and has not stopped
loving it, says Jeanne. Photo by Steve
Surfman, courtesy of Jeanne Patterson.
105-pound female. “I learned how to feed
tripe from the Peilers when I got a puppy
from them,” she says.
About two-thirds of Patterson’s dogs’
diet is raw green tripe, with the remain-
der an alternating assortment of raw red
meat, heart, liver, whole chicken, and an
occasional green vegetable. How much
they eat depends on how active they are,
which means less in summer and more in
cool weather, usually three to four pounds
per dog each day.
Patterson buys frozen ground tripe,
which she thaws in cold water. “It’s almost
as easy as feeding kibble,” she says. “I just
put it in a bowl, and they love it.”
Patterson credits tripe for her dogs’ long
lives. “I’ve had five Irish Wolfhounds,” she
says, “and the first two lived to be nine and
almost twelve. In the U.S., their average
life span is six and a half years.”
Almost everyone we interviewed for
this article mentioned that dogs fed green
tripe tend to live longer, have fewer injuries
and health problems, and have cleaner,
whiter teeth than dogs fed other foods.
“Even if they don’t live forever,” says
Voss, “they are more likely to have an ac-
tive old age with fewer aches and pains than
they otherwise would. My Afghan Hounds
have lived to be as old as 18, and the five
living with us now are going on 15 and 17.
Green tripe has to be one of the easiest and
least expensive health treatments we can
offer our canine companions.”
Green tripe is exceptionally easy to
feed because even finicky dogs dive right
in. Tripe is the one food most dogs respond
to even when they refuse everything else.
It is also well tolerated by many dogs
with allergies and food sensitivities. Some
breeders and suppliers report that dogs who
cannot eat beef do well on beef tripe, and
many dogs with seasonal allergies and skin
conditions like hot spots, lick granulomas,
and rashes have improved after switching
to tripe.
“What we find really amazing,” adds
Ika Peiler, “is that our hounds do not lose
interest in their food although it is the
same day in and day out. They always
get very animated come feeding time and
cannot wait to get their dishes put in front
of them. They usually empty their bowls
in five seconds flat – and if they don’t, I
know there’s something wrong.”
The fragrance
To call green tripe odoriferous is an under-
statement. This stuff really stinks.
Some dog lovers just hold their breath.
Others say they get used to it or don’t
notice it at all.
Katrina McQuilken recommends
keeping tripe frozen until the last minute,
then thawing it just enough to remove the
desired amount, returning the package to
the freezer while placing the still-frozen
serving in a bowl.
Cold temperatures reduce tripe’s odor,
and so does the speed with which dogs con-
sume it. Once it’s in your dog’s stomach,
it won’t be scenting the house.
Of course, if you have a fenced back-
yard or large porch, even better. Your dog
can enjoy his favorite food while you
breathe comfortably.
Trends in tripe
The newest tripe products include dried
or freeze-dried tripe treats as well as fresh
frozen tripe from animals other than cattle.
Some distributors sell lamb, sheep, goat,
venison, or bison tripe. Lamb tripe is far
less odoriferous than beef tripe, and when
freeze-dried, it makes an almost odorless
treat that you can comfortably carry in your
pocket. Dried tripe strips are perfect canine
toothbrushes.
Some frozen food manufacturers
mix green tripe with meat, organ meats,
vegetables, or other ingredients for nutri-
tional balance or variety. At GreenTripe.
com, Inc., Mary Voss sells three basic
products: coarsely ground green tripe,
green tripe ground with collagen-rich

What Type of Tripe?

Now that green tripe is catching on, this staple food, which was Over the top: Freshly collected tripe from pasture-fed
once hard to come by, is available from many manufacturers animals. Only a few fortunate dogs dine on this best-of-the-
and distributors. Here is our list of suggested good/better/best best, but it can be done, as the Peilers and Mary Voss have
tripe choices. demonstrated.

Bad: Don’t feed your dog the white honeycomb tripe sold
in supermarkets. It’s the opposite of green tripe in that it has
been cleaned, steamed, and chemically bleached; it’s far more
difficult for dogs to digest than unprocessed tripe.
Good: Canned green tripe. Yes, enzymes, ben-
eficial bacteria, and other fragile nutrients are
destroyed by high-heat processing, but dogs are
likely to prefer canned tripe over other canned
foods, and their owners often report health
improvements in dogs who are switched from
kibble or other dog foods to canned tripe.
Better: Frozen ground green tripe, freeze-dried tripe, dried
tripe treats, and other green tripe products from any source.
Best: Frozen ground or cut green tripe and freeze-dried or
dried tripe treats, all from pasture-fed (grass-fed) animals.
If you can find a local supplier of fresh tripe, you’re in luck.
Some small distributors gave us background information but
asked us not to list them as a resource because their regular
customers already buy all the tripe they can supply.
One is Janet Klapac of Three Cheers Raw! Raw! Raw! in
northeastern Ohio. “We completely sell out of our tripe every
week,” she reports. “We get our tripe from a custom butcher
who mainly slaughters cows that farmers in this rural part of
Ohio are raising for themselves. They are fed primarily grass
and hay, not corn. We are lucky that our processor is very
picky about what he saves for us.
“We feel that getting tripe from locally raised beef is better
than getting anything from a feed lot, including beef labeled
‘organic’ from a mega food corporation. The beef we are us-
ing are raised more humanely and naturally than those poor
beasts in the lots. They are not such a drain on the environment.
They eat grass and hay, and the farmers spread their manure
back on the fields.”

to subscribe: www.whole-dog-journal.com Copyright © 2008, Belvoir Media Group, LLC THE WHOLE DOG JOURNAL | 17
trachea and gullet (the natural source of
condroitin sulfate and recommended for
dogs with hip and joint problems), and
Xkaliber, a blend of green tripe, muscle
meat, heart, tongue, trachea/gullet, and
ground bone, which is recommended for
young dogs and serious working dogs be-
cause it helps build muscle and stamina.
Another trend is for seriously moti-
vated dog lovers to contact local butchers
or pasture-fed farms and ranches in order
to purchase whole cow stomachs straight
from the farm. See “Resources Mentioned
in This Article,” below, for websites that
can help you locate farmers and ranchers in
your area. Check also with local farmer’s
markets, meat markets, and food co-ops.
One advantage of working with lo-
cal suppliers is that they can sometimes Whole Dog Journal
prepare special orders. For example, dogs reader service:
with kidney failure, kidney disease, or
blocked kidneys should avoid the amino To view our Website:
acids methionine and cysteine. The oma- Visit us at
sum, or third stomach, is extremely high in whole-dog-journal.com
collagen and low in protein and its amino
acids. Some suppliers set this tripe aside For Back Issues, Articles:
for dogs with special needs. Visit us at
whole-dog-journal.com/backissues
CJ Puotinen is a frequent WDJ contributor
to change your
and freelance writer living in New York.
mailing or e-mail address,
She is also the author of The Encyclopedia renew your subscription,
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Visit us at
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Resources Mentioned in This Article Call (800) 829-9165

Eat Wild. Directory of more than 800 pasture-based farms and ranches in the U.S., Canada,
and other countries. eatwild.com To change your address by mail, attach
your present mailing label to this form (or a
Free Range Dog Chews, Inc. Sterling Heights, MI. Baa Trail Mix contains 100 percent copy of this form), enter your new address
freeze-dried lamb jerkey, lung, tripe, and liver. Sold by retailers and online. below, and mail it to:
freerangedogchews.com
The Whole Dog Journal
GreenTripe.com, Inc. Mary Voss, San Juan Bautista, CA. Frozen green tripe and tripe blends
from local pasture-fed and/or organically raised cattle, plus frozen green tripe from goats,
P.O. Box 420235
sheep, and bison; tripe-stuffed raw cow hooves; and dehydrated strips of green tripe (chew Palm Coast, FL 32142
treats). (831) 635-0724; greentripe.com
Name______________________________________

Halshan Premium Raw Pet Food. Harbor City, CA. Frozen raw buffalo tripe. (888) 766-9725; Company___________________________________
greentripeconnection.com Address____________________________________

Hare Today. Northwestern PA. Ground green tripe with spleen from locally raised cattle, ___________________________________________
mostly pasture-fed. (800) 640-3582; hare-today.com City________________________________________

Healthy Pet Products. Canton, GA. Frozen raw foods plus freeze-dried ground green tripe. State_________________________ Zip_ __________
Sold by retailers and online. (877) 475-7195; healthypetdiet.com E-mail ______________________________________

PetKind, Inc. Surrey, BC, Canada. Dehydrated tripe treats. Sold by retailers and online. (866) To order or renew a subscription,
536-8773; petkind.com enter your name and address above
and check the subscription term
A Place For Paws. Columbiana, OH. Frozen green tripe from local sources, mostly pasture- you prefer:
fed and grain-finished. (800) 354-4216; aplaceforpaws.com
❒ 2 years (24 issues) – $54
Solid Gold Health Products for Pets. El Cajon, CA. Green cow tripe canned dog food
contains the abomassum (“fourth” stomach), beef broth, potatoes, vitamins, and supple- ❒ 1 year (12 issues) – $29
ments. Sold by retailers and online. (800) 364 4863; solidgoldhealth.com
In Canada, 1 year $39 CDN, 2 years
Tefco, Inc. Gerry Briffa, Brooklyn, NY. Frozen ground green tripe. (718) 745-5537; $72 CDN. All other countries, 1 year
raiseapaw4raw.com $47 US, 2 years $94 US.
Tripett, Inc. Canned green tripe (beef, New Zealand lamb, and New Zealand venison). Con- ❒ Check enclosed ❒ AmEx
tains green tripe, garlic, and vegetable gum. Sold by retailers and online. (866) 536-8773;
❒ MasterCard ❒ Visa
tripett.com

True Carnivores. Vancouver, BC, Canada. Frozen green tripe. (604) 267-3647; Card #______________________________________
truecarnivores.com
Expiration __________________________________

Weston A Price Foundation. Washington, DC. Local chapters throughout the U.S. and Can- Signature___________________________________
ada promote pastured farming and community supported agriculture. westonaprice.org
your renewal is
Wholistic Paws. Ridgewood, NJ, Katrina McQuilken. Retailer of frozen, canned, and dried just a click away!
green tripe and tripe treats. (201) 444-9911; healthstoreforpets.com whole-dog-journal.com/cs

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THE WHOLE DOG JOURNAL | 19
 b ehavior

Scared to Be Home Alone

A dog with separation anxiety or isolation distress must be treated,
lest he destroys your home – or himself.
By Pat miller

H
ave you ever had the misfortune
of walking into your house to find
overturned furniture, inches-deep
claw gouges on door frames,
blood-stained tooth marks on
window sills, and countless messages on
your answering machine from neighbors
complaining about your dog barking and
howling for hours on end in your absence?
If so, you’re probably familiar with the
term “separation anxiety” – a mild label for
a devastating and destructive behavior.
Thirty years ago the phrase was un-
common in dog training circles. Today
it’s a rare dog owner who hasn’t heard
of separation anxiety, experienced it with
a one of her own dogs, or at least had a

What you can do . . .

■ Take steps to prevent separation
anxiety in your new dog by
conditioning him to accept being
left alone.
■ Assess your dog’s anxious
behaviors (destructive behavior,
vocalization, and inappropriate
elimination) to determine if the
behaviors might have a cause
other than separation anxiety.
■ Understand that your dog’s
difficult behavior is not deliberate,
and that punishment is ineffective,
inappropriate, and will only
exacerbate the behavior.
■ Read I’ll Be Home Soon
by Dr. Patricia
McConnell
for more
information
on separation
anxiety.
A dog with separation anxiety might not be comforted by another dog or person
at home. Early on, he may be simply concerned when the human to whom he is
most bonded walks out the door; later, he may panic when this happens.
friend whose canine companion report- distressed, and go to great lengths to try to
edly suffered from this difficult disorder. escape from confinement, with apparent
Separation-related behaviors seem more total disregard for injury to themselves or
common these days, and sadly, can also damage to their surroundings.
result in human frustration and anger It’s natural for young mammals to
– and sometimes even the euthanasia of experience anxiety when separated from
an offending dog when a despairing owner their mothers and siblings; it’s an adaptive
reaches her wits’ end. survival mechanism. A pup who gets
In her excellent book, Clinical Be- separated from his family cries in distress,
enabling Mom to easily find him and rescue
havioral Medicine for Small Animals, Dr.
Karen Overall defines separation anxiety him. In the wild, even an adult canine who
as, “A condition in which animals exhibit is left alone is more likely to die – either
symptoms of anxiety or excessive dis- from starvation, since he has no pack to
tress when they are left alone.” The most hunt with, or from attack, since he has no
common signs of the condition include pack mates for mutual protection.
destructive behavior, house soiling, and Given the importance of a dog’s canine
excessive vocalization. Many dogs with companions, it speaks volumes about the
this challenging behavior also refuse to dog’s adaptability as a species that we can
eat or drink when left alone, don’t tolerate condition them to accept being left alone
crating, pant and salivate excessively when at all! We’re lucky we don’t have far more

20|July 2008 Copyright © 2008, Belvoir Media Group, LLC to subscribe, call (800) 829-9165
problems than we do, especially in today’s
world, where few households have some-
one at home regularly during the day to
keep the dog company.
There was a time in our society when
fewer dogs were left home alone – Mom
stayed home while Dad went off to work
every day – so dogs had less exposure to
the kind of daily isolation that contributes
to separation anxiety behavior. Some be-
havior scientists theorize that experiencing
a fear-causing event when a young dog is
already mildly stressed about being alone
can trigger more intense “home alone”
anxiety behaviors.
In today’s world there are a significant
number of dogs who are afflicted with
some degree of separation distress. For-
tunately, many dog owners these days
are willing to seek solutions to behavior
problems rather than just “getting rid of”
the dog. As a result, behavior professionals
are likely to see canine clients with separa-
tion distress disorders.
Differential diagnoses
Another reason separation anxiety seems
more prevalent today than a few decades
ago is that it is misdiagnosed with some
frequency by laypersons. With an in-
creased awareness of the condition has
come an increase in misidentification of
behaviors that resemble separation distress
behaviors, but really aren’t.
For example, house soiling can be re-
lated to anxiety, but there are many other
potential causes. These include incomplete
housetraining, lack of access to appropri-
ate elimination areas, unreasonable owner
expectations (expecting the dog to “hold
it” for 10 hours or more), fear, excitement,
marking, submissive elimination, or physi-
cal incontinence.
Destructive behavior may be a result of
separation anxiety, or it could be normal
puppy behavior, play, reaction to outside
stimuli, and/or an outlet for excess energy.
Separation distress could be the cause of
excessive barking and howling, or the
dog could be stimulated to bark by street
sounds (traffic, people talking), trespassers
(i.e., a mail carrier, intruder, Girls Scouts
selling cookies), social facilitation (other
dogs barking), play, aggression, or fear.
It’s critically important that a problem
behavior be correctly identified prior to the
implementation of a behavior modification
program. It does no good to try to modify
separation anxiety if that’s not really the
problem. (See “Case Study: Misdiagnosis,”
to subscribe: www.whole-dog-journal.com
on page 22.)
If elimination accidents occur when
the owner is home as well as when the
dog is left alone, it’s more likely a house-
training problem than a separation issue.
Separation-related destruction is usually
directed toward escape efforts – chew-
ing or clawing at or through doorframes,
windowsills, and walls. If the destruction
is more generalized throughout the house,
it points toward one or more of the other
possible causes, rather than an isolation
issue. A strategically located video camera
or sound-activated tape recorder can help
identify possible outside stimuli, such as
visitors to the home or unusual noises, that
might trigger what otherwise may appear
to be separation-related behaviors.
A continuum
Distress over being left alone is not always
a full-blown separation anxiety problem.
First, a dog may suffer from a mild distress
to a severe anxiety disorder. “Distress” in-
dicates a lower intensity of stress behaviors
when the dog is alone, while “anxiety” is
an extreme panic attack.
The distinction between “isolation” and
“separation” is equally important. Isolation
distress means the dog doesn’t want to
be left alone – any ol’ human will do for
company, and sometimes even another dog
will fill the bill. True separation distress or
Never punish! Rather, consider separa-
tion anxiety as a potential cause if your
dog damages your home (especially
doors or windows) when you’re away.
Copyright © 2008, Belvoir Media Group, LLC
anxiety means the dog is hyper-bonded to
one specific person, and continues to show
stress behaviors if that person is absent,
even if other humans or dogs are present.
Our Cardigan Corgi, Lucy, suffers from
moderate isolation distress – she doesn’t
like to be left alone outdoors. Before we
realized the significance of her behavior,
she managed to injure herself badly, falling
off a stone wall onto cement steps eight feet
below in her persistent attempts to reach us
through a window. Indoors, her isolation
distress is milder. She may bark briefly if
we leave her alone downstairs, but quickly
calms and settles.
Missy, on the other hand, demonstrates
true separation distress. The eight-year-old
Australian Shepherd had been in at least
four different homes prior to joining our
family last fall. As is sometimes the case
with dogs who have been rehomed nu-
merous times, she attached herself to one
of her new humans (me) completely and
almost instantly.
If our whole family is in the barn, and
I go back to the house for some reason,
Missy could care less that my husband
is still with her in the barn; she becomes
hyper-vigilant, watching anxiously for
me to return, ignoring Paul’s attempts to
reassure her or engage in other activities.
Fortunately for us, her stress level is mild;
other than some scratches inflicted to our
kitchen door on the second day of her
arrival to our home, she’s done nothing
destructive; her level of stress over my
absence is low, and tolerable, and consists
primarily of pacing, whining, and barking.
But it may explain why we’re at least her
fifth (and final!) home.
Behavior modification
There are a number of steps you can take to
resolve your dog’s isolation- or separation-
anxiety behavior. The program spelled out
in the accompanying sidebar, “Preventing
Separation Anxiety” (see page 23) can
also be used to modify an existing isola-
tion/separation condition. However, you
will progress much more slowly through
the steps of the program with a dog who
suffers from separation-related behaviors;
your dog’s strong emotional response to
being left alone will make this a much
more challenging proposition.
Here are some other avenues to explore,
to complement your modification work:
■ Exercise your dog well before you
leave. A tired dog has less energy with
THE WHOLE DOG JOURNAL | 21
which to be anxious and destructive. End Set your alarm for 5 a.m. on a Saturday, ■ Explore alternative dog-keeping situ-
exercise sessions 20 to 30 minutes before then roll over and go back to sleep. ations to minimize the occasions when
you go, so he has time to settle down. you do have to leave him alone – doggie
■ Mix up the pieces of your departure daycare may be suitable for some dogs, but
■ Five minutes before you leave, give routine when you are leaving, so his not for others. You may be able to find a
him a well-stuffed Kong to take his mind anxiety doesn’t build to a fever pitch as neighbor or relative who is house-bound
off your imminent departure (See “King he recognizes your departure cues. We and might appreciate some canine com-
Kongs,” WDJ October 2000). are creatures of habit too, so this is hard panionship.
to do, but can pay off in big dividends. Eat
■ Make your departures and returns breakfast before you shower instead of af- ■ If you are considering adoption of a
completely calm and emotionless. No ter. Pick up your keys and put them in your second dog, try borrowing a calm, stable,
huggy/kissy “Mummy loves you” scenes. pocket before you take your dog out for his compatible dog from a friend, to see if that
If he gets excited and jumps all over you final potty break. Put your briefcase in the helps to relieve your dog’s distress.
when you return, ignore him. Turn your car while you’re still in pajamas. Make the
back and walk away. When he finally morning as unpredictable as possible. ■ Try using Comfort Zone (DAP) plug-
settles down, say hello and greet him very ins and sprays in his environment to help
calmly. ■ Use a “safe” cue such as “I’ll be back,” ease his anxiety. (See WDJ January 2004,
only when you know you’ll return within “Please Appease Me”)
■ Defuse the pieces of your departure the time period your dog can tolerate. As
routine by also doing them when you are suggested in Patricia McConnell’s wonder- ■ Remove as many other stressors from
not leaving. Pick up your car keys and sit ful booklet on separation anxiety titled “I’ll your dog’s world as possible to help him
down on the sofa to watch TV. Dress in Be Home Soon,” this helps your dog relax, maintain his equilibrium in your absence.
your business suit and then cook dinner. knowing he can trust you to return. No choke chains, shock collars, physical
or harsh verbal punishment (especially in
connection to his anxiety behaviors).
Case Study: Misdiagnosis
■ Consider working with a behavior
Lexi was a five-year-old spayed female Husky/Greyhound mix in rescue, presented professional to be sure you’re on the
by the foster mom as having separation anxiety that manifested as destructive right path – and to help you explore
behavior. Lexi had been in several prior foster homes, none of which reported the possibilities of using anti-anxiety
destructive behavior. medications to maximize the effectiveness
As we discussed Lexi’s behavior during her behavior consultation, the dog of your modification efforts.
paced almost constantly, and displayed numerous other signs of general stress,
including whining, attention-seeking, and exploring doorways, even though her Fixing separation anxiety is hard work.
current human was sitting quietly in a chair in the center of the room. Her behavior It’s all too easy to get frustrated with your
did not change significantly when her human left the room. dog’s destructive behavior. Remember that
The foster parent mentioned that she had he’s not choosing to do it out of spite or
noted a heightened anxiety when Lexi heard malice – he is panicked about his own sur-
“mystery electronic beeping” in the house vival without you, his pack, there to protect
– probably from a watch hidden in a drawer that him. It’s not fun for him, either; he lives in
the owners were unable to locate. She also report- the moment, and the moments that you are
edly reacted badly to the beeps of other watches, gone are long and terrifying. If you make
cameras, and other electronic devices. the commitment to modify his behavior
I concluded that while Lexi did, indeed, have and succeed in helping him be brave about
Like many other dogs, anxiety problems, they were not separation- being alone, you’ll not only save your
Lexi became very anxious related but rather a more generalized anxiety. home from destruction, you will enhance
when she was exposed to While we have no way of knowing for sure, I the quality of your dog’s life immensely
electronic beeping noises. surmised that at some point she may have been – as well as your own – and perhaps save
contained in an underground shock fence, and the him from destruction, too.
beeping sounds that caused her heightened anxiety were similar to the warning
beep of the fence. For a dog who has been trained to such a fence, the sound of Pat Miller, CPDT, is WDJ’s Training Edi-
the beep, through association with the shock, can be every bit as aversive and tor. Miller lives in Hagerstown, Maryland,
stress-causing at the shock itself. site of her Peaceable Paws training center.
We implemented a behavior modification program for generalized anxiety that Pat is also author of The Power of Posi-
included partnering with a veterinarian for the administration of anxiety-relieving tive Dog Training; Positive Perspectives:
medication, and the foster parent made sure not to leave Lexi alone with access to Love Your Dog, Train Your Dog; Positive
the room where the mystery beeping occurred (the kitchen). Lexi was eventually Perspectives II: Know Your Dog, Train
adopted and is doing well in her new home, where her owners are continuing her Your Dog, and the brand-new Dog Play:
behavior modification program. How and Why to Play With Your Dog. See
“Resources,” page 24.

22|July 2008 Copyright © 2008, Belvoir Media Group, LLC to subscribe, call (800) 829-9165
 Preventing Separation Anxiety
The most important ingredient in a successful separation
anxiety prevention program is to set your dog up for suc-
cess. When you bring a new dog or puppy home, implement
a program to help him be comfortable with being alone for
gradually increasing periods. This will help to assure him that
it’s not necessary to panic: you haven’t abandoned him; you
always come back. Be sure to exercise him well before you
practice; a tired dog is a much-better candidate for relaxation
than one who’s “full of it.”
Here are the 10 steps of a two-day program to create a
dog who is comfortable being left alone. Note that if you are
modifying an already existing distress or anxiety condition
you will need to work through the steps of the program much
more slowly.
1. Bring your dog home at a time when someone can spend
a few days with him to ease the stress of the transition.
2. Prepare a quiet, safe space in advance such as a playpen or
puppy pen, or a dog-proofed room such as a laundry room.
3. When you bring your dog home, give him a chance to re-
lieve himself outdoors, and spend 10 to 15 minutes with him
in the house under close supervision. Then put him in his pen
and stay in the room with him.
Make sure your dog’s “safe spot” is comfortable and se-
cure. Give him a food-stuffed Kong or other safe toy.
4. Stay close at first. Read a book. If he fusses, ignore him.
When he’s quiet, greet him calmly, take one step away, and
then return before he has a chance to get upset. Speak to him
calmly, then go back to reading. You’re teaching him that if
you leave, you will return. Other family members should make
themselves scarce during this time; your dog needs to learn to
be alone.
5. Continue to occasionally step away, gradually increasing
the distance and varying the length of time that you stay away,
so that eventually you can wander around the room without
upsetting your dog. Each time you return, greet him calmly.
Every once in a while say “Yes!” in a calm but cheerful voice
before you return to him, then walk back to the pen and feed
him a treat.
to subscribe: www.whole-dog-journal.com Copyright © 2008, Belvoir Media Group, LLC
6. After an hour or so, give him a break. Take him outside to
potty and play. Hang out for a while. Then go back inside and
resume his pen exercises.
7. Begin again, staying near the pen until he settles. More
quickly this time, move along steps 4 and 5 until you can
wander around the room without generating alarm. Now step
into another room very briefly, and return before your dog has
time to get upset. Gradually increase the length of time you
stay out of the room, interspersing it with wandering around
the room, sitting near him reading a book, and sitting across
the room, reading a book. If he starts to fuss, wait until he
stops fussing to move back toward him. Teach him that calm
behavior makes you return, fussing keeps you away.
8. Occasionally, step outside of the house. Your goal for the
first day is to get your dog comfortable with you being away
from him for 15 to 20 minutes; it’s usually the first 20 min-
utes of separation that are most difficult. Vary the times so he
doesn’t start anticipating your return. Remember to give him
plenty of potty and play breaks: every hour for a young pup,
every one to two hours for an older dog.
9. On the second day, quickly repeat the warm-up steps, until
you can step outside for 15 to 20 minutes at a time, interspersed
with shorter separations. On one of your outdoor excursions,
hop into your car and drive around the block. Return in 5 to 10
minutes, and calmly re-enter the house just as you have been
during the rest of the exercises. Hang out for a while, then go
outside and drive away again, for a half-hour this time.
10. Now it’s time for Sunday brunch. Be sure your dog gets a
thorough potty break and play time, then give him 15 minutes
to relax after the stimulation of play. Put a Kong stuffed with
delightful treats into his pen, round up the family, and calmly
exit the house for an outing of a couple of hours’ duration.
When you arrive home to a calm and happy dog, drink an
orange juice toast to your graduation from separation anxiety
prevention school.
Graduate school
It’s unfair to ask a young dog to stay home alone for 8 to 10
hours; he needs to get out to relieve himself midway through
the day. If you force him to soil in the house, at worst you can
cause stress-related behaviors, at best you may create house-
training problems. Options may include taking him to work
with you, having family members come home on their lunch
hour, arranging for stay-at-home neighbors to take him out,
hiring a pet walker to walk him and play with him, or sending
him to a well-run doggie daycare environment. (Note: The
daycare option is not appropriate for a very young pup.)
If you set up a routine to help your dog succeed, he’ll some
day earn his Master’s Degree in Home Alone, and be trusted
with full house freedom. It may be too late for some dog own-
ers to say they’ve never had a dog with separation anxiety, but
it’s never too late to say “never again.”
THE WHOLE DOG JOURNAL | 23
 what’s ahead

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Why you should

devote a lot of time to
helping your fearful
dog gain confidence
Resources – and how to
accomplish this
intern and apprentice programs. (301) 582-9420; important feat.
books
WDJ Training Editor Pat Miller is author of peaceablepaws.com
The Power of Positive Dog Training; Positive
Perspectives: Love Your Dog, Train Your Dog, Association of Pet Dog Trainers Novel Foods
Positive Perspectives: Know Your Dog, Train Your (800) 738-3647; apdt.com WDJ reviews
Dog, and Dog Play: How and Why to Play With uncommon forms
Your Dog. All of these books are available from Certification Council for Professional of commercial diets,
DogWise, (800) 776-2665 or dogwise.com Dog Trainers
Sorry, no phone number available; ccpdt.org including dehydrated
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Holistic veterinarians
Truly Dog Friendly Trainers
American Holistic Veterinary Medical Associa- Sorry, no phone number available;
tion (AHVMA), 2214 Old Emmorton Road, Bel
Air, MD 21015. (410) 569-0795. Send a self-ad-
trulydogfriendly.com More Reasons
dressed, stamped envelope for a list of holistic to Play
veterinarians in your area, or search ahvma.org Behavior Professionals Two more trainer/
Certified Dog Behavior Consultants behaviorists tell us
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why games and fun
Pat Miller, CPDT, Peaceable Paws Dog and Puppy are a critical part of
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