Bad dogs, bad behavior and three people I have on speed dial

by Joanne Brokaw

Bandit, Bailey and Scout

It’s been a wild week here at The Funny Farm. Lots of barking, a little biting and even some blood. That’s because yesterday morning, very early, two of our dogs got into a tussle and while trying to separate them, darling husband was bit.

A friend told me this week that I ought to write about what happened and how we’re dealing with the situation because there are probably other people out there dealing with the same problem.

And if we’re being honest here, other people might have given in a long time ago. I know, because I’ve volunteered at an animal shelter and seen dogs come in and never leave because they’re “bad” or “aggressive” or they’ve “bitten” someone and need to be put down.

So starting tonight, I’ll be blogging every week about our “bad dogs” - or rather, our dogs’ bad behavior – and how we’re dealing with the situation so that other dog owners will realize that they’re not alone, that there are resources available, and that really, they don’t have bad dogs. They just have dogs with normal (and OK, sometimes bad) behavior that needs some redirection.

Understand that I’m not a dog trainer or dog professional. I’m a writer with three dogs, an insatiable curiosity about dog behavior, genetics, and communication, and about 20+ years of experience as a dog owner at all ends of the spectrum – from totally clueless to mildly educated and still learning. I can’t give advice, but I can tell my own stories and track down answers to your questions.

We’ll start with what happened this week.

When it’s too hot for your dog – inside a car or outside in the yard

by Joanne Brokaw

The sad, sad news of the two pugs that died in custody of Animal Control has been the focus of the dog community for weeks now. But as Bob Lonsberry brought up in his column this week, while it was 101 degrees in the back of the van, it was 96 degrees outside that day.

And the dogs – pugs, who are dogs with deformed snouts that leave them unable to breathe normally and hence cool themselves off - had been left out in the yard while no one was home.

So how does heat really affect your dog? Is there a difference between heat inside a car and outside in the yard? Back in July, I conducted an experiment to see how hot it really got inside of a car and then posted the results on my Rochester Dog Health Examiner page. I think the results, along with the information about how a dog cools himself off, are worth repeating here.

As you watch the temperatures rise inside the Jeep in the following photos, remember that the heat affects your dogs the same way whether they’re inside a car our outside in the heat. (And just because summer is almost over, the danger doesn’t go away.)

Dogs can’t sweat to cool themselves down, the way humans can. The only way they can cool off is to sweat through their paws or to pant.  As the website Weather.com explains,

“Air moves through the nasal passages, which picks up excess heat from the body. As it is expelled through the mouth, the extra heat leaves along with it. Although this is a very efficient way to control body heat, it is severely limited in areas of high humidity or when the animal is in close quarters.”

In close quarters like a car (or even a kennel), a dog can overheat very, very quickly and in minutes can suffer brain damage or death.

But panting means taking in air as well as breathing it out. So for a dog like a pug – or other breed with a genetically shortened snout – the inability to breathe seriously hampers their abilty to cool themselves down. (That wheezing sound a pug makes is actually the dog desperately trying to breathe.)

How hot does it get inside of a car? Too hot, if you’re a dog.

by Joanne Brokaw

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I read this morning that WHEC’s investigative team is looking into the story that two dogs that were picked up by Rochester Animal Control died while in custody. The dogs were allegedly locked inside of the animal control van for about 70 minutes – and the air conditioning wasn’t working in the van’s animal holding area.

Over on my Rochester Dog Health examiner page, I wrote two articles today about dogs, cars, and heat. One explains why your dog has such trouble dealing with heat, and the other is an experiment I conducted checking the temperature in my car throughout the morning. The slideshow of the thermometer is here; at Examiner you can read more about how the temperature felt outside to me, and how much sun/shade was covering the car.

If you’ve ever left your dog in the car on a sunny day – not even a hot day – you’ll definitely want to check these articles out:

• How hot does it get inside of a car? Too hot, if you’re a dog. (This article talks about how your dog cools off – or doesn’t, in this case.)
• We experiment to see just how hot the car gets for your dog (This article shows how hot it actually gets in your car.)

What should Fido eat? Find out at the Pet Food & Nutrition Seminar, Sunday, August 14th

Like many Americans, you may be taking time to eat healthier and consider where your food comes from – but what about your pet? Have you ever wondered if you’re feeding Fido or Fluffy the best possible diet?

On Sunday, August 14th, Sherri Romig, Rochester dog trainer and expert in holistic animal care, will answer your questions about pet food and health at the Pet Food and Nutrition Seminar at Tails of Success Training Center, 999 East Ridge Road in Irondequoit.

Boss Pet Recalls Pig Ear Products Because of Possible Health Risk

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – May 17, 2011 – Boss Pet Products, Inc. announced that it is recalling its Diggers Natural Treat Pig Ear pet treats because the products have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Boss Pet has been notified by one of its suppliers, Keys Manufacturing Company, Inc., that a batch of Keys’ pig ear treats tested positive for Salmonella.

Blackman Industries, Inc. Recalls Primetime Brand 2 CT., and 5 CT. Premium Pig Ears and KC Beefhide Brand 20 CT. Premium Pig Ears Because Of Possible Salmonella Health Risk

PrimeTime brand 2 ct. and 5 ct. Premium Pig Ears are being recalled

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – May 17, 2011 - Blackman Industries, Inc. of Kansas City, KS is recalling all PrimeTime brand 2 ct. and 5 ct. Premium Pig Ears and all KC Beefhide brand 20 ct. Premium Pig Ears because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. 

Salmonella can affect animals and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products. People handling the recalled pig ears can potentially become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after giving them to their pet.

KC Beefhide brand 20 ct. Premium Pig Ears are being recalled

Healthy people infected with Salmonella should monitor themselves for some or all of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping and fever. Rarely, Salmonellacan result in more serious ailments, including arterial infections, endocarditis, arthritis, muscle pain, eye irritation and urinary tract symptoms. Consumers exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare providers.

Pets with Salmonella infections may be lethargic and have diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Some pets will have only decreased appetite, fever and abdominal pain. Infected but otherwise healthy pets can be carriers and infect other animals or humans. If your pet has consumed the recalled product and has these symptoms, please contact your veterinarian. 

These products were distributed in Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota and sold through many of the following retail outlets: