Canine Auditory Sensitivity

 General Animal Ownership, Random Thoughts  1 Response »
Jan 292012
 

My friend Doug and I were walking along an old logging road in the woods when we heard the faint sound of an ATV coming towards us from way off in the distance.  A few moments later, our dogs appeared to hear the sound, and visibly perked up and acted interested.  Doug asked me why. Surely, he asserted, our dogs must have heard the sound long before we did, so why were they just now reacting?

Interestingly, his question is based on a common misconception: that canine hearing is far more acute than human hearing.  My impression is that many people have learned that dogs, when compared to humans, have hugely superior olfactory sensitivity and that dogs can hear higher frequencies such as dog whistles, and have concatenated these two facts into a fallacious belief that canine auditory sensitivity is far greater than human.

Given the prevalence of this belief, I figured I would share with my readers the answer I gave:

In general dogs’ auditory sensitivity is almost identical to that of a typical human: both species generally begin to hear sounds at a volume level of around -7 dB.   And human spatial acuity is significantly superior: we can generally localize a sound to within less than one degree of accuracy, while dogs can usually localize to an area of approximately 6 degrees.  And humans can hear lower frequencies than dogs, and can generally detect low frequencies at lower volume than dogs.  Dogs can however hear frequencies considerably higher than humans—humans generally cannot detect much over 18 kHz while dogs can generally hear sounds up to around 45h kHz.

So if there is a sound of more than -7 dB in volume and a frequency between 20-45 kHz, you will not be able to hear it and your dog will, but if its frequency falls within a range that humans can hear, you and your dog will hear it at right about the same volume level…

Just in case you want to verify this with your own eyes and ears, take your dog for a walk and pay attention.  You will quickly recognize that his reactions to interesting sounds are virtually simultaneous with yours.

Here is the same information in a chart taken from Wolves by David Mech and Luigi Boitani:

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 Posted by at 11:10 pm

Carpe Diem

 Anecdotes, Animal Care, General Animal Ownership, Random Thoughts  2 Responses »
Jan 102012
 

A few weeks ago, I had one of the worst experiences of my life: my dog Sequel disappeared while we were hiking in the woods around our home, and he was missing for several days and nights.  Each moment he was gone was devastating, but daytime was more bearable—there was so much to be done running the search that it was easy to set aside any thoughts about him being injured or dead.  We had multiple teams searching the woods and updating the search map, people driving the roads and putting up signs, people going door-to-door, people calling all the shelters, vets, daycares, etc.  Busyness can be a real friend in times of anguish! Long after night fell and the searchers had gone, I would force myself to try to get a few hours of sleep, but how can you lie in a warm bed and fall asleep knowing that your dog may be lying somewhere near death hoping you will find him soon…

And so, instead of sleeping, during the long, dark hours agonizing about all the worst things that could be happening to my dog, I wracked my brain about what I should have done differently, what I would do differently when—if—I found him and brought him home.  And I returned time and again to the same surprising answer: nothing.

 

I love my dogs with every fiber of my being.  I love them enough that while it sometimes might make me feel better to wrap them in cocoons and cloister them away safely, I force myself to always try to make the best decision for them.  Insofar as it is possible, I try to give my dogs the lives I believe they would want, with the balance of safety and adventure that they would chose if they could fully understand the issues. Most of my dogs would absolutely prefer to run in the woods, to swim in the ocean, to wrestle and leap and herd and play, even if these things come with some risk.

Of course, judgment is required-knowledge of your dogs, their personality and fitness and training (I would stake my life on Sequel’s recall if he could have heard me, and as soon as I got on the right side of the creek where he could, he came immediately), and the area and all the hazards so you can make an informed decision about whether to keep your dogs on leash or a long line or a GPS collar or have them loose but call them back frequently. And no matter how careful you are, there will be some risk!  But for nearly 20 years we have taken many, many animals out to run, play, hike, and camp in our woods, and the tens of  thousands of hours of joy, health, enrichment,  fitness, and fun it has brought is more than worth the risks, and really the worst that has ever happened is a few scrapes, a few porcupine quills, and some lost sleep…Those are pretty excellent odds, and even if Sequel had died, I am certain I would feel the same.

 

Please understand, I am not advocating recklessness: I am amazed at how often I watch people let their dogs out of a car in a parking lot and then pay no attention, or whose dogs are left unattended in homes full of hazards, or whose dogs are meeting groups of large, intense dogs while the owner is 100 feet away. Vigilance and mindful awareness are almost always to be advised with animals…

 

My dog is at risk in a moving car. He is at risk fetching a stick or a ball or wearing a collar. He is at risk at home that my house could catch fire. He is at risk on a dogwalk, or running in a field that might have a mole-hole. He is at risk chewing on a toy or meeting other dogs at a park. He is at risk that some lunatic will put poison on a sidewalk. Heck, I knew a dog recently who was run over while walking on leash in town… The risks from wildlife to a healthy, medium-sized dog in most areas are statistically very, very low. (of course if you live in an area in which risks are greater, you would need to behave accordingly!)

There are undoubtedly a few dogs that die from wildlife encounters each year in this country, or that get lost while out playing in the woods, or slip and fall down a cliff, but there are millions and millions of dogs that die each year obese and bored and with their bodies, minds, and spirits atrophied.  And while you can never perfectly protect your pets from risk, you absolutely can save them from boredom.

Being a good dog owner is not about avoiding risk-it is about balancing risk with richness.  Life is full of adventures, opportunities, and experiences that make our dogs’ lives wonderful, but we must not be so afraid that we avoid them.  I certainly cannot tell anyone else how to find their perfect balance point, but I can say that for me and my dogs, we would rather be injured or die living a rich full life than sit safely at home growing old.

 

One last happy thought: pursuing a full and rich life, will often have the magical side-effect of also maximizing health and longevity.  Our dogs spend their lives sprinting and swimming and leaping and playing as hard as possible, and they virtually all live well into their teens. Flint, our Belgian/Border Colli mix, lies at my feet as I write this, 18 years old. And I can hardly remember a day in his life that he did not fling himself into the unknown with utter abandon and sometimes crazy disregard for any potential risk…

I could probably write more about this topic, but Sequel wants to go for a hike now—back into the same woods, to his favorite swimming hole, and to the meadow to play a fast game of chase with Fig. We may die while playing our favorite games, but first, for sure, we are going to live…

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 Posted by at 10:13 am

What Do I think about the Dog Whisperer?

 General Animal Ownership, Random Thoughts, Training  108 Responses »
Jan 062012
 

­I am asked about Cesar Millan fairly regularly, generally by novice dog owners who are curious as to whether I recommend his show and techniques. This is a reasonable question since Cesar Millan is perhaps the most recognizable and influential dog trainer ever: millions of people watch his show and listen to his advice on how to address behavioral issues with their dogs.  Yet many of the most respected experts in the field consider his techniques to be harmful to dogs, ineffective, and destructive to relationships.

So, what is the truth?  There is no single right answer about how to train animals. We all have opinions, and most of us are certain we know the best way and everyone else is wrong! Most trainers are very good in some areas and less good in other areas. And we all have different goals–one trainer may be much better at helping you achieve a particular objective while another trainer may be much better at something else.

I do not know Millan, and can only comment on what I have observed on television. People are entitled to like Millan’s methods–many people do! And it would be hard to fault his business and marketing savvy… I am not judging anyone’s opinion, merely sharing mine:

I think Cesar Millan is a first-rate bully and a fifth rate trainer. While he does some things well, and offers some excellent advice, in aggregate I do not like what he does to most of the animals with which I have seen him work. He is uninformed, unimaginative, cruel, and absurdly coercive.  The fact that his bullying sometimes works at least temporarily does not make it less offensive.  In my opinion he has hurt far, far more dogs and relationships than he has helped, and of the ones that he has helped, I suspect the recidivism rate is extremely high. He has set dog training back decades. He is dangerously irresponsible. (For example, one person taking 30 dogs off leash to a dogpark ought to be a felony in my opinion)

Let me start with what I like about Millan’s message: exercise, calmness, and leadership.  I absolutely agree that a huge portion of the behavioral issues people see in their dogs can be ameliorated through increased exercise and mental stimulation.  Canids evolved to spend a large portion of their lives active and challenged, and sticking them in a room all day with rich foods and little exercise leads to many problems.  I also agree that canids thrive in an environment with clear boundaries and a calm and strong leader.  This allows them to be relaxed and confident and know how to behave. I also recognize that many average pet homes want a dog that is as “shut-down” as possible: they do not want a happy, curious, and confident pet, they want a pet that just lies quietly in the corner, and Cesar’s techniques are in many instances an effective path to that end.

Now to the negatives about Millan’s techniques:

  1. Impatient: Millan often takes little time to get to know the dog, or to teach it what is desired, or to build a relationship, he simply grabs the dog, puts it into the situation where it is known to have problems, and then corrects it for failure. In most cases, good training is just the opposite of this. You find situations in which the dog can succeed, and then you gradually increase the difficulty of the situation while rewarding the dog for success at each step. Good training is often almost invisible.
  2. Correction first: Millan often hits, chokes, kicks, drags, and electrocutes dogs that do not yet know what is being asked of them as part of a systematic routine of intimidation. There are several steps that should occur before correction: it is very rarely effective to correct or punish a dog that does not yet understand what you are asking.  In many instances Millan could work the dog a little further away from a particular stimulus and teach the dog how to succeed and then get closer, but instead he rushes up, lets the dog fail, and then corrects the heck out of it. This may create good TV drama, but it is patently not in the dog’s best interests.
  3. Micromanaging: Millan often keeps the dogs on such a short leash (literally and figuratively) that they do not learn accountability.  They do not learn to make the right choices and respect the rules, they simply learn to give up and shut down. They learn to do and try nothing because they will get attacked if they move.  Good training allows dogs to feel empowered and instructed; to clearly understand what behaviors are not allowed, and be responsible for making the right choices.
  4. Confrontation: Millan routinely creates confrontation where it does not naturally exist.  This was a popular notion in the 50s—you cannot really train a dog until you have shown it that you are the boss by kicking its butt, so you should make this happen—set up the dog to fail without any training, just so that you can induce a confrontation that you can then win and make sure the dog knows you are stronger, bigger, and tougher. Good trainers absolutely may do this with some animals, but it is fairly rare, and Millan seems to want to go there with almost every dog.
  5. Unimaginative: Millan sometimes uses different tools, but his basic range of techniques is very narrow.  So when he happens to get a dog that needs those techniques he will be very effective, when he happens to get a dog that needs something different he will be very destructive. I would have the same problem if he were purely positive and gave treats for everything—one technique does not work across the board. Good trainers are fabulous problem solvers. They come up with brilliant ways to induce behaviors, change attitudes, and mold responses. They have a remarkable range of techniques that they use to work with different dogs. They can be very positive when needed, very harsh when needed, supportive, quiet, loud, calm, exuberant, etc.
  6. Cruel: Millan chokes dogs till they pass out and he electrocutes them repeatedly until they are biting and terrified. The American Humane Association who monitors animal use on set has requested that Nat. Geo not air some Dog Whisperer episodes because the treatment of the animals is so inhumane. Good training is never cruel.
  7. Archaic / Uneducated:  Millan’s training is essentially exactly what one would have seen in 1950.  But then, what educational background does Millan have?  How many of the relevant books has he read?  Has he made any real effort to learn what others know so that he can improve? Or is he just reinventing unrefined and simplistic dog training? We have learned so much in the last 50 years that it is hard to imagine someone who would not integrate some of that learning into their training. Good trainers avail themselves of available knowledge and science and continually improve. Even the best trainers in the world often attend each others seminars, but I have never seen Cesar…
  8. Isolation:  I am not a huge fan of competition with animals, but occasionally it can be useful to objectively assess how your techniques are working.  Entering an obedience trial, or agility or Schutzhund or whatever, lets you gauge your performance against your peers.  Cesar not only does not compete, he has never, so far as I know, tried any canine competition so he could see where he stands.
  9. Indifference to canine attitude: Millan sacrifices attitude for quick superficial results, and I believe that is very counterproductive. Watch any of the dogs he works, and you will rarely see truly happy dogs, confident dogs, secure, trusting dogs. Good trainers focus on attitude and character—training rules and specific behaviors is essentially trivial. Once you have taught a dog how to learn, how to take cues, how to relax, it is easy to teach specific behaviors.

Adding all of this together, I find Millan’s relationship with the dogs unappealing—I do not see trust, respect, confidence, and adoration, I see subservience, temerity, and learned helplessness.

Millan fans sometimes suggest that those who dislike Millan must be softies who reject notions of control and discipline.  It is absolutely true that some people who dislike Millan do so because they dislike any sort of correction.  However, there are also many, many excellent trainers who do believe in appropriate corrections but who revile Millan’s techniques. Virtually all good trainers impose rules, boundaries, and limits.  Some excellent trainers even use strong corrections when they are appropriate. Go to any canine competition (obedience, French Ring, agility, herding, etc.) and ask around, you will generally find the top people with the best trained and most obedient dogs dislike Millan’s methods, while hordes of novices with unruly dogs are devotees.  Some of the most accomplished trainers in the world dislike his methods, and I assure you their dogs are not disobedient or disrespectful.

I do not understand why many people equate control with intimidation.  Abusive parents who beat or terrorize their children may achieve “control.” So do reasonable parents who set and explain clear boundaries, teach and reward desired behaviors, earn respect and trust, and effectively utilize punishment when necessary.  These good parents or dog trainers absolutely may use intimidation when it is the best option, but it is not the foundation of their relationship—it is not where they start or how they interact most of the time. (I vividly remember the few times my father seriously intimidated me, and they were hugely effective in large part because they were not frequent!)

Perhaps the best place to observe the dichotomy between dominance based training and cooperation based training is in training any wild animal.  Work with a tiger, a grizzly bear, a pack of wolves, an orca, or even a raccoon or squirrel, and you quickly discover that these schools of thought are NOT the same.  Dominance based trainers exert a clear and absolute dominance every moment of interacting—it is imperative that the animal understands that humans have absolute power and should never be challenged.  Non-dominance trainers exert a clear and absolute cooperation every moment—it is imperative that the animal understands that humans are their friends and are not going to challenge them or hurt them. While a single trainer may utilize both attitudes at different times, if you switch back and forth with these animals, you have a VERY short career—suddenly showing weakness to a wild animal that has been dominated, or suddenly showing dominance to a wild animal used to cooperation generally elicits extremely undesirable results… Each attitude can be powerfully effective, but they are essentially different in far more than language. (I think it is important to concede that even many of the most cooperative trainers do have a line that cannot be crossed.  A point at which dominance training does come into play.  A point at which they say, “You have no choice here, you must do what I say.”  The critical distinction is that they strive to help the animal avoid crossing that line, rather than regularly luring the animal across that line so that they can have an “opportunity” to dominate and intimidate some more…)

If your primary method of control is intimidation, the animals you train learn that intimidation and power are tools to get what you want.  Sooner or later these animals may well decide to try to get what they want using intimidation.  This is what happens eventually to most animal bullies in the wild, and is extremely dangerous.  So I elect to use cooperation and leadership so that they learn that I am a powerful and benevolent leader who will help them get what they want in the world.  I outsmart them by making sure that their success coincides with my desires until they reflexively and habitually do what I ask. I am smarter, but not stronger or faster, so it makes sense to use my intellectual advantage rather than bluffing about a physical advantage.

There is a genuine distinction between a leader who is revered and idolized and a leader who is feared, and I personally believe that being revered leads to better working, more reliable, happier, healthier dogs, but I rarely see this occur on Millan’s show.  I see bullying and intimidation instead of leading and teaching.

It makes me profoundly sad to think that such a bully is out there working with dogs every day, but far worse is that so many people do not see his techniques for what they are.  That millions of people still see intimidation and cruelty as viable leadership techniques makes me sad indeed.

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 Posted by at 9:15 am

Maximize Pet Longevity

 Animal Care, General Animal Ownership  1 Response »
Nov 222011
 

This past week our Mal-n-Collie “Flint” turned 18, and several people asked me a question that we hear fairly often, so I thought I would address it here: what are we doing that is allowing our dogs to consistently exceed, or at least push the upper limits of, the expected lifespan for their breed?

Of course, the answer is that I do not know—we do many things, and without conducting a careful study it is impossible to know which of these things are significantly contributing to our pets’ longevity. But here, in roughly descending order of importance, are the things I believe are most important:

 

Low stress: this is perhaps the single most important ingredient in keeping your dog young.  Nearly every time I spend time around other people and their dogs, I can feel my anxiety climbing—so many unclear rules, so much correcting, nagging, yelling.  So many conflicting requirements, or vague paths to success that change depending on circumstance or mood. Be mindful of your dogs stress level.  Use good management techniques to avoid stress.

Exercise: not walking on leash, or running for a minute around an agility course, but real exercise.  Exercise that gets their heart rate to 80% or more of max for prolonged periods several times each week.  Exercise that pushes their muscles nearly to the point of failure repeatedly. Sprinting up sand dunes, swimming hard, pulling weights, tugging for all they are worth, work their hearts and lungs and large muscles and small muscles and…

Weight: study after study has demonstrated that calorie restriction is one of the greatest prolongers of life, health, and comfort. Honestly, I get so frustrated when people say their dogs are fat because they love them too much to feed them less.  Grow up and quit feeding your dog too much. Keep them lean and they will live years longer and be more comfortable.

Diet: we feed a very carefully planned natural diet with minimal grains.

Minimal vaccinations: not only are multiple vaccinations implicated in many ailments, but also the adjuvants contained in most vaccinations are detrimental to health.  This is not to say that you should not vaccinate, but you should utilize the fewest number of vaccinations that is likely to provide adequate protection in your circumstances.

Minimal toxins: we are very mindful of toxins.  We live way out in the woods away from urban poisons, our dogs drink well-water, we use almost no herbicides or other toxins on our property, we almost never put topical flea or tick treatments on our dogs, we feed from inert bowls, we use least-harmful cleaning products and do not let our pets near them.

Diverse Enrichment: have you ever noticed that some people as they age just get bored and lethargic and sit in their comfortable chair waiting to die, while other people are still active and engaged?  And the lethargic people generally wither away, while the engaged people stay younger longer…  A similar phenomenon seems to occur in animals.  I often go over peoples’ homes and their dogs are lying in the same spot, going on the same walk, essentially experiencing the same day over and over and over.  Sure, they are still eager to go for a walk or get dinner, but there is very little novelty or excitement. Give your dogs new experiences, new treats, fun games.  Give them challenges to overcome and puzzles to solve. Maintaining neural plasticity protects youthfulness.

Joy: being happy is a powerful energizer.  Play with your dogs, wrestle with them, have them chase you.  Laugh and smile and be happy together.

Temperature/climate: in general it seems that dogs who spend most or all of their time outdoors age more quickly. So I would suggest keeping them inside, particularly when the temperature or weather deviates more than a little bit from ideal.

I genuinely believe that quality is more important than quantity when it comes to life.  However, for the most part, pursuit of either results in an increase in both.  So give your pets low-stress, healthy, rich, and happy lives, and they will live the longest they can…

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 Posted by at 7:14 am

Unpredictable?

 Exotic Animals, General Animal Ownership  3 Responses »
May 232011
 

One common argument as to why animals of species that have not been domesticated for thousands of years should not be kept as pets is that they are “unpredictable” and might be sweet one minute and aggressive the next.  A few days ago I read an interesting article making this argument and illustrating the premise with an anecdote:  a person was playing with her pet raccoon and having a lovely time, and then she spilled her soda and the raccoon started drinking up the liquid and when she tried to pick up the animal and take him away from the spillage, he snarled and attempted to bite her.

This interesting anecdote; however, does not at all demonstrate “unpredictability.”  In fact, it illustrates the diametric opposite: that animals (wild or domestic) will in certain circumstances behave EXACTLY as a rational person would expect them to behave—like animals.  Animals will sometimes guard resources that they value: they will use their voice, their expression, and their teeth or claws to get what they want.  Predators will sometime try to kill prey animals.  Animals will sometimes fight for dominance or social position.  Animals have moods.  Animals have hormones.  Animals are not dolls, and not angelic Disney creatures. Unless you have worked very hard to remedy such behavior, pretty much every raccoon in the world will—predictably —behave exactly as hers did.

This does NOT mean they cannot be wonderful pets and companions.  If what you want is a companion that will be perfectly benign and never do anything untoward, get a teddy bear.  Animals are slightly more complex.  They require that those who interact with them possess a modicum of sense, pay attention to their language and behavior, and be aware and respectful of their capabilities.

Animals have been behaving this way for millennia and will continue to behave this way.  Not only wild animals, ALL animals…  Even within the most domesticated species, individuals will sometimes act in accordance with their wild natures.  This does not make them unpredictable and it does not make them bad pets.  It simply makes them living, breathing individuals with teeth and claws and personalities.  And isn’t that precisely why we choose to share our lives with them?

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 Posted by at 8:25 am

Celebrate Challenge in a Life of Leisure

 Animal Care, General Animal Ownership  No Responses »
Dec 012009
 

Every conscientious animal lover wrestles with the question: what is the best, happiest, longest, richest life for an animal? Parents, zoos, Disney, rehabilitators, rescue groups, and July09PlaygroundTrip002animal rights organizations have relentlessly asserted that, “Animals belong in the wild; nature is beautiful, peaceful, and good; captivity is bad; if you love animals, leave them alone; animals are happier in the wild than in captivity; animals need freedom to be happy; if an animal ‘must’ be in captivity, the highest goal is to recreate a wild life as faithfully as possible.”

Animal lovers should set aside such propaganda and honestly examine this issue and decide for themselves what is truly best for each animal. While a “natural” existence is one possible life, in many cases humans can provide a better life for an animal in our world than it could enjoy in the wild: not merely an acceptable alternative, but a better life.  Recreating nature should not be our objective: nature is brutal and unforgiving, and most wild animals live harsh, brief lives fraught with danger, hardship, and pain. Long ago man came in from the wild, sacrificing some theoretical freedoms for safety and comfort in a civilized world. Almost immediately, animals began following us, and most animals if given a choice will elect to live with man rather than in the wild.

If a person cannot provide for an animal a life that equals or surpasses the life it would live in the wild, then he should not commit to possessing the animal. The only intrinsic difference between a wild animal and a pet is that the pet has a caring, competent person dedicated to tending to its every need.  Keeping most animals in an authentically “natural” way – even if such a thing were possible – would be neglectful, abusive, and unconscionable. We can and must do better than “the wild.”

Furthermore, because man has overrun the entire planet, “the wild” is essentially a thing of the past, a haunted memory.  There are grievously few authentically wild places left on the globe, and many species are near extinction for the simple reason that there is no wild place left for them to live.

We should carefully study natural existence as a starting point from which we create optimal lives for our pets. We must set aside human preferences and rigorously evaluate every decision from the animal’s perspective.  We may like cleanliness, but pig will rarely prefer a clean enclosure.  We may like bright colors and lights, but many animals do not.  We may like fluffy fabric beds, but furred animals may not care about texture and would prefer a material that is cooler and cannot harbor parasites. We may like the notion of an animal lounging comfortably in an huge meadow, but the animal might prefer to be in a small cave. What is ideal for one animal might be miserable for another. Forget about what you like, or what you think will look good to your friends, and focus on what is truly best for the individual.

Two primary arenas demand our attention in animal care: the physiological and the psychological.

Ensuring excellent physiological care is relatively straightforward: wild animals are inundated with fleas, ticks, intestinal worms, heartworms, flies, mosquitoes, and other parasites from which our pets should be kept free. Wild animals spend much of their life without enough food or water, or drinking brackish filthy water; our pets should have clean, fresh water at all times along with high quality balanced meals and vitamins, supplements, and treats to ensure maximal health. Wild animals are shot, poisoned, leg-trapped, and struck by vehicles. They are under constant stress and are held captive by geographic boundaries or other animals’ ranges. They are hunted and killed by animals of other species and regularly dominated or attacked by members of their own species in territorial or mating disputes; our pets should have ample space without threat of predation or injury and appropriate companionship. Wild animals are uncomfortably cold and wet or hot most of the time; our pets should be kept close to an ideal temperature at all times, and have access to dry clean bedding and shelter. Wild animals are unvaccinated against even the most common diseases and their injuries and illnesses go untreated and are often agonizing and eventually fatal; our pets should be given excellent preventive care, any injury treated immediately, any pain carefully managed, and as appropriate they should receive massage, chiropractic adjustments, homeopathy, acupuncture, etc. Our pets should receive well-planned exercise and regular grooming. Consequently they live an average of two to three times longer than their wild counterparts, and for much more of their lives they should be healthy, robust, and comfortable.IMG_2049

For some animals, particularly some fish, reptiles, and amphibians, meeting all of their physiological requirements may suffice to ensure an excellent life, but for many animals it is every bit as important to consider their psychological welfare. Our pets’ psychological needs are often subtle, and meeting them requires thought and careful observation. Recently I had the pleasure of visiting an excellent wolf facility with fabulous enclosures: acre upon acre of beautiful and natural space, regular natural food, wolves in pairs with virtually all of their requirements met.  They were free to lounge where they wanted, had virtually no demands made upon them, and had hardly any stress in their lives.  At first blush, it seemed excellent.  Yet I found myself feeling profoundly sad as I walked around and looked at the animals. They had not found a home in man’s world; they were captive wild animals, caught between two worlds, living in extremely nice cages. Our host carefully explained that these were not pets, but I found myself wondering, “Why not?”  Why not welcome them into our world and cherish them and give them the very best of both worlds? Their lives seemed empty: comfortable and safe, but with little purpose, little joy. (I was only there for a few minutes, and they may have great lives at other times; I am not commenting on their existence, only on my “feelings…”)

Driving home, I thought at length about why those animals’ lives did not seem rich to me, and I kept returning to the same notion: for millennia, canids have spent much of their time struggling: hunting, searching for water, digging a den, trying to cross a river, courting a mate. Their bodies, their minds, their endocrine systems, even their “spirits,” have evolved in the fire of struggle, and their health, fitness, and happiness are all linked to meeting and overcoming challenges.

When we take care of an animal, we remove danger and challenge in its life, but in doing so we risk removing most of the joy that comes from accomplishment.  This may sound a little anthropomorphic—that animals would share our sense of joy at having achieved goals. But if you carefully observe an animal for a protracted period, it seems clear that they relish accomplishment.  Solving a puzzle to get food, chewing through something large, dragging a log up a bank, catching a fly, digging a hole, winning a wrestling match – these are favorite activities of most canids. If you have ever watched a goat or a squirrel eating, you may have observed that they will often forgo easy food in preference for identical food that is more challenging to acquire.

Truly excellent animal care balances comfort and safety with challenges, obstacles, and activities that fulfill the animal’s nature, preclude boredom, promote exercise, and develop confidence. Be creative, and think about what would genuinely stimulate your animal.

Here are a few suggestions. Not all of them will fit your circumstances, but hopefully they will get you thinking about how to enrich your animal’s life:

First, some general concepts to remember:

  • Safety: observe anything you give and make sure it is safe and does not overly stress your animal. Anticipate any way he could ingest, get stuck, fall, etc.
  • Change: anything new and different is enriching.
  • Response contingency: one of the best things your animal can learn is that he can influence the environment to cause a desired outcome. This decreases stress and increases learning in new situations as well as decreasing boredom!
  • Stress: too much stress can be bad, but that does not mean all stress is. Fear and stress at reasonable levels are natural and healthy.
  • Problem solving: many of these ideas are based on this notion.  Create a problem and a motivation to solve that problem, and you have enriched their day.
  • Physical challenges: resist the temptation to make life as easy as possible. The point here is to make things challenging.
  • Learning: grasping new concepts and new games, remembering tricks and outcomes, these actually develop new neural paths. This not only increases your animal’s knowledge, it increases his confidence and willingness to try new things and his capacity to experience the world.
  • Habit forming: everything you do is teaching habits and reinforcing behaviors, so consider what you are training with any new activity.

And here are some specific suggestions:

  • Training, Training, Training!!  You teaching new behaviors is the single greatest source of novelty!  Not just obedience, try freestyle or teach a few tricks.
  • Play.  Remember, play is a great stress reliever, so spend time each day consciously playing with your animal. Wrestle, play chase, etc.  If appropriate and safe, also let them play with other animals of their own and other species.
  • Varied feeding times, locations, and quantities.  Searching for and securing food is one of the primary activities of any wild canid. It is a good thing if your animal is hungry sometimes!
  • Kong stuffed with treats. (Stick a Nylabone in the end to make it last longer)
  • A fountain that sprays for five minute after animal presses a large button.July09PlaygroundTrip105
  • Chicken broth giant ice cubes–these can be given to the animal, or hung so they drip all day.
  • Buster cube or any object with food that comes out a hole.
  • Large hard Plaque attacker. (observe for the first few days make sure no large pieces are being removed and eaten)
  • New locations: rotate their enclosure, build separate play yards they can go into, take them to new places—beach, mall, mountains, car rides, etc.
  • Hanging tire.
  • Tug toy from a rope attached up high to a rubber spring or you play tug with them yourself.
  • Knuckle bones.
  • Wobble board or large ball on which you teach the animal to balance. (Great for proprioception)
  • Treadmill or underwater treadmill.
  • Loose crickets, mice, or rats. (assuming your stomach and ethics do not object)
  • Feeder fish in pool. (assuming your stomach and ethics do not object)
  • Container that has food inside.
  • Different surfaces– bark, sand, rock, grass, astro-turf, metal, tile, plastic, etc.
  • Button to press that plays a song.
  • An endless pool.
  • A wind chime hung high.
  • Some little mirrors or a disco-ball hung high that will make lights move around as they blow in the wind.
  • Tunnel.
  • A sprinkler or other water-spraying device, especially if the water moves.
  • Hang food where they cannot get to it, and give them a platform they can drag and climb on to get the food.  It is even ok if sometimes they cannot succeed. Failure and hunger are parts of a full life too.
  • Sounds– sometimes play stereo or TV, sometimes sounds of nature or dog shows.  Make a loud noise, put food next to it, and let them spend the day working up the courage to get near it.
  • Smells– sometimes spray a new cologne at the base of a tree or other object. Place in their pen a blanket from another animal.
  • Set up an aromatherapy infuser.
  • Water in which to play.
  • Visual barriers.
  • Boomer balls.Annie9weeksold128
  • An animal in an adjacent enclosure.
  • A slide with treats at the top.
  • A hole to dig in.
  • Nylabones slathered in cream cheese.
  • Do not feed in the morning and hide food around enclosure. (bury some and put some up high, etc.)
  • New foods- broccoli, bananas, beef, even hot peppers or other things they may dislike.
  • Big branches or old dead tree.
  • Beam or plank on which to walk.
  • Device that blows bubbles.
  • Massage or T-touch.
  • Big wooden box with various openings leading to food–some should have screw on lids, others sliding lids, others the food should be out of reach, etc.
  • Buy or build toys with sliding doors that have to be moved to get to food. (Like tic tac toe)
  • Build device that requires several steps to get food– pull one lever than go to other side of run and pull another and get treat.
  • Vertical levels– build platforms at different heights and with ramps and steps, hammocks, etc.
  • CHANGE– move stuff around, add stuff, take things out, etc.

Caring for any pet is a profound responsibility.  We must constantly, objectively, and without ego, defensiveness, or self-interest, examine the lives we provide for our animals.  We need to look at the whole picture and question whether the job we are doing is sufficient.  At the end of each day we need to evaluate that day from our animal’s perspective: Was it perfect?  Was it good enough?  Can I do better tomorrow? Did they get enough attention, ideal nutrition, optimal exercise? Were they lonely or bored?  Were their brains and hearts engaged?  Were they comfortable? Was their day better than it would have been in the wild?

Ask friends with differing experience and perspectives to visit your home and provide input on any areas in which your animals’ lives could be improved, and be open to their suggestions.

Some animals live in the wild. Nature and chance dictate the quality and duration of their lives.  Other animals live with us, filling our lives with wonder and joy, and it falls to us to ensure that those animals have lives that are not only safer, more comfortable and longer than they would be in the wild, but also richer and fuller.

July09PlaygroundTrip234

Note: As published in “Wolfdogs” magazine.

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 Posted by at 7:54 am

Should you “clip” your dog to help it stay cool during summer?

 Animal Care, General Animal Ownership  1 Response »
May 202009
 

In general, dogs should not be clipped in order to keep them cool. Logically and empirically, clipped dogs tend to be warmer in summer.  The canine coat is well designed to protect against environmental irritants and dirt, as well as shedding water and maintaining body temperature, and the whole system works so well that I see no reason to mess with it.  If it were too hot for my dogs I would alter the environment by moving or cooling or…  I tend to spend really hot days swimming in the pond or creek—cool everyone off, exercise everyone, and kill any parasites that are flourishing in the summer heat…

 

(If all you are interested in is the “answer”, stop reading here… )

 

However, the apocryphal logic commonly articulated is, in my opinion, erroneous.  Many people seem to believe that that the virtue of leaving the coat intact is its insulating value and/or dead air space.  This is not true—one does not want to insulate a hot canine body on a hot day. If you doubt this, here are a few examples: 

 

1.         Mammals in hot climates have evolved almost universally with far less undercoat.

 

2.         Mammals almost always shed out as much as possible of their undercoat in the warm months.

 

3.         Heat moves from higher area to lower. This process is slowed by insulation.  In most circumstances on our planet this means that heat is traveling from the dog outward.  Insulation will slow this process. 

 

4.         Next time it is really hot, go outside and get in a down sleeping bag.  Tell me if you think insulation helps you stay cool. Of course it is not a perfect parallel since our bodies cool somewhat differently from dogs, but it does illustrate the fundamental notion—heat dissipation is retarded by insulation!

 

5.         Go for a walk this summer with a Malamute and a Saluki.  Observe.

 

6.         Look at a Bedouin.  When they dress for extreme heat, they wear a thin, light-colored outer layer which is loose and light to allow airflow while reducing direct solar heating.  They avoid insulation.

 

If you think about the above, you will quickly see why clipping is contraindicated—it removes the outer shell and leaves only insulation! As time passes the insulating layer grows, and the dog has even more insulation and still no shell!  What you want to do is leave a thin outer shell layer to block direct solar heating, but remove as much as possible the insulation provided by the undercoat so that airflow is maximized.  Hence the virtue of rakes, coat-kings, blowers, and other tools that help the natural process of removing undercoat while leaving guard coat.  If you understand this logic, you can also see that in some cases it might be advised to clip a particular dog—say a Malamute in a warm climate that had tons of undercoat and very little guard coat—this dog might in fact stay cooler without the insulation as long as you kept the clip short all summer.  But for almost every dog, maximal cooling will be ensured by leaving the guard hairs and raking out the insulating undercoat!!

The one obvious exception to this general logic is when the ambient temperature in the area around your dog exceeds their body temperature.  In this case, one might argue that shaving would improve the rate at which heat can dissipate, and I suspect this is true; however, in all truth, if it is over 102 degrees, I would find more effective solutions—air conditioning, misting, swimming, relocating, etc. 

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 Posted by at 8:31 am

Where to get your next dog

 General Animal Ownership  7 Responses »
Feb 282009
 

img_2663Considerable media and public attention have recently centered on the question of where a responsible person can look to find just the right animal. Many of the loudest voices offering opinions have been somewhat disingenuous. People and organizations such as PETA and HSUS, who believe that animals do not belong in captivity and that all pet owners and breeders are unconscionable, are not really offering advice on how to find the best puppy, they are offering advice that advances their agenda of exterminating all dogs as soon as possible. Additionally, the notion that adopting a dog from a shelter is the most humane option has become so politically correct that it is virtual blasphemy to recommend alternative sources, and many celebrities and other superficial animal lovers simply parrot this advice without seriously contemplating what is best for new owners, individual dogs, or dogs in general.

As a professional animal trainer who has had the opportunity to work with many animals from every background but is neither a breeder nor a fulltime rescuer it will perhaps be useful if I share an unbiased but informed examination of the primary options.  Keep in mind that wonderful individuals can come from anywhere, presently half our dogs are from breeders and half are rescues, so this is on no way intended to make anyone feel bad about their pet-these are general trends and observations.

There is one answer to this question that should eclipse all others: make absolutely certain you are committed to keeping and caring for a pet for its entire lifetime, do sufficient research, and then get the animal you are most likely to keep: a physically and mentally healthy individual that is well suited to your lifestyle. This is not only best for you and your pet, it is the best thing you can do to ensure no dogs are needlessly killed in the future-if everyone keeps their dogs and does not dump them there will be no dogs to kill.

Before examining your options, let me point out one other important issue: when you select a dog you are making a decision that impacts you, the animal you select, all the animals you do not select, and has an impact on the supply and demand equation.

Do not let your judgment be clouded by people advocating that “rescue” is the only right answer.  Every single available animal needs rescuing-not from the shelter, not from the breeder, not even from the puppy mill, but from the far greater evil of the last century: the casual owner who is going to acquire a cute animal and then dump it as soon as it becomes more work.  A simple truth-the dogs at the shelter come from every conceivable background: puppy mills, pet stores,  strays, thoughtless families who breed dogs to make some money or show the kids the miracle of birth.  Many of these dogs came from another shelter that adopted them out previously.  Wherever a puppy begins its life, it will end up in the same unhappy place unless people live up to their responsibility.  Acquiring a dog ought to entail an absolute commitment to doing whatever is necessary to care for that animal for the next twenty years.  Months should be spent doing research-learning about the care, training, health, psychology, etc.  Determining whether a mix or a particular breed is best suited to your circumstances and expectations.  Learning about nutritional and medical issues, fencing in a yard, finding a good vet, purchasing toys and supplies, etc.  And above all else, making sure that you have the time, dedication, resources, and commitment to deal with whatever challenges may arise with that pet.

Breeders

This group comprises a wide range of people with various motives and beliefs.  Some of them only breed one litter in a lifetime, others breed many litters. Some of them breed hoping to make money, or to show their children the miracle of birth, others breed to produce the best puppies they can, to improve the breed, to win at shows.

Some have dogs crammed in little cages, others have palatial estates with pools and heated floors and canine nutritionists. Some know very little about dogs, others are knowledgeable almost beyond belief.

Good breeders are passionate about their animals and their breed.  In fact, most of them would be considered obsessed by mainstream Americans. They not only find their puppies excellent homes, but they provide lifetime support and education, and if it ever becomes necessary the take the dogs back years later and make sure they have excellent lives no matter what. They devote themselves to acquiring the knowledge and skills required to breed and raise puppies that are well adjusted, healthy, and conform to a well-considered standard for physiological and behavioral characteristics. Most good breeders operate at a financial loss and continue their efforts out of dedication and passion.

One of the biggest advantages to getting a dog from a breeder is age: puppies that have been raised by responsible breeders already have many good habits, and they are still young enough that you can nurture them into becoming the best possible dogs.

Some people argue that breeding is unconscionable by definition-that so long as dogs are being killed every year we have no business producing more.  This is simply wrong. If we stop breeding there will be no dogs in ten years, and if the good breeders stop, we will have simply eliminated the very people who are breeding healthy excellent dogs.  There is little question that too many dogs are being bred, but we need to be intelligent and eliminate the breeders who are doing a bad job, not the ones doing a good job.

Good breeders are the future of dogs. In a perfect world everyone would get their puppies from good breeders and no other options would exist-these are the people doing it most correctly.  “Animal Rights” advocates feel that all animals should be freed from captivity.  One of the most effective tools they have to further this agenda is to vilify all breeders and encourage people to get animals only from shelters.  Obviously, if they can eliminate all breeders they will eliminate all pets within one generation. So do not accept propaganda that all breeders are irresponsible.

Pet stores

Most informed animal lovers assume that pet stores are bad-they get their puppies from a wide range of breeders many of whom are unscrupulous (most upstanding breeders refuse to place puppies in pet stores), their puppies are generally not well-bred or adequately socialized, have often been over-vaccinated, roughly handled, and learned many bad habits like barking and going to the bathroom in their cages whenever they have the urge. They are often kept in too-small cages for far too long.

I will go out on a limb here and say something politically incorrect: there is nothing innately wrong with pet stores.  If a pet store gets a puppy from a reputable source and does an excellent job with that puppy, then I would have nothing against that pet store.  I have not personally ever seen this happen, and I have visited many pet stores, but there is no theoretical reason why it could not occur.

Shelters, pounds, rescues, humane societies

While the motives are often different, in many practical ways, these facilities are similar to pet stores: they take in animals that often come from the same places as pet store puppies, place them in homes, charge money, and try to generate enough revenue to stay in business. Whether you call this selling, adopting, or rescuing, the basic idea is the same and the advantages and drawbacks are the same.  They are often underfunded and overcrowded, and dog fights, substandard medical attention, inadequate nutrition, and neglect are every bit as common in bad shelters as at bad breeders. Some of the most unhappy animals I have ever encountered have been standing in the middle of an overcrowded run at a shelter with their eyes closed willing themselves to be anywhere else.

The history, health, and genetic inclinations of shelter dogs are usually unknown. Most shelters and rescues have a cookie cutter approach to veterinary care which results in the animals being extremely overvaccinated, over-exposed to toxins, fed poor quality food, spayed or neutered often at an extremely young age, and exposed to a huge number of diseases.  It should be assumed that any dog coming from a shelter is in compromised health.

In addition to health issues, many shelter dogs have behavioral issues. Some of them came to the shelter because of behaviors that were unlivable and unsolvable for at least one family already: housebreaking, barking, biting, jumping on people, etc. Some of them developed behavioral issues while in the shelter. Often these can be fixed, but unlearning bad habits is generally harder then learning good habits in the first place. It is an unfortunate logical truth that most of the people who have the skill and dedication to maximize a puppies development and socialization do not then dump that dog at the shelter, so “most” of the dogs that end up at the shelter are those who were raised by the sort of people who dump dogs at shelters, and these are not generally people who nurture and actualize a puppy’s potential.

Probably the biggest behavioral drawback to shelter dogs is not a bad behavior, but the absence of certain “good” habits that can be cultivated in the first few months of a dog’s life but are far more difficult to create later in life:

  • Being with your people is desirable: dogs are born with a very strong desire to stay close to mom. Smart owners nurture and develop this instinct so that, by 6 months, the dog not only comes when called, but also just tends to stay with you. Inexperienced owners teach the dog the opposite. Either by correcting the dog when near or by simply ignoring the dog, they teach him to wander off and entertain himself, and often to run away when called.
  • Learning is fun: a well-reared puppy learns early that life involves a never-ending game of training. They are very attentive to their owner and essentially always eager to hear their owner say something because they love to play the training game. They want to hear a command because each command represents an opportunity for them to win praise and treats and generally have a good time.
  • New people, sights, and sounds are fun: a well socialized dog is unafraid. He has learned that the world is full of strange things, but that each one is an exciting new adventure full of praise and play.

We have trained many shelter dogs, and many of them have been excellent dogs that have achieved great success. But as a general rule, dogs can be much more successful and happy if they are carefully nurtured from a young age. Shelters are somewhat similar to human prisons-there are many wonderful individuals if you know what to look for, but many have had less than ideal pasts.

A Practical Solution

If you seriously look at the various options for where to get a pet, you will likely reach the conclusion that the business model is not the issue: breeder, rescue, shelter, humane society, and pet store are terms that are often used to evoke emotional prejudices, but in truth any of them can be excellent sources of animals OR very bad sources. In my experience, the best place to find a healthy dog with a good temperament is at a good breeder: more breeders do an excellent job and are able to meet my criteria than rescues, shelters, or pet stores.  But if you research carefully and do a good job evaluting both the situation and the individual animal you can theoretically find a wonderful dog in any of these circumstances.

If you want to get the best puppy for yourself AND do the best thing you can do for future dogs, ignore the label and focus on the level of excellence they bring to the process. If consumers insist on getting healthy and good tempered animals from excellent sources, substandard sources will quickly disappear.

Go to various shelters, rescues, pet stores, and breeders and see how they compare to relevant and objective criteria.  Your precise criteria may differ from mine, and you may find a particular source that excels in some areas so much that you are willing to compromise on others, but here is a basic set of criteria that I start with:

  • Integrity: is honest with others and himself-every other point on this list depends on a person being willing and able to be completely honest about everything relating to their animals, and to be unbiased and careful in his evaluation of himself, his knowledge, and his animals.
  • Balance: this is a subtle but important issue for me. Many people become too focused on one attribute and forget about others. They are so focused on looks that they sacrifice health, or so focused on health that they neglect temperament. I look for someone who remains focused on the big picture of producing happy, healthy, wonderful dogs.
  • Cares about each animal, treats it as part of his family forever.
  • An appropriate ratio of people to animals so that each animal receives adequate quality time and attention
  • Any breedings are based on the parent’s appropriate temperament, freedom from congenital and hereditary defects, and qualities.
  • All breeding aims for health, temperament, conformation, and type
  • Honestly and objectively evaluates animals-not kennel blind or unrealistic.
  • Experienced and knowledgeable with breed
  • Environment
    • Maintains all animals in clean, healthy, humane conditions.
    • Environment is rich and full
    • Animals receive adequate opportunity to be outside
    • Animals receive adequate exercise
  • Health
    • All animals are given proper veterinary care
    • Does not over or under vaccinate, and remains current on pros and cons of vaccines in order to decide which inoculations are appropriate.
    • Feeds an appropriate and high quality food.
    • Tests for currently known genetic issues within the breed. (OFA or PennHip certification on hips and elbows, cardiologist examination, annual eye exams, thyroid tests, etc.)
    • Only breeds animals of known histories
    • Is aware of health problems in at least 3 generations of pedigree vertically and horizontally for each animal.
    • No animal bred before at least 2 years old
    • Makes spay/neuter decisions based on the best interests of the individual animal
  • Number of litters
    • No unplanned litters
    • No bitch bred more often than every other heat cycle
    • No bitch bred unless she is in optimal health
  • Education
    • Veterinary knowledge
    • Genetics
    • Diet
    • Behavior
    • Developmental psychology
    • Structure
    • History of other breeds to avoid the same mistakes
  • Placement
    • Requires return of animal if ever placement is required.
    • Requires health checks on all animals, regardless of if they are ever to be bred, andcollects results into a database.
    • Has more homes lined up than puppies expected and is prepared to keep each puppy as long as it takes to find an ideal home.
    • Interviews and screens thoroughly-requires referrals and calls them.
    • Honest about the qualities of the animals. Explains the good points and the bad.
    • Never promotes animals in a way to encourage reluctant buyers
    • Never places animals with anyone who does not seem entirely certain they want an animal for the next 15 years.
    • Explains the challenges of animal ownership honestly and carefully. Makes sure that buyers are prepared for the worst case.
    • Educates buyers on diet, socialization, training, husbandry, etc.
    • Carefully matches each animal with each home and will not place an animal if it is not a good match.
    • Carefully evaluates animals-notes available for review.
    • Does not place puppies too young-age depends on individual puppy and home to which it is going.
    • Requires return of animal if ever placement is required.
  • Post-placement follow-up
    • Stays in touch for lifetime.
    • Takes back any animal any time.
    • Available as resource forever.
    • Encourages buyers to call them with every question.
    • Enforces contract.
  • Guarantee
    • Explains that a guarantee is not a promise that a genetic health problem won’t occur, but a promise about what will happen if it does.
    • Guarantees puppies for five years or longer.
    • Guarantee is not limited to a replacement puppy from the same breeder-option for cash refund.
  • Records
    • Goes through each document point-by-point and ensures that the buyer understands and agrees with each point.
    • Supplies proof of health testing on parents and relatives.
    • Supplies purchasers with accurate and valid 4 generation pedigree
    • Supplies purchasers with a written contract of sale
    • Supplies written guarantee
    • Supplies instructions for care, upbringing and training.
    • Supplies recommended reading list.
    • Keeps accurate breeding records, registration papers, and pedigrees.
  • Socialization
    • All animals are well socialized
    • At least one person is available full time to puppies.
    • Excellent socialization plan from day 1 through placement
  • Canine Activities
    • Has participated in canine activities enough to have an idea of what drives and behaviors are required. Has a basic understanding of obedience and other areas in which people may want to participate.
  • Breed Betterment
    • Participates in health studies
    • Participates in educational activities
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Do Exotic Animals Make Good Pets?

 Ethics of animal ownership, Exotic Animals, General Animal Ownership  10 Responses »
Feb 052009
 

“Do exotic animals make good pets?” is one of the most common sentences I hear, often with the words jeckyldecember1092“exotic animals” replaced with a particular animal, and there is never a good answer because it is the wrong question!  There is broad array of animals and an even broader array of human preferences, so the right question is, “Would this particular type of animal make a good pet for me right now?” 

Let me clarify this with a metaphor:  Is a Ferrari a good car?  If you are looking for a reliable vehicle that gets good gas mileage, has low cost of ownership, and can transport your children to soccer practice, NO!  If you are looking for a safe vehicle for your reckless 17 year old son, NO!  If you are looking for a beautiful Italian sports car that goes very fast and impresses the ladies, YES!  Is a Ferrari dangerous?  That depends entirely on the driver. Most people should not get a Ferrari, but for those who should it is a perfect choice. Same thing with any animal, domestic, wild, or exotic—if the particular animal fits into your lifestyle and you understand and accept the compromises required to care for that animal, you can have a wonderful and safe experience that is deeply rewarding for both you and the animal. If you do not fully understand what you are getting into, there is a high likelihood that both you and the animal will be miserable…

Speak candidly with as many people as possible who have experience with the animal you are considering, and gather as much information as you can about the pros and cons of the animal.  Be honest with them about your lifestyle, personality, and concerns, and listen carefully to everything they say.  Spend some time around a few animals that are similar to what you are considering, and not only for a few minutes on their best behavior—offer to help clean cages, give them a bath, babysit for a weekend, whatever you can do to really understand what life with this animal is like.  Once you understand the negatives, you need to do three things carefully:

1.       Envision the worst case scenario.  You will likely do better than the worst case, but maybe not, so be prepared! Listen to all the negatives and imagine that you get an animal that does ALL of the worst things you hear.  Think about these negatives in the context of your preferences—are you tidy, quiet, like to sleep late, squeamish about feeding certain things, etc. Will you still be happy with that animal?

2.       Really, carefully imagine what those negatives mean over the lifetime of the animal.  It is easy to say that you do not mind being kept up overnight by noise, but by year seven you may not feel the same way.  It is easy to say you do not mind odor, or cleaning up many times per day, or having your couch chewed up, but imagine how you will feel when you have been living with that negative for years.  When I got a crow, I was warned that they poop lots. Big deal, I have plenty of animals that poop lots… But a few years later, it IS a big deal.  I change my shirt 10 times every day, and mop the floor and wipe the couch and clean the wall and the seats in the car…  How will you feel about those negative later if you get married or have children?  How will you feel when you cannot go on vacation because you cannot find anyone to watch your animal? Genuinely and carefully think about this…

3.       Research the laws and regulations concerning the animal you want to own.  Federal, state, county, city, etc.  Make sure that you understand the rules so you do not risk yourself or your animal by breaking them.

All of these issues should be exactly the same whether you are getting a goldfish, cat, dog, monkey, wolf, or lion. If you go through these steps and are certain that you are prepared to live with the animal for its lifetime and make the requisite compromises, then you and the animal will likely have a wonderful experience.  Do as much research as possible, find a responsible breeder who has great animals and will give you support, get everything set up, and go for it! But if you are at all unsure, take more time to think about it: this is an important decision that will impact you and the animal for many years to come…

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