The dog can be overwhelmed in a shelter and experienced “learned helplessness”, leading him to completely shut down

When a dog arrives in a shelter, he is going through an incredibly frightening and stress-filled experience.  Depending on what is known about them, these dogs can spend time isolated in quarantine, interacting with a minimum of shelter personnel until they are vaccinated and checked for communicable diseases or medical conditions.  Behavior evaluations are also done during these periods, generally for the benefit of shelter staff and to determine any safety issues in handling the dogs.  But these intake evaluations can be very misleading[i].

In any case, the dogs have been removed from their familiar surroundings; from their homes, from the street, or from another shelter, and are now in a new and highly stressful place.  They are surrounded by unfamiliar noises, other animals, unknown people, new smells, etc.  If they are considered to be quiet and friendly, in all likelihood its because they are overwhelmed and helpless, and have completely shut down[ii] .

Regardless of how dog-friendly and stress-free we try to make a shelter, it will be a terrible place to be a dog.  They are bombarded with stimuli in a foreign environment and often have great difficulty in coping.  The question becomes, how can the people who work in the shelters help them de-stress and adapt to their surroundings, thereby increasing their chances of being adopted by a suitable person or family?  A few months ago I wrote about dogs that arrive in the shelter with severe anxieties and a fear of new people and places[iii].  This trend has continued as we get dogs that were isolated and unsocialized during the pandemic.

I cannot overstate the need for slow and positive first meetings with new shelter dogs, and slow steps in increasing the interactions with shelter personnel.  The shelter staff and volunteers are the people who will set the tone for that dog’s interactions with all visitors and potential adopters.  It is absolutely vital for them to set the dog up for success by making all human interactions as fear-free as possible.

All too often we conflate positive interaction with providing excitement or stimulus, when those things can be counterproductive for a dog that is already coping with stress.  A dog that is new to a shelter does not need to be entertained, he needs to be calm and allowed to relax. A 2018 study documented the beneficial effect of shelter volunteers simply sitting with, and petting, a shelter dog for only 15 minutes[iv].   When I train new volunteers, I encourage them to incorporate this practice into their daily activities with our dogs.  Whenever they are outside of their runs, either to meet new adopters or for a routine walk, I ask them to incorporate some time just sitting outside with them in quiet location so the dogs can get used to the environment and learn to relax.

I am currently working with a dog that has an extreme fear of new people, particularly men. By implementing a slow and low-key approach in meeting and handling her, and was able to get her to trust and accept me.  I’ve attached a copy of the treatment plan that I developed for the shelter staff to use in handling this girl:

Treatment Plan:  Subject Dog

Problem:  (subject) is extremely stressed by being in the shelter and is fearful of strangers, particularly men.  She is reactive in her kennel and shows clear signs of fear and anxiety when people approach:  Warning barks, teeth bared, back arched, low and rapid tail wags.   (subject) is not food-motivated, but does want human contact.  The key to providing this is to get her to accept people on her own terms.

Treatment

Our objective is to help (subject) become accustomed to being in the shelter and to become more accepting of unfamiliar people.  She should meet new people in a low stress, positive manner.

First visit:  When approaching her kennel for the first time, do not enter it.  And do not stand facing her.  Sit down outside the kennel, facing sideways to her.  This is a good time to do some texting or read an article on your phone.  Gauge her reactions:  If she is showing any of the stress signs mentioned in the problem statement, then just ignore her and continue quietly sitting for about ten minutes.  You might try doing a couple of fake yawns or a full body shake (these are dog body language, telling the excited dog that you are not a threat and she can calm down).

If she stops reacting to your presence, you can put a hand near the treat hole in her kennel.  This may provoke another reaction from her.  Don’t worry about that, just let her calm herself down.  After a while, get up, leave and come back later. 

Second visit:  When you approach her kennel, you might find that she has less of a fearful reaction.  If not, repeat the steps you used on the first meeting.  But if her reaction is less fearful, you can enter.

When you enter the kennel, do not try to touch her right away.  Do not be overly friendly or use a high happy voice.  Look away from her and kneel or sit comfortably, making yourself smaller.  Let her approach you.  She might keep her distance at first.  If so, just relax and read your phone.  You can watch her, just do not lock eyes with her.

At some point, she will approach you and sniff your hands or clothes.  When she does that, you can touch and pet her under the chin or on her chest with your hand open and palm-up.  See what she does when you stop.  If she moves her nose towards you or towards your hand, that is a sign that she would like you to continue (a consent sign).  You can keep on petting her – she likes to be gently rubbed on her face – and talk to her quietly in a normal friendly voice.  Once she accepts you, she will increase the amount of contact that she wants with you.  When she does, you can try to put on her harness.  Do this from the side without leaning or reaching over her.  Keep in mind that she is just beginning to trust you.  If she tenses up, then stop and go back to what you were doing before.  You can try the harness for the next visit.

Walking:  Once you’ve got the harness on her, you can take her for a walk.  While doing so, watch her body language.  She may show signs of being frightened (ears back, tail low or tucked).  If so, keep the walk short and stop after she’s relieved herself.  You can try to sit down with her in a quiet spot and let her try to settle down.  This may not work the first couple of times.  You can increase the length of the walks as she continues to get used to the shelter and to the staff and volunteers.   When you get back to her kennel, spend some time inside with her.  Let her relax with you for a while, until her breathing and heartrate slow down a little.

Summing it up:  The goal is to help these dogs to be less anxious in the shelter, and to accept new people without undue fear.  We can best accomplish this by taking things slow and allowing them to become habituated to the shelter environment and in being handled by unfamiliar people.  Once that’s done, we can add in play and other forms of enrichment without overwhelming them.

[i] Patronek, G. J. and Bradley, J. (2016).  No Better Than Flipping a Coin:  Reconsidering Canine Behavior Evaluations in Animal Shelters.  Journal of Veterinary Behavior 15 (Sep – Oct 2016).  66 – 77.  Doi 10.1016/j.veb 2016.08.001

[ii] www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/learned-helplessness

[iii] February, 2022 | The Animal Nerd

[iv] McGowan, R. T. S., Bolte, C., Barnett, H. R., Perez-Camargo, G. and Martin, F. (2018).  Can You Spare 15 Min?  The Measurable Positive Impact of a 15-min Petting Session on Shelter Dog Wellbeing.  Applied Animal Behavior Science 203 (June 2018) 42 – 54.  Retrieved from Can you spare 15 min? The measurable positive impact of a 15-min petting session on shelter dog well-being – ScienceDirect

In an earlier post,Dog training – the most important things to teach them. | The Animal Nerd, I discussed the need for owners to teach their dogs certain critical skills needed for them to live safely in our homes.  One of these is to “stay”; meaning to remain in one spot when told to do so. This is a skill that can keep your dog form darting into traffic or other dangerous places, chasing animals or misbehaving around strangers.  It is one of the most important things you can teach your dog, if only as a safety measure.  “Stay” is also one of the easiest skills to teach.  Most of the dogs I work with get the concept in the first few minutes of training, after which it becomes a matter of practice and reinforcement.

First off, I always start training a new skill with a hand sign as opposed to a spoken command or prompt – once the dog understands the visual prompt, I then add the verbal one.  Dogs communicate non-verbally, and I have always found that they learn body or sign language much faster than verbal commands.  And I try to pick a hand signal that I would use more or less automatically.  In the case of “stay”, I use a raised hand, palm outward towards the stop (the universal command for “Halt”).[i]  Secondly, I find that a clicker is very useful in training this particular skill.  It not only signals that the dog has successfully done the behavior, it also signals when the he can stop “staying” in one place.

The best way to start is to pick a time when your dog is laying down or simply staying in one place, and show him the hand prompt.  Then, after a couple of seconds, click, praise a

Start with a hand signal, adding a verbal prompt once the dog learns the skill

nd give him a tasty treat.  Repeat this a few times.  This will start him associating the hand sign with remaining in one spot.

In the next session, stand in front of him and show him the hand sign.  If he remains in place, click, praise and treat.  If he moves, then break contact with him for a minute and try again.  Repeat a few times and reward his successes.

Next, give him the hand sign and, while he’s remaining in place, move one of your feet a half-step to the side then bring it back.  If he doesn’t move, click, praise and treat.  Once he masters staying in place while you move a little, you can begin increasing the distance that you move around.  Over time, you should be able to move several steps in any direction, and walk around him, while he’s holding a stay.  It doesn’t matter if he sits, lays down or stands up while you are doing this, as long as he remains in the same place.  If he moves from that place, don’t correct him.  Simply start over with a shorter time and less movement on your part.

At this point, you can add the verbal “stay” command when you give the hand prompt.  Say it only once each time that you give the hand sign.  You can also begin to give a verbal release command – I use “Okay” – along with the click. (After all, you won’t be carrying a clicker when you’re out walking with him).

When you begin to take steps away from him after giving him the “stay” prompt, you should always return to your starting point before giving the release prompt.  This encourages him to remain in one spot until you return to him.

Key points:

Start with a hand signal and add the verbal prompt once he knows the skill.

Use a clicker and high-value treats.

Start by prompting him to stay while he is already sitting or lying down.

Add a release prompt to the clicker signal.

Gradually increase the time that he is staying, and the amount of moving around that you are doing while he is staying in place.

Always use positive reinforcement.  If he doesn’t hold a stay, then just fall back to the distance and time in which he was successful, and start over.

[i] puppyintraining.com/dog-training-hand-signals/

Bringing a new puppy home can be both exciting and scary, not only for you but also for your new fur baby. Whether you’re adopting a pet for the first time or you’re a veteran pet parent,  it is essential to establish a healthy bond with your new pup.  So, what should you do when you bring a puppy home from the breeder? Usually, breeders allow pet parents to take the new puppies home once they’re 8-weeks old.  An 8-week old puppy is an itty bitty animal that needs to be handled with extreme care and love. Here we will discuss the 8 essential steps you should take when you bring a new puppy into your home.

1.      Clean Your Pup

First things first, you should give your puppy a bath. Although reliable breeders do groom their puppies, it’s best to clean your puppy yourself after bringing it home.   The AKC expert advice blog has some steps that you might want to reference.

Be warned! bathing a puppy is no small feat, if you are a first time owner follow this guide by the AKC. If you are still squeamish or unsure of your puppy-bathing abilities, take your puppy to professional  groomers. You can also ask a friend or family member who is well-versed in bathing puppies and dogs to help you out.   Once you have learned to bathe your pup, maintain a consistent bathing schedule. Although it may vary from puppy to puppy, giving your puppy a bath once a month is ideal. Although your puppy may act up a little initially, it will get used to bath time and may even enjoy it if you stick to a regular schedule. Here are a few ways to help your dog enjoy bath time:

• Create positive associations with bathtime; if they are afraid of the bath, have short sessions with the dog in the dry bath tub. Just with the dog in the bathtub and give it treats, cuddle, or play a game they like. Once they are not afraid of the tub any more, they won’t mind a bath!
• Use treats to bribe your dog during bath time; smear peanut butter on a suction cup and put it on the side of the bath. Your dog will be busy licking the peanut butter while you give it a bath

When your dog is at least three months old, it is time to start applying shampoo and conditioner to keep the coat free of oil and grime. You have probably experienced matting if you have a furry buddy with a long or naturally curly coat. These irritating tiny lumps or masses of fur look quite unpleasant, so use dog shampoo for matted hair  to avoid matted hair.

2.     Ensure That The Dog Has Been Vaccinated

You must check that a dog is up to date on immunizations before bringing it home. Reliable breeders (and rescues) will provide you a vaccination certificate and the dog’s medical examination record. Make sure to ask for these documents while adopting your new pet.  AKC has provided a list of first-year puppy shots, it is a very handy resource for a new pet parent. We also recommend that you take your puppy for a head-to-tail wellness examination immediately after you bring them home.  When you purchase a puppy from a reliable breeder, they often provide health guarantees and warranties. If your puppy is unhealthy, i.e., they have a congenital disease as diagnosed by a licensed veterinarian, the breeder will replace the puppy or give you a refund.

Apart from that, get a wellness check from your own veterinarian as soon as possible to make sure your new puppy is safe and healthy.

3.     Introduce Your Family

You will not be present at home at all times, so it is critical to introduce the new pet to your family members. Therefore, once you know that your pup is healthy and up-to-date on its vaccination, it’s time to introduce it to your family.  But how should you introduce your family to your puppy?

1. Introduce each family member one by one: It’s important that you don’t overwhelm the new pup
2. Call each family member by name: While introducing your dog to your family members, make sure to call their names and encourage them to pet the dog
3. Let the puppy approach the individual: it’s best to not force the puppy into someone’s lap. Let the puppy sniff out the person and approach them in its own time
4. Avoid using food to get the puppy to do a desired action
5. Keep calm and don’t rush the process
6. If the dog looks stressed, then stop the meet & greet and pick it up another time

If you already have a pet at home, it’s best to avoid putting them in the same room initially. Keep your existing pet’s possessions and accessories in a space far away from the new pup, as they may consider it a breach of their territory.  The best way to introduce them to each other is to put a screen wall between them. You can put both pets on either side of the screen wall, so they cannot hurt each other but can still become familiar with each other’s scent.  Taking them on leashed walks together will also help to socialize them with each other.

You can also take help from experts. Reliable dog blogs such as Victoria Stilwell’a Positively and Pat Miller’s Whole Dog Journal explain many tried and tested methods to introduce new dogs and puppies to existing house pets.  Let’s look into some of the methods they suggest:

• Manage the environment: As mentioned earlier, use crates, screens, gates, and whatever else you can to create a barrier between the new and resident pets.
• Don’t be angry at the resident pet: Is your resident pet growling at the new one? Don’t be angry at them, it’s only natural! Let the pet get used to the new addition in their own time. It will only hinder their relationship if you keep being angry at the older pet.
• Treat them together: One way to foster friendship between new and old pets is to give them treats together. You will make them enjoy something that they both like together, creating a sense of camaraderie.
• Exercise the dogs before the interaction: You know who is less likely to fight? two exhausted pets! Take your pets for a walk before you introduce them, and they are less likely to hurt each other.

There are many methods to introduce new pets to older ones, but you should choose the one that suits your pets and needs.

4.     Make a Dog Bed

A comfortable dog bed is essential for a dog to understand that this is the area where it will sleep. Otherwise, your pup might appear out of nowhere to sleep on your bed. Sure, it is cute once in a while, but if it happens regularly, it will cause you problems.  So purchase a comfy dog bed and begin training your dog to sleep in it right away. Just as you would with a new baby, gradually placing it on its bed, giving it its favorite blanket, and that is all.

Most breeders provide crate training to their puppies and so you can utilize that training to limit the puppy to its crate or dog bed. Place your puppy’s favorite toy and a blanket with their mother’s or littermates’ scent in the dog bed or crate to make them feel safe and comfortable.  Moreover, you can also use baby gates and playpens to keep your puppy from jumping in the bed with you.

5.     Make a Schedule

Create a routine for your dog once everything is in place. Make a feeding, playing, exercising, bathing, and walking schedule. You can talk to your vet about feeding and sleeping to make sure it is right for your dog. Getting time to play with your dog is essential.  According to statistics, 78 percent of dog owners believe their pets should be walked twice daily. Only 30-70 percent of dog owners, however, walk their pets. It is compulsory to keep a balance between training, rest, and play to avoid developing health concerns for both you and your dog. Over-rested dogs are prone to obesity and have a short lifespan. The best training depends on the dog’s breed and age but a stroll is a terrific place to start.

6.     Casual walks

Puppies have boundless energy. If you don’t exercise your puppy, it may start developing destructive behavior. One of the greatest ways is to take your puppy for a walk every day, during which the puppy will be exposed to new stimuli, learn new commands, correct behavior, and meet new people and canines.

You most likely know that a dog’s most favorite game is playing fetch. Another very important thing to remember is that you must spend time with your dog. You may take them to swim or to the park and let them mingle with other pets in a safe environment.  Exercise and socialization is good for physical and mental health. Exercising your puppy is a lengthy discussion; there are myriad of ways to keep your puppy physically active, such as long leash walking  suggested by The Happy Puppy Site or the enrichment activities recommended by The Bark.

You must start small and gradually add more complex and stimulating physical activities to build your dog’s stamina, foster your bond with your pet, and keep them healthy.

7.     Reward for Positive Behavior

In the early days, the puppy may appear to be more mischievous than obedient. Even yet, it is critical to commend him whenever he does something nice. This will assist the dog in comprehending what is expected of it and will hasten the learning process. Also, avoid attracting your dog with inappropriate behavior.  The most straightforward approach to training your dog is to use positive reinforcement. This strategy involves rewarding the dog for a task properly done or just to be well maintained. Realizing which prize your dog prefers can make reward-based training more enjoyable for both of you.

8.   Stay Calm

You must stay calm if you want to form a good and long-lasting bond with your dog. Dogs are extremely sensitive to the energies that people around them emit. Keep in mind that you are the one who must remain calm and peaceful in a new connection with a dog. The dog may be terrified and agitated; now is the moment for you to step in and assist the dog in remaining calm.  Your tone can worsen your dog’s uneasiness if it sounds eager or harsh. This might lead to undesired behaviors in your new pet on its first day. Remember that you don’t know everything about a new dog’s likes and dislikes when you bring it home. Eventually, it would be beneficial if you took the time to learn more about it and form a proper connection with your dog and teach it to be well-behaved.

Conclusion

Keep in mind that your new pet requires attention, care, stability, and a routine. Create a mundane that can be followed on a regular schedule in addition to the above suggestions. This will help the puppy to become accustomed to your household’s environment and adjust correctly.

Author:  Arslan Hassan (arslanhassan174@gmail.com)

I was recently asked for an opinion on the effectiveness of EM® flea and tick collars.  I couldn’t be of any help, because I had never heard of them.  However, I was interested in the discussion and decided to do some research into what they are and the theory behind them.  I’d like to share what I found out after going down that particular rabbit hole.

Initially, I assumed that EM stood for “electro-magnetic”, and that the collars were battery-powered and emitted some sort of low magnetic field that would supposedly discourage insects (fleas) and arachnids (ticks).  This assumption turned out to be incorrect.  These collars turned out to be a whole new type of pseudoscience.

What is EM®?

EM® stands for Effective Microorganisms.  This is a product that was developed in 1982 by Professor Teruo Higa, and consists of various organisms, including yeasts, lactic acid bacteria and phototropic bacteria[i].  It is used as an additive in soil and composting, and aids in fermenting and breaking down organic material, thereby enriching the soil for farming and gardening.   This produce is also used in aquaculture and water purification, but the manufacturer has never claimed that it is effective at repelling fleas, ticks or any other insects or arachnids.[ii]

What are EM® flea and tick collars, and how do they work?

According to the internet sites that sell these collars, the collars consist of strings of tube-shaped beads, including ceramic beads in which Effective microorganisms are embedded.  In these beads, an EM® product is mixed with the clay or silicon material, formed into tubes, and baked at high temperatures, resulting in a ceramic product.  These are marketed as safe, effective and “natural”, with one vendor claiming that the Effective Microorganisms are “the only active ingredient in these collars”[iii].   At this point, I should point out that these beads are baked at high temperatures, up to 1200C[iv], and that yeasts and bacteria are killed at 60C.  They cannot possibly be “active ingredients, as any live cultures that survived being mixed with the ceramic materials would be killed during the baking process.

Marketing claims include statements that the beads emit a “bio resonance” at a frequency that is unpleasant to ticks and insects[v].  The majority of marketers also claim that these beads emit Far Infra-Red waves that are said to repel harmful insects.

What is Far Infrared (FIR)?

Infrared (IR) radiation is essentially radiated heat, nothing more.  FIR is a subset of the electromagnetic spectrum waveband at the lower end of the IR waveband.  Putting it simply, FIR is radiated heat that you can feel on your skin.  It is used therapeutically as a heat treatment for certain medical conditions.[vi]

There are certain ceramics that function as FIR emitters, by absorb the heat radiated by animals and other heat sources, and re-radiating it.  Nanoparticles of these ceramic have been embedded in fabrics and used as wraps and clothing to generate heat and provide thermal treatment for injuries or other heath benefits.  The efficiency of the ceramic material in emitting FIR depends on its chemical composition.

Does FIR repel ticks and fleas?

In a word:  No.  In fact, research has shown that both fleas and ticks are attracted to light and heat [vii] [viii].  They are drawn to the heat radiated by animals, as their food sources.   If FIR repelled ticks and fleas, then your pets would naturally repel them simply by being warm blooded and having body heat.

Summing it all up:

These things are a gimmick that cannot possibly protect your pet from fleas and ticks.  Not only is there absolutely no research or evidence to back up marketers’ claims of effectiveness, their claims are basically self-contradictory.  These are nothing more than necklaces made of inert ceramic beads.    They won’t harm your pet, but they will provide no protection.  In that regard, they are no better than homeopathic “remedies” Alternative Veterinary Medicine – Homeopathy | The Animal Nerd.

From my own experience, I can tell you that tick-borne illnesses such as Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever  are extremely dangerous to your pets, and I strongly recommend that your dogs and outdoor cats be protected against ticks, fleas and mosquito-borne illnesses.  The best way you can do that is to have your vet prescribe oral or topical treatments appropriate for your pets’ size and breed, obtain them from reputable sources and administer them as directed.

[i] What is EM (no date). EMRO.  Retrieved from WHAT is EM? | EMRO (emrojapan.com)

[ii] How EM Works (no date).  Retrieved from How EM works | EMRO (emrojapan.com)

[iii] About EM® Technology (no date). Retrieved from All About EM Collars (homeopawthic.com)

[iv] How do EM Collars Work?  (no date). Retrieved from How do EM Collars Work? – THE LAKELAND DOG WEAR CO

[v] The EM® Ceramic Anti Tick Collar – How it works and why we love them! (2021).  Retrieved from The EM®Ceramic Anti Tick Collar – How it works and why we love them! – The Woof Club

[vi] Vatansever, F. and Hamblin, M. R. (2013). Far Infrared Radiation (FIR):  Its Biological Effects and Medical Applications.  Photonics Laser Med 4 (1). 255-266

[vii] Mitchell, R. D. III, Zhu, J., Carr, A. L.., Dhammi, A., Cave, G., Sonenshine, D. E. & Roe, R. M., Infrared Light Detection by the Haller’s Organ of Adult American Dog Ticks, Dermacentor variabilis. (2017).  Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases 8 (5), 763-771

[viii] What Attracts Fleas? (no date). Retrieved from What attracts fleas? | FleaScience

After seven weeks of treatment, Jack ( My New Project Dog, update. | The Animal Nerd ) is continuing to do very nicely.  He is interacting very well with the kennel staff and the two volunteers who have been working with him.  His leash manners are very good, he is relaxed while being harnessed and he is continuing to relax and enjoy trips outside – responding to verbal prompts and interacting with his hander.  His reactivity to strangers is much reduced, and he has progressed to the point that he is interested in potential adopters who visit the shelter – approaching the front of his run and getting their scent.

Jack’s anxiety is greatly reduced and he is enjoying contact and petting from his human friends.

Jack is now inviting pets and scratches from the people he knows, although he is still cautious around strangers.  He is also easily startled by sudden movements and retreats when people bend over him for any reason.  However, he is gaining confidence on a daily basis.  I’ve recommended that we increase the number of volunteers that are allowed to interact with him and walk him, with the provision that all human interactions be completely positive (no verbal corrections and plenty of positive reinforcement).

He is now available for adoption and the shelter is carefully screening applicants so that he is placed in the right home.   I don’t expect that I will be making any more posts about him, although I’ll be spending time with him until he’s adopted.

In as recent post, I described my initial contact with a new shelter dog that had been displaying significant anxiety with people. My New Project Dog | The Animal Nerd After a few days, I’ve made some progress with Jack and, as he began reacting more “normally”, I’ve noted some behavioral characteristics that had not been apparent before:

First, he is very reactive to other dogs.  Our runs are glass-fronted, and whenever another dog is walked past his “space”, he charges up to the glass and barks very excitedly.  (He has a wide range of vocalizations, but his rapid “Stay Away” barks are particularly shrill.  Mariah Carey wishes that she could his high notes like this little guy can.)  However, he does not completely lose control when reacting to dogs and does not redirect his excitement to people or objects.  I suspect that a good part of his reactivity may be due to barrier frustration and that we may be able to socialize him with at least some other dogs.

Second, he is definitely more comfortable with women than with men.  He readily approaches women and invites contact with them.  However, once contact is made, he exhibits appeasing signals, such as rolling over, having a low posture, and submissive grinning.  He is making headway with meeting new humans but has a long way to go before he feels confident with us.

I’ve noticed that he tends to urinate in the center of his fabric bed, which leads me to think that he had previously been housetrained using pee pads.  This is just something to note for his eventual owners, as they may need to restart housetraining from scratch, depending on their desires.

He has accepted additional handling and is visibly more relaxed.

As I mentioned, I have made progress with the little guy.  In a recent session, I was able to increase the level of physical contact that he’d allow.  This included increasing the area that he’d permit scratching and petting, as well as calming rubs and massages.  He became more inclined to lean into pets and ear-scratches and allow me to touch him with two hands.  He still maintained a “personal space” with me, however it became much smaller than previously.

Most recently, I was able to put an Easy-walk harness on him and take him outside for a walk.  He accepted the harness and leash easily and, once he got past his initial excitement, walked well.  This was an important development, as he began to “check in” with me while walking – looking at me for social referencing and direction.  He was also visibly relaxed and became more responsive to verbal cues from me.  I had to be careful with my posture and actions – for example, he became apprehensive when I bent over him to untangle the leash from his front legs – but he was overall much more confident.   I think this is something of a breakthrough that needs to be repeated and reinforced.

My treatment plan is developing to increase the level of contact with him and to have more men involved with his daily activities, to include feeding and handling, and gradually increasing their contact with him.  He has become available for adoption, and I will recommend in-home support post-adoption.

In 1855, Attorney George Vest represented a man who was suing a neighbor over the death of his dog.  His trial summation has been preserved in part, and has come to be regarded as one of the greatest representations of our relationship with “man’s best friend”.

Gentlemen of the Jury: The best friend a man has in the world may turn against him and become his enemy. His son or daughter that he has reared with loving care may prove ungrateful. Those who are nearest and dearest to us, those whom we trust with our happiness and our good name may become traitors to their faith. The money that a man has, he may lose. It flies away from him, perhaps when he needs it most. A man’s reputation may be sacrificed in a moment of ill-considered action. The people who are prone to fall on their knees to do us honor when success is with us, may be the first to throw the stone of malice when failure settles its cloud upon our heads.

The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous is his dog. A man’s dog stands by him in prosperity and in poverty, in health and in sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground, where the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely, if only he may be near his master’s side. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer. He will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounters with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince. When all other friends desert, he remains. When riches take wings, and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens.

If fortune drives the master forth, an outcast in the world, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog asks no higher privilege than that of accompanying him, to guard him against danger, to fight against his enemies. And when the last scene of all comes, and death takes his master in its embrace and his body is laid away in the cold ground, no matter if all other friends pursue their way, there by the graveside will the noble dog be found, his head between his paws, his eyes sad, but open in alert watchfulness, faithful and true even in death.  

Vest went on to serve as a US Senator from the state of Missouri for 24 years until just before his death in 1904.

www.sos.mo.gov/archives/education/olddrum/StoryofBurdenvHornsby