Friday, November 30, 2018

Temp drop! 🌡




We have a temperature drop -- Harley's temp was 98F this morning!


Dog labor is a 3-stage process — and if you think about it, it's sort of the same for humans. As far as I’m concerned, they are the same: pre-drugs, post-drugs, and push!

In dogs, the first stage is 12-30 hours before labor. Momma dog’s rectal temperature will drop to a low of 98 to 99 degrees. The pre-whelping decrease may only last a few hours. (About 10-14 days pre-whelping you are supposed to take the dog's temperature three times a day and keep a temperature chart.)

During this stage, momma dog will start nesting, and will develop a white to gelatinous discharge for up to 48 hours before whelping (Note: If the discharge turns bloody tinged the first puppy is imminent). Sometimes they go off food or get sick to their stomachs. Momma dog might be anxious or clingy, she might even be crampy. (For this part, I wrote in my study guide's margin: "uterine contractions make them feel like they’ve got to go to the bathroom and she has a puppy instead of poop. *Go potty with her.")

First stage lasts around 6-12 hours. Don’t leave mom alone during this time (aside from the puppy pooping issue); sometimes first time moms don’t know to free the pup from the amniotic sac and it could suffocate.

Second stage is the real deal: labor. Generally they show abdominal contractions for around 10-30 minutes. Usually you see the amniotic sac, then about three pushes later, a pup comes out. If the sac bursts and fluid comes out before you see a puppy, and the vagina dries out, you might need to help momma (using the lubricant). Normally momma pops the amniotic sac by licking/chewing it. If she doesn’t, you — the doggie midwife — need to step in and help.

Third stage immediately follows the second stage; that’s where the placenta comes out, and then the uterus takes a little break. Mrs. Uterus rests for anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour. On average, momma pops out another puppy every 30 minutes or so. Total average whelping time is 6-12 hours.

Monday, November 26, 2018

Is your Pup afraid? What are Fear Periods in Dogs?

Dog Developmental Stages: What are Fear Periods in Dogs?


Why is Rover suddenly scared of strangers? This is often a question I get from dog owners who have pretty much owned a dog who cared less about being approached by a friendly stranger and now is cowering between the owner's legs. As I attempt to assess the situation and ask several questions, I place a strong emphasis on the dog's age. Why is that? Not many dog owners are aware of the fact that dogs undergo fear periods during their developmental stages. During these distinct periods dogs may gradually become more and more fearful of situations they once appeared to be accepting of. The fear may be manifested by overly cautious behaviors, where the puppy or dog approaches people or items tentatively or defensive behaviors involving barking/lunging/growling. In some cases, dogs may act bold towards certain stimuli and uncertain with others. However, it is important to note that dogs can become fearful of specific things at any age and no generalizations can be made. Let's take a look at these fear periods and see how they affect man's best friend.

First Fear Imprint Period: 8-10 Weeks

According to Meghan E. Herron, veterinarian and Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, this first fear period takes place between the ages of 8 to 10 weeks. During this time, the puppy is very sensitive to traumatic experiences and a single scary event may be enough to traumatize the puppy and have life-long effects on his future behaviors. The fear can be of a person, dog or object. A fear period is therefore a stage during which the puppy or dog may be more apt to perceive certain stimuli threatening.

In nature, during this time, puppies are getting out of the den and starting to explore the world around them. This is when puppies would learn under the guidance of their mom, which stimuli are threatening and non-threatening for the purpose of survival.At this stage, once they are fully mobile and outdoors, a lack of caution may cause them to easily get killed, explains Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist Patricia McConnell, in her book "For the Love of a Dog".

Coincidentally, in a domestic setting, this fear period coincides with the time most puppies are separated from their litter mates and moms and are sent to new homes. Some breeders feel that their puppies are better off adopted at a later age. This is why some decide to sell puppies at 12 weeks.

During the first fear period therefore it is important to avoid exposing the puppy to traumatic experiences. Shipping the puppy or allowing the puppy to undergo elective surgeries at this time is not recommended. Veterinarian visits and car visits should be made fun and upbeat. Stimuli and experiences puppies may find as frightening include but are not limited to: vaccines, cold examination tables, taking rectal temperatures, placing puppy on scale, nail trims and being handled by strangers.

How to Make Things Better: 
Use food to make positive associations! 
Have volunteers participate in "mock vet examinations" and use treats 
Practice giving "fake vaccinations" with a pen and use treats (for more on this read how to make dog less fearful of shots)
Make car rides fun! 
Have a DAP diffuser plugged in at home when you bring your puppy home for the first time. 
Make crate-training fun with toys and treats. 

Second Fear Period: 6 to 14 Months

While the 8 to 12 week puppy fear period is in some cases hardly noticed by puppy owners, the second fear period appears to have a much bigger impact. Rover has grown now and if he is a large breed he may even weigh 100 pounds or more! This fear period is believed to be tied to the dog's sexual maturity and growth spurts. This means that in large breeds it may develop later compared to a smaller dog. Often, this stage is also known as "teenage flakiness" according Ellen Dodge in her article "Critical Periods in Canine Development" published in the Weimaraner Magazine. October. 1989.

In the wild, dogs at this age are allowed to go on hunts with the rest of the pack. At this stage, it is important for them to learn to stick with the pack for safety, but they also need to learn about fear since they need fear for survival purposes.The message to the puppy is to run away if something unfamiliar approaches them, explain Wendy and Jack Volhard in the book Dog Training for Dummies.

Reactivity levels rise during this stage causing the dog to act defensively, become protective and more territorial. Owners often report the fear seems to pop out of nowhere. Dogs appear fearful of novel stimuli or stimuli met before but that did not trigger significant reactions. As in the first fear period, it is best to avoid traumatic experiences during this time such as shipping dogs on a plane and any other overwhelming experience. Because at this stage the owner may be dealing with a dog barking and lunging and pulling on the leash, this fear period has a bigger impact, causing the owner to worry about the dog's behavior.

How to Make Things Better: 
Continue socializing as much as possible but without exposing your dog to overwhelming situations 
Create positive associations through counter-conditioning 
Build confidence through training and confidence building sports and exercises 
Avoid traumatic experiences during this delicate phase. 

Is There a Third Fear Period?

Clarence Pfaffenberger," author of The New Knowledge Of Dog Behavior " suggests there is a third fear period taking place in early adulthood. During this time, the level of aggression may increase and the dog may appear more protective and territorial. Episodes of teenage flakiness may still occur. Some believe there may even be a fourth period as the dog reaches early adulthood, but I couldn't find reliable literature on that.

General Tips for Dealing with Fear Periods

These tips will come handy to help you deal with your pampered pooch's fear periods. However, they also work for dogs who are fearful in general. While they are effective, keep in mind that your dog's tendency for being fearful may be the work of genetics rather than a temporary problem resulting from a fear stage. To learn more about how nature and nurture molds dog behavior please read: Dog Behavior: Nature versus Nurture Debate Following are some tips to help your puppy or dog get through these frightening fear periods: 

Remain as Calm as Possible 

You can lie to your boss, but when it comes to dogs, they are masters in reading our emotions and body language. If you are overly concerned or just a bit tense about your dog acting fearfully or defensively, rest assure your dog will perceive it. Don't put tension on the leash, get tense or talk to your in worried manner. Stay relaxed and loose. 

Pretend it's No Big Deal 

Your dog feeds on your emotions. Just as mother dog would take her pups out from the den and guide the puppies through threatening and non-threatening situations, manifest to your dog that the stimuli he fears is not a big deal. Some find that saying in a casual tone "It's just a _______(fill in the blank), silly boy!" helps the dog understand it's not a big deal. 

Counter-Condition 

If your dog acts fearfully towards a certain stimuli you can try to change your dog's emotional response by using treats or anything the dog finds rewarding. The moment your dog sees the threatening stimulus give treats, the moment the threatening stimulus disappears take the treats away. The same can be done with sounds the dog finds startling, make the sound become a cue that a tasty treat is coming. What if your dog won't take treats? Most likely, the stimulus is too scary and the dog is over threshold

Don't Overwhelm, Desensitize! 

Work, under the threshold from a distance your dog or puppy does not react fearfully and is able to take treats. If you overwhelm and flood your puppy, you risk sensitizing your puppy which means you make him more fearful. Don' t force your puppy to interact with the feared stimulus; rather allow him to investigate whatever he fears on his own and remember to praise/reward any initiative your puppy or dog takes! 

Socialize, socialize, socialize 

Fear periods are part of a dog's developmental stages. The more your dog is exposed to stimuli and learns there is nothing to be scared about, the more confident he will be in the future when he will encounter anything intimidating. While the window of opportunity for the puppy socialization phase closes at around 14 to 16 weeks, socialization opportunties should virtually never end. 

Don't Punish the Fear 

Last but not least, avoid punishing the fear. It is appears that the majority of dog aggressive displays are due to fear; therefore, by punishing the behavior you will be only exacerbating the fear. Ignore the fear and let your dog build confidence by letting him investigate things on his own when he is ready and praising for the effort. Use force-free behavior modification such as desensitization and counterconditioning

While behaviorists have studied fear periods for some time, it is important to keep in mind that they may not occur within that exact time frame for each puppy. If your dog is going through a fear period, keep in mind that it is not the end of the world. With guidance, desensitization and counter conditioning, your puppy or dog should recover nicely with time.

For further reading: "Can you reinforce dog fear?"

Source: https://pethelpful.com/dogs/Dog-Behavior-Understanding-Fear-Periods-in-Dogs

Make Your Life Easier -- start training from DAY ONE

Every puppy comes to their new home with an inherent desire to follow. They are always underfoot and look to you for guidance and entertainment. Then something happens...they turn 16 weeks and realize that they can be independent. 

If you do it right, teaching your new puppy to come back when called is the easiest skill to solidify. Your puppy is already showing you the desired behaviour. All you need to do is reward it, praise it, solidify it. By rewarding their desire to follow, you are creating a solid foundation on which to build your recall. If you wait until they are 16 weeks old, you will have to work exponentially harder to make recalls fun and rewarding. 

Make life easier for you and your new pup - start training from day one and always reward the behaviors you like.

Erinn Lee Dog Training

Sunday, November 25, 2018

Week 8 of Harley's pregnancy!

Harley & Jensie at their final playdate before puppies arrive!

The Sugar & Spice Litter could be born at any time from now onwards -- and we are prepared! Harley needs to avoid any rough and tumble play or stimulation which might lead to the onset of early labor, as ideally the pups should spend another week in the womb. Harley is doing some "nesting'"at this stage, and we can easily see and feel the puppies moving within her tummy when she's lying down.

Towards the end of week eight, Harley will start producing colostrum, the forerunner to her nutrient-rich milk, and then the milk itself. Harley is hungry as can be and it is hard to not overfeed at this stage, it is not a good idea that she is overweight but we don't want her to be hungry. 

Harley has gained 10 lbs. which gives a rough estimate of 5 pups (weight gain = 2 lbs. per puppy). 

Day 55 is X-ray day! Take a peek at the upcoming Sugar & Spice-sters!

X-rays are an invaluable resource when whelping a litter, a couple reasons "why" I do radiographs on pregnant dogs.

X-rays are generally done after Day 50+ of gestation, otherwise the skeleton hasn't ossified (calcified) enough to count the babies. 

You can usually count puppies readily on radiographs, again +/- one puppy. (Count skulls, not spines! Most people count BOTH). Even then, someone can be hiding behind another puppy or along mom's spine. This helps me plan for the whelp and know what to expect. 

The other advantage is that the skulls can be compared in size to the width of the dam's pelvis (not usually an issue with Vizslas).

Drum roll...🥁 How many babies do you see? Don't forget to count the skulls and the spines!

Left Side


Right Side


Any guesses? Dr. Beckie Williams DVM sees 4 (possibly 5) babies. I have been looking at the x-rays for several hours (no joke) and I am thinking the same thing. Exciting stuff!

Due date is estimated to be 12/2/18, fingers and paws are crossed for an uneventful whelp!

Stay tuned . . .

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

We are thankful for bellies!


Harley doesn't miss a beat lizard hunting -- look at that belly! 😍

 🦃 Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Tuesday, November 20, 2018

Eye Contact 👀 is your best bet when training!

Moonlight Vizslas - Csilla, Cordie & Emery

It's All in Your Dog's Eyes

How to get your dog to look at you, and why it yields better training results.

By Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA

Teaching our dogs to look at us is important for training; if we have their attention, we can get them to work with us. If we can keep their attention, we can keep them working with us even in the face of distractions. These things are big accomplishments, but the value of teaching eye contact is even bigger!

I have done behavioral assessments on thousands of shelter dogs over the years. I’ve adopted a few of them, fostered several more, and helped find forever homes for many. Even after decades of shelter work, I am still touched to my soul by the dog who walks up to me, looks me squarely in the eyes, and sends me the powerful, electric message, “I know how to communicate with you.” That’s what teaching eye contact does for our dogs: it opens the door for interspecies communication.

It’s really not natural for dogs to offer direct and prolonged eye contact. In the dog world, direct eye contact is a threat, and the appropriate response to a direct stare is to look away as a deference or appeasement behavior (“I’m not challenging you/please don’t hurt me!”). In many human cultures, however, direct eye contact is considered polite – it means the other is focused and attentive – and it has certainly come to mean that in the dog training world. Like so many other behaviors we expect of our dogs that are alien to their own basic natures, we’ve come to expect our dogs to look at us when we ask them to, and to maintain eye contact for extended periods of time in a variety of contexts.

Hint:  If your dog is the sort who gets overexcited when anticipating your next activity with him, teaching him to watch you can give him something to do (other than leaping about) while he waits.

Eye Exercises

Because eye contact is important for training purposes, we teach eye contact exercises in our classes at Peaceable Paws. Here are some of the exercises that we practice in our basic classes:

Capturing Eye Contact – When dogs come to class for the first time, they are understandably distracted. Rather than letting our students beg and plead for their dogs’ attention, we tell them to sit in a chair and wait. The instant their dog looks at them or even glances in their general direction, they click their clickers and feed their dogs a treat.

You can do the same with your dog. Practice at home first, in the least distracting environment, then when he’s ready, take him out in public. Sit on a chair with your dog in front of you, leashed if necessary, and wait. The instant he looks at you, or near you, click (or use your verbal marker) and feed a high-value treat. You’re reinforcing offered attention – teaching your dog that if he chooses to look at you, he can make you click.

Over time, “shape” for longer eye contact (reward increasingly longer moments of eye contact), and then for eye contact when you’re walking. When your dog is doing well with it, take him out in public and practice there – in a park, on a bench outside your neighborhood pet supply store, in front of the post office, in the lobby of your veterinary clinic . . . the possibilities are endless.

Name Game – If your dog is not offering attention, you can always ask for it – if you’ve taught him that his name means “Look at me for something wonderful!” This is just like “charging” the clicker: say his name, and then feed him a tasty treat when he looks at you. Repeat this game regularly, until your dog instantly swivels his head toward you at the sound of his name. Then practice with increasing levels of distraction. Now you can get his attention if he doesn’t offer it.

Zen Attention – Getting attention is one thing; keeping it is sometimes an entirely different matter. This exercise makes it clear to your dog that eye contact gets reinforced (not just looking at the treat), and allows you to shape for duration. With your dog sitting in front of you, hold a treat straight out at arm’s length to the side. He will likely watch the treat. Just wait.

Here’s the Zen part. In order to get the treat he has to look away from it – back at you. The instant he looks at you (as if to say, “Hey, what’s the deal here?”) you click and feed him the treat. Then do it again. Most dogs figure this out amazingly quickly. When he comprehends that looking at you – not the treat – gets the click (and treat), you can add your “Watch me” cue, and start shaping for eye contact of longer duration.

Me, Not That – Now it’s distraction time. With your “Watch me” cue solidly installed, ask a family member or friend to walk past while you’re reinforcing your dog for looking at you. Use a high rate of reinforcement at first (click and treat a lot) – then decrease the frequency as your dog figures out the game.

If he looks away, use his name or your “Watch me” cue to get his attention back. Click and treat! Gradually increase the intensity of the distraction: Start walking with your own dog toward your human distraction, have your friend whistle, clap his hands or jingle car keys while walking past, then jog, then bounce a ball ... get creative!

Take it on the Road – When he’s doing well with his eye contact games, take him out in public and practice there – in a park, on a bench outside your neighborhood pet supply store, in front of the post office, in the lobby of your veterinary clinic . . . the possibilities are endless. With each successful session under your belt, you can plan for a more distracting venue the next time.

Windows to the Soul


In some canine sports, including disc dog competition, dogs who consistently make eye contact with their handlers have a big advantage over ones who get distracted. But in other sports, such as tracking or K9 Nosework, the dog needs to work more independently of his handler.

If we pay attention to teaching eye contact only for training purposes, we are missing out on one of the most fulfilling aspects of the behavior: our dog’s ability to use his eyes to communicate with us. As behavior science continues to explore and acknowledge the cognitive capabilities of our canine companions, we are realizing that our dogs may possess “theory of mind.”

Theory of mind (often abbreviated ToM) is the ability to attribute mental states – beliefs, intents, desires, pretending, knowledge, etc. – to oneself and others, and to understand that others have beliefs, desires, intentions, and perspectives that are different from one’s own. It is sometimes expressed in “levels” like this:

Level 1 – I know.

Level 2 – I know you know.

Level 3 – I know you know I know.

And on and on…

Although science may not be ready to conclusively grant ToM to dogs, it’s hard to argue that they can’t attain at least Level 1, probably Level 2, and possibly Level 3. When our Kelpie, Kai, sees us packing his training bag and gets all excited, it seems like a clear indication that he knows he’s going to agility class. When he dances happily in front of us, making strong direct eye contact, one might suggest he’s saying, “I know you know we’re going to agility class.” And when he runs to the door and looks purposefully back at us, one could hypothesize that he’s saying, “I know you know I know we’re going to agility class!”

This isn’t just an academic exercise. Humans who have close relationships with their dogs recognize ToM communications in their daily interactions with their canine family members – and it often involves eye contact:

Bonnie, our Scotti/Corgi/Poodle-mix, comes and sits next to me as I type on my computer, looking intently into my eyes. “Oh,” I realize. “She has to go out.”

As we walk toward the back door, Lucy, our Cardigan Welsh Corgi, runs ahead of us, stops in front of the bookcase, looks at me, looks at the top shelf of the bookcase, and looks toward the door. “Oh,” I realize. “She wants me to take her out and throw the Frisbee that is sitting on top of the bookcase.”

I’m assessing a dog at the shelter who looks somewhat stressed and shut down. I say “Sit!” and his eyes light with joy as he plops his bottom to the ground and looks into my eyes as if to say, “Finally! Someone who knows what I know!”

You may have your own examples of this kind of cognitive communication with your dog. To nurture this thrilling connection, pay even closer attention to your dog’s efforts to communicate with you. When he makes eye contact, contemplate what he’s trying to tell you and respond appropriately. By reinforcing his eye-contact communications you will encourage him to communicate more, and you’ll get better and better at translating his messages.

When dogs learn the value of communicating through eye contact, it opens up a whole new door in the relationship between the two of you, and makes your time together even more rewarding and satisfying for you both.

Pat Miller, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, is WDJ’s Training Editor. She lives in Fairplay, Maryland, site of her Peaceable Paws training center, where she offers dog-training classes and courses for trainers. Miller is also the author of many books on positive training. Her two most recent books are Do Over Dogs: Give Your Dog a Second Chance at a First-Class Life, and How to Foster Dogs; From Homeless to Homeward Bound.


Sunday, November 18, 2018

Harley Day 48 💓


Today myself and a couple who will be future puppy owners, visited Momma-to-be Harley and her family in Aliso Viejo. Harley and her uncle Leo were on their best Vizsla behavior {wink!} and gave lots of butt wiggles and kisses. 

It was also an opportunity to hand over the whelping box and supplies in preparation for Harley's due date, December 1-3rd. Owners Jen and Brian are busy repurposing their guest room into a whelping room to welcome the upcoming litter. 

Let the countdown begin!!! 

Friday, November 16, 2018

Puppy Nipping and Biting Strategy . . .

A bit early but this is too good not to share. Please make sure you are prepared for the puppy stage "before" puppy goes home. On Go Home Day this handout and many, many more will be shared with each owner. However, the best preparation happens BEFORE the puppy goes home. More sharing with future owners to come (via email) etc. 



For a downloadable PDF version, please visit our website here: http://whatagreatdog.com/training.../training_articles/