The Dog Abandonment Crisis in the US: Real Statistics and Solutions

For my part, I wish we could all agree on something. The few good, ethical, responsible breeders aren't the core of the dog abandonment problem. And so-called "barriers to adoption" from rescues aren't the problem. The dog abandonment (and worse) crisis we face is multi-faceted.

The solution surely begins with being a responsible guardian of the animals in our care. Animal shelters, rescue organizations, and veterinary clinics should continue collaboration. Let me encourage you to consider fostering a shelter or rescue dog, to better promote adoptable dogs. Many rescues and shelters do an excellent job supporting their treasured foster homes.

Barriers to adoption may (or not) be high, based on anecdotal stories with the usual pile on of "this one time" that follows. But based on true, quantifiable statistics (which I'll reference below), too many dogs are neglected. Many are abandoned and never find permanent homes.

Having never purchased a dog, instead I've had success adopting from breed rescue. For rescue personnel it's always about the dogs' well-being. It's also about a good match being made into a promising, stable, and appropriate long-term home.

Purchase a dog for all the right reasons if you see fit. But please be fair and open-minded toward rescue. Avoid openly denigrating rescue, who are volunteers doing the best we can with limited resources.

A sad 2.7 million dogs and cats are killed every year because shelters are too full and there aren't enough adoptive homes. I dislike the idea of cleaning up after irresponsible breeders whose unwanted puppies end up in shelters and rescues.

More than that, I dislike the idea of those dogs lingering in overfull shelters. They never experience long-term stability.

So, I continue to support rescue. How I'd love the unrestrained indulgence of supporting an ethical producer of physically healthy and behaviorally sound dogs.

Instead my heart is drawn to rescue, and I've been lucky. Collaboration between all dog lovers is prudent.

Real, quantifiable statistics:

1. Only 1 out of every 10 dogs born will find a permanent home.[1]
2. The main reasons animals are in shelters: owners give them up, or animal control finds them on the street.[2]
3. Each year, approximately 2.7 million dogs and cats are killed every year because shelters are too full and there aren’t enough adoptive homes. Act as a publicist for your local shelter so pets can find homes. Sign up for Shelter Pet PR.[3]
4. Approximately 7.6 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year. Of those, approximately 3.9 million are dogs and 3.4 million are cats.[4]
5. According to the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy (NCPPSP), less than 2% of cats and only 15 to 20% of dogs are returned to their owners.[5]
6. 25% of dogs that enter local shelters are purebred.[6]
7. About twice as many animals enter shelters as strays compared to the number that are relinquished by their owners.[7]
8. It’s impossible to determine how many stray dogs and cats live in the United States. Estimates for cats alone range up to 70 million.[8]
9. Only 10% of the animals received by shelters have been spayed or neutered. Overpopulation, due to owners letting their pets accidentally or intentionally reproduce, sees millions of these “excess” animals killed annually.[9]
10. Many strays are lost pets that were not kept properly indoors or provided with identification.[10]
11. According to The Humane Society, there are about 3,500 brick-and-mortar animal shelters in the US and 10,000 rescue groups and animal sanctuaries in North America.[11]

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1. The Mosby Foundation. "Truth of what happens to shelter animals everyday." Web Accessed February 23, 2015. ↩︎
2. Towell, Lisa. "Why People Abandon Animals." PETA Prime, 2010. Web Accessed February 23, 2015. ↩︎
3. American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. "Pet Statistics." Web Accessed February 26, 2015. ↩︎
4. American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. "Pet Statistics." Web Accessed February 26, 2015. ↩︎
5. American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. "Pet Statistics." Web Accessed February 26, 2015. ↩︎
6. The Humane Society of the United States. "U.S. Pet Ownership and Shelter Population Estimates." 2012 & 2013. Web Accessed February 23, 2015. ↩︎
7. American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. "Pet Statistics." Web Accessed February 26, 2015. ↩︎
8. American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. "Pet Statistics." Web Accessed February 26, 2015. ↩︎
9. American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. "Pet Statistics." Web Accessed February 26, 2015. ↩︎
10. American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. "Pet Statistics." Web Accessed February 26, 2015. ↩︎
11. The Humane Society. "Pets by the numbers." Web Accessed February 20, 2019. ↩︎

Dog Aging Project Treat Hide and Seek Game

Rosco is enrolled in a community science project that is studying healthspan in dogs. The project is supported by ambitious researchers collaborating between the University of Washington and Texas A&M University. At 16+ years of age, Rosco has much to contribute.

As part of his citizen science duties, Rosco participated in the Treat Hide and Seek game today. Rosco watches while I hide a treat in one of two boxes. After a set amount of time, Rosco searches for the treat. As the wait time increases, Rosco's search behaviors might change. Our task is to report Rosco's search behaviors back to the Dog Aging Project's research team. We did exactly that.

The general impression: with longer time to "think it over," Rosco's success rate increased initially. This continued until the final of 14 rounds when he had to wait a full 40 seconds before searching. Then he asked for a break, which we took.

Here's a brief video clip of Rosco playing the Treat Hide and Seek game:

Scentwork: Buried Water, Buried Sand, and Containers

When searching for buried odor in sand or water, odor moves over the side of the container, so you'll often see dogs sniffing along the sides of a buried hide. The odor can catch on the next bin over or on another object if the air is moving or it's windy. Often, buried searches at trials are outdoors.

If your dog identifies a hide and you call alert and the dog moves away from the nose hold, just freeze and wait them out until they return to the nose hold then pay at source. If after identifying the odor and the handler calls "Alert" your dog moves away from the hide, just go with them to continue the search.

Sometimes trials are held on slippery footing, such as polished or finished concrete, which can be tricky for some dogs. It's a good idea to consider boots or special paw protector stickers and practice with them before you need to use them at a trial. Jackie's coach uses RC Pets sport socks for dogs, and Aqumax non-slip paw protectors.

Here's a clip of Jackie playing three searches this week: containers, buried water, and buried sand:

Scent Work Containers

Jackie did multiple container searches in nose work class this week. Searching on and off lead improves Jackie's drive, speed, and leadership of each search in differing situations.

Canine Scent Work

Canine scent work, often referred to as nose work, is the canine sport that mimics the work of detection dogs like those used in search and rescue, law enforcement, and conservation efforts. It harnesses a dog’s natural scenting abilities to search for specific odors, such as essential oils, or even distinguish the scent of their own handler from the smell of other people.

Container Searches

Container searches are a subset of canine scent work where dogs are tasked with locating target odors hidden within a set of containers. The containers vary in size, shape, and material, challenging the dog to discriminate and identify the correct one based solely on scent.

Container searches offer several benefits for dogs and their handlers:

• Mental Stimulation: Dogs engage their minds by focusing on isolating and identifying specific scents amidst distractions.
• Physical Exercise: While mentally taxing, scent work also provides physical exercise as dogs actively search and move around.
• Bonding and Communication: Handlers and dogs build stronger bonds through teamwork and clear communication during searches.

Training for container searches involves teaching dogs to recognize and alert to the target scent through positive reinforcement techniques. Handlers learn to read their dog’s behavior and cues, which indicate when the dog has located the target odor.

Jackie playing multiple container searches:

Proof Is In The Pudding, or In The Chicken Pot Pie

To proof for an obvious and prolonged nose hold: call "Alert!" then move in and pay Jackie at source. Once your dog has learned a solid nose hold, no longer use a marker word "Yes!" but instead just call "Alert!" and pay directly at source.

Proofing Jackie's nose holds while alerting three hides in a container search:

If Jackie breaks her nose hold to look up at the handler when I call "Alert!", simply freeze, wait for Jackie to return to her nose hold, then go in and pay at source. Jackie is paid for holding her nose at source, even while she hears the alert being called.

The tin can game proofs for distractions. Start by putting odor such as lysol or windex on a paper napkin inside a couple tins, and the source odor in another tin. Pay Jackie at source when she nose holds at the correct odor tin. After you pay at source, pick up the odor tin, toss a reset cookie, and replace the tin in a different spot to continue playing.

Move with Jackie around the tin can game, but don't get too close or crowd her. The handler can allow her to search independently while still supporting her by rotating on an imaginary person hole cover while staying in one place.

In this clip we see Jackie starting off very well playing the tin can game, and then she hones in on the food scents (especially the chicken pot pie!). Jackie then displays what I call the classic border collie out-of-body experience: they overthink so hard that they stare off into the distance until they recover to the task at hand.

Jackie proofing for distractions playing the tin can game:

Gradually increase the game's difficulty by adding more tins with food inside -- leftovers from your own dinner for example. Jackie particularly loved the tins with chicken pot pie and a pretzel with peanut butter on it!

The decision to play on or off lead depends on the search space. In a large, open area where the search space is not securely contained with fences or walls, for example, the handler will probably choose to search on lead to maximize time by keeping your dog on lead within the search area.

Jackie searching off lead in an interior search:

Searching off lead tends to increase Jackie's independence and search speed, and is a nice option when searching areas that are large but contained such as a school kitchen or gymnasium, or areas that are small but obviously demarcated such as during the tin can game. When searching off lead, stay within fifteen feet of Jackie with your hands in position as though there is an imaginary lead between dog and handler.

Jackie Nose Work 7.31.24

When teaching nose holds, gradually build duration of the nose hold by waiting at first a split second then mark and reward, then a second and mark/reward, then two seconds and mark/reward, then three seconds and mark/reward; upward to the point that the dog nose holds for several seconds.

Once Jackie understands a reliable several-second nose hold, begin proofing so she holds her nose at source while the handler calls "Alert!"

In scent work class this week Jackie played the 1-2, 1-3, 1-4 Game: a container search that teaches the dog to check each container without skipping any containers. We played different interior searches for multiple hides.

Video clip of Jackie playing interior searches and the 1-2, 1-3, 1-4 game:

30 Day Scent Work Challenge Final Searches

Dogs learn remarkably fast if we allow them to, and if we teach them in a fair and understandable way. When playing scent work, always do a multiple hide search, and always search for a different number of hides each time.

Find three, four, or more hides, and randomly rotate the number of hides in each search, always finding a different number of hides in each successive search. This way Jackie learns she will almost always hear "Find more!" and understands to keep searching.

At this stage in our learning, do three-minute-long searches, and always time each search. If Jackie returns to alert on the same hide, remember to only pay once for any hide; just cue "Find more!" and continue the search. If Jackie returns to the same hide a third time, never pay twice for the same hide, but rather remove that hide from the search.

Jackie and I closed out our 30-day challenge with Odor Recognition Test (ORT) practice, handler discrimination, containers, and even a challenging double-blind interior search set by my nephew while he was visiting!

I told my nephew, who has no experience with dogs or scent work, to "make it easy for her to find." So he hid it up inside the robot vacuum cleaner tower, taped onto the bag full of unemptied-for-weeks vacuum debris (dust, dog hair, dander, human dander, etc)!

Unknown to me before the search, my nephew also "tried out" different hiding areas by placing the scent source in several areas in the room, each time changing his mind, before he settled on a hiding place that suited him. So source spots were lingering throughout the room! Jackie still managed to alert the actual hiding spot source within 35 seconds.

Jackie plays ORT, Containers, HD, and Interior searches in the final days of our 30 day scent work challenge:

High Hides and the "Look up!" Cue

In scent work class this week, Jackie and I learned a new cue, "Look up!" Used when finding source that is hidden two feet, or higher, above the ground. In preparing for trials, measure on your body with a tape measure and mentally mark on your body two, three, four, and five feet.

Circus dog? Nope, just searching a high hide!

For example, if after measuring, your knee on your mental note is about two feet above the ground, while you're searching novice hides, you know that anything below your knee is in play, while anything above your knee is not in play.

If your remembered mental measure says your knee is two feet above the ground, your waist is three feet, your chest is four feet, and your neck is five feet, you'll know by that height on your person to search for in play hides at trials in novice (two feet and lower), advanced (three feet), excellent (four feet), and master (five feet), respectively.

If you walk up to an end table, for example, that is above your knee while doing a novice search, you know that tabletop is not in play. However if you walk past an end table that is below your waist while doing an advanced search, you know that tabletop is in play.

Yep, that's about four feet, so I'm prepared to tell Jackie "Look up!" if I see this object while doing an Excellent level trial search

By measuring and mentally marking where on your body two, three, four, and five feet are, then you easily know what is and is not in play during the search.

The "Look up!" cue tells the dog to search up over their head. Rather than pointing at everything in the search area, instead teach the "Look up!" cue so your dog learns to search high hides as well.

Jackie understanding the "Look up!" assignment!

To first teach the "Look up!" cue, have the dog walk past a series of small, adjustable-height hanging buckets set at about your dog's nose level. Point to the bucket and say "Look up!" then pay when the dog touches the bucket with their nose.

The second time walking past the row of hanging buckets, refrain from pointing and instead just say the verbal cue "Look up!" and mark then pay each time the dog touches the hanging bucket with their nose.

Practice the "Look up!" cue at home on very sturdy items. Hiding food treats on exterior window ledges of varying heights is a good way to practice the "Look up!" cue.

Jackie learning the "Look up!" cue:

Day 7 of 30 Day Scent Work Challenge

In Jackie's nose work class we played four hides. We practiced for our upcoming Odor Recognition Test (ORT) trial where Jackie will find birch, anise, and clove to qualify for competing at further National Association of Canine Scent Work (NACSW) trials.

In novice level NACSW hides, any of these three odors may be used, while in AKC novice birch is the only odor used until the team reaches advanced level where birch and anise are used.

Today Jackie played interior containers, and interior buried for both sand and water, with good success.

Always allow your dog to lead the search. Don't lead the search if your dog can't find the hide, do a happy exit and then go re-set the hide so it's easier for your dog to find.

Move naturally with Jackie through a search; avoid being rigid. Follow her and rotate on an imaginary person-hole cover with smooth, natural movements.

Keeping your leash taught while searching becomes a signal to Jackie to continue searching, that the search is still in progress. Hold the leash as though it were coming out of the middle of your chest, no higher.

Keep enough positive tension in the leash so the clip stays up off the dog's back and there is a definite pressure as Jackie leans into the harness to search. 

Continue to play the cat food bowl game at home, so that Jackie continues learning that searches sometimes have six hides, sometimes, four, occasionally one. Never play the same number of hides twice in a row. Instead, each search has a different number of hides so Jackie never finds a pattern to follow, and each search is fun and fresh.

Jackie searches containers, buried sand and water, and practices for her ORT:

Days 3 and 4 of 30 Day Scent Work Challenge

 For day three of our 30 day scent work challenge Jackie and I played the cat food bowl game, but with a twist: I hid the bowls so they were not directly visible to Jackie at the start.

On day four we played a simple interior search.

Video clip of Jackie's searches on days three and four of our 30 day scent work challenge:

Day Two Scent Work Challenge

Jackie and I are challenging ourselves with 30 consecutive days of finding scent hides.

Yesterday we did an interior search of birch for day one, today we did a vehicle search of combo scent for day two.

Combo Scent Vehicle Search:

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Day One of 30 Day Scent Work Challenge

Jackie is doing a great job playing containers and interiors. Sometimes I hide one odor, sometimes three, sometimes two, sometimes four. Don't over-hide; in other words don't hide every scent every time.

While learning foundation searches, set odors further apart so each odor source is distinct to the dog. Vary the location, number, and how far off the floor for every hide, so that you're not just placing the hides only on the floor. Foundation training hides are placed two feet above the ground or lower. Chairs are a great place to set foundation hides.

It's a good idea to do two to three hides per week. It's acceptable to search every day for periods of time, such as a month-long period, while practicing for an upcoming trial.

Especially while training solid nose holds at source, have treats in your hand during the search, ready to reward as soon as the dog alerts the hide so you are reinforcing the nose hold.

This video clip shows Jackie in two interior searches: one in my spouse's office and one at our training center. While reviewing the office clip, I realized I set the hide close to a bench made of solid cypress. The hide I set was birch, and Jackie is also trained to alert for cypress. Is that why she was so interested in the bench at first, because it's made entirely of cypress?

Scent Work Bucket Games

Bucket games, using dollar store popcorn buckets with source scent hidden inside with double sided sticky tape, are a fun way for the dog to take a break from trialing or regular training and still do something fun with their nose. A bucket is a great way to reinforce solid nose holds at source.

The first game Jackie plays is a row of eight buckets, and she is allowed to search each time independently from the handler. The source is hidden in a different bucket each time, going from the first bucket, to some in the middle, back to the first, then the bucket at the end of the line, then back to the first bucket. This teaches the dog not to arbitrarily skip items, but instead teaches the dog to search every item.

The second game Jackie searches buckets in front of, behind, within, and then inside a spiral of an ex-pen fence. Finally Jackie has to alert the source placed directly ON the fence in the presence of the "decoy" bucket, after spending the session searching buckets.

Jackie learns to search independently of her handler by forging ahead on her own to search the buckets. The handler stays at the start line while the dog drives the search. The dog leaves the handler at the line and searches the buckets.

It's good to playfully engage the dog before starting by playing with the buckets: "Where is it? Ready? Is it here?"

Bucket games are a fun way to add refreshing playfulness to scent work training.

Video clip of Jackie playing Bucket Games:

 

Choose Most Reinforcing, Optimally Appetitive

The Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers uses the least intrusive and minimally aversive procedure to succeed in training or changing behavior. It is called LIMA, or "Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive."

Why not, as a body of leaders in behavior, instead of striving for the least intrusive, minimally aversive behavior intervention, why not strive for the most reinforcing, optimally appetitive behavior intervention? 

Jackie reinforcing me

I realize the ask is big. We must rely on available education, intelligence, and hopefully our desire for the best possible relationship with our dogs. Our most respected organizations, including the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB), the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), and the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (ACVA) do not endorse using pain or fear as a standard for animal training, and have clear position statements that aversive methods are not necessary in dog training, including treating behavior problems.

Rewards Are Preferred

I want to be honest about the fact that I use punishment and know what I am doing, rather than just hoping I always use reinforcement. I also want to recognize when I am using a punishment, not just with dogs but with human students and colleagues, as I am about to do here by voicing my disapproval (a positive punishment [P+] reprimand) of the target behavior defined as "using fear or pain."

Ironic, because I am engaging in the P+ of trying to reduce the frequency of using P+ by voicing my disapproval of P+. I am intentionally trying to be self-aware, civil, thoughtful, and scholarly in tone as I do so.

Jackie looking scholarly

In general I agree with Dr. Ian Dunbar's teachings, especially that rewards are always preferred and appropriate behavior must always be taught to the dog and available to produce to avoid punishment. Dr. Ian Dunbar says repeating punishment of any kind beyond three repetitions is ABUSE. This seems a very good principle.

We learn by scholarly study and in real-life practice, that for punishment to even be effective, it must be immediate and certain. Unless one is 100% able to deliver the punishment 100% of the time the target behavior occurs, then don't bother. Otherwise it becomes an intermittent reinforcer, thus strengthening the very behavior we wish to diminish!

Punishment Has Fallout To Become Abuse

Considered in light of scholarly study, this makes me re-examine punishment. If indeed one cannot follow through with delivering the punishment every single time and not repeating beyond three repetitions, then one must strongly consider stopping the use of that particular punishment, ever. No matter how un-painful or fear-free one considers it to be.

See Dr. Ian Dunbar's eighth rule of punishment and his idea that punishment beyond three repetitions is abuse. If an educated, respected, well-known, and scientifically sound expert scholar says it's abuse, it probably is.

I strive to only use punishment that is not painful and not scary but is effective. However unless I can honestly apply it 100% of the time, and repeat it less than three times, I will consider not using punishment for that behavior.

Examples of my use of punishment follow:

Positive punishment: physically preventing my dog from performing a behavior that will hurt him by physically grabbing him (providing a consequence [a physical grab] that decreases the frequency of the target behavior [hurting himself, say getting run over by a tractor if he cannot hear me]). P+ is to be used only at the utmost end of need.

Negative punishment: crossing my arms and looking up if a dog tries to jump up on me when the dog's guardian does not want the dog to jump up on people (removing the reinforcer [my attention] to reduce the frequency of the behavior [jumping up]).

Negative reinforcement: walking away from my dog if he gets excited while in the crate while I approach to release him from the crate (providing aversive consequences [I walk away, something my dog will work to avoid] to maintain or increase the behavior [Gunner stays quietly lying down in his crate until released]).

Positive reinforcement: where I choose to spend most of my efforts.

For my part, I do not want to incur the heavy responsibility, as Sue Alexander rightly puts it in her Applied Behavior Analysis course, of using pain to teach a dog. 

Confidence and Pleasure (No Fear or Pain)

I prefer to rely on the four quadrants of reinforcement and punishment (without fear or pain), as well as my intelligence, experience, and if necessary consulting a colleague whose opinion matters, to develop a plan to attain the behavior I desire that's in the best interest of the dog and our relationship.

If we find ourselves in a situation where we are considering using fear or pain, we must re-examine what we know, including what is known by respected and scientifically sound experts. When necessary, reach out to a colleague or expert peer for the appropriate help. 

Appetitive is where it's at!

Yes, even for fence jumping, life-saving off-leash recall, harming chickens, and the like. Modern science and our most respected scientific communities support positive reinforcement and optimally appetitive behavior intervention.

Given enough thought, effort, and the right brain power, there is almost always a better alternative than using fear or pain.

Jackie Scentwork

 In handler discrimination, Jackie must discriminate between her handler's scent on a glove from the judge's scent on another glove.

In preparing for a trial, saturate you glove with scent ahead ot the trial.

When playing scentwork, always make a game of it by allowing the dog to watch you play with the boxes or in the area as you're setting up the area-- make it interesting for your dog.

As soon as Jackie moves off from the first hide, step off directly with Jackie as she moves.

Resilience is the ability to recover from and resist the negative effects of stress, or “bounce back” after being in a shelter or any stressful environment.

Jackie has a strong history of resilience training, some call it "Zen dog"

It’s possible to enhance a dog’s physiological ability to recover from stress by affecting their resilience. Even dogs who already have good levels of resilience benefit from a buffer against the effects of future stress by using the following seven processes.

1. Wellness

Health, nutritional, and physical wellness must be supplied first. Any possible medical, nutritional, or health factors are addressed, and a sufficient and comfortable physical environment is provided.

2. Decompression

Decompression is releasing or reducing mental pressure after the stress of being in a shelter or even the good stress of being adopted into a new home from their previous environment. Decompression depends on the individual; an activity that is decompressing for one dog may be stress-inducing for a different dog. Measure a decrease in breathing and heart rate, a decrease in muscle tension with a soft facial expression, or reduced vigilance (scanning).

The Art of Doing Nothing

Most dogs decompress best with relaxation activities like massage, duration sniffing, sleeping, and relaxing with their person on the couch. Teaching your dog the art of doing nothing by creating an environment where they are comfortable to lie down when they choose, and reinforcing them calmly when they are lying down and relaxed.

Lizzie, our BCSave foster, is learning the art of doing nothing

Decompression Walks

A walk in nature off leash (where reasonable and safe) or on a long line where the dog can experience choice and autonomy while they sniff and explore is one of the best sources of stress reduction.

3. Safety and Comfort

Loss of safety and comfort, experienced by any newly adopted dog, often causes escape behavior and defensive behavior. Decreased reinforcement promotes increased arousal, scanning, and vigilance, whereas reward-based training using positive reinforcement intensifies attention and interest, promoting fearless seeking and exploratory activities. 

Allowing time for feelings of increased safety and comfort to be established, combined with ongoing positive counter-conditioning to achieve positive conditioned emotional responses sets up our dogs for success in their new home. 

Safe Zone

Designate a space or room to be your dog’s safe zone where they can decompress and avoid stressors such as children or other pets, or take a break from experiencing the new larger environment all at once.

Create a mobile safe zone out in the world. Reduce the chance of people disturbing your dog by increasing distance between your dog and other people and dogs. Reinforce calm behavior on a “place” mat to indicate to your dog that is their zone of comfort and take their special mat with you when you take your dog with you on outings.

Desensitization and Conditioned Emotional Responses

Make a strong commitment to practice counter-conditioning, desensitization, and conditioning positive emotional responses every day. Create safety and comfort while walking your dog in busy areas by being vigilant about managing the walking environment so your dog does not have to be hypervigilant.

Assertively protect your dog from unwanted advances by not allowing people or their dogs to interact with or approach your dog until your dog is socialized enough to tolerate interaction and approaching.

The more time that goes by that the dog is prevented from encountering triggers in an uncontrolled way, the more the dog feels secure while on walks. Use counterconditioning ahead of time to modify fearful or reactive behavior by associating the trigger with a new positive emotion.

4. Exercise

Regular and sufficient time-and-place-appropriate physical exercise is paramount. Sniffaris (roaming nature walks where your dog is allowed to follow their nose) are excellent exercise.

A snuffle mat, tug toy, retrieving a ball or other toy, racing around (zoomies), chasing a flirt pole, and playing with a social partner are all examples. Exercise should be routine, ongoing, and sufficient to meet the dog's needs.

5. Predictability

A predictable home life and schedule add resilience. Pattern games, described by Leslie McDevitt and others, like the up-down game, “place” game, the look-at-that game, and ongoing rituals of reinforcement increase predictability and choice for the dog.

Your newly adopted dog needs at least three months to fully decompress, learn the house routine, continue counter-conditioning, form positive emotional responses to everything new around them (which you are facilitating with positive reinforcement), and begin the bonding process with you.

6. Social Support

Secure attachment, experiencing positive emotions, and having a purpose in life are important building blocks of resilience. Especially for social species, providing social support by simply being present and available without the need to force or control enhances resilience.

Social support from a calm, confident dog is excellent during resilience training

Kneel near your dog and physically support them with petting in your lap or a firm embrace (only if your dog likes this—many herding dogs do) if your dog is fearful in a new environment like the park or vet’s office. Have a calm, confident dog accompany an anxious dog on a walk.

7. Choice

Dogs should be offered as much control and agency as possible. Off leash walks in nature are best, and the Sniffspot app is a great resource for finding secure off-leash opportunities. Allowing dogs to use their own mind and muscles to make choices about their speed and direction while exploring adds to longevity, agency, and resilience.

Jackie using her autonomy to take a break while freely roaming in nature

Allowing your dog to use their own mind and own muscles to make choices about their speed and direction while exploring adds to longevity, agency, and resilience. A long line is a great alternative if walking off leash isn’t possible.  

Each dog is an individual and should be treated with respect and awareness of their personal nature, preferences, abilities, and needs.

Navigating Resilience

In the exploration of resilience, whether a behavior professional, a dog sports competitor, or a pet dog home, we should understand the intricacies of decompression and building a foundation of safety and comfort to create an environment that fosters recovery and resilience to help our newly adopted friends navigate their new lives.

Citations

Bhambree, B. & Murphy, K. (2023) A framework for behavior modification and training plans to help build and maintain resilience: The Resilience Rainbow. The IAABC Foundation Journal

Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive (LIMA) Effective Behavior Intervention Policy. (2019) Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers

"Control Unleashed" (2007) by Leslie McDevitt

B. P. F. Rutten,et al (2013) Resilience in mental health: linking psychological and neurobiological perspectives. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica

Treibball Fun

Jackie is doing a great job solidifying her gather cue: "Go out!", her pen cue: "Push!", her clockwise directional cue: "Come by!", her counter-clockwise directional cue: "Away!" and is understanding the urban herding assignment. It's fun!

That'll do, Jackie!

Jackie playing "Push!", "Come by!", "Away!", and gathers:

 

Jackie's Sniff-tastic Nose Holds

 In dog nosework, nose holds are a crucial skill, and I'm thrilled with Jackie's progress! She's freezing and holding her nose at the scent source, displaying a strong alert signal.

Jackie's dedication and talent in nosework are evident, and I'm excited to continue our training journey together. Keep up the great work, Jackie!

Jackie showing clear alert nose holds:

Sniffing Success: Dog Nosework with Happy Exits & Playful Techniques

From Sue Sternberg's book The Dog Driven Search we learn to always add to the dog's bank of joy and enthusiasm. This includes always having a happy exit to all your searches.

Your dog put in the effort to search so make it a happy exit every time. Happy exits include "gorilla hands" where you feed your dog repeatedly all the way back to home base, and play with your dog all along the way.

I'm working on body awareness and honoring Jackie's search. I let Jackie lead the search, but as soon as Jackie takes even the smallest step, I step off in her direction. Never back up or sidestep; rather, stay with Jackie's movement.

Keep the leash and leash hook off Jackie's back, somewhat taught as though it were a flexi-lead. Imagine the leash is attached to the front middle of your bra. Leash skills and body awareness are important.

If Jackie stops and looks at me in a search, wait her out. When she moves, then have a happy exit.

After Jackie finds a hide and I've paid her, the handler stays still. Cue "Find more!" and wait for Jackie to move and as soon as she does baby step toward Jackie's line of travel.

If Jackie stops, I stop. Pivot on a person-hole cover but never sidestep, step back, or lead the search. Video your runs and review what your dog is doing.

If Jackie gets frozen, it's ok to re-set her with nose touch or another quick game, then re-start the search. Keep Jackie's leash at least six feet distance between the dog and the handler. If the leash needs to be lengthened, walk baby steps with Jackie as she walks while paying out the leash to a longer length.

Selective Pressures and Developmental Environments: Why Do Certain Dogs Act That Way?

 In the beginning of domestication, dogs were bred only for working. Dog breeds always reflect the function for which the dog was originally bred.  Selective pressures were based on the work that dogs did to help humans, and we still classify dog breeds based on the work for which they were originally bred.

Original proto dogs that were recently evolved from wolves and our modern dogs share modal action patterns, or MAPs, which are a behavioral sequence that is indivisible and will run to completion once triggered. We know that behavior is subject to variation between individuals.

Dog breeds exhibit breed-typical behaviors due to selective pressures and developmental environments. Selective pressures including breeding for specific traits such as herding, hunting, guarding, or companionship, shape behavior by favoring dogs with desired characteristics.

Developmental environments including early socialization, training, and environment also play a crucial role in molding breed-typical behaviors. Herding breeds like border collies exhibit innate herding behaviors due to selective breeding while hunting breeds like Labrador retrievers display retrieving instincts honed through selective breeding and training.

Dog behaviorists must understand however that a dog’s breed is not always a good predictor of behavior. It’s more likely that while behavior traits are heritable (passed from parents to offspring), breed alone is not a good predictor of behavior. In other words, you may have a very friendly pug and also a very friendly poodle, but you may also have a border collie that howls a lot and a corgi that also howls a lot.

As an example, I have a personal “stereotype” that golden retrievers are easy to train, eager, intelligent family dogs that are reliable with children, but that probably isn’t as breed-related as it is related to the individual’s parents and their rearing/environment.

Research (Morrill et al 2022) points to the idea that the breed of a dog is more predictive of how the individual will look (color, coat, size, facial features) than how that individual will behave.

If I adopt a Boston terrier, I can be fairly sure that individual will be compact, short-nosed, smooth coated (how it looks). Will it also be easy to train, pleasant, and intelligent (characteristics often attributed to golden retrievers)? Possibly. Will the Boston terrier be very energetic and need lots of exercise (again often attributed to golden retrievers)? Also possible.

In general the breed Boston terrier is a better predictor of how the dog will look than how it will behave, and I admit I agree with the ideas from new research that challenge my own breed biases.

Breed-Typical Task Efficiency

For breed-typical task efficiency, factors such as genetics, temperament, physical attributes (size, strength, agility), and specialized training are crucial. Dogs often excel in tasks specific to their breed.

In general, dogs from the sporting group need lots of exercise, love running and swimming, and are athletic and intelligent. Sporting dogs were originally bred as tracking dogs.

Dogs from the hound group generally have excellent olfaction abilities, and good vision, and have varied activity levels depending on the individual breed.

Working dogs are large, strong, and powerful dogs that are excellent guard, police, or rescue dogs. They are labor-intensive assistants and tend to be large, powerful, and strong.

Terriers tend to be small and loving. They are often not friendly to other animals since they were bred to hunt small animals on farms. This popular group has loving personalities and puppy-like features but is often described as difficult to train.

The toy group has dogs that are smaller than other breeds but have big personalities. They fit comfortably into apartment dwellings and make excellent watchdogs. Some toy dogs like the Chihuahua, who originated from Mexico, are very small but excellent companions that while easily provoked are very loyal to their person.

The herding group is a subsection of the working group. These working dogs excel at herding, and that includes behaviors such as nipping and barking. Known to "require a certain skill set" they are nevertheless some of the most intelligent and endearing dogs-- my favorite group.

Dogs with multiple ancestors are sorted into the non-sporting group.  This group of medium to small dogs is not well defined. This group includes wonderful specimens like the poodle, bulldog, and the Boston terrier.

Precious or Predatory? What is Predatory Drift?

Predatory behavior is the observable display of predatory instinct to chase prey. Predatory behavior has largely been bred out of dogs but it is still seen, for example when a dog fetches, chases cars, sniffs while hunting, or shakes a stuffed animal. Predatory behavior in dogs refers to instinctual behaviors related to hunting, such as stalking, chasing, and capturing prey.

Predatory drift occurs when a dog crosses the line and tunes us out because their instincts take over. Predatory drift is potentially dangerous and can be triggered by pain, excitement, or the fight-or-flight response. Predatory drift occurs when a dog's predatory behavior escalates unexpectedly, leading to potential aggression toward humans or non-prey animals.

The variability of predatory behavior between different dog breeds and individuals within each breed is influenced by genetics, breed history, training, and socialization. Breeds with strong hunting instincts, such as terriers or hounds, may exhibit more pronounced predatory behavior, while breeds with lower prey drive may show less interest in hunting behaviors. Individual experiences, temperament, and environmental factors furthe

Translating Stress Vs Distress in Dogs

Context is critical for understanding stress or displacement behaviors in dogs to accurately assess their well-being and address potential issues. Recognizing stress-related behaviors in dogs is important since they indicate various stressors such as fear, anxiety, discomfort, or overstimulation.

Common mild stress-related behaviors are lip licking, scratching, yawning, sneezing, stretching, tucking their tail, shaking off, or raised hackles.

Indicators of moderate stress include avoidance, heavy panting, wrinkled brow, tongue flicks, lowered tail, whining, behaving cautiously or reluctantly while approaching, or pushing against a person to relieve stress.

Extreme stress behaviors include heavy drooling or frothing, pinched ears, hunched shoulders, lowered head, whale eye, arched back, wrinkled brow, flared whiskers and lumpy whisker bed, dilated pupils in strong light, withdrawing into themselves, belching or passing gas, shrinking away, enlarged facial blood vessels, stiff or braced legs, and trying to escape.

By understanding the context of stress or displacement behaviors, pet parents can identify triggers, reduce stressors, provide comfort and support, and create a safe and calm environment. This proactive approach improves the dog’s quality of life and strengthens the human-dog bond.

What's The Difference?

Stress focuses a dog’s energy and is used to cope with a specific situation. While stress is sometimes positive, distress is always negative. Distress leads to physical and mental issues. Severe distress leads to a decrease in physical health such that the mind and body no longer operate normally.

Stress in dogs refers to the body’s response to a challenge or threat, which can be either positive or negative (distress), leading to increased arousal and physiological changes. Distress specifically refers to negative stress that exceeds the dog’s ability to cope, resulting in emotional or physical strain, often accompanied by behaviors indicating discomfort or anxiety.

Recognizing Stress is Important

Stress and distress are significant aspects of dog behavior, and recognizing stress-related and displacement behaviors is crucial to understanding a dog’s emotional state. Stress focuses a dog’s energy and is used to cope with a specific situation. Stress is the body’s response to a challenge, which can be either positive or negative. Distress specifically refers to negative stress that exceeds the dog’s ability to cope.

Identifying stress behaviors is important because it allows guardians to intervene and alleviate the source of stress. Common stress-related behaviors are anxiety-displacement behaviors like lip/nose licking, yawning, or sneezing, shaking, whale eye, dilated pupils, increased shedding, and certain vocalizations. Panting, drooling, pacing, scratching, sniffing the ground, or sudden disinterest in activities are also examples of stress. These behaviors serve as coping mechanisms for dogs to deal with stressful situations or conflicting emotions.

Fight-or-flight response results in long-term negative consequences if the dog is in this mode often. In a fight-or-flight response, the amygdala tells the pituitary gland to release cortisone, adrenaline, and noradrenaline to assist the dog in handling threatening circumstances. It is important to understand that once in the fight-or-flight response, the dog is no longer in control of their body.

The fight-or-flight response in dogs triggers physiological changes such as increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, dilation of airways, the release of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, and redirection of blood flow to muscles for quick action. It prepares dogs to either confront a threat (fight) or flee from it (flight), aiding in survival during perceived danger.

Recognizing the early signs of the fight-or-flight response in dogs allows caregivers to intervene before the dog reaches a heightened state of stress or aggression. By identifying early indicators such as dilated pupils, tense body posture, increased alertness, panting, trembling, or heightened reactivity, we can de-escalate the situation, provide reassurance, and remove or mitigate the source of stress or threat. This reduces the risk of aggressive behavior or emotional distress and maintains a positive and safe environment for the dog and their humans.

Proactive measures can be taken when we understand stress-related and displacement behaviors to provide comfort and support and create a safe and calm environment for our dogs. This improves the dog’s quality of life and strengthens the bond between the dog and their guardian by instilling trust, security, and emotional health. 

Identifying Canine Body Language

 Dog body language related to stress and/or conflict includes yawning, lip licking, rigid body stance or "freezing," turned head, and a closed mouth. When a dog is stressed, they display behaviors such as licking their lips or nose, or yawning or sneezing to displace anxiety. They may shake as if they're wet, display whale eye if they're uncertain, have dilated pupils, or increase shedding.

Body language related to stress and/or conflict includes tense body posture with raised hackles, a furrowed brow, and a closed mouth or lip licking. Dogs may exhibit avoidance behaviors such as turning away, yawning, or attempting to hide. Signs of conflict can include a stiff body, wide eyes, and ears held back or flattened against the head, accompanied by growling or snapping when feeling threatened or uncomfortable.

It's important to know that if a dog enters the physiological process of fight-or-fight, the situation is no longer under the dog's control. Long-term negative consequences are likely if the dog is in fight-or-flight mode often, and being in fight-or-flight is exhausting physically, mentally, and emotionally to a dog.

A relaxed and neutral dog has happy, almond-shaped eyes, a slightly open relaxed mouth, and naturally relaxed ears (so understanding your dog's natural ear placement is important). A neutral dog has a happy, relaxed expression, and a slightly open mouth, may display distance-decreasing behaviors, and may have an aimlessly wagging tail that indicates happiness. In a relaxed and neutral dog, you expect to see a loose body posture, relaxed facial muscles with a neutral expression, and ears held in a natural position. The tail may be wagging gently or held in a neutral position, and the dog’s mouth may be slightly open with a relaxed jaw.

A dog displaying offensive, threatening, or aggressive behavior may stare threateningly with direct eye contact expecting you to look away, bared teeth with lips pulled upward aggressively or tense, closed mouth when not snarling or growling, or an aggressive pucker with larger lips, raised ears, leaned-forward posture indicating they my lunge or nip, and their tail may be wagging or held up stiffly to appear larger. An offensive dog may exhibit a stiff body posture, raised hackles along the back, a tense facial expression and exposed teeth, and ears pinned back or forward in an alert position. The tail may be raised high and stiff, or wagging rapidly in a stiff manner.

A dog displaying defensive, threatening, or aggressive behavior may have wide, round eyes indicating fear or distress, and flattened ears indicating fear. A defensive dog may show signs of fear or anxiety, such as cowering, tucking the tail between the legs, and avoiding direct eye contact. The body may be tense, with the head lowered and ears flattened against the head. The dog may also growl or bark defensively while trying to create distance from the perceived threat.

What Does it All Mean? Vocalizations in Dogs

 

Social, Appeasement, and Threat Vocalizations

Social vocalizations include scattered vocalizations with playful body language. Dogs often growl, whimper, or whine during play, and the Rottweiler breed is known to growl when they’re comfortable. Social vocalizations in dogs include friendly barks, whines, and playful growls, often used during interactions with familiar people or dogs to express positive emotions. If vocalizations are high-pitched, the internal state is often affiliative.

Appeasement vocalizations may include whining or whimpering when stressed or anxious, and the dog expects a positive reaction from their person. Appeasement vocalizations are softer, higher-pitched whines or whimpers signaling submissiveness and a desire to avoid conflict, commonly observed in response to perceived threats or during submissive gestures.

Threat vocalizations include alarm barking when there is a perceived threat, and biting is possible. Suspicion barking is often low and slow. Serious aggressive growling is a definite communication, and when heard the trigger for the growling should be found to prevent the next more serious behavior. Threat vocalizations are deep, low-pitched barks or growls indicating aggression or a defensive stance, used to warn potential threats. If vocalizations are low-pitched, the internal state is often aggressive.

Why Vocalizations Are Important

It is important to recognize the various canine vocalizations because it allows a stronger bond between our dogs and us and allows us to understand our dogs. Recognizing dogs’ vocalizations is important for understanding their emotional states and intentions, and enhancing communication between dogs and humans.

Different vocalizations convey distinct messages, such as social playfulness, appeasement, or threat, allowing us to respond appropriately and prevent potential conflicts or misunderstandings. Understanding vocalizations allows better training, handling, and care, promoting positive interactions and a harmonious relationship.

Context Influences Interpretation

The context of a vocalization matters, and conveys if the dog is being social or potentially dangerous. Barks occur in varied contexts and varied acoustic structures. Dogs’ vocalizations are often internally motivated due to conflicting emotions and are a by-product of domestication.

Mobbing occurs when an animal is in a den and a predator approaches, the animal goes toward and away from the predator making mobbing barks. Other animals may notice and join the mobbing of the predator. The predator loses the benefit of surprise and quiet.

Conflict can occur the other way when a dog wants to be near or approach a visitor or another animal but is constrained from doing so by a leash, fence, or door. Domestication has provided dogs a short flight distance so dogs are often conflicted in their decision to run away or stay to fight. Dogs have also learned to use barking for reward in novel situations.

Two hypotheses exist about interpreting dog vocalizations. One hypothesis suggests dog barks are context-specific and refer to something specific. This hypothesis posits that vocalization can be referential between dogs as well as between humans and dogs.

Barking is selected for communication with humans to help both survive. Morton’s motivation structural rules say that if a vocalization is low pitched, the internal state is aggressive meaning “back off,” while if high pitched there is an affiliative internal state to come closer.

Another hypothesis posits that dogs’ vocalizations are internally motivated due to conflict. This second hypothesis is likely correct, and the one to which I subscribe.

Dog vocalizations vary between contexts, are not context-specific, and are internally motivated often due to conflict.

Interspecific Vs Intraspecific Vocalization

Interspecific vocalizations are vocalizations used for communication with another species. Intraspecific vocalizations are vocalizations used for communications with the same species. A unique feature of the bark compared with other canine vocalizations is that it has both tonal and noisy components at the same time.

The tone of a dog’s voice facilitates interpretation in interspecific and intraspecific vocal communication by conveying emotional nuances and intentions. In interspecific communication with humans, variations in tone indicate emotions such as excitement, fear, or aggression, helping humans interpret the dog’s needs and respond appropriately.

In intraspecific communication among dogs, tone helps establish social hierarchies, express playfulness, convey submission, or give warning signals, facilitating social interactions and maintaining group cohesion.