If you ever go to Kansas in November to hunt pheasants there is something you should know. There are two types of pheasants; pen-raised and wild. You can kill pen-raised pheasants with bird-shot normally used for much smaller birds. To kill wild pheasants it takes bigger balls. Why? Wild pheasants are toughened up by the environment. Pen-raised pheasants are wussies, by comparison.

This is not an isolated example. One type of pine tree in Yellowstone won’t open up its cones to drop seeds if the tree isn’t exposed to extreme heat – like a forest fire. No forest fire, no replication. By fighting forest fires, a natural event, forest service workers have limited the population of those trees.

The point is that Darwin never said, “Survival of the fittest”. Even if he did, he would have meant that the species ‘fit’ a niche, like a hand to a glove. The needs of a species are not always predictable based on human perceptions. Some of the things we do to our dogs are based on what we like rather than what they need. There are many examples where stress actually causes improved health, both mental and physical.

For instance, Norwegian Elkhounds won’t grow a full undercoat unless they live through at least one cold winter. A California Elkhound isn’t going to get that thick, plush undercoat…that it’s owner will have to strip out for hours before a conformation show. If you have a large breed originally intended for hunting but never do anything that requires a hardy physique? The result is long term weakening of the physiology of the breed.

If you never stress a dog you can expect behavioral overreaction to small things. Do we think that wolves and coyotes freak out during every thunder storm and run willy-nilly away from their family group, trembling all the way?

Our current attitudes about training and behavior depend on the idea that never stressing a dog is a good thing. Then we spend money on psychotropic drugs and tedious processes to ‘desensitize’ them to normal living. If you raise a puppy in a protective bubble you better keep them bubbled-up for life. If you learn to apply stress in an environment that is also rich with new things, fun things and positive training that leads to structure you have the best formula to create a behavioral hardy dog. If you don’t, I have job security.

By Gary Wilkes © 2021 480-649-9804 Behavior and Training Services, San Tan, Arizona

Imagine for a second that your puppy has swallowed a sock. This is not the first time your little darling has tried to ingest an inedible object. She’s been trying to do it since she was eight weeks old. You have unsuccessfully tried to control the behavior the entire time. Your vet has cautioned you that swallowing such an item will likely cause an intestinal blockage – a blockage that could easily be fatal. Your vet has not offered any advice about how to prevent a tragedy other than living in a house devoid of potentially fatal objects. You abhor Scandinavian modern décor and have children who acquire things. It is an unreasonable goal to make your house into a concrete warehouse. As for puppy proofing your house, you have also discovered the physics of static electricity. Socks can move without the need for human intervention. Now it appears that a sock is missing. You cringe at the thought but have a good suspicion about where it is. It’s inside your pup. Continue reading →

This is ‘socialization’. Gee, don’t you want some of that? Dogs are social animals, no?

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(Paper Presentation: Central Veterinary Conference East Conference Journal, 2007) By Gary Wilkes

ag·gres·sion

1. The act of initiating hostilities or invasion. 2. The practice or habit of launching attacks. 3. Hostile or destructive behavior or actions 4. The practice or habit of using teeth and claws to damage and/or terrify veterinary personnel.

When I started to write this handout, I decided to prioritize the topic in the context of veterinary care and pet ownership. Here’s what I came up with.

1. Claws can be nasty, teeth can be deadly
   
2. Cats can be nasty, dogs can be lethal.
   

Using this logic, we will place the greatest importance on dog bites, followed by cat bites and scratches.

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To make full use of our day together, there are some simple things that can dramatically improve your experience. They require very little time. I have included links to blog posts and videos that you can examine in your spare time. I offer two types of information – basic and advanced. The basic stuff covers foundational knowledge that will get you up to speed, quickly. The advanced stuff won’t likely make sense unless you have experience that examines the topic in a manner similar to mine. Don’t be bothered if some of the information doesn’t make sense. It will. I do not say things that can’t be proven by simple tests.

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