Q&A with Kate Bendix about dog health and happiness - ANSWERS BACK

[RachelMumsnet]

We're running a Q&A this week with dog expert Kate Bendix on all aspects of canine health. Kate runs the webchat My itchy dog. She regularly features on The One Show discussing dog health with vet Joe Inglis. She also writes for canine magazines.

Kate's latest book Top Dog is a step by step guide on how to have a happy dog and happy owners! Expert Kate Bendix answers all your questions whether it's how to choose the right dog for your family, preparing your home for a new puppy, how to have a lovely smelling dog (!) or simply what special doggy treat to make for his Christmas lunch! Offering simple and affordable tips on health, diet and lifestyle, Top Dog shows how you can have a marvellous mutt.

Post your Q to Kate before Monday 8 December and we'll post up her answers the following week (12 December). Everyone who joins the Q&A will be entered into a draw to win one of five copies of Top Dog. Winners will be announced on 12th December.

And a good arse kicking.

Aw I don't think so.

Not more than anywhere else on MN - nobody keeps their opinions under the radar on here!

I know what you mean, Exit. I daren't post about my dogs. I don't have the spare readies for a behaviourist, and I'm sure I'd be flamed for it! Doubtless rightly so. More fool me for not factoring that in. They's insured though, and fed and walked and trained. The just have ishoos. Sigh.

Your insurance might well cover a behaviourist - most do :)

I have a 13 week old bichon cairn cross. He had bundles of energy and LOVES walking. I've herd & read a lot about not over walking him (15 minute max) but how many times can / should we take him out for his 15 minutes? Thanks!

Hi there, the Q&A is now closed. We'll be sending over 20 questions to Kate and upload her answers to this discussion thread next week.

Thanks to all those who joined the Q&A. Winners of the five books will be announced on Friday.

Pet insurance doesn't exist in Latin America, least not my neck of the woods, unfortunately. I have found a trainer that I'm happy with but the dog is still crying if "left" by one of the group.

has this thread been answered??

Apologies for the delay in getting the answers to your questions back up, Kate is just recovering from flu but will get the answers over to us some time this week and we'll upload them to this thread.

We now have the answers back and will be posting them up on the thread shortly. Thanks to everyone who took part!

When I was writing my book, Top Dog, I was really keen to have the most up-to-date and expert information. I was lucky enough to have the support of the lovely behaviourists from school4dogs.com Jo-Rosie Haffenden and Debbie Peters. Both are IMDT accredited behaviourists with years of experience and knowledge. So for the behavioural questions questions, which are a bit more technical, I have asked them for their views. Anything health or food related is all me.

@Tantrictantrum

Hi Kate,

How can you stop a nervous dog weeing when you want her to move from where she is lying? She sneaks onto the bed and I find it extremely difficult to get her off with her urinating.

There are many ways to look at problems and solutions when it comes to dogs. We can manage problems - and often this can lead to a cure. Or we can look to cure a problem. When we are looking to cure a problem we have to dig deep down inside of the dog. We have to explore why the dog is doing what she is doing. It sounds, without seeing the dog, as though this behaviour stems from fear. She is under threat from you when she gets to her favourite, most comfortable place - because she always gets told off or physically moved. To really get to the bottom of this you need a behaviourist to come and see if you can combat some of your dogs stress and anxiety.

In the meantime why not shut the door to keep your dog from going onto your bed. If you have problems getting her on and off the furniture in general then why not teach her to touch your hand on cue. Get a treat and pop it between your fingers. When your dog goes to sniff your treat hand, say "yes" and get a different treat from your other hand to treat the dog. Repeat this about 15 times and now take the treat out from your fingers. Put your hand down and wait for your dog to choose to touch your hand again. Then say yes again and treat. Now start saying "touch" just before you drop your hand down. Keep repeating this. Keep a little pot of treats in your room and in the lounge and next time you need your dog to move use the "touch" command and reward your dog heavily. Remember this is not rewarding her for being where she shouldn't - it is teaching her to trust you and that it is worth it to do as you have asked.

@Soozle50

My 4 1/2 month cockapoo is biting so much we cant even play with her now as she has not only torn my 11 year olds clothes she has broken the skin on his arms! We give her chews toys frozen stuffed Kong etc and from 8 weeeks followed the bite inhibition training info given by veterinary nurse. she goes for two walks of 20 mins each a day has numerous runs around the garden have started puppy classes where she does sit paw stay rollover wait (only short time atm) she doesnt snatch food is toilet trained so a good girl for her age! My son is sad that he cant play with her without getting bitten quite hard. She also pulls on the lead awfully I follow the 'rules' of dog walking ive read online to no avail, Help !!

Some dogs need some extra guidance when it comes to lead walking. It sounds like you have really done your research but be careful that you are not changing the rules lots! It sounds like you may have tried quite a few different things with regarding to pulling on the lead. My advice would be to clicker train a wee pup like the one you have described. With the lead training click and follow the click quickly with a treat every time she looks at you when you are out on a walk. This will increase connection and then the position will come as a result. Additionally remember that movement is reward so walking back or turning when she pulls isn't really teaching her. Instead, stop when she pulls. Wait for herr to look at you. Then click and reward as you begin to move again. The reward is the treat but so is the movement forward.

In terms of the biting, she is still teething and 11 year old can be very fun and exciting. Once you have started clicker training ask your 11 year old to trick train her. Build associations with calmness and order around the 11year old. At the moment your dog probably sees 11 year old and thinks it is all fun and full on games. If the biting persists or seems serious then contact a behaviourist.

@AlfieandAnnieRose

Hi Kate. My mini schnauzer has got into the habit of barking when she sees other dogs as she's excited. But at times it's embarrassing as she won't stop even when we tell her off or distract her with a treat or even turn around and walk the other way! Any tips so our walks can be enjoyable again? Thanks

There is a great book by Grisha Stewart called BAT (Behaviour Adjustment Training) and it looks specifically at frustrated greeters like your little bundle of joy :)

@cavkc

I have 3 cavalier King Charles, one if whom is aged 11

He is more or less completely deaf and the vet thinks he is a bit senile.

The issue we have is that he is barking all the time to go into the garden, you'll let him out, he'll have a wander around the garden then come back in, only for it to be repeated 30 mins later.

We've tried ignoring him but he can be very persistent, we've also tried distracting him and getting him to come into another room where we are but nothing seems to help. We've closed the hall/kitchen door so he can't get to the patio door but the he just barks in the hall.

The day times are bare able just, but he's started doing it during the night .. Seriously it's like having a new born baby. Our bet suggested ignoring him which we did for a week but it hasn't helped

He's definitely not wanting to go out for the toilet and he gets plenty of excessive and company

Any ideas would be gratefully appreciated

When dogs reach a certain age they start to take glucose in differently and this can lead to cognitive dysfunction. Supplementing with good fish oils has been proven to help with cognitive dysfunction, try Salmopet salmon oil. Other than that - would it be possible to install a dog flap? Sadly, this is something that is common in old age. It is less like having a two year old and more like having a 92 year old. Try to think compassionately and treat your elderly dog as you hope to be treated at the same age. It is a sad thing but something we choose to live with when we take on a puppy. Good luck.

@VivaLeBeaver

Kate. Do you think dogs get jealous or is that just putting human emotions onto a dog?

I've recently got a puppy and while I'm making every effort to fuss my older dog still if he catches me tickling puppy's tummy he comes over and puts his paw on my hand as if he wants me to stop.

Hmmm. I suppose we have to look at the definition of jealousy. One definition is to be 'fearful of losing your position to someone else'. I think dogs do feel the need to maintain valuable resources and we are often the most valued resource. So if your older dog loves it when you cuddle him and he sees you spent that energy on the new dog he may behave in a way as to try to stop this through fear of losing his resource - which I suppose is jealousy.

Gregory Berns did some wonderful experiments using a dog who had been trained to stand still, awake, in an MRI scanner. When the dog was being petted by his owner, Berns found that the parts of the brain triggered by love in humans, were also active in the dog’s brain. Whilst most dog owners don't need science to teach us that our dogs feel similar emotions to us it is nice to have the science to back it up anyway! I think the obsession with anthropomorphism being a really bad thing, is beginning to finally reduce in animal behaviour circles.

@Firedemon

Hi Kate,

I have an approx 2.5 year whippet cross. She is a rescue and came to live with us about 6months ago.

She loves people and is so friendly towards them but is an absolute terror around other dogs!

She doesn't start off being aggressive but approaches other dogs in a very 'full on' way. Running up to them, legs everywhere and getting in their space.

She will sometime bark and we don't know if this due to aggression or playfulness.

If she approaches a dog who is more dominant they may have a little tussle but once she's put in her place everything is usually ok. Unfortunately it's not easy finding other dogs like this whose owners are willing to let my dog be trained by them as it were.

Any sort of food bribe to call her back or calm her down doesn't work. Once she's seen another dog she goes from calm to crazed in a heartbeat. She won't obey commands either.

At dog training classes she will occasionally bark and paw the other dogs but as the lesson progresses she calms down.

I do genuinely think she likes other dogs, she just doesn't know how to behave around them.

What are some practical things I can do to help her deal with doggy situations?

I've tried a stern command which she does understand in other situations but nothing gets through when she sees another mutt!

I'd love to get her a calmer dog sibling but we don't have room at the moment. Other members of our family have dogs and they don't get on too well with her either.

She spent the weekend with a larger dog a couple of months ago and calmed down after a few hours. He is a very old and patient creature so it was a really great situation for her. Unfortunately that dog lives 300 miles away so it can't be a regular thing.

I'd love to be able to go for a walk with her and not have to turn around/hide/cross the road when another dog comes our way. Please help!

It really is impossible to say without seeing your dog as the behaviour you have described could be routed in fear or frustration and it is impossible to say without seeing the body language of the dog. What I would ensure though is that you manage her expectations. She isn't allowed off lead with another dog until she can be calm with him on lead. Try to practice walking parallel with different dogs on your walk so she is used to being near, but not actually meeting, other dogs. This will reduce her expectation that every time she sees a dog she is going to chase/be chased and so she will get used to simply 'being around' other dogs. In these situations you may need to start the walks quite far from the dog you are walking with - far enough so that she isn't reacting. Then as she calms - slowly reduce the distance between her and the other dog. Take it slow and remain calm. If in doubt bring in a professional.

@wheretoyougonow

Hi Kate

Every night our springer cross scratches at her ears and rubs them on the carpet. She has been put under to have them checked as she went through a stage of 'flapping' them at night. All was clear.
We have her trimmed and have changed her diet but she still does it! Do we need to be concerned or do you think it's now just a habit?
Thank you.

Hi there

Ear problems are a common theme among spaniels of all types. If you’ve had them checked and your vet can’t see any parasites or infection have you considered a fungal problem? It could be that she’s scratching due to a yeast overgrowth on the skin caused by too much carbohydrate in the diet. When there is too much sugar, especially from refined carbohydrates in the diet, an overgrowth of candida albicans (yeast) in the gut can break out on the warm and damp areas of the skin. This can be up the nose, between the toes and in the ears, resulting in extreme itching and irritation.

It depends what you have changed the diet over to, but I would go for something very much meat and veg based, probably a wet food rather than a dry, one which contains a high proportion of meat or fish and vegetables and not much in the way of carbs. I like Nature Diet, Natures Menu and Barking Heads for this. I would also give the gut a clear out with a course of probiotics – Yumpro from Lintbells is excellent – to get the good gut flora back on an even keel.

To clear up the itching inside the ears I like adding Skinny Spray, onto my hand then rubbing the inside of the ears, to clear up anything itching skin. It contains a good amount of neem oil, which fungus hates, plus some other essential oils which reduce itching.

So – diet, probiotics, neem oil. Should sort you out.

@R4roger

Hi We would like our 2 year old jack russell terrier to sleep in her bed in the kitchen at night. We gave up when she was a puppy as she would wee/poo in the kitchen and she slept on our bed. It is more like in our bed but we would dearly like to rehome her at night. She scratches at the door when we do try. tia

Try and ensure that during the day there are periods of time that your dog cannot follow you around even though you are in the same house. You can count condition these periods of time by giving her something yummy (like a frozen Kong) every time you leave her in a room and taking it (by swapping it for something like a little bit of hot dog) when you return.

Use this replacement toy at night too so she has something to take her mind off the anxiety. Additionally place a ticking clock in her bed (that simulates the sound and feeling of something else alive being in the room) and put the bed by a radiator or leave a hot water bottle in with her too. If the separation anxiety is too intense after trying out these steps call in a professional to help.

@SteveBrucesNose

Hi Kate

We adopted two adult Dalmatians around 9 months ago. One has major health issues I'm trying not to admit that this will be his one and only Christmas with us

They're extremely attached to each other - never more than 2-3 metres away from each other. Currently curled up asleep with her head on his back. We've been trying to take them out separately to get them used to being apart for when the inevitable happens but unless they're with one of us, they just howl. It's the saddest sound you could imagine. Even when one has been in the vets overnight, they've had to allocate a nurse to stay in the room fussing whoever is in there to stop them howling all night

Any suggestions?

Unfortunately this is going to be a really slow process of slowly detaching the dogs and teaching them independence. I would strongly recommend you seek the help of a local behaviourist to come and put in place a pathway plan for you to follow.

@AdoraBell

Hi Kate

How can I stop a normally confident happy 2 yr old German Shepard from crying when one of the other dogs goes out, either to the vet of for a walk?

Thank you.

As above and above. Try replacement toys and hot water bottles. Make sure your dog is mentally tired before having to deal with the absence of her friends. Additionally try to ensure that the dogs spend positive time (perhaps meal times and training times and the odd cuddle) apart from one another even when they are in the house. It's all about blurring the lines so the other dogs going out isn't too different to when they are in. As above - if all else fails you will need the help of a good trainer to practically put in place the right strategy.

@ScienceRocks

We adopted a six year old Catalan sheepdog earlier this year. She had been with a breeder and had four litters. Kept well, but quite functionally in an outside kennel with a concrete run. Not much love or affection, we suspect, though in good health. She is a dream in many ways - great with kids and other dogs (now we have had her spayed!), very affectionate, fabulous to walk including off the lead, very patient and doesn't bark very much. We adore her, she is a much loved member of the family.

But she doesn't know how to play How can we help her?

Start by learning how to clicker train. There a lots of tutorials online for this. Then teach her a retrieve via back training with the clicker. Then you can start playing fetch which may bring up her motivation for toys.

@TheRainInTheWoods

We are thinking of adopting another ex racing greyhound.

We have a very quiet natured (huge) boy who is seven. He doesn't like lively dogs at all, or other breeds. We live rurally so he rarely sees other dogs which suits him fine. He walks with my neighbour's ex racer most days and they're fine with each other.

What are your tips for ensuring a smooth relationship between the two dogs?

Introduce the dogs on neutral territory and go for parallel lead walk at first (as described above) where the dogs don’t interact. If all is going well then allow the dogs to sniff each other etc. and wait for any play initiation. Let the most nervous dog off lead first so that they can choose not to play. Don't rush it, just build the relationship slowly :)

@AlphaBravoHenryFoxtons

We have a cockerpoo pup. We've only had her a few days. She's adorable and learning about her new home very fast. We don't want her to go upstairs nor do we want her to go into our formal sitting room. She will have the run of the kitchen, family sitting room, playroom, hall, our studies & a large garden. We work from home so she will only very rarely be left without a human. Do we need a stair gate at the foot of the stairs or shall we just try to train her not to go up? Obviously the door to the sitting room can just be left closed.

Stair gate most definitely. It saves any problems and bother. Usually a dog who is prohibited from a young age to ever go up the stairs - just never goes up the stairs. So you will be able to remove the gate later on.