Breed Highlight: The Bulldog

History:

           The term “bulldog” was first used around 1568 and may have been applied to some other late ancestors of the modern bulldog breeds before the breed that we recognize today.

Bulldogs are believed to have been bred in England as a cross between the Mastiff and the Pug, though that can be debated. In the 1600’s, bulldogs were used for bullbaiting, as well as bearbaiting which was a gambling sport popular in the 17^th century. Wagers were placed while trained bulldogs leapt at a bull tied to a post. The typical means of attack included latching onto the animal’s snout in attempt to suffocate it. Bullbaiting and bearbaiting were both banned, as well as dog fighting in the UK by the Cruelty to Animals Act of 1835.

Alternatively the bulldog was also handy to have around the farm and came to good use in catching horses, cattle, and boars in legitimate dangerous farm situations where a person could not get close to the animal. Because cornering and leading bulls was so dangerous, bulldogs were trained to seize a bull by its nose long enough for a rope to be secured around its neck.

Bulldogs Today

          The bulldog, American and English, has gone on to become a popular companion and working animal as well as a widely used mascot. The original Old English Bulldog was crossed with the pug. The outcome of that was a shorter, wider dog with a brachycephalic skull (short snout). Though todays bulldog still looks tough, they cannot perform the job that they were originally bred for, as they cannot withstand the rigors of running and being thrown from a bull, and cannot grip with such a short muzzle. The bulldog breed shows strong loyalty and protectiveness towards its humans.

“They say that dog is man’s best friend, but they are wrong. Man is dog’s best friend.”

 Karin Klich RVT

Understanding your dog’s point of view when it comes to the new baby; preparation, introduction and building a bond

I’ve had the pleasure of introducing many furry and feathered family members to our bundle of joy a year and half ago, and will be doing so again in the near future.  My biggest concern was would they accept him or her.  Having a Great Dane and a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, I was concerned about their size, strength, and apparent unawareness of where their tails and feet are at times.  A tail to the face as I was sitting on the couch or my toes pinched beneath their giant paws, was not unheard of, as they looked around dumbfounded as to the cause of my reaction. 

Unfortunately, injury to an infant or toddler by a dog is not always an accident and indeed can be preventable.  Aggression or fear of a new addition to the family is not breed specific, even your tried and true Labradors and Golden Retrievers have made the list of breeds that have injured children in their own home.  All dogs have teeth and all dogs have the potential to develop new behaviours, which you would have previously thought uncharacteristic of their personality, when a huge change is made to their everyday life.  Why does this happen?  Prey drive, jealousy, pain in our senior pets, or most commonly fear.

Does Fluffy the teacup poodle really have prey drive?  Of course, when she picks up her stuffed toy and shakes it or when she chases squirrels in the park, this is prey drive.  But why would your family dog see a new baby as prey?  Well, as far as your dog is concerned, baby’s noises and movements aren’t far off from his squeaky toys or wounded prey, respectively.  Baby also isn’t far off the size of some dog toys and even better, seems to be off limits, all things that peak your dog’s interest.  Even toddlers and older children make sounds and movements that enhance prey drive, running/yelling/flailing arms.  Many friendly dogs may see this as play at first, but if a child gets scared or screams or flails, this can arouse the dog further, to the point of a bite.

Another potential scenario which may lead to a dog bite is jealousy.  I use this term loosely, as it may be better understood as a possessiveness or territorial behavior towards the dog’s toys, food, or even their owner.  When possessive of their owner, this may be interpreted as by many as jealousy.  When a new family member suddenly becomes the centre of attention, requiring the furry baby to share his owner’s time, this can result in a displeased canine.  Some dogs may simply “pout” due to lack of their owner’s attention, others may nudge or even force their way closer to the owner, i.e., between the toddler/child and parent.  If the message is still not clear, a growl/snarl or even simple look may be offered as a warning.  Dogs are often reprimanded for this behaviour, and may start to associate the toddler with getting into trouble.  Even more dangerous, is when baby becomes mobile, and wants to explore Rover’s toys and food dish.

Let’s not forget our senior furry friends.  Just like people, as our dogs age, they may develop arthritis and resulting pain/stiffness.  They are less able to move quickly to get away from baby if they need to, and may resent what we think is normal touching/petting, due to pain.  It’s important to see your veterinarian to ensure that Old Blue’s joints aren’t causing him some discomfort and that perhaps he would benefit from some pain management.

Last, but certainly not least, is fear.  The most common reason for dogs to bite children is fear. 

A dog friendly towards adults does not necessarily translate into a dog that is friendly towards children.  For those dogs that were not exposed to kids, the sounds and movements of children are foreign to them. 

When children become mobile, dogs are less able to keep away, and may resort to giving a warning signal, which is often punished by the owner.  This will actually increase the dog’s fear/anxiety, possibly even causing them to hide their warning signs.  Eventually, the warning signs are skipped, and they may go straight to a bite.  Parents are often proud of their fur babies being so tolerant of children, who may impinge on their space, but dogs have limits too, and we need to respect that.  It’s not just about training our dogs, it’s about teaching our children to play and interact with pets, so that the pet enjoys, not simply tolerates, the interaction.

Bringing baby home for the first time is a big change for everyone in the family, but at least we get to prepare.  Think if one day by complete surprise you found a baby in your home.  As humans we have 9 months to prepare mentally for this big change.  For our dogs, they find out the day baby comes through the door.  Although they may sense an impending change, they do not know exactly what it entails.  It is our job as responsible pet owners to prepare our dogs for this momentous event.

So, what do you need to do?  

• Set your dog up to succeed, teach him boundaries, and what to do to get what he wants.   This all needs to take place before baby comes home.  We want to teach manners and patience, for example, teach him to ‘sit’ for everything, yes literally everything—treats, toys, meal time, play, going outside, even attention/petting.  It’s not mean to make a dog work, it gives them a means to communicate politely and the comfort of knowing what they need to do to get what it is they want.  You want him to look to you for instruction, especially as many new situations will soon present.   Frequent short training sessions at home (10 mins a few times/day) is an excellent way of getting yourself into the habit of interacting with your dog to achieve the appropriate behavior.  
• It can help to expose your dog to recordings of babies, and train during these sounds, making sure to give lots of treats and praise.   Start with a low volume and work your way up.  
• If possible, bring a blanket home with baby’s scent prior to baby’s arrival, with which your dog can familiarize himself with the scent.  This item is not for him to have, only to smell politely as he sits calmly.  He should understand that this is your blanket and that he needs to respect it. This will help to decrease his curiosity when baby arrives, as the scent will not be brand new. 
• When you arrive home, hold baby safely out of his reach, have him sit and reward him for being calm (no whining/jumping).  
• Practice scenarios that may occur once baby arrives, such as walking with a stroller, controlled walking up and down stairs, having visitors to your home.  Make sure your dog has an escape that he is familiar and comfortable with, such as a crate, gated area, or own room, for once baby becomes mobile.  
• Teach your dog that when people approach his food bowl, good things happen to him, or that it’s fun to give his toys because he gets treats or the toy back for doing so.  Train him to love handling.  I’m sure that you will teach your child to stay away from your dog when he’s eating or sleeping or to pet him nicely, but accidents do happen, so remember to give your dog the tools to deal with these situations appropriately.  
• The key is to anticipate and prevent.  It’s always those cases where people get too comfortable and say ‘Oh, he would never bite’.  So, what do you do if your dog does give a warning (e.g. growl)?  Best thing is to redirect the child to another activity first.  If the child is persistent, then you can call Fido over and praise him for ‘coming’.  This avoids punishing him for communicating with a warning and rewards him for the correct behaviour (to simply leave the situation).  
• Counterintuitive, but ignore your dog to some degree when baby is away or sleeping, as opposed to dotting on him because you have the time; you want to reward him for good behaviour when baby is nearby, so that he’ll learn that good things happen to him when baby is around.  Along these same lines, ensure that guilt doesn’t push you to increase the attention paid to your dog in the time frame immediately before baby arrives home, this only creates a more drastic change for Fido.  
• Finally, do not allow your dog into your baby’s sleeping area as he pleases.  You can allow him to investigate the nursery, but ultimately, he should understand that he is allowed in only at your request.  This plays a part in making your dog understand that baby, as small as he/she is, ranks just as high as you in his pack.

Formal obedience classes will also help to generalize these behaviours outside the home and in the presence of distractions.  Ultimately, no matter how much training you do, never leave your dog alone with an infant or small child.

You are the mediator, so recognize the warning signs, and know if your dog needs more space or if your toddler needs help understanding how to interact with animals.  If you need help with specific training techniques or recognition of warning signals, don’t hesitate to visit your veterinary team, as they are well versed in these areas.

Dr. Lauren Brownell, DVM

Livestock Guardian Dogs (LGDs)

A Maremma Sheepdog guarding it's flock.

Many people have never heard of livestock guardian dogs (LGDs), but if you talk to anyone with goats or sheep they know exactly what you are talking about.  Loss of lambs, sheep, goats, or calves due to predators such as coyotes, wolves, wild dogs and even bears is a huge problem to farmers that have such animals on pasture.  It can be a significant economic loss to the farmer and is also a very emotionally upsetting thing to encounter. Good fences will help but are not usually effective on their own.  Guardian animals are a good way to reduce or eliminate your predation problem.  These can include llamas, donkeys or dogs.  There are pros and cons to each type of guardian animals.   Dogs are the most widely used and will generally live with their flock 24/7 year round. They are handled usually by one person and are not accustomed to coming inside a house.  

There are many guardian breeds out there such as Kuvasz, Great Pyrenese, Akbash, Maremma Sheepdog, and Anatolian Shepherd just to name a few.  These have been bred for guarding sheep, cattle, goats and have been used for centuries in Asia and Europe.  There are even parts of Africa where they are used to protect goats from cheetahs.  Their behaviour is completely instinctive and they bond to their flock at an early age through imprinting.  It is very interesting to watch a 3 month old fluffy white Maremma puppy backing himself up against “his” sheep to protect them, even tough he is just a tiny, cute little fluff ball at this stage.  The sheep which are flighty and nervous animals seem to adapt to this new puppy immediately.  Often barking, and displaying aggressive behaviour is enough to keep the predators away, but they will fight if necessary.  Most of these dogs are quite large making them intimidating.   Many flocks will have at least 2 dogs and they often take on different roles.  Some dogs tend to stay close to the flock, whereas the other may stay on the periphery driving off any predators with their bark. LGDs do not often need to kill predators as their bark is enough to cause these predators to look for non livestock prey, such as deer, rabbits, rodents, or birds.  This in turn results in a reduction in trapping, hunting or poisoning of predators to protect livestock.

Some of these dogs become very protective which does not always make them good pets or suited to residential living.  However in recent times some of these breeds have been used as pets and proven to make good companions. 

It is important to feed these dogs a well balanced dog food, and they should be on a large breed puppy food until at least 12-15 months of age.  They generally have not reached full maturity until 1 ½ - 2 years of age.  For some farmers, it is very difficult to get their LGDs to a veterinarian, as some are handled very little and live freely on a large range.  However it is important to keep their vaccines up to date as they have an increased chance of rabies exposure, and are also at a greater risk for leptospirosis due to their proximity to wildlife.  Deworming for parasites such as ecchinococcus ( a tapeworm) is important in these dogs as they can pass this on to the sheep or other livestock . 

Stay tuned for my next blog on my own personal guardian dogs (Maggie, Saiko and Romelus)  and their story.

Brigitte Rudolf, DVM 

Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic 

DENTAL DISEASE

Did u know that dental disease affects approximately 85% of dogs and cats over 1 year of age?

-      Usually bad breath is an early sign of poor oral health.

-       Dental plaque occurs early and is composed of food particles, bacteria and saliva. If plaque is not removed, it can harden and adhere to the tooth’s surface and form tartar.  When left on the tooth’s surface, it causes painful inflammation along the gum line and eventually, can cause recession of the gum line therefore resulting in loose teeth. THIS IS WHERE HALITOSIS (BAD BREATH) COMES FROM.

-       If dental disease is left untreated you can may loss of teeth, damage to the jaw bone and a dangerous source of infection by allowing build up of bacteria to enter into the blood stream and cause damage to vital organs (nervous system, lungs, heart, liver and kidneys)

The different stages of dental disease consist of:

      Stage 1- this is where plaque forms and marginal gingivitis is present

      Stage 2 – plaque can harden into tartar, gingivitis is noted and gums bleed when probed

      Stage 3 – plaque + tartar present, painful gingivitis, pockets, recession, < 50% bone loss

      Stage 4 – plaque + tartar present, sever pain, gingivitis, pockets, recession, mobile teeth,                       > 50% bone loss, and severe infection.

Dental disease can easily be prevented by doing the following:

1-     Brushing your pets teeth daily, with a veterinary approved, palatable tooth paste

2-      Feeding a specially designed veterinary approved dental diet to your pet

3-      Providing oral treats such as rawhides or dental chews that are veterinary approved

4-      Using a veterinary approved water additive added to your pets drinking water or oral rinse

5-      Best of all! Yearly or regular dental cleanings by your veterinarian is one of the most effective ways to ensure good oral health for your companion animal. 

Chantelle Oliver, RVT

Chocolate Toxicity

I think everyone here at the Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic looks forward to Valentine's Day. Our winter has been pretty relentless, and we can all do with adding a little extra chocolate and love to our lives! Most dog and cat owners are aware of chocolate toxicity as a problem for our pets. Chocolate contains theobromide, which is a caffeine like compound that can cause tremors, hyperactivity, seizures and even death if enough is ingested. People do not have the same sensitivity to this as our pets do. Luckily cats do not tend to be big chocolate eaters, but dogs certainly do enjoy chocolate in all its forms. The good news is that if your Labrador Retriever finds a single chocolate on someone's pillow, it is unlikely to be a problem. But if he comes across a box of chocolates, that could certainly cause trouble (not to mention that the foil wrappers may, ahem, plug things up!). Dark chocolate is more toxic than milk chocolate. And the chocolate baking squares and powdered pure cocoa are the worst culprits, so beware of counter surfing dogs when you are making that delicious chocolate cake!

I still have a very clear memory of my young son coming to my bedside early one New Year's Day morning, to tell me that he had been out to the living room, and had found our then 2 year old Jack Russell (he is now 16 and 1/2 years old!) snorfing down a bag of truffles that my darling husband had left on the coffee table from our party the night before. Sadly, since I am a veterinarian, it was my job to rush him to the clinic, and to spend the next hour of that very early morning inducing vomiting and then cleaning up after and bathing my poor little dog. Glad I did though, because the total amount of chocolate that he brought up was really quite remarkable, and would in all likelihood have caused some serious problems for him.

Please call our staff at the Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic anytime if you have any questions about chocolate toxicity!

Dr. Wendy Korver
Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic 

Phoebe's Tale

It was a dark and stormy night.  Clouds scudded across the sky bringing with them torrents of rain.  Occasionally, the cloud cover would thin and the moon could be seen, as if through a veil, but only briefly, before the next bank of clouds blew in,  bringing even more rain to the countryside.

Inside the barn, most of the creatures had settled down for the night.  The barns cats and their kittens, snug in their boxes in their own little stalls, were just beginning to listen for the rustling of mice running across the floor, through the loft and across the rafters of the big, old wooden barn that was their home.

Invaders, however, were lurking close by.  At some point through the dark night, one of these intruders, one with sharp, pointed teeth, crept into the barn, ears twitched for the slightest sound, nose sniffing the air for interesting scents, keen eyes looking for the tiniest movement.   

Slowly, step by step, the intruder stole through the dark, cavernous barn, trying to avoid the moonlight that shone fitfully through the dusty windows that were edged with spider webs.  The resident barn owl, high up in the rafters, fixed its steely gaze on the intruder.  The mice ceased their movements, not daring to reveal their location.  The adult cats, alert to the sense of danger stayed quiet and still.  Meanwhile, the kittens, a brother and sister, both black and white with soft, silky fur, were oblivious to the danger and slept, snuggled together.

Suddenly, the kittens awoke.  The intruder with its bright, beady eyes was creeping into their stall.  As quick as lightning, it leapt at the tiny, female kitten, fastening its jaws onto her left, front leg, mauling it with its razor sharp teeth.  Her brother recoiled in panic, the adult cats growled and hissed and the mice ran for their lives.  The intruder, suddenly aware of the approaching adult cats departed quickly, leaving the wounded kitten huddling in the corner, nursing her wounds.

Oh, but she was a fighter, this little kitten.    She soldiered on, even though the wounds had left her unable to use her left, front leg.  Fortunately, the kitten had a kind and compassionate human friend named Diane who brought her to the veterinarian, who, after examining the leg, determined that the only recourse was to perform an amputation. 

The surgery was a success and the kitten recovered nicely.  The kitten, whose name is now Phoebe, lives at the Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic along with the other resident cat, whose name is Carter.

Phoebe gets around very well on three legs and jumps up onto chairs with no trouble at all.  She is a shy cat, wary of strange noises and people, which is understandable.  Yet, she is not at all shy about letting you know she is hungry or that she wants her belly stroked.  Phoebe loves to bask in the sunshine on her platform on the windowsill.  Most of all, Phoebe loves to be spoiled by her human friends at the clinic. 

We are happy and proud that we were able to give Phoebe a second chance at life at the veterinary clinic.  It is said that cats have nine lives; we are confident that Phoebe will spend  the rest of her eight lives with us for a good, long time.

DON'T LET THE CUTENESS FOOL YOU...HE WILL BITE!!!

Meet MacTavish, our very adorable 2 year male Skye Terrier...don’t let that face fool you HE WILL BITE!

Our family were no strangers to Skye Terriers when we welcomed MacTavish into our home, he is our third. Our other two Skye’s were rescues, so we had no background on them and they too could be a little “grumpy,” as we used to call them. The breed is known to be somewhat aloof and cautious with strangers, but fiercely loyal to their family

We brought MacTavish home at 10 weeks of age and right from day one he was showing signs of aggression, letting out little growls when we did something he didn’t like. I would quickly reprimand him (of course no hitting) but we would send him to his mat and ignore him for a bit.

When I brought him to see Dr. Korver at the Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic for a health check he growled at her and tried to bite. I was very concerned and wanted to get a handle on the situation quickly, so I booked an appointment with a canine behaviouralist. True to form, he tried to bite him as well.  At least he was predictable? The behaviouralist agreed he was aggressive, but we just needed to show him who was boss; he gave us some handouts and advice and sent us on our way.

But to our dismay, he became even more aggressive towards strangers and we had to introduce the muzzle for his safety and of course the safety of others.  

At five months of age, MacTavish was diagnosed with bi-lateral elbow dysplasia; Ahah!  It was the pain causing his aggression, or so I thought. He had both elbows operated on one month apart and then the long road of rehabilitation, during this time he, I will admit, was SPOILED!! 

Once we felt his pain was under control we thought he would be a new dog with a happy go lucky attitude…NOT!  He hated strangers even more.

We took him to a canine trainer and began the long journey….

The first thing the trainer said was he will never be a tail wagging, happy to meet everyone kind of dog. The goal was to stop him from biting strangers. That is good enough for us since we are devoted to him and love him dearly.  

Stay tuned for more on “Loving the Aggressive Dog”.

Sandra McBride, Practice Manager

Bowmanville Veterinary Clinic

Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

I have a 7 year old lab mix named Ruby. I had always wanted to try agility in the past with one of my dogs, but for one reason or another life just seemed to get in the way…until last spring. 

I decided to try an introductory agility class with Ruby at K9 Central here in Bowmanville. It was so much fun! The atmosphere was very relaxed and everyone seemed to be there for the same reason, to enjoy the time with their dogs while they got to run off some energy in a controlled environment. 

Despite her age Ruby seemed to pick it up very quickly and she loves it!! The trainer even commented that Ruby had missed her calling in life! I wish I had started her sooner. She was always a fast runner (my husband calls her the bullet) and loved to jump up on/over things! She definitely has a lot of energy to burn which her daily walks do not satisfy. 

After moving up a few levels in training, I entered Ruby in 2 trials in the summer and although we did not place we had a lot of fun and we gained some experience. I think it was good for Ruby to be exposed to all the activity at the trial in an environment she had grown to love (it was held in the same field we had taken our lessons in). She had always been more of a shy dog, unsure of strangers and other dogs.

I love how excited she gets on the way to agility (she knows exactly when that is where we are going) and how she just falls asleep in the car on the way home. I think agility is one of those activities that any dog can do and some should! It combines obedience with just plain fun. It helps energetic dogs blow off some steam. Its easy and fun for you too! Maybe this blog is more about promoting agility but nevertheless......

all this to say two things: 

1.You CAN teach and older dog new tricks and

2. DON’T WAIT to try your puppy/dog out with something that you could both really end up enjoying (there is more out there than just obedience training)!

Karen G RVT