An Introduction to Clicker Training

A clicker is a small plastic device which emits a loud clicking sound when the metal tongue inside it is pressed. It is used as part of the process of training dogs (or cats) and treating their behaviour problems.



Before using the clicker as part of training it must be introduced so that the animal understands what the noise means. The animal is trained to associate the sound of the click with being given a reward (usually food). This uses the same principle of conditioning that Pavlov used to train dogs to salivate when they heard a bell.Once this association has been made the click can be used to indicate to the dog the exact bit of behaviour that we want them to do again.


How is this different from traditional methods?


Dogs and cats are best at understanding reward when it comes within just two seconds of their doing something. Beyond this time and learning is poor or non-existent. The clicker can be used to indicate precisely what is being rewarded, but the reward does not need to be given immediately after the click. There can be a delay of up to a few seconds.


This enables us to train at a distance and to choose a very precise moment to reward.
Clicker training does not depend upon the animal learning a command word before it learns the action. Clicker training can be used to teach quite complicated behaviour that would otherwise be very difficult to achieve.


How to start


Some dogs or cats find the noise of the clicker too loud and alarming so the first step is to introduce it quietly.


• Get a pot containing some small pieces of your pet’s favourite food treats and get the clicker.


• Muffle the clicker at first by sitting on the hand that is holding the clicker. Make a click and watch your pet’s reaction. If he or she looks interested but relaxed, then give a food reward.


• If your pet looks frightened or wants to get away, then you should contact the person who is supervising the treatment of your pet’s problem to ask for extra help.
If your pet was happy with the first click then give several more clicks, each followed by a food reward. Try, if possible, not to reach for the food or hold any in your hand until after you have made the click.


Next take your hand out from under your leg and give 20 or so more clicks, each followed by a food reward. Again, if at any time your dog looks unsettled or fearful, then stop and contact your veterinary surgeon or behaviourist. After this introduction your dog or cat should look pleased or excited whenever he or she hears a click.


You are now ready to start training with the clicker, but remember the rules:


• Never give a click without giving a reward.


• Never use the sound of the clicker to get your pet’s attention; you only give a click after he or she has responded to a command.


• Try to avoid handling food until you have given the click. Training works less well if you are fiddling with food all the time because your pet won’t concentrate on what he or she is doing when the next click happens.


The basic method for teaching commands using clicker training is to lure the dog or cat into performing an action, or allow it to happen naturally, and then to selectively click and reward the behaviour that you want to train to a command. Once your pet is doing exactly what you want, you can then give that behaviour a ‘name’ so that your dog or cat knows that this is what you want him to do when he hears that command.


Here is an example for training a “sit” command:


• Sit down with a pot of your pet’s favourite food treats on your lap, along with a clicker.


• Stay still and wait for your dog to sit down.


• Ignore or fend off all behaviour other than sitting.


• When your pet sits down you should click as soon as his backside hits the floor and then give him a food treat.


• If your pet stays sitting then give another click and food treat, otherwise wait until he sits down again.


You should find that the amount of time your pet spends sitting down increases dramatically over the course of the first 10 minutes or so, and that he stops doing all of the other things he was trying in order to get the food from you, such as jumping up or whimpering or running around.


When you know that your pet is sitting down again very reliably and quickly after collecting each treat then you can start to introduce the word ‘sit’:


• As your pet begins to sit down spontaneously say ‘your-pet’s-name, sit’ and then wait. As soon as he sits down give a click and food reward.


• Repeat this 20-30 times and your pet will have made the initial association between the command word ‘sit’ and what he should do to get the food.


You should now practice getting your pet to sit in a number of other situations, giving clicks and rewards for an obedient response.



Bio: Televets is an online pet Q&A service connecting pet owners worldwide with certified pet advisors. Visit us today at http://www.televets.com/ to ask your question!

Kennel Cough in Dogs

Infectious tracheobronchitis is a contagious disease of the upper respiratory tract, which includes the trachea (windpipe) and bronchi (large air passages in the lungs). The tem 'kennel cough' is a non specific term for a contagious upper respiratory tract infection causing a dry, hacking cough.

Sometimes changes in the environment will cause dogs to develop a harsh, throaty cough. Owners often get the impression that their dog has 'got something stuck in his throat'. This is very common when a new pet is obtained, be it from an individual, humane shelter, or pet shop. Kennel cough can also be associated with vacations away from home, weather changes, boarding, or even a visit to the groomer. When away from home, many dogs often do a lot of barking which can cause irritation in the throat, making it more susceptible to bronchitis. The normal healthy body is very resistant to infection, but changes resulting in any form of stress (such as barking) can lower the body’s resistance to disease, allowing bronchitis to develop.

Many viruses and bacteria can be normal inhabitants of the pet’s body causing no problem until stress lowers the resistance. Even though boarding kennels (including ours) do everything possible to keep your pet healthy, there are some factors, such as the stress of barking, we simply cannot control.

The most common sign of kennel cough is a harsh, dry cough that is often followed by gagging and coughing up foamy mucus. Otherwise, the patient appears alert and generally healthy. The disease is very contagious among dogs, but it does not affect people. The disease is usually self-limiting. This means that, unless complications (such as pneumonia) occur, the signs usually disappear in 1-3 weeks.

Antibiotics and/or other supportive treatments can help decrease the clinical signs and length of illness. Ordinarily, no special diet is required. Exercise stimulates coughing and should be severely restricted. Sudden changes in air temperature or pressure on the neck from collars and leashes may also stimulate coughing.

Fortunately, there is a vaccine available for one of the major causes of canine coughing—the so-called “kennel cough.” Bordetella bronchiseptica is a highly contagious bacteria that is one of the major causes of the coughing syndrome. Vaccination is required for all boarding and grooming patients at most kennels and veterinary hospitals.

Vaccination is NO GUARANTEE that bronchitis will not develop, but it does provide some protection. With some Kennel Cough vaccines, 1/20th of dogs getting the vaccines will actually get a very mild version of the disease from the vaccine itself. The vaccine is usually applied intranasally - i.e. squirted up the nose of the dog, where it is absorbed across the nasal mucosa. This can be quite stressful for a nervous dog - and for the vet administering it too!

Should your pet develop a cough after boarding or a visit to the groomer, please understand that it probably is not the fault of the facility, just as it wouldn't be the fault of a bus operator if you were to catch a cold off another passenger who sneezed near you.

The Canine Weight Loss Drug

The FDA in the USA approved a drug over a year ago, on 5th January 2007, that claims to be a useful weapon in the fight against canine obesity. Slentrol (dirlotapide), manufactured by Pfizer, is aimed at dogs that are clinically obese rather than those that are just slightly overweight. Could your dog be a candidate for this new drug? Here we look at what Slentrol is and how it works.

Indications

Slentrol Oral Solution is indicated for the management of canine obesity. With canine obesity on the increase globally, many veterinarians see it as the most important health issue facing pets today. Though the approval of this drug has been welcomed by the veterinary community, they are also stressing that it must be used together with an appropriate weight loss diet and exercise program to be effective. It is not a cure for obesity, once the dog stops taking the medication, the obesity will return unless lifestyle changes are enforced.

Presentation

Slentrol is a solution formulated at a concentration of 5 mg/ml of dirlotapide for oral administration to dogs. It can be administered directly into the dogs mouth or on a small amount of food, with a meal or at a different time of the day.

Slentrol is available in 20, 50 and 150 ml bottles.

Slentrol should be stored in its original container at room temperature, 15 to 30 degrees centigrade.

How it works

Dirlotapide is a selective microsomal triglyceride transfer protein inhibitor that blocks the assembly and release of lipoprotein particles into the bloodstream (via the lymphatic system).
The exact mechanism for producing weight loss is not completely understood, according to the FDA, but seems to result from reduced fat absorption and sending a feeling to the dogs brain of being full.If used correctly, Slentrol helps to achieve weight loss of at least 2.8% body weight per month.

Dosage

Slentrol is given dosed in 2 phases:

1) Weight loss phase
2) Weight management phase

Weight loss phase

The initial dosage of Slentrol is 0.01 ml/kg (0.0045 ml/lb) body weight, administered once daily orally for the first 14 days.

After the first 14 days of treatment, the dose should be doubled to 0.02 ml/kg (0.009 ml/lb) body weight, administered once daily for the next 14 days.In subsequent months of therapy, the recommended dose varies for each individual dog and the dose volume must be specifically calculated each month, based on percent of weight lost during the previous month of therapy.

Dogs should be weighed monthly on accurate weighing scales at your veterinary clinic and the dose volume adjusted every month, as necessary, to maintain a target percent weight loss of at least 0.7% per week.

Weight management phase

A 3 month weight management phase is recommended to successfully maintain the weight loss achieved. During the weight management phase, the veterinarian and the pet owner should together establish the optimal level of food intake and physical exercise required.
When Slentrol is discontinued, the daily amount of food offered and physical activity should be continued as established during the weight management phase. Reverting to previous food intake or exercise levels at this point can contribute to a regain of some or all of the weight loss that has been achieved.

What if my dog is not losing any weight despite after 1 month of therapy?

The dose volume (number of ml administered each day) should be increased by 100%, resulting in an increase of the dose volume to 2 times the dose administered during the previous month. Only perform a 100% dose increase once during treatment after day 14.

What if my dog is still not losing weight after increasing the dose?

If additional dose increases are necessary in the following months, the dose volume should be increased by 50%, resulting in an increase of the dose volume to1.5 times the dose administered the previous month of dosing.

The dose should not exceed a maximum daily dose of 0.2 mL/kg (0.09 mL/lb), based on the dogs current body weight, during any part of treatment.

Precautions

Prior to starting treatment with Slentrol, all dogs should undergo a thorough history and physical examination by a veterinarian. This should include laboratory tests to screen for underlying conditions that can cause weight gain, such as Cushings syndrome and hypothyroidism.

The safety of Slentrol use in dogs has not been evaluated beyond 1 year.

Safety in breeding, pregnant or lactating dogs has not been established.

Slentrol has not been evaluated in dogs less than 1 year of age.

Slentrol is not recommended for dogs receiving long term corticosteroid therapy or dogs with liver disease.

Slentrol must not be used in cats due to the risk of causing hepatic lipidosis in obese cats.

Slentrol causes serious adverse reactions in humans such as abdominal distention, abdominal pain, diarrhea, flatulence, headache, nausea and vomiting. Keep well out of reach of children.

Adverse Effects

Vomiting / Diarrhea.

Almost 1 in 4 of dogs placed on Slentrol therapy experience occasional episodes of vomiting and diarrhea. In most cases these episodes lasted for one or two days before clearing up. Vomiting occurs most often during the first month of treatment or within a week of a dose increase. If vomiting is severe or lasts longer than 2 days, consult your veterinarian and have your dog examined.

Inappetance

Of course this is the aim of the therapy to an extent, but if during therapy a dogs food consumption is excessively reduced for several consecutive days, stop giving Slentrol until the appetite returns (usually 1-2 days) and then resume dosing at the same volume as before.

Lethargy

Further information for the pet owner

Achieving your weight loss target for your pet requires a great deal of motivation. It is important to maintain an active and on-going line of communication with your veterinarian for the duration of therapy, until the medication has been discontinued and beyond. Above all else, veterinary weighing scales are likely to be far more accurate than your average human bathroom scales, and it is important to get your measurements correct so you can chart your progress and adjust the dose as necessary.

Remember that successful long-term weight management requires changes that extend beyond the period of drug therapy. To maintain the weight lost when treated with Slentrol, the adjustments in dietary management as well as exercise that were begun as part of the overall weight loss program must be continued by the owner after drug therapy is discontinued. The appetite suppression caused by Slentrol only lasts for 1 to 2 days after stopping treatment, so unless food is limited the dog will gain weight again.

Author bio: Matthew Homfray is a veterinarian and online pet advisor at FREE pet Q&A service http://www.televets.com

Lick Granulomas in Dogs

Canine Acral Lick Dermatitis, more commonly known as ‘Lick Granuloma’, is one of the most frustrating skin problems there is. What often seems like a simple problem is in fact multifactorial, and therefore attempting to treat it with a single approach are usually doomed to failure. There is usually an underlying cause, plus a secondary bacterial infection, plus an obsessive-compulsive behavioral cycle to deal with.

Lick granulomas are most common in large, active, attention-seeking breeds such as Dobermans, Rottweilers, Labrador retrievers, German Shepherds and Irish Setters. It can however happen in any breed, at any age.

The wound (‘lesion’) develops as a result of the repetitive licking action of the animal. Chronic trauma to the site results in follicular rupture and furunculosis. The lesion is usually single, oval and varies in size from 2-6cm. It is usually found over the carpal (wrist) or metacarpal areas, though can also occur on the back leg. The lesion usually manifests as a raised, firm, hairless nodule or plaque and may have an ulcerated surface.

Almost without exception, lick granulomas are infected. Bacteria from the mouth are seeded in the lesion by the constant licking, which leads to the infection and a perpetuation of the licking cycle. In the early stages at least, the infection is usually by Staphylococcus species.

Identifying the Underlying Cause

Once it has been established that the dog does indeed have a lick granuloma, and not a skin tumor for example (usually obvious by clinical signs, though biopsy is definitive) then the dog must be examined for the presence of other skin, orthopaedic and neurological disease. A full clinical history and physical examination is mandatory. The following approach would be considered a very thorough one; most vets will simply bandage the leg and try a long course of antibiotics – sometimes successfully – but in the interests of those that cannot be fixed by this approach (and many cannot) I shall describe the thorough approach.

Skin tests should include skin-scraping, hair plucking, fine needle aspirates and/or a punch biopsy from a non-ulcerated area. A bacteriology swab should also ideally be taken for culture and sensitivity, to enable optimal antibiotic selection.

Orthopaedic investigation should include survey radiographs (Xrays) of the area, comprising at least 2 views, to look for bony lesions. If the lick granuloma is over a joint, then synovial fluid may be sampled.

For neurological assessment, a thorough knowledge of the nerves innervating the skin is required, and electromyography has been used to identify specific neurological deficits (this is realistically outside the realms of most practitioners).

Treatment of Medical Conditions

Lick granulomas are part infection, part behavioral and part other causes. After screening for underlying disease as described above, the next step is getting rid of any bacterial infection.
Topical antibiotic creams are useless in these cases. They only draw attention to the lesion from the dogs perspective, and perpetuate the licking. Systemic (oral) antibiotics are required, and are needed for a minimum of 3 weeks (and often up to 3 months). The choice of antibiotic is best made following bacterial culture and sensitivity, first line drugs often selected include cefalexin, amoxicillin and clindamycin. If resistance to these is suspected or confirmed, then more expensive antibiotics such as enrofloxacin (Baytril) or marbofloxacin (Marbocyl) can be prescribed.

Treatment of a Behavioral Problem

Many different treatments have been tried in order to break the compulsive behavioral component of lick granulomas. These include:

Corticosteroids (prednisone, medrone)
Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
Surgical excision
Orgotein
Cobra venom
Radiation therapy
Electronic collars
Acupunctire
Cryotherapy
Laser treatment

However, no one therapy has been consistently shown to resolve the problem without recurrence. Recent work has suggested that a combination of drugs and behavioral modification is the best approach.

The only drug currently licensed for behavioral therapy in the dog is clomipramine (Clomicalm). The main side effect of this is sedation, and it cannot be given to animals with pre-existing liver or kidney dysfunction. Better drugs for this purpose are the serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs), such as sertraline and fluoxetine. These SRIs have less side effects and can be used long term, but have a slow onset of action so when being trialed, must be given for a minimum of 4-6 weeks before any judgment is made as to efficacy.

Behavioral modification depends on the cause of the stress involved. For fear and anxiety related stress, avoid leaving the dog alone, leave the dog in a favored place (e.g. car) or vary the arrival and departure routine so that the dog doesn’t realize its owner is going out.

For boredom related stress, increase the visual or auditory stimulation by providing new toys, leaving the radio or TV on etc.

For attention-seeking stress, ignore stereotypical behavior to avoid reinforcement, and do not punish the behavior as this may lead to anxiety and complicate matters.

To conclude, lick granulomas are a difficult disease to manage. However, if the veterinarian’s approach is logical, then appropriate investigation, together with antibiotic treatment, behavioral drugs and behavioral modification, can achieve a high degree of clinical resolution if not always a complete cure.