Richmond SPCA Blog

Did you believe the pit bull hype? Our staff weighs in

The negative stereotypes about pit bulls can be so pervasive that some people buy into the stories and media reports before ever getting to know a member of this misunderstood breed. Meeting an ambassador for pit-bull kind has the power to change hearts. We asked the staff of the Richmond SPCA, "Did you ever believe the hype?" and these are some of their great replies.

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Before I started working at the Richmond SPCA, I hadn’t thought about pit bulls at all. I had never really encountered them out in the ‘burbs, but I also didn’t think they were particularly more vicious than any other breed. In fact, the only dog I had ever been afraid of was a lab that had been loose in my neighborhood. When I started working here, I didn’t have any preconceived notions one way or the other, but pitties easily became my favorite pups. I think it probably started with Piper and Jimmy, continued with many other little pittie mamas, and persists with Rocky, Ariel, and Lenora. It’s amazing to see their pittie smiles and excitement, and they are usually the best nap buddies. I am now a staunch defender whenever I hear someone assert that pit bulls are aggressive, and I’m even getting my dad to grudgingly accept that pit bulls are often the sweetest dogs in this shelter. Pitties are also the best patients at the other private-practice clinic I work at now — so wiggly and always happy to meet new people. 

Sarah Hornberger, veterinary treatment staff

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As a current pit bull gaurdian I can honestly say I never bought into the hype. I found my pit bull Baylee wondering the streets, terrified and emaciated, and I was willing to get her into my car and head to the vet. I’m aware that ignorant owners are to blame for the tarnished reputation of pit bulls. Even my father, a firm believer of the myths, has fallen in love with Baylee because she is a true example of their loving nature. Many of the pit bulls you meet will break the stereotype; you just have to be willing to make the effort and to meet them with an open mind. Any dog can bite (even though you mostly see reports about pit bulls – convenient, huh?) the same way any dog can love unconditionally. I choose pit bulls as my companion because in my opinion they’re the best breed around.

Lisa Clarke, community relations coordinator

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The first dog I ever knew was Patsy [click to open full-size image]. Patsy was there waiting for me when they brought me home, as a baby, from the hospital. She had been the family dog for many years. She had seen my Mom and Aunt through their high school years. I don’t think that pit bulls were “stereotyped” in those days except that they were viewed by many as the quintessential family dog for the first part of the 1900’s. They were known to be smart, loyal, great with kids and wonderful as the family pet; just as Petey was in the Our Gang movies. Being the oldest child, she was my big sister!

Gail Bird Necklace, education and training administrator

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I, for one, have never believed that any animal is inherently bad, regardless of the breed.  Bad behavior – whether it be as simple as poor manners or as harmful as dangerous aggression – is caused by people.  Bad people.  It’s as simple as that. 

Liz Bryant, manager of major gifts

P.S.  I have a friend who has a pit bull mix who is the sweetest dog you’d ever want to meet, Gatsby (pictured). Yeah, boy, I’d be afraid of this guy. :) 

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I’m not sure if I honestly ever did believe the hype about Pit Bulls. Maybe it doesn’t count, but I’ve been the gaurdian of a pit bull mix for almost 10 years. She was given to me as a gift my junior year in high school.  To this day, no gift has ever measured up.

Trinity, my gorgeous & incredibly unique mix of whippet and pit pull, is truly the perfect dog.  She’s extremely affectionate and almost too smart most of the time. I think a lot of people think of pit bulls as being too rough, strong, aggressive, or just plain mean. I really wish these people could be a fly on the wall of my home. Two years ago my fiancée and I decided to adopt a rodent tumbleweed creature – well, she’s not really a rodent, but she’s practically the size of one. Tigre, is a 7 pound scruffy little terrier mix. You would think that since Trinity does tend to have some “sight-hound traits,” like trying to yank my arm out of its socket to chase every squirrel that crosses her path, that she’d be inclined to do the same to this new family addition. On the contrary, Trinity is extremely gentle and patient with her “little sister.” Tigre can literally bite on to Trinity’s face, and hang from her skin. Trinity will be lazily napping while Tigre jumps repeatedly on top of her. Don’t get me wrong, Trinity can definitely dole it out too. She “pounces” over and over again in Tigre’s direction, enticing her into play-mode. Still, even with her 40-pound size difference over Tigre, she never harms her. 

Trinity was just the first dog to mold my opinion of pit bulls. Every day while working at the Richmond SPCA I see pit bulls who are gentle giants, playful pups, and sweet souls. Some start out this way, while others receive the patient attention of the incredibly compassionate trainers and foster parents that grow to love each and every one of them.

I believe pit bulls have just gotten a bad reputation because of the cruel nature of some human beings.  They’re a breed that has been taken advantage of because of their strong stature, powerful physique, and “intimidating” appearance. They’ve been used as weapons & fighting machines. It’s incredibly sad. 

Pit bulls are just like any other dog; in the right home, they can be the man’s best friend.

Abby Waller, retail store coordinator

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Like everyone else, I heard all the negative press and public overreaction. And sad to say, I fell victim to it for awhile. Although I had never actually come into contact with pit bulls, I assumed that they were an inherently violent breed, disposed to attacking and biting. This attitude endured for a few years, until I befriended Sarah Hornberger, who worked at the Richmond SPCA. I came into contact with pit bulls, saw their faces, their smiles, their heads cocked to the side, and I changed my tune. Once I began interning at the Richmond SPCA, one of my first duties was to help take a dog to NBC 12 to shoot a short video. We took Rosemary, a light brown pit-bull, with soft, amber eyes and the sweetest personality. Needless to say, in the short trip to the studio and back, I was in love. All those years of distrust had been completely wiped away in the span of 60 minutes, all thanks to a chubby little pit-bull.

Eric Steigleder, public relations intern

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Now it's time for you, our readers to weigh in. Did you believe the hype? Was there a particular dog who helped you see pit bulls as individuals? Let us know here in the comments or on our Facebook page. We'll spotlight the best replies in an upcoming post. 

To read the biographies of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.

Foster Feature: Tonya inspires a change of heart about pit bulls

Editor's note: Tonya was adopted over the weekend, but we are so impressed with the lessons this sweet dog taught her foster mom, that we still wanted to share this lesson about pit bulls in today's "Foster Feature." We hope Kristen's experience with Tonya will inspire other foster care providers to give a pit a chance. 

Pit bulls are dangerous. Aren’t they? I mean, that’s what I had assumed. I’ll admit that before I volunteered to foster dogs through the Richmond SPCA, I hadn’t had much interaction with the breed. My “knowledge” of their behavior and temperament was limited to dramatic news stories and third-party tales. Now, I tend to be a cautious person by nature, so on the volunteer profile form I’d originally marked “pit bull” under breeds I’d rather not foster.

All that changed when I got an e-mail from the Richmond SPCA Foster Care Coordinator, Tameka Peters. The humane center needed to open up space for additional dogs being transferred from Richmond Animal Care and Control, and Tameka was asking for foster care volunteers to take dogs in order to create the needed space. My schedule was open and, as the need was urgent, I responded and made an appointment to pick up a dog that Friday.

Tonya is a 7-year-old pit bull. She truly has one of the sweetest dispositions I’ve ever seen in a dog. Tonya was instantly friendly without being overly excitable. She’s a smart cookie too; she figured out where the treats were kept right away and would sit when asked in order to get one.

The three weeks I spent fostering Tonya were eye-opening. This dog is a great companion, simply wanting to hang out with people. When we’d settle in for the evening, Tonya would pull and tug on her set of blankets until she’d built the perfect nest and then drag it as close as possible to the couch. Whenever I was working in the yard, she’d pick a nice, sunny spot in plain view and make sure she knew right where I was before taking an afternoon nap.

Tonya is very teachable. We’d go for two 20-minute walks each day (weather permitting) and after just a couple days, she knew which way to turn without prompting. She sits on command, walks nicely on a short leash, and a simple “down” kept her off of the furniture. The one thing we did have to work on was the begging. Whenever I’d sit down with a meal Tonya would become very verbal. (Some whining and a bit of barking.) At first, this caught me off-guard. Then a friend gave me some good advice. “Just ignore her”, she said. So we did. After a few minutes, Tonya backed up and laid down.

All-in-all she’s a great dog and I look forward to hearing she’s found her forever home. (Hopefully soon!) Spending a few weeks with Tonya reminded me that dogs are just like people. Each one has her own personality and you have to get to know someone in order to say what they are like. I’m glad I answered that e-mail. 

Kristen fostered Tonya in February; currently, she is providing foster care to Oscar, a 2-year-old hound mix. If you are interested in learning more about foster care, visit our Meet the Fosters page, call Tameka Peters at 804-521-1313 or e-mail fostercare@richmondspca.org. 

To read the biographies of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.

120 Years of History: The beginning of the humane movement and the founding of the Richmond SPCA

Joseph Bryan was among the initial officers of the Richmond SPCA.

This year is a big anniversary year for the Richmond SPCA and I bet that many people will be surprised at how old this organization is.  We are 120 years old this year.  That means we were founded in the year that Cole Porter was born and that the game of basketball was invented.  We are going to celebrate our 120^th Anniversary with a gala event on June 9. 

As we have worked on the event and on a video about our 120 years of history, I have spent quite a lot of time researching our history with Liz Bryant, our manager of major gifts.  I will be writing posts for this blog every few weeks over the coming months to share with you the remarkable history of our organization.  I hope that you find it as fascinating as I have.

Shortly after the Civil War, people in this country became increasingly concerned about the ways in which animals, especially horses, were being abused.  The humane movement can be said to have truly begun with the founding of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in New York City in 1866.  In the years that followed, the humane movement took hold and organizations around the country began to form for the protection of animals.  Most of them, although not connected in any way, used “society for the prevention of cruelty to animals” as their name with the city identifier at the beginning.  This, of course, has lead to the inaccurate belief of many people that organizations bearing this name are somehow all connected or related, which they are not. 

So, here in Richmond, a woman named Nellie Nalle Palmer had become aware of this growing national humane movement and was passionate about establishing a society for the protection of animals in our community.  Nellie was a socially well-connected former debutante who had married W. Ben Palmer, one of Mosby’s Raiders in the Civil War.  In 1883, she gathered a group of people at their home at 315 E. Main Street for the purpose of starting a Richmond Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.  (An interesting tidbit is that this house, now demolished, was located where the Richmond Times-Dispatch building now stands.) Sadly, they were not able to inspire enough enthusiasm or support to get it off the ground in 1883 but Nellie did not give up.

Nellie worked with dedication for eight more years.  She raised money and convinced some of the most prominent men in Richmond that this was an important cause.  Note I say “men” – Nellie was the only woman involved.  In October of 1891, she and her husband again hosted a group in their Main Street home and, this time, they successfully founded the Richmond Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.  They had recruited for the initial group of officers some very influential and respected Richmonders including Joseph Bryan, Dr. Jud Wood and Captain Alexander Guigon along with Nellie’s husband, Ben Palmer. 

Nellie, while an initial Board member, was not among the officers.  Nonetheless, she continued to be the source of energy and inspiration for the organization for decades to come.  Next, I will write about what the Richmond SPCA accomplished for the protection of animals in Virginia during the first decades of the twentieth century. Stay tuned.

Robin Robertson Starr is the chief executive officer of the Richmond SPCA. To read her biography or that of our other bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.

Call it like it is: My take on Whoopi Goldberg's latest heartless statement

A dog is brought into the care of the Richmond SPCA after being rescued from a puppy mill. 

The latest controversy involving Whoopi Goldberg provides a sad illustration of one of, if not THE, greatest challenge that we face in achieving a more compassionate world for the animals we love.   You probably think I am going to say ignorance, but I am not.  While ignorance is a problem for sure, the worst problem that we face is human selfishness. 

Just to update those who may not have heard of Ms. Goldberg’s latest heartless statement - she recently said on The View that she opposes legislation to control puppy mills and that she wants to be sure that she retains her “right” to buy a puppy from a pet store.  Who knew that buying a puppy from a purveyor of pain and suffering was protected by the framers of the Constitution?  She further embroidered on her statement on her Facebook page by saying that she has “friends” who own pet stores and that they are fine folks. 

This is the same woman who said that Roman Polanski’s sexual abuse of a young girl was not “rape-rape” and lightly dismissed Michael Vick’s cold hearted brutality to animals as just a Southern cultural thing.  Now, she says that her friends own pet stores. Some company she keeps.

There has been a deluge of comments posted to her Facebook page and in other public forums taking her to task for her ignorance.  I wish that it were so simple.  Ignorance can be dispatched through education.  I do not believe that Ms. Goldberg says these things out of ignorance.  I believe that she knows the truth – that dogs suffer miserable deprivations in puppy mills to produce the cute little puppies sold in pet stores and that Vick is a brutal thug and that forcing sex on an underage girl is abusive. 

So why does she do this stuff?  Just look at the traffic that it has driven to her Facebook page and The View.  She does it because it generates buzz, hits and keeps her, an otherwise fading former star, in the limelight.  She does it because achieving these highly selfish ends is more important than any concern for the pain and suffering of the helpless. 

The reason that many animals suffer and die is human selfishness.  Animals are a great target because they cannot defend themselves.  Unless we defend them.  How do we best do that?  By calling out people like Whoopi Goldberg and urging the public to see her for what she is: a self-promoting charlatan. 

Robin Robertson Starr is the chief executive officer of the Richmond SPCA. To read her biography or that of our other bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.

Reflecting on Saturday's Dog Jog as fundraising continues

The Ninth Annual Dog Jog and 5K Run for the Richmond SPCA occurred on Saturday and what a huge success it was on every level! It is amazing to me to see how much that event has grown over the years since we first had just a few people and dogs running around the Dominion Resources building. The Dog Jog is so much fun for everyone – dogs, kids and adults. Early spring is a time when everyone is ready to get out and blow the cobwebs off, and this is a great chance to do that while raising money for the animals we all love. The weather cooperated beautifully and helped to make it a great day all around.

The Dog Jog this year was also bittersweet for us. John Birkitt has become such a big part of the Dog Jog over recent years, and we all adored John and loved working with him. We lost him such a short time prior to this year’s event. Years ago, when he and Brenda began to work so hard to recruit their Dog Jog team in honor of the memory of their son Johnny who died, we decided to establish the Johnny Birkitt Hero Award in honor of Johnny. They did such a remarkable thing in honoring their son through doing something wonderful for the animals and mission that he cared about. This year, we gave the Johnny Birkitt Hero Award to John Birkitt posthumously and his daughter, Joy Mays, was there to accept it. There was not a dry eye in the whole crowd, certainly not mine. John was a true hero. We will miss him terribly, and I know we will all continue to work to make future Dog Jogs great successes in his memory.  

The most remarkable thing about this Dog Jog is the fact that almost 600 dogs (597 to be precise) registered. Of course every one of them had a human in tow. This fabulous participation from our community resulted in total of $114,000 raised so far and we still have a few more days of getting pledges and other contributions in. We hope that everyone will work as hard in the next few days to push that total up a little further as they worked in the days before the Dog Jog. To find a participant fundraising page, visit www.richmondspca.org/race.  

This organization is so fortunate to have the incredible leadership of our two chairs Donna Beames and Julie Vinyard. They did yeoman’s work again this year and insured that the event would raise the amounts of money that would save so many animals’ lives. I could never thank Donna and Julie enough for their hard work and dedication to the Richmond SPCA.

To all of you who had a role, whether small or large, in making this Dog Jog a great success, I send my sincerest thanks. You worked, you raised money and you ran (or walked) so that other dogs and cats might live. And, they will because of you. You are true heroes too. 

Robin Robertson Starr is the chief executive officer of the Richmond SPCA. To read her biography or that of our other bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name. 

Related
Photo galleries from the Ninth Annual Dog Jog and 5K Run: 
Photos by Rich Terrell  
Photos by Jez Beasley  
Photos by Bob Lanum  

Video by Doug Callahan:  

A few tips from Nemo, Dog Jog veteran and 2008-2009 mascot

As a former Mascot of the Richmond SPCA I feel it is my duty to let everyone know how great the Dog Jog is, and how to make their fundraising and event day an enormous success. My Mother, Grandmother, Uncle and Sister and I have been participating in the Dog Jog for the past 7 years. It is paws down my favorite Richmond SPCA event (followed very closely by the Fur Ball). My family and I work very hard at getting team members and soliciting donations from our friends. The two-legged contingent of our team works very hard fundraising; they send out many email blasts, Facebook updates and sell baked goods all to get donations to support the Richmond SPCA.

The best thing you can do to make the most of Dog Jog is to get some good naps in the day before, make sure your parents have plenty of treats in their pockets, and come ready to sniff and be sniffed. The two legged ones seem to have a great time checking out all of the great booths at the Holiday Barn Pet Resorts Vendor Fair. My family loves the Girl Scouts (who sell yummy goodness in box), visiting our friends at Holiday Barn, Kellogg’s Creations, and many, many more.

On the day of Dog Jog, I am sure to get up early so that my Mom can dress my sister and I in our best Dog Jog attire, don any stickers or hats that we have made for the team, and head out early to cheer Mom on during the 5K run. While my Mom is running I stay behind at the vendor fair to solicit pets from any humans who look my way, pass out a few kisses and be a good Richmond SPCA ambassador. Once Mom crosses the finish line we meet up with the other members of our team so that we can catch up on some much needed tail wagging and sniffing time.

The excitement really begins with the kick off of the 1-mile Dog Jog. You can race to the finish line, but personally, I like to stroll in the back so I can see and be seen. In 2009, I was the Richmond SPCA mascot, so I got to lead off the Dog Jog! It was great to be up front with all of the cameras and people petting me and calling my name.

SirLoin, when you read this, be sure that you’ve brushed your teeth and donned your most royal duds because everyone wants to take a picture with the Richmond SPCA mascot when he is leading the charge. When you get passed by all of those fast walking dogs, don’t fret. Although the King always leads regally, he finishes with his companions cheering him on.

I look forward to seeing everyone there and being part of another successful Dog Jog and 5K Run for the Richmond SPCA!  

Nemo, 2008-2009 Mascot

To read the biographies of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.

Why the Dog Jog and 5K Run is an event to love, even if you hate to run

I love to exercise — spinning, weight lifting, circuit training, interval training, I do it all. But I hate to run.  Hate it with a passion. Don’t have a single thing good to say about it. Maybe it is because I am a klutz, and fear I will fall with each speedy step.  Maybe it is because it takes so long to get anywhere. Maybe it is because I don’t have cute running clothes. Whatever the reason, I hate it.

But this non-runner loves the Richmond SPCA’s Dog Jog and 5K Run, along with Car Pool Car Wash & Detail for sponsoring the event. I love strolling through the Holiday Barn Pet Resorts Vendor Fair, watching my son play in the Kids Fun Zone, watching other Richmond residents and their dogs demonstrate tricks in the Pet Fun Zone, and watching for my husband to cross the finish line. I love walking the 1 mile Dog Jog, even though I don’t have a dog. And I love every opportunity I get to visit the animals in the care of the Richmond SPCA and pick up a few new toys for my cats at the Lora Robins Gift Shop. If you ask me, the best thing about the Dog Jog is the fact that it gives us non-runners the opportunity to have such a terrific Saturday morning.

Of course, I also love the Dog Jog because I have had the honor of spending the last two years as a  co-chair of the Richmond SPCA’s Dog Jog and 5K Run Committee — each year facing the daunting task of making that year’s event even better than the last.  And, I can tell you for certain, this year will be the best Dog Jog yet. An unbelievable amount of planning and community generosity has gone into this year’s event. So, whether you are a runner, a non-runner, a dog lover, a cat lover or just an animal lover, I hope that you will join me at this terrific event on Saturday, March 19 at the Robins-Starr Humane Center and savor this very special Saturday morning. I may even run this year.

Guest blogger Julie Vinyard is the co-chairman of the Dog Jog and 5K Run Committee. To read the biographies of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.

Remembering John Birkitt: a man whose dedication inspired and touched us all

There are no certainties in life and we have recently gotten a powerful lesson in that truth. John Birkitt died last week. It was sudden and totally unexpected. His passing leaves a huge hole in the hearts of his family members and in the hearts of all of us who are a part of the Richmond SPCA. He was the very definition of a fun guy and a fine human being.

John and Brenda Birkitt dealt with the death of their beloved son, Johnny, a few years ago as well as I imagine any parents could ever deal with such a horrible loss. There is just something fundamentally wrong with our children leaving this life before we do, and every parent sees that possibility as an utter nightmare. The remarkable thing about John was that he made the decision that he would find a way to turn their loss of Johnny into something positive that would have been deeply meaningful to the son he loved so much. Johnny adored animals and his dogs were dear to his heart. John knew that doing something for animals to honor the memory of Johnny would have made his son very happy. So, John pushed aside his grief and pain and pulled together a team to raise money for and run in our Dog Jog and 5K Run in 2007 in honor of the memory of Johnny Birkitt.

John and Brenda threw themselves into this endeavor, and Team Johnny Birkitt recruited more participants and raised more money than any team in the history of the event. We were so touched and impressed by what they had done. It seemed inadequate to simply give them the award for the most money raised. While they certainly had raised the most money, they had done so much more. They had given all of us a lesson in what honoring a person or an ideal with heartfelt dedication really looks like. So we created the Johnny Birkitt Hero Award in 2007 to honor annually that person or team that has shown the deepest dedication to our cause to save the lives of homeless animals.

John did not stop there. He and Brenda recruited and inspired members for Team Johnny Birkitt each year to set a new standard for raising money and demonstrating spirit. And, there was nothing self-glorifying in John. Each year, he did more to help us train others to successfully recruit teams and raise more money for this organization through their Dog Jog participation. He became a huge part of the success of the event for us through his mentoring of other teams. Never once was he concerned that one of them might raise more than his team — he would have been proud and delighted for that to happen.

John also helped me to promote the event on television interviews, and his charming, fun and inspiring nature always came through. John was such a joker, and I will always hold the memory of his face lighting up when he said something hilarious that got you laughing. He was great company all the time.

 

The news of John’s death has been devastating for our staff, Board and so many others who are part of the family of this organization. We miss him terribly. But, John would want us to have the courage and dedication to do for his memory what he did for Johnny’s — work hard to make something positive and meaningful out of it. So, I urge everyone of you who knew John or who is inspired by his story of love and dedication to raise money for this Dog Jog like you never have before and make it a huge success. That is truly what John would have wanted us to do.

Robin Robertson Starr is the chief executive officer of the Richmond SPCA. To read her biography or that of our other bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name. 

Fending for your fearful fido

The world can be a very scary place – especially for shy dogs living in our world. I see reminders of this every single day. What does canine fear look like? In some cases, it looks exactly like you would expect. Dogs look timid and shy, with their tails tucked between their legs and their little heads held low. They tremble and shake and try to avoid the scary stuff every way they know how. In other cases though, it's the exact opposite. Some frightened dogs will bark ferociously at other dogs, growl when children come near, or snap at a veterinarian or groomer. And in yet other cases, its more subtle. Scared dogs may yawn nervously during a training class or look away when approached by a visitor.

All of these possibilities are examples of dogs being put into situations that they are not yet equipped to handle. Why? It's hard to say – and in the end, it may not matter all that much. Genetics and socialization (or lack thereof) and previous experiences may all play a role. There are no shortages of theories about how to avoid creating a fearful dog, but sometimes it happens despite our best efforts. The most important thing in the world is to notice when your dog is telling you he is scared, uncomfortable, or stressed. Educate yourself about reading canine body language, especially the body language of your own pet.

What does she look like when she is comfortable and relaxed, and how can you tell when she's not? How does she react when she's stressed or frightened? Once you've identified the cause of the fear, do three things. First, take steps to protect her (and others) in the immediate area. Move to the other side of the street (away from other dogs) or stop fast approaching children or adults by using your best crossing guard hand and saying “STOP.” Explain that your dog is “in training” and they cannot get close. By simply taking charge of these situations and managing your dog’s distance from whatever has scared her, you may allow your pet to regain her composure – and of course you will keep everyone safe.

It should be noted that “correcting” the dog for exhibiting fear will not help him feel better about the situation and will often make things much worse. Secondly, make plans to avoid similar situations in the future, or at least until your dog seems better equipped to cope. This may mean walking a different route or going at a different time, avoiding busy places, learning to groom your dog at home for a while, or putting the dog in a back room when house guests arrive. You don’t want visitors to feel scared or nervous, and you certainly don’t want your dog to publicly practice the bad behavior he exhibits when scared.

Finally, help your dog to handle these situations better in the future through desensitization, counter-conditioning and training. The good news is that dogs are very resilient and respond well to this type of approach. All techniques are humane for the animal and easy for the human, and they absolutely work! There are oodles of resources out there, including books, videos, web sites and classes, as well as our own behavior helpline (behaviorhelpline@richmondspca.org and 804-643-SPCA) Need help coming up with a training plan? We would love to hear from you.

Sarah Babcock is the chief of education and training at the Richmond SPCA To read Sarah's biographies or those of our other regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.

Say "yes" to start forging a good relationship with a good dog

It never surprises me, but always saddens me, to hear someone ask, “How do I teach my dog 'No!’?”  or “All he needs to learn is ‘No!’, and maybe 'Stop!’” and “He’s just not listening when I tell him he’s a ‘Bad Dog’.” Not only do these phrases conjure images of a very limited dog-human relationship, it also makes me worry for the dog. Because unbeknownst to him, he is about to be tricked over and over again. 

Rather than make the time and effort to teach their dogs to sit for greetings, those following this plan prefer to wait until their dogs jump up on people (a natural dog behavior) and then get upset with them, shouting “No!” The dog is left to figure out himself what behavior would not have elicited unpleasantries from his people. It would be as if you travelled to Japan on a business meeting and no one told you that bowing was the preferred greeting. Instead they chose to wait until you stuck your hand out for a handshake to scowl at you and tell you ”No!” – each and every time you did it. 

Teaching a dog human-appropriate behaviors can be enjoyable. It forges a more friendly relationship and opens doors to other enjoyable activities. If you’re currently following the aforementioned “No!” training plan and would like to try something new, try simply saying “Yes!” or “Good Dog!” EVERY time your dog does something you like. And plan to dedicate about 15 minutes each day to helping your dog learn what behaviors you would prefer. After all, “Yes!” takes no longer to say than “No!”

Marie Tripton is a senior behavior and training specialist at the Richmond SPCA. To read Marie's biography and those of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.