“Reaching the Animal Mind” Clicker Training and What It Teaches Us About All Animals” is her newest book,  and in it she revisits the paths she covered in earlier works. She talks about discovering how to use a sound stimulus as a marker for a reward with dolphins. Although I had read this previously, it was still interesting re-reading it. She also goes over some of the training material she laid out in “Don’t Shoot the Dogs.” but since it has been a while since I had re-read that book, again, I didn’t mind seeing it covered again.

Pryor is a keen observer, and she details many instances of training or behavior problems — in dolphins, dogs, cats, and horses  –  that were the result of miscommunication, bad timing, and other confusion between people and animals. As a trainer and behaviorist, I know that many of the so-called behavior problems we have with our pets are because of miscommunication of some kind so it was very interesting to read her observations in this regard.

One of the most interesting parts of this book, however, was the section on teaching people — clicker-training people. Yes, clicker-training people. One of the earliest users of clickers with people used clicker training to mark the wanted behaviors/actions of kids doing gymnastics. As toes pointed just so — click! — and the child knew exactly what was right. It works for animals so why not for human animals?

As you can imagine, some parents got upset. But the quick-thinking coach told the parents this was TAGteaching — Teaching with Acoustical Guidance. TAGteaching has taken off and has been used in many different ways, from gym coaches, dance instructors and more.

One of the strongest messages from TAGteaching is that the good behavior/action is marked –  not the wrong. Far too many teachers and coaches try to change behavior by emphasizing what has been done wrong — but this isn’t the best way to teach.

I stress this concept in the first week of my dog training classes. I tell my students, “In our society, people are used to complaining when something is wrong. We complain when we get bad service, but we rarely reward good service as strongly. We readily complain to the business manager, but we assume when things go right, that’s the way they should be all the time.”

“Our dogs can’t learn that way. If our dogs only hear complaints, yells, and screams from us, they will think that the world is simply that way. But the dog will not change his behavior for the better. However, when we help the dog to change his behavior with clear communication and with praise, petting, and rewards – he learns a different way – and will be more apt to change his behavior.”

Pryor says people are the same way, and I agree. We are all more motivated when our efforts are recognized, praised, and rewarded.

Pryor also talks about trainers like myself who grew up with compulsive training (forcing dogs to learn something) and how we have –  and how we can –  learn new things ourselves. My introduction to clicker training was very negative in several different ways. First, I was very successful using older techniques. My dogs were great, well-behaved, competed very successfully in many sports and were very happy. They were not fearful as people said they should be and were very willing to offer new behaviors.

I wasn’t motivated to change.

Then, too, the trainers themselves who were embracing the new techniques were very quick to call me old-fashioned. They were very eager to tell me I was abusive (and worse);,and so I had no desire whatsoever to join their ranks.

But then I had several dogs of my own who challenged me. In the mid-80’s, Chocho, a Papillon, was not at all accepting of compulsive techniques. I had to find a different way to train him. Although I didn’t use a clicker — I used my voice to mark actions — I changed my training techniques for him.

Chocho was followed by a very intelligent, very willing Australian Shepherd, Dax, who was sound sensitive. Even a muffled clicker in the pocket would send her to the back of the house. So, again, no clicker, but more exploration into different training techniques.

As with any profession, I continue to be open to new things with the dogs who share my life today. Riker is also sensitive to sounds but also sensitive to anything negative; his feelings are easily hurt. Bashir is extremely intelligent, very eager to please me and devastated when I’m not happy with what he’s doing. Archer is a very happy worker and I want to keep him that way.

So along my journey of discovery I have found that there are many ways to train dogs.

Pryor talks about different techniques, too, and even though she feels the clicker is the best tool for marking behavior, she also explains how the voice can work as a marker.

Even though some of the material in the book was a rehash of her previous works, it was still interesting, thought-provoking reading. And there is plenty of new material to ponder. I’ve marked several pages and will go back later and re-read them.

I’m going to re-think this TAGteaching, too. I wonder if I can use a clicker in my classes to mark the (human) students good behaviors?

Hmmm…….

My entertainment was the sound of the surf and the sight of the night sky — and a good book, usually. With almost no light pollution — this was really, really rural — the stars were everywhere. Honestly, I never knew a sky could look like that!

Since moving back to an urban/suburban environment, I can’t see the stars anymore. But now and then, I sure notice the moon.

Did you see it this week?

When I saw the above illustration, by Canadian artist Liz Saunders, I looked up at the moon and was back among the stars again. And in the moon, I saw … my girl Heather.   Visit the Blazingstar online shop for more.

Every freaking press release, from industry or from FDA, uses that same meaningless phrase: a “voluntary recall” — as if there’s any other kind, considering that the FDA doesn’t have mandatory recall authority.

And then I was caught mid-rant when something completely different popped into the old email inbox: a warning from the FDA that no one should buy other treats made by the same company that manufactured the treats in the PetSmart recall, because they, too, were probably contaminated with salmonella:

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is issuing this health alert to warn consumers not to use Pig Ears and Beef Hooves pet treats manufactured by Pet Carousel because the products may be contaminated with Salmonella. The products were distributed nationwide in both bulk and retail packaging for sale in pet food and retail chain stores. Pet Carousel is based in Sanger, Calif.

The products were manufactured under conditions that facilitate cross-contamination within batches or lots. Although no illnesses associated with these products have been reported, the FDA is advising consumers in possession of these products to not handle or feed them to their pets.

The affected pig ear products were packaged under the brand names Doggie Delight and Pet Carousel. The affected beef hooves were packaged under the brand names Choo Hooves, Dentley’s, Doggie Delight, and Pet Carousel. All sizes and all lots of these products made by Pet Carousel are included in this alert.

During September 2009, the FDA conducted routine testing of pig ears made by Pet Carousel. The test results detected a positive reading for Salmonella. This prompted an FDA inspection of Pet Carousel’s manufacturing facilities. During the inspection, the agency collected additional pet treat samples. Further analysis found Salmonella present in beef hooves, pig ears and in the manufacturing environment.

I guess a “health alert” is about as strong an action as our current FDA can take. Which raises the question: When will Pet Carousel issue a “voluntary” recall of its own?

However much the “voluntary” thing makes my head explode, at least PetSmart sent out a press release and recalled the treats. Good for them. Of course I’d rather they weren’t selling contaminated treats in the first place (and I bet they do, too), but bad things do happen, and the way you tell the good businesses from the bad is how they react when they do.

A lesson everyone in the pet food industry should take to heart. The sooner the better.

Although I’m not exactly holding my breath.

We are already getting comments posted (thanks, spam filter!) and e-mails in our in box trying to sell snake oil to “prevent” or “cure” H1N1 in pets.

The FDA has been on these scammers since last summer. Seems now the crooks are just tossing a “pet” label on the old inventory and trying to get scared pet-owners to buy it.

Check out the FDA’s information section.

Update: Great read in the NYT Well blog about how the H1N1 cat was diagnosed. Veterinarians are an essential part of our public-health system, and it’s good to see them getting some attention and respect for their work in this area.

Although the H1N1/feline story broke after the segment was taped, the bottom line remains the same: Get rid of the risk and keep the pet.

Over on the  PawNation site. Helena Sung wrote a good overview of the segment:

On Thursday’s episode of The Dr. Oz Show, Dr. Becker (of “Good Morning America” fame) talks about diseases you can catch from your dogs and cats. “Because we’re living more intimate lives with our pets – hugging and kissing our pets, and sleeping with them at night — we’re at more risk for catching certain zoonotic diseases from our dogs and cats,” Dr. Becker tells Paw Nation.

Foremost among those diseases come from MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), parasites and ringworm. The bacteria MRSA is resistant to many antibiotics. A study found that a full 50% of the houses that researchers inspected had MRSA lurking on kitchen and faucet handles, drains, and on high chairs and trash cans. The common denominator was pet cats. “Cat owners are eight times more likely to have MRSA in their homes,” says Dr. Becker. Moreover, the bacteria was “ping-ponging back and forth between humans and pets.”

Another alarming fact? “About 600 U.S. children lose their eyesight each year due to roundworm larvae,” says Dr. Becker, “which they contract from soil that has contaminated dog feces, which doesn’t have to be from your dog, but from any dog feces off the street.” With respect to parasites, Dr. Becker points out that our pets can bring deer ticks into the home, which can cause Lyme disease in humans.

Who is most at risk for contracting zoonotic diseases? “The very young, the very old, and those with weakened immune systems from HIV or chemotherapy, and pregnant women,” Dr. Becker says.

Before you banish your pet from the house or vow to keep them at arm’s length, Dr. Becker points out that the goal is to get rid of the risk, not the pet. “If you lose the intimacy, you lose the healing power of pets,” he says.

Read the rest, and check your local listings — you may still be able to catch today’s airing of “The Dr. Oz Show.”  Our Dr. Becker also suggests a review of the petsandparasites.org site for information on how keeping pets healthier keeps people healthier.

Update: ABC News interviewed our (OK, and Purdue’s) Dr. Tony Johnson after he and Christie collaborated on the story for this blog. From the ABC News site:

This could be a thing that just fizzles out but it also has the potential for huge impact,” said Tony Johnson, a clinical assistant professor at the Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine. “We have these little fuzzy things living in our house that could be vectors for nasty diseases.”

Johnson isn’t so worried that cats will spread the flu to humans: “Most influenza viruses are not going to kill you,” he said.

Rather, he worries cat owners might abandon their animals at the first sign of a sniffle.

“I think that’s what’s going to wig people out,” Johnson said. “I don’t want to see the shelters filled with cats and dogs tomorrow.”

Neither do we, Dr. T. Neither do we.

Thanks to a liver transplant a couple of years ago, Linda Mawhinney is getting back to a fairly normal state of health after years of creeping towards becoming terminally ill. She uses a pump for her diabetes, and just recently began working full time again. This past August I saw Linda for the first time in years. She lives in a suburb of Vancouver. She has been too ill to travel, and I just hadn’t made it out there in a long time.

Emma, an 11-year old shepherd mix, woke Linda up around 3 a.m. to tell Linda she wanted to go out. Linda staggered out to the kitchen aiming for the room behind it, which has the door to the back yard. Emma simply stopped by the kitchen counter and refused to budge. Groggy as all get out, Linda thought Emma wanted food, but her dish was full. Emma kept looking at the kitchen counter and then at Linda, then back to the counter, then back to Linda.

I can just see Emma doing this. She is one smart cookie.

“Eventually, I realized that my vision was quite blotchy and what she was indicating was my glucometer,” said Linda in an e-mail to me. The glucometer was on the kitchen counter where Emma was staring. Linda checked her blood sugar and found it dangerously low at 25 when normal is 90 to 140 (or 1.5 from a normal range of 5.2 to 7.6).

“If it had dipped any lower I would have blacked out completely,” said Linda, whose new job is a patient advisor for diabetics. “I started eating Dex4 tablets and Emma went outside, where it was raining heavily.  Normally when it’s raining, she runs out and pees and then dashes back in the house.  Not this night.  She lay down in the grass for 15 minutes.  This is significant because I have been known, in a hypoglycemic stupor, to take a couple of Dex4 tablets and go back to bed without checking to make sure it’s coming up and have subsequently tanked.  After about 15 minutes, she came back in and again went to the counter where the glucometer was.  I tried to get her to go down the hall to the bedroom, but she wouldn’t go until I had taken my blood again and told her that it was okay.”

Linda’s pump had been sending out noisy beeping alarms, but that night both Linda and her husband John (years ago I nicknamed him St. John) slept through them. It’s impossible to know if Emma was responding to the alarm or to a scent indicating a problem, but she not only knew something needed to be done immediately, she also figured out how to do it.

It’s frightening to think that without Emma, Linda could have died from this one episode after nearly dying two years ago (she was the sickest person her transplant surgeon had ever seen who survived).  Linda’s health issues began almost 15 years ago, around the time I met her through an Internet dog list, and she is one hell of a survivor. I’ve never seen anyone that ill who had such an upbeat attitude every step of the way. In all the years I’ve known her, she’s only cried once that I know of, and not because she was sick or nearly dying: she cried because one of her dogs died in her arms while she was home alone and too sick to race the dog to the vet. Knowing that the dog wouldn’t have survived even if she’d been seen immediately never took away the pain.

At one point Emma was one of several rescued dogs in the house, but because of Linda’s health issues, Emma has been the only pet in the house for a while. Emma wasn’t there the last time I was, so this was the first time I met her. She’s an absolute doll. I took a lot of photos of them, and many of Emma, trying to show how happy she is despite the reasons for the scar around her snout. Linda and Emma have always had an emotional connection that went beyond the one she had with her other beloved dogs.  It’s no surprise to the people who know them that Emma would be the dog to save Linda from a dangerous glucose drop; it would have been Emma if there were ten dogs in the house.

Emma is clearly getting a bit stiff these days, and her gait isn’t quite what it used to be. She has been totally content for years, and is an easy-going, affectionate girl. Whoever cruelly left her to starve with wire wrapped around her snout so that she couldn’t eat will surely get what he or she deserves in this world. Thankfully, Linda and Emma have always deserved each other, and now they have saved each other.

The author, Jon Franklin, is a two time Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who specializes in science writing. The book is his journey in dogs. Those of us who love dogs and share our homes (and often our professions) with dogs know how important dogs are to us and to people in general. But just as that Chicago blogger posted a few weeks ago, not everyone loves dogs as we do.

One of Franklin’s first steps to discover what dogs are all about began when he saw a photo of an archeological dig with the skeleton of a man with a hand outstretched to the skeleton of a small dog or puppy. Franklin began questioning, “What was going on here? Why was the man reaching towards the puppy? Did the two die together? Why was the dog even there?”

Franklin’s journey into dogs was firmly cemented when he proposed to his soon to be wife and her answer was, “Can I get a puppy?” Good woman!

A black Standard Poodle named Charlie (Yes, there is a connection to John Steinbeck’s “Travels with Charlie”) joined their household. Franklin watches and documents his own transformation as he changes from an outsider looking in to a firmly committed dog owner.

Charlie becomes housetrained, goes to dog training class, earns his CGC and even competes in obedience. He learns to sing along with the piano as Franklin’s wife plays (yes to Henry Mancini and no to rock and roll). He earns his certification as a therapy dog and Franklin observes  —  as a good journalist does —  the transformations that take place when a dog visits.

What I enjoyed the most, though, were the transformations within Franklin himself that he’s recording. He talks about his walks with Charlie and learning to see the world as Charlie sees it –  the birds exploding into flight when startled, the gopher snake caught in garden netting, and the mole dug up from the earth.

Franklin also chronicled his grief when Charlie dies. He talks about his depression, the medication the doctor recommends, and his wife’s desire to get another dog. In his grief and apathy, he doesn’t fight his wife over it, but does talk about a dog who helps bring him out of his grief before they bring home a new puppy, Sam.

I will have to admit, there are some sections of this book that I skimmed over. There is a little more science than I like in some places and sometimes the prose is a little over done for my taste. But Franklin’s journey into the origins of dogs and our relationship with dogs is wonderful.

I won’t tell you the end of the book –  I won’t spoil it –  but do have some tissues at hand.

There has also been a confirmed case in at least one ferret. While the ferret case isn’t too surprising — ferrets are notoriously susceptible to influenza viruses — the cat’s illness is causing concern among veterinarians and cat owners.

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) sent out a letter to its member veterinarians an hour and a half ago, informing them of the feline case. They also posted a public announcement on their website:

A cat in Iowa has tested positive for the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus, state officials confirmed this morning, marking the first time a cat has been diagnosed with this strain of influenza.

The cat, which has recovered, is believed to have caught the virus from someone in the household who was sick with H1N1. There are no indications that the cat passed the virus on to any other animals or people.

Prior to this diagnosis, the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus had been found in humans, pigs, birds and ferrets.

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) are reminding pet owners that some viruses can pass between people and animals, so this was not an altogether unexpected event. Pet owners should monitor their pets’ health very closely, no matter what type of animal, and visit a veterinarian if there are any signs of illness.

The AVMA is actively tracking all instances of H1N1 in animals and posting updates on our Web site at www.avma.org/public_health/influenza/new_virus.

Pet Connection’s Dr. Tony Johnson acknowledges the concern that many people may feel about this, but asks them not to over-react. “The humans who gave the virus to their cat, and the cat, all recovered,” he said. “And there is no evidence H1N1 goes from cats to people; it was the other way around.”

I asked him why, if a virus can be passed from humans to cats, we shouldn’t be worried it can pass the other way, too.

“The answer is, we don’t know for sure,” he told me. “But sometimes a virus can make a host sick, but not reproduce and become infectious in that host. So far there is no evidence that this virus can be passed from cats to humans, although that doesn’t mean it can’t.”

The bottom line: “Think about this critically, and don’t make knee-jerk reactions,” he said. “Common sense and a cool head are better than flipping out and putting your cat out with the garbage.”

The AVMA said that owners who have the flu should try to avoid close contact with their cats. If your cat shows signs of respiratory illness, seek immediate veterinary care.

We’ll update as more information is available.

We promised you details about Thursday’s edition of “The Dr. Oz Show,” and here they are. Check your local listings for channel and time.

Our Dr. Marty Becker is a member of Core Team Oz, and on Thursday America’s Veterinarian  and Dr. Oz are sharing information about the diseases your pet has that you can get. They’ll let you know who is most at risk  — the very young or very old, along with the immunosuppressed.

Rather than just talk about the scary stuff that could happen, they’ll offer  preventive solutions that go beyond washing your hands and using a pooper scooper. Did you know that MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) is eight times more likely to occur in homes with cats, and that it can ping-pong back and forth between pets and people? They’ll talk about why that happens. They’ll also provide information about why you shouldn’t let your pet lick you in the mouth (no matter how much fun it is for both of you), why parasite control for the four-footers benefits our health, and skin infections (ringworm anyone?).

And for those of us who forget to do poop patrol at least every other day (we know who we are) Dr. Becker will remind us why that’s important.

Both doctors have a simple solution: Get rid of the risk and keep the pet! We know that the health benefits of having a pet far outweigh the risks.

On Dec. 3, Dr. Becker will be back for another visit to Oz, taping a segment on what to do in a pet health emergency. Pet Connection blogger and Purdue U  vet school emergency and critical care expert Dr. Tony Johnson provided the background to make sure only the latest and greatest information is offered.

We’ll let you know when the next can’t-miss segment will air!

Yes, bison  — you know, American buffalo. Buffalo is the species’ common name and the one we learned in the cowboy movies but is incorrect. Bison, as they should be called, once roamed the American mid-west by the hundreds of thousands. They could be found as far north as Canada, south to Mexico, and east to the Appalachia mountains. They were never native to southern California, however.

By the late 1880’s, the huge herds that roamed the mid-West had been reduced significantly. The Native American tribes and new settlers hunted the bison for both meat and hides while trophy hunters would take only the horns or skulls. The expanding railroad companies also sent hunters out to kill entire herds. By 1884, the bison was almost extinct.

Although the sprawling 125, 000 acre base is best known for the Marines who serve and train there, Camp Pendleton is also a nature preserve. It’s home to more than 17 endangered or threatened species. It’s not unusual to see a Golden Eagle soaring on the wind currents above the base or hear an owl hooting at night. Bobcats, mountain lions, badger, native weasels, southern mule deer and many other animals thrive on the base.

These animals are native to this region, though, and the bison are not. In the mid-1970’s the San Diego Zoological Society asked Camp Pendleton to allow 14 bison to roam the far reaches of the base. The Zoological Society didn’t have room for the animals who do best with lots of space to roam. In addition, by isolating the small herd, they could be protected from cattle-borne diseases.

The herd is now grown to more than 150 animals. With few natural predators –  even the mountain lions don’t mess them them – the herd is growing each year.

Several experts now consider this herd to be genetically valuable. Many of the bison left today –  even those roaming free in Yellowstone — are mixed with domestic cattle. Their genes are no longer pure. However, previous genetic testing on a bull and a cow in the Camp Pendleton herd showed that there were no cattle genes. Therefore, in the future some of these animals may be used in breeding projects elsewhere.

Meanwhile, the bison on Camp Pendleton have split into several small herds or family groups. There is natural water on the base —  small streams and rivers, and springs –  that have water all year round. The grazing is good.

If a bison wanders on to a firing range –  this is a Marine Corps training base after all — all firing stops until the bison decides to leave.

They tend to avoid the roads,  but if they do come upon a road, all traffic stops. You never try to rush a bison or your car will be severely damaged. There have been a few traffic accidents, usually at night when the driver can’t see the bison.

When my husband and I lived in base housing a number of years ago, I thought he was lying to me when he said Pendleton had bison. I was young and he’d pulled my leg on more than one occasion. So to prove to me he was messing with me, he drove me out to a distant part of the base and sure enough, a small herd of cows with their calves was grazing in the fields near the road.

It was such a serene scene. Calm and picturesque, and yet so very Western. I kept waiting for the cowboys on horseback to come riding over the hill.

I was happy to read that the herd is still thriving on Camp Pendleton and I give the Marine Corps credit for harboring the bison as well as the other threatened and endangered species living on the base. Good job, guys!