Teaching Chin Rest to Dogs

December 15, 2021 • Behavior Bytes Dogs I am a... Pet Owner Trainer

By

Pat Koven, LVT, KPA-CTP

Teaching voluntary behaviors such as a chin rest can be useful when you want your dog to hold still and show you they are comfortable. A chin rest shows that your dog is willing to be an active participant in their care. Teaching a chin rest can be part of a dog’s behavior modification plan when they are resistant to needed care, such as applying eye drops and ear medication. This is sometimes called cooperative veterinary care.
   

Photo courtesy of Pat Koven, LVT, KPA-CTP

   
Your dog can learn to target a chin rest to your palm as a stationary position, on a walk, target on a towel, or the arm of a wheelchair for petting in therapy work.
     

Dog resting chin on open hand

     
To prepare for training have high-value soft treats, and identify a comfortable height and position for both animal and trainer, such as a rolled up towel on a chair. When teaching this behavior, it is important to keep your hands steady, so your dog is not nervous.
   

Step 1: Stationary Chin Rest
   

Stationary chin rest

    

  • Hold your open hand, palm up in front of your dog’s snout slightly below chin level.
       
  • In your other hand, hold a treat in front of your dog’s face just below the nose beyond your “palm (target)” hand. As your dog reaches for the treat, lower your hand holding the treat to just below your open palm.
       
  • As your dog rests their chin across your open palm mark the behavior and give them the treat.
       
  • Repeat 3-5 times. This is the time to start adding the verbal cue “chin” as your dog’s rests their chin on your palm.
       
  • Now test this behavior by offering your open palm just below the chin level and give the cue.
       

With their chin on your palm, begin adding duration by counting to 1 second then reward. Then begin rewarding at random times such as 3 seconds, then 2 seconds, then 4 seconds, so your dog does not learn a pattern.
       

A mark is a word or clicker that signals to your dog they have demonstrated the desired behavior.

     
Some tips to try:

Encouraging dog to lean chin forward

  • To encourage the dog to lean forward to put their chin onto the target palm, hold the treat hand farther away from the palm hand on the same level so the dog sees the treat.
       
  • To encourage your dog to lower their chin onto the target palm, bring the treat hand from below the target palm so your dog leans over the target palm and lowers their head to reach down toward the treat.
        
  • Hold your palm hand at a height so your dog is not struggling to rest their chin on your open palm.

   
Step 2: Transfer the Behavior to a Towel or Object

  • Roll up a small towel or use a pillow placed on the edge of a chair or table. It should be at a height comfortable for your dog to rest their chin.
       
  • Place your hand, palm facing up, on the object upon which you want your dog to place their chin.
       
  • Give the verbal cue “chin,” mark and reward each time your dog places their chin onto your open palm.
      
  • Repeat this 3-5 times.
       
  • To encourage your dog to rest their chin on a towel offer your open palm behind the object. Mark and reward your dog for resting their chin on the towel.
       
  • Add duration slowly and variably as outlined above.
        

Photo courtesy of Pat Koven, LVT, KPA-CTP

   
Some tips to try:

Holding treat so dog drops chin

  • To prompt the chin to drop into place, offer the treat below the level of the towel. Mark and reward. You may need to repeat this until your dog no longer requires prompting.
        
  • You may need to raise or lower the height of the towel to make a chin rest more accessible.
        
       
        

     

Desensitization and Counterconditioning to Nail Trimmers for Cats

December 1, 2021 • Cats CattleDog Publishing Newsletter I am a... Pet Owner

By Sarah Nugen, Class of 2023; Sandra Robbins BS, CVT, VTS (Anesthesia & Analgesia), CPDT-KSA, KPA-CTP; Katharine Schwarz, RVT, KPA CTP

Photo courtesy of Depositphotos

How to help your cat get used to having their nails trimmed

  1. Start by putting the trimmers in a common area like your living room where your cat can choose to explore them at their pace. Putting treats around the nail trimmers can help to create more positive associations with them. If your cat will not go near the trimmers, feed them treats at a comfortable distance. Gradually decrease the distance between them and the nail trimmers.
  2. Next, have the nail trimmers nearby when you are interacting with your cat. This interaction may be a play session or a time when your cat is comfortably settled on your lap accepting treats. You do not need to move the nail trimmers around, just have them within view of your cat when they are near you.
  3. Let your cat see you lift and put down the nail trimmers. If your cat enjoys lying on your lap, you can have the nail trimmers near, pick them up and put them down, then feed your cat a treat.
  4. Practice bringing the nail trimmers to your cat’s foot, then moving them away and giving your cat a treat. If your cat is too stressed about this step, only bring the nail trimmers part way to your cat’s foot before putting them back down and giving a treat.
  5. After your cat has learned to tolerate a single nail being isolated and examined with the trimmers nearby, cut the toenail. Then begin adding toes to individual sessions until you can cut multiple toenails in one session.

Overall, you want your cat to feel as comfortable, safe, and relaxed as possible when getting their nails trimmed. Work with your veterinarian and staff to make nail trims at home and at the clinic the most positive experience possible for your cat.

     

Fear-related Aggression in Cats

December 1, 2021 • Cats CattleDog Publishing Newsletter I am a... Pet Owner Shelter Worker

By

Sarah Nugen, Class of 2023; Sandra Robbins BS, CVT, VTS (Anesthesia & Analgesia), CPDT-KSA, KPA-CTP; Katharine Schwarz, RVT, KPA CTP

Fear in Cats

Just like us, cats feel fear and their behavior changes in response to it. What makes one cat fearful or anxious may not make another one feel that way. We observe a cat’s body language to understand how they are feeling. Fearful cats make themselves small and are tense. Their bodies will be low to the table or ground, and their legs will be tucked under their bodies. Fearful cats are constantly scanning, and their ears may change directions frequently. Sometimes they are frozen with their ears flattened and their pupils enlarged. Tails may swish or be tucked underneath their bodies. Some cats growl, hiss, swat, scratch, and bite. 
   

This cat is displaying fearful body language. The body is low to the ground, legs tucked under, ears flattened, and pupils dilated.
Dr. Sophia Yin photo collection.

    
Fear-related Aggression

Fear is a normal emotional response in cats, and just because they are fearful does not mean they will respond aggressively. Each cat’s behavior is individual and influenced by environmental stressors, socialization as kittens, and life experiences. For example, a cat may respond aggressively when fearful at a veterinary clinic for a nail trim, whereas other cats may become frozen. In both situations, the cat perceives a person or the nail trim as threatening; however, both are the same fear response but expressed differently. Cats brought in as kittens frequently for nail trims may not be fearful since they had previous positive experiences with lots of treats.

Getting to the Source of Fear-related Aggression

When diagnosing and treating fear aggression, your veterinarian may take a detailed history to determine your cat’s triggers. They will often ask questions about your cat’s behavior and environment.   

  • Who is the target of the aggression? (people, other cats, etc.)?
  • What does your cat look like when this is happening? For example, ear position, tail movement, etc.
  • When did the behavior start?
  • Are there new animals or people in the household?
  • Have there been any changes in the household?
  • Are there any changes in your cat’s energy levels or eating?
  • Are there any changes in your cat’s normal activity?
       

Behavior changes may occur as a result of pain or other medical conditions. A thorough physical exam and other diagnostics, such as X-rays or blood work, may be needed.

Working with a Fear-aggressive Cat

There isn’t one single way to treat fear-related aggression because every cat is different. To help your cat feel safe, provide appropriate hiding and vertical spaces. This may be an elevated cat tree, shelf, or quiet room. It is important that your cat can access these spaces all the time, including when there are visitors. 

Long-term treatment will involve changing emotional and behavioral responses. This is done by reintroducing the triggers, identified in the history in a gradual and systematic way. Food, play, and other rewards may be used for this process. Sometimes medications may be beneficial. Discuss with your veterinarian what may be best for your cat.

     

Nail Trims for Adult Cats

November 17, 2021 • Behavior Bytes Cats I am a... Pet Owner Veterinary Professional

By Katharine Schwarz, RVT, KPA CTP; Sarah Nugen, Class of 2023; Sandra Robbins BS, CVT, VTS (Anesthesia & Analgesia), CPDT-KSA, KPA-CTP;

Photo courtesy of Katharine Schwarz, RVT, KPA CTP

Many cat owners never learned to trim their kitten’s nails and struggle with nail trims for their adult cat. To prevent scratches to people and furniture, as well as to decrease the potential of too long nails causing pain, difficulty walking, and other medical issues your cat’s nails will need to be trimmed from time to time. To make trimming your cat’s nails easy for you and acceptable for your cat will take time, patience, and rewards.

There are several low stress handling methods that can be used to make it easier for you to trim nails, such as a towel wrap or allowing the cat to sit comfortably in a lap.  Distractions such as toys or food can also be helpful during trimming.

Technique for Adult Cats

It is not too late to begin training an adult cat to get their nails trimmed. You can still make this experience a positive one. Similar to training a kitten, this process takes time, patience, and rewards. Nail trims should be done in the position that is best for your cat, whether they are sitting, standing, or lying down. Choose a location where your cat is most comfortable such as on your lap, or on their favorite perch.

Your cat will not have the patience for all their nails to be trimmed during the first few training sessions, so start this process when they are not urgently needing a nail trim. Each training session should be kept to less than two minutes. Frequent, short training sessions are better than long sessions.

  • When your cat is in their comfortable place, practice touching the top of their foot and then feeding a treat. Alternatively, you could place a bowl of wet food or treats in front of them during this process. Practice this several times, giving your cat a treat after each foot touch. Each foot should be touched separately.
       
    • If your cat displays signs of stress or gets up to leave, stop the training and just play. The next session, remember to stay under your cat’s threshold of stress to keep this a positive experience.
         
  • Practice handling each foot lightly, then feeding a treat. You may only be able to touch the foot but not pick it up the first few times.
       
  • Gradually, practice until you can handle each of your cat’s feet and toes.  Isolate each toe individually and practice inspecting the area where you will trim the nail. Remember to treat after every nail examination.
                  

    Monitor closely for signs your cat is uncomfortable. This cat initially acted uncomfortable but seems to have a better time once treats were used. Photo courtesy of Katharine Schwarz, RVT, KPA CTP.
  • When your cat is comfortable allowing you to isolate a toenail, try trimming one nail. Treat immediately after trimming it and then stop the session. Engage your cat in something rewarding like play or a petting session. If your cat seems stressed or nervous about the nail trimmers, you may need to work on desensitizing your cat to them.
            
  • Eventually, your cat will tolerate having multiple nails trimmed during the same session, but it will take time and practice to get there.

     

Enrichment for Senior Dogs

November 1, 2021 • CattleDog Publishing Newsletter Dogs I am a... Pet Owner Shelter Worker Trainer

By

Samantha Zurlinden, Veterinary Student Class of 2023
Reviewed by the Veterinary Team at VIN

This dog is having fun trying to get kibble out of a toilet paper tube taped shut.
Photo by VIN.

What is Enrichment and Why is it Important for Senior Dogs?

Enrichment is offering experiences and opportunities to animals to encourage healthy natural behaviors and enhance physical and emotional welfare. Enrichment is often broken into two broad categories: environmental and social.  Environmental enrichment alters the animal’s space either by making changes to the environment itself or by adding novel items such as toys, feeding puzzles, exercise, and things to smell and explore. Social enrichment involves offering positive social experiences for the animal with people or other animals.

Enrichment is important for all species of animals, including people! Sometimes we enrich our lives and our animal’s life without even noticing, such as going for walks outside or eating a yummy treat. Sometimes enrichment takes planning, such as a vacation or assembling food puzzles for your dog. Understand that what is considered enrichment should be from your dog’s perspective and each dog needs to be able to choose if they want to participate or interact with the enrichment item or not. We can entice dogs to participate by offering their favorite treats or petting in their favorite spots but ultimately it will still be their choice to interact or not.

Dogs can have several age-related diseases that can result in behavior changes and welfare concerns, such as arthritis, dental disease, cancer, diabetes, and other endocrine diseases. Additionally, dogs can develop canine cognitive dysfunction, a syndrome that is similar to Alzheimer’s disease in humans.  Pain is more likely to occur in senior dogs with age-related diseases, leading to decreased activity, increased anxiety, restlessness, and occasionally aggression. Due to these age-related challenges, we should find ways to enrich their lives and help manage these conditions. While senior dogs may not be able to participate in much physical enrichment, such as long walks, other forms can be mentally stimulating and tiring.

If you have noticed behavioral changes in your senior dog, work with your veterinarian to determine if there is an underlying medical condition that may be causing the behavior. You should also discuss your dog’s weight and nutrition with your veterinarian to keep them at a healthy weight and as comfortable as possible.

By working with your veterinarian to manage age-related health conditions and providing individual and age-appropriate enrichment, you can enhance your pet’s quality of life and improve your bond with your aging dog.

This 13-year old dog is eating her breakfast from a small box filled with kibble.
Photo by VIN.

Enrichment Ideas for Senior Dogs

  • Shorter walks outside – There is nothing like the great outdoors! Physical exercise, opportunities for social interaction, and new things to see and smell! Your walks may need to be a lot shorter than they were in younger years, but they are still beneficial. Just make sure to monitor how your pet is handling the walk and not to push your dog too far. Even sitting outside or taking a short walk focused on sniffing (sniff walk) can be enriching.
  • Puzzle Feeders – There are many different puzzle feeders available for dogs. You can shop online, in pet stores, or make them yourself! You can use some or all of your pet’s regular diet in the puzzle feeders, and you can also use special treats. For a simple DIY puzzle feeder, put some kibble in a plastic bottle without the lid, or save toilet paper or paper towel tubes and put kibble inside with the ends folded. Just make sure your dog doesn’t try to eat the bottle or cardboard! Another simple idea is to feed your dog from a muffin tin; you can even put tennis balls on top of the muffin tin to make it more challenging. Sometimes, you can freeze food in puzzle feeders to make them last longer.

  • Snuffle Mats – Snuffle mats look like extra shaggy rugs. You can purchase them or you can make them yourself. They can be used as a food puzzle or you can use them with scents. If you are adding scent, make sure that it is safe for dogs. Certain essential oils such as cinnamon, tea tree, peppermint, and wintergreen are not safe. Scents such as coconut, vanilla, ginger, and valerian are safe. Additionally, some dogs respond to catnip, and it can help them relax. Snuffle mats encourage sniffing and encourage normal foraging behaviors.
  • Scavenger Hunts – Hide treats, food items, and toys around the house or yard. Some dogs enjoy playing hide and seek with their favorite toys. Hide items in safe places. Hide items near places the dog frequents, such as by their bed or water bowl, and then expand from there.  
  • Positive Reinforcement Training – An old dog absolutely can learn new tricks! Positive reinforcement training will improve your bond with your pet at any life stage, and senior dogs are no exception. Positive reinforcement is rewarding your dog, usually with a food treat, for doing what you ask. Clicker training is a great way to use positive reinforcement to train your dog. You can teach useful behaviors such as sit, lay down, crate, and stay, or you can teach fun behaviors to your dog such as shake, target, speak, fetch. Positive reinforcement training is a great tool for senior dogs because it is mentally stimulating but does not require physical exertion.
  • Socialize with other Senior Dogs or Calm dogs – If your dog enjoys the company of other dogs, arrange for play dates with other calm or senior dogs. Make sure that your dog enjoys this experience by monitoring their body language. Your dog should choose to engage with the other dogs, have loose body language, and be relaxed.
        

When it comes to enrichment, you can find something for all senior dogs no matter what their health or mobility status. 

     

Nail Trims in Kittens

October 15, 2021 • Behavior Bytes Cats I am a... Pet Owner Shelter Worker Veterinary Professional

By

Sarah Nugen; Sandra Robbins BS, CVT, VTS (Anesthesia & Analgesia), CPDT-KSA, KPA-CTP; Katharine Schwarz, RVT, KPA CTP

Many owners struggle with trimming their cat’s nails. Nail trims, however, are important for your cat’s health and to prevent scratches of your furniture or people. Nails that become too long have the potential to cause pain, difficulty walking, and other medical issues. The goal is to make trimming your cat’s nails acceptable for your cat and easy for you. This outcome takes time, patience, and rewards.

There are several low stress handling methods that can be used to make it easier for you to trim nails, such as a towel wrap or allowing the cat to sit comfortably in a lap.  Distractions such as toys or food can also be helpful during trimming.
      

Courtesy of CattleDog Publishing

Technique for Kittens

If you have a kitten, your work starts now! Between three and nine weeks, kittens are at an important age for socialization. Now is the time to expose your kitten to other people, animals, and situations such as nail trims. Treats are the best rewards to use with your kitten. This will help them associate nail trims with a positive experience.
     

Photo Courtesy of CattleDog Publishing

    

  • First, figure out what position your kitten prefers. Choose a position that will keep your kitten at ease and that will allow you to deliver treats effectively. Many kittens prefer to remain standing during a nail trim.
       
  • Get your supplies ready so that everything is prepared before you start handling your kitten,  such as a towel or blanket for them to sit on, high value food rewards, nail trimmers, and styptic powder to stop bleeding if a nail is trimmed too short.
         
  • Create a positive association with having feet handled. Touch your kitten’s feet when they are feeling relaxed and eating treats. The goal is for your kitten to feel comfortable with being touched, so discontinue touching them if they appear stressed or start to wiggle. If your kitten is uncomfortable with this, touch their feet for a shorter duration or touch a less sensitive area such as their shoulder.

This kitten is being fed treats while lying on their back and getting their feet handled. This will help the kitten adapt to getting their nails trimmed and associate the experience with food. This kitten has already learned that lying on their back is a pleasant experience, however, not all kittens will enjoy lying on their back. Photo courtesy of CattleDog Publishing®.
  • When you can handle their feet, then you want your kitten to associate the trimmers with a positive experience. You can try trimming one nail while they are relaxed. Give them a treat quickly after you have trimmed it.  Give the kitten a break and practice again during a different session. Your kitten should not be made to hold still for all their nails to be trimmed during the first few sessions. You also do not want your kitten to be afraid of lying on your lap, thinking that their nails will be trimmed every time, so make sure you hold them there sometimes without doing anything other than loving them up.
       
  • A slow and careful approach is necessary to avoid overwhelming your kitten. Remember, nail trims can be a positive experience! The experiences kittens have with getting their feet touched and nails trimmed when they are young set the tone for how they will react to nail trims later in life. If your kitten becomes too stressed, give them a break and engage your kitten in play. Start again at a different time when they are more comfortable.

     

© Veterinary Information Network. All rights reserved.