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Michael Baugh CDBC CPDT-KSA

I held the door at the emergency vet clinic for a man and a young girl. They were leaving. She had been crying. The girl was eight or nine. The man, probably her father, rested his hand lightly on the girl’s shoulder. “Thanks,” he mumbled softly. The girl clutched a collar to her chest, red with a bone-shaped tag. She looked up at me and said nothing. It was late afternoon, late June. They drifted past me, into the parking lot and the searing South Texas heat.

Their dog was unconscious when they brought him in. It was heat stroke, also called hyperthermia. The veterinary team tried. They did everything they could. The dog didn’t make it. A girl, a family, woke up that weekend morning with their beloved friend. They went to bed that night without him. Nature is cruel.

Hot cars are the primary cause of heat exhaustion and heat stroke in dogs. Don’t do it. Ever. When I was young, I left a dog in a car with the air conditioner on. I accidentally locked myself out. The car stalled. A locksmith showed up in minutes. My dog was fine. But, I learned my lesson.

Leaving a dog outside without shade, ventilation,  or water is another common cause. There’s no excuse for that.

The one that sneaks up on us is the cruelest cause of all. We love our dogs. We want to play with them, walk them, run with them. Their bodies are different. They cool themselves differently, less efficiently. We think they are okay. They aren’t. We think they are cute and playful with their giant tongues hanging out. But, they are suffering. An emergency, by definition, is unexpected. Trouble comes on quickly. So can death, faster than we think.

Dogs collapse running along bicycles (don’t do this). They can collapse on walks, in backyards, in our arms.

I can’t forget that little girl’s face, the collar, the tag. I didn’t see her dog’s name. I was thirteen when my dog, Casper, got hit by a car.

“I know, honey,” I wanted to say to the girl. But she and her dad breezed by. It would have been inappropriate. But I do know. Sleep will be hard and the tears will come easily. She will remember for years, decades. She’ll keep the collar, maybe forever.

I tell Alexa to play her droning notification. “The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory until….”

October, I think. “Delete notification,” I yell.

Houston is hot. It gets hot every summer. Hyperthermia is avoidable. We can protect our dogs. Tips from your dog trainer:

• Keep the dogs inside. Play inside.
• Limit outdoor activity to potty breaks.
• Shorten or skip walks. Early morning is cooler than evening.
• Provide cool (not cold) water.

There are telltale symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. If you are in doubt, err on the side of caution. Go to the vet right away.

I left the emergency clinic hours after the little girl and her father. My dog, Charlie, nuzzled under my chin; I kissed his forehead. He’d swallowed a bee. That was a bad idea to start. It turns out he’s also allergic to bees. Now we have another summer hazard to watch out for.

“You’re going to be okay, little buddy,” I said, choking back tears. I cranked up the AC and steered us toward home. “You’re okay.”

 

Michael Baugh teaches dog training in Houston Texas. He specializes in aggressive dog behavior.

 

Michael Baugh CDBC CPDT-KSA

We planned Charlie’s first plane ride to Arizona for May. Then, we cancelled it. Then, the storm hit and off we went. This is the photoessay story of his big adventure.

Spoiler alert: Charlie did fine and absolutely loved Sedona.

But, like any big event with a dog, it took planning. I followed my three rules:

• Train reliable and predictable patterns of behavior. For Charlie’s trip this included getting in and out of a small carrier on cue.
• Set your dog up to succeed. We trained daily, primarily so we had a solid working relationship that I hoped would withstand the pressure of travel.
• Keep your dog below threshold. This is dog trainer lingo that basically means help your dog stay calm and not freak out. Having taught Charlie to self-soothe with conditioned relaxation really helped a lot (see cover photo of him chilling out at the Phoenix airport).

 

Video of Charlie learning to get in his carrier

Charlie was a bit nervous waiting for our flight to board in Houston. This was a brand new experience for him and he had no idea what was going on. It’s okay to reassure your dog. Let him know you’re there and you’ve got his back. No, you are not reinforcing fear.

Charlie under the seat in front of me. I helped him through this part with some yummy snacks and petting. He trembled and panted turning taxi and take off. We did the best we could. Once in the air, Charlie fell asleep (in his carrier) on my lap.

 

Waiting for the rental car at the Phoenix airport.

Dogs (and people) make strong associations with places. Charlie, like Stella and Stevie before him, loved Sedona (see Charlie’s first hike below). I hope that pane rides become connected with fun trips for Charlie. The trip home was actually better than the trip out, so maybe it’s starting to happen already.

Charlie at the Phoenix airport before the return trip. Notice the relaxed down.

Hydrating before the flight is a good idea.

As fun as the trip was, it’s always nice to get back to your own bed.

 

Michael Baugh teaches dog training in Houston, TX. You can follow Charlie on Instagram to see his future adventures.

 

Michael Baugh CDBC CPDT-KSA

The best way to train your dog is to stop thinking about it as training.

That might sound weird at first. I teach people how to train their dogs. Right? Yes, I do. I’ve also learned over the years that what we call training is really about much more than teaching our dogs routines and tricks.

Our dogs are always learning. We are too. Our dogs and we are also constantly teaching each other. I used the words always and constantly with intention. Sure, training sessions are great (let’s build some skills together). But, let’s also remember that the learning and teaching doesn’t stop at the end of a session. We are communicating with our dogs every waking moment we share with them. And each moment is an opportunity to learn and teach.

Here are some ideas to get us started.

Pay attention to your dog’s bids. John and Julie Gottman coined the term “bids” in interpersonal relationships. A bid is a request to connect. Bids can be big and overt or subtle. A bid from our dog can be a look, an approach, physical contact, or even the offering of a learned behavior.

Reinforce. It’s up to us to notice our dog’s bids and respond. To grow and foster a relationship, we should respond positively, accept the request for contact. The Gottmans call this “turning toward” the bid. We can (and should) take it a step further with our dogs. Reinforce behavior we’d like to see more of (e.g. polite greetings or our dog approaching when we call). Use food or play along with verbal praise. Turn towards your dog’s bid in a big way.

Place a bid of your own. It’s far too easy to ignore our dogs. We expect them to be good, and darned if we don’t miss “good” when it’s staring us right in the face. Stop. Smile at your dog. Talk to them. Get down low and invite some contact. Place a bid. See how they respond. Reinforce the responses you like most. See what happens next.

Now, you’re having a conversation with your dog. You’re learning. Your dog is learning. You are teaching each other. If you do this throughout the day, every day, training stops being a chore. It becomes something joyful you do with your dog. You play. You train. The line between the two becomes blurred. Both are just part of the partnership you and your dog have forged, day after day, little by little, one bid at a time.

Michael Baugh teaches dog training in Houston, TX. He specializes in aggressive dog training. 

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