That was a small part of the response that I got from my coworker Amanda to my question about prong collars.

Since Monday, a lot of information has come in about the harmful effects of prong collars and humane alternatives to them. The Web site positivedogtraining.com cautions, "[W]e strongly urge people to avoid using the prong collar on those dogs who display tendencies towards being, shy, submissive, nervous or timid. These types of dogs do not do well by being ruled and trained with a heavy hand and harsh methods. In fact, it can have a lifelong, negative effect on the dog's overall personality, in his interactions with other animals and people, and can lead to major behavioral problems. In addition to the fact that the dog training prong collar can result in having negative effects on a dog, it has also been known to have absolutely no impact on the behavior of a dog at all, with the exception of increasing the dog's pure will, and pain tolerance level. Many dogs, after having the prong collar used on them for a period of time, eventually build up an incredible tolerance to the painful pinching effect of the collar, and as a result become even more difficult to walk or train."

The Canny Collar

Commenter to this blog Gia put it this way: "I would NOT use a prong collar, especially on a dog who is behaving in a defensive manner towards reactive dogs. The prong collar will have behavioral consequences [for] the dog. The pinch collar adds the pain factor into the equation. So, your dog will come to associate not only fear but pain when a strange dog acts in an inappropriate manner. The idea that a prong collar simulates a mother's teeth is preposterous. A mother has two front canines, not 30 that would enclose a pup's entire neck with unceasing pressure. Also, the mother might nip, not bite down and apply a painful pressure. Furthermore, a mother dog would not discipline her pup for acting in a defensive manner. As you probably know, your dog is behaving this way on lead because he knows he has no escape, so he feels the need to defend himself. Time and time again, a defensive dog has turned into a dog that is a hysterical cujo by the prong collar. The prong collar will not teach your dog not to react to other dogs. It will teach your dog that other dogs equal fear AND pain. The prong collar does teach dogs not to pull when it's on, but the issue here isn't a pulling problem. It is a defensiveness and fear problem."

So what are the alternatives? The most promising, in my view, is something called the "Canny Collar," suggested by commenter Gia, which is similar to a Halti head halter, except that the leash attaches to it behind Fido's head so that his head is never pulled to one side or the other. This collar is made in the U.K., but there is an outlet in Canada as well.

Since Dexter's trouble is anxiety-based, my coworker Amanda and commenter Gia both suggested that I look into the "Anxiety Wrap." This is a piece of fabric that wraps snuggly around the dog's body and provides a calming effect. The principle behind it is called "maintained pressure." Dr. Shereen Farber explains how it works in an article called "The Technique of Maintained Pressure": "If an animal is highly stressed, the autonomic nervous system's … sympathetic division sends neural messages to the receptors to lower the amount of sensation required to activate the receptors. This action allows the animal to flee or fight when needed. Unfortunately, many animals have had trauma to the CNS or the nerves and associated structures that communicate with the brain and body (the peripheral nervous system). Animals can also sustain stress, illnesses, pain, all of which lower the threshold of sensation needed to fire the sensory receptors. … In theory, maintained pressure, as supplied by the hands of the handler or therapist, acts to calm the sensory receptors and raise the amount of sensation needed to fire those receptors to reporting to the brain. Remember that a chronically stressed dog also perceives potential injury when there may be none. Hence his 'guard is up' so to speak. As we apply the therapeutic band or our hands, both acting as therapeutic agents to calm the animal, we slowly sink into the tissue and quiet the active firing of those receptors resulting in a calmer dog. … The animal quickly settles into a more pliable state and his guard is lowered."

The Anxiety Wrap

Other suggestions included the Calming Cap, which I rejected out of hand because it's made by Premier Pet Products, which also sells an enormous range of citronella products, and the martingale collar, which is much too similar to a choke collar for my taste (the difference is that it's made out of fabric and tightens via a martingale effect). Commenter Rachel suggested the Wonder Whistle Leash by KII Enterprises. This sounds intriguing because it whistles every time the leash goes taut, but I haven't been able to locate it online yet. If anyone knows where it can be purchased, please share that info with us. I think it might be good for Dexter since he seems to go into a trance-like state when he pulls.

I got some behavioral training tips as well. Commenter Gia suggested that, while working with Dexter, I try to stick to "safe" routes with him to prevent a repeat performance of the lunging behavior. But, unfortunately, in my neighborhood, there are no "safe" routes to take—it's very dog-intensive—so I'll just have to work harder, I guess.

My coworker Amanda came up with a full-blown lesson plan for Dexter, which I really appreciated and intend to follow. Here's an extract from it:

1. Teach "watch me." … A couple of times each day you'll want to grab a few little [treats]. Show them to Dexter, then bring them up to your nose so that Dexter can follow. When his eyes are on your face … praise and give him the [treat]. It will only take a couple of repetitions before he starts to get the idea, and you'll then be able to incorporate your catch phrase …. Once you're both very comfortable and Dexter is very reliable, it will be a great tool to redirect his attention before the lunging starts. This is also a fabulous clicker exercise ….
2. "No free lunch" walks. Starting right away, keep his leash short so he has to be close to you and you don't have to pull or reel him in when he gets excited. He will, for the time being, only be allowed to walk beside you or behind you. As soon as you notice he is starting to pull, increase his pace, or even try to sneak a bit ahead of you, plant your feet and make the sharp "ah-ah" sound …. One of two things will happen: He may be surprised and stop in his tracks and look at you (great!) and you will want to reward him immediately when he does that. … [G]ive him a chirpy "good boy!" and a head pat, back scratch, etc. Because of your strong objection to his behavior (the foot plant and the sharp noise), an equally strong vocal reinforcement will actually be the ideal way to reward him because of the contrast. Then you can offer a happy "Let's go" and keep moving.

   There also might be times that he begins to walk more quickly or pull because of an external stimulus. You will still do the same as above, planting your feet firmly as soon as you notice and loudly and clearly vocalizing your objection, but it will likely take a bit more effort on your part to get his attention once the walk has come to a halt. Cessation of movement is really key here, and you'll want to make absolutely sure that he can't take even a single step forward until you say so. There are lots of things you can try [in order] to get his attention quickly and effectively, and they will probably vary depending on the circumstances. I'm sure you already have things you do to redirect his attention to you, so if you have something you know will work, go for it. … If he is really fixated, you can also step in between him and whatever he is fixated on and offer another vocal correction. … [I]t might help to gently cup his face with your hand and actually move it so that he is looking at you, and he will snap out of it pretty quickly.

   I think pulling on the leash is really the root problem that needs to be addressed before the lunging issue can be solved, and unfortunately the best technique [is] planting of the feet …. I'd also like to offer you an alternative for … when Dexter might not be in the mood to respond the way you would like. If … Dex starts to pull, stop quickly as usual, but, instead of waiting for him to relax and continuing onward, change directions. … It will work because you are still ending the forward motion, and it will also reinforce the idea that he has to pay attention to you actively in order to follow, rather than blindly assuming you will keep moving forward.

3. Focus more on fading the treats. … Dexter [needs] to start looking to you because you are the leader and he needs your guidance and not because he wants a [treat]. I know you talk to your dogs A LOT, but you'll want to step that up for Dexter's walks. Give him feedback the entire time—encouragement when he's walking nicely and at peace with his surroundings and mild corrections if, for example, you notice his ears perk up when he hears a dog barking in the distance. This should all be very conversational and even soothing, saving the vocal extremes for your more intense scenarios. … I'm talking no silence at all. Let him know exactly how you feel about every single thing he does—every step he takes, everything he looks at or smells, and every reaction to the world around him.

I also got some book suggestions from commenter Gia: "Click to Calm and anything by Pam Dennison, who specializes in this sort of thing. Her book is called How to Right a Dog Gone Wrong, and she also has a new one out about rehabbing city dogs too."

So I guess I've got my marching orders! I'm going to start implementing some of these ideas and see what works the best. I'll report back at some point. Perhaps those of you with a similar problem or even those of you who have already resorted to a prong collar could try these things too. Let me know how it goes, and do keep those ideas coming. Thanks!

Neeko: "I wish I lived in Sweden!"

It looks like we've got some catching up to do here in the good old U.S. of A. Sweden has just passed a law regulating the treatment of dogs and cats, and it's a beauty. According to an article in The Local, Sweden's English-language paper, the 15 pages of guidelines regulate everything from air quality to access to sunlight and social contact for companion animals.

It's almost too good to be true. According to an article in the German newspaper Frankfurter Rundschau, which is sort of like our New York Times, dogs must be walked—walked!—every six hours, and puppies and older dogs should be walked even more frequently. Just letting them out into the yard won't suffice—they have to have a change of scenery! Isn't that amazing? Furthermore, dogs are not allowed to be tied up outside anymore.

Best of all, animals may be put in cages only for the purpose of transportation. And you know what that means—no more crate training! (Although, I seriously doubt that crates were ever popular in Sweden to begin with.) The pure poetry of this was not lost on me. Recently, I wrote about how common it is for dogs who are crate-trained to develop Stockholm syndrome. Where better, then, than in Sweden to finally knock crates, those implements of torment, off their pedestal?

We should not be surprised that Sweden has gone the extra mile to protect its dogs and cats. Tail-docking of dogs has been banned in Sweden since 1989, and they even have a law prohibiting the breeding of dogs with physical traits that are likely to cause suffering or negatively affect the well-being of the dogs' offspring.

One of the best aspects of the new law is that people who fail to comply can actually have their animals taken away from them. In the U.S., that only happens in cases of extreme cruelty. This new state of affairs in Sweden will certainly have the effect of making folks stop and think before obtaining a dog on a whim. Now, if only the United States would follow suit!

Py: "Thanks for the snack, but could you please turn off that ear-piercing screeching?"

I've always felt secure in the knowledge that if I were to have a fire at my house, my dogs would all be able to run out the doggie door and into the back yard to safety. Then, recently, there was an article in the local paper about dryer fires and how common they are, even if you dispose of the lint that builds up in the filter after each drying cycle. My dryer is located just in front of my back door, so that if it were to catch on fire, the dogs' path to the doggie door would effectively be blocked. This struck terror into my heart until a friend of mine said, "Well, just don't leave the dryer running when you leave the house." To which I breathed a sigh of relief.

But, my relief was short-lived. Next up, my friend and colleague Bob (who recently wrote about his dog, Py, and how much she likes walking in the rain) sent me this message:

I have always been relieved by the idea that if my house caught fire while Py was here that she could get out through the dog door. However, the few times that the smoke detector has gone off while I was cooking, or when I test it, Py runs under the bed to her "den" where she feels safest, and probably the least safe place in a fire!

Oh, my God! He was right! I bet my dogs would do the same thing! But, fortunately, Bob had given this some thought and he had some ideas for how to address this problem ahead of time and prevent calamity:

I've thought of testing the alarm, then quickly giving her a favorite treat in the back yard until she associates the two. Or hiding a treat, then testing the alarm and leading her to it until she thinks that the alarm means that a treat has magically appeared in the backyard. … Any thoughts? Is this typical behavior for animals caught in a fire―to hide in some safe place?

Indeed it is typical behavior, and I don't know why it didn't occur to me sooner. It's definitely something that we should all think about.

For those of you with doggie doors, take heart: Bob tried out his second idea on Py, and it seemed to work like a charm. A few repetitions of that, and Py will probably respond in a manner that keeps her out of harm's way if the smoke detector goes off when Bob's not home:

I just had my first chance to try my new smoke alarm strategy―I'm baking dog biscuits, which always sets it off. Py looked alarmed and headed for under the bed, so I started saying, "Outside. Outside. Barky Outside." The "Barky" got her. [He's referring to Mr. Barky's dog biscuits.] She immediately ran outside where she got some kibble scattered around a bit, so she stayed out for a while. I think she would stay outside if the alarm kept going off rather than go past it to get to the bedroom.

This is such a fabulous idea! I recommend it to all who have doggie doors, and I'm going to try it out myself as soon as the soggy weather lets up (the Chihuahuas hate to get their feet wet).

For those of you without doggie doors, here's the scoop on dryer fires―how they start and how to prevent them―from the Consumer Product Safety Commission and from The Laundry Alternative Inc., a company that sells washer and dryer alternatives.

The following is a guest post by my colleague Eva.

Gone but not forgotten

I lost Lady Rose my first summer back from college. Once the kind of dog who would do a frantic tap dance on the hardwood floor of our kitchen when my parents would come home from work, old age had turned Lady Rose into a perpetual napper. Around age 12, Lady really began to show her age. First to go was her hearing, then her sight, then finally her organs began to shut down. I hoped she would die peacefully on her bed by the window—her favorite place to sit in our house because it allowed for undisturbed people-watching. The thought that bothered me most was that she would live through terrible pain and discomfort. None of us wanted this for her, so we watched, knowing that we had to be there to help make the end as painless as possible.

I know I had considered euthanasia. I know I ran the scenario through my head. Would I want to be with her in the little room when they gave her the injection? Would I hold her paw in my hand or just watch? I didn't know the answers, but I was confident that I wanted to be there for her as much as possible. I thought of the times when I had stayed home sick from school and she would make her rounds through the house, checking in on me in my room and then walking away as if to say, "Still in bed? Good. My work here is done." I never considered that I wouldn't be there when she died, but that ended up being the way things went.

It was on a July afternoon after coming back from my summer job that I found out that Lady Rose was gone. My dad had a miserable look in his eyes as he told me: "Oh, Eva, I'm so sorry. Lady Rose died today." My parents had wanted to wait for me before they took her to the veterinarian. She had been hacking and breathing in shallow shudders all morning before she finally began coughing up blood. When they took her to the vet, they were told that she was in a lot of pain and that the right thing to do would be to put her down. My dad was in the room with her when she died, and I know that had to have meant a lot to her. After he was done telling me what had happened, I lay down and cried beside my parents on their bed for an hour, thinking in my head the same thought over and over again: My poor baby, I never wanted you to be in pain.

Initially I felt guilty, thinking we should have had her put down sooner, but these days I feel that we did everything we could. We didn't want to make the decision and think for one minute that we had decided to put her down because she was inconveniencing us with her old age. We hoped she would help us make the decision, and in a way, I think she did.

Four years later, I still have her dog tag on my keychain. Four years later, her ashes are still sitting in a jar in my parents' house, waiting for us to take her back up to the Sierra Nevadas to toss her ashes on her favorite hiking trail. I've also thought about retiring the dog tag and keeping it in a box somewhere with other mementos from my childhood. I'll do those things eventually, but for now I like knowing that she's still a part of me wherever I go.

Gotta find every last morsel!

My coworker Amanda passed along yet another brilliant dog-training technique to me. I didn't realize this, but most dogs really enjoy scavenging for food. So sometimes it's fun, instead of simply handing over a treat as a reward, to toss some treats into the grass and let the dogs search for them. This exercise is ideal for my multidog household because it’s more efficient and the rewards can be delivered much more quickly.

So now, while I'm outside cleaning up the back yard, I'll pause to address a whole group of dogs―usually Dexter and the three Chihuahuas (Sunny sometimes joins in, but Rowdy is kind of above all that silliness). I gesture and tell them in a serious tone, "Stay," back up 20 feet or so, make them hold the stay for a respectable length of time (maybe 20 seconds), and then gleefully call out, "Come!" As quick as a flash, they all come tearing over to me while I toss treats into the grass for them to search out.

They look like they love it! And they spend a lot of time at it, really making 100 percent sure that every morsel is totally gone. I even do it indoors. It's a big hit wherever I do it. With waistlines in mind, it's best to use the smallest possible treats available―even cat treats will work―and if you do this very often, you might have to cut back a bit on meal size.

Obviously, you wouldn't want to do this in a multidog household if any of the dogs are food-aggressive. Dexter used to be pretty food aggressive. In fact, on Rowdy's first day in our household, I was offering everyone a treat, when suddenly Dexter attacked him―bit him on the paw―which Rowdy has taken a long time to forget. I even took to separating them with a doggie gate during mealtimes, just to be on the safe side.

Then along came little foster Chihuahua Joey. That little guy gave Dexter a taste of his own medicine. Of course I corrected him, but from that day forward, Dexter started to improve. It got to the point where Rowdy became comfortable accepting treats in Dexter's presence, and Dexter never made another aggressive move again. Today, he scavenges peacefully alongside the three little Chihuahua girls with no sign of trouble.

It's a beautiful sight.

I've just recently become aware of "big black dog syndrome"―it was all over the media last week. I had no idea. What a shame! Apparently, big black dogs who are turned in to animal shelters are doomed, usually ending up euthanized simply because they are big and black. To read more about this unfortunate syndrome, go to blackpearldogs.com. Meanwhile, check out the photos and loving comments about the beautiful big black dogs living with my coworkers. Anyone would be lucky to share their life with a dog like this!

"Pepper really is the best dog in the world. He loves everyone he meets, every dog he meets, and is always up for playing."	"To me, it doesn't matter what color my best bud, Maguire, is, as he charms me every day with his laid-back nature, sweet disposition, ability to overcome adversity, and goofy faces—not to mention his adorably cute floppy ear."
"McKay is always attentive when I am sad and tries to make me laugh when I act frustrated."	"Roman will accept a treat from the hand of a toddler whom he has never met; he is the gentlest dog I have ever known."
“Bo is a wonderful, fun-loving dog with a great personality. Recently, he and I moved in with two cats who love to play with him.”	"Killian's the happiest dog I've ever met—he loves to cuddle, play, and lick everyone he meets on the face—and in turn makes everyone around him smile and laugh as well."

The next time you're ready to adopt a dog, do consider rescuing a big black dog. Size and color are unrelated to temperament, of course, and if you rescue a big black dog, maybe someone else will adopt the small nonblack dog you didn't rescue. Of course, the real solution to "big black dog syndrome" is―you guessed it!―spaying and neutering so that there won't be any unwanted dogs of any size or color anywhere.

Shandy and Darby got puppy distemper and parvo vaccinations and then only rabies vaccinations every three years for the rest of their lives.

I realized recently that although I've been writing this blog since September, I've never really touched on the subject of vaccinations and overvaccination. I've been leery and skeptical of vaccinations for dogs since the mid-'80s. The more I read about them, the more harmful they seemed. They are definitely not harmless, as many vets would have you believe. They can cause anaphylactic shock shortly after the injection for one thing, and they can cause long-term problems with auto-immune disorders, cancer, and a whole range of chronic health problems. So it's best to keep them to a minimum.

Homeopathic veterinarian Dr. Charles Loops explains:

Vaccinosis is a disease syndrome caused by a weakness that is precipitated by vaccination. It is becoming rampant in the dog and cat population. Examples of vaccinosis include autoimmune diseases, such as irritable bowel disorders, lupus and pemphigus; hypothyroidism in dogs; eosinophilic skin disorders, hyperthyroidism and asthma in cats; and chronic skin disease or allergic dermatitis in dogs and cats.

These diseases are identified as vaccine-related conditions for two reasons. 1.) The onset of the symptoms is associated with the date of vaccination in many cases. Usually, two weeks to one month following a vaccination, symptoms such as skin problems, diarrhea or asthma ensue. 2.) Homeopathic remedies that are effective on vaccine-related problems are often the same remedies needed in these diseases, and the patient’s response to these remedies can be dramatic and curative. Some of the more common vaccinosis remedies used are Thuja occidentalis, silicea, sulphur, malandrinum, mezureum and lyssin.

However, the rabies vaccine is required by law. You don't want to mess around with that, because the health department can come down very hard on you and your dog if your dog isn't up-to-date and gets into trouble, either by biting someone or being bitten by a wild animal. In a case like that, depending on where you live you might be faced with a "Sophie's Choice": Either euthanize your dog or put him or her into total quarantine for six months without any human contact. Of course, the latter is a fate much worse than death, so I hope no one ever chooses that for their dog if they find themselves in that terribly heart-wrenching position.

In most parts of the United States, you can get a waiver to avoid the rabies shot if your dog is ill or very old or has shown adverse reactions in the past, but you will still suffer the wrath of the health department if your dog gets into trouble by biting or being bitten, so you really have to weigh that and decide whether the risk is worth it.

The good news is that when it's time for your dog to have a rabies shot, if you seek out a homeopathic veterinarian ahead of time (even just for a phone consultation) who can prescribe some homeopathic lyssin for your dog to be taken right after the injection, you should be able to counteract the side effects of the rabies vaccine. Here's a directory of holistic veterinarians, some of whom are homeopaths.

The other good news is that the distemper and parvovirus vaccinations are completely at your discretion. It's a good idea to make sure that puppies get them, but that immunity tends to last for years and those are primarily puppy illnesses anyway, so after age 1, you can stop all vaccines other than rabies. The vaccine producers are coming out with more and more of them―for everything from Lyme disease to giardiasis. Just remember that each vaccination has the potential to cause anaphylactic shock or to wreak havoc on your dog's immune system. So proceed with caution, especially for diseases that are rare or easily treatable.

And even with the distemper and parvovirus vaccinations, it's best to give them a week apart (ask your vet for monovalent, or single, vaccines). They're less troublesome to a dog's immune system. It's also best to avoid giving them when anything else stressful is happening, such as spaying, neutering, grooming, etc. In the latest weekly newspaper column by Dr. Michael Fox, the famous holistic veterinarian and author, he responded to a question by a woman whose cat had gone into cardiac arrest while being groomed right after getting a rabies shot, "In my opinion, no traumatic procedure … should be done on an animal that has just been vaccinated."

One other thing: If you're really uncomfortable with abandoning the whole yearly shots scene, there is a harmless way of making sure that your dog is still protected. You can get a "titer test." This is a blood test that indicates your dog's level of "humoral" immunity, which is mediated by antibodies. There is another type of immunity (cell-mediated) that won't show up, so a negative reading doesn't necessarily mean that your dog isn't protected, but a positive reading always means that your dog is protected.

It's odd how this whole "annual shots" tradition evolved. Did you know that it has never been proved or even claimed that dogs must be vaccinated every year in order to maintain immunity? It's just a custom that's completely without foundation. After all, we don't go get ourselves vaccinated every year! Of course, it's a good idea to go see your vet at least once a year for other reasons―heartworm tests, fecal exams, overall health exams―but the yearly shots are completely unnecessary. And if your vet is pushy about it, don't let him or her pressure you into getting them. Remember: "First, do no harm." You don't have to be a vet to adhere to that.

The following is a guest post by my esteemed colleague Amanda.

Lucky and Louie: Follow the Leader

I didn't know much about dogs when my beagle/terrier mix, Louie, came to live with me. I read a lot of books, some about dogs in general and some about hounds and terriers specifically. I found the breed-specific books terribly frustrating—they were full of things that Louie couldn't be allowed to do and offered no positive alternatives. I learned that terriers "can't" be trusted around small animals, so I socialized Louie with small animals whenever I had the chance―and to this day, she treats little critters with the utmost respect.

According to the hound books I read, beagles kept as companions can never be allowed off leash because of their propensity for following their noses, wherever they may lead. I found this incredibly unfair: Humans have manipulated dog breeds for centuries, even millennia, to exploit certain qualities, but with more and more people keeping dogs as companions, the need for a scent hound to track successfully is almost entirely diminished, while unfortunately for the dogs, their desire to do so is not. So I came up with several ways to provide Louie with activities that would stimulate her and meet her needs to track and find safely, including hiding toys and tasty treats around the house and games of hide 'n' seek. I also solicited the help of friends, asking them to take a walk so that Louie and I could follow and track them. She loved the games, and she loved the inevitable reward when she found what she was looking for, whether it was a cookie or a friend.

Although my intention was always just to make Louie happy, her skills came in handy one cold winter evening when my grandparents' beloved dog, Lucky, went missing. I volunteered her as soon as I heard the tearful news. "Louie will find her," I said, and then kicked myself. What was I thinking? Lucky had already been gone for several hours, and Louie's tracking experience was limited to headstarts of only a few minutes. But it was better than doing nothing, so I grabbed an extra leash and some cookies and said, "Let’s go find Lucky!" I’m proud to report that Louie picked up Lucky's trail immediately and didn’t make a single wrong turn. Lucky was warm and safe back at home in less than 20 minutes.

That was three years ago, and Louie has been successfully tracking lost animals ever since. She has even alerted me to several maimed birds and tiny lost kittens, animals I was able to help but never would have known were in trouble if not for her. Whether we are working against the clock to find an animal in danger or just practicing, our teamwork has helped to forge a wonderful bond, and my little houndie who "couldn't" be allowed to do off-lead work is wonderfully focused and attentive―with or without a leash.

My grandma always told me, "Can't never could." Life may be full of negatives, but that means it's also full of opportunities to turn them into positives. Dogs who constantly excavate the back yard or herd guests are begging for something constructive to do, and they rely on you to give it to them. Your ability to provide your dog friend with the stimulation, purpose, and fulfillment he or she craves are only limited by your imagination, so start dreaming!

"Eddie, listen. My name is Eddie too. From one Eddie to another—you've been brainwashed! The EWG doesn't care about dogs. Get out of there before they start experimenting on you!"

No, I'm not referring to those ubiquitous green chew treats for dogs, although I've had a problem with them in the past too. I'm referring to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), the organization that put out the report on environmental toxins in dogs and cats last week. It was all over the news. Our animal companions are getting contaminated by many household chemicals, such as flame retardants in furniture and perfluorinated chemicals in stain-resistant coatings. This is definitely a matter of concern and makes me want to advise everyone with animals to shop for furniture at thrift stores, where older items will be less likely to be covered with such poisonous coatings.

However, there is more to this story—much more. The EWG's cutesy e-mail message on this topic is supposedly authored by a dog named Eddie. He says, "Did you know that the humans' government doesn't make companies test our toys, furniture, or even our food for safety? That's why I'm launching Pets for the Environment with the help of Environmental Working Group." Poor Eddie must not realize that when the EWG says "test," the group is talking about conducting mean, nasty, painful experiments on dogs and other animals, like rabbits and guinea pigs—the same species that share so many homes in America. Yes, the EWG is one of the biggest promoters of animal experiments in the United States.

According to Jane Houlihan of the EWG, the results of the group's latest study are of concern because "there's a 20-year body of scientific literature showing that pets can be sentinels for human problems." Hmmm, so we should only care about this because it's a sign that humans might also be accumulating chemicals in our bodies—not because we love our animals and don't want them to be poisoned, especially since most of them are so much smaller than us and have such short life spans? That doesn't sound like someone who cares about animals at all. I guess Eddie's real job is just to make the EWG seem animal-friendly. That's a hard sell, though, once you've seen the EWG's true colors.

PETA first wrote to the EWG in March 2001 because of its involvement in chemical-testing issues and its calls for increased testing on animals. High-ranking officials in the organization did meet with PETA representatives to discuss the issues and committed to reconsidering the EWG's position on animal testing. But unfortunately, since that time, the EWG has become more and more involved in calling for animal-based toxicity testing and less and less responsive to animal protection concerns.

For example, the EWG is the driving force behind the "Campaign for Safe Cosmetics." This campaign calls on cosmetics manufacturers to test their products for effects such as cancer-causing potential, hormone disruption, skin allergy, genetic and nervous system toxicity, and birth defects—which, if conducted according to standard protocols, could spell suffering and death for hundreds of thousands of animals in laboratories. The EWG's report Skin Deep claims that such innocuous substances as salt, aloe vera gel, and chamomile are "unstudied chemicals" that should be tested, as well as substances such as phosphoric acid!

The EWG is also trying to enact legislation, misleadingly named the "Kids Safe Act," that will result in another massive animal-testing program. This plan will require chemicals to be tested using the most animal-intensive studies known under the guise of protecting children. PETA and other animal and health protection groups went to the EWG with a proposal to alter the wording of the bill to include the development and use of non-animal methods. After much work and compromise on the part of the animal groups, the EWG inexplicably pulled out of the discussions.

PETA and others have repeatedly explained to EWG officials that simply calling for more animal tests will do nothing to protect public health or the environment. The animal tests currently used are based on science that is decades old. Not only are they expensive and time-consuming, they also give ambiguous results with questionable relevance to human health. Non-animal tests that are based on our current understanding of biology can give much more reliable and relevant results.

We have explained repeatedly that a switch to a modern, non-animal-based scheme, as was proposed in July 2007 by the National Academy of Sciences, is critical. Our attempts to encourage the EWG to adopt this approach have been rebuffed. Unfortunately, if the EWG's current approach is successful, it will not protect public health and will result in immense animal suffering.

It's time to embrace effective non-animal tests and stop deliberately poisoning dogs in laboratory experiments with the false excuse that it will somehow protect dogs who are lucky enough to be called "pets."

If you'd like to share your opinion with the EWG, please write to:

Ken Cook, President
Environmental Working Group
1436 U St. N.W., Ste. 100
Washington, DC 20009
202-667-6982
202-232-2592 (fax)
ken@ewg.org

For more information on the EWG and for points that you can include in your letter, click here.

Countless purebred puppies come from places like this.

There is this thing called "cosmic justice," a.k.a. "karma": When you perform an action that harms another, you will reap harm in return. So if you support the canine overpopulation crisis by buying a purebred dog from a breeder or a pet store instead of going to your local animal shelter or breed rescue group to adopt a dog, karma might come back to bite you with a gigantic vet bill.

This seems to be happening a lot. Basically, people are spending big bucks (in the thousands!) to purchase purebred puppies from breeders and pet stores (read: puppy mills), only to discover that they got a "lemon" with a congenital defect such as bad knees or hips, which ends up costing even more to correct than the original purchase price.

I would say, "Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah!" if it weren't for (a) the pain and suffering that these inbred puppies have to endure because of their poor health and the surgeries to correct it, including operations like triple pelvic osteotomies, which involve purposely breaking the pelvis, (b) the pain and suffering endured by the shelter puppies who lost their chance to be adopted because of the existence of these purebreds, and (c) the greasing of breeders' greedy palms through these unholy sales, which enables them to continue their dirty work.

On Sunday, April 20, the Los Angeles Times published an article about California's "Puppy Lemon Law" (what an offensive concept!), which seems to be getting quite the workout. Californians who discover that their purebred puppy is "defective" (i.e., has a congenital defect) within one year of purchase have the option of returning the little cutie back to the pet store or breeder for a full refund of the purchase price, plus vet bills. But who, other than the most heartless of the heartless, could do that―especially if children are in the equation? So the only option is to bite the bullet and pay those vet bills. But if you live in California, the Puppy Lemon Law will allow you to get reimbursed for your expenses. However, if you live in California but you sent away for a purebred puppy from a breeder in another state, you get nada. Dare I say, "Serves you right!"? What are people THINKING who place orders for puppies from far away (or who buy puppies, period, for that matter)? I'll tell you what they're thinking. They're thinking (albeit perhaps subconsciously), "I couldn't care less about the welfare of living beings―I just want a cute purebred trophy puppy to show off to everyone I meet so that I will look cool and everyone will envy me."

I just have one question: Who is going to compensate all those "defective" puppies for all their pain and suffering?

Precious: "If only I could move to Switzerland!"

Just when I thought that Sweden was the best place on the planet to live if you're a dog (read all about it here), along comes Switzerland with the most amazing new dog-friendly law. This is really a dream come true. According to the Tribune de Genève, a Swiss paper with an English-language section, in an article called "Bern Leashes Animal Owners" anyone wishing to have a dog after September 2008 will have to take a course on dog care and pass a test! The law also includes provisions for other animals. Guinea pigs and parakeets will have to be housed in pairs or larger groups in order to provide them with the companionship that they need, and farmers who have a specified number of animals such as chickens, sheep, pigs, and horses will have to take a course in caring for them too.

Am I dreaming? I hope not. I have long said that adopting an animal should be a privilege on a par with driving a car, for which you have to take a test and obey all related laws, at the very least. This dog-care test would probably screen out people with anger-management issues and plain incompetence, but it would also bring up to speed people who mean well but simply don't know how ignorant they are about dogs and their care.

Take my neighbor, for example. I know he loves his dogs (well, in his own way), but he's a big drinker and, when he's hung over in his kitchen and his dogs are outside barking, his method for making them be quiet is to throw a lit firecracker out the window. Or my other neighbors who thought that they just had to take their dog to the vet one time, right after adopting him, and then no more, ever again. (I'm not making this up.) Another neighbor tied up his dog with a rope that was long enough for the dog to jump the fence, which, of course, put him in danger of strangling himself. One of my neighbors in my former neighborhood insisted on bathing her dog every single time he came into the house because she had white furniture, which of course caused the dog to develop an extreme aversion to indoor living. I've seen dogs provided with no shelter whatsoever, dogs forced to wear extremely heavy collars, and dogs with the tips of their ears bitten off by flies. I've seen dogs whose collars were embedded into their necks because the owners didn't realize that puppies grow, while collars do not. There is no end to the ignorance out there surrounding our dear, vulnerable canine friends. Sometimes that ignorance causes even more pain and suffering than blatant cruelty does.

So this law is desperately needed and sets a wonderful precedent for countries all over the world. The United States should be next in line to pass a law like this. No one should ever be allowed to adopt a dog on a whim. It should only be permitted if undertaken in all seriousness after due consideration and study―otherwise, it shouldn't be allowed at all. This would go a long, long way toward preventing cruelty, neglect, and stupid, tragic mistakes that hurt dogs.

Today I saw a photo of the men of Rescue Ink in an article in New York’s Newsday. Rescue Ink is made up of a bunch of big strong, scary-looking tattooed biker guys but with a twist―they all have a big heart for animals. I don’t know about you, but to me, there is nothing on the planet more appealing than a big strong guy rescuing or caring for a helpless animal.

These Long Island-based men are relentless and determined. They’ll do anything to help animals, and their range of good works is expanding. They work with the police to uncover dogfighters, deliver doghouses to dogs without shelter, investigate cruelty cases, and take dogs and cats in for spaying and neutering. They work closely with animal shelters, trying to help alleviate the pervasive and enormous problems of neglect and cruelty to animals. According to their Web site, “We will stop at nothing within the bounds of the law to protect animals at risk. We will intercede without hesitation when we are informed of a situation that needs to be addressed, and we will address it. If we need to convince people to do the right thing ... we can be very convincing …”

“Rescue Ink is all about zero tolerance when it comes to animal abuse and neglect. Our ranks are growing every day, as Americans from coast to coast are reaching out to join in our efforts. If you know something we should know, give us a call … NOW!”

PETA was so impressed with them that we actually gave them our “Compassionate Action Award.”

New York City residents who suspect cases of animal abuse, find abandoned animals, or have an animal they can no longer care for are urged to call the Rescue Ink hotline at 631-737-2834. Anyone interested in volunteering to help further Rescue Ink's lifesaving work can fill out a sign-up form on the group's Web site, Rescue Ink.org.

I wish every city had a Rescue Ink branch!

Louie: "You lead and I'll follow!"

The following is a guest post by that fount of creative ideas, Amanda.

I liked Cesar Millan instantly when the Dog Whisperer premiered, because he was the only dog expert willing to state something as painfully obvious as, "Be the pack leader." Unfortunately, I was immediately disappointed with his reliance on choke chains and other methods of punishment. Although I do think his leash corrections (in conjunction with other important tools, such as exercise) have been effective in handling some of his more serious "red-zone" aggression cases, I knew right away that if the show caught on, every idiot with digital cable would be out jerking their poor dogs around by their necks each time a bird or a squirrel caught their attention, all because of a TV show with a gimmick, good editors, and a flimsy disclaimer.

Luckily, for those of us who wish to provide our companion animals with the leadership they crave and, yes, require in order to be happy and stable, there is a nonviolent way. What Cesar understands and what those who take their dogs out for walk-and-jerks fail to realize is that if you want to be the pack leader, you actually have to, you know, lead. It seems simple and obvious enough, but there are plenty of people out there who expect to be treated like a pack leader without ever bothering to earn the necessary respect. I'm sure most of this blog's readers are aware that dogs need enrichment and exercise, but are you phoning it in? Fido and Fluffy need your encouragement and undivided attention just as much as they need you to buy them toys and harness them up. Playing alone while you check e-mail or walking the same boring path day in and day out simply isn't good enough. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to be a proactive leader. Here are just a few that I use frequently:

•Next time you offer to take Fluffy for a walk, let her choose the direction that interests her most, or ask her to lead the way home. Don't bark orders like "Let's go!" if she wants to stop and smell the roses—it's her walk, and her love and respect for you will only grow if you encourage her to explore.

•Organize a treasure hunt that will appeal to every dog's inner scavenger. Hide toys or cookies anywhere you like—a sandbox, your backyard, or even the living room, and take Fido to find them. If you're short on time, you can even sprinkle a handful of bread crumbs outside and cheer Fido on as he happily snorts up every last bit.

•Initiate play—wolves within family packs in the wild rarely struggle with one another for dominance. Their often evolving hierarchy is established through play and mock battle. High-ranking animals initiate play with their subordinates, keep the peace, and have a good time while they're at it. If Fluffy brings you a toy and drops it at your feet, you've waited too long. Next time, make sure it's your idea to play, and Fluffy might start to get the idea that you aren't so slow and stupid after all.

•Is Fido an extrovert? Do his eyes light up when you mention a trip to the pet supply store or your best friend's house? Take him more often, and don't be afraid to make a fuss—you'll get all the credit and he'll eagerly anticipate your next bright idea.

•ALWAYS set Fluffy up for success. If you know she gets grouchy when she's tired but take her to the dog park anyway, you are dooming her to failure. Wait until she's feeling a bit more social instead. If she can't stop bouncing off the walls long enough to learn a sit-stay, give her a chance to burn off some of her excess energy before you try. Instead of drilling with various commands, try using games like Hide 'n' Seek to make learning fun.

•Fido should always be able to count on you to have his back. Step in and speak up if you notice that someone (human or nonhuman) is doing something that makes him uncomfortable.

•Pay attention. What does Fluffy enjoy? What does she respond to? Every dog has unique, individual interests. If you find ways to cater to them on your terms, you will become the source of oodles of unimaginable fun. Your BFF should be paying attention to you and following you because she knows that you are the source of all of the wonderful things in her life, not because she has no other choice. Look at the world through your dog's eyes—then take the initiative to show her more of it.

•Take a beginning acting or singing class. What does performance have to do with interacting with your dog? The first thing you will learn from any coach worth his or her salt will be correct posture, movement, breathing, and vocal techniques that will help you to project the confidence you need to be the fun, fearless leader every dog deserves.

Now, take the lead!