How do we really know if our dogs are happy? A new book digs into the science of dog happiness

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

You probably know when your dog is happy. His face and body are relaxed, his expression is soft and there’s a good chance he’s wiggling his butt. But is there evidence to back up the idea that those behaviors are an expression of happiness?

More and more scientists are studying the emotions of dogs, including happiness, and coming to conclusions that back up what we think we know about canine joy. And writers are addressing what that research tells us about the emotional needs of dogs.

Inspired by her own dogs, Ghost and Bodger, Zazie Todd, author of the blog Companion Animal Psychology, took a deep dive into the science behind canine happiness. As a psychologist with a Ph.D. in social psychology, she wanted to study not only what makes dogs happy, but also how that knowledge applies to the “best friends” relationship between humans and dogs.

In her new book “Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy” (Greystone Books, out March 10), Todd explores how dogs look and act when they’re happy; how we know they’re happy; and ways to ensure happiness throughout life, from puppyhood to old age. Her goal is to share “what science tells us about dogs and what it means for their welfare.”

That’s important, because when our dogs are happy, we’re happy. Happy dogs are less likely to have behavior problems, and that means we are likely to have a better relationship with them, she says. “I wanted to look at the science and give people a better understanding of their dog, as well as tons of practical tips that they could use in everyday life in order to have a happier dog.”

Take sniffing. How many of us are frustrated on a daily basis by our dogs’ desire to thoroughly sniff a given spot on a walk before moving on -- and then doing it all over again a few feet later? I do nosework with my dogs because I know how much they love scenting out their surroundings, but that seemingly excessive sniffing on walks can still be annoying. Instead of being exasperated, try looking at it as taking your dog on a “sniffari,” Todd says.

Sniffing is how dogs get information about their environment. Letting them sniff is one of myriad ways we can enrich their lives. Other forms of enrichment include rotating toys so the dog always has something “new,” giving puzzle toys to stimulate the dog’s brain, teaching tricks, playing games such as tug or providing digging areas in the yard.

From body language to functional MRI (fMRI) studies, “Wag” deconstructs dog behavior and how it relates to our everyday interactions with them. Building on this foundation, Todd takes readers through getting a dog -- choosing the right one is a key underpinning of happiness in a human-canine relationship -- how dogs learn and what motivates them (often food, glorious food, but also toys or play), and how to make daily life -- playtime, grooming, veterinary visits, meals, bedtime -- pleasurable, not painful. Each chapter ends with tips on how to apply the science at home.

What will readers take away from the book? Todd hopes each will find something specific to their own dog.

“I have a checklist for a happy dog at the end of the book, and I think readers will be glad to find things that they’re already doing right,” she says. “And they will also be able to hopefully find some things that may be good to try to see if it will help make their dog happier.”

Q&A

Can pets catch or

spread new virus?

Q: I’m hearing a lot about how the new coronavirus may have “jumped” from bats or other animals to humans. Do I need to be concerned that my pets could catch it from other animals or that it could be passed between humans and pets? How can I safeguard my pets and myself?

A: Great questions! There are many different types of coronaviruses, some of which affect humans, and others that circulate among animals. The COVID-19 virus, as this particular one is known, is thought to have originated in bats, but so far it’s not clear whether there was an intermediary animal host.

Coronavirus infections can occur in cats and dogs, causing such illnesses as canine cough, sometimes called kennel cough. (It is more formally known as infectious tracheobronchitis complex, or ITB.) Other types of coronavirus can be serious or life-threatening to pets, but they are species-specific. In other words, they can be passed from cat to cat or dog to dog, but not, for instance, from dogs to cats or cats to humans.

In an article from the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M University, associate professor Kate Creevy, DVM, says, “At this time, we do not believe humans can catch (any form of) coronavirus from their pet.”

Even though the COVID-19 virus originated from an animal, it spreads person-to-person. There’s no evidence that pets or other animals in the United States could be a source of infection, or that they could become infected through contact with a human who has the virus.

It’s always a good idea to avoid handling pets or other animals if you are sick, and to avoid petting or otherwise coming in contact with unknown or stray animals if you are traveling to another country. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Poodle is 10th to

win Westminster

-- A standard poodle named GCHP CH Stone Run Afternoon Tea, known as Siba, took best in show at the 144th annual Westminster Kennel Club show last month. She was the fifth standard poodle to strut out of the ring with the title. Standards are the largest of the three poodle varieties (the other two are toy -- the smallest -- and miniature). Miniature poodles have won the coveted title three times, and toy poodles twice. Poodles of any size are prized for their intelligence and versatility. If the stylized show coat puts you off, never fear: Your pet poodle will be perfectly happy and beautiful in a simple puppy cut trimmed the same length all over the body.

-- You can get pet health insurance for your dog or cat, but what about other pets? Until recently, people with birds, potbellied pigs, chameleons and other exotic animals were out of luck when it came to insurance coverage, but pet insurance provider Nationwide now has plans for those pets, too. It’s the only avian and exotic plan available in the United States, says Heidi Sirota, Nationwide’s chief pet officer, in a news release. Covered animals include chinchillas, goats, sugar gliders, iguanas, tortoises, and parrots and other birds. Not eligible are animals that are venomous, endangered or illegal to keep.

-- You probably have never seen this word in print, but a word for a small pet dog is “messan,” according to dictionary.com, which recently included it in a “word of the day” post. Messan, a noun, comes from the Scots Gaelic word “measan” and means “small dog.” It entered the English language in the late 15th century and generally refers to a dog favored by her people. It’s little-used in the 21st century -- but it is a valid Scrabble word! -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts headed by “The Dr. Oz Show” veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker, founder of the Fear Free organization and author of many best-selling pet care books, and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. Joining them is behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

Pet-friendly fabrics and flooring make decorating a breeze for dog and cat lovers

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

We’re in the market for a new sofa, and my friend Tamela Klisura, an interior designer, is urging me to get one in a light neutral shade instead of the colorful patterns that I love -- in part because they hide pet hair so well.

“It’ll get dirty,” I argued. Dogs will be napping on it all the time, after all.

Tamela, who has three dogs herself, pooh-poohed that.

“They have performance fabrics now that clean up really easily,” she says.

She’s right. You don’t have to buy furnishings that are the same color as your pug or Labrador’s fur -- or the Holstein cow pattern I’d need for my chestnut-and-white cavaliers. If you’re considering buying new furniture, reupholstering what you have or putting down new flooring, you have a lot of options to help keep your home looking and smelling clean, even if you have multiple dogs and cats.

Many fabrics and carpets these days are made to withstand odors and stains from spills, dog drool, pet accidents or animals who simply need a bath, thanks to a moisture barrier that keeps liquids and other messes on the fabric’s surface instead of soaking in. They can even be safely disinfected with a product that knocks out pathogens including E. coli, salmonella, MRSA, parvovirus and canine distemper virus.

“Those Crypton fabrics are made for a variety of high use and abuse,” says commercial architect Heather E. Lewis of Animal Arts, a firm that designs veterinary hospitals, shelters and other facilities. “What I have seen as an architect is an explosion in the number of cleanable fabrics that are used in health care, and those fabrics are also appropriate for use in a home.”

Flooring and carpets are also more pet-friendly, thanks to advances in materials. Vinyl, for one, has come a long way. Rosemary George replaced her wood floors with commercial-grade vinyl. “It looks just like wood but holds up better and is impervious to accidents,” she says. Melissa Frieze Karolak has vinyl planks in her basement, “luxury” vinyl in one bathroom and old-fashioned linoleum in the laundry area. “I like them all, and so far they have held up well to our two dogs and three cats,” she says.

If you’ve ever wished that you could just throw large rugs into the washing machine, well, now you can. A company called Ruggable makes lightweight rugs that go over a nonskid pad. The low-pile rugs, which come in a variety of styles, sizes, colors and patterns, are stain-resistant and waterproof. When they need to be cleaned, even the 8-by-10-foot size fits in a home washing machine.

“I have Ruggables and love the look, durability and washability,” says Marion Schuller, responding on Facebook to a friend who was considering buying one. “There is little or no padding, but the dogs like them and choose the rug instead of tile.”

Another option is carpet squares made with solid vinyl backing. When vomit, urine or poop accidents happen -- and they will -- the affected squares can be pulled up and cleaned or replaced altogether.

Wall-to-wall carpets are also made now to resist depredations from dogs and cats. Some are treated to prevent stains from forming after spills or pet potty accidents, prevent urine from penetrating to the pad and resist soiling. They can be good choices for people with asthma or allergies who prefer carpet to hard-surface flooring.

Whether it’s furniture or flooring, homes are being designed around pets. “I think that’s cool and it makes it easier for busy families,” says Lewis, who has kids and pets. “I love to see that.”

Q&A

How to build

a feline fort

Q: I want to build a safe outdoor area for my cat. What features should it have?

A: A “catio” is a great way to give cats some outdoor time and space so that they can sleep in the sun, nibble on grass, stalk bugs or scratch on logs.

Start by providing as much space as possible, both horizontal and vertical. Cats love to climb and be up high, so a good-size structure should be at least 6 feet by 6 feet, with perches at various heights. Walkways should hug the walls as well as cross the space diagonally so the cat can move around easily.

Use sturdy materials. Strong screening will protect your cat from invasions by other cats or by predators such as dogs, coyotes or, in some areas, mountain lions.

Minimize territorial disputes with free-roaming neighborhood cats by building a solid base wall about 3 feet high and then having screening go up from that surface.

Choose flooring that other animals can’t tunnel beneath to get into the enclosure. If possible, a sealed concrete floor is a good choice, and it can be hosed down for ease of cleaning, especially if you build it so that it slopes to a drain.

Cover the catio to prevent escape and to provide shelter from sun, rain and snow. Design the cover in such a way that your cat has access to both sunny and shaded areas.

A litter box inside the enclosure should be easily accessible for scooping and changing the litter. Other accessories your cat will appreciate include a small fountain with running water to splash in and cat-safe plants on which she can graze. Of course, one of those plants should be catnip!

For more tips on building a catio, visit FearFreeHappyHomes.com. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Vet camp for

pet-loving kids

-- San Diego-area kids who are interested in becoming veterinarians or veterinary technicians can get a leg up on their career goals at Helen Woodward Animal Center’s You Can Be a Veterinarian Camp. Experiences include practicing suturing by sewing together the skin on a banana, using a syringe to inject liquid into a section of an orange, drawing “blood” from a balloon, and examining cells under a microscope. Half-day camps are $77 per child, and the next one is scheduled for March 7. Full-day camps, which cost $144 per child, are scheduled for May 3, Sept. 19 and Nov. 7.

-- A distillery in Montana has jumped on the bandwagon of breweries around the country that spotlight adoptable dogs on their labels. At Headframe Spirits in Butte, “Orphan Dog” side labels on bottles of Orphan Girl Bourbon Cream Liqueur sport images of area adoptable dogs from Chelsea Bailey Animal Shelter. The goal is not only to help the dogs find good homes, but also to raise money for the shelter. In addition to Headframe, the effort is supported by Highlands Veterinary Hospital, which paid printing costs. The dogs are photographed by Alycia Holland Carriger, who has been taking pictures of shelter dogs for the past three years to help them find homes.

-- Many cats around the world are thought to bring good luck. In the Land of the Rising Sun, the Japanese bobtail is the traditional feline luck-bringer. The cats with the kinky tails come in many colors, but the tricolor -- or mi-ke (pronounced “mee-keh”) -- is best-known. The cats stand out for their rich, vibrant coat colors; pompomlike tails, which come in varying lengths; and entertaining behavior. Their soft, silky coat can be short or long, and they are on the small side, weighing 5 to 10 pounds. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts headed by “The Dr. Oz Show” veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker, founder of the Fear Free organization and author of many best-selling pet care books, and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. Joining them is behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

Recording your pet’s life from beginning to end can help you answer questions, solve problems and build a relationship

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

When you find a diary, are you tempted to read it? Do you keep a diary yourself, under lock and key? Diaries feature in some of the world’s most famous literature, social history, fiction and children’s books: Anne Frank’s “The Diary of a Young Girl.” The diary of Samuel Pepys. “Bridget Jones’s Diary.” “Harriet the Spy.” “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.”

Diaries bring history to life, store secrets, record lives. They can make for fascinating reading. But they can also make for fascinating writing, especially if they focus on your best friend: your dog, cat, bird or other pet. It’s not just in Nancy Drew mysteries that a diary is filled with clues.

Susannah Charleson is a K-9 search and rescue handler and author of “Where the Lost Dogs Go: A Story of Love, Search, and the Power of Reunion.” She spoke last month at the K-9 Sport Scent Work Conference in Palm Springs, California. While her topic was the importance of logs for search and rescue handlers, she also touched on how keeping a log can make a difference in the health, confidence and success of any dog-human team -- including the partnership between people and their companion dogs. And there’s no reason to leave out cats, birds, rabbits, horses or other pets. Anyone can benefit from tracing the story of their relationship with an animal.

“I think for pet owners it’s invaluable,” she says. “If you’re doing any kind of training, even just to be a good companion animal, it’s all coming fast -- the dog is new, the training is new, how the dog views the world versus how we view the world is completely different.”

When you keep a diary and document the changes you see in your pet and yourself, you are capturing the journey of your developing friendship, as well as making observations that can help you solve behavior problems and identify health issues before they become serious.

Bringing a record to your veterinarian or behaviorist of when a behavior began and how frequently it occurs can be the first step in solving a problem.

Some owners track daily blood sugar curves and insulin doses for diabetic pets, delivery of medication, occurrence of seizures, and pets’ eating habits or weight.

People who participate in dog sports log trials and practice sessions to track their progress.

“Log entries allow you to start seeing a pattern and learning about your dog,” Charleson says. “They assist in self-evaluation. You’ve got all these beautiful signals that can tell you where your strengths and weaknesses are and find areas where you can improve, where your dog can improve and where you can improve together.”

Keeping track of a pet’s life can be done with a paper journal, on computer apps or social media, or on a calendar. I have a pile of calendars that I can’t bear to throw away because they record so many of the events of my dogs’ lives. Supplement diaries with photos and videos.

At the end of a pet’s life, a diary is a way to look back at the journey you and your pet have shared. The memories can help to heal grief and establish a foundation for the next partnership.

“When a career or life ends, logs trace the journey that you and a dog have shared,” Charleson says. “Logs tell a story. They trace the arc of our understanding and our ability as separate entities and together. They’re a history of the earliest days that we might forget. Write it all down. You’ll have a wealth of information to learn from, and at the end of a life, those words may save you.”

Q&A

Do kittens need

socialization?

Q: Do kittens have the same type of socialization period as puppies?

A: They do, but it starts even earlier and doesn’t last as long. My colleague Nicholas Dodman, a veterinary behaviorist and emeritus professor at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, says the social period in kittens is between weeks 2 and 7.

During those early weeks, kittens soak up knowledge of everything around them, that clever kitty brain making new neural connections daily to generate learning and behavior. Kittens who see, hear, smell and experience many different people, animals, sights and sounds during this sensitive period grow up to be sociable, smart and curious.

Young kittens need to have many different positive experiences with children, friendly dogs and cats, people of all ages and appearances, common household sounds such as vacuum cleaners and blenders, car rides, being transported comfortably and safely in a carrier, and visiting the veterinarian. In an ideal world, they haven’t had any bad experiences with those things, and they don’t have preconceived ideas about what to expect from such experiences.

Limiting fear during this impressionable time is also important to a kitten’s development. A normal amount of fear is valuable because it helps kittens to avoid things that might hurt them, but protecting them from aversive experiences can help them to have more fulfilling lives as adult cats because they are more calm in the face of new experiences.

When young kittens encounter these things in a positive way during the socialization period, their brains store the good memories and help the kittens develop resiliency if they later have negative experiences with, say, dogs or scary noises. The neural connections their brains make during this period is how they become well-rounded, adaptable cats.

You can learn more about feline development at FearFreeHappyHomes.com. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Cold plasma aids

pet skin problems

-- Veterinarians at Cummings Veterinary Medical Center in North Grafton, Massachusetts, are using cold plasma to treat animals with superficial skin infections, benign skin growths, chronic wounds that won’t heal and more. The treatment -- performed with a penlike device that streams the nonthermal ionized gas to the targeted area -- is harmless to normal cells but kills such pathogens as viruses, bacteria and fungi. According to veterinary dermatologist Ramon Almela, an assistant professor at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, the bluish stream of cold plasma feels like air blowing on the skin, so no sedation or anesthesia is required.

-- Chasing geese, sharing community safety tips, sitting in on meetings and greeting members of the public are among the duties of two new crew members at the United States Coast Guard station in Marquette, Michigan. Thor and Loki, a pair of 2-year-old Labrador-vizsla crosses adopted from pet rescue group UPAWS, embarked on their careers as Coast Guard mascots when a “station dog” position was created to help support staff morale. After meeting the cute pair, crew members decided they couldn’t separate them and “hired” them both. The two are now social media stars on the station’s Facebook page as well as popular community ambassadors.

-- While you may have purchased antifreeze that contains a bittering agent to deter pets from lapping it up, it’s not a foolproof way to prevent your dog or cat from licking the toxic substance. First, it’s still toxic if your pet ingests it, and it takes only a small amount to harm your pet. Second, you don’t have any control over the type of antifreeze used by your neighbors. If you suspect that your pet has ingested antifreeze, get him to a veterinary hospital immediately. It’s not the time to take a wait-and-see approach. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts headed by “The Dr. Oz Show” veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker, founder of the Fear Free organization and author of many best-selling pet care books, and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. Joining them is behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.