Brynn's Critters

08/14/2025

If you adopt a dog, please remember the 3/3/3 rule: 3 days to decompress, 3 weeks to begin to learn routines and 3 months to realize this is home. It can also be longer for shy or scared dogs.

One night is not enough time.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/18zRZJDH8y/?mibextid=wwXIfr

08/05/2025

I’ve seen a lot of posts about dog fights and reactivity lately which is sad. I am glad to see people trying and reaching out. I’m sad for the dogs.

Today I read a particularly sad case. The owner has adopted a dog from a shelter. She’s only had the dog for a week. The poor thing is petrified and not dealing well.

A few takeaways:

—Please dont let dogs practice fighting. Keep them separate until you can get a trainer. (The trainer should understand dog aggression, want to work with aggressive dogs, and work mostly positively.

—Give a new dog time and space. 3 days to decompress; 3 weeks to settle in and begin to learn routines; 3 months to feel like a part of the family. Fearful dogs can take longer.

—Some behaviors are indications of stress—lip licking, rapid blinking, looking away, moving away and yawning are all examples.

This dog would run up to members of the family and show her belly but growl when they would try to pet her. This is not a request for belly rubs. This is appeasement (‘Please don’t hurt me.’) and submission. Give the dog space. Say something short, positive and happy, but dont pet. (Of course this will change over time.)

07/31/2025

I met with a potential client who had been told that there is no way that her dog can coexist with her partner and his kids. Her dog is too reactive and too old to change.

I really wish that “trainers” would quit telling people to euthanize their dogs for reactivity or even aggressive behaviors. If you can’t do anything to help, then say that you can’t do anything to help. Don’t want to work with reactive/aggressive dogs? THEN DON’T!

This dog is simply a little on edge, a little fearful (especially of tight spaces), and doesn’t quite know how to deal with a child.

People create these issues in dogs and then throw them away.

I commend this owner for not giving up on her family—whether they’re on 2 legs or 4 paws.

06/20/2025

We had to put one of our cats to sleep. I said to the vet that this has to be the worst part of her job. She said (paraphrased) no, the worst part of her job was sending pets home to die slowly.

Missy was hungry but didn’t trust the food to not make her sick. She felt nauseous in spite of antiemetics, fluids and special foods, because her kidneys were bad. It was time.

12/18/2024

Another potential reason to delay spaying/neutering. This also lends toward changing the way these surgeries are done.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/Xhq3tfh9X7yNb3n5/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Remember no one is arguing the need for sterilization, it's the surgical technique that should be reevaluated. Hysterectomy and vasectomy achieve the same goal but leave important hormones intact according to science.

"The association between gonadectomy and timing of gonadectomy, and the risk of canine cranial cruciate ligament disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract
Objective - To determine if gonadectomy in dogs is associated with the risk of cranial cruciate ligament disease (CrCLD) and to quantify the magnitude of the association.

Study design - Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Sample population - Comparative studies with gonadectomized and entire dogs, with CrCLD as an outcome measure.

Methods - A systematic search of the primary and gray literature was performed. The effect size of the outcome measure was defined as the OR and 95% CI. Subgroup analysis was performed with s*x, breed, and age at gonadectomy. A pooled OR (95% CI) was generated from meta-analysis of relevant studies. Certainty in the body of evidence was rated with the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) framework.

Results - The literature search yielded 1398 results and 24 relevant studies were included for synthesis. Gonadectomized female (pooled OR = 2.293, 95% CI = 1.768–2.945) and male (pooled OR = 2.117, 95% CI = 1.665–2.691) dogs were both at increased odds of developing CrCLD in comparison with entire female and male dogs, respectively. Subgroup analysis showed that gonadectomy at 1 year or less was consistently associated with an increase in odds of developing CrCLD in both s*xes. Overall certainty in the evidence was rated as moderate. All included studies were observational and no controlled trials were available.

Conclusion - In data with moderate certainty, gonadectomy is associated with increased odds of developing CrCLD in both s*xes, particularly in dogs gonadectomized at 1 year of age or less.

Clinical significance - This study provides an estimate of the true effect size of gonadectomy on the odds of developing CrCLD, which may be useful for clinical decision making surrounding gonadectomy and the timing of gonadectomy."

10/23/2024

Rocky and I spent the weekend at a scent trial. We ended up getting 8 of the 11 runs. I’m so proud of this run. He really worked to find the exact spot of the scent.

10/22/2024

Please consider rescue.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/CnLC9bvRrEV3nweS/?mibextid=WC7FNe

10/03/2024

This boy was anxious about people, dogs, traffic, being held still, and public spaces.

We went to the vet the other day, and he walked into the building without looking back. I was pretty sad, but maybe I have helped him become a calm and happy dog.

💜💜💜

Rocky completing his Level 2 Scent Title.

08/04/2024

Yep. Many people would correct the adult. Correcting this reaction can mean that the dog learns not to warn another dog. Sounds awesome until you realize that removing the warning means that the only reaction left is to bite.

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/qSMiFi7kQ63Ep7a3/?mibextid=UalRPS

07/24/2024

I just saw a video of an elite athlete abusing a horse in the name of dressage.

I love dressage. I’ve ridden dressage.

I completely am against any abuse in any animal sport. If riders can’t win without abuse, there’s something very wrong with that sport.

Those that have been caught have said it’s ‘not like me’ or ‘not who I am.’ If there are more videos out there like these, then they need to be turned over to governing authorities.

Please don’t let anyone abuse your animal in the name of training.

07/13/2024

This is a cool video! It’s about dogs’ sight and smell. Their smell pathways in their brains actually get very close to and possibly overlap with their sight. They may actually see smells!

Apps claim to show you the colors dogs see – but where does that information come from?WELCOME TO HOWTOWN! Our small but mighty team of two (Joss Fong and Ad...

07/08/2024

I was told that behaviorists are now saying that “happy visits” to the vet are no longer recommended. (Visiting just for the dog to be in the building and get treats and/or positive attention.) The reason is that stress hormones are released.

I do not agree with this recommendation.

In our lives there is good stress and bad stress. Good stress can be getting a new job, anything related to having children, getting married, going on vacation, etc. Bad stress could be someone you care about dying, losing a job, failing a test, etc.

We have to learn how to handle stress in our lives, or we just crumble when stress comes.

Dogs learn dog sports and they’re good activities for them to do. I guarantee you that my dog was petrified of the dog walk, the teeter, and the A frame. Once he figured them out, he’d rather do those than the jumps!

So I will continue to recommend happy visits to the vet.