When "Fetch" starts to hurt

Angus, our two-year-old Lab, is a maniac for "fetch."  He's hard-wired for the job and, like many retrievers, would rather fetch a toy or stick than eat.  He would literally fetch till he dropped.

His enthusiasm is so contagious that we often don't like to stop the game either.  "Okay, one more...just one more....now this is the last one...," etc.  If you've had a ball-crazy dog, you know what I'm talking about.

Unfortunately, Angus got "too much of a good thing" a few weeks ago.  After a rousing game of fetch in the snow, he followed me inside and began limping on three legs.  The pain was in his right shoulder; he was avoiding putting any weight on it at all.

Since he was no better the next morning, we took him to the vet.  X-rays and an exam revealed nothing remarkable.  The vet suggested it was either a soft-tissue injury or a chip of cartilage that had broken off and was floating around in his shoulder.  We went home with anti-inflammatories and orders to keep him quiet for three weeks.  If that didn't clear up the problem, he'd be facing arthroscopic surgery to the tune of about $2,000.

Angus ceased limping within a day, and we were all the more concerned that it was a chip.  But we finished our course of prescribed "quiet" and he's had no recurrence.  We haven't started playing fetch again yet either.  When we do, it'll be by a different set of rules.

We'll require him to sit and wait until the object we throw hits the ground.

When a dog takes off at full speed after a flying object, whether it's a Frisbee or a ball, he's often craning his neck to locate it.  He then leaps up into the air, twisting and contorting his body to catch the object, he lands hard on the front end, and he immediately twists back to return the object to the thrower.  If he's a long-legged or heavy-bodied dog, the strain and stress on ligaments, muscles and entire skeletal structure can be devastating, especially with lots of repetitions.

It's dramatic and exciting to see dogs do this; Frisbee dogs are very entertaining.  But when you think of the unnatural stress this activity puts on their bodies, you have to think twice about playing fetch this way with your own dog. You can still exercise his natural instinct and have fun doing it.  Just tone it down so your dog doesn't have to jump, twist in midair, and crash to the ground.  You'll probably extend his fetching days by several years.

Stupidity kills dogs

A guy I know just "lost" his second dog in four years.  He didn't really lose them; he allowed them to be killed.

This man was "anti-leash."  Because of that, both dogs are dead.

He had his first dog for a couple years and it met a tragic end.  So he got another one, same breed, which recently met a similar end.

He took both  through classes with me when each dog was about six months old.  I'm not sure why he did that, since he refused to follow my advice, which was, "Use a leash in public" and "Don't allow your dog to run the neighborhood."  These were quick, brilliant dogs, by the way, but I could tell that each of them lived in a state of mental confusion as to what was expected of them and who was in charge.  During training, the man was slow to react when necessary, and he was too harsh when he finally did. Naturally the dogs gave up and quit listening most of the time, and when they did, they behaved with spastic submission.  The man was not cut out for this breed of dog!

The man is a jogger.  I'd repeatedly see him going for his afternoon jogs in the borrow pit alongside the busy highway, his dog-of-the-day ranging way up ahead or way behind him.  I'd cringe each time I saw them, but knew that stopping the car to counsel him was a waste of time.   The message simply wouldn't sink in.  I believe the man did, in some warped way, actually care for his dogs; he took each to work with him every day, and they were sociable with customers.  That's why I can't figure out his refusal to leash his jogging partners, safely contain them at work, or  keep them in a fenced yard when they were at home.

The first dog died because it was running loose, unsupervised, in the guy's workplace parking lot.   A  forklift operator accidentally dumped a load of pallets on her.   A few months later the man procured the second dog, which lived for about three years before getting  hit by a car near his home.  This dog had repeatedly been seen by neighbors, running loose and alone down the middle of the busy, curvy  road.

If these had been human children, the guy would be in jail for manslaughter or negligent parenting or something.  But because they were dogs--and "expendable"--he can just go get another one.  I pray that he does not!

Leashes work miracles
Many of you know Lizzie, my rescued pit bull.  You know how obedient and angelic she is (most of the time).  She could be considered "under voice command" when we're out hiking the backroads, but I prefer to have her on a leash.  It's not just for her safety either.  It's for the additional bonding that happens between us, as she refreshes her memory each time about who's in control and who she should trust with her life.  It's the best "attitude adjustment" exercise in the world.  My dogs are always calmer, more relaxed, and happier at the end of a leashwalk than they are when they come back from running loose in the woods.

Leashes do more than save lives.  They GIVE lives.  A leash allows your dog to accompany you throughout your daily activities, instead of being left at home.  The leash offers safety, security, serenity and reassurance.  It's your dog's key to a more interesting existence...and one less likely to end in tragedy due to human negligence.

Beware the Corporate Vet!

My friend Kathryn is a veterinarian at a clinic in a small town far, far away.  When I told her I was looking for a "backup" clinic for our dogs here in  rural Montana, she shared some juicy "inside" information with me on the trend toward corporation-owned vet clinics.

"Steer clear of the corporate clinics," she said.

Oh no, I thought.  I'd just established a relationship with a slick multi-vet clinic in Sandpoint, 70 miles away, primarily because they offered emergency vet services that I couldn't find locally.

Kathryn grimaced when I told her.  She said, "The clinics that have been bought up by major corporations are really focused on profits and quotas.  They push services you might not really need."  Like annual dentals and blood work for every procedure.  It's marketed as "preventive medicine," with the idea that it will SAVE the pet owner money down the line (much like mammograms and colonoscopies for humans).  But....

"If you're a vet in one of these corporate practices, and you don't sell a certain number of dentals every week, for instance, you get called into the office and counseled."

Oh!  My!    Mind you, I have known some independent vets who push services a la carte, and end up selling a lot more stuff to a client than they can pay for (or than they need).  I've never cared for that approach.   But in the corporate world, we're talking about a structured strategy to financially drain the pet owner for the sake of clinic profits.  It makes me think of sleazy car salesmen who have to run back and forth to "the office" to get approvals for the deals they're cutting.  That's now how I want to think of my wonderful vet!

"They [the corporate vets] lay a guilt trip on the client," Kathryn says.  "'You really need to get Fifi's teeth cleaned,' or 'You really need to have this blood panel done.'"  And more clients, she says, tip over immediately because there's no limit to what they'll do (or spend) on the family dog or cat...whether it needs the procedure or not.

Think of yourself (I think of myself) in a vet clinic.  We're so in love with our pets that we become 100 percent vulnerable to the sales tactics of the vet clinic.  We are putty in their hands.  We're afraid to refuse a procedure or test because we may be labeled as uncaring and heartless.  After all, if the vet says we need it, then we need it.  This is a blatant misuse of the doctor/patient relationship, which should be built on trust and honesty, not on corporate profits. When was the last time you asked, beforehand, what the veterinary procedures of the day would cost?  Chances are, you went into the exam room, glassy-eyed, full of love for your pet, and ready to accept whatever bill they presented you when you checked out.

If you think about it, this is the same problem we have with human health costs.  We trust our doctors, we trust our insurance companies, and we know the bills will get paid, by someone or another, eventually.  So we accept our bills without question.

We can all save money these days by educating ourselves about procedures and maladies, and becoming informed patients/clients.  Corporations don't just own vet clinics; they own hospitals too.  If we become more responsible for our own health and our own medical bills, and if we get estimates and explanations up front (before procedures are done), our medical costs--for humans AND pets--will probably go down... a lot!

Is this the heart and soul of your veterinary clinic?

Kathryn told me to look for names like "Banfield" and "VCA Antech" prefacing the names of veterinary clinics. Those are only two of the big ones; there are more.   That, she said, is the indication of whether or not they are corporation owned.  So, for instance, our local "Thompson Falls Veterinary Clinic" would be listed and promoted as "Banfield Thompson Falls Veterinary Clinic."  Fortunately it is NOT.  An independent vet (and independent businesswoman) owns our local clinic and thus is able to operate it the way she wants, rather than fall in lock step with a corporation edict.  Same thing, apparently, with the multi-vet practice in Sandpoint (70 miles away) I use as back-up.

Yakima (where many of my blog readers are) doesn't appear to have any corporation-owned clinics either, nor does Missoula (my current "big neighboring city.")  But Spokane and the Tri-Cities do.

These corporate clinics aren't inherently evil.  They do stress preventive care, and they do have good, licensed veterinarians.  They'll take care of your dog.  But just beware that they will also attempt to sell you services you may not truly need, because they are required to do so by the corporation that has them in shackles.

Proactive or Reactive: Which would YOU trust?

Reactive 

 Look at the two faces pictured below.  Which one does your dog most frequently see in you?  In which one's presence would you (or your dog) feel safer?

"I correct Abby every time she does it, but she keeps on doing it," Linda wailed.  "I hate to keep correcting her all the time!"

Linda was referring to the play-biting her Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy would start whenever she wanted attention.  But Linda could have also been referring to a dog that jumps up on counters, chases deer, lunges at other dogs, or grabs Kleenex out of the waste basket.  While any of these undesirable behaviors can be "fixed" by various methods, the common denominator in them is the human leader.

When Linda waits for Abby to do the bad deed, and then corrects her, Linda is being "reactive." She reacts to the dog's behavior.  The problem with being "reactive" is that the dog quickly learns this is part of the game.  Dog does "X" and owner does "Y."  To him, it's just a routine.

Because the dog already got his gratification by doing "X," and because the dog may not particularly mind the reprimand, the dog decides it's worth it to him to repeat the behavior at another time.

Let's use a steak on a plate as an example:  Your dog is hungry.  He spies a steak sitting on a plate on the edge of the counter.  He jumps up, grabs it, and gobbles it up as you come running over to discipline him.  You're too late.  The satisfaction of gulping down that juicy steak was far greater than his fear of retribution.  Therefore, he'll probably do it again....if you're foolish enough to leave a steak on the edge of the countertop!

A "proactive" approach communicates far better leadership from you.  Here's how you could be proactive in the same situation:  the steak is on the countertop (not because you're baiting your dog but because that's just where you had to put it for the moment).  You're quietly watching from the sidelines as you see your dog's nose twitch.  The dog gets up and walks cautiously over toward the countertop.  Ears are up, nose is still twitching.  You know what he has in mind.  THIS IS THE MOMENT you become a proactive leader.  You step in with a swift "Leave it!" command or a sharp "Aagh!!"  The dog glances at you, knowing he's busted before he even commits the deed.  His ears go back submissively and he slinks back to his resting spot.

NOW YOU ROBUSTLY PRAISE YOUR DOG!  You have just thwarted a dog-crime.You've convinced your dog that...
1.  You can read his mind (and you can).
2.  You are watching him at all times, like the good leader you are.
This message of leadership is far more effective than any "reactive" swat on the tush that may have come AFTER he'd committed the dastardly deed.

In Linda's case, she's going to learn to "read" her dog more carefully.  She'll see the changes in body language and demeanor that tell her Abby's mood is swinging from playful pup to bratty teenager.  She'll learn to intervene and redirect the dog's thoughts and energy BEFORE she becomes bratty.  Regardless of what method she might use to do this, the key ingredient is her observation of Abby and her ability to be "proactive" in her approach.

Proactive 

Even if you haven't served in the military, you're still aware of how important a good leader is to his troops in a combat situation.  Soldiers don't want a leader who aimlessly leads them into a firefight and then reacts defensively when they get shot at.  Soldiers want a leader who will keep them out of the firefight to begin with, or at least keep them on the offense.  That's what a proactive leader does.

Your dog wants to know you're in charge.  Whether he's a Rottie or a Yorkie, he needs to have confidence in your ability to keep him safe.  Without it, he has no choice but to promote himself to a rank higher than yours....and that, of course, is when you begin taking orders from him.  If you wouldn't dream of putting your small children in this role, don't do it to your dog either.

Fighting females

Jan,

I have two Australian Cattle Dogs, both females, that hate each other.  One is about a year old and the other is about three.  The vicious fighting started last year.  They mean business, and we have incurred several large vet bills because they tear each other up.  The fights seem to be over me; when I show attention to one, the other bristles up, and then they'll just explode into a violent fight.  They get along okay during the day when I'm gone, but they can't be in the house together if I am there.  I have to keep one in the bedroom if both are inside.  I feel like I'm walking on eggshells, waiting for a time bomb to go off.  What can I do?

Lisa

Lisa,
I could give you a long-winded, optimistic reply about how you could modify the behavior over time and get the two to peacefully coexist.  Some trainers would do that.  I won't.  Life is too short, and no one in your household is happy right now with all this tension.  For the sake of everyone, re-home one of the females in an environment that's more suited for her. (i.e., no other females, no cats,  whatever...)

Your situation is not unusual.  You have two strong-willed, same-breed females--tenacious "heelers," no less--and there are serious issues between the two of them.  While the fights probably do start over you, the tension is always under the surface, and you're correct to liken it to a time bomb.  You simply shouldn't have to tiptoe around your own home and dogs, nor should you take the chance that you can affect the behavior sufficiently to make a permanent change.  Certainly there are steps you can do to postpone another violent fight, but the next one could be the worst yet, and will likely occur when you're least expecting it.

Years ago I saw two red female Dobermans, littermates, try to kill each other in my class.  They blew up so  unexpectedly that none of us saw it coming.  The two young dogs had been sitting quietly and obediently next to each other with their owners when they suddenly exploded at each other.  We managed to get them apart, but not before one had torn her sister's ear and left puncture wounds on her muzzle.  The owners then told me this was an ongoing issue; the dogs had hated each other since adolescence, and their fights had resulted in numerous visits to the vet.   We explored various types of behavior modification, ways to mitigate, ways to better expend the dogs' energy, ways to manage them.  Yet I was pessimistic about how much success they would have.  Frankly, I could see the people were not up to the task. It would have been a lot of work, with no guarantees the fights would stop.

Like your situation, each of the dogs was great without the other.  Each was entitled to live a life of peace and low stress, which would not be possible if they lived together.  Careful re-homing may be heartbreaking for you, but it would definitely be in the best interest of the dogs you love.

Are you a betting person?

So you like to let your dog run off-leash.  You like to take her to the park and let her go.  You figure the animal control officer will just give you a wink and a nod if she sees you do it.  You're not worried.  Your dog gets a little excited when she sees small kids running, and she likes to chase the geese by the pond, and she weighs enough to knock over Grandma when she jumps on her.  And she doesn't come when you call her the first, second or third time, but she'll eventually come back. She's a nice dog, most of the time.

Lawsuits happen.  Recently I heard some of the best advice I've ever heard when it comes to responsible dog ownership.  My friend Laurie (K-9 Country Club in Yakima) heard it from a presenter at an aggressive dog seminar in Seattle.  The presenter said this:

"Don't let your dog off the leash unless you're willing to bet your dog's life, or your home, that the dog will come back when you call him."

Read it again, and think about it.

"Don't let your dog off the leash unless you're willing to bet your dog's life, or your home, that the dog will come back when you call him."

The Best Day of His Life

The Little Things

April 9, 2012
From StubbyDog.org   

A family decides to take a shelter dog to the beach and discovers the joy of celebrating the little things in life

By Kirstyn Northrop Cobb
Sometimes, we get so wrapped up in our lives that we forget about the little things and, more importantly, how the little things aren’t so little to a shelter dog.

As it was with most of us, I had a hectic weekend, and my dogs didn’t get the attention that they were used to. To make up for it, my daughter and I decided to take our dog, Gidget, for a walk. I remembered noticing that a dog named Sparky at my local shelter, where I am a volunteer, was showing signs of kennel stress. He had gone through a couple of surgeries during the past weeks due to a complication with his neuter, and so he had been kenneled a lot more than usual, and it was starting to wear on him. So, I figured that we would pick him up and take him along with us. We live along the Chesapeake Bay, so I thought that would be a good place to take the dogs out.

Sparky was an inner city boy. He came from the streets of DC where he was found as a stray. Sparky had probably never been to a beach before that day. So, imagine his surprise when I got him out of the car and there it was! Water, waves, sand and so many new smells! Oh, there was so much to sniff out! Sparky found old fossilized clams and seaweed. Sparky found pieces of driftwood that had washed up! Sparky even found horseshoe crabs! And all the time, he kept looking back at me with an expression that clearly said “Woah! Do you see this?!” Not to mention, he also sniffed our dog, Gidget. Sparky might possibly be in love, I thought – sorry buddy, you’re both fixed.

It was a nice little reminder. Most of us down here along the bay make trips to the beach frequently. The bay is no longer new or really exciting to us. And most of us, myself included, would never be excited about the possibility of sticking our noses in a horseshoe crab and sniffing. But to Sparky, this was such a new and wonderful experience.

This was quite possibly the best day of his life, and it was such a simple thing – it was just a little over an hour out of our day, and we were going anyway. But to Sparky, this was so much more than just a trip that we were going to take anyway. This was an adventure, and all the stress from multiple surgeries just melted away.

So, next time you’re out, be it at the Chesapeake Bay or elsewhere around your home, remember to take a note from the book of Sparky. Remember to notice the little things, and enjoy them. Remember to stop and smell the horseshoe crabs, well, maybe not that, but don’t take the little things for granted. And if you can do so, take a shelter dog. It’s amazing how something little like that can make a shelter dog’s day.

Four simple steps to animal control issues

 

Can only four principles really save homeless animals and keep everyone safe? 
By Jennifer Bristol and Josh Blye, reprinted with permission from That Touch of Pit


Recently, I was lucky enough to meet Bill Bruce when he shared his Calgary Model to some of us animal welfare folks in NYC. Bruce oversees the Animal Services for the city of Calgary and is well respected in the animal welfare community. His philosophy and principles are simple, yet so effective. The Model advocates responsible pet ownership based on the following four principles:

• License and provide permanent identification for pets.
• Spay or neuter pets.
• Provide training, physical care, socialization and medical attention for companion pets.
• Do not allow pets to become a threat or nuisance in the community.

I can wax poetic about him and the model, but I think the numbers speak for themselves:

• Calgary population: 1.1 million
• Number of pet dogs: 110,000
• Reported dog bites: less than 150 (50 being in-home incidents)
• 90% of dogs are licensed.

And, the cherry on top of this sundae: his animal services agency is solely funded by licensing fees and other enforcement fees. What I truly love about this model is that it sets the owner up to succeed! How many times have I told dog owners that we need to set the dog up to succeed. Need a license, you can go up to any Animal Control Officer and get one on the spot. Fido leaps over the fence, if an AFO finds him and scans him, he will bring it back to your house for a nominal fee — no impoundment at all!

Bruce will admit: no documentation is needed to prove your dog is altered for your license application. However, if it is discovered that you lied, you will be fined $500! If the government is asking pet owners to follow some simple rules to keep everyone safe, it is only logical that the government enforce these laws

What’s more: all pet owners who license their pets receive an I Heart My Pets rewards card which offers discounts and deals from everything from pet services to travel accommodations. And, who doesn’t want a reward?

Here’s a little anecdote that shows if a system like this were in place in New York City, how we could keep even just one dog out of the pound.

Just this week, in my neighborhood, there was an incident of an off-leash dog attacking another dog pretty severely (while it was next to its toddler human sibling). The attack was covered by a writer for DNAInfo, Carla Zanoni, whose column specifically addresses issues in the Inwood community, and I appreciate Carla’s piece for providing the straight facts and not sensationalizing the story.

In this case, the “attacking dog” was not wearing an ID tag, nor was it microchipped. This would also lead us to believe that the owner had not obtained the necessary license, which is all contrary to Bill Bruce’s first principle (“License and provide permanent identification for pets”).
Information is not given as to whether or not the “attacking dog,” who is female, is spayed or not. So let’s give the owner some credit and assume that she is indeed spayed. Check mark number one according to Bruce’s model, and the only one we’ll find throughout.

Principle number three specifically addresses socialization. It’s safe to say, I think, that the “attacking dog” probably hasn’t had much in the way of socialization with other dogs. However, there are some dogs who are just predisposed to not be social with other dogs, and if that is indeed the case, you should recognize that and take additional measures to make sure everyone stays safe.

And as for allowing the pet “to become a threat or nuisance in the community”? Well, I think the people of this community probably feel adequately threatened.

This story has brought up many neighborhood issues including off leash dogs, which can be a very heated issue. Leash laws are important and need to be in place to keep animals and people safe. No matter what the size or temperament of the dog. So, aside from critiquing the “attacking dog’s” owner for not being thoroughly responsible, the law enforcement is also at fault in this whole situation.

New York City dog license laws require every dog, while in public, to always be on a leash no longer than six feet long. This law is almost never enforced. The number of people we see daily walking dogs off leash, without tags, on 20 foot long retractable leashes, etc. is astounding.

If the laws are enforced properly in every instance where they are not being adhered to, as is shown by Bill Bruce’s Calgary Model, the number of dogs in homes could be exponentially greater than it is now, and maybe, just maybe, our city’s animal shelters wouldn’t be quite so crowded.

Bloody Footprints

It seems to happen every year around this time.  The snow gets crusty.  You break through a sharp skin of ice with every step you take across the yard or field  It's awkward, but at least it doesn't hurt your feet because you're wearing boots.  Your dog, on the other hand, is running barefoot across the same icy snow. His toenails dig into the glass-like surface, and every so often his feet break through too.  When he returns the ball you threw for him, you notice that his footprints are bloody.  Like you, your dog needs boots if he's to negotiate this snow and ice without injuring his feet.

This past week, both Angus and Lizzie have left bloody footprints atop the crusted snow in our yard.  The bloodiness is at the base of several of their toenails, front and back.  When they run to chase a thrown ball, they put everything they have into it, digging into the icy shards with their nails and abrading  the tender cuticles raw.  They don't even notice any discomfort till they get inside.  That's when they start licking the sore toes.  If left unchecked, the licking is enough to further aggravate the situation and lead to even larger sores.  These, in turn, can take forever to heal because of the constant irritation and wetness caused by licking.  It's a vicious cycle that need never start if we take proper precautions to begin with.

That means boots.  You wear them.  If your dog is primarily an indoor dweller like you, he should probably wear them too.

Dog boots are easy to find on the internet these days.  Just Google the subject and you'll find dozens of links to various dog boot manufacturers.  To find the boots best for your dog's breed and activity level, you can consult a vet or a doggy day care provider.  (Many doggy daycares now put disposable boots on their canine clients' paws to protect them from the rigors of all-day dog play with their chums.)

Don't expect your dog to love his boots the first time you put them on him.  He'll high-step like a cartoon dog whose feet are stuck to flypaper.  He may even try to chew them off.  But keep him diverted, get him interested in something else, and within minutes your dog will be running and playing, oblivious to the foreign objects on his feet.

The boots need not stay on all day if your dog spends most of his time indoors with you.  But do boot him up if you're planning an extended romp in the snow and on the ice.  Besides protecting his feet from ice cuts, the boots will also be barriers between his feet and salty snow-melt chemicals  on the sidewalks and roads.

If your dog does experience some cutting/ abrading, and other minor injuries from walking barefoot in the snow and ice,  get him back inside and use a warm water rinse or soak to clean the bloody areas.  Next, pat dry and apply a small amount of triple antibiotic or Panalog ointment to the affected areas.  Then let your dog rest somewhere in the house, within sight of you.  If he should start to lick his paws. try putting socks over the sore paws--or boots, if you have them--and help him forget about his feet by giving him a loaded Kong or other goodie to occupy his mind.

Meanwhile look for ice-clear areas where you can walk or play with your dog.  Contain your fetching games to parks free of snow, or to large indoor areas open for dog play.  And of course, Doggy Day Care is a great boredom reliever this time of year, when weather keeps us dogwalkers inside.

If your dog has boots, on the other hand, neither of you has an excuse to not enjoy the late-winter weather.  Just ask your dog, and he'll tell you how much fun you both can have with a rousing game of fetch off the icy snowbanks!

Dogs don't "get even"

Donna told me her dog "gets even" with her whenever she has to leave him home alone for a few hours.

"He'll run out the door as soon as I get home and then he'll go over to the woodshed and stand there and bark at me.  Then he won't come in when I call him.  He just barks and wags his tail and plays his keep-away game. He gets mad at me when I leave him, and that's how he gets back at me."

"Donna," I offered, "he's not doing it to get even with you.  Dogs don't think that way."

"Mine does," she insisted.  "He's always done that.  He does not like it when I leave him!" 

• He's always done that.  
• He does not like it when I leave him!

Both statements are probably correct.  But to chain them together, in a cause-and-effect way, is to create a false premise.  Granted, dogs usually aren't happy when we leave them home alone.  However, Donna's mistake is to connect his unhappiness with what she perceives to be a willful, vengeful, premeditated act.  As human-like and  intelligent as our dogs may seem to us, they simply don't think that way...which says a lot for dogs, if you really think about it.  Only humans, with consciences, are spiteful enough to plan revenge.  Dogs are blessed to live life "in the moment."  When Donna is gone, her dog is unhappy.  When Donna returns, the unhappiness is forgotten and replaced with an outburst of energy.  Some dogs maul their owners upon return.  Some pee.  Others grab an object in their mouths and race around the room.  Some will, spontaneously and without provocation, start a three-second fight with other pets in the household.  Others, like Donna's, will run outside and play keep-away.  All of these are simply outbursts of pent-up energy, as natural as the fizz that spurts out of a shaken soda can.

When Donna's dog does this, she probably reacts in a way that gratifies the dog for his behavior.  Any attention she shows him,  whether positive or negative, suits the dog, who's just glad to have her back home.  Since habits develop quickly, the dog's keep-away behavior is now simply routine.  It's an outburst of energy and represents no malicious thoughts of revenge on the dog's part.

Reshaping the behavior would be pretty easy.  Donna could meet him at the door with a treat in her hand and ask him to sit until she got inside, closed the door behind her, and was able to offer him a follow-up treat.  She could also teach the dog to "curb" at the door when she opens it.  The easiest and most universally successful approach for most people in similar situations is to simply ignore the dog for the first few minutes of their arrival home.

When dog owners misinterpret their dogs' behaviors, communication and understanding break down.  Frustration ensues, and the situation often worsens.  "Anthropomorphism" is that mouthful that means "attributing human characteristics and behaviors to animals."  While the dogs who share our lives seem pretty  human to all of us, we must remember that their brains process information as animals, without a sense of "yesterdays," "tomorrows," or "what ifs."  Without a sense of "tomorrow," there's no reason to "plan ahead" with schemes of revengeful acts.  There is only the here and now.  

Actually, that's pretty darn intelligent thinking, isn't it!