50 years experience

Today, I’m proud to share a personal milestone, 50 years of working with dogs.

Half a century ago, I was handed a Doberman at ringside during a dog show; which began a journey that would not only shape my career but also my identity. Over the years, every tail wag, lip curl, low growl, body movement, and lesson from a canine client; has helped me to grow. All of these teachings have had a hand in cultivating me as a trainer, caretaker, professional, and basically who I am today.

Working with dogs has taught me patience, empathy, resilience, persistance, commitment and the importance of living in the moment. I am so grateful for each and every experience, every single guardian, and especially the dogs who have made this journey of mine so amazing.

50 years is a big deal and the reason it’s a big deal is that so much can change in 50 years. I am not the person today that I was at the beginning of this journey. I started my life with dogs when there were no cell phones yet, imagine. There was no positive reinforcement training; it was all done by yanking on our dogs. No one knew any better; the positive training movement really didn’t get started until the 90s; and I was already in my late 20s in 1990 and had learned so much that had to be undone in the years to come.

Once I discovered the world of positive reinforcement, I never looked back. And the years since I first discovered PRT until now has seen a huge amount of change. I have changed so much with how I look at pretty much everything; but the biggest change as far dogs and humans is the relationship between the two. That and changing the things that were written and established long ago. It is crazy to me that so many people just keep doing the same thing without ever being a forward thinker or evolving.

A huge wave of change started happening from the 90s with training and our dogs; that was just a win, win for our dogs. Sadly many younger folks are picking up the old ways from some of the oldies; setting training back to the bad old days. I know it’s because of the “quick fix” factor but having been there, done that and moved on; it is sad to see it happening again.

I want to help k9 guardians; always have, and I’m sure I always will. From handling in the show ring at 13, training dogs in conventional methods, professionally training dogs with positive reinforcement, grooming, nutrition, dog sitting, dog walking, temperament testing, blogging, writing books, dog photography, and living with my own dogs since the age of 18; I’ve learned a shit ton about dogs. Having recently retired as a hands on trainer I am focusing on online course, online consultations, blogging and posting lots of free info.

But just because you live with dogs does not mean that you know dogs. I’ve met many people who spout off that they have lived with dogs their whole life but really know nothing about dogs. You have to want to know about dogs; to learn, to research and be open to information. There must be a desire to know more.

I wear this milestone with honor. It is a little mind boggling that I got to the 50 years with dogs so quickly. And often think about the things that I would tell myself if I had the chance to talk to the 13 year old me way back then. There would be a few things to skip; a few different forks in the road to take that might have made things a bit easier along the way. But I am who I am today because of my journey.

I am continually amazed by a dogs; their ability to sense emotions, comfort their human companion, and protect the ones they love without hesitation. My passion for dogs is more than affection, it is reverence. Although smitten with their outward appearance; it is their soul and heart that I am constantly in awe of. A dog is far deeper than we mortal humans can ever realize.

To know, live with and love a dog will forever change you.

Or at least it should.

Each and every dog that you take the time to get to really know, and I mean really get to know who that dog is inside; will change you for the dogs that will come into your future.

Savor the moments.

#4 - The Idea of a Dog (series)

It is difficult to imagine an old dog who sleeps all day when they are new.

We’re now into the golden years. You probably don’t know where the years went; how did you get here so fast? These years come with the most monumental shift in your k9/human connection. From all the years of giving, giving and giving, it is now time for your dog to receive. That’s right, their turn to receive and our turn to give our all. Some days may seem like everything is changing, and it might be. But these days are the very special ones; the ones that many don’t get to experience because of sickness, disease or an accident resulting in an early passing.

Much can change in the blink of an eye.

Having a dog in their senior years is a wonderful gift; much of the struggles of the younger years are now gone. Typically (of course not always) our senior k9s are pretty much angels with fur. They know the routine, they don’t give a sh*t about too much anymore, reactions are normally much less and they sleep a lot. And when I say sleep, they sleep; and they sleep hard. A dog in their senior years needs up to 20 hours of sleep a day. Just think of that. I know, it’s a bit mind boggling. But our Miss Elsa is there now and when she sleeps, she sleeps.

There are time when I go out that she has not heard me leave and I return without her waking. When I see her sound asleep when I return; it brings home the fact that comfort and feeling safe is so very important. Seeing your old dog as they sleep and dream in a big comfy bed is magic to your soul.

Not only does Elsa sleep a lot; she has also lost a good amount of her ability to hear. Her eyes are pretty good for an old girl but not so great in dark or poor lighting. Our older dogs may lose hearing, vision, control over bladder or bowel and all sorts of different ailments. They are all different, some never lose their hearing or vision, some will. Dementia and Vestibular are fairly common in older dogs, which we’ve dealt with in some of our past dogs.

Dementia Blog

Blog about Vestibular

We’ve personally dealt with brain tumors, spleen and liver cancer as well in our past k9s. Right now we are dealing with a spinal stroke, laryngeal paralysis, constant uti’s, a lung tumor, kidney issues and high blood pressure with Elsa. Something will happen to our dogs as they become extremely old. Sadly many dogs even in their early years are struck by some sort of medical issue and never make it to their golden years. But as they become older; most will suffer from something; it is hard to know what will hit each dog.

This is something that most don’t consider when they are thinking about adding a new fuzzy bundle of joy to the family. But it’s going to happen to all of our dogs; it is a sad reality. But being prepared and dedicated to giving the best tlc and medical care that you can is what is important. We are in the thick of it right now with Elsa; we’ve been here before and we’ll be here again. It’s not easy but each and everything that I do for her is from my heart.

I remember very clearly saying “I don’t think she’ll ever age,” of our crazy young and highly energetic girl.

After living through the golden years with so many dogs over the years; I have to say that the biggest requirement is patience. It is easy to lose your patience when they can’t move faster, become picky eaters, have strange sleep patterns, diapers, don’t listen and simply need so much more care. All we can do is our best and give ourselves grace if we faulter.

Since living through the senior years so many times I have personally opted to do full abdominal ultrasounds in hopes of catching “medical stuff” early. This has been very beneficial with Elsa as we just recently found a tumor in her lungs. It’s small but it is growing; and frankly I think that it is the least of our worries right now. But I know and put it in the back of my mind for now. I also try very hard not to say “work” when talking about everything that needs doing. It is my job as her guardian and mom to care for her; it is not work. Yes, there is a lot of care needed and I am more than happy to give it.

We are all going the same direction; we are all aging whether we like it or not. How you age and how you treat aging is huge. Those people who abandon their dogs when they become “too much work” as they age, are DISGUSTING. The saddest thing for an old dog is to lose their home when they need it the most.

So yes, when we add a bundle of joy to the family; we have an idea of what our dog life will look like. There will be struggles, there may be regret in the beginning that will turn to love and adoration. The part we don’t think about is that they will age and get old, very old and then be gone. Cherish every single moment.

“Life is made up of meetings and partings. That is the way of it.”

Kermit the frog.

#3 - The Idea of a Dog (Series)

Photo: Property of Just Dogs with Sherri

You’ve gotten through the “toughest” years with your dog. We keep the hope that as our dogs mature into true adulthood; that life is just going to be wonderful with them. Typically the next years will be the fruits of your labor. You’ve survived the piranha stage, obtained patience that you never knew you posessed, held hope when it seemed to be fading; you did it, you got through the rough years.

Between the age of approximately 3 and 6 or 8 are the glory days. Years 3, 5 and 8 seem to be big turning points in a dog’s life. Those marker years bring with them a more symbiotic relationship for the two of you. The early years are now just a fleeting memory that you look back on and find it hard to believe. That dog in front of you is the best boy or girl ever. You have learned about the dog that you live with and you have taught them about our human world. Everything is wonderful.

These are the years to do everything physical that you’ve ever wanted to do with your dog. They are young enough to enjoy with enthusiasm and old enough to know better now. Our dog’s days with us are fleeting. After learning about each other and coming together as a match made in heaven you are seeing what the whole k9/human connection is all about.

Perhaps this is your first dog and you are now realizing what all the fuss is about. You never got it until you added a dog to your life. But even in the early years you still didn’t quite “get it.” But now you know, you have arrived at your destination my friend. And this place with a dog by your side is a magical one. There really is nothing like the relationship of a dog. Especially when you’ve been through the tough stuff and made it to the “good years.”

Of course, all dogs being different have a different life expectancy. Some are classed as seniors at the early age of 6 years; while others won’t really be a senior until around 10 or 12. Size plays a huge factor in aging as a dog. So between the ages of 3 - around 6 to 8 are middle aged for a dog. They aren’t slowing down yet and have lots of get up and go in them.

Middle aged dogs are still very capable of learning; they can learn throughout their whole life, just like we can. So don’t stop teaching and don’t stop learning. There is much to come.

Next blog - golden years. Having an old dog is a blessing but sadly many don’t get to enjoy these years with their dog taken too soon. Enjoy every second and stage that you are at with your canine. There is much more to talk about in the next blog.

#2 - The Idea of a Dog (The series)

Let’s talk about the beginning of your life with your dog. You’ve brought your dog home, they are now a family member and then…cue screeching brakes sound. What happened to that adorable bundle of fur you brought home just months ago? It seems as though your little heap of heaven has disappeared, vanished. What now have living in your home is a complete stranger or maybe even a monster.

Everything you’ve done, all the hard work, out the window. So where did that heavenly piece of squishy cuteness go? Or maybe it’s your rescue (second hand dog) that has disappeared; the one that fit in immediately and made it all seem so simple. Out of one life and into another without a hiccup.

So what what the heck is going on? You were sure that once the puppy regret stage was over and your k9 guardianship kicked in and felt good; that everything was just going to be uphill from that point. Well, not so much. There are many, many different stages in a dog’s life. Some great, some trying and some really hard to understand.

As puppies get older they often get bolder, more confident, have more energy and seem to forget everything that you’ve ever taught them. Additionally, there are fear periods scattered throughout the first year of their life; some small but some really substantial. This can mean that things your puppy was cool with one day; may not be cool the very next day.

The rescue that you thought was amazing and fit right in; the one that hadn’t barked since you brought them home is now barking at everything, tearing things up and spooking at the smallest things. When you bring home a rescue or second hand dog; you don’t typically get to see what you have for sometime. At first they are sort of shutdown; they have no idea who you are, where they are or what the heck is going on. Everything is new and if they’ve been to a couple of foster homes before your home; then they really don’t think that they’ll be staying.

With a second hand dog; seeing the k9 that you brought home can take time. As time passes they will start to feel more comfortable and confident. More time passes and they think that maybe they are staying in this new place. All of a sudden their true self starts to emerge; which is where a lot of people see a dog that they’ve never seen before.

The adolescent stage for puppies or relaxing stage or a rescue is the part of the canine/human connection when you really start to bond with your dog. For the young puppies, keep training. Be consistent and it will come back quickly. You can do it! Yes you can, I know you can.

With the rescue dogs who now seem like a stranger in your home, get to know them. They’ve had a rough start in life; they’ve been through so much change that they are now finally letting their guard down and relaxing.

You may have a lot of work to do with either but it is a work of love.

The Idea of a Dog #1 in series

Photo property of Just Dogs with Sherri

Idea - A thought, notion or conception.

Dog - a domesticated canid, Canis familiaris, bred in many varieties.

Most of us (including me) had or have a preconceived idea about dogs. This comes before we ever ventured into actual life with a dog.

Coming from a very non dog family; my perception of dogs was that they were a mystical creature. Pretty much they were my hearts desire for as long as I can remember. As different as we all are; there are as many if not more “ideas” of what life with a dog will be. For many, I imagine they have a water color image of themselves at the beach playing frisbee with their k9 best friend. Or maybe they are sitting by a cozy fire with their dog laying comfortably at their feet.

First let me say, very few will actually have a dog life that they imagined before their dog life. Many will be disappointed, shocked, dismayed, challenged, struggle and dream of having the “dog life” that they imagined. After the Pandemic of 2020; shelters and rescues were filled with dogs that were no longer wanted. People went back to work, back to life and didn’t have “time” for their new k9 best friend. They originally added a dog to their life because it seemed like the thing to do when stuck at home. After the stuck at home time ended, everything changed. This was a very sad time for dogs.

Second, puppy remorse or regret is a real thing. Adding a new dog or puppy to your life is huge; and many, many, people have no idea of just how monumental it can be. In the beginning of life with dogs; your life as you know it is drastically altered. Life with a new puppy or new adult rescue can be one of life’s biggest challenges. This is why I created my very “FREE” course on DO YOU REALLY WANT A DOG?

“I had no idea” is probably the most common thing I’ve heard over many years of training. “I wish I’d known,” a close second. So yes, I have helped many people through the whole puppy remorse stage. It is huge, adding a dog to your life throws a wrench into much of your life as you once knew it. That is until you figure it out. I’ve sat with many, many clients and helped them get through and to the other side of life with their new dog.

It is important to know before you add. Sadly this is typically backwards; most don’t know until they’ve added and then realized they were not prepared. But not being prepared is just one aspect of the remorse. Being willing is the biggest part of it all. Below is a section from my free Do You Really Want a Dog course.

Who’s going to pick up after the dog?

• Who is going to get up in the middle of the night when the dog has to go out?

• What about when the dog vomits on the carpet? Oh yes, they do.

• How about when your new puppy has diarrhea on your beautiful new living room rug?

• Are you ready to dart up from dinner and get your dog outside before they vomit on the floor?

• How about when they roll in something really gross in your yard or park; are you going to give them a bath?

• What about general maintenance like brushing, nail trimming, teeth cleaning and butt wiping? Who’s going to do all this?

• Will you pay for a professional groomer if you get a dog that needs grooming?

Like us, each and every dog is an individual. Are you prepared to do all the “undesirable” things that you may be required to do? Cut your sleep short? Clean up gross stuff, and I mean gross? Let me be the one to tell you if no one else has, “dogs are a ton of work.” You may even hear this and think nah…we’ll be fine. But you don’t know until you know.

It is sad when dogs are rehomed simply because people didn’t know how much work a dog really is. Of course there are easy dogs, medium and very difficult dogs. Research, homework and taking my course will help you to know. As I said, like us, there are no two dogs alike.

I think the Thomas Kinkade image that many of us have or had really does our dogs a disservice. Dogs are amazing. Anyone who already knows me knows that my life revolves around the magical k9. I love doing for my dogs and don’t consider it to be work. But being realistic is very important. Knowing that early life with a new dog can be a struggle and only mystical and angelic when the member sleeping. ;)

Looking at how we think it’s going to be; compared to how it is actually going to be can be polar opposite. It’s good to know, research, research, research. And if you’re in the “new” stage now and need help. Just ask.

Elsa update

This girl!!! Photo taken around 5.5 months of age. She was a monkey.

I decided to write a blog on Miss Elsa’s update because it’s too much to put into a reel. Elsa and I were at the vet this morning and she went through a lot of tests. She had an extensive physical examination, an x-ray, a senior blood panel, urine analysis, and had her blood pressure taken. Our, Vet who I really love is leaning towards her high blood pressure as far as the cause of her recent episodes.

It is very difficult to pinpoint exactly what is causing what because it is like the chicken and the egg analogy. So far what we know.

She had a spinal stroke five years ago, which caused a partial paralysis in her left back leg. Her front legs ankle area has stiffened up causing her to be much less flexible in the front; which may have been caused by the stroke or having her dewclaws removed at 3 days of age. She has something going on with her kidneys; although her last couple of test were better and have stayed the same for a long time now causing the vet to tell me to keep doing what I was doing. She suffers from chronic uti’s due to incorrect anatomy, has laryngeal paralysis, a heart murmur, high blood pressure, and a tumor in her lungs. It’s a lot, I know.

She is a trooper, there is no doubt about that. She never complains and is an amazing patient when having to have anything done. It is not lost on me that this is so much for her; I am constantly doing the “how’s she doing mentally” check ins.

The spinal stroke she has lived with now for over 5 years, crazy. There has been many modifications that have been made over the years to accomodate her physical issues with the fallout of the stroke. We’ve been dealing with her uti’s for about 4-5 years and seem to have them under control pretty much.

The laryngeal paralysis is about a year (I think); I do lose track of time with it all. And as far as I’m concerned, our biggest concern and a deciding factor in decisions to be made down the road. It has gotten worse but very slowly and again there are many modifications to help with this issue. She needs to stay cool, calm and relaxed. Which is one big reason I head out for our walks as early as I do. This coming summer will be a challenge.

The heart murmur and tumor in her lung are the newest issues; along with the seizure like episodes she’s had recently. So, the vet wants to lower her blood pressure immediately; which we’ve tried once, but the medication did not agree with her. Once we get the blood work back we will see if she can go on another type; but her kidney levels need to be okay for that. As I sat with her through her second espisode I knew that it was bad; she cannot do that often, it is far too hard on her with everything else she is dealing with.

And on top of all that she has a tumor on her lung which I shared last year. We found out November 2024 and planned to take her in for another x-ray in May to see what it was doing. Well, we were there today so I asked to have it done while she was having all the other tests. It is growing. Not fast but definitely growing. When you can see a visual difference in 4 months, it’s not good.

Now what? We try to keep her as cool as we can. She adores lying in the sun and warming her old body but that is kept to very short bits of enjoyment. Walks, as you know are done very early in the morning. The difference that the temperature makes for her is huge. We will get some of her results tomorrow and if everything looks pretty good she will go on blood pressure meds.

For her uti’s, our Vet recommended putting Dr. Reddy’s 1% Silver Sulfadianzine cream on her “privates.” This has really made a difference if it is done each night before bed. She goes out before bed, comes in and stands to be dried and applied. ;)

There are other things that we are dealing with but these are the ones that get the most attention, right now that is.

Dog books

You wrote a book? Yep, I’ve actually written, photographed and done artwork for 17 books. Today I want to talk about my Feedback for You and Your Dog book. After years of teaching my human clients how to deal with their new dog; it was time to put in writing. I didn’t want to write a “how to teach your dog to sit,” book. I wanted to talk about the moments you bring that new dog into your home.

But first the the foreword; I really do have to plug the foreword to my book because it was written by the amazing Dr. Jean Dodds. I was truly honored that she took the time to not only read my book but write the foreword.

This book is different from other “how to” books. After much consideration I decided on these “hot” topics; which are the issues that had come up most often with my clients over many years.

• Keep in touch - staying in touch with breeder, rescue group of previous guardians.

• Your puppy, the individual - each is different, loving yours.

• Choosing a name anad teach it to your puppy.

• Stuff that you need.

• Dangerous foods.

• Not essential but good to have.

• Feeding time.

• Food issues

• Feedback: the link between you and your puppy’s brain.

• Leadership and guidance.

• The family: who plays what role?

• Supervision.

• Childrren and dogs.

• Crate training.

• House training.

• A doorbell for your dog.

• Don’t go the “outside dog” route.

• Socializing.

• Dealing with “piranha” issues.

• The zoomies.

• Leash raining your puppy.

• Collar reliance.

• Organized activities.

• Accidents happen.

• Blank area - Notes for your Veterinarian.

• Blank area - Notes for your breeder/rescue.

• Blank area - Things to remember.

I wrote my book in a way that is very easy to read. Each chapter has a “quickie” section for when you only have a few minutes. Then a full explanation follows for when you have a few more minutes to read all about it.

One of the easiest things to do is teaching your puppy to sit. There is so much more to focus on when you add a new dog to your home. Whether that new dog is an adult or puppy; so these are the “non obedience” issues I wrote about. If you have a new dog, this book covers the stuff that very few trainers will tell you. It lays the groundwork for what is to come. A wonderful, bonded life with your canine.

Behaviors like sit, come and leave it are very important. But they are the easy stuff; easy to teach, easy to use. My next blog will be about these essential physical behaviors and how to implement them into your life and love your furkid.

Issues with old dogs

My husband answered the call that came in at 7am. We had been asleep which is weird for us; because we are typically up by 5:30am every morning, but we were away. As soon as he said our sitters name I knew something was very wrong. He quickly passed the phone to me and I listened intently. Elsa had peed and pooped her bed; she was panting heavily, shaking and couldn’t get to her feet. I could hear her panting in the background and asked if that was her. It was and it was very heavy panting. My mind was racing as my sitter explained her symptoms.

We’ve been through a lot of old dog stuff, as many of you know. Immediately I thought of Vestibular disease. A disease that commonly affects old dogs. I asked about her eyes, “were they flashing?” Nope. The heavy panting was giving me a flashback but I couldn’t remember to where? The fact that she couldn’t stand had me considering another spinal stroke. But the first thing to do was get her downstairs.

Elsa is a big girl and it takes a lot of strength to pick her up and carry her around. Thankfully my son Brad, his wife and son live close to us and he was my first call. He went over immediately and got her down the stairs and comfortable. He stayed with her a bit and then called us with an update. She already seemed better and was on her feet when he left our house.

There was a lot of back and forth with my sitter who was amazing through it all. Having someone who cares so much for your dogs is so important when you travel; especially when the unexpected happens, as it did. In all our years of living with dogs and traveling; this was the very first time we’ve had to cut a trip short and come home. There was no question that we were going to try to get home but these days it’s not easy to find flights last minute. Thankfully we found a flight but it would get us home late; but at least we’d be home that same day. That was Sunday, it is now Tuesday.

Elsa had pooped, peed, was shaking, panting and couldn’t stand. I sat and thought. Spinal stroke was my best guess until my flashback memories started to line up. Luke!!! Our previous male who has been gone now more than 10 years; was epileptic and after a seizure, Luke panted heavily and couldn’t stand. Elsa may have had a seizure. Luke never pooped or peed which we were very lucky for but he did have horrific seizures. They were 20 minutes long, very intense and afterwards he panted heavily and couldn’t get to his feet. So this is my best guess so far.

When we got home late Sunday night Elsa was still on the bed that our sitter had set up for her. She is actually there right now with Riggs. She got to her feet, smiled and was very happy that we were home. I think I was more happy than she was. Getting my eyes and hands on her gave me such a comforting feeling. I could see exactly how she was doing and what was going on.

Right now she is great. She went for her early morning walk, caught some balls and is eating like a champion. We have recently discovered that she has a tumor in her lungs and plan to have another xray done soon to see if it is growing or changing. Elsa also had diarrhea while we were away which is a nightmare; but we’ve already turned that around.

We are not rushing off to the vet. I will take this week to see exactly what is going on with her so that I can assess how she is doing. So far so good. But as I always say, anything with an old dog can be a serious situation. She had a great sleep Sunday and Monday night and is now sleeping as per usual. I think with the information I was given that she had a seizure. Why is the question.

This girl has been through a lot. An anaphylactic response to a bee sting, a spinal stroke 5 years ago, laryngeal paraylsis which is very slowly getting worse, constant uti’s that we are keeping at bay, a tumor in her lung…But she’s a trooper. She is very happy, eating well, sleeping great and much loved.

I will keep you all posted.

Having a pet sitter that you trust to care for your dog at this level, priceless.

Positive Reinforcement

What does positive reinforcement training mean?

Positive - a good, affirmative or constructive quality or attribute.

Reinforcment - the action of strengthening or encouraging something

Positive reinforcement in dog training basically means to add a good and encouraging element to a particular behavior. Many trainers prefer to use aversive methods of training (choke, pinch, slip or e-collars) in lieu of positive reinforcement. I just happen to start out using aversive methods of training; so I know how it works. At the age of 13, way back when; positive reinforcement was unheard of.

This is why I am so passionate about positive reinforcement training methods. I’ve used the alternative and know why I will never use it again. Learning how to properly use positive reinforcement takes time. And, for many inexperienced guardians, it may not make sense. It can seem too difficult, too time consuming and confusing. But once you “get it” you will never look back.

The learning curve is intense with positive reinforcement and once you start learning you will want to learn more. The use of positive reinforcement training rewards a desirable behavior which effectively produces more of the desired behavior. By redirecting, ignoring or counter conditioning undesirable behavior the undesirable will fall away; while the behavior that gets rewarded will be repeated again and again.

But let me say this; positive reinforcement takes time, patience and a desire to do better for our dogs. Many guardians will consider it to be too much work; but if you want to do better for your dog as far as bonding, trust and understanding, it is well worth the effort.

In all of my years of professional training I have had to explain the ethics and mechanics of positive reinforcement to many guardians. They have all loved the idea and run with it once they have seen it in action. All but one that is. I had one woman with a rottie pup in a group class, long ago that I once offered. When I explained how to go about teaching her pup how not to jump on her, she replied “can’t I just hit him?” Needless to say she did not stay in my class.

The reward in positive reinforcement work can be as different as each dog is. The important factor when choosing a reward when teaching or modifying a behavior is that the reward must motivate. Your reward has to be good enough for your dog and your dog alone. Typically rewards are food, but they can be a ball, a tug toy, a bite stick or anything else that your dog loves.

The other thing to remember when choosing rewards is that they must correlate to the difficulty of performing the behavior. This typically means working with distractions. Our dogs may find it easy peasy to learn pretty much anything in the comfort of their home. But, move outside, to the park, shopping mall or store and things fall to pieces. This means starting with very low value rewards and working up to high value when the task at hand is more difficult like in high distraction environments.

You must have a sharp eye when observing how rewards work with your dog in different situations. Sometimes rewards are too high value for the work involved and your dog can’t even think in the presence of the reward. This happens a lot when people start with the really good stuff. Too high value rewards in mondane work enviroments makes learning difficult.

Positive reinforcement behavior work is fascinating. The list of what you can teach your dog with it’s use is unlimited.

Questions? Ask away, I love questions.

Have a great day.

50 years!!!!!!!!! What??????

50 years since I got involved with dogs. 50 years ago I met a woman (Janice) who introduced me to the world of conformation dog shows. She explained a little about how it all works; then handed me her red Doberman (Jake) and into the ring I went. I was a nervous wreck; I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. But I learned fast because it was exactly where I wanted to be and what I wanted to be doing. I truly think that if I hadn’t met her and her dogs that I would be where I am today. So thank you Janice, from the bottom of my heart. ;)

You see I did not come from a dog family. My 2 brothers and 2 sisters begged our parents for a dog for years until they finally gave in and brought a toy poodle home one day as a surprise. I loved him, he loved me; although a toy poodle is not the dog for a family of 5 children. But it was way back then, before the Dobermans that I started my love and fascination of dogs. Around the age of 10 years of age, I took the small amount of money I’d saved up and bought all the “Know your “breed”” books I could afford. I would flip through the pages for hours, wishing that one day I might have dogs like these. But it was not until I met Jake that it really got started.

A blog I wrote about my life with dogs in 2021

Once I was introduced to the show world and Junior Handling, I was hooked. After that it really was all about dogs. And, I have to say that much of my hands on work with dogs is thanks to being in Junior Handling for 5 years. At a young age I learned how to easily move even the largest of breeds with ease. How to manipulate their body without stressing them out or struggling. I use these methods to this day.

From the show ring I went into obedience. I learned the old yank and method before discovering positive reinforcement and vowed to never go back. Oh yes, I look back; because back is where I learned what I don’t want to do. I would not teach people how to use this aversive methods. Infact, because I had done it myself; I could explain why we shouldn’t do it.

It has been a huge journey that has taught me so much about humans and dogs. I believe when we have knowledge and experience, we should share it. This is why I love to blog, podcast, post and share everything I can. 50 years is a long time and over those 50 I evolved a lot. I still love dogs as much as I did when I was 10 years old; but that love evolved into a life. Dogs became so much more to me; the more I learned the more I loved them.

I also made a lot of mistakes; it’s what you do when you don’t know any better. And over the years I’ve had to explain to my clients “you can do better when you know better.” You can’t do any better than you know right in this minute. They often felt horribly guilty for the things they’d done before we started our sessions, so I’d work with them as well. I also said many times “if it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it.” And “don’t be afraid to stand up to anyone doing anything you don’t like to your dog.”

At the very young age of 13, I didn’t know much about dogs or life for that matter. 50 years later I still have a lot to learn; we never stop learning, or we should never stop learning. But I do have a lot of experience to share, and I love sharing information on life with dogs. Whether it is behavior, training, grooming, maintenance, nutrition or just life with dogs, I’ll share. I am very passionate about dogs and that has evolved over the years to be more about their wellbeing and the whole idea of living a better life with our dogs. The amazing bond that we can build and have with our dogs; is a connection unlike any other relationship we will have in our lives.

50 years, where the hell did the time go? It feels yesterday, well maybe the day before yesterday. :) Standby for more sharing.

Spinal stroke - 5 years later

The best girl ever

Yesterday marked 5 years since Elsa was very suddenly struck by a Spinal Stroke in our backyard. We were playing ball when she suddenly screamed and fell to the ground. Luckily I had my phone in my hand at the time and called my husband immediately; telling him I was going to the Vets.

I have written quite a bit about the subject in the passed 5 years so I’m going to post the links to my other blogs about Spinal strokes.

Two days after she was struck

Blog on the strange movement after a stroke

My podcast on Elsa’s Spinal stroke

So how is Elsa today? Five years later she is amazing; for a 13.5 year old Standard Poodle who had a stroke 5 years ago that is. Her body is most definitely showing it’s age; more than her age actually because of the stroke. But what is left of the stroke after 5 years, most would not see. Because I’m her Mom, I know how she would have aged without having a spinal stroke.

What I do have to add is that because Elsa was so strong, so fit and athletic; she has dealt with this like a champion. She has other medical issues but this blog is about her stroke and what that has meant for her last five years. At no point did we stop walking or exercising her. This has meant that she has retained much of her muscle mass that is so very important. She also gets LOTS of protein which is also an important part of retaining her muscle mass. Even her Vet was surprised at the lack of atrophy in her back legs.

Aside from her back legs, she has a problem with stiff ankles which is the biggest reason why she needs help down the stairs. She gets a sling around her middle each and every time she goes down the stairs. At this point she does not want to go down by herself and waits happily to be slung at the top.

After 5 years dealing with stroke; I am happy to have my girl. It could have been the end of her but it was not. She needs a lot of help now and we are here for her. There are still days that I get mad that this happened to her. But it happens, life happens and how you deal with it is what matters. She is amazing in my eyes.

Out and about with your dog

It’s Monday and we are back from a three day staycation. We spent a couple of days in San Diego, CA on the water; where there was a lot of dog watching to be had. Each and everytime I have the chance to “dog/people watch” I get a ton of blog topics. So today I want to discuss the whole idea around dog/dog socializing while out and about in public.

I could quite literally, spend hours watching people and their dogs as they take their morning, afternoon and evening strolls in public. For me it is all about body language, both the dogs and the humans. Both species offer a plethora of information as they enjoy their outing. It is extremely interesting with so much to be rendered from the information that unfolds in front of you.

We were in a very dog friendly area so there were lots of folks out with their dogs; enjoying the sights, sun and fresh air (aside from the smoke.) What I took away from my “watching” was that in high traffic areas like where we were; is that there are two types of dog people. Those who are very dog savvy and have there walks worked out to a T. And those who just haven’t got it yet; they haven’t figured out the do’s and don’ts of walking their dog in public.

I saw lots of people who were clearly very experienced in crowded public areas. Both the human and the dog kept to themselves. If they needed more space, they took it, calmly. I watched a woman with her Doberman, calmly step off the sidewalk to obtain a bit more space from a yappy little dog that was coming their way. They looked like pros.

Walking along the ocean front; there was every type of dog you can imagine from the tiniest of Chihuahuas; to a huge black Great Dane that dwarfed his guardian. Many guardians were very much in control of their dog; and looked like regulars. While others struggled to get a handle on bringing their dogs out into crowded public areas and be able to maintain some sort of normalcy.

The biggest take away for me was that those who kept their dog to themselves did a much better job at handling being out in the crowds. This is something I talk about a lot and when you get to see it in action; it is validating. These guardians and their dogs kept to themselves and enjoyed their walk out in public.

The guardians who took the time to teach their dogs to keep their attention on them; enjoyed their walks. The ones who just hoped for the best and headed out hoping to meet some dogs to interact with, did not do so well. It is wonderful if your dog has friends but they don’t make friends while walking out in public. When you head out the door for your walk; you are heading out the door to enjoy your dog’s company and they yours.

I watched a man walking his dog while he has his whole attention on his phone. He wasn’t watching what his dog was doing, where he was or who was coming to say hi to him. There were a few times when the man was yanked off balance because he wasn’t paying attention. Attention is important.

There was another man walking a huge guardian type breed who was very reactive along a crowded and dog populated path. He did not have his dog under control an the dog lunged out at several large dogs; within inches of their face. Keep your dog to yourself and if you have a reactive dog; work on that reaction at a distance. Walking within inches of other dogs who can’t control their reactions is setting them up for failure.

If you promote or allow your dog to say “hi” to all the dogs that pass by; you will be setting yourself up for a barking, lunging dog down the road. They will want to say “hi” to every single dog that walks by which is not conducive to a nice quiet, calm walk. They may also be the recipient of a dog who does not in the mood to have someone in their face. Instead, teach them to pay attention to you and the sniffs around them. And, when and if there will be a greeting, it will be when you say so.

This will mean that you have asked the other k9 guardian if your dog can say hi. You have watched the other dog’s body language to see if they agree and then slowly and calmly do a loose leash greeting. Other than that, you teach your dog that you just walk by other dogs and mind your own business. These lessons will offer you a solid history of enjoyable outings. And bring you a future of gratifying strolls with your k9.

2025 - Intent

Here we are, 2025. A new year, a new start…ahhhh those pesky New Year’s Resolutions pop up. I’m not a big resolution fan; although I ask just about everyone what theirs is, I’m very curious. But in my humble opinion, resolutions set you up for failure. Their just too darn big and cast in stone. Fail and you feel like a big failure, not good.

Resolution - a resolve; a decision or determination: to make a firm resolution to do something.

No pressure, right? If you’ve followed along for a while; then you know that each year I choose a word to be my focus of the year. This year I decided after much thought, on “intent.”

Intent - to have in mind as something to be done or brought about; plan:

Not so cast in stone.

So what is my intent for 2025? My intent is to continue helping k9 guardians with the obstacles that are getting in the way of happiness; human/k9 happiness that is. I am intending to post lots of information that will hopefully help with lots of general issues. And, as I always say “I can be reached lots of ways.” Just ask!

Along with all my free content that I post on Instagram; I also have a consultation service where we can talk and walk through your issues and come up with an intentional plan for smooth k9 sailing. I absolutely love digging into issues and offering tips and tricks to remove the obstacles that are blocking happiness with your dog.

Sometimes it’s just something small that we can change to make huge strives in our k9 relationship. Other times it’s a work in progress. Over the years I have helped many, many people with their dog training and life with dogs progress. Living with dogs can be wonderful but it can also be very stressful when it is not going well.

I am also intending to blog more often, I miss it. I love writing. And I intend to take more sunrise/sunset pictures. I’m intending to pull out the big guns, My Canon 10D that has been put away for far too long. For those of you who don’t know, I use to be a dog magazine photographer. I also loved that and intend to shoot more.

I’d love to hear your what your 2025 intentions are. Just comment below.

So here’s to helping more dog guardians, writing more and shooting with my big cameras. It is my intent!!!!!

:)

December 28, 2024

Good morning, it’s dark and I’m up early again with Elsa. As I sit in my livingroom looking at the Christmas tree, I thought I’d get my laptop out and write. Sitting on the couch in the dark, I realized that I haven’t blogged since July. What? How is time going so fast? Well, here I sit at nearly 4 am because Elsa has diarrhea. Not sure what has caused this but at 13.5 it doesn’t take much to get it started.

Elsa turned 13 this July. It was a monumental moment as we weren’t sure that she would make it to 13. If you haven’t followed us for a while; Elsa had a spinal stroke in February 2020. I have written about it quite a bit, but here is the first entry on the subject. This coming February will mark 5 years after her stroke. She’s come a long way and has been a warrior of a girl.

At 13.5 years of age now, and having suffered a spinal stroke nearly 5 years ago, she is deep into being a senior. Her body has aged more quickly than it should have, because of the stroke; and she has had to deal with uti’s for several years; due to incorrect anatomy. This is something we are constantly working with and have got a pretty good routine down to keep them at bay.

Having a senior dog is both a challenge and a gift. One that many don’t get to experience. Far too many dogs are lost before they get the chance to age. And like us, aging is not for the faint of heart. Old dogs have to deal with a lot; and they hopefully are in a home where there are patient humans. Taking care of an old dog requires a lot of patience. And, unfortunately many humans don’t have the patience and understanding to care for an old dog. This is why so many senior canines end up at shelters. Dumping an old dog at a shelter or ending their life because of inconvenience is dispicable act.

It’s not easy to jump out of bed before 4 am and rush Elsa outside. First she needs to get her sling on to help her down the stairs. Grab the flashlight and go out to see exactly what’s going on. Then come in, get back in bed, comfy and then do it again and again. But there I was this morning, out in the dark at 4 am, freezing my feet off while I wiped her Majesty’s butt. :) There will be pumpkin on the menu later today.

These days bring back memories of dealing with dementia and incontinence with our little Jack Russell, Jessie. Our beautiful old girl Tilley, who dealt with Vestibular and incontinence. We’ve been here many times before and it is a challenge. In these moments in the dark; watching and hoping that Elsa will relax and fall back to sleep; I am very happy that I don’t also have a puppy. I’ve thought about it but pictured myself slinging Elsa down the stairs while trying to get a puppy house trained. No, my full attention is required for Elsa and of course Mr. Riggs.

I’m going to pour myself a second cup of joe and probably have a nap this afternoon along with my girl. Elsa sleeps a lot these days; far more than I remember my older dogs did. The stroke most definitely took a toll on her body; but when I see her in a deep and very content sleep, it makes me smile. Old dogs deserve patience, love, care, understanding and more. This is when we have to dig deep and muster all the patience that we have to give back.

When we sit and remember; remember those first moments when you met your dog as a puppy. Remember the feeling? Remember the challenges and fun of raising a puppy? Remember when they grew up and the two of you were inseparable? Going on adventures and building your relationship? These are special moments when it is our turn to give without taking anything. It is the little things that matter; especially when you have an old dog.

Remember those moments. These moments with an old dog will become lasting memories; and remember this, we are all going the same way.

Elsa's 13th birthday

I couldn’t wait to see who she was going to grow up to be. I could have never imagined a more perfect dog.

Hey there everyone, I’d like to talk about our girl Elsa for a bit. If you follow me on instagram, you already know that yesterday was her birthday. This was a biggy, 13. It was even bigger because I truly wasn’t sure that she was going to make her 13th. Early this year she became extremely incontinent; the kind of incontinent that is shocking when you take the diaper off in the morning. There did not seem to be a reason that was obvious.

When my dogs turn 10 years of age we do annual torso ultrasounds and extensive senior blood panels. Since then we have not found anything out of the ordinary. But early in the year when she became so extremely incontinent she also was breathing weird. The breathing has become the main “old girl” issue now. What I thought was a lung issue turned out to be a larynx problem.

Labradors are the breed most commonly effected by Laryngeal paralysis. I know that I’ve heard many heavy breathing older labs over the years. I never considered that our Elsa would be effected. Could it have been caused by her spinal stroke years ago? Perhaps.

Elsa has Laryngeal paralysis - Laryngeal paralysis, also known as voice box paralysis, is a condition in animals that occurs when the nerves and muscles that control the larynx, or voice box, stop working. This prevents the larynx from opening to allow air in and closing to keep food and water out, making breathing difficult. (Cornell University.)

Elsa has some stuff that we have been dealing with but this Laryngeal thing is at the forefront of concerns. We are hoping we can manage it with avoidance of the triggers. Heat is an issue, over excitement and stress. With the temperatures rising it is getting increasing difficult to get out early enough with her. So we are looking at alternatives right now.

When a dog has laryngeal paralysis; one of the main treatments is to do what is called “a tieback” where they actually tie back one of the flaps of the larynx. The concern about doing this is aspiration pneumonia. At 13 years of age, this is an issue on it’s own with having a surgical procedure.

Then we have the constant uti’s due to incorrect anatomy. The effects of the spinal stroke she had 4 years ago, hearing loss and just plain getting old. Hey, we’re all getting old right? So she’s got stuff to deal with but pretty much if she’s not sleeping, she’s a very happy girl. It’s all about being surrounded by love ones. Knowing that she is so loved, protected and cared for is very comforting for her now.

When I see her little feet twitching away in a deep sleep dream, I smile. Giving our dogs this gift of contentment is everything. She sleeps a lot, probably a good 20 hours a day now. And food is ever more important now. Old dogs become much more focused on food. I know that she knows she’s getting old. I see her sense of vulnerability when we are out and about. She is much quicker to let “scary” dogs know they are not welcome near her.

A book dedicated to Miss Elsa.

She likes to take Riggs ball every once in a while and just hold it. It drives him crazy because he is not a sharing type dog (something I’m not a fan of). He is a green eyed monster and no matter what she has, he has to have it. He has learned not to touch her things when told but you can see his obsessive behavior in his eyes. So when it hits her, she’ll take a toy and keep because it makes her feel like she’s still got it.

Don’t get me wrong, she most definitely still has it. For a big girl at 13 years old, she amazes me on a daily basis. Since her stroke she’s been a trooper, she’s struggled and pushed through, never giving up. When I see that glimmer in her eye that says I’m going to beat up Riggs, it makes me smile. She’s a force to be wreckoned with, always has been. She’s rough and tough and loves nothing more than to throw down in a good brawl. Sometimes we come out of a rumble session with bumps and bleeding. She’s strong, powerful and a force.

Miss Elsa, the perfect angel. Let’s have an even bigger celebration next July 10th 2025!

Reactivity revisited

Hi guys, is it really almost 2 months since I last blogged. I can’t even believe it. Honestly. Well, it’s been a crazy three months since our home renovation started and we are (fingers crossed) hopefully nearing the finish line. Both Elsa and Riggs have been amazing and adjusted to almost everything we have thrown at them. Dogs are truly spectacular.

So, now that I’m back (I’m actually sick so have down time to write) I’d like to re-address reactivity. As a trainer it is one of the most common issues that I’ve dealt with over the years, that and leash pulling which can go hand in hand. On Riggs and Elsa’s walk this morning we had a little issue that brought it back to the forefront.

We had pulled into the park, I was just hooking up Elsa and Riggs before letting them out of the car and saw a couple of woman and their dogs who I’ve seen before coming our way. I worried because one is a big furry black shepherd type dog and the other a Great Dane. Both are something to worry about for Elsa. I want to talk about why this worried Elsa more than normal today.

We were not fully out and on our way yet; which means we were sort of stationary as I got everything together, shut the back hatch and locked the door. This gave Elsa more time to get into her head. Typically if we walked by these dogs, and we have; we would have just kept moving along. But because of where we were it sort of looked like they were coming our way inistead of moving past.

So as quickly as it she started I pulled out the treats and got moving. She very happily ate the treats which is a great sign. A dog that is deep into reacting or past threshold may not eat food at all. She was barking but as we started moving with the addition of treats, it immediately lessened. She was just a bit concerned and letting them know that she did not want them coming our way. I chirped something happy and we moved along.

But this situation reminded me that many people with reactive dogs ask their dog to sit or down in the midst of a reaction. In an acute awareness state on the verge of reaction; sit is a very diffcult and undesirable position to put your dog in. First, when you stop moving you immediately cue your dog to a situation. Even if they hadn’t seen it yet, they will now be looking.

Movement and space is your friend. Bottom line. You cannot get your dog’s attention by an absence of space or stationary positioning. They are going to be so focused on whats coming that they will not be able to look away so to speak.

The other thing that you don’t want to happen is retaliation. This can easily happen if your dog is reacting which causes the other dog to react back. You want to keep as parallel with the other dog as you can. If it looks at all like they are coming towards you, change your angle. This can have a huge impact on perception for your dog.

Get space, always get as much space as you can. Try to stay at a “safe distance” away from other dogs when working on reactivity. Far enough to have some success. The more your dog rehearses this behavior, the longer it will take to change.

Keep moving, work on staying calm so that you can set your pace and not change it. Don’t cue your dog to impending danger by stopping, freezing or turning abruptly. Teaching your dog a “this way” verbal cue so that you can use it often limiting the tip off scenario.

Any questions? Ask away.

Over Stimulation

Stimulation - something that arouses interest, inspiration, or incitement to action:

This morning we surprised a woman and her dog at the park. We were walking along the creekside; then headed up a hill and over. When we got to the top of the hill, there she was. Her dog immediately reacted and so did the she.

The guardian instantly yanked on her leash; yelled at her dog and made an abrupt turn and continued to yank.. The encounter caused the dog’s hair to go up from head to toe as it was clearly over stimulated by what unraveled by our presence. Too much stimulation (yelling, yanking, negative body language) can lead to things going south very quickly.

We were also startled by their presence; but I kept my chill on and reached into my treat pouch for a hanful of goodies.

Let me disect the actions of the other person and her dog.

• Elsa, Riggs and I appeared over the top of a hill.

• The other dog reacted immediately.

• Guardian reacted to her dog’s reaction and choked up on her leash.

• Prong collar engaged, delivering the message of pain at the sight of other dogs.

• Guardian yelled at her dog, another message to the dog about what happens in the presence of other dogs.

• Guardian made an abrupt u-turn causing another prong collar pain delivery.

• All of this will cause the dog to react sooner or worse next time.

So the dog is left with an understanding of what happens when other dog’s walk by. This is such a common scenario and can be very difficult to fully explain and have guardians understand it. It is a step by step responsive negative association. So what was happening on our side of the situation?

• We crested the top of the hill and saw the other dog and his guardian.

• Witnessing what was unfolding, I immediately slipped into my “we don’t care,” mode.

• I checked that I was giving off completely neutral vibes.

• I immediately praised them for remaining calm. It is important to connect.

• I reached into my treat bag to reinforce the calm “who cares?” vibe.

• Both Elsa and Riggs looked to me for guidance.

• In my best “chill Mom” vibe, they responded the same.

This is how you deal with reactivity. When we yank on our dogs, yell at them and panic; we are relaying the message to our dog’s that this is a panic situation. Having your dog’s back and making sure that they know that you have their back is important. They need to know that there is nothing to worry about; you’ve got it covered.

Of course there are different levels or reactivity which can require more time, more space and a multitude of tactics to get to the point that you are both calm in this type of situation.

If I see any response other than observing the situation from my guys; I will often laugh to ligthen the mood tenfold. “Look at that silly dog, he’s kind of funny,” I chime while giggling to my two. This not only helps them, but it helps you to remain calm. If you see that all dog’s are leashed; the other person seems to be physically capable of holding onto their dog, then relax.

k9 Communications

Canines communicate very differently than we do. I have written about this subject a lot, but lately a lot of people are really getting it wrong.so I’m writing about it again. Dogs are all different; in how they look, in how they communicate and the level of their visual display of emotions. Some dogs have a very low rate of visual emotions; those dogs who seem to just go through life on one level. Then there are the dogs who show an average amount of emotions; who are fairly easy to read if you know what you are reading.

Then there are the dogs like Riggs; the ones who have big feeling and wear their heart on their sleeve. Nothing goes without being said; and it is those dogs who teach us the most. On the opposite end of the scale was my girl Tilley who has been gone twelve years now. She was the silent type; not one for show and pomp unless it was something big. These type are a harder read but their communications are still there, just not so much in your face.

Riggs is very emotional. He is sensitive and has something to say about pretty much everything. Like Riggs his predecessor Luke (gone 9 years now) was demonstrative. It is funny because most humans consider dogs who complain and growl to be the tough ones, but it is actually the other way around. When a dog does not communicate openly, it is much more difficult to understand what is going on.

Dogs like Riggs are like a deep dive into k9 communication. Communications that you might miss with a low or average communicator; you definitely see or hear from a high communicator. When something happens and our dogs respond, we learn. When we want to better understand our dogs, we pay more attention, we learn. So when you have a dog that speaks louder and more often than the typical dog, you learn.

As you know I am a watcher; I’ve always been a watcher of behavior. But when I started in positive reinforcement training (30 years ago) it went to a higher level. Seeing and understanding what our dogs are saying is very important if you want to know about your dog. If you have a dog that doesn’t have much to say, then you must become an even higher level observer. Dogs communicate, all dogs do, but not all dogs communicate at the same level.

I have told this story many times when people ask about petting dogs. We were at the beach with Elsa and Riggs (maybe a year old) when a guy who was walking by reached out to say hi and pet Riggs without asking. It happened so fast that I didn’t have time to react, but Riggs did. He growled fiercely at the guy who very quickly drew his hand away. He realized his mistake in that moment as he nodded his head as I stated “he doesn’t like strangers touching him.” Riggs was simply saying “don’t touch me, I don’t know you.”

Ours dogs who do not speak up often tolerate behaviors or don’t. The whole idea of punishing growls is in the same realm of all communications. DO NOT PUNISH A GROWL, DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION TO THE CAUSE OF THE GROWL. The growl gives us information delivered through a communication about how our dogs are feeling. We then need to figure out how to create a situation where our dogs don’t feel the need to growl. (Please read this again)

Elsa growls very seldomly and when she does there is always good reason. Typically it is because she is feeling unsafe about a dog coming by us. It is either too close, she doesn’t like that it is staring at her or it just plain looks scary. I will immediately obtain space for her which is all she needs. It is completely up to her how much space is enough when she is feeling vulernable. Before a growl will often come a snort; this is her “I’m worried” communication to me. And then its up to me to make her feel protected.

I was watchiing a very bad video of a dog growling at his guardian over a food bowl before writing this blog. All the comments on the video were how the guy should hit the dog, show it who’s boss, take the food away. But in reality, dogs growl around a food bowl because they think we are going to take it. It is up to us to teach our dogs that not only do we not want their food; but if someone is around the bowl, its a great thing by adding yummy food while we walk by. It is of course a tiered process but it is one of the easier things to get rid of. BY SHOWING THEM WE DON’T WANT THEIR FOOD AND BUILDING TRUST. Not by proving them right by taking their food.

Dogs are complicated, emotional beings. They cannot use words to communicate their feelings to us; so they use what they know. It is up to us to learn how they communicate so that we can better understand. And stop thinking they are here to dominate us and be the alpha. They are doing their best, we need to do ours.

Under Construction

We are on day two of a very large renovation. This has been a longtime coming, we have been prepping for months. We are now in the thick of it; and will be without a kitchen, dining room and living room for about 3 months. This of course has thrown a curveball at our routine and we’re just figuring it all out. Lucky for us both Elsa and Riggs are pretty use to having workers around the house.

A year ago we put a new roof on our house which was the loudest procedure they’ve ever gone through. Not only did they have to remove one roof, but two. Apparently the previous owners thought it was a good (cheaper) idea to build a new roof over an old one. Not a good idea at all. So it was loud, crazy loud and we made it through; so this should be easy peasy…right?

Alot has changed. There are more stairs daily for Elsa to deal with which has been a challenge but she’s getting use to it. Feeding is different, I have no kitchen to prep. We prep in the garage and eat there or outside. But I have tried to maintain sameness as much as I possibly can. Having old dogs is very different than young or prime age dogs. Riggs just goes with the flow; even though he is a much less steady type dog.

We have lots of barriers up so we have privacy and our own space which is very important as this will be a while. I am trying to make their days pretty much the same. We were at the park early this morning; but getting to and back from our car was even different. We had to harness up and cross the road to get to our car. This is where all the important training comes in. NO JUMPING OUT UNLESS RELEASED.

Riggs is doing a bit of grumbling when he hears the workers talking close, but not alot. It takes time for everyone to adjust and something like this is by far the hardest on Miss Elsa. Her footing is the most important thing; along with her beds. She needs comfort so that she can get the much needed long hours of sleep that she needs. We have more runners around and are in the thick of our learning curve.

This being only day two I think we’re doing great. Change is hard, harder for old dogs. I remember going across the country with Jessie, Luke, Tilley and Elsa. Jessie (15.5) and Tilley (14.5) had a very tough time of it. Luke was a champ at 11 years old and Elsa was an angel at 4.5 months. It is often the act of removing familiarity that gives you the clearest vision of how an old dog is doing. In their familar surroundings they can seem to thrive; taken out, not so much.

So keeping everything as same as you can is a very important part of change for old dogs. Life is full of changes. There are small, almost unnoticeable changes all the way up to monumental changes throughout life. Keeping things familiar for our old dogs is important. So we are working on making sure that everything is great with Elsa. Riggs seems fine with it all; although he’s not a fan of losing his run of the house right now. But a large part of his house is now in shambles and very unusable.

I always say “it has to get worse before it gets better.” This is a fact right now.

Diapers and incontinence

It has gone so fast. Here she is as just a baby.

First, this is not our first rodeo with a dog in diapers. For those of you who have been following me for a longtime; you know that both Tilley and Jessie were in diapers in their senior years. We had two in diapers while my son and I made our way across the country with 4 dogs in December of 2011.

This all began just two days ago but has progressed quickly. Saturday morning as I tidied up Elsa and Riggs bed area I noticed the slight smell of pee. This was extremely unusual so I sort of had one of those big question marks over my head. Elsa came into the room and walked into her “bedroom” area. It is a corner in our room where we have three tempur pedic dog beds covered in a sheet and then covered in a fuzzy blanket. It’s super cozy and I have lay there several times in the beginning to show Riggs just how great it was. ;)

When Elsa came in she started to sniff around; and I immediately knew that there was pee on the bed then. Elsa told me. I tore off the blanket and sheet and examined the dog beds. It looked like two were wet just on the corner, so off the covers went and everything was washed and dried.

Saturday afternoon I pick up some boy underwear and pads. Something my females have worn through their heat and the beginning of incontinence over the years. We’d only noted pee in the bed once but if this was what was going to happen I wanted to be ready.

That evening my husband and I watched Muzzle with Elsa and Riggs of course. Even though the content was k9 heavy, it was just okay. Nothing to write home about. But, when the movie was over and we went to let Elsa and Riggs out for the night, there was a problem. The side of my husbands leg was wet. We tried to figure it out but it took a while. I didn’t even put the slight pee smell in the bed and the wet leg together, it was that new of a thing. Having just recovered from covid yet again, my sense of smell is not the greatest. And frankly my husband could barely detect the smell of urine. Sort of like the bed in the morning.

After a bit of investigation we figured it out. Elsa was outside taking her last pee before bed and when she came in her back leg that had been up against my husband during the movie was all wet. Elsa had leaked.

Saturday evening I cut a hole in a pair of the underwear, added two pads and put them to bed. I hoped it would be enough to keep Elsa dry; after all this had just begun so she should be good, right? Wrong.

I hoped for the best; but when we woke up the next morning, it all had to go back into the wash, everything except for one of the beds where Riggs had been. This has come on extremely fast. Before Friday morning there was no pee anywhere. In fact Elsa has been doing amazing with the uti’s that she’d been struggling with a while back. But, I did just receive the results for her extensive blood test that don’t look good.

I went back to Target and bought some human pullup diapers and some dog diapers. I’m looking into better ones so if anyone knows a brand that actually stay on and are very absorbent, please let me know. The pull ups have been the best so far. The dog diapers tend to undo and fall off which is useless. But after she got up this morning with her pullup still on and intact; it was clear why the underwear and small pads were not enough. The diaper was completely full and weighed a ton.

She has gone from no peeing ever to full on peeing at night. She seems good during the day so far; I’m doing lots of lift and look. I don’t want her to have to wear a diaper if she doesn’t need it during the day.

The reason we went to the vet a couple of weeks ago was that she was drinking a lot more water as of late. As well as her throat thing which I discussed on instagram. She is dealing with a lot right now; more than we’ve ever had in one dog. Her last ultrasound showed that one of her kidneys was small and shriveled. We don’t know why, when or how this happened. But both the vet and ourselves were happy that she had one good kidney; but it looks like maybe not now.

I do ultrasounds regularly after my dogs turn 10 years of age. I like to know that all is well in their vital organs and catch anything early. This ultrasound will be a fasted one on the morning of the 27th. We will know more then. But for now, I am researching my butt off; as I do when I need to know. I do know that her raised creatine level is very bad.

I will keep you posted and if anyone has questions or knows about better diapers or is a blood expert, I’d love to hear from you.