The Doberman

its early, not even 6 am yet but the birds outside my house are up and at it. I woke up this morning thinking about one of the dogs that I met yesterday. I had a shoot last evening and during the shoot I happened to notice a dog in the neighbors yard. It was a doberman and a beauty at that, you simple don't see these guys around much anymore. I am always talking about dobermans to people and they regularly state "oh Dobermans, their scarey." They may look scarey but they are a wonderful breed.

I'm actually glad that you don't see them around much, thats how a breed is ruined by being one of the the "in dogs." So I got the chance to meet this neighbor Doberman and what a girl. She came to California from a far off place and if you know Dobermans you could tell that she wasn't from around here by how she was built. She had a head like Jake, the Jake I wrote about on July 6th. She had substance but it was easy to see that she was still young and dealing with growing quickly into her body.

After shooting my tiny models the doberman came over for a visit and displayed some very nice canine behavior. She towered over her tiny neighbor buddies but immediately dropped her body to almost a crawl with her head turned slightly as she tore around the backyard. My tiny models set her straight with their dominant posture and display, there was no mistaking who's house this was.

With all the house rules and regulations straight in the canine world everyone was good, the dogs were relaxed and comfortable. The doberman girl was very excited but amazingly well behaved for a dog around the year mark. She was the size of a typical male Doberman and super friendly the way they are meant to be. I love meeting dogs with amazing temperaments and she was showing hers to the fullest. The dobermans I have always known are friendly unless they see a need not to be friendly, they all were great guard dogs except maybe one but more about her later.

It is always a priviledge for me to meet new dogs and hear about their connection with their guardian and lastnight I got an unexpected bonus, nice, very nice.

Dogs on the beach

Surrounded by beach and no where to go. Living in Southern California we have miles and miles of beach but unfortunately very few beaches where you can bring dogs. I think it is sad that there are so few beach areas except the handful of designated dogs beaches. I for one am not always up for a dog beach visit. It is just like going to a dog park but at the beach. Often I would just like to have a nice quiet walk on the beach with my dogs.

Laguna beach is one of my favorite places to walk with my dogs, that is when we can walk on Laguna Beach. Right now it is off limits during the day until 6:00 pm which I guess is better than saying "no dogs during the summer months." But it is probably the closest beach to me and if I go at off hours I can usually get parking. What I would love to do is find out about some inlet spots where I could actually take my dogs swimming.

Swimming is a tricky thing for dogs here in the California ocean. Dogs who are accustom to the huge pounding waves seem to deal okay with them if they are a substantial sized dog. But even my girl Tilley who loves dock diving, diving for rocks and pretty much anything having to do with water is intimidated by the huge surf. Afterall she only weighs in at close to 50 lbs. and being a longer legged dog you get bowled over pretty easily.

I have visited a couple of great places for photo shoots that I thought might be a good swim spot but I know there must be others. I'm looking for a quiet spot where rarely anyone else visits. You know the kind of place that people don't announce to the world for fear of it becoming a dog park. One of my favorite things use to be sitting along the edge of a lake deep in thought while my dogs splashed, dove, swam, hunted frogs and played in the water.

So if any of you know of a spot like that, I'd love to hear about it.

Capturing "it" again.

As I have said before the more I get into photography the more I love to shoot the connection between a canine and their human. I love shooting people and their dogs but not in the conventional portrait sitting way, no I like to capture the connection between the two.

These type of images can only be done when both are relaxed and enjoying the simpleness of being together. Sometimes it can take a while because most people are drawn to the camera lense, we've been taught to look at the camera and smile. But to capture the essence of a true connection the photographer (that's me) must try to seem invisible.

I don't think there is anything greater for a gaurdian than looking at an image of themselves and their dog and seeing "it." That special "it" that is the connection that only they have and only they can see. I try hard to capture "it" and look for "it" when I am shooting. So far I've done a pretty good job.

I believe I've found my new passion.

Product testing and results

Good Sunday afternoon all. I have decided that because I have a very good selection of dog types in my little pack that I would love to test some of the new k9 products and post the results on my blog.

If there is a product which I cannot cover with my dogs like masses of shedding hair I will pass it on to one of my many clients who have such a dog to give it a try. So if there is a product that you know of that you would like to see tested, let know about it.

If you have a new product that you would like tested or tried by us and have the results posted, contact me and we'll talk.

Can't wait to start

Searching for a sitter

Well, I'm actually looking for a pet sitter again. Since I've been in California I have had wonderful luck with my sitters. Like most of you dog lovers I cannot go away and enjoy myself if I feel any hesitation about who I am leaving my dogs with. Finding someone that you feel confident enough with to leave them in the care of your canine companions can be difficult and stressful.

When I lived in Canada I only had a couple occassions when I had to board my dogs but the kennels where I left them had huge runs, at least 6x12 and large fenced yards for them to run in. When I got here and started looking around I realized to my amazement that most people board their dogs at the vets, that meant in a crate while they were away. So that option was no longer an option, I cannot imagine leaving my dogs in a crate for a week or two.

So the next huge task was to find out if any actual boarding facilities existed. I did find several but with the open pack type of set up I didn't think it was right for my dogs. Tilley is good around other dogs except that she just pretends they don't exist. Jessie must be the boss at all times and can get into touble because of it and Luke likes other dogs in small time slots, he likes his quiet time and I think a large pack of dogs around all day would not be good for him. I think that these facilities are wonderful if your dog is accustom to being in a very busy dog filled enivronment all day long like a doggie daycare. But for dogs who are not use to this type of scenario it can be a very stressful place.

That left finding someone to come and stay with my dogs in our home. To me this is the best alternative, the dogs are in their familiar surroundings with their fairly similar routine. So how to find someone you can trust? I was so lucky to get a recommendation from some of the people I volunteered with at the shelter. This girl was amazing and I felt completely at ease leaving them in her hands.

After several years of having the best pet sitter, she moved. Now I needed to find that special someone again. Being a dog trainer you would think I'd have it dialed in, wrong. What I had were alot of horror stories that my clients had told me about, pet sitters who never showed or were awful with their dogs. So I had a list of who NOT TO CALL, but not the list of who was great.

As it turns out we had a fabulous sitter right in front of us, my daughters best friend is one of the biggest animal lovers I know and my dogs love her. So I put my trust in her for many trips away and even when we just needed to be away for an extended amount of time I relied on her. But now she is working full time although she will still be the one to stay with our dogs I need to find someone to come during the day. I've sent numerous emails and made lots of calls and I think I've narrowed it down. I rely on my instinct and many of the people I talk to are a big negative after the first few minutes of our conversation.

It is extremely important to find someone you trust and feel comfortable with. Because these people are coming into your home you also want them to be insured and bonded. And you must make sure there are many visits before you actually go away so that your dogs are comfortable with this person coming into your home as well. My guy Luke acts alot different when I am home versus I am not home. He becomes much more in charge when the in charge person (thats me) is not home.

So whatever your preference for finding a person or facility to care for your dogs when you are gone, do your research. Ask for references, if they can't give you a name or two call someone else.

Volunteering at the shelter

When I first moved here almost 10 years ago I wanted to join a local canine group but after searching and coming up empty handed I gave up the notion. Then a chance visit to the dog shelter gave me the idea of becoming a volunteer. I would make weekly trips to the shelter, clean the kennels and walk the dogs. Pretty much my everyday anyway but this was with the lesser dogs that ended up through no fault of their own, unwanted and left.

Volunteering somewhere that you are passionate about is almost always a feel good experience and thats the way it started out at the local animal shelter. But not too long into my new volunteer role did I start to see the way things really were. I'm a take charge kind of person which does not always do well in a volunteer type position. As a long time dog trainer I thought my skills could be put to use, not so.

I didn't realize that there was already a trainer in place until one day I was walking past one of the pens when I heard the yelps. There wasa dog with some aggression issues being "worked with," I cringed and went to ask what was up? I was told that the resident trainer was working with the dogs and he was not the type of trainer I was. The whole facility was on board with this guy and his training methods so there was nothing for me to do about it.

I kept on with my volunteer work and was soon coming in twice a week. I noticed that there was a lack of communication between volunteers and thought that a communication book would be a wonderful idea left on the check in desk. If a volunteer noticed something with a certain dog whether it be good or bad they could write it down and let the next shift know about it. I mean shouldn't you know that a dog that has tried to bite someone? Or that a particular dog cannot stand to have a choke collar on? I thought so, but shortly after I placed my book on the desk it simply vansihed.

Being that I have a long history of showing dogs in the conformation ring and enjoy researching new breeds I have a pretty good idea of what certain breeds are, even mixes. One day when I saw a small dog in a cage I noticed that it said mixed spaniel but I clearly saw a Japanese Chin in the cage. I went to inform the front desk that it was indeed a purebred and not a mix which I think is extremely important when an owner may be calling in to see if their dogs breed might be at the shelter. The cage sign was not changed.

As far as purebreds are concerned if one shows up in the shelter in my opinion the local rescue should be called. Not that the shelter can't handle the dogs but because a shelter is a stressful environment and rescue groups have lists of people waiting for their particular breed. If they don't have someone in mind right away they have foster homes for these dogs, of course this is a better place for a dog than a shelter. But the first time I made a call to a local rescue group I received a reprimand from the "top dog" at the shelter, one which was the equivalent to that of a bad elementary school kid.

After the scolding I had a whole new perspective on this shelter. After visiting and talking to other volunteers at different shelters I realized that this was not the typical animal shelter, no this one was in a league of their own. I found out that almost all other shelters require their volunteer trainers to be positive reinforcement trainers and that they always call local rescue groups in hopes that they might have someone waiting for this breed. All of the rescue groups that I know will retrieve a dog of their breed without hestitation.

Its been a longtime since I was a volunteer at that shelter and I have to admit one of the worst experiences of my life.

Jake

I wish I had an image of Jake that I could put on this blog. The photo here is just one I found of a gorgeous red dobie with a magnificent head. Jake was a beautiful red male doberman and the dog that started it all for me. I'm sure I was destined to lead a dog life but he was the one who sealed the deal.

I met Jake when I was 13 years old and wanted desperately to be involved with dogs some how, some way. I am pretty much from a non dog family (we had one toy poodle when i was growing up) so my dream to be involved with dogs was a big one. It was a chance meeting that I met Jake and minute I met him I fell in love.

Jake lived with a couple who were very into showing in the conformation ring and Jake was their newest addition. I believe he was around a year old when I met him and just starting his career in the ring. I'd never even been to a dog show before meeting Jake and my first was to be the first of many to come.

I dove in with my eyes closed, I was talked into entering the Junior handling competition with Jake and I'd never even seen a dog show before, good idea. Jake didn't really know what he was doing and I sure as heck hadn't a clue. Jake was a timid dog with some real fears, he had started his life on shaky ground and had alot to catch up for. I was suppose to calm him when in all honesty it was me who needed the calming. But this actually worked out for the best because I felt so bad for Jake that I just focused on trying to make him comfortable in the ring.

I didn't win of course but I sure learned alot and that was just the beginning. I went on to handle in Junior Showmanship winning everything I possibly could. I was also handling in the breed ring and doing great with whatever dog I had on the end of the leash and I loved it.

Over those few years I spent alot of time with Jake, I just loved him. He was a handful when it was playtime, he played rough. I clearly remember one day that I didn't move fast enough from behind a stick I held high and Jake tore a huge hole in my shirt. Jake had never learned to play as a puppy so all he knew was rough and believe me it was rough.

I adored Jake, he was the most handsome doberman then and still to this day I have yet to meet his match. He had a head on him like a brick and his body was so well muscled that he truly looked like a scupture. Jake was not my dog but the first dog that I had a true connection with (other than my little toy poodle at home of course.) Jake will always be in my memories as the one who started it all.

TGIF and what are your dogs favorite foods?

Good morning, I just woke up and I can't believe it is Friday, imagine if every Wednesday was a day off? I believe we have a break in the weather, not a huge break but its not quite as scorching. That is if you don't live too far inland, I know I couldn't live out there I don't know how people handle it.

I started talkiing about the heat because with the small drop in temps I can then think about turning the oven on again. I want to discuss the idea that dogs have particular tastes in food. So many people that I talk to tend to role their eyes when I say things like "oh my male loves peas but he hates fruit," or "my Jack Russell likes tomatos but my poodles don't." Anyone who knows me knows that I cook for my dogs, I cook up food for them separately but more often I just cook more food so there is plenty for everyone.

Over the years I have discovered that they really do have things they like, things they'll eat and things they will not eat. Luke is by far my pickiest eater. He is a true carnivore with some very particular favorites outside of the meat department. Jessie on the other hand will eat anything, truly. She does have priorities when eating though, she will pick the best and save the least desireable for the end. For example, she will eat lettuce which many dogs will not eat but she will drop it on the floor if she thinks that there is the chance of anything better being dropped first. If nothing comes she then picks up the lettuce and eats it.

Tilley eats almost anything and will take her time to really give something a good taste test when it is something new. She will take a piece of something she has not tasted before from me and go lay down with it. She then carefully smells and pushes it around to see if it is something she should or would like to eat. Why shouldn' t dogs have particular tastes? I'm sure in the wild there are things that wolves love and things that they'll eat because they are hungry.

A big favorite in this house is pepper, red preferably but they will eat all colors. Even my picky boy Luke loves it, if there is pepper around he's all over it. He likes asparagus as well, more so than the girls. The poodles are not much for eggs unless they have cheese in them and Luke does not like fish unless of course it is cooked in butter. Luke loves anything having to do with butter, cream or whip cream. I do not recommend giving dogs sweets but I like to give them a try of new things and we discovered that Luke LOVES whipped cream. If he hears one tiny hiss out of a whipped cream can he is there in a flash.

A favorite activity for all of my dogs is catching and if I'm having a hardtime convincing Luke to try something new I will ask him to catch it. He will catch the item and spit it out the first couple of times but then he has tasted it whether he wanted to or not, usually he then decides its pretty good. Sort of the way parents use the choo choo train routine. And all of my dogs loves garbanzo beans, we play catch with those alot.

I feed my dogs a conbination of cooked food prepared especially for them, food that we are eatng that night, raw and dog food. My dogs rarely get upset stomachs because they are accustom to eating a varied diet like we do. Of course if they eat something stupid which they usually pick up on a walk, they will have an upset stomach just like we do as well. When giving your dog new things to try make sure it is something that they should be eating and keep it simple. High fat content and highly spiced foods are a no no and something you will regret feeding them. When feeding meat, don't give them the fat cut offs or you will regret that too.

A night of fireworks

Lastnight was the big night and we celebrated it from the balcony of our new home. We have a fabulous view but had no idea if there would be any fireworks to see. I got out my camera and tripod and fixed my settings all ready to capture the moment. In the far distance I heard the faintest sound hinting of what was to come. I looked down at Tilley and her face was stressed with her ears flat back, she heard it too.

Tilley is our dog who is petrified of fireworks. She never used to flinch at the loud booming of thunderstorms or fireworks displays. When our old boy Clyde was around, he was the dog that we had to watch he was a bolter. We always had to make sure he was indoors at the smallest sign of a storm or Canada Day. I remember one storm as if it was yesterday, we were watching it out the livingroom window as I always love to do when Clyde charged in, clammered up the back of the couch and sat there in a trembling mass. Picture a 60 lb dog sitting on the back of the couch!

In our last home there was a neighbor, you know the kind every neighborhood has one who loved to set off firecrackers regularly. I think this is when Tilley's fear started. But at least we were home on this night with her to hopefully help her through. We waited for what seemed to be forever when at 9:01 exactly they started. Up until then I thought that I would only capture a few small local flashes. I'm not sure where the fireworks were from but they were pretty spectacular. Not as amazing as being right there but hey we didn't have to fight the crowds and we were home for our panic stricken girl.

I got some amazing shots, I've shot fireworks before but these were taken through trees giving the images a strong emotional feel to them, I'll post some later. Now back to Tilley, we were on our bedroom balcony so I made sure our bedroom door was closed to keep Tilley in the room with us. There is no telling what she will do when she is in this state but so far it seems that all she wants to do is dig.

Our other two dogs were out on the balcony with us watching and listening and they were completely cool with it. We paid strict attention to our own behavior and just acted like this was very cool and no big deal. Tilley sat and trembled with us, she stayed with us by her own decision. I was glad to see that she was coherant and not in such a state that she was mentally gone. She lay quiet and seemed to calm after a while, we were giving her all the signs to calm down. It is very hard not to console your dog when they are in such a fearful state but you have to commit to helping not hindering.

Once it was bedtime she lay in her bed right beside me and slept even through the very loud neighborhood fireworks and firecrackers. I think she might just improve.

Hot Dogs

Yesterday was a scorcher and today is suppose to be hotter. Yesterday I was in the parking lot of Petco out in Tustin. When I pulled into the lot I noticed an SUV a couple of cars over from me. The SUV had a pitbull mix and an American Bulldog in it. The windows were open a crack but the temperature was well into the 90s.

I thought to myself, okay someone just ran in and are coming out, even though a minute in this heat in a car is too long. I was having a conversation with someone and could feel my body starting to melt. I've said before I am not into this type of heat. I turned to check that the car with the dogs was gone and it was still there with the dogs panting profusely.

I excused myself from the conversation and went into the store. I asked the cashier if she knew who's car was outside with the dogs in it. She responded with a useless shrug of her shoulders and turned away. I shook my head and yelled it out "who has their dogs in the white SUV?" A young man admitted that the dogs were his and I told him he better get out there immediately. He actually thanked me which certainly surprised me.

As I walked out the doors he was right behind me, got into his suv and drove away. I stood there in complete astonishment that people still don't get it. How many times do people have to see dead or near dead dogs in a car on tv to "get it."

I don't take my dogs in the car unless I plan on taking them somewhere and on occasion I'll take my little Jack Russell for a ride, she loves it. But I never leave my dogs in the car for any reason. Even times when we stop unexpectly somewhere I will wait in the car with my dogs. I truly don't get people who think that their dogs enjoy waiting in the car as they do their shopping.

The best place for your dog is with you whether that is at home or out with you but not sitting in the car waiting. If you do plan on shopping, leave your dog in the safety of your home. Never, ever leave your dog in a hot car, never over 65 degrees.

Have a good July 4th

Hot weather and fireworks

Well, I'm typing fast this morning because I want to get my poodles out for a run before the heat. Its been very hot the last couple of days which I hate. I am not a hot weather person, I prefer it to be low 70s high 60s. We've been spoiled so far this year but now summer has caught up with us. When it is going to be in the 90s I really have to get these guys out before 8:30 or its just too hot to run around. Jessie can handle alot more heat than the poodles so she goes out in the evening.

It looks like July 4th is going to be a hot one. Most dog sites on line and in print are warning people about fireworks and dogs. I learned this lesson at the age of 18 when my boyfriend (now my husband) and I took my Airedale Mandy to the Canada Day events. We spent the day at the park and Mandy swam until her hearts content. That evening as we set up our blanket and prepared for the evening show I had no idea of the impending doom.

No sooner had the fireworks started when Mandy had a look of terror on her face and was trying to bolt. Its a good thing I had her leash tight in my hand as she was attempting to just run. Looking back at it now it was crazy to have her there but I was 18 and didn't think about the effects of the fireworks. At the time I thought she might die, she was so terrorized by the sound that her heart was pounding, her pupils were dilated and all she knew was that she had to get out of there.

We spent a short time trying to calm her but realized is was a loosing battle and left, lesson learned and never to be forgotten. Now many years later I often see people at the fireworks with their dog. I have told people that they should take their dog home but after finally getting a parking spot and nabbing the last piece of grass available in the park, they aren't leaving anytime soon. And it never fails as soon as the show begins the dogs are up and bolting.

I wish everyone a very happy and safe July 4th. Please leave your dog at home, in a safely contained area with the t.v. or radio on loudly if you are not going to be with them.

Hot Topic - leadership

Good Monday morning everyone, I thought I'd start the week off tackling a controversial topic. Leadership, it is a hot topic in the world of dogs right now and many don't want to hear the word anymore. With some of the trainers who are more in the public eye "Leadership" has taken on a more physical meaning.

Leadership: an act or instance of leading; guidance; direction. This definition taken right from a dictionary. So what does this mean in terms of your dog/human relationship? The reason I decided to write about leadership this morning was the simple fact that Jessie my little Jack Russell was laying beside Tilley's octopus this morning. This means nothing to you but it is a huge step in this household.

We have three dogs in our home and two of those dogs love to destroy toys. On occasion I will purchase new very inexpensive toys for them to rip apart. This makes them happy and I love when they are happy. Now Tilley on the other hand is not a toy destroyer, no she likes to keep her toys around and attends to them like they were her pride and joy.

So you can see that this causes a problem for Tilley. It's the toy wreckers against the toy keeper. Up until last Christmas I kept Tilley's toys safe for her, putting them up high and giving them to her every once in a while. But at Christmas I realized that she would love to have her toys around all the time. So, the plan was to let Jessie and Luke know that Tilley's toys were off limits.

Not all toys are put away, my dogs have a huge basket full of Nylabones, destuffed toys and other unrecognizable items. It is the new, undestroyed toys that need to be protected. So, my plan was put into action and I was now the toy protector. Anytime Luke or Jessie looked at Tilley's toy I immediately gave them vocal feedback. It was tough, especially for Luke as he sat and watched Tilley squeak and mouth her toy. But, within a couple of weeks they were not even thinking about grabbing her toy anymore, even when it occasionally squeaked.

The only time there is a slip up in the who's toy is it scenario is when the dogs become over excited like when someone comes home or Dad is playing hide'n seek. At that point Jessie and Luke love to grab a toy and run with it. So they sometimes grab Tilley's octopus but one word from me and they realize their mistake.

This may not seem like a big deal but it is through guidance, leadership. Non of my leadership is done through physical control. Physical control is not leadership, guidance on a daily basis is leadership. Guidance is helping my dogs to understand what can and cannot happen in our home. Tilley's stash of toys are now safe from the destructive jaws of Luke and Jessie. This was a very satisfying lesson for me and a triumph for Tilley.

Canada Day-Canadian Dogs

Happy Canada Day to all of my fellow Canadians. As July 1st is Canada I think it only fitting that I should talk about a couple of breeds that originated in Canada. There are quite a few, some are extinct now but had a definite impact on our dogs of today.

The first dog that comes to my mind is the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. Most people have never heard of the breed but my sister has one and my best friend back in Canada has had a couple. I remember way back when I was a teenager at a dog show seeing the first introduction of the breed.

The Toller as they are popularly known originate in Nova Scotia, Canada. They resemble a small red golden retriever but they are very unlike a golden. Although they do have a love of water they are not clingy or velcro like a golden. They have a high drive and all that I have known are obsessive retrievers.

I am making a trip home to Canada at the end of July and look forward to documenting a day in the life of a Toller.

Then there are the Labradors which are actually the most popular dog in the states now and hav been for sometime. I know they are the most common dog breed that I work with, that and the again the golden.

Then the Newfoundland. If you have never seen these dogs in action doing their water rescue you must make a point of attending an event, they are truly spectacular to see. Newfie's as they are known to their admirers are very large and obtain a wonderful temperament.

There are many breeds I could mention but there is one I had never heard of until this morning which is the Valley Bulldog. This dog originates again from Nova Scotia and is linked to the Olde English Bulldogge. This bulldog is built more athletic than its more common cousin the English Bulldog. The Valley bulldog has longer legs and a longer body but with the same recognizable bulldog traits.

So there you have it, some breeds whos origins are the same as mine.

Street smarts

Between training and photographing dogs as well as the every day chance meeting of dogs I have met some amazing ones. Amazing to me can mean many different things but typically it means that this dog meeting has had an impact of some sort on me. I want to share the story of some of these amazing dogs with you.

The first one is a stand out for me, he is a strikingly handsome mix breed who has an aire of confidence about him. I was doing a shoot at the beach with a rare breed, the guardian of these dogs said she had a mix as well that she was going to bring for some beach fun. She had told me what the best guess of his mix was but as he stepped out of the car he looked to me like he had quite a few breeds mixed in there. Most obvious was his markings and height which were very much like a St. Bernard although he was smooth coated and much leaner and athletic looking.

It was a typical fun and relaxed shoot with the dogs having fun and me photographing the fun. As I watched this dog interact with others it was obvious to all the dogs on the beach that he had "top dog" status without being obvious about it. Several times dogs charged down the beach with a "I'm the boss of the beach" display. Some dogs would cringe in submission and others would challenge back with a dispute following. But when these displays came the way of our mixed boy he stood his ground, never flinched with a look on his face of sheer confidence. The beach challengers were immediately stopped in their tracks and redirected their furry.

It amazed me to see that this unruffled behavior was clear to all the other dogs instantly. And as we left the beach with another great shoot done a dog came from out of nowhere and attacked one of the rare breed dogs I had been shooting. In the blink of an eye the mixed breed companion of these dogs flew into action, grabbing and pinning the attacker to the ground. As we gathered the dogs and ourselves together he held this dog down. There was no fighting and no discussion he just did what was required.

On my drive home I was very upset about the end of the day incident but reflected on the remarkable behavior of this stately dog. He was definitely the strong, silent type. Later the guardian filled me in on this dog, he was a street dog found in LA. And at the time the guardian hadn't thought she needed a dog in her life but he ended up there and was truly sent when most needed. He always comes to mind when I think about all the great dogs I've met.

2nd hand dogs

Second hand dogs can come from many places, shelters, rescues, someone who just can't or doesn't want to keep their dog anymore and they can be any breed or mix. Adding a second hand dog to your life is truly a great thing for both the dog and yourself. Some dogs have literally been saved from death and some from a long and stressful life in a cage. Many of these dogs have behavior issues that the first guardians did not want to deal with, some have none and the sheer fact that they were a dog is what caused them to be in this situation.

No matter who the dog is or where she comes from there are things you need to be aware of when looking for a second hand dog. First is temperament, I am very cautious about bringing home adult dogs with children when the dogs background is not known. The utmost of care must be taken when choosing a dog to bring into a family with small children. Some rescues and shelters do temperament testing and some do none at all. You want to stay away from the ones that don't temperament test. I know of at least a few that don't test and there have been people and children hurt because of it.

There are alot of great dogs that end up in shelters but there are also some not so great dogs there. Honestly there are so many wonderful dogs who are homeless that it is worth the time and effort to find your wonderful dog there. If you are looking for a particular breed then you are going to have a much better chance at a rescue. Many rescues are fostered in someones home which is great because this gives the foster person a chance to see what the dog is really like. And they will be able to enlighten you on some of the behavior issues they have seen.

A shelter is a very stressful place for a dog so often you won't know what the dog you are bringing home is truly like for several months. I have had many clients say that their shelter dog changed so much over the past months they had been with them. A shelter dog is in a state of limbo, they don't know where they are or why they are there. When you bring them home it is the same thing but less stressful. As they start to realize that this is their new home they start to relax and the real dog begins to emerge.

When you go and start to look just like going to a breeder, don't make any impulse decisions. I also know many people who have brought home second hand dogs only to realize this is not the dog they should have brought home. If it is a mix you are looking at what is the best guess of what's in that mix? This can really help with behavior you may need to deal with down the road. But, if there is just no guessing on what type of mix this may be then you have to go strictly on the now temperament.

My biggest advice is go somewhere where they temperament test. It is not a guarantee but this means that the shelter or rescue are concerned that the dog is not going to need to be rehomed again, that is huge. You do not want a place to hand you a leash the minute you walk in just to place dogs, this is just a never ended vicious circle.

So where should a puppy come from?

Morning all! I thought this morning that a continuation of yesterdays post might be a good idea. I'm sure many people thinking that the easiest place to obtain a puppy was a store were left with their hands in the air saying "okay, where do I get a puppy from then?" If you want a puppy and a purebred then you go to a breeder. I'll discuss rescues and shelters tomorrow.

Let's say you've decided on a golden retriever like the rest of the people on your street, just kidding although they are about that popular. Okay so it's a golden you want, now what? You pick up the newspaper, WRONG put it down good breeders rarely if ever put an add in the paper, they don't have to. Typically a good breeder has a long waiting list of people who want their puppies. Go to your internet and punch in Golden Retriever Club of America or Canada and start there.

All breeds have major area clubs, infact when I'm looking for a breed to photograph I always go to the Southern California branch and start there. If there isn't a branch because it is a much more rare breed then go to the Whatever CLub of America. There is typically a page for breeder referral, some have the actual names of breeders and some have a form to fill out that will be returned with the information you need.

While you are on the site, check out all the pros and cons of this breed especially in the health department. Every breed has their own list of health issues that "good breeders" will be testing for. It is very important that you know what these are so you can ask if their dogs are tested for them.

If you do go to see puppies or adult dogs who might be having puppies in the future ask to see the health certification in writing. Ask if the breeder has a list of people who have gotten puppies from a past litter that you can call and talk to, this is really useful.

Do not limit yourself to one breeder, talk to many and you will get a more well rounded education on your breed. A good breeder will tell you the good and the bad of the breed. You may actually walk away thinking that maybe this is not the breed for you. Great, better to find out now than after you've had the puppy for 6 months. If everyone did all of this research there would be a whole lot less "dumped dogs."

Do not buy a puppy that has been brought to you for "convenience" sake. If you can't see where the puppy was raised or meet Mom there is something fishy going on. I have been called out on several cases for aggression issues in the past. When I ask where the puppy came from the people explain their story telling me about only seeing Mom tied up in the backyard because she was too aggressive to meet people. Hmmmm, good idea to buy a puppy from this Mom? I think not.

Also be aware that even the best of guarantees is never a 100% guarantee. There is no real guarantee on life and even the best of breeders have health and temperament issues come up now and then. My youngest dog Luke has epilepsy, he came from a very good breeder with all of his tests done and in writing but poodles are prone to this disease and he has it. So we have learned to deal with it.

You must also understand that after talking to a "good breeder" that you may be left with the the feeling of inadequacy, thats noraml. Truly "good breeders" do not let their puppies just go home with anyone. Normally you will be given a questionnaire and need to have open communication with the breeder until they feel comfortable that your family is a suitable one for one of their puppies. But this is the kind of concern you want from a breeder, that tells you that they really care about what happens to their dogs offspring.

And be patient, rarely do you walk in a door and bring a puppy home that day. It does happen if you arrive at just the right time when the puppies are ready to go but more often you are on a list or have several weeks to go before you bring home your puppy. But believe the wait it worth it.

Pet stores and puppy mills

One of the reasons I like blogging so much is the fact that I can speak my mind on certain subjects and hopefully people will read it. Not that my opinion is always correct but it may give people a chance to think about issues that they may not have thought about before.

We all know or I should say, we should all know better than to buy a puppy from a pet store. You know it really amazes me the amount of people you see in a pet store that sells puppies. The sheer fact that I still meet people who say
"I didn't know," and now that they do know they would never. With the amazing amount of information available on the internet how is it possible that some people don't know about puppy mills. I think many turn a blind eye.

But it is high time that everyone knows and everyone does something about it. I for one will not even enter a store that sells puppies. I used to go in and speak loudly about how ill a puppy looked or bring up mills so that everyone in the store heard me. This did nothing but give me heartache seeing the innocent little puppies in the cages.

We need to start spreading the word and loudly, DON'T GO IN THE STORE, end of story. If you don't go in you cannot be tempted and believe me I know people who could not resist the temptation even though they knew better. They tell me about how they felt once they locked eyes and I feel like screaming. This is what pet stores rely on, the impulse buy, the ahhhhh factor.

You need to sit down and think about the ones who are left behind, the breeder dogs as they are called. People who run puppy mills have absolutely no concern for their puppies health or happiness. Anyone who brings a puppy to a store to be sold is a miller in my mind. I don't care if they only have a small business or they are one of the huge setups that pump out hundreds of puppies, they are all the same.

This is a message we all need to spread, stop the buying and they will be foced to shut down. Going in and thinking that you are going to save a puppy only puts money into these awful people's pockets. If a mill shuts down or is forced to shut down, then we can rescue the dogs from the nightmare life they have been forced to live. But until then, take a stand and stay out of the stores who sell puppies. Give your money to the stores who have taken a stand not to sell puppies.

Bringing home #2, 3, 4 or 5

You have a dog but you'd like to have another dog for both your family and as a companion for your #1 dog. Great idea! I am a big fan of having two or more dogs that is if that is what you and/or your family want and not just to keep #1 out of your hair. I believe dogs deserve a great human family and a great canine family.

One of the most common reasons I deal with when people want a second dog is that their first dog has some form of separation anxiety. Very few anxious dogs are "fixed" by adding another dog to the family. Typically a dog suffering from some form of separation anxiety is suffering because of your absence so adding another dog to the scenario isn't going to fix anything. Seek professional help in this case before you contemplate adding #2.

So let's say your #1 dog is well adjusted and you just want another dog to come into the family, you have a big heart and more than enough love to go around. The first thing you need to consider when thinking about adding a second dog is who exactly is your #1 dog? What sort of temperament do they have? Where do they fit in amongst your family? It is imperative that you choose the second dog to mesh with the first dogs personality.

Generally I advise going with the opposite sex, it is usually a safe bet and even if they do have their differences things run smoother with a male/female pair. Some breeds are very dominant by nature and adding another of the same breed, even the opposite sex might be more than you want to deal with.

Matching physical size is something to think about as well. If you have a huge beast of a dog who is high energy and loves to play rough you don't want to bring home a fragile type who breaks easily. But you also may not want to go with another beast sized dog when picturing two beasts running around your home.

And hair, are you happy with the amount of hair you deal with on a daily basis? Could you handle double the hair or would you prefer to not add anymore additional hair? These are all things that you should think about.

Age of #2? Do you think your dog gets along well enough with other dogs that bringing home an adult dog would work? Or should you consider a puppy who is less threatening than and adult? Many dogs get along great with other dogs but have a difficult time with puppies, especially if they are up in their senior years and cannot enforce rules with the new little rascal.

No matter who you bring home as an addition to your family think first about your #1 dog or existing pack. You do not need to go to extreme opposites when choosing an additional dog as that can backfire as well. Adding a very dominant dog to a home with a very submissive dog can ruin the first dogs life as they know it. Just like bringing home a calm sedate type dog into the life of a high energy, super powered dog that can't stop. That can cause too much stress for the second quite dogs life.

But when you do bring home another dog, don't expect it to be love at first sight. If it is then you are truly lucky. Often it can take up to several months for dogs to mesh. When I brought home Luke almost 7 years ago Tilley did not approve and wanted nothing to do with him. She set things straight right off and let him know she hated him and didn't want him around. But with enough supervision and feedback from us she slowly grew to tolerate him, accept him to now although she'd never admit it, love him. This all took over two months, two very rough months.

Watching canine behavior - 101

I love dog behavior, I could truly watch dogs interact forever. I never grow tired of being the outsider given the opportunity of seeing inside the world of dogs. They truly are amazing and the more time I spend watching them the more I see. Often I have shared stories of dog behavior to people who have in turn said "how do you know that?" or "how did you know what your dog wanted?" Its simple if you just watch.

I decided to talk about this subject this morning because of what Tilley and Jessie communicated yesterday. Jessie as you know is my little alpha bitch and Tilley second bitch in command. I was barbequing and moving around the kitchen quite a bit, the dogs were just sort of hanging out. I had taken the papers which were between the frozen burgers I was cooking and thrown them in the garbage and I'm guessing they smelled pretty good. As I went back to the counter I noticed Tilley standing near the garbage with her head down and to the side when I realized Jessie was standing beneath her displaying her full set of teeth. There was no sound but there was definitely alot going on.

I watched for a moment and thought to myself, if this escalated into a fight it would have seemed like it came out of no where had I not noticed what was going on. But I did notice what was going on and typically Tilley will just walk away but for some reason she was pushing the garbage issue. She had turned her head which is a sign of submission but she was still standing her ground. Jessie was frozen in her " I dare you" stance. As the issue was not extinguishing itself I stepped in clapped my hands and said thats enough. No one is claiming the garbage today!

Later in the evening I watched Tilley attempting to take a Nylabone from beside Jessie. Jessie went on a big adventure yesterday and was very tired. She was laying on the large bed we have in the kitchen as the bone she had no interest in lay beside next to her. Tilley is mostly very respectful of Jessie and both her and Luke are very wary of those teeth of hers. We were having a family conversation when mid sentence I realized what was going on. Tilley was staring at Jessie laying on the bed, obviously she wanted the bone beside Jessie. But so concerned about taking the bone from beside Jessie she didn't realize that Jessie was almost asleep and didn't care at all. Trying to be as stealth as possible she used her paw to slowly and quietly slide the bone far enough away from Jessie where she felt safe enough to put her face down and take it. Completely intriguing to watch.

Who says dogs don't think!

Moving - dump the dog!

Okay, I spent the morning yesterday at a dog event here in Southern California. There were many rescue groups who I love to talk to and hear some of the success stories. After asking each group what the most common reason for dogs being dumped was their answer was moving. The most common reason for someone relinquishing their dog to a rescue or shelter is that they are movin, unbelieavable. One of the people who I was talking to said talked to a lady who said she was moving and when asked if dogs were not allowed where she was going she stated "oh yes, but is such a hassel to bring her."

I was shocked to hear this from every rescue group that I talked to. I am especially shocked because I thought we had come so much further than this with dogs. Moving with a dog is more work than without a dog but so is moving with children more difficult. I have actually written an article on moving with your dog which is on many realtor sites.

We infact moved with three dogs and not a small move either. I moved from one side of North America to the other with three children, three dogs and me. Now that was one stressful day but we made it and everyone arrived safe and sound in our new home. I flew from Ottawa, Canada to Orange County, CA with a two hour drive to Montreal, two stop overs where the dogs had to be switched to new planes and here we are. There were people who said to me as we were in the process of planning our move that "it would be so much easier without the dogs.' I gave those people a fairly abrupt response "sure it would be easier but if my dogs aren't moving, I'm not moving."

My dogs are my life as are my children and I have come along way and learned many important things in my 40 something years. One thing I have learned is that my dogs are part of my family and where I go, they go. If they can't go, I won't go!!