No

"No" use to be overused; both with children and dogs. In both cases we now often hear "oh I never use the word no." Well I use the word NO; sparingly but I surely use it. Being that this is a dog blog I'll only be talking about NO and dogs :) As humans we make mistakes; you know the old saying? "Hey, I'm only human." So No sometimes comes out when you don't want it to; don't kill yourself over it.

But when should you use the word no? How often, under what circumstances and what tone? I like to reserve the use of NO; save it for when you really need impact. But impact is different for every dog. What needs a NO for one probably doesn't even occur for another. So what is the worst thing your dog does?

For my girl Tilley it is chasing shadows; it is not a bad thing in the yard but take her out in public and it is a big no no when off leash. The shadow has her full attention and she could be seriously injured or killed by aimlessly following them. So, many years ago when I decided to get a handle on the shadow chasing NO came in handy.

For Jessie it is her trigger running; anything that moves is fair game so if she catapults off she is immediately stopped in her tracks with a very loud and serious NO. For Luke it is running to see other dogs; he is very social and will tear across a huge field just to say hello. Again not a really safe thing to do. For all of my dogs they rarely hear NO anymore. With consistant training and not letting any of them get away with their naughty behaviors they have learned what I will and will not allow.

No can be used for a serious food stealer; a fence jumper, people jumper, out of car jumper or whatever the worst of the worst is. It is that one behavior that really irks you. But what must accompany the almight NO is YES. You have let your dog know that this bothersome behavior is not desired; so what do they do instead of it?

To have a behavior stopped you must give your dog an alternative; which means there must be something to reward after the NO! For Tilley we redirected her chase drive which is off the charts to balls, frisbee's and anything else that is tossed. Her retrieve brought her reward, the next toss. Luke loves to be told he is a good boy; afterall he is a guy. He get's all googly when I tell him what a good boy he is for walking beside me when he wants to charge across a field.

And for Jessie she is simply rewarded for not going after it is that she wanted to go after. By not reacting to her trigger she get's food; and there is nothing better in Jessie's life than food. So for Jessie it is the lack of reacting that brings her a much better reward than the actual chase. Sometimes simple control is what you seek but if it is as simple as that; you must reward the control.

Dogs are much like children; repeat NO, NO, NO, NO, enough times and they don't hear it anymore. So pick your battles; you can't win them all.

Saturday mull

We just got back yesterday from Palm Springs. We stayed at the Agua Caliente and then had a drive around the town before heading back to the OC. At the time of our little tour I was doing the typical "sight seeing" and not until this morning did I realize I hadn't seen a single dog there; weird.

Anyway; once home I got the official attack welcome home routine. Mr. Praying Mantis comes at me as I turn to protect my eyes. When I've been gone for a day he knows it and my greeting is a full force one. As I turn to protect my eyes from his out stretched arms; he grabs my hair from the back. This is all caused by sheer excitement which he is just now learning to control at 8.5 years of age, believe it or not.

Tilley and Jessie were both at their extreme limits of excitement as well. Tilley was flashing a toothy smile and Jessie was charging around with a toy in her mouth. This big display only lasted a minute and then everyone was settled that we were home. But then the rest of the day I was shadowed by the three of them.

It's raining here this weekend; raining really hard. So there will be no run this morning. Thankfully I got them all out for some great exercise on Thursday before the rains hit. It's really dark and gloomy out; but definitely a welcome change in the weather. As most of you know I hate the heat; it is just not conducive to canine activities.

Right now everyone is very happy and curled up in bed with me. The girls have already enjoyed some dried cranberries and fresh blueberries which I shared from my cereal bowl. Luke wouldn't thank me for any fruit but had his Liver Biscotti; a treat that he has never to this day turned down. And that my canine friends is quite an amazing status that Liver Biscotti alone has accomplished.

Puppy deposits

I was surfing the net yesterday; looking at different breeder pages. I was mostly looking at standard poodle pages but you know how when you surf you can end up far from where you started? So I was ended up looking at lots of other breeds as well. As I surfed around I noticed the deposit amount for puppies. It varies alot between breeders and breeds.

So it got me thinking about the whole deposit thing. I've only once put a deposit on a dog and that was a along time ago. Jessie we bought when we went to look at Jack Russell puppies; we had not seen her before that day. And Luke; that is quite the story but I never put a deposit on him either.

Deposits are a good thing; it let's a breeder know that you are for real. And it makes the puppy purchaser think twice. Most people who give a deposit have thought long and hard before handing over deposit money. With Tilley there was a deposit and I had pick of litter. I also had pick of litter with my now gone brown boy Clyde. There was no deposit on Clyde; just a verbal agreement that did not hold up when the time came.

I had first seen Clyde when he was 5 weeks old. At the time I asked about putting a deposit on him, I wanted first pick. That was back when you got to see all the puppies and pick what one you wanted. I had a great relationship with the breeder (I thought) and it never crossed my mind about "what if?" On the day I was to pick out my puppy I called to confirm my visit time and the breeder told me that there was a family there in the morning that had chose the biggest boy. I was shocked and pissed off to say the least.

Nowadays a deposit means that it holds "a puppy" not a particular puppy. Unless of course you are shopping from an online dealer where you choose from a photo (more about that deal in a later post). Most reputible breeders do temperament testing and have a really sound knowledge of which puppy should go to which type of home. There may be a couple to choose from but the breeder usually helps in the decision.

So what if you put a deposit on a puppy and then change your mind? This is where I do not like alot of the deposit contracts. I don't think people should give up their hard earned money if for some reason they change their mind. There are a million reasons why someone might change their mind but whatever the reason I don't think a breeder should keep the deposits.

This is just MY OPINION so I don't want all you breeders who are reading this to attack me, k? If I was a breeder.................yes I would take deposits but if someone changed their mind I could not justify keeping their money. The breeder still has the puppy and the opportunity to sell that puppy. After all when you decide to breed this is something you risk; loss of money.

My deposit contract would state that if you decide not to purchase a puppy that your money will be returned to you in 60 days from the time I was contacted about the change of heart. This alone would make people think twice about having their money tied up so to speak. But I could not in good conscience keep someone's money when they get nothing in return.

Just something else to ponder........

Dog park hierarchy

I was at the dog park for a while yesterday; I love going to the dog park. I haven't been for quite a while; being that my guys are all oldies. No one needs socializing and the girls frankly don't enjoy it. Tilley simply pretends that it is just us at the park; she does not acknowledge other dogs. And Jessie; well her mission is to let every dog know that she is indeed the Queen of the world. This doesn't always go over so well.

Yesterday I was simply a spectator; and I surely did some spectating. I could watch the comings and goings for hours. When you first walk into the park there is typically a greeting committee. Sometimes it's just the social butterflies in the group and other times it is the swollen head of a macho man, shall we say the king? So depending on the circumference of his imaginary head he can be a mellow king or an obnoxious bully type.

Then there is the reigning "Bitch," often far worse than a male who thinks he's in charge. There's a reason they call them bitches. Yesterday it was the social butterfly who met us; a happy young standard poodle who was very friendly and just giving his Macho thing a try every so often. But all in all it was a great bunch in the park.

Hierarchy is quickly established. Posturing and return posturing let's everyone know where they fit in. It is very interesting to watch the the who's who process. The only time a problem occurs is when two dogs cannot settle on a hierarchy, that is when it is of the utmost important for their guardians to step in and settle matters. Afterall, you must be at the top of the hierarchy.

The only dog who was annoying everyone in the park was a young and very handsome labrador. He wasn't a bad guy; just the "in your face" type that not all dogs enjoy. Everytime I looked over to see who was growling and why, it was the lab jumping around another dog. He seemed to be enjoying hurling himself at the other dogs; his way of playing but the other dogs weren't enjoying his play.

The humans were all getting along nicely as well. The dog park is a funny place; it can be a very social gathering place, but if the wrong people get together it can be a stressful environment as well. I have been at the park when the wrong mix came together; both human and canine were not a match. As an innocent bystander; the stress level was way too high for a place that is suppose to relieve stress.

The biggest thing about the dog park is that it is suppose to be fun. When I was going to the dogpark on a regular basis and getting to know everyone and everydog there was a guy who brought his dog everyday. The dog obviously dreaded the event; he would slink into the park trying his best to be invisible. The man would sit on the bench with the dog tucked under his leg for the entire length of their stay. This dog never got better, never learned to enjoy his time at the park and would have been much better off going on a nice quiet walk with his guardian.

You really have to watch and listen to what your dog is telling you.

Tuesday shelter and rescue group ponderings

Good morning; I got a nice call yesterday while I was out running around. Several days before I had been surfing around on local shelter sites and spotted a cocker in one. I don't like when dogs sit in shelters so when I can I contact the appropriate rescue groups. The lady from the rescue was sending someone to get the dog and wanted to thank me for the call. We talked a bit and she said that this shelter was pretty good about calling them when they got a dog in. My experience was very different.

I use to volunteer at this particular shelter and no they did not call rescue groups. And when I went ahead and called I was scolded like a little kid who'd been bad at school. They were not appreciative of my call and were very annoyed that I had gone ahead and called on my own, it really through me actually. After that I was kinda of scape goat and whenever a rescue group called about a dog at the shelter; all eyes turned to me, yes Sherri the rebel. It wasn't long after when I left the facility for good.

As I have said many times before; there are all kinds of rescue groups, most are wonderful but not all. But I consider a rescue or foster home to be a far better place for a dog than a shelter. Shelters serve their purpose but it is a bad place for a dog to be. Being at a shelter can make good dogs into bad and bad dogs into monsters. That or a dog can completely shut down; so if we can pull them let's do it.

Most shelters are state or city run; rescues are mostly run by people who love dogs, big difference. There are some wonderful people who work at shelters; people who love dogs as well and do an amazing job. But, a shelter is still not the best place for a dog. I can't even imagine how my dogs would act if they ended up in a shelter. And perhaps someday there will no longer be a need for them.

But for now they are here for a reason and will be until Puppy Mills, pet stores and Internet sales of puppies stop. So for now I will continue to make the calls and get as many dogs out of jail that I can!!!!!!

Human behavior

Today's blog is about human behavior but with regards to dogs. Most people have an idea of what you do and do not do with other people's dogs. When a dog does not belong to you, you cannot take the liberty's you can with your own dog. Makes sense right? Most people know this but there is always one, or more who just simply don't seem to get it.

It takes but one act for me to be alerted and keeping a close eye on a human in my home. One attempted hug, an extended eye contact or a push will send me into my own "guard mode". I know what each of my dogs can tolerate and I know what they will not tolerate. More so I don't want my dogs upset by a stranger doing strange things to them.

When you go into someone's home; you are a stranger to their dog, perhaps a complete stranger. You should act appropriately. So what is appropriate? The best thing to do is to go in and ignore the dog/dogs in the house, this gives you a much better idea of how a dog is perceiving you.

If you come into my house and lavish attention on my dogs right away you are immediately lower your status. For many dogs this is fine; for my Luke it is a sign of weekness and he uses it. He is by no means aggressive but he likes to "one up" you if he can. He will allow someone to pet him and then the second they attempt to walk into the house he barks menacingly. What just happened at the door? You were petting him and now he won't give you the time of day? What occured was the person came in and worshipped him; lowering their status and raising his.

We had a full house again on Saturday night, UFC night at our house. So this typically means we have a house full of 18-25 year olds but mostly 18-19 as is the age of my son. All seats are taken and the floor is backup seating.

The dogs were out; there was not the usual wall to wall amount of people so there was room for them and their beds. The girls were pretty much in a coma from their run but Luke was in a very good mood and greeting everyone with his very open huffing mouth. One guy on the floor decided to get Luke to lay down by physically pushing him, not good. There was a little struggle, and I called to Luke. He came running as if to tell me what had just happened.

In moments the same guy attempted to put Luke into a headlock as he passed by him. Again a struggle and my husband yelled out to stop. Luke, my husband and myself then kept a very close eye on this one person. No one else had this problem of acting inapropriately. Luke was obviously shaken by the event; he is a very friendly guy and would never want to growl at someone.

Keeping your dogs from feeling like they would ever have to defend or protect themselves from humans is our job. So when my dogs are out with a large amount of people I am constantly watching. Because inevitably there is always at least one................in the group.

Superbowl Sunday

We had a nice weekend, today we took all three dogs down to Heisler Park, in Laguna Beach. We took the Toll road down to Laguna Canyon rd and down to the PCH. About 2 minutes before hitting the PCH (Pactific Coast Hwy) Luke starts his whining. He has known for sometime that we are going to the beach. He can smell it.

On the odd day when we are having west winds you can even smell the beach at my house. So it's not hard as we near the beach for him and the girls to know where we are headed. Once parked he whines louder and near screams once the back hatch is lifted. The coast was covered in a heavy fog marine layer this morning. It was completely clear until we got right down to the beach.

The dogs love the beach and I truly wish I could let them rip but apparently the leash laws are pretty strict and many have told me about their "tickets." Over 300.00 a dog; mighty hefty if you ask me. So we abide by the law and keep everyone tethered.

After the beach we hit Yogurtland only minutes from our house. It is our new Hotspot and the dogs are only too happy to share. We picked up and drove the short distance home where we all enjoyed our snack. The dogs love frozen yogurt and get it on a regular basis, sometimes it is a flavor but most of the time it is plain. They aren't huge on the plain but they eat it.

Today's flavor was Taro; a new flavor that I just discovered which is amazing. It sort of tastes like coconut and vanilla and is light purple in color. The dogs shared a very small portion with some berries. Luke is not a big berry eater so I usually hide them in his food.
But the girls like berries and Tilley has taken a real liking to dried cranberries lately.

Once everyone had the sand brushed out of their coats it was Superbowl time, three tired dogs and more snacks to prepare.

Children and pets

I have worked with alot of children and their dogs. Most of the time working with the kids on the sidelines with Mom and Dad being the main caregivers. But several times the parents have taken a step back and left me to work with their child and dog alone. Feeling that the child wanted the dog and the child will be caring for the dog; hey I may as well teach the child.

A couple of times it has not been a good idea. Once the child was too young; another time the child was a "no it all" and wouldn't listen to a word I said which left me no alternative but to discuss it with the parent. And one situation was a little out of the childs reach, the dog was overly dominant. I do believe that children should learn all about their pets; whether it be a dog, cat or hamster.

We don't just know how to deal with animals and as humans we make a whole lot of mistakes. So I was thinking that a "pet" class in school would be very worth while. Why not teach our children about animals and how to treat them. There could be classes on all sorts of pets, with general care and behavior on all. It would be a great chance to teach children about kindness and empathy towards animals.

Studies have shown that children who regularly interact with animals have a higher levels of self esteem, greater empathy, and better social skills. Many adults haven't a clue how to raise a dog; yet for some reason we all feel like "we can do it, it's just a dog." Imagine if we all learned the basics; how great for both humans and animals alike.

Looking forward to Saturday

What a crazy week; you know those weeks where you feel like your head might just explode? Well; my week was like that.

I had a beach shoot lastnight with an amazingly gorgeous dog; simply stunning images. There were quite a few dogs on the beach having fun. This was another new place for me and one that I will bring my own dogs back to.

When I got home I got my normal big greeting with a hint of "where were you?" My dogs are very use to me smelling like other dogs and take in stride. Tilley was missing from the pack when I got home so I put all my stuff down and started looking. Her color lends to a camouflage effect often so I really have to look. Not in the familyroom, not in my room, the kids rooms are empty................hmmmmm.

I was standing at the top of the stairs thinking where to look next when she appeared at the bottom of the stairs. She had clearly been sleeping in the livingroom on the couch. Her face and her ears told me so. She has taken to sleeping on the sofas even though she knows they are not suppose to sleep on the sofas. And I know when I came in that she had a mental battle with herself. Stay in her amazingly comfortable spot or get up and greet Mom? She chose the couch for a bit and then I won.

It was tough waking up this morning; even with a nice hot cup of coffee waiting right beside me. I can't wait for tomorrow. I'm an early riser and sleeping in for me usually only means 7am but that 1 1/2 -2 extra hours seems like heaven. I was once at a conference when the speaker said "imagine sleeping until you're done?" That phrase has stuck with me over the years; it's a good one. It is much easier to wake up when you are done sleeping rather than be awaken before you're done.

The dogs are all curled up on my bed and I am contemplating clipping Luke. Tilley had her grooming lastweek and I was suppose to do Luke today. But; I adore his blonde, luxurious coat. He was bathed and dried a couple days ago making him a huggable magnet. Everyone is constantly touching or hugging him. Even Jessie loves when his coat is like this and I will find her curled up beside him with her head resting on a giant pillow of loose blonde curls.

The girls had their apple in bed; its not a huge favorite but they like it alright. Luke on the other hand will have to move if I put a piece beside him; he doesn't do apple. But, once I get the Liver Biscotti out everyone's ears are up. It is the one thing that Luke has NEVER turned down, that's huge. I have to admit it's a great product.

I am pondering my day; perhaps the beach with the dogs this morning. Well, whatever...............I can't wait for tomorrow. Have a great weekend.

When a touch is a bad thing

You wanted a dog to be your companion and now you cannot even touch him. Does your dog growl at your touch? Many dogs are not okay with human touch; some came this way and some have learned how to keep you away. But no matter how your dog got here it is not a good place to be. You want to snuggle with, brush and cut their nails but each time you touch them they growl. How can you change this?

First; dogs are not humans and because of this they don't accept some human behaviors like we would. Take my girl Tilley; she is an amazing dog, she loves the entire family and loves to snuggle. She can be found daily with her head pressed on someones chest soaking in all the love she can. But if you try to hug her she pulls away; is this strange? No. Dogs don't hug; a hug in dog terms is a mount and very undesirable at that.

Even though Tilley loves to snuggle she is not comfortable with a direct hug. But she has never growled over it; she just is not comfortable receiving one. When a dog does growl; it is a clear signal of something. Whether they are not comfortable or they just don't want it a growl is a communication. Some dogs just growl and that is as far as they'll take it. Others will up the communication if their message doesn't work.

So how do you turn your untouchable into a touchable, loveable, snuggable? It must be done in very tiny baby steps, push too hard and your work will backfire. The method is simple; link a favorite thing with an undesirable action. Most dogs hate to have their nails cut; it's a normal dog thing and it starts with the feet. So let's start there because so many dogs have foot issues.

Get out the best treats you can, and if your dog doesn't like treats then get out whatever they do love. It may be peanut butter, a favorite type of chew or a toy. Sit beside your dog and bring out a treat, touch foot and give the treat. Only touch the foot for a second while treating. Over time make the touching last longer while giving many treats. What you are doing is creating a positive association to a negative situation; thus turning it around.

Once your dog is fine with you touching their feet you want to try to hold their foot, so lots of treats while this is going on. It also really helps to name body parts; especially when they have an issue with it. This gives them a heads up; on what you intend to be doing. My word for feet is......well.....Toadies; that's right. So when I'm going to cut nails or I need to see a foot I just ask them.

Once you can hold your dogs foot with ease you move to pulling on the nails; easily, lots of treats. Sort of massage the foot and give lots of treats. Then you want to introduce the trimmer; touch the foot with the trimmer and treat, treat, treat. Tap the trimmer on a nail and treat. You want to work up to cutting a nail, treat, next nail, treat. I'm not going to discuss the actual trimming as this is not what this blog is about. It is about touch and being cool with it and maybe even learning to love it.

Many dogs go through a stage of not wanting touch strictly because of their age and desire to do what they like; the teenage years. It is so important that you be able to touch your dogs whole body, clip their nails, scrape their teeth, brush them and anything else you'd like to do without being growled at or bitten. With a bit of work you can get there.

Be warned though it is extremely important to start at a place where your dog is not growling. A far distance or a simple one finger touch; you want to avoid the growl entirely. Each time your dog growls and you back off they learn that this is the way to keep you away. So you start before the growl.

Questions?

Dominance aggression within a pack

Dominance - high status in a social group, usually acquired as the result of aggression, that involves the tendency to take priority in access to limited resources, as food, mates, or space.

Aggression - any offensive action, attack, or procedure; an inroad or encroachment: an aggression upon one's rights.

So; putting the two together results in a direct challenge. It does not mean that there will be a bite but it definitely implies there may be if needed. Not all dominance is obtained via aggression. Dominance is a state of being; more so than an aggressive display. Unfortunately the term dominance has been tarnished by it's overuse in the world of dog behavior.

Being dominant is not a bad thing; it just is. What does matter is the particular dominant individuals state of mind and leader qualifications. My boy Luke is a dominant dog but he has no skills and everything is issued with an overly inflated ego and lack of true confidence. So in this house I keep him in his place and will not allow him to be a top ranking dog, he just doesn't deserve it. He would make a poor leader and I know that.

When aggression shows up within a pack; what happens next really depends on the rest of the pack and the human leader. Dogs communicate very clearly and we often miss signals that have been thrown very fast at one another. As a canine guardian it is your job to have your pack running smoothly and that can be alot of work. It definitely means you must know what is going on. Is everyone chill with their status?

Not all dogs are meant to be nor do they want to be the leader. Many dogs are just fine and dandy being a middle man or beta position in wolf terminology. When you are compiling a pack it is very important to pick the right type of dogs to live together. There have been many times when a guardian must place a member of the pack for their own safety. Many times when a verdict cannot easily be reached between fighting pack members; death is a very real possibility. Thus placing a dog is the best option for everyone involved.

Having an easy pack is very enjoyable. But it is not solely about the pack and very much about the human guardian. What you allow and do not allow in a pack makes a big difference. Are you a calm and understanding leader or do you send nerves running through the pack because of your inconsistencies?

In my pack Jessie is the dominant dog; and at nearing 13 and only 15lbs (okay a pudgy 17lbs right now) she needs my assistance to hold onto her status. Tilley is a wonderful Beta dog; she is perfectly fine with being in the middle. Luke pushes Jessie and Tilley occasionally but is quickly reminded that it is not happening. He is very respectful of me; which is extremely important.

Dominance in itself is not a bad thing. A dominant display may be okay in the rudimentary stages; maybe a hard stare or growl but that is as far as it should go. Anything further would be considered aggression and typically brought on from another member not listening. When everyone listens to the top dog; there is no need for further action. Even lower pack members will communicate dislikes with growls; depending on what those details are is when I step in or not.

But I feel very strongly that communication must be allowed with dogs. If you take away lazer stares or growls then they are left with no means of communication. Being punished for these mentioned behaviors can lead to a dog that goes right to the bite.

A happy pack is so much fun to live with; you just have to be on top of it. :)

Trusting your breeder

I have discussed where to get puppies often; and for me one of the best places is a good breeder. One who has a few dogs living in their home, who care for their puppies, do all the health and mental testing and demand alot from a prospective puppy guardian. Afterall these puppies are their babies; it should be tough to pry one away from them.

I have also spoken about choosing a puppy; and how puppy looks should have little or no impact on a decision. With many breeders; there is one choice of a puppy. It is this one puppy or no puppy. This is common practice with good breeders and one that I agree with. Sometimes there are several puppies you have to choose from which means that they are similar in temperament.

Placing puppies with the right home takes work. When I do temperament tests I get to see just how different puppies are. I do believe that where puppies end up can make a huge difference in the adult dog that they will grow into. But an important factor is to place each puppy in the best home for them and the new family. Breeders need to ask alot of questions; and the more honest answers the family gives them the better chance of having a well matched puppy.

Many people feel the need to choose their own puppy. Whether through long distance photos over the internet or in person they feel somehow that they should choose their own. Well, most people have no idea how to choose a puppy other than going with the one that comes to them or the one (as I've said before) with the spot over their eye.

Each puppy is vastly an individual and deals very differently when pulled from the litter. The one in the litter that may seem to be the big bully may indeed be the most fearful once pulled out and tested. The little tiny one who seems lost in the litter may be the agility prospect for the future. Good breeders know their puppies, they have spent hours upon hours watching and assessing. They have watched the slow evolution of each puppy and can best place them in a matching family.

I understand the desire to choose your own puppy; but if you have met a breeder you trust. And this is very important; you should have discussed much with your prospective breeder; and if you are not comfortable getting a puppy from them then move on. There are few great breeders out there; and there are many bad breeders. Finding a good one takes time, talking to referrals and other people who have puppies from this breeder.

Once you feel comfortable and put your trust in this particular breeder; put your trust in them to choose the correct dog for you. In the end it will be the the smartest thing you can do for your puppy and for your family.

Spiderman

It happened again lastnight. I was cleaning up after feeding the dogs before heading downstairs to watch On board Airforce One. I noticed immediately; I hadn't even gotten down the stairs as I noticed that Luke was staring at his couch bed. My husband and son were already enthralled in the show and hadn't seen that he was standing there in a trance. He was standing with his giant ears up staring straight down at somewhere behind his bed.

There is only one thing that causes this body posture and it is spiders. Had it been a lizard; there would have been wagging along with the staring. Being that we have alot of Black widows around here I always listen to Luke's spider detector and take action. We also had a possible spider bite incident over a year ago with Tilley's tail (go to previous posts at the bottom of this post to read more about her tail. Warning gross; read with caution) so no spider goes undetected in this house.

We never intentionally taught Luke to seek out spiders but being that both my husband and my son have arachnophobia; perhaps this is where it came from. But over the years Luke has been praised over and over again for finding spiders. I have always tried to teach him that once found he was to never bite the spider. He is pretty good most of the time and leaves the job to me.

He will stand staring at the evil enemy until someone does something about it. He stands frozen in his "I found a spider" position looking slowly from the spider to myself and back again. He expects us to take action; which I ultimately do. There have been times when I'm busy about the house and upon passing by the livingroom notice him standing there. Who knows how long he has been standing frozen in his spider posture but as soon as I get close he backs up with excitement waiting for the kill.

Once the spider is killed he has a sniff and is good to go. All is well in the Regalbuto household again. But I always wonder what a spider smells like. They must indeed have a quite distinct scent as he is able to find the tiniest of spiders anywhere. But when you think about it; many insects are vegetarians, spiders are predatory which may lend itself to having a greater and more pudgent scent.

But whatever they smell like; Luke knows the smell well. This is a natural ability of his which although we never taught him to do we have praised him for his amazing ability. Dogs truly are amazing.

Learning how to raise a dog

We don't come pre-educated in the art of raising a dog; just like we don't come preprgrammed to play the piano, sail a yacht or do brain surgery. Most things in our life take educating; some things need more education than others but even raising a puppy takes learning. For some reason raising a puppy seems to be one of those things that most people think they've got covered.

If I decided today to get into birds; I would have alot of learning to do. I have no knowledge of domestic birds. I have some knowledge of wild birds as I was an avid bird watcher back in Canada, I knew their migration dates and charted exact days they left and came back to the North. So what makes the canine species seem so simple to people?

Dogs are simple at first glance but the more you know about them the more you realize what you don't know. Raising dogs is like most things in life; not a science. What works for one probably will not work for another. Canine behavior is extremely complicated and in a matter of seconds a dog can have conveyed many communications. And for the untrained eye, you would have missed the signs.

To admit that you don't know and seek to find the answers can only create a better canine guardian. Trying to tackle behavior issues when you are not equipped with the knowledge is an uphill battle. One that you may not only not be able to accomplish but you may indeed create worse problems because of your lack of knowledge.

Learning about dogs is enlightening; if you plan on sharing your life with a dog or many dogs then seek to find the answers. Talk to people who know, do your research and consult behavior experts. Learning how to decipher what your dog is saying takes alot of work and learning. But it is well worth the time, you may actually know what your dog is saying and have the tools to deal with what they are communicating to you.

Happy Friday

It is Friday once again and here in sunny California it is raining. I'm pretty happy about that except that I have to take Jessie; my almost 13 year old jack russell to the vet. My vet is a good 30-40 min. away; more if the traffic is bad and rain means slick road conditions here. Because it doesn't rain often, when it does it's bad.

Yesterday,I was walking my poodles at a park that I frequent alot; the view is amazing. The path that runs around the park is 1/2 of a mile so it is a nice long walk. Every so often I let the dogs off for a rip and then back on. As I was unloading the dogs yesterday there was a woman behind my car with a litle toy poodle; she looked really old and out of shape.


Before I lifted the hatch to my xterra I asked her how old? 13 years old and she looked it. The first thing I noticed was that she was overweight; sad for an old girl to be old and overweight I thought to myself. Thinking of how Jessie looks at 13; you would never guess her age. But it takes alot of work to keep her that way. With her appetite she could easily be dragging that stomach of hers around on the ground with her.

So I opened up the hatch and Luke started his whining. He is such a baby; when he get's excited he whines and the sight of these dogs standing right behind his car was exciting him. I let Tilley out first, wait for Luke to be quiet for a split second and then let him out. The whining continues until we get going on our walk.

I like this walk, there are only a handful of people and dogs and the park is big enough to have lots of space inbetween. My mind starts going right away; as I look out over the city and onto the mountains in the distance I think about everything. My mind wanders and every once in a while I'm brought back to the moment as Luke yanks my arm off when he attempts to chase a rabbit.

A simple exchange can get me thinking about dogs and their people. I love talking to canine guardians about their dogs; hearing about how much their dog means to them. Most people love to talk about their dogs and I love to listen. Each story I hear is stored away in the dog story section of my brain for later use. Not all stories are monumentous but they are all worthy of listening to. Even the most simple of stories about dogs are heartfelt and uplifting.

This connection we humans have with our dogs is a special one. Every so often I think to myself "these are animals" closely related to wolves living in our homes sharing our lives. When Luke yawns only a fraction of an inch from my face giving me a great display of his teeth; it makes me think how lucky we are to have this domesticated animal consider us to be family.

And as I work at my computer I realize that my pack has fallen into place; they are all asleep surrounding me. That makes me smile.

Thursday morning - This and that

Good morning; I'm happy about the weather this morning. A high of 62, overcast and chance of rain :) Yes, finally a little bit of winter weather, winter for Southern California that is. Back home they are having real winter weather. We may not be knee deep in snow and dealing with freeze your face off cold but it is indeed winter here in SoCal.

Puppy season is just around the corner, back home May and June were the big puppy month. But for us we always tried to get our puppies in the winter. Winter is by far the easiest time to housetrain a puppy. Take away all the smells of spring, the warmth of a spring sun and you have housetraining in a snap. The cold, the snow and the wind help make your job easy. You take a puppy out in the cold and presto, you're back in the house in a flash. Living in Canada and having puppies in the winter is where my "hurry up" word came from. Standing out in a blizzard or ice storm, "hurry up" sounds like a reasonable request.

I don't like to take my poodles coats off completely in the winter here because although it may be in the 80s during the day; it get's much colder at night. We do our best to cover them up but of course they get up and move around at night and off go the covers. So at the moment Luke has a full coat and Tilley has a very beautiful gray plush velvet coat. Thanks to my new dryer and she was groomed yesterday. This weekend will be Luke's turn, not sure if he is going to like the dryer or not.

Jessie is going to the vet's tomorrow; she hasn't been in a long while. This will be her first trip to this new vet and she will have a complete blood panel done. We almost lost her 7 years ago do to a severe mystery illness; but we have been blessed to have her now years after her horrible ordeal. She's in good health, her hearing is going a bit and she sleeps much more sound but she's good.

If the rains hold off for a while today I'll take the poodles down to the beach. Jessie had a big walk yesterday at her favorite park; she was pretty tuckered by the end. After the beach I'll hit the gym, it feels really great to be lifting again, its been a while. Once home from the gym it will be a little ear plucking for Tilley, nails for all three and a bit more teeth scraping for Miss oldie (Jess)

It Came!!!!!!!!

It came; even though I just ordered it late Sunday afternoon it came yesterday afternoon. I was in the livingroom when I thought I heard a truck out front; the delivery guy is suppose to ring the bell at least, but nothing. I thought I'd check anyway and sure enough; there was a big Pet Edge box, yes.

First I took out my new brush, nail clippers which I seem to have to buy alot of. These things get dull quickly but when they are sharp; they work great. Then the package of free sample size shampoo and cream rinse; which I would use try immediately. And last but not least was this my new dryer.

I wanted to try it immediately but yesterday was crazy. I waited all afternoon for the washing machine guy; I've been without a washing machine for 2 weeks now, fun. So when he finally arrived I was thrilled; but it only took him minutes to tell me that it wasn't the machine, it was the drain. WHAT? I was so happy to be having my machine back and get the piles of laundry done. Okay; gotta get a plumber here ASAP.

I called my plumbers and amazingly they could come right away. Once we got all that fixed and I had my first load in the machine I just had to try my new dryer. Tilley has been needing a haircut for a couple of weeks so into the shower she went. The dryer is amazing; you can literally feel the water fly off of the coat. She now resembles a gray cottonball and is headed to the grooming table this morning.

The dryer is a bit loud but my guys are well use to being blown dry so not a big deal. They all sort of startled when I first turned it on but that was it. I've had standards for 25 years and now I have a great dryer, about time eh?

Grooming responsibilities

This is not about how to groom but more on if you are up for the job or not. Grooming must be something you consider when you choose a breed. Whether or not you want to groom at all or simply have a dog that requires little in the way of grooming. Before you add a hairy beast to your family you must consider the grooming requirements.

Having standard poodles myself; grooming is a requirement. Somedays there is no grooming to be done and other days alot. But I decided way back when I had my first dog which was an airedale that I was doing it myself. I went on to have standards and have always done the grooming. But the grooming requirements for a poodle are not the same for all; if you are like me you just shave the hair off and don't have to worry about it. When their coats are short and I let them airdry they require no brushing. The coat having dried into nice tight curls rarely matt and are easy to care for.

But if you want a fancy clip on your poodle then yes, there will be grooming to do. And not only regular grooming but regular brushing so that they don't become matted. If you decide you want an OES (old english sheepdog), a golden, collie, labradoodle, afghan, borzoi, spaniel or whatever they require all require grooming.

Breeds like the Doberman, Great dane, whippet, vizsla or weimaraner require next to no grooming but still shed. So brushing on a regular basis helps to minimize the amount of hair in your home. And then there are breeds that seem like they don't need grooming but they do. Breeds with thick or double coats like the GSD (german shepherd dog), labrador, Jack russell, beauceron and the rottweiller all have thick coats that shed a ton. And because of the amount of shedding it is important to brush at least 3 times a week to keep it to a minimum.

Many people would never consider grooming themselves, some breeds are a ton of work. But if you opt to have someone do it for you; it's going to cost you. I had a look around on the web and a large breed will cost you approx 65.00 and up. You have to consider how many times a year that your dog will visit the groomer. The less often you bring your dog in; the more it costs which only stands to reason because it is more work for the groomer.

Grooming dogs is alot of work; I know. It is not something I would want to do as a profession and applaud those who do. And like any business there are good and there are bad. When choosing a groomer it is best to get recommendations.

But whether or not you decide to do it yourself or hire sommeone to do it; grooming is something you need to consider before choosing your dog. Otherwise you can just end up with a big mess and big headache.

Obama dog

Okay this is the one and only time I will discuss this. Typically I don't care about these things but when it has to do with "image" that's when I get my back up. I honestly do not care what type of dog the Obama's acquire, only that they either get a rescue or go to a "good breeder" and my list of what makes a good breeder is a long and stringent one.

Anyhoo, the idea that they would not want a poodle because..........well it's a poodle irks me to no end. Although I have to say that I am happy that the poodle got scratched from the list because becoming popular in the dog world does no favors to the breed. Once a breed becomes popular; all the money sucking heartless humans come out of the woodwork to grab their piece of the pie.

So who are the Obama's consulting with I wonder? Who told them that the Labradoodle is non shedding? Because whoever did is lying. I have had several clients who found this out the hard way. Nothing is sadder than falling in love with a puppy only to find out that they make you sick. And yes some of the labradoodle breeders promote this breed as "hypoallergenic" but there are a few who don't.

I have only met a couple of really good labradoodle breeders over the years. I don't have a problem with mix breeding as long as the breeders are doing all the health and temperament testing and pass my stringent rules for being a good breeder. It is the ones who do it for the money that is the problem and they are the problem for whatever breed you are speaking of.

And what many labradoodle breeders are doing now which leaves me standing wondering about we humans; is breeding a labradoodle back to poodles again. This giving you a 3/4 poodle................hmmmmmmmmmmmm. I understand the genetic issue of this but unless you have a wonderful lab specimen with a clear pedigree then why ruin a good thing? I've met people that have even closer relatives; a 7/8th poodle labradoodle. I bet they cost a fortune too but hey now they can say they have a labradoodle and don't have to admit they have a poodle, honestly.

Now as far as the PWDs; I like the breed myself. I have worked with many and researched them extensively as compared to the poodle. But they are not poodles and having talked with many breeders and people who owned them, they are working dogs. Probably too much dog for the Obama family. But if they go to a "good breeder" they can perhaps get one of the more calm pups or dogs.

I do have to say that it is too bad for them that "image" plays a part in the choosing because as many of us know, poodles are more than what they look like. Infact I am stopped regularly and asked if my dogs are labradoodles. They are often clipped like a labradoodle so being that labradoodle are the "in" dogs now people think that's what they are.

I don't know how many times MEN have said to me "I didn't know I liked poodles" once they find out my dogs are indeed standard poodles. Funny how exterior images plays such a huge part in our day to day, eh?

Aging gracefully

It is sad; I knew it was coming but you just sort of put it at the back of your mind. My husband and I have talked about this moment for a longtime but it still sort of snuck up on us. Tilley has been left at home today; Luke's gone on a run. She has been aging gracefully and very slowly until now. Not that she is old and haggard but the canyon runs are taking alot more out of her.

She is not recouping as fast as she use to and yesterday she was clearly exhausted. Believe me she knows; here she sits on the bed with me listening to the sounds of Luke being hooked up for his run. I know she is devastated; Dad is her one and only, she's always been Daddy's girl.

Tilley is and always has been the epitome of structural perfection. Her movement is easy, her hips and shoulders are amazing and her agility unbelievable. She exudes utility; and she has drive that is off the charts. Tilley has competed in frisbee where she displayed air displays typically reserved for the border collies. She appeared on PetStar twice, been my demo dog, done dock diving and helped many canine fearful people overcome their fears.

Aging has been a very slow process for her but it has arrived. She still has a spring in her step but only half the time. And I have noticed of late that she sounds different when she walks. Just lastnight when my son came home she went to run up the stairs to greet him and fell; so sad.

Tilley can and still loves to go on long walks but the power runs are out now. Lastnight before bed when we take the dogs out for a last trip she moved very slowly from one bed and then plopped down on another. It took us quite a while to convince her to move off the second bed and go outside. The run had clearly been too much for her.

So here she is with Jessie, both laying on the bed with their heads down and ears up. They know where Luke has gone with Dad. Although this is a very sad time for both the girls it is a part of life. And worst still it is us who have make the decision to keep them at home. Given the chance they'd run until they dropped. As guardians and caregivers it is our job to do what is best for them at all stages.

Making them happy now comes in different forms; power runs are out.