Friday once again

Good Friday morning; the weather is much cooler than it has been in a long while although they are talking about it heating up again, but I'm not listening. I'm a northerner and it's in my blood; back home they are calling for snow showers this weekend, yep. And being that I spent my first 36 years there it is still how my brain functions. Canada celebrates their Thanksgiving this weekend so if you have any Canadian friends wish them a happy Turkey Day.

Yesterday was bath day around here again; contemplating my showering strategies I opted for a quick grab and into the shower with Luke first. I did Luke first to save him the hours of worry he goes through if someone else goes first. As soon as one is in the shower the others know; and Luke spends the moments before his turn fretting running here and there trying to hide. So I used the surprise attack and when he was downstairs and close to the bathroom I just quickly ushered him in. Even still by the time he hit the shower he was quaking in his boots.

Just recently I shaved the poodles so they are nice and short; this makes for a very short bath time, which works well for my back. Someday I'm planning on getting a nice raised stainless tub; ah I can dream. But in the meantime it is in the shower downstairs; which is small but very convenient to the outdoors. Once clean the dogs are quickly sent 5 feet to outside where they get rid of all the excess water. It was nice and warm in the morning yesterday so after they receive their thorough towel dry they air dry in the sun.

It is cute looking out to see all the dog bodies laying soaking up the sun. They were all dry very quickly and the poodles have their adorable tight curl hair; a look I love and will loose if a brush touches them. So needless to say I don't brush unless I have to and when their coat air dries it doesn't mat either which is very nice. No; I do not have high maintenance poodles.

Well; I have a small poodle gathering this morning to get ready for, have a great weekend.

Watch it bud

Wondering why her dog will not heel properly we head out to the cul de sac to check it out. A beautiful yellow labrador Daisy (name change) had picked up heeling amazingly and was one of those dogs who was stuck to your side as she pranced along giving constant eye contact. This is a trainers dream. But; on this session I had been told that she is pulling away while heeling, what's up? I ask Daisy's guardian to heel in a big circle as I watch; within a second I can see it. Daisy is being hit in the face by her new leash clasp. The leash is heavy and with every step it sways back and forth smacking her square in the jaw; problem solved.

Getting in her calastetics for the day; I watch as a woman rounds the park at full speed. Her dog; a beautiful large mixed breed is trying to keep up but with every step he is on the receiving end of her power strides. With each step her arms are thrown back and forth hitting the dog square in the face. "Does she not feel this?" He remains enthusiastic but with each whap he seems to deflate. As we pass for the second time I shake my head in amazement; how hard could it be to stop walking like this?

This is a fairly common scenario; "I'm walking and the dog better just keep up" mentality. Having started training at a very young age I've been watching canine reactions to behavior modifications for a longtime. And if you watch very closely you can see exactly what is going on. Now these two tales above were so obvious a 5 year old could have solved them but often it is something so tiny you need a professional. Sitting back and analyzing situations like this is what I do so when I see it out in the general public I find it hard not to say something.

Just yesterday I saw a lady with a very young boxer walking down the street. She too was swinging her arms and pacing out with purpose. The young boxer was ducking every swing of her arm. Not only did she have a way too huge martingale collar on the dog that was hitting him in the face but to top that off she had poop bags tied to the leash at the same place. So he was receiving a clasp and poop bag whap with every step. The guardian was going; she was not waiting around for any young'n nor was she watching how he was doing.

There are a lot of things to watch as you interact with your dog. The more intune you are with your dog the easier it will be to see the tiny behaviors that make a difference. Watch it.





leash clasp, poop bag carrier hitting your dog in the face.

Three in the bed


Dogs in your bed? Yep, mine are usually every morning. Both girls can no longer get up into our bed themselves and the ottoman that I bought specifically for that purpose has since been removed. I figured if they can't get up onto the bed on their own they shouldn't be jumping off. But the morning is different; typically we enjoy our coffee and breakfast in bed before my hubby is off to work. So I hoist both Jessie and Tilley up to join us. When it is time to get up they are hoisted back down so as not to break anything.

Having dogs in bed with you is a very controversial subject; I have often asked clients where their dog sleeps when I receive a very sheepish "in our bed." Afraid to fess up some hedge before I pry it out of them. For me; sleeping on the bed is perfectly fine if it is on your terms. There will be NO growling permitted on the bed; "no growling?" Oh I allow it once; just like all growls it is a heads up of how your dog is feeling. And if you receive a growl in bed your dog is feeling like he owns the place. So; the resulting modification will be "out you go."

We own our bed; we bought it, we picked out the sheets and comforter so that means it is ours. If we let our dogs sleep on it with us; it is a privilege and you should consider it to be so. Obviously the bed is the primo sleeping position; that is where the leader sleeps, me. Our dogs join us in the morning; they share our breakfast but they are very mannerly about it, anything other than good behavior will be grounds for dismissal. Even our food fiend Jessie; who is literally vibrating from head to toe in food anticipation is patient, she doesn't have a choice.

I don't know how many times I've asked clients if they can push or get their dog off the bed easily and they tell me "OH no; he doesn't like to be moved when he's on the bed." Hmmmm; what's wrong with this picture? Like I said; the bed is yours; not your dogs and as much as I love a good snuggle in bed with my guys allowing growling in bed is a clear sign that things are not as they should be. If you have a dog that is climbing the status ladder then a nice comfy bed on the floor is in order. And if you must have them in your bed at some point it is only once you have said so. To put up and even fuel growling in bed is the beginning of your demise.

On a cold night a dog in the bed is a great way to pre-warm your spot so that you don't have to crawl into a cold bed.

Tues musings


Yesterday morning I took my super charged little Jack Russell to the park. She can barely contain herself as I open the back hatch to let her out. The first 5 min. is spent taking the brunt of her charges as she comes to the end of her extension leash. This is when an extension leash is called for; unless you are walking alone at the park or an open space I do not recommend them. Don't even get me started on the many reason why I don't like them. So after about 5 min. she starts to slow it down but then her sniffer is on overdrive; that is what Jessie does on her walks, sniffs.

Jessie goes from a fired up terrier to a lagging old lady pretty quickly. Once back home it is meal time and nap time for the rest of the day. Then in the afternoon I took the poodles to the beach; this was a wonderful beach trip; the weather could not have been more perfect for a walk. Although the weather has cooled off I'd like it to be just about 10 degrees colder; so I'd really need to put on a hoodie. Tilley enjoyed her walk immensely as did Luke; but he always likes anything we do. He is such a happy guy and loves going anywhere and doing whatever.

At one point we had to walk over a wooden walkway; this is one thing I have come to know about Tilley, she doesn't like it. There have only been a couple of occasions for us to walk over a bridge or plank type deal and she pretty much freezes. It's funny because Tilley is my rock solid dog; she never startles, she isn't nervous like Luke but she does not like walking over bridges. Even when they are solid and unless you looked you wouldn't realize you were walking on a bridge; she still doesn't like it. Yesterday she completely froze; having Luke with me as well it was going to be difficult to carry her the whole way. I definitely would if I wasn't able to get her moving.

I'm not exactly sure what her fear is; but as she looks over the edge it has to do with that. We walk over lots of weird things but the bridge deal gets her. Maybe she is afraid of heights? Actually now that I think about it; it might be just that. She does not like to go out on the balcony at all. Even when Luke and Jessie are laying out there she is very hesitant to join them. I'm going to have to look into this further. Anyhow this shutdown behavior lets me know that I need to carry some really good treats with me if I think there might be the chance of a bridge anywhere. I think treats would help her to get over it.

Anthropomorphism and leadership

Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human characteristics to non-human creatures and beings, phenomena, material states and objects or abstract concepts. Okay; we are all guilty of anthropomorphizing to a degree, although some people take it to scary degrees. Last night I turned the channel to a show where human couples had adopted monkey's as their kids. No the animals were not purchased as pets; they were clearly tiny human substitutes. I watched in amazement as one woman was applying makeup to her little hairy daughter; odd to say the least. As far as dogs are concerned we all put human emotions on them at some time or another as well.

I am not into dressing dogs as humans; but I do believe in dressing for warmth. It was we humans who made the smooth coated and hairless dogs so we better keep them warm. My poodles are at this moment covered in blankets; they got a new haircut about a week ago and it was cold last night. It can be difficult not to place human emotion on our dogs but it simply is not how they work. Dog emotions are a far cry from our emotional roller coaster; they tell it like it is. Dogs don't lie; they don't play games, they don't do revenge or spite and they don't spend quality time on stupid drama. When humans think that dogs are doing some of these listed behaviors it is our mistake, not the dogs.

Dogs are very clear and when a dog is feeling; their emotions are shown in exterior body language. It is sad to see dogs clearly communicating to their guardian who in turn are oblivious to what is going on with their dog. I hate to see dogs being hauled around like a little ornaments; with no regard to the true dog wanting to be a dog. When I hear comments like "oh no she doesn't like to get dirty," or "she loves this sweater" I cringe. The list of of human emotions that some people put on their dog can lead to all sorts of issues between canine and guardian. For one; many people think that rules and regulations are mean. I see dogs who don't listen to their guardian all the time; this is probably one of my biggest irks. Dogs have to listen; yes dogs have their own mind and their own agenda but if I speak they must listen. If you have not taught your dog to listen to you; then you have failed.

Not listening and doing what they are told are entirely different; albeit the same. Not listening is simply a lack of respect and not doing as you as is very "I'll do what I want." It amazes me when people call their dog and they don't even get an acknowledgement; and they are okay with this. "Oh; she is busy right now; she didn't want to go for a walk today," or "she has to be in the mood." No; it's not cute and it could be dangerous. When you add a dog to your family you should learn about dogs; really about dogs. We are the leader; bottom line. If your dog is the leader and believe me there are a lot of leader dogs out there ruling their guardians lives. If you are not a good leader then you have failed your dog.

The term leader is getting a bad wrap these days. With regards to dogs in our home; they need a leader and that must be the human. Being a leader has nothing to do with strength, physical assertion or anger. Leadership is the act or an instance of leading; and when paired with the canine species it is our job to show them how to properly live in our very human world. But to try to mold them into little humans or misconstrue their behavior as human is unjust to them as a species. Dogs display a lot of behaviors that may be unwanted by us; and that is because they are dogs.

It is difficult to not put human emotion onto our dogs; hey I'm guilty. But to try to mold them into little humans or expect them to act like a good little human; well that is where it all goes wrong. Dogs growl, dig, mark, jump, bite, lick and steal. All of which are very unacceptable behaviors for a human; but they aren't are they?


On step at a time

I know it's scary; heck I was apprehensive when I started but if you want to attempt it you have to just do it. What you ask? Feeding your dog "real food." It is not "people food" as many will have you believe; what I feed my dogs is simply "real food." I've been feeding real food on and off for years; slowly dropping dog food completely. I now have a nice balance; great variety and a dog food that I keep on hand for those days when I need it. I started out mixing huge amounts of ground beef, rice and veggies adding it to my dog food. I did a vast amount of research which I still continue to do as I try and test many different foods on the dogs.

Over the years I have learned who likes what; what bothers who's stomach and what everyone eats and handles nicely. It has been an evolution and is still in the making. I am dedicated to finding out as much as I can with regards to canine nutrition. There is a whole lot of information out there; and there are huge contradictory sites that will leave your head spinning. The best and most important thing to do is research; go with what your gut tells you.

If possible find a vet that believes in feeding real food. It is not an easy task but they are out there; I have a great one. There are so many ailments that can be cured by simply nutritional supplements and plain old good food. I have two dogs who are walking proof that "real food" is the way to go. Luke who is epileptic rarely seizes now; if he does it usually means we have been exposed to some sort of chemical like fertilizer.

My Jack Russell who is now 13.5 and doing amazing had massive hair loss after she almost lost her life to some weird autoimmune disorder. For years she lost more and more hair which our old vet chalked up to her prednisone use. After being on real food for about 6 months not only was her hair much thicker; all of her bald spots had completely grown in. Now that is proof that I stand behind.

I know that taking the leap to real from processed is a biggy but the toughest step is the first one. If you take that first step the rest are easy and you'll never look back.

Temperament

A dog's temperament is the combination of mental, physical, and emotional traits or natural disposition. This is who your dog is; and your dog's core temperament comes down the genetic lines from her ancestors. When you go and see a puppy; you want to make good and sure that Mom and Dad have nice temperaments. That is not to say that somewhere down the line; perhaps a great Grandpa had a strange temperament, that can rear it's head at some point. But at least if you know Mom and Dad have a good temperament there is a good chance that your puppy will as well.

Temperament is #1 on the important list for me; but not for everyone. Many breeders love a certain look or physical attribute and will overlook a not so fabulous temperament to get it. A structurally sound dog is very important but a dog will short legs, a low tail set, crooked teeth or any other small fault can be overlooked by the average guardian. Temperament on the other hand can make or break a dog; it can be the difference between a great dog and a very difficult dog. I don't know how many "poor temperament" dogs I've met that had parents with the identical temperaments. Asking new guardians about the puppy choosing process; the parents etc and they say they couldn't meet Mom or Dad, hmmmmmmmmmm.

Too many dogs are bred who do not possess stellar temperaments. Many dogs that are spill overs from performance lines end up in the average Joe household; and most average Joe's can't deal with a drive level that is off the charts. Many people purchase a puppy from hunting lines; staying away from show lines. Their thinking is that they don't want a poofy show dog; they want a real dog. Well; real is what they get, real drive and an energy level to match that of the energizer bunny combined with an Olympic athlete. These dogs often become bored and highly destructive; had the guardian only known what they were in for.

Some of the greatest temperaments I've seen were in mixed breed dogs. A good temperament is a good temperament and something I love to see in any dog. One of the best I've ever seen was in a huge st. Bernard mix. He had lived on the street for the first part of his life; he was amazing. There is truly nothing like a sound temperament; a dog with a rock solid temperament should be put on a pedestal and bred.

Temperament is core; but a temperament can be altered somewhat. A dog can be taught to be better or worse by environment. I do not believe that a dog who is predisposed to a bad temperament is doomed. Dog behavior can be modified; you may not be able to change the core temperament of a dog but you can alter their reaction to the world around them. Fearful dogs can learn to fear less; dominant aggressive dogs can be changed by an experienced guardian.

Some dogs may seem as though they don't have great temperaments due to the lack of socialization. Given this hand in life a dog may never be all the dog that they could have been if placed into a different environment. So good dogs can go bad and bad dogs can go good if placed in the proper living situation. This is why I believe strongly in temperament testing; it is not the final word at all but it helps to place a puppy in the environment that they will most thrive.

Unless you and others can say AMAZING about your dog's temperament; then please alter them.


More than a touch

Again my morning outing has offered me up a subject to blog about. On the way out of my neighborhood I came across a couple and their American bulldog. The dog was young; the couple obviously a little in over their heads. This was a big boy; buff and strong, although still young. They had stopped at the cross walk and wanted their dog to sit; a couple of yanks on the choke collar did not produce the desired result so the woman commenced slapping his rear. He still did not sit and I was on my way to the park; so after rounding the corner I did wonder how long he would tolerate being hit.

Once I got to the park with Jessie and Tilley we made our way around; nice and slow. As we came around the corner we met a woman who was obviously a big "Ceasar" fan because she was yanking, "chcch"ing and kicking her dog from the rear. This resulted in agitating the dog; who was already aroused by the sight of my girls. He didn't looked to be aggressive just overly aroused and becoming worse. She continued to yank and kick until we passed; it did nothing but make matters worse.

Hitting is just never good. Violence fuels aggression; both in humans and in dogs. Often harsh touch can trigger an aggressive response that may not have resulted otherwise. Using positive methods requires thinking and planning but the end result is much more desirable.

Don't hit.

Educating

I have taught new behaviors to dogs as young as 6 weeks old. I wish I had a litter of my own so that I could see just how young you can start educating. I'm thinking as soon as puppies are up on their feet and moving around is when they can learn to perform specific behaviors. There is no need to wait on training; if you have a puppy now, get started. The longer you wait the harder it gets although I do not believe that there is ever a "too old or too late" time. Dogs like us get more set in their ways as they age but they can definitely learn new behaviors.

The most important factors when training any dog is to be clear and consistent. Dogs don't do gray very well; it should be black and white. Also if you are not consistent it is going to be much harder to teach new behaviors. Even once a behavior is taught; you need to keep up with consistency. My dogs are very well trained for front door boundaries; but if SOMEONE should allow them to come out on their own or with a word other than their release word then there is fallout behaviors that need a refresher course. Let a bad behavior slide once and you'll get it again.

Educating dogs is all about letting them know what is and is not acceptable. They must learn to respect and listen to you; I see dogs all the time who are wonderful and friendly but do not listen to their guardian. Luke likes to try on the ignore behavior; but he knows it doesn't fly with Mom so he only gives it a go a couple times a year with me. I've seen dogs who literally give no reaction to their guardian; they wander around like no one is talking to them. These are dogs are given too much freedom; to do as they please even if they are pleased to not listen.

It is extremely important to follow through on verbal cues. If you ask your dog to do something you should not just shrug your shoulders and walk away if they don't want to do it. This educates your dog to the fact that they don't have to listen to anything you say. I use please and thank you a lot; but that does not mean there is an option to "not" do what I ask. Training is all about teaching your dog to want to do behaviors, it has to be fun. You can't make a dog do something they don't want to do without physically forcing them and that has nothing to do with educating; only force.

I am always asked about length of time for training and how often? Training should be a never ending process; if you work it into your daily routine then it becomes a way of life. This is much better than having a training session when your dog obeys you and then the rest of the time they do what they please. Of course if you are training for something specific and not just manners then you need sessions for that. If you plan on competing in some canine performance then there will be a lot of extra training just like we would have to do for a competitive sport. But as far as generic manner training; just implement it into your every day. Dogs can do a lot more than we ask of them.




The last puppy left


What would you think if you visited a breeder and they had one puppy left for you to take or not. Chances are you would wonder "what's wrong with this one?" Most people would; it is in our nature to dwell on what we missed out on. "Why did no one want this puppy?" The first thing you have to find out is how a breeder places puppies; do they let every family come in and choose their very own puppy from the whole litter? Does the breeder assess their own puppies and give their prospective puppy guardians a choice of a couple that would best suit their home? Or do they choose and place each puppy specifically to the correct guardian?

"Pick of litter;" is a misleading term for the general public. When I was very involved in conformation showing and handling this was the big thing; "I got pick of litter." What it meant back then and in that context was that this specific dog was deemed to be the best conformational specimen representing the breed standard. And still today if you are getting a puppy from someone who is showing in conformation then there is normally at least one or two chosen from a litter for that and they are chosen first from the litter. But what about if you just want a pet? Normally the rest are up for grabs as pets unless some of the guardians have specific requirements in mind.


Some people may want a dog who will be a future agility star; they are going to need a puppy who is active, listens well and is extremely structurally sound. Another person may really want to have a therapy dog; then their choice must be in the puppy who is calm and most interested in being with people. And then there are the less stringent requirements like a family with 5 boys; a family who has 4 dogs already or a family who has never had a dog before. A good breeder can choose the right puppy for these families as well. And then there may be one puppy left; why has this puppy not been placed yet?


The last puppy left means that this specific puppy's family has not come yet. This puppy may need a special family; maybe with all the other families the breeder felt that this puppy needed someone different; special. Or maybe when families visited the litter this puppy was the most quiet; not an in your face kind of guy. Often the quiet ones are the ones who are left; people overlook them because they tend to sit at the back and watch. So don't let the "last puppy" scenario freak you out; this could be the pick of the litter and has been waiting for you all along.

Ummmm hello?

Okay; I am just back from the parks. First I took the girls out for their ever so slow walk; then Luke and I went on our speed walk. Sometimes life gives me blog topics on a daily basis; nice. So today's topic is where to train aggressive dogs. When I was at the park with the old ladies this morning I heard some yellling; nosey that I am I watched to see what was up. There was a woman maybe in her late 50s sitting watching a dog leap up and nip a jogger. As I continued to watch my immediate concern was Jessie; if that dog comes my way it is not going to be good.

Then the lady sitting on the bench called to the leaping dog; it was her dog? Then some people who were playing out in the field yelled at the lady on the bench and she yelled back that she was training her dog. Hmmmmmmmmm. He then responded by "take your dog somewhere else." And I had to agree with the guy in the field. Okay; so you have a dog that chases and nips at strangers and you bring it to the park to practice? No, you do not.

Throughout my training career I have regularly been contacted with aggression cases; all sorts of aggression. And my typical response to the guardian is a referral. If your dog has issues with strangers; you most definitely need to work on that issue. But; you cannot use the general public as your guinea pigs, you just can't. You need volunteer guinea pigs for the job. That is why I always referred issues like this to trainers who had a large facility with lots of employee guinea pigs. They know that they are used for and are fine with it; plus they get paid.

You all know I am all about "off-leash" but if you have a dog that is, let's say nippy, aggressive, obnoxious or annoying then keep that leash on. Do your training and behavior modification in a facility where there are people who raise their hand to be your guinea pig. In the long run it will save you a crap load of money because the risk of being sued is pretty huge.

The myths of dog kibble


We have all heard that kibble is good for your dog's teeth. I grew up believing this; even my vet from years ago told me not to feed canned or real food because it was bad for my dogs teeth. So what is the myth (any invented story, idea, or concept:) then? The fact is that dog food is very bad for your dogs teeth; don't believe me? I want you to see for yourself; after your dog eats this morning or this evening lift their lip at the back of their mouth and have a good look at their molars. Now unless your dog does not chew like my little Jessie who literally inhales her food you will find mushed up kibble sitting on their back teeth. There it will sit until eventually dissolving away which can take a very long while.

It happens to us as well but we can use our tongue to get it off our teeth and of course we brush. I don't know how many times people have brought up the "hard food is better for their teeth" issue. I am not saying that all dog food is bad; you all know that I occasionally feed it to my dogs but what I have noticed is that the better foods don't collect quite as badly. I'm not sure why this is; it could be the process in which the food is prepared or the ingredients in the food. So what are you to do about this lump of mushy destruction in your dogs mouth? My girl Tilley came up with her own solution; she uses her nylabone. When my three use to eat dog food more frequently she would always go and get a bone after a meal; I never put the two together until I watched her closely one night. She chews the bone with her back teeth; pulls it out of her mouth and cleans off the food and then she proceeds again with chewing. She uses the bone as a tool to get the food off of her teeth; pretty cool eh?

But for the other not so highly evolved dogs; what are they to do? You have to help them somehow; either washing it off their teeth for them, making sure you brush regularly or giving them raw bones regularly to clean those back teeth. In the wild wolves and coyotes don't have a pet food store where they can purchase their dinner, they must hunt and eat raw meat. And I'm pretty sure that they don't make regular trips to the dentist out there in the woods either. Undoubtedly they have occasional tooth issues like anyone can but they live out their natural lives without having someone clean their teeth for them. They eat raw food; including bones which are dandy tools for cleaning teeth.

If you are not interested in feeding raw food to your dog then you must clean the mushy mass of destruction that dog food leaves in its path.

Zoned out vs. zoned in


Dogs do it; people do it, get into a zoned out mode. For the past few days Luke has been zoned out; the lizards are taunting him. He is obsessive and is continually running in and out the dog door throughout the day. He would like to stay out and hunt the baby lizards that are all over my yard but it's hot, really too hot to stay out. So he is out, get's hot and comes in to cool off. Tilley use to get into a Frisbee zoned out state; even though she is a meek mild mannered girl show her a Frisbee and she transforms both state and mind.

To me being zoned out is a state of mind that is difficult to interrupt; needing a good slap in the face to bring you around. You know the movies you see when a someone who is hysterical and it is the slap in the face that brings them around? You don't want your dog in this state of mind; it is a dangerous state because there is a lack of ability to communicate with your dog when they are zoned out. If your dog has a trigger to becoming "zoned out;" you must be very diligent in your watching. You must watch for the first sign and stop it there. Once a dog is in full zoned out mode it can be nearly impossible to stop the behavior.

So how does "zoned out" and "in the zone" differ? To be in the zone is a good thing; you are focused on a goal and are heading that way. You can be in the zone with your dog; when you are a communication team, two working as one . This can be achieved through bonding, trust, leadership and reward. But you must be in sync with every nuance of your dogs behavior, ears, body, tail and vocal sounds. The other night I was eating dinner when I heard a high pitched yelp from the backyard. Luke had been zoned out on lizards throughout the day and was obsessing over one that had crawled under the umbrella stand. The yelp let me know he had gone too far and was becoming frantic; I calmly went out and escorted him in, closed the dog door and continued my dinner.

People who become entranced at a casino; mindlessly pulling the handle on the money machines, these people are zoned out. Someone who is out jogging may be in the zone; become obsessive and you are zoned out. I actually have several zoned out people at my gym; and like in dogs it is not a good thing. Some breeds tend to zone out more than others; border collies are one. Obsessively retrieving or herding can be a huge problem; keep it under control and you have a dog in the zone. Let it get away from you and your dog enters the zoned out zone.

A happy heart


Most people don't start out having an intense love for dogs; it is something that grows. It can come on quickly or take years in the making. I know people who would never give a dog the time of day; others who's world revolves around the canine species, like me. Even having a dog live with you in your house is not a surefire relationship builder, it still may or may not happen. I think the very first sign that a true bond is occurring is time spent with "the dog." Sadly for many dogs this never happens and they spend their lives as simply that; the dog.

Many dogs spend their days hanging out; they aren't mistreated but their guardian has just never connected with them the way that some do. To know a dog on a very personal level is very different than any other relationship you will ever have. Some of the most intense human/canine relationships are the creation between a "never had a dog before" type person and a new dog. You know the ones who don't get what all the fuss about dogs is about. All your time and hard earned money spent on a dog? It is often these types who are hit the hardest when it happens.

I love to talk to my dogs and they in return are great listeners. As a reactive dog Luke is my most visual listener; with those giant ears of his he stands listening to every word. Although he is a fabulous listener and understands a huge list of words he does not understand all that I am saying. The important part is that he wants to hear what I have to say and I have the same interest in him. My listening to the dogs comes in the form of watching more than listening; their every motion tells me what they are thinking. Although some of the most intense times spent with each other are the quiet times; when my dogs are completely relaxed and laying by my side. The trust that has been forged over years of interactions adds to an amazing bond.

I have often been telling stories of how my dogs communicate to me; when a person will say "how did you know what they were saying?" "How did you know what they wanted?" It is all in the intense bond that we have; and understanding of each other. The slightest variation in behavior let's me know that something is up and may need my attention. Unless dogs are in a deep sleep they are typically communicating in some form. Watch and see.

There is nothing like the trust of an animal; this alone can fill your heart with happiness. As they wriggle their way into your heart, there they stay for the rest of your life. When you open your heart to a dog it is only then that you will know the true greatness. I love all animals; but there is nothing like a dog.

Hair in the eyes

Yesterday we went out with all the dogs before it heat up. Typically my husband takes Luke and I take the girls. Tilley walks so extremely slow now that no one really gets any exercise; it's basically an outing. Outings are good and the girls are old enough that an outing does them well. But Luke needs to run bigtime. Anyway while we were at the park a couple walked by us with an OES (Old english sheepdog). This is one breed that you don't see around too often and this one had his coat intact. Most OES's that you see around are shaved but this guy was sporting his full coat and he could not see; that is what I want to discuss.

Anyone with a full face coated breed who has been one of my clients knows that I am extremely fussy about hair in eyes. My thing is that if you can't see your dogs eyes; they can't see. I have never understood the concept behind these breeds who have hair in their eyes to standard being able to see through a wall of hair. The fact is that a dog cannot see if they have hair covering their eyes; and such a sad way for any dog to live. The hair over their eyes can also cause constant eye infection occurance and should be kept out of their eyes. But be cautioned: Vets state that a dog who has had a constant covering of the eyes will be extremely sensitive to light if the hair is removed so you should discuss the process first with your own veterinarian.

The best thing to do with any dog who has a full face of hair is to keep the hair clipped short around the eyes from a young age. This will ensure that they do not become light sensitive and give them the whole view of the world around them. I am constantly holding up my poodles heads so that I can look clearly down their muzzle into their eyes. This lets me know if there is any hair impairing their vision and if so it is quickly removed. I have been told many times that a guardians dog can see just fine through all that hair; when the fact is that there is no miracle dog who can see through a solid wall of hair. They simply cannot see.

Understanding k9 behavior

Having a dog is one of those things that pretty much everyone does once they grow up. Whether you get one as soon as you have your own place, wait until you are married with kids or get one once the kids are older you like most others have a dog. The unfortunate thing is that humans do not come with a built in understanding of canine behavior. Even people who have had dogs for years may still not really understand them. I've run into many people who really consider dogs to be human. Not as little humans on four legs but they read their behavior and actions with the same meaning as ours.

I think one of the biggest misconceptions about canine behavior is that they are spiteful. Many of my clients have told me that their dog was mad so when they went out they destroyed the place. Dog's don't do spite; they are not constantly planning how they can ruin your prize possessions on a daily basis. What dogs do do is to display their emotions; a destroyed home can mean one of many things. First the dog was plain bored; the dog has some separation issues or the dog has pent up energy that needs releasing.

Dogs are simple yet complex; they tell it like it is. But; if you really want to know what is going on with your dog or dogs you must learn about canine behavior. And like I am always preaching; you must watch your dog because dogs are constantly communicating even when you think that they are not. Your reactions to your dogs actions have a huge impact on their future behavior. If you are a calm leader your dog will follow by example. If you get flustered and upset by unwanted behaviors like barking, jumping or chewing then you will end up with a dog who becomes even more excitable.

A great example of this is door barking; we all have dogs that bark at the door. But what do you do when the dogs charge the door at the first sound of the doorbell? If you scream and yell and run after your dog for all the barking; guess what? You are creating more problems. What you should do is calmly ask for quiet; reward it if you get it. If you don't; then calmly approach the door and ask the dogs to move away and you will take it from there. This does two things; it shows your dog that the door is not something we get worked up over and gives you the chance to "be the one in charge."

Growling is another behavior that is often misunderstood. I have heard people say "I don't allow growling in this house." Growling is one way that a dog communicates; it is a very clear message on how they are feeling. When a dog growls it is giving you information; you may need to work on a guarding issue, perhaps your dog needs more socializing or your dog may need some "you are not the boss," work. Depending on who is being growled at; what environment the growl the growl took place in and what was going on that caused a growl. Never ignore a growl; and never ever stop a growl without knowing where it is coming from. Once you know why your dog is growling then you can work on the issue that causes the growl. Stopping a growl by punishment takes away your "heads up." Without a warning; you are left with an unpredictable dog, not good for anyone. And definitely not fair for your dog.

Training methods


I wasn't sure what I was going to blog about today but I have been given an idea from an anonymous reader. Someone who didn't have the guts to say who they were but took it upon himself to attack my method of training. So here I am with lots to write about. Conventional vs positive. Conventional training being that which uses collar corrections to stop an uwanted behavior..............been there done that. And I am not proud of giving collar corrections but I sure am glad that I have that experience to back up my choice of being a positive trainer.


There are many conventional trainers out there and when and if they are ever ready to come over to the "light" side then we will welcome them with open arms. I have to say that I have met many a crossover trainer. I am a crossover trainer; someone who started out using conventional methods and crossed over to the positive methods of training. But I have never in all my years met someone who started out training positive and crossed over to the dark side.


Being a positive trainer takes more thought; time spent looking at the big picture and not just the immediate instant gratification of conventional training. Timing is important in conventional training but it all comes down to that correction. Often when I am working with a dog they may become confused which can lead to frustration, frustration often leads to shutdown. So to avoid confusion you break a behavior down into baby steps, thus allowing a dog to achieve at much smaller intervals. By breaking a behavior down there is much less chance of a complete shutdown.


I am proud to say I am a positive trainer; positive meaning I will not use pain or fear to elicite a certain behavior from a dog. I should perhaps say that I am a feedback trainer; I believe that feedback is the biggest and most important tool in training or behavior modification. Training and working with dogs is not always a bed of roses; and this is where patience plays a huge part. Being patient and working through the hard times and the bad times is where the evolution stems.


The more one learns about true canine natural behavior; the easier it is to understand and modify it. Body language plays a huge role in behavior modification; both in the canine and the human. Ignoring the importance of using your body in behavior modification is like taking an olympic runners NIKE's from him. Dogs use infinitesimal movements to portray a message; we can do the same if we take the time to learn. Real behavior modification using positive methods of training takes a great deal of education to achieve; but once you have accomplished the education it is amazingly clear. Once you've got it; you've got it. Our dogs are totally worth the effort.

Meeting in the park


Luke and I met a puppy in the park yesterday. She was with her very sweaty Dad who I'd seen running blocks away as I made my way to the park. Luke and I were playing fetch with the Chuck it when they came up behind me. Luke was in the middle of a retrieve when those big ears of his went up; this is my "heads up." I quickly turned to see who was coming up from behind and saw the guy, I didn't notice the dog at first. Luke's ears got even higher and I glanced behind again; ah a dog.

The guy did the customary "your dog friendly?" And I shouted back "yep." Luke wasn't approaching; he was being a very good boy and waiting for my okay. The small dog froze and I asked how old? "Going on 4 months;" the guy told me and I immediately thought he was over doing it with the running for this little thing. I told Luke he could go see her but was ready to stop any bully behavior if he started. You see Luke loves to be the big tough guy often, not in a mean way but it does seem to fuel his ego if he get's to push someone around who is intimidated by him. He made a straight line towards the pup; not good. She shrunk down and her hair rose; she was very intimidated and as she tried to make her way back to Dad Luke followed causing her to scream in fear.

The guy then shared with me that she had been attacked at 8 weeks old; not good either. A neighbors dog bit her in the face but he said she was fine after it. She had obviously been left with some fear; although in all fairness Luke did tower over the approx. 10 lb pup. When something like this happens in a Fear Stage it can impact the rest of the dogs life. It is hard to avoid all bad things in life but at an early age "safety" and avoiding any real scarey situation should be the main goal.

After their initial meeting I asked Luke to laydown; this makes his very tall presence just a little less threatening. But by now the little puppy was between her Dad's legs where she felt safe and had no intention of coming out to see Luke. Now Luke had lost interest and wanted to play ball again; we let them head out and as they rounded the corner we commenced our retrieve game. Luke had a great 1/2 hour of full out running and then we headed home for a day of snoozing (for Luke that is).