The warning signs

I am always surfing the web; I like to see who is having puppies and who are some up and coming GREAT breeders. While I am on my quest to find the "good" ones I inevitably come across the bad. And when I talk about the bad breeders; there is no one "bad breeder" mold. Of course there are the big ones; the millers, the ones who are the focus of many tv investigations. I've talked about this often but it seems you can never say enough; if I reach just one new reader each time I read I will be happy.

I remember a while back having a heated conversation with a group of dog people. I had called a certain breeder; a miller, in my opinion they fit all the criteria. And that is my criteria. I caught a lot of heat for tagging this breeder as a miller; no I don't care, I call it like I see it. It is a huge facility; dogs are bred in cages, whelped in cages, puppies are raised in cages and then shipped to you. You can pick your puppy from an image on the puppy page then pay with paypal THIS IS A WARNING SIGN.

This is one of the major contributors of pet overpopulation. The big assembly line breeders are pumping out puppies by the bucket full. Just the other day I ended up on another breeder site; I was appauled at what I found. This couple had decided to go into the dog breeding business; they had no idea of what they were doing which was obvious by the lack of health testing and knowledge on their website. Another I visited just yesterday had puppies available from litters that arrived Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 23, Dec 12 and it just kept going. THIS IS A WARNING SIGN!!!!!!!

The economy is bad right now; and many of these big bad breeders are still pumping them out. And they are running clearance sales; yep puppies half price "today only." THIS IS A WARNING SIGN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Think any of these puppies had early stimulation or socialization? Think any of them have been snuggled and loved by the people who are pumping them out? Think again. This is business and only business; there is no heart in what they are doing; money is what drives these businesses and it is a sad business indeed.

There is a saying that has been around for years; there is no money in breeding dogs. I agree; if this statement is coming from what I would consider to be a good, ethical breeder. They spend money on health testing, over the top nutrition and medical care, temperament testing etc. Sure they are paid for their pups as they should be; there is a lot of hard work that goes into breeding and raising great puppies for you, the future puppy buyer. But those who pump out puppies; the people who breed their dogs at every season, sell their puppies online, have 10 or more breeding bitches at a time, supply the pet stores and sell to anyone who has the money; these breeders make money. They make money because it is a business; a cold hearted business.

Where do dogs belong? I can tell you that they do not belong in a cage; they do not belong in a breeding facility (if you prefer that term). But to me; not all millers are filthy facilities, many are clean, efficiently run businesses. But dogs ARE NOT a business. They are living, breathing creatures who deserve a whole lot better from the humans they have ended up with. It breaks my heart when I see how these dogs are treated; no one cares about them, the only care they get is to make sure they continue to pump out the goods.

And the puppies that these people are pumping out are not healthy and happy; these people don't spend their cash on making sure that you; the future puppy owner gets a healthy happy product. Oh it will be cute; on that you can be sure, they know how this business works. Although one site I was on didn't even take the time to wash the mud off the puppies for their "look how cute we are" pictures.

So when you stumble upon a website; one with adorable puppies set up in the cutest of poses. They probably have a teddy bear or flowers beside them; and they've even been given a name. When you scroll down and see puppy after puppy; when all you need to do is to email these people, go to the paypal page and purchase your puppy DON'T DO IT. If you give these people your money; you are helping to keep these people in business. The Mom and Dad who linger; the dogs left in cages with no one to hug them, no one to walk them, no one to climb into bed with; there is none of that for the ones left behind in the cages. When they fall ill; there is no one to care for them, no one to lay their head on until they get well again. They are often dumped, discarded or worse. Afterall they are no longer useful; they have no money making abilities once they are ill.

And after their puppy producing days are done; then what? Do they spend their golden years on a fluffy bed by a fire, cared for by their loving guardian? No; they too are cast aside; often dumped at a shelter. But if they are one of the lucky ones; they will be adopted by a loving family who will then give them the life that they deserve but have never known. It is truly mind boggling how many of these places there are; do your research.

Please pass this on to anyone who loves dogs; perhaps it will make it's way to one, just one who doesn't already know this. If you are that one; find a breeder who has a litter of puppies in their bedroom or living room. A breeder who has all the health testing done so that you; the next generation gets a healthy happy puppy. If you've found a good breeder; it should be difficult to get one of their puppies, they only want the best for their dogs and puppies. And that puppy has received everything that they deserve; including a healthy and very happy Mom.

Dogs deserve our best; you can make a difference.

The heart of a k9

A true heart; that is what dwells inside of a canine. Sure they are all different but they all have heart; whether it shows through drive to work, to keep going when we as humans would give up or to just be there for us when we need them, dogs have heart. As I watch my girl Tilley struggle to stay upright; she often turns to me for reassurance. Surely after three weeks of living in a body where your body has you off your level is trying and discouraging; but she keeps plodding along.

There are dog stories galore of individuals who just never gave up. Dogs who have been done wrong by humans over and over but yet they still trust a different type of human, one who holds the heart of a canine in their heart. The dogs who live to protect and serve; they never falter in their work. The strays that wander into our heart and home who give us undying love and devotion or the who lays still so that the sick or elderly can simply enjoy their company.

Many of you receive my monthly Newsletter. Along with the educational material in my Newsletter I would like to add stories from the heart; the canine heart that is. I know they are out there; I've heard so many now that they are all intertwined. There is nothing like The Heart of a Canine; tell me about your canine or one that you know or met briefly in passing, I'd love to hear it.

The nose knows

I have a poodle walk to attend this morning; it'll just be Luke and I. I have no choice but to leave Tilley at home; as heartbreaking as it is to leave her, coming home is worse. The last time that I left her at home for a poodle walk was months ago when it was going to be too long for her. On our arrival her nose went into overdrive; I know she smelled each and every dog that Luke had interactions with and she probably knew exactly where we had been as well. This is the part that kills me; the fact that she will know where and who we were with but why she wasn't with us is what she doesn't understand.

The dogs nose is an amazing apparatus; they have the ability to smell things that we could never even think of and it is all in how their nose is put together. The nose is made up of soft tissue, bones and nerves. Dog nostrils are constructed so that they can scent with an inhale of their frontal nostrils and their exhale leaves out the flexible side nostril section. This ensures that the item in which the dog is scenting is not disturbed. Once a scent is inside the nose it goes through a complicated process before making it's way to the brain. This is a great article on the subject of the nose.

My own dogs have solved several mysteries over the years. Things that were really causing me to be concerned were figured out by their scent ability and my ability to read their body language. I always wish I had the ability to scent like a dog but alas I nor you can. So we leave it to the professionals; our dogs. It is very important for our dogs to smell; scenting different things in a day is good for them. If you have habit of going on the same walk everyday; switch it up. Their nose needs new smells all the time; it's good for their brain.

So when you go out for your walk; be assured that your dog is getting a whole lot more out of the daily trek than just simply exercise.

About the cash

I know many people are confused about deposits when first talking to a breeder about getting a puppy. I am often contacted by people who ask "is this normal?" So I thought I'd discuss the whole deposit money part of getting a puppy from a reputible breeder.

The deposit

All breeders are different; even within the same breed and the ethical group you will find that they are all different. So deposits can be very different both in price and in the return policy. A deposit is just that; you are saying that you want a puppy from this breeder so you are basically putting your name down for one to ensure that you get one. Now if the breeding has not taken place yet; a breeder may still take deposits. Some breeders wait for the puppies to arrive before taking depositis. So if you have put money down on an expected litter; there may not be enough puppies to go around so what then? What some breeders will do then is to hold your deposit money for the next litter or give it back to you if you don't want to wait.

Most breeder state that a deposit is non-refundable; meaning if you put your money down for a pup and change your mind then you loose your money. Many breeders will not bend here and no matter what reason you come up with; you've lost your money. A deposit is a good thing; otherwise a breeder would never be sure than potential puppy buyers are serious. This also makes sure that the puppy buyers have seriously considered getting this puppy; heck they have to hand over cash so most think first.

Now in my opinion putting the word non-refundable in a contract is important. The breeder can be pretty sure that these puppy buyers have thought long and hard about getting a puppy then. But I too believe that things change and people change their mind. If it was up to me I would be very flexible in my deposit returns or non returns; but I would probably return most. I don't want someone's money when they are getting nothing; and you most definitely do not want to hand over a puppy that someone has changed their mind about.

I was recently in the same boat; I was looking at many puppies. And my situation was a bit different; I was looking for something very specific which I realized after much time and effort was just not going to happen. I placed a deposit on several puppies; or at least on a litter. When I did get a chance to look at the puppies and decided that none were what I was looking for my deposit was returned. I was very lucky.

It's called life; things happen in life and if a breeder has cast in stone that no deposit shall ever be returned then shame on them. Yes they have put their heart and sole into their dogs; breeding and caring for a litter but do they really want someone's money when they are not getting anything in return? Do they want to give a puppy over to potential puppy buyers who may have changed their mind but don't want to loose their deposit? Who knows where that puppy will end up?

Deposits can run from 100.00 to 2500.00. Recently I emailed a breeder about a litter; the deposit was 2500.00 and was completely non refundable. The money was kept litter after litter until you got the puppy you were looking for; can you say ripoff? I would expect you to pay between 100-500 for a reasonable deposit. It can be placed on an anticipated breeding; an awaited litter or a litter that is already on the ground. But think long and hard before handing over a deposit; because you might not get it back.

And for the breeders out there; as I said earlier, do you really want to keep someone's deposit who has simply changed their mind? This could lead them to taking the puppy; and once that is done you have lost all control. You may never know where that puppy ended up. Or what about a family who got wrapped up in the excitment of a new puppy but a couple weeks down the road they realized that now was not the right time; do you really want to keep their money?

As the saying goes *%it happens; and the most important thing is that puppies go to people who really really want them, no matter what the cost.

Monday Monday

Good morning; seems like I missed blogging yesterday but I was trying to finish up my Newsletter that goes out today so if anyone is interested just email me at sherri@justdogswithsherri.com and put Newsletter in the subject line.

Time to train; when is it really time to train your dog. Well right now is a good time and you should never wait for a rainy day; especially here in Southern California. In the old days it was recommended that you wait until a dog was at least 6 months old before training. Now when I think back; can you imagine? Six months of wasted time? The reasoning behind the 6 months was so that your dog could withstand collar corrections. It makes me shudder now just thinking about waiting until their neck can handle it.

Well today is a new day and you can start training and educating your puppy as soon as you get them. In fact puppies can learn behaviors way before you get them in your home at 8-12 weeks. I've taught a 6 week old puppy to sit and down easily and I'm sure they can probably as soon as they are physically capable of controlling their body. By starting right from the beginning it is easy to implement manners by just making it "the way it is." Of course puppies will be puppies but they don't have to be obnoxious all the time; only some of the time.

There is nothing like a little puppy showing just how amazing they are by easily doing what is asked of them. By the use of patience, kindness, understanding, reward and praise you can go along way. The enthusiasm in a puppy is inspiring and when they sit or go to their place with a "I did it" face on; you can help but smile when you see how amazing they truly are. The connection between canine and human is more than a leash and collar.

Do it; don't think about it.

This morning I was bringing breakfast upstairs; I was planning on bringing it up and then going to get Tilley next. Low and behold she followed me quickly upstairs; this gave me pause. Wow; no hesitation, no coaxing, no cheering her on to take that first step. Tilley just came up the stairs but how when I typically have to give a three minute speech about going up the stairs did she just run up the stairs no problem? She wasn't thinking; she was simply following the food.

How many times has someone asked you for direction and you stand there dumbfounded? I know I do it a lot; I can get to where they are asking no problem but when I have to think about how I get there it seems so much more difficult. Just do it; this is the famous slogan of the huge NIKE conglomerate but it is very fitting for this subject. Ah; the brain, a wonderfully intense and mystical thing it is. Often a dog gets caught up in a "thinking about it" scenario; much like we humans do. It can be difficult but if you can get them out of the "thinking" zone and get them into the doing zone you can help them alot.

Many dogs with fear issues need to be assisted past the "thinking" part. Great food is often the trick; but it has to be good enough food that they stop thinking about what they are afraid of. Tilley did that this morning and it was a process; she followed me out of the kitchen and up the stairs without thinking about it. Had I stopped at the bottom of the stairs; more than likely she would have entered into the thinking zone. Momentum is needed when you want to skip past the thinking zone; you must keep going while you can and don't stop.

This also works well with dogs who have issues walking past other dogs. Many trainers will recommend having your dog sit; not a good idea at all. This tells your dog a couple of things; 1. That there is an issue, 2. Gives them time to "think" about it, and 3. That you believe this to be an issue. So instead; bringing out the big guns with regards to food treats overrides the thinking part and keeping moving gets rid of even the slightest consideration of there being an issue.

So; just do it. Questions?

Friday woot woot

Okay; I'm blogging late this morning, thought I'd get a walk in and see if anything inspired me to write about. Not much exciting happened; a couple of labs, a couple of little yappers but nothing to write home about. So I'll talk about Tilley and the fact that she has turned a corner; I believe. Tilley was stricten with Idiopathic Vestibular disease on the 11th of January. It has been a slow and arduous recovery and hopefully she will continue to recover.

Yesterday was the corner turning moment; she walked out the dog door on her own and made her way up the outside steps to the kitchen door where I was making dinner. Huge. Then lastnight as we were watching television she got up; went out the dog door and I followed her (out the regular door). She sniffed around a bit and went back in. It was obvious that she just wanted to do it because she could.

Today she had a tiny sprint outside and then back in again after her first trip out this morning. She had a spring in her step and I actually had to stop her before she went flying into the wall. She is still super wobbly and unstable on her feet but she is really, really happy. Could be the personal cheer person she has for any tiny success she has. I know she sure loves to hear me cheer her on and it get's that old tail wagging.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Strange behavior

Along with the golden that was being yanked on the other day; we also saw a yellow lab that was exhibiting strange behavior. It was obvious that the owner didn't trust what her dog was going to do as we approached. I don't trust Jessie either so I just keep her at my side; typically stepping off the path to add some needed space and we continue our walk. I know that my dog is securely on the end of her leash; and she was involved with a serious smelling session at the lamp post as they were walking by anyway.

I watched the dog very closely as they walked by some other dogs. The dog seemed to be holding back; not quite shutting down but almost and at the final moment when the other dog passed he lunged out and was quickly moved to shutdown. I watched this sequence again as they passed a small dog; he was holding back, his body was showing signs of fear by his slunk down body posture and his darting eyes. Of course this interesting behavior had 100% of my attention and a question mark associated with it as well. Why was this dog lunging at the last possible moment but yet holding back well in advance of the passing?

As they approached and walked by us it was all too clear; the pinch collar. You know the collars that look like they have spikes on them? Spikes that face the inside of the collar and dig into the dogs neck. This dog had a clear association to the collar; running out to the end of your leash=pain. So he was restraining himself until he could no longer; and at the final moment just had to lunge. Unfortunately this is fallout behavior from the collar; the guardian probably has no idea.

The pinch collar is a better collar than a choke or slip collar in regards to damaging a dogs trachea but because it induces pain; causing pain results in behaviors that can be worse than a dog that pulls. What the dogs gets from the pain which is inflicted when they dart to the end of the leash or when they are yanked on by their owner is pain associated to whatever happens to be happening at that time the pain is inflicted. Typically it is another dog; so when other dogs approach the dog receives pain. Think about that for a moment; not a good association is it? The dog receiving the pain is now thinking that the cause of the pain is the other dogs; hence the lunging behavior is now accompanied with a whole new slew of unwanted behaviors.

Pain is never the answer to fix a problem. Pain introduces more problems by simply being.

COME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My inspiration for this blog came yesterday on my early morning walk with Jessie. As often happens; just seeing others interact with their dog sparks a thought for my blog. All I saw yesterday morning were goldens and yellow labs; this is about a juvenille golden walking with her Mom and Dad. She was at the end of her very long leash doing her business (it was not an extension leash). Once she was done Mom cleaned up the mess and Dad decided to use this time to work on the "come" exercise.

Being that she was on a regular long leash; allowed me to see more of what was going on. I was at quite a distance but watched intently as Dad yanked and pulled on is uncooperative youngster. The man was growing more angry by the minute and yanking harder and harder on the leash; reeling his dog in like a bass. Now if you are a regular reader of my blogs you already know that dogs learn through association. What do you think the association to being yanked on is? Negative.

Humans would get the whole "if you come to me I won't yank on you." But dogs associate the yanking to anger which in turn keeps them away from you. Now had this gentleman started training at home; creating a very positive association to come he could have pulled this out at the park. By lavishing gobbs of affection and really yummy treats for your dog coming to you; you up the chance of it happening again and again.

Hey; put a chocolate truffle in front of me and I'll jump through hoops for ya.

;)

So much is said

So much is said between dogs; if you really sit and watch carefully it is quite amazing. Yesterday I was playing with my new camera; of course my dogs were my subject once again. While I was shooting I was also paying very close attention to what Tilley was doing. And to my surprise she picked up a toy, brought it to the grass and started playing with it. Playing was just mouthing the toy but it was playing and she was in a great mood. This started a whole sequence of behavior from everyone. Once Tilley was done with the toy (or not) Luke grabbed it and started tearing around like a crazy dog; which in turn kicked Jessie's "I'm the boss" into gear. The pictures above are a few from the shoot.

First; is Luke proud as a peacock that he has the toy. Then Jessie is about to discipline him for being a fat head. They had a few words (too cute) and then Luke settled to destroy the toy. Once that was all done they all lay on the double lounge. This is Luke's regular spot so he was a bit put out that Tilley was on it; she is rarely on this lounge, not her thing. But once they were all on the lounge together I thought some family portraits were in order. Tilley was tired from her playing; Jessie was freezing, afterall the sun was setting here in SoCal. And Luke was filled with attitude about the whole thing.

What a pack; full of differences and fun.

Time to get back at it

Okay; the holiday season is over, Tilley is recovering albeit very slowly, the rains have stopped and I'm back in town so time to get back at it. I have alot on the go at the moment; private photo shoots, stock photo shoots, book shoots and getting all the books together and out. Today will be spent scheduling and organizing; not my favorite part of shooting dogs by a long shot but something that needs to be done.

Tilley will go out today for a walk; or sort of walk. She needs to get moving and it is hard to get her to move much at home other than from one bed to another. She is at this point happy and eating very well; infact she is sniffing around to find whatever she can scrounge up which is good to see. She is still far more unstable than I thought she would or should be at this point but factoring in that she is nearly 13 years of age may play a huge role in speed of recovery.

The sun is out this morning and the week is to hover around the mid 60s, nice. I will take advantage of the cooler weather and enjoy it as long as it hangs around. Luke has his day off today; he had lots of exercise with Dad over the weekend. So it will be a small jet around the park for Jessie and a very small stagger for Till. Today is a good day; so first to the gym and then on with the rest. Have a great week everyone.

Where are all the dogs

Wow what a difference a day makes. Yesterday morning I woke up with the sunrise and 75 degree temps in Mexico. This morning it is a chilly 37 degrees here in Southern California. I spent the last four days in Mexico; it was beautiful, simply breathtaking but there were very few dogs. As I stood one morning taking in the sunrise I did notice a woman on the beach with her two schnauzers. And while we took in the town; the very small town of San Jose we noticed a few chihuahua's around. Most were chi mixes but still were small; white, beige or light golden in color. I saw no other dogs while driving through the area. I'm sure that most of the hotels do not welcome dogs but there were a few facilities that looked more like "condo" types where the dogs were coming from.

I know that there are many dogs in Mexico; just not in the outlying areas. In fact there is a huge Mexican Kennel club; but I have never attended a mexican dog show. The two official Mexican breeds are the chihuahua and the Xoloitzcuintle. I have had the pleasure of meeting several xolo's and did a wonderful shoot with them. They have no coat except for a few hairs here and there and many sport a tuft of red hair between their ears. Although you will probably never see one here in North America they are very popular in Mexico.

So this morning as I type this surrounded by my three; I'm happy.

Tiny old dogs

We met a very old dog the other night in Mexico. We were shopping in a small town in a little shop where I had seen some shoes I liked. As I tried on shoes my husband asked the owner of the shop if the little dog in the corner was his. That's when we got the details of this little dirty old chihuahua curled up in the corner. The little girl was 18 years old; she now had no teeth and spent her days in the shop. She was adorable; and barely raised her head when my husband bent down to touch her tiny head. She gave him a brief "hi" and lowered her head down again and fell back into a deep sleep.

As I watched her crooked lumpy body in the corner laying on the hard concrete floor I couldn't think of anything but the fact that she needed a bed. As my dogs are well into their senior years we have made it very comfortable for them. Each dog gets a new bed as theirs becomes too flat and they all have blankets that keep them warm at night. He told me that each day he cooks beef or chicken for her; having no teeth he cut it into tiny pieces.

As I wandered around the store; occasionally glancing at the old lady in the corner I wondered about her life. What had her life consisted of; it looked like she had had puppies, maybe several litters. But looking at her now she was obviously comfortable and at home here. Dogs and people just belong together.

Missing dogs

Have you ever been somewhere amazing; I mean really amazing, and you just know it would even be more amazing if you had your dog by your side? It is really tough leaving our dogs at home and there are alot of places that our dogs are not welcome. Thankfully more and more place are becoming dog friendly as our dogs become more important in our life. Not all facilities are in on this but the really great ones looking for your business are.

When I am away without my dogs I'm always scanning; scanning for a hound to talk to. Pretty much anyone will do; I just need a dog fix. We have been approached by many people in California who when they see our dogs confess how much they miss their own who are back home.

There are quite a few sites that share this "dog friendly" info with you.


Dogfriendly.com is probably the biggest. But most Countries, States, Regions and Provinces have their own local sites.

If you've ever been to a facililty that boasts that they are dog friendly; be sure to give a review somewhere so that other canine guardians will get the news.

Have a great day; see ya tomorrow.

Up and at it

I'm up early; couldn't sleep. I lay in bed for a while listening to the sounds of my dogs; even when they are sleeping they make quite a bit of noise. Of course they don't make as much sound as some breeds; namely the brachycephalic breeds. This group of breeds includes the flat faced dogs; the pugs, boxers, bulldogs, bostons, frenchies etc. Although these breeds are adorable; then do suffer from respiratory problems that dogs with full length muzzles do not.

These breeds are the direct result of human maniupulation; afterall dogs were not meant to have no face. With the lack of muzzle comes protuding eyes and other structural issues of the face. Looking at how the physiological make of the head structure of these breeds leads one to think "what were they thinking?" But there are a few breeders out there now giving these breeds more face. They will still be the wonderful breeds that they are of today; just with less physical issues to deal with.

So if you love one of these flat face breeds but would like to support the idea of a dog with a bit more muzzle; you'll need to do your research. The breeders are out there; it just might be a little difficult to find them. Worth the effort though.

wet dogs

We have wet dogs for sure today. In all my years here in Southern California I have never seen it rain quite as hard as it was raining several minutes ago. It was coming down so hard with thunder and lightening; something we rarely see here. And the dogs are none to happy about it either. Although sleeping in a rain storm seems to be enjoyed by both dogs and humans; going out in the rain is not a big favorite for many, mine included.

Luke went to the door this morning; rang his bell and waited for me to let him out. The dog door was closed because it had been blowing in with the crazy wind and rain. I heard his bell; and I gave him fair warning "it's pouring out." He looked at me; looked outside and back at me again, as if to say "really?" He quickly changed his mind and decided to further his snooze. I'm lucky; my guys can hold it pretty much until they burst but if you have a puppy, you gotta get them out. And often puppies enjoy playing out in the rain much to your disapproval.

If your dog or dogs are like mine; you may need to go out with them. I simply need to be poured on as well and they are happy to go out. If I stand in the nice dry kitchen; they aren't so willing to go out and be rained on. Many need to go all the way back to kindergarten; treats included. Some dogs will even regress; opting to elimiate in the house where it is not raining. So treats are a must and while your at it; teach them what an umbrella is.

Stay dry

Canine companionship

There is nothing like the companionship of a dog; we all know the joy that they can bring by simply being at our side. But what about companionship for our dogs? Canine companionship? How important is it that our dogs have a canine buddy? Dogs are pack animals and even though we act as pseudo pack members we don't quite make the grade. Sure we can play and be our dogs constant sidekick but we aren't dogs. Just imagine living with a pack of dogs; somewhere isolated. Even the most intraverted type person would probably miss human contact at some point.

It is no secret that I am a big fan of a multiple canine household; but, and this is again a big BUT. There must be desire by the human to have more than one dog. Getting a second dog simply to keep the first one company is not the way to go. You must really want a second, third or fourth dog. I love living with three dogs; I have a wonderful pack that runs as smooth as any naturally assembled pack. I have met many canine guardians who tell me "my dog would hate to share her family with another dog." That may be true; some dogs become so consumed by their undivided attention that adding another can simply be a huge hassle for everyone involved.

Although some dogs may seem to be loner types; it is surprising what adding another dog can do for the only dog. It is extremely important to find the right dog to put with your existing dog; be it a second, third or fourth member. Putting a pack together can be tricky but with a little bit of patience you can find the right one or ones. I love the fact that when I go out; I know that my dogs have the others to chill with. They don't feel as though they have been left alone. And for me; and this is just my opinion, 3 is a great number. Some people find three to be so overwhelming and others don't find three to be enough.

The real issue with having multiple dogs is time and energy. It is very important to give dogs individual time; building a bond with each member of your pack. If you do not take this time then each dog will not thrive to be all the dog that they could otherwise be. Taking each dog out separately and letting them experience life on their own; with you is imperative. It does not need to be done everyday; that would be too much to deal with but at least every couple of weeks. And individual attention within the home is important as well. Taking time to educate each dog; training new behaviors and spending "quality" time builds strong ties.

Multiple dogs can be wonderful; but if you are going to add a second dog simply to keep the first one entertained then think again. Two dogs are more work; which is fine if you really want two or more dogs. You may consider instead; take the time that you will spend feeding, picking up after, grooming and training the second dog and put it on your present dog. Spending more time with the dog you have now may be a better choice. But; if you really want a second or third dog, I say go for it.

Dealing with NON dog people

Of course all of you reading this are dog people; but unfortunately there are people in this world who are not. Understandably some people just don't get dogs; others may be afraid of them because of an incident or simple lack of experience with the canine species. Then there are the people who really dislike dogs but dislike us dog people even more. Often they feel like their rights in life are being shoved aside for dogs and their dog loving guardians. My husband ran into one of these people last weekend.

He was running with Luke down a fairly isolated path; and when they ran past one couple the woman jumped into her "ahhhhhhh a dog;" screaming routine. She continued to scream as they ran by and my husband could still hear her far behind. So; for the sake of people like this it is of the utmost importance to keep your dog to yourself. If someone does not have a dog; there is probably a reason I think. So when I walk by those who are dogless I make sure to give them a large dogfree zone.

It can take but a few people to ruin it for others. You may run into lots of dogless people who love dogs and don't mind your Fido jumping all over them and slobbering down their legs but inevitably you will run into one who is NOT okay with it and they may report you. This is when you start to see the "leash police" out in full force. The bottom line is; if you do not have impeccible control over your unleashed dog; then they should be leashed in a public area. I do not appreciate it when doga run at us when my dogs are onleash. I have Jessie onleash all the time because she is not dog friendly; so if an off leash dog approaches her it makes matters difficult for me.

Also watch body language; you know I discuss this all the time, watching your dogs body language is so important. But; just as important is the body language of other people who are frequenting the same area as you. I've also discussed before how I will take Jessie off a path and make it look like we are not interested in meeting other dogs; I mean really clear. But there are always the people who continue coming my way with a big smile on their face when they finally ask "can they play?" NO; MY DOG IS NOT FRIENDLY. Had they been paying attention they would have already known this.

So as much as you love your dog; and all your friends love your dog, there are people who don't. Being mindful of those few will make our dog world a whole lot better for all of us and our dogs.

End of day 5

It's 10:15 pm Friday; this is the end of Tilley's fifth day with Vestibular disease. Tilley's eyes stopped flashing back and forth on Wednesday night which was a huge relief. She ate food with assistance on Wednesday morning and on her own Wednesday night. Until then I had been syringing diluted baby food into her. Yesterday; day four, I tried not giving her meclizine and she vomited in the morning and didn't eat her breakfast. Several hours after receiving her meclizine she ate and was more steady again. She also drank on her own for the first time yesterday; a sight for sore eyes.

Today she began moving around a bit on her own; she went from one bed to another in the kitchen and seemed to be attempting to get up when I picked her up. When I returned home after a walk with Luke today she wagged; another first in five days. So far Tilley is exhibiting instability, weakness, a head tilt and a left turning navigation that just won't quit. She had two very bad falls yesterday which were very frightening; both for her and I. She is still very apprehensive to take a step and it takes alot of coaxing to get her going.

Tilley had her meclizine this morning but I have not given it to her tonight. She has kept her dinner down and slept the entire evening with her head resting on her Dad. She is on her bed asleep now and her restlessness seems to be subsiding as well. Although her eyes have stopped flashing they are different now. For now we take it day to day and hope for a full recovery in the near future.

The glance

Just one look; a glance was all that was needed to get you out of your chair and waiting on your dog. Do dogs reason? This has been a serious question for years and many have and are researching this very idea. I believe that dogs do reason; to a degree that is. I do not think that dogs consider individual ideas; thinking about the process and the end results. But I do think that they reason in some degree. For instance; Jessie has a bone, Luke wants the bone and knows all too well that he cannot simply take it unless he wishes to risk having his face taken off. So he reasons that running to the front door and barking will result in his acquisition of the prize; he is correct.

Both Tilley and Luke can often be found gazing at a box of cookies on my dresser. They could simply knock the box down and eat the cookies but that is against the rules. This action could simply be considered an association; often I will offer them a cookie when I see that they would like one. So the association has been created authentically. But what if they go a step further and come to find me; communicate to me that they are in need of something? This is the cognitive thought process.

When a dog has the realization that a simple glance can put them into the drivers seat; things can quickly go downhill for you. It is important not to become a servant to your dog as wanting eyes can quickly turn into very demanding and unwanted behaviors. I probably offer up cookies now more often because of Tilley's age and the fact that Luke is as skinny as a rake.

Several nights ago while we were watching T.V. Luke got up and ran upstairs. He quickly returned and stood smack dab in the middle of the room. He stared hard at each person in the room and ran upstairs again. I immediately jumped up to see what the issue was upstairs and upon entering my room found Luke staring under the bed. I thought for a moment that it might be a spider but his ears were held differently; and his face was more in an excited expression rather than his intense spider face. I told him to show me what he wanted; he quickly proceeded to stick his head under the bed. He stayed in that position a few seconds then got up and stared at me again. Ah; something under the bed that you need? It was a ball and it was this particular ball that he wanted to play with. Once he got his ball he ran downstairs and was as happy as a clam.

Yep; he's a thinker. Not all dogs are thinkers; there are many different degrees and types of intelligence in dogs. Your dog is probably alot smarter than you think they are. And not all glances are simple in composition.