Sleeping with dogs ;)

As I lay here in bed; the sun is not yet up. There is a chill in the air; but I am cozy with my very own Jack Russell foot warmer. She's snoring; she is snoring loudy under her down comforter and not far from her is Luke; silently keeping the left lower quadrant of the bed warm. Dogs in bed; the statement alone is controversial. Many guardians love nothing more than sharing their bed with their dog; but is that where dogs should be? There is a great divide on the subject and some of the biggest opponents are the dog trainers. So here's what I think about the subject.

My opinion on dogs sleeping in bed with you is clear cut; black and white. If you would like your dogs to sleep in your bed with you and your dog shows no signs of grumblings, complaining about being moved or ousted then that is where they should be. Enjoying the company of your dog in bed is one of the great joys we have with our dogs. Snuggling with your dog is wonderful; listening to sleep can be a huge stress reliever. But what if everytime you move; your growls. Or when asked to get off the bed; your dog objects, offering the "just try to move me," look? Let's face it; your bed is the prime piece of real estate in your home and in a pack the leader gets it.

Often a guardian will toss some information my way as a side note. "Oh ya; he growls everytime I move in bed." This is the line; the line I have drawn for dogs in bed................off they go. But this is not a life sentence; they can earn a spot back on the bed but "earn" is the important word here. Back when Luke was a young'n we had an incident with him growling at my son for couch rights. Luke is the type that thinks he is all that and a bag of chips and his couch priviledge was fueling this. I was present at the time of the growl and Luke left the couch abruptly; he was kicked off for 6 months. We worked on a new set of rules; asking permission. There has never been another incident.

Being that sleeping with dogs is suppose to be mutually enjoyable; having you avoid your dog in your sleep is not good. If your every move elicits a growl which inturn interferes with your sleep; then this is a clear sign that someone has to go. And that someone is not going to be you. It is your bed; you dished out your hard earned money to buy it, you are going to sleep in it. But now you are feeling guilty; poor Fido has to sleep on the floor? Put your guilt aside; buy a nice bed for your dog and put it right beside yours, this is the best thing you can do for your relationship.

My dogs all have a their own bed in our bedroom; and they use them. With the girls being 13 and 14; it is not safe to be up on the bed if I am not awake so they are safe and sound in their own beds. Most often Luke jumps up on the bed in the middle of the night and everyone joins us in the morning. I feel very strongly that dogs need comfort; and a floor isn't comfortable, not even for a dog. Make sure that if your dog is not sleeping in your bed that they have a very comfortable bed of their own.

On the opposite end of the spectrum are the folks who don't want their dog even in their room with them to sleep. Well; the best place for your dog to sleep is in your room, bottom line. Where you lay; your dog should lay. A pack sleeps together; they don't need to sleep on top of each other but they should all be in the same room. It makes me sad to think of a dog that lays alone at night; banished to the kitchen, garage or worse (outside) at night. Bonding occurs during these special times; in the absence of night bonding you are missing half your life with your dog.

Association

Happy April fools day; many of you may be the object of someone else's entertainment today, have fun with that ;) I had a good chuckle yesterday morning; upon returning from the gym I walked in the door to see Tilley out in the backyard draped in her blanket. With her recent haircut she has been sporting a coat at night; the coat is made of fleece, the same as her blanket. So when she got up to go out her blanket remained attached to her. There she was nice and warm smiling in the window upon my arrival; cute.

Association: the connection or relation of ideas, feelings, sensations, etc.; correlation of elements of perception, reasoning, or the like.

Dogs learn through association; often they learn an association that we don't like. A great example is my boy Luke; when he was young he quickly learned that when I called him to come in a park like setting it meant that another dog was around. I didn't mean to create this association but with a few repetitive behaviors from me I created it. So then I had to reassociate which meant calling Luke often in the park for other reasons. It worked well although he still has that "who's here?" every so often.

Dogs can associate the strangest things; and when you cannot figure out what is going on it is often a good idea to have a professional come in to try to piece together the puzzle. So how do you create a new association to a conditioned stimulus? Patience, baby steps and repetition are in order to achieve success. Another good example of association is "leash crazies" you know the dogs who come unglued at the mere thought of you opening the leash closet? I have worked with many guardians with this exact issue. The owner is unable to leash the dogs to go for a walk because they are worked up to such an extent that they are out of control.

This is actually quite easy to rectify; the problem is that the dogs associate the leash to the walk, obviously. So as the smarter species (ya right) we can outsmart them and give the leash a new meaning; or several meanings which in turn lowers the original association to the leash. Wherever the trigger starts; the cupboard door handle, the garage door or the leash itself is where you start. If it is a door handle then you walk to the door handle; touch it and walk away. Do this often and all throughout the day. So instead of your dog firing out of a canon when they hear that knob turn, they ignore it. Only move on when you have succeeded at each step.

Then work at opening the door; closing it and moving on. You are to remain very indifferent about it, giving your dog no reaction to use as fuel. Work your way up to leaving the door open. Then it is the leash itself; pick it up, put it down and go about your day. Lots and lots of touching the leash with no resulting walks. You want to get to a point where you can leave the leashes on the floor and no one cares about them. When you do need to take your dog out; pick up the leash when they are not watching and simply snap it to the dog unannouced and off you go.

Even dogs who get car sick can be helped with changing an association. Tilley use to get very car sick as a youngster; one day I realized that she started to drool before we even got in the car. Many owners simply stop taking their dog in the car at this point which is very sad indeed. But this gave me all the information I needed to help her; it was all in her head. For her the meant; Car=me feeling sick. So we changed what the car meant with baby steps. Lots of cookies and training while heading towards the car. Once the drool stopped outside of the car we did obedience in the stationary car with lots of goodies. Then we just chilled in the car with snacks and fun. Moving from there was a trip down the driveway and back; lots of treats and fun. You get the drift; we quickly moved onto small trips and soon she was a seasoned traveller.

It is a fairly easy process to change association; but you must think the process through. Start out with easily achievable goals and work slowly to your main objective. This is counter conditioning in it's looses form.

conditioning in which a second incompatible response is conditioned to an already conditioned stimulus; "counter conditioning lies behind many of the procedures used in behavior therapy"

It is an emotional response you are reconditioning; not so much a active response. But it is still counter conditioning; as you cannot be out of control crazy and calm at the sametime.

Dogdar

I have a finely tuned dogdar; no matter where I go, no dog goes unnoticed. When I'm driving my peripheral vision informs me of any canine presence. A speck in the distance; is quickly recognized, categorized and information stored. If I happen to be away on a trip; meaning without the daily contact of my own dogs then the dogs at large become more than just a visual. I have to touch at least one dog a day; I can't imagine not touching a dog a day.

Traveling around; all dogs. Small, large, purebred, mixes and then I notice the connection, the canine human connection. Often it is a fleeting thought process; being that many of my canine sightings are but an instant in time. I remember driving down the freeway a while back; I was headed to San Diego when I noticed a big brindle pitbull head sticking out a window catching the whoooshing air in his face. I passed them but kept (safely) watching the dog enjoying himself. He was sitting on the passengers lap; he was by no means a small dog(never, ever have your dog on your lap, it is very unsafe). But as much as the dog was enjoying the wind in his hair; the passenger seemed to be enjoying the dog enjoying himself as much. My lane started to slow and the pitbull vehicle pulled along my left side to pass; they honked their horn and the passenger gave me a thumbs up as they passed. The man waved at me; and I realized he'd read the back of my SUV Justdogswithsherri.com I smiled and thought; this is like being in a private club, the dog lovers club.

But isn't it true; you tend to gravitate to others like yourself. Because my world revolves vastly around dogs it is very difficult to stay away from the subject for very long. Yes; I can talk about other things but it's not nearly as much fun. So finding others who enjoy talking dogs as much as I do is great. Although even better is watching dogs; I love to watch them interact with other dogs and with humans. Who needs television when you have real life (reality) unfolding to watch.

Much of my inspiration for writing comes from watching; watching people and dogs interacting. Who knows you might just be my next inspiration when caught in my dogdar.

Ya gotta laugh

I'm still laughing; lastnight while watching Dancing with the Stars my son was complaining about the smell. With three old dogs someone is usually farting up a storm, smelling up the place. It's something you just get use to. So after the show I rounded everyone up; got them out and then we were off to bed. Just as I was about to get into bed I heard the yell "MOM!!!!" There was a bunch of other stuff said which I couldn't make out and then again "MOM." So I ran downstairs.

There was my son hunched over the coffee table with one foot held in the air. "Tilley crapped on the floor and I stepped in it." I started to laugh and I'm still laughing. He had no idea what to do with this log that was stuck to the bottom of his foot. So after my initial fit of laughter I went and got some toilet paper (appropriate) and cleaned off his foot. Tilley had obviously gone outside and come back in with a cling on. She didn't actually take a dump in the house; it was a freeloader when she came in after thinking she had done her business outside. Dogs sure can make you laugh; cry, scream and gag.

We've had many incidents like this at our house; often vomit is the cause. I happen to have a very strong stomach; nothing bothers me, I just clean it up. But if someone else has happened upon a mess before me; it can make for a really great laugh. Having my husband get out of bed and step barefoot into a cold pile of vomit; can result in a very sore stomach for me. I just can't stop once I start laughing and listening to the gagging just adds more fuel for laughter. Dogs sure can make you laugh.

How about being the landing pad for a projectile vomit. I will never forget the day my husband and I sat watching Fear Factor years ago. The contestants were to drink a concoction of something completely disgusting; we sat watching, not believing that these people were actually going to do this when WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH. A flood of vomit washed over my husband; it played out in slow motion. Luke had been sitting right beside him and it could not have been timed better. There was no heaving; nothing to warn of the imminent horrific event that my husband was about to be a part of. You know it; I started laughing and couldn't stop but I have to admit it was one of the strangest things ever. It was Luke had been watching the show.

As the main caregiver to the dogs; I just get'r done. Whether it is poop, pee, eye goobs or whatever, it get's cleaned up, clipped off, removed or sprayed. Seeing someone else who does not deal with these things well; is simply hilarious, to me anyway. Perhaps because it is such a nothing to me; seeing adults freak out and reduced to a gagging mess at such small but gross things is amusing. Even some of the bad things about living with dogs aren't really that bad; infact they can brighten a day. It's the small things in life; eh? Afterall it all washes off. ;)

Second hand dogs

I just finished at the gym and hit the supermarket on the way home. I'll have some happy dogs today; I scored on a pile of whole chickens at .69/lb. Got some tri tip; beef liver and frozen ground turkey, nice. So it will only be moments until Mr. Luke gets a wiff and is down in the kitchen. Okay; enough about my morning, I want to discuss second hand dogs today. First off what is a second hand dog? For me; all dogs who have had a previous home and now live with a new family are second hand dogs. This is no way means that they are second grade; in fact many of these dogs turn out to be the absolute best dogs.

There are alot of ways to get a second hand dog. One is to go to the shelter and adopt one of the many dogs there waiting for a new home. Another is to look in the paper or a Craigs List type place for a dog; many people acquire a dog and for some reason or other cannot keep it. These days financial issues are a common reason for rehoming a dog and sometimes life just throws us a curve ball. Yet another way to get a second hand dog is to acquire a rescue. Now the term "rescue" is used loosely these days; seems every dog who is a second hand dog is considered a rescue.

Rescue: to free or deliver from confinement, violence, danger, or evil. So this pretty much explains where a rescue dog fits in. Many dogs are actual rescues; saved from a horrific life of pain, suffering and strife. Dogs taken from Puppy Mills that have been raided are indeed rescue dogs. Dogs abandoned and saved from a life on the street are rescues. Many of the lucky rescues end up in a foster for some rehabilitation before being rehomed.

But many second hand dogs are simply rehomed dogs; dogs who have gone from one home to another. When you add a second hand dog to your home there is often alot of unanswered questions. You may know a bit about this dogs past life; perhaps you will know nothing of their past life. Often when a behavior issues arises with a second hand dog the new guardian has no idea where or why it has appeared. Being that you may know nothing about this new dogs past life you must deal with the issue at hand. Having a professional help with the problem can be very enlightening.

I think the most common misconception is that a fearful dog means that it has been beaten. Many dogs are never socialized properly; putting an under socialized dog into a new environment is very stressful. And this stress often results in a dog that cringes away giving it a "must have been beaten," look. Recently I was asked if my little Jack Russell was a rescue. After telling a gentleman at the park that she was not social he concluded she must be a rescue. Funny the idea people have in their head of rescues or second hand dogs. And no she was not a rescue; she is a terrier and a very tenacious terrier at that, even at almost 14 years of age.

The most common behavior issue that I have seen with second hand dogs is separation anxiety; true separation anxiety. This makes perfect sense if you think about it. Even if the new home is a better place for the dog; he/she has a sense of wanting to go back home. Where has the family gone? Of course not all dogs display this and there are extreme differences and levels of separation anxiety if they do display it. We cannot sit our new dog down and explain what has happened; they have no idea why they are in a new home. So time, patience and understanding are in order.

Dogs adjust; they happen to be a very flexible species. Bonding can happen very quickly depending on the dog. Sometimes it never happens; this is a sad but possible situation, it all depends on the dog, the person, the past and present. Often a dog a dog may seem to be the best dog ever and after a few months they make a complete turn around. Dogs tend to hide their insecurities; once they relax into their new home you get to see the real dog come out. This can take days to months to happen and it is often when I get the call for help.

So if you are adding a second hand dog to your family; take it slow, get to know this dog as it unravels over time. There may be many hidden secrets behind those amazing eyes; many you will never know. But a dog is a dog and worth every moment shared.

Overdose; are we killing our dogs?

"My dog is needing her annual shots." Yep; many race off to the veterinarians or hit the pet shops that offer canine vaccines when that "vaccination reminder" comes in the mail. Have you ever considered the fact that we humans got our shots when we were little; and then never get another? Tetanus is one that we apparently need every 10 years or so but unless you are going off to another continent then you probably will not need another shot. So why then do our dogs need the same repetitive shots every year? They don't.

Rabies is the only shot that you must get for your dog; it's the law. But there have been great advancements with even these. Many vets are now giving the three year Rabies shot. But as for all the other shots; what do you really need? There are titer tests that you can get for your dog letting you know how immune they are to certain diseases. This information gives you the peace of mind in knowing that they are covered and do not need another shot.

When a dog is given a vaccination; it enters the body and stimulates the immune system into action. The immune system attacks the foreign substance and antibodies are produced to destroy it. These antibodies remember the specific agent and are stored away for later use if needed. Many vaccines protect a dog for life and there is no need to revaccinate.

These links offer a wealth of information on the subject. It's for the animals.

Shirley's Wellness cafe

Vaccination Liberation

Truth for dogs

Neither Luke nor Jessie have received any shots in years. Luke has epilepsy and Jessie has severe autoimmune disorder. Giving a dog that is not extremely healthy a shot can kill them. Many vets will recommend the whole cocktail of vaccines at once; add to that a heartworm medication and perhaps a topical for fleas and ticks. This is a recipe for disaster; your dog's immune system goes into full fight mode trying to fight all of the different substances it has been subjected to. Sadly many dogs die at this point; as their body cannot handle the stress.

If you are going to give vaccines; get the individual doses. Do not give your dog a multitude of substances and hope that their body can handle it. One at a time so that they can deal with each agent individually. And consider what you are putting on or in your dog before you do so. The same goes for any medication that the vet offers; research first, always research.

stop action

Yesterday I was working with Tilley and her rehab. A big part of it has now been having her go back to her first love; catching and retrieving. The chase and catch are the parts she loves best; this alone made her a phenominal frisbee dog. Although it is sad to see her lack of ability now with her vestibular disease; it is uplifting to see that none of her enthusiasm is gone.

I love to shoot action; after dogs my second favorite subject is movement. When my son was in football I shot every game and I couldn't wait to get home to see what I'd caught. When you shoot action you reap the benefits; amazing views that you would never have seen otherwise. Stopping action in it's tracks with dogs opens up a whole other world of dissecting behaviors.

So while I was playing ball with the dogs I decided to shoot some action at the sametime. I started with Tilley; for this I asked for the assistance of my son. I asked him to throw the ball as I shot. In the photo of her (grey poodle) you can see that she starts out on track and as her head lowers she looses her grip. You can see that she is struggling to keep her footing by her tail coming out to help in her balance. Because of her equilibrium issues she has a very difficult time when she is required to lower her head. Things like going downstairs, eating or retrieving a ball give her a challenge.

You can also see that in the images of Tilley; she slows down considerably as she approaches the ball. This because she has learned she no longer has the ability to stop on a dime. It is the final stage of picking up the ball where she has the most difficulty and she must be moving very slowly to achieve it. Also if you notice the ear position in the middle Tilley. It is slight but because of her loss of balance at this point her ears are no longer completely frontwards in the direction of her prey.

For Luke's images I decided to attempt to capture a catch. Not so easy; I was throwing with my left hand and catching the image with my right. My camera is very heavy so these are pretty good considering. A dog's eye never leaves their target; their whole body changes while their focus remains. Even after taking so many action shots I was still surprise to see just how wide he opens his mouth and how far back the ball goes on the initial catch.

Luke never left his position; to show you the sequence I had to move the images to the right a tad. But the last image where he is coming down from the catch; his back feet were still where he had been sitting. I have taught all my dogs to catch; it is a good behavior you can fall back on for many things. But it is important for them to not only know how to catch but to understand what catch means. This clears away any confusion as to chasing or catching an item.

Happy dogs make me smile

Sometimes a happy dog is all you need to make your day. I was crazy busy yesterday; rushing here and there and trying to get all the things I'd put on my "to do" list done. I was out in the backyard chopping the last of the stumps I needed to chop; Tilley was watching. Luke and Jessie were still in bed upstairs. As I pulled my very dirty work gloves off my son came outside and greeted Tilley. She ran to him; flinging her head in the air like a stallion. And then she smiled; she gave him 3-4 big smiles. This is something she has always done but it has gotten more rare in her age and especially since her Vestibular. The site of her throwing her head; smiling like crazy with her vibrating tail was a sight for sore eyes. This makes me smile.

And as for sleepy heads; they eventually made their way outside. Jessie found a spot where the sun was concentrated in a beam when everything else was shaded. There she lay soaking up the sun on her old little body; I love to watch her enjoy the sun. When Luke came out to see what I was up to; he was in the mood for some love'n. He's a head pusher; he just loves to get his head in to the crook of my neck and push. With his mouth open doing his happy huffing it is a joy for the two of us. This often happens in the middle of gardening; with my hands both covered in dirt our snuggle session is hands free. And it's a good thing as I often need my hands to catch me before he pushes me to the ground. There is nothing like it.

By the afternoon I had done yard work; ran my errands, worked on several of my books which are underway and mixed up a great dinner for the hounds. It is very quiet at my house in the afternoon; that is serious naptime for all the seniors here. As I came into work on the computer some more I found Luke on my bed; stretched out rubbing his face, open mouth huffing and wagging his tail. There he wass all alone in my room on his bed (actually my bed) loving his life. How can that sight not be good for you. I watched in silence for a few moments and then asked him if he was enjoying himself. He wagged even more knowing I had come into the room. He proceeded to rub, huff and wag with a few snuggles for Mom thrown in for good measure.

Physical force training

"It is our obligation to make them smile; hey you volunteered for the job."

There are alot of topics I'd like to write about this morning; but one has gotten my undivided attention. I've written about this often; it is a subject I am passionate about. The inspiration comes from a dog that I have written about recently. Luke and I were at the park yesterday; it was a great day, not too hot and we were alone for the most part. After we had our fill of exercise we headed back to the car when we heard something that stopped both of us in our tracks. A bit of a scuffle and a yelp; and another yelp. We stopped and looked around.

There he was; the Shar Pei/Pit mix I've written about before. Although this time he and his "owner" were with another person and her dogs. They were about 100 feet from where we stood; Luke and I both watched. There was some yelling; "NO, NO, NO."" Followed with some serious face pointing; dogs love that, and yanking, lots of yanking. Along with the yanks was more yelping, the dog was wearing a prong collar. I couldn't tell if the problem was within the three dogs or perhaps it was us. Had this dog seen Luke and gone off?


The two women walked a few feet and there was more; some barking, yanking, yelping and then the pit mix was on it's back. With all four feet in the air; this dog was not relaxing, what a stressful situation to be put into. I watched and stood on the edge of my fence. Say something or don't. As I stood watching the owner holding the dog down and her friend standing soothing her two dogs from the stress of the event I shook my head.

This type of situation really gets to me; I find it so hard to contain myself. It is a situation that you have to evaluate in pieces. Somewhere this person learned to do this to her dog; if not a local trainer then she learned this on television for sure. Both of these women thought they were doing a great job. I'll show him, I'll train him up like a pro. The humans had bought into this force method hook line and sinker; they were in the thick of it. The anger filled the air and the physical force control agenda was in full swing. So for me to step in and say "hey; have you tried positive reinforcement?" would have probably been very bad timing.

I stood and watched until the dog was allowed to regain his footing. They chatted and laughed about the incident as they got closer to where I was standing. I drew an imaginary line for myself; one more yelp and I'm going in. As I loaded Luke into the car I listened carefully for the sound. I closed the back hatch and got in my SUV still shaking my head; so much anger. During this whole process; the yanking, yelling and flipping there was so no educating, only physical force. Madness it is; agitation; dosed with some pain and physical restraint, a recipe for disaster.

Dissection:

Mix breed sees a trigger and initiates ritual behavior.

Owner immediately yanks on the pinch collar delivering pain to her dog in attempts to stop the behavior.

The pain adds to the aggitated state that the dog has quickly entered.

Yelling and physical pushing is added; these are not only futile attempts to stop the dogs reactive behavior, it is actually fueling the behavior. The owner is lucky that the dog has not displayed redirected aggression.

The dog now has a clear association to other dogs; pain.

Everytime a dog walks by or is in viewing distance; the dog is yanked on causing pain from the collar. Yelling persues and perhaps an alpha roll. In the dogs mind this is all caused by the appearance of a canine.

No attempt is made to re-educate; the only goal is STOP. I will make you stop.

The dog knows no other behavior associated to this situation. It has never been given an option.

After a physical struggle the walk continues and the behavior continues at each new dog interaction. No lessons, no advancement, only anger, stress, frustration and agitation.

Where is the human/canine connection? Where is the education we as humans are obliged to give our dogs? Where is the compassion? This scene set before me at the park yesterday is a clear sign that we've got so far to go. Yes our dogs should behave and when given and education they should follow our lead. I am a strong leader and feel that all dogs need a leader.

Leadership: an act or instance of leading; guidance; direction.

Being a leader has nothing to do with size, strength or the ability to inflict pain. A good leader; leads. Leading effectively through education, patience, compassion and understanding. Many dogs like the one I have just talked about need educating and patience; and a leader who will take the first tiny sign of success and help it grow.

Sadly with trainers still teaching these abusive methods of training; the compassion part of a human can lay dormant for a much longer length of time. It often takes a look from the outside in that leads to the moment when we realize the err in our ways. Thankfully my moment came many years ago.

Guarding

Guarding behavior is very normal for dogs. We humans don't like it much; although there are some people who think it's cute when their dog guards them. I was almost bitten when I was very young; we were at a cottage and the dog that lived there was chewing a bone. Having come from a very non dog family; I was never told to leave dogs alone when they were eating or chewing. I approached the dog to pet it; I got closer and closer where the dog would have obviously frozen, given me the lazer beam eyes and a display of his teeth. I didn't stop; as a child you don't see these warnings. The dog lunged at me and grazed my arm; he then ran back to his bone and threw me a couple more dagger stares.

Yes; he was guarding his bone. Some dogs never guard; some guard with dogs and not humans,there are all different levels of guarding. What factors in on the level of guarding is the value that an individual dog puts on an item. When a dog guards a human; they are claiming you, this is my girl or guy. And it is not cute; no matter how cute the dog doing it is. Guarding needs immediate attention no matter what level it is at.

My little Jack Russell showed right from the start that she was going to be a guarder. At 12 weeks of age she gave me quite the display of her tiny teeth when I tried to move her rawhide. That was nearly 14 years ago; and since then we have never had rawhides in the house. Reason one was Jessie; and two is that they are not good for dogs. And three is that I know of two dogs who actually choked to death on them. So with the rawhides gone we didn't have any problems; solved until the entry of raw bones. There we have a slight issue; but that has been solved as well which I will explain a little later.

The approach of many to a guarder is "oh ya? I'll take whatever I want." So; often people snatch the food bowl away from their dog, or the bone or toy or whatever they are guarding. Now think for a minute. The dog is guarding because they think that you want their stuff; which you pretty much just proved correct. What we need to do is teach them that we don't want their stuff most of the time; but if we did want it, that is a good thing.

What I do with Jessie and raw bones is trade and offer good stuff for any approach. So she is outside with the other dogs chewing; I will walk up to her and offer her a piece of raw beef which I cut off the bone before giving it to her. I do this with my poodles as well. What this does is make my approach a good one; instead of a negative one. I also trade bones; I take out a plate and tongs (meaty bones that are already chewed are pretty gross). I pick up Tilleys first and put it on the plate; bring it over to Jessie. Jessie drops her bone to see what I have and I give her Tilley's; picking up her bone. I then bring Jessie's to Luke and give Luke's to Tilley. This is another exercise in "my approaching is a great thing."

Many place guarders can be managed by taking their "place" away. If a dog has issues while in a certain bed; the easiest option may be to get rid of the bed. But some dogs will just choose another spot to guard.....so for these guys you use the "approach is good" routine. Depending on the level of guarding that your dog is showing will factor in on how long it should take to get rid of. Some dogs turn around quickly; others are diehard guarders unwilling to let it go without a fight. Baby steps are the best line of approach when dealing with guarders.

So whatever the object of the guarder is; you need to convince them that having people around it is a great thing. Management is the first step and then the work should begin. The goal of the work is to teach your dog that sharing is wonderful. Never punish a dog for guarding; that is a sure fire way to guarantee a bite down the road. Punishment only caps the beast; eventually it comes out and when it does it's not going to be good. So best to educate; shooting for a wagging tail instead of a tooth display.

Dog stuff

Three dogs in this image are wearing the Easy Walk Harness.

Good Monday morning; I thought I'd talk about some of the dog things that I like today. If you have recently been looking for something cute, useful or specific you've found that there is so much dog "stuff" out there it is mind boggling. So what is the good stuff? Hard to tell until you try it of course and then most of the "stuff" ends up either in a bin in the garage or the garbage. I love trying new dog items but I give them a big once over first. Much of what is available today is really useless.

The three categories of dog stuff are as follows:

Essentials; things you need to have when you have dogs. So the essentials are a leash, an attachments device like collar or harness. You need a bowl for food and water, a bed or two, toys, crate.

Wants: things you like and make living with dogs easier or more enjoyable. Some desirable items that make life easier with dogs are baby gates, xpens, grooming table, extension leash, a coat for warmth. My guys only wear one when they first get shaved at night and even then they hate it. These are the things that you could live without but having them sure improves life with dogs. I found a great water bowl recently and I love it; could I live without it? Yes. But it is great to bring on walks; Luke is a big drinker and I can throw it in the dishwasher after he is finished sliming it up. I also have bowls that I LOVE. The stainless piece comes out and can go in the dishwasher as well as the non slip holding container. It is less bulky than alot of the other bowls I've had making it easier to fit into the dishwasher after every meal.

People things: things designed for dogs but markets solely to the humans who love them. Ah; these are the things we truly buy for us. We think we are buying the items for our dogs but we aren't. A wardrobe; a different little outfit for each day, special fragrances for our dog, treats made to look like little bones or crowns. Jewelry for dogs? Hmmmmmm.

My favorites:

Harness: The Easy Walk Harness

Leash: cotton web 6' and up

Bowls; are the ones mentioned above

I have to admit I love dog stuff; but I do tend to go for the most useful things that will enhance my life with dogs. I like the company that focuses on durability as well. I'm not much into the accessory type things for dogs; if I want accessories I get them for me and save the very coolest dog stuff for my dogs.

Nice little Saturday

What a nice day; the sun was shining and the birds were loud, it is surely spring here in the OC. My husband went off early with Luke; he has been downgraded from a runner to a walker now. At 9.5 he is showing signs of age already so a nice long walk and short time off leash is what his weekends now consist of. They use to consist of 3-5 mile runs with Dad Sat and Sun. Sad when we have to make that call; for their own good.

But we had a great time together; I met my husband with the girls later at the park. We did our snail pace walk and some micro fetching for Tilley. Being that she was an amazing frisbee dog; seeing her still enjoying a good retrieve is fantastic. Even if it is only a few feet away. Jessie got her power sniffing in; if it was up to her it would take us several hours to make it a 1/4 mile around the park. But being that sniffing is so important; she gets her fill.

We spent a good amount of time in the yard today. Jessie slept sound in the house while Tilley and Luke were my audience. As I planted they watch and Luke followed; he is my constant assistant. They normally sleep during the day so tonight they are crashed; completely. They had a smidge of frozen yogurt before finding the perfect spot to curl up and start dreaming. A great day enjoyed by all.

Human interference

Tilley was on the receiving end of a full frontal display this morning. This was a very rare occurance and one that needed some attenion. All the dogs were on the bed with us as is customary in the morning. They had their tidbits and were re-curling to go back to sleep when Tilley thought that she smelled something over near Luke. Typically Luke only gives the slightest of freezes if he is perturb by her snorfling around; this morning he was not in the mood. As I watch closely; he displayed all of his front teeth and growled. Tilley could not hear the growl; nor was she watching him. Immediately I touched Tilley to get her attention and told her to knock it off. Not hearing warnings is something I'm becoming very aware of.

The important factor in this event was that Luke not be scolded. He was simply communicating his feelings and on seeing the body language; he may need to be off the bed a bit more as his head tends to grow from time to time. Tilley was in his space but he has never in all of his 9.5 years minded this. If it was Jessie doing the rummaging she would have got a very loud growl and tooth display and she would have not heard or seen it either. This blog is about canine communication and human intervention.

I have written about this often but everytime I hear a new story I feel obliged to write again. This is such a sad story and one that I hear far too often and I can never seem to tell enough people. New dog vs. old dog. A family adopts a new puppy; the family already has an adult dog of approximately 6-8 years of age. Each time the puppy crosses the line with the adult dog it growls and is immediately corrected by the owners (first mistake). Everyone then lavishes love on the new puppy and shuns the adult (second mistake). As the puppy grows it becomes more obnoxious and the adult dog is feeling unsettled; it attempts again to reprimand and is in turn punished(third mistake). The puppy is now a year old and when it pushes the older dog a fight ensues. Family members are bitten; the younger of the two dogs is bitten and the adult dog severely scolded (fourth mistake).

Now there is tension between the dogs; the new dog may have never had any thoughts of being the top dog but the owners gave it that spot very clearly. Having been stopped dead in her tracks when attempting to teach the new dog where she stood; the older dog was feeling the need to speak louder. Each time she needed to escalate her lesson because the humans were mixing everything up. Then there was another fight; many people were bitten in this fight. The younger dog received a ripped ear and the older adult dog? The dog they had lived with for over six years; the family dog? She was sent to a shelter where by now she has been euthanized.

The fact is that humans do not come equipped with the knowledge that is needed to clearly understand canines. Many people translate all dog behavior into human behavior which is completely wrong. As a human parent; would you want to stand back and let your children make all the rules? I for one would not and neither does an adult dog. By disciplining the adult for trying to teach a puppy you do several things wrong; and they can all be detrimental.

1. You lower the status of the adult dog; clearly sending the message that the newcomer does not have to listen to the adult canine.

2. You give a puppy more status than they should have.

3. You create a need for more force; the adult dog needs to correct the mess you are making.

4. You create a monster so to speak; with no rules and regulations many puppies become very obnoxious.

and

5. You set these dogs up; for the final disaster.

This could have had a happy ending; had these humans had a clue to what they were doing or had the good sense to call in a professional. These are some of the heart wrenching stories; dogs being dogs and humans reacting blindly. Our human nature tells us to defend the victim; the one taking the brunt of harsh punishment. Good common sense in a human world; but wrong in the dog world. It is the right of an adult dog to dish out discipline; this is how puppies learn. They learn how far they can push and if they cross that line; they quickly hear about it. With the more naturally obnoxious puppies; there is often alot of lessons to learn and it can get loud. And as guardian it is our job to step in and help educate; supporting the top dog.

If you see the list of 5 errors; they all start with YOU. It is the humans who are at fault here. The dogs were being dogs; and the dog paid for the humans negligence and lack of canine expertise. There really should be a manual to read before getting a dog or two. I cannot count the number of times that I've heard of people getting mad at the adult dog who attempts to scold a puppy. I often tell people who have a new puppy to go find an adult for a few lessons in life. You would never, ever see the wolf pups running the pack.

**With regard to disciplining; I am not speaking about dog fights or attacks. I am strictly referring to discipline in order to educate. Tilley was told this morning for snorfling too close to Luke; that is just plain rude and she knows better. I didn't like that Luke gave Tilley a toothy growl but I am glad he did; it let's me know that he is maybe getting a bit testy in the morning. Good to know.

Go with your gut

This image is one of my students who has never seen and never will see a choke collar. He is a star student in every way.

GO WITH YOUR GUT INSTINCT"So is it bad that she peed when he yanked and yelled at her?" This is what a woman asked me after talking to her about her experience with a trainer. I cringed as I pictured a sweet honey colored lab puppy being so afraid of the human on the other end of her leash that she peed. I was in a local furniture store and after reading the back of my xterra the sales asked me about the dogs. She told me about a wonderful young lab she had; sweet as can be and the horrible memories she had from the few training classes that they had taken her to. I explained further that I was a positive trainer and had no use for choke collars. The story was as follows:

The couple took their dog to a local "conventional" trainer. After the trainer told them what to do; they were told that they were going to ruin her and he took the dog; yanking and yelling her into submission. The sweet young lab then proceeded to pee on the floor. She had no doubt given all the signs of submitting to this horrible human but he did not stop in his abuse to her. This is sadly and far too often a reality for many. New owners feeling like they should trust the trainer hand their dogs over.

I have worked with many dogs; undoing what these harsh type trainers have done. Their answer for all dogs is to literally yank them into submission. And many use the psychological tactics; undermining the owners confidence. "You are going to ruin that dog." This is the same phrase told over and over to many new owners. One young Golden who was as sweet and amazingly smart as can be went through this exact situation. Unfortunately the owners turned this dog completely over to the trainer, only returning weeks later to find that their once bubbly and happy Golden was now a shell of what once was. They were mortified and explained to me; "we didn't know." Together we worked with the dog; lots of positive confidence building and he recovered nicely and is the amazing dog that he always was.

A dog trainers job is to build the guardians confidence; creating a sense of "I can do it" for the guardian. Afterall when the training is over; you are going to be alone with your dog so you have to have the knowledge to do it yourself. The training is mostly the owner; teaching the owner how to teach their dog.

Most recently I talked to a guardian who told me of the horror stories she experienced with a trainer. She said "they were so mean to her." She hated it and can't believe her dog had to go through this experience. So stop right here.

If you go into a situation and your gut tells you "NO." Then leave. Do not put blind faith in someone who is doing an unjust to your dog. Even if someone has been a trainer for 25-30 years; they could possibly be the worst there is. It was the "there has to be a better way" feeling that lead me to find positive training so many years ago. I started my training with one of the worst; harsh and demanding woman trainers there is. My experiences from this fuel my passionate about spreading the positive word. Our dogs deserve better.

There are so many people out there who are looking to make a buck anyway they can. They have no conscience; no passion for animals. These type people are driven by greed and power. I have met many trainers who are power hungry and use their physical power over innocent animals to fuel their pathetic thirst. I'm sick of it; but still today there are so many people who just don't know that there is a better way. So tell your friends; throw the word around as much as you can, positive reinforcement. With these two words alone; typed in to surf the web can bring a wealth of information for anyone who is interested.

There will hopefully be a day when we look back shaking our heads stating "we use to yank dogs around with a chain around their neck?"

Grooming old dogs

Yep; I groomed an old dog yesterday. Tilley has not had a grooming since she was hit with Vestibular disease. She's had a couple of showers but this was the first attempt to do a full body groom. Several weeks ago I did clip her face and her feet but not the full on clip. Standing on the table is out of the question at this point; I gave it a quick try a couple of weeks ago and she was unable to even stand. Being in a crooked state does not lend itself to standing on a table up off of the ground, so ground it was.

First I shaved straight down the middle; from head to tail. I made a 6" swath down the center and gave her the extra support when she wavered. With her top central area complete I got out a big towel and lay her down and over on her side. After only a couple of minutes I realized that my back was explaining to me in no uncertain terms why we put dogs on a table to groom them. As my lower back burned I performed the one handed clip; one hand on the ground for support and one on the clippers. Tilley fell asleep; this is definitely the way to go for the old crooked gal. But this was not the way to go for myself; my back was screaming. After having three kids I sort of have a lower back issue; I'm sure many women do.

I shifted and leaned and clipped as fast as I could. I told Tilley "this is definitely going to be utility." Think she cared? Not in the least. There was alot of hair to come off; I shaved it all. I knew that in the shape she is in now that she could not tolerate a longer length shave. I typically use my 3/4" at this time of year; leaving some length for the chilly evenings. But it had to be quick and the 3/4" clip is not that.

Throughout the process I got up; asked Tilley to stay and bent backwards in attempts to undo my hunching over and then right back at it. It was a fairly quick and easy event and it was over, thankfully. I helped her to her feet; and as she shook her beautiful blue curls flew in the wind. She seemed to have a smile on her face and proceeded to do her mock speed around. This is basically the idea of what she would have once done; racing around the backyard with per joy. She felt great, it was obvious and I quickly forgot about my back seeing her so happy to be much lighter.

Then it was into the shower for a quick suds up; condition and drip dry. Again; not a back friendly event. Someday I will get my standing stainless tub. It was hot yesterday; really hot so she was dry in no time at all. Once she was dry I did a few touch ups with the scissors; beautiful. There is nothing like a freshly clean shaved and bathed poodle. Plus it gives me the chance to see just how she's looking under all the hair and for a 13 year old who is now crooked with Vestibular she's look'n mighty fine.

In her golden years she needs the extra tlc; lastnight she was covered up with two blankets for bed. And this morning she is sleeping on Dad's pillow underneath Dad's comforter. Nice. Things change drastically as a dog ages; grooming is one thing that calls for a big change in the groomer. Some groomers will not do old or aging dogs because they take much more time. But for those who have the patience and take the extra time that is needed; they do it for the love of an old dog.

Comparison

We all do it; I think it is human nature, we compare. Comparing does not have boundaries; pretty much anything can be compared and compare we will. I often hear about a neighbor's dog being so good or so bad; many of my clients let me in on their comparing. This is when I try my hardest to stand up for their dog; the one who is being compared. Canines are a very diverse species; even though they are all dogs, no two are alike. And for that fact alone we humans can find it difficult not to compare. We compare our dogs to all the other dogs that we've met along the way; we even tend to compare our living breathing dogs to an idea of the "perfect" dog we have in our heads.

Let me be the one to tell you that there is no perfect dog; they have faults and flaws just like we do. They actually have far less flaws than humans and shine alot brighter much of the time. So what happens if you end up with a dog very far from what you had conjured up in your head? You learn to love and appreciate that wonderful dog of yours. The three dogs that I have now are all very, very different. In fact my two standard poodles are probably the most different. Over the last 25 years I've lived with several standard poodles and no two have been the slightest bit similar. I like it that way; you sure learn alot from each individual.

Comparing often happens when we lose a dog. With the addition of a new dog to our life we hold great expectations. In our day to day life we may see the smallest of differences in the newbie and focus on those as imperfections. This new dog is not living up to the mold your great past dog left; and to be honest, there is no way they could. This is not your old dog; this is your new dog and this new dog is a completely different animal. I often advise people when they have lost a heart dog to go with the opposite sex this time; or choose a dog that looks entirely different. This can sometimes help to lessen the comparing.

When Luke entered our lives it was big; I'd never lived with a reactive dog before. I chose him out of his whole litter because he was the one with the waggingest tail; the one that would stop jumping on me. He is the same today as he was at the age of 7 weeks old. Yes he came with alot of issues; none of which Tilley has. But never have I lived with a dog that has taught me so much and I love him with all my heart; issues and all.

When I think of adding a new canine member to our family I think about the fact that this will be an entirely new entity in our home. It is exciting to get to know your new dog. As someone who does regular litter temperament testing; it always amazes me how different 7 week old puppies can be from one another. All raised in the same home; by the same Mother with the same experiences and yet they are all very different. Ah; dogs................one of a kind. ;)

Life with dogs

Well; I'm without my laptop this morning. I brought it in to get fixed yesterday and they tell me 2-3 weeks; not acceptable. Funny how I love to write in bed with the dogs surrounding me; but put me at the desk and I sit here staring at the monitor. It is not condusive to creativity writing; it feels like work. So I'm trying something new; I have my keyboard in bed and my monitor is on the other side of the room which I cannot see to read so I'm thinking this will mean alot of proof reading when I'm done, but at least I'm comfy.

I wanted to write about the evolution of our lives with dogs this morning. We've come a long way baby but we still have mountains to climb before we get there. In the beginning; approximately 15,000 years ago we had a win win relationship. We tossed food to the wolves and in turn they protected our village. Then they joined us in our village and helped us to hunt for the food that we shared. Not long after that they were our dogs and they played an important part in human lives. They helped to hunt, protect, and work in many different facets of the human world. This was the relationship in the beginning; and a critical one at that.

Then some years later many humans took on a less physical type lifestyle; opting to leave the harsh life of farming to live in a more urban neighborhood; leaving home to work. Today there are still dogs that work hand in paw with their human. These dogs lead a more traditional type lifestyle; closer to the way it all started. But for those who left the life of a working dog; there was a big transition awaiting them.

As time passed and things changed drastically in our society; dogs soon became a luxury item for many who chose or were forced to leave the farming life. Dogs started to change physically; smaller lap dogs, larger protectors, more specifically; dogs were being bred to pull out traits that suited our needs. But now that many humans lived in cities; what were city dogs to do? Life got really boring with no job to do for our dogs. Some folks; those really doggy type folks did alot with their dogs; but many dogs lived a boring existance, just sort of hanging out all day.

Then things changed again; with the introduction of so many purebred dogs there was a more clear cut distinction between humans. Those who could afford the elite fancy purebreds; those who had purebred working dogs who had been bred to bring out specific drives, and those with the mixes which were most average families. This went on for sometime; and here we are today.

Of course this blog could be a book; there is so much to write on the life of dogs with humans, correct? But here we are today with dogs and the way I look at it; we are making progress. Although we definitely have times when we slide backwards with regards to evolution. In general we are plodding away in a positive direction. To see so many people supporting humane treatment towards dogs; spending many waking hours in support of cruelty legislations and many who spend their hard earned money and time rescuing dogs, this is the positive direction.

Many more people are rescuing dogs; both purebred and mixed. There is more importance put on the general life of a dog. Countless guardians now work to ensure that their dog has a fulfilled life as a dog; making sure that their doggy needs are met. This is huge. A slide backwards are things like the "Paris Hilton" effect. Sadly she alone promoted the "dogs are accessories" idea. And now many tiny dogs are sitting in shelters and rescues because of it.

From the smallest pocket pooch to the largest giant breed or mix; a dog is a dog. They all need to run, smell, interact, play and receive an education on how to live in a human world. I love all dogs; all the mixes, whether they are a designer dog or a dog that is a culmination of many breeds. I love all the purebreds; I love dogs as a whole. Like human individuality; so is there dog individuality. The vast difference in humans is equaled to the difference in dogs. This enables everyone to live very different lives and be happy. As long as our dogs needs are being met; education is being shared about how best to treat and care for our dogs, if we as humans are teaching compassion to our children then we are headed in the right direction.

The more humans that fight for the rights of dogs; the better our world will be. A more compassionate human? That is evolution at its finest.

Epilepsy

Was it tough to get up this morning or what? We slept in and it's already nearly 7:30, whoa. I had a not so great sleep lastnight; funny how dogs can wake up and then be asleep in less than a minute as we lay there trying our hardest to obtain the unobtainable. So at 3:21 this morning both my husband and I were bolted out of bed. Luke has taken to sleeping on our bed for longer periods of time now. We both felt the bed shaking and heard the heavy breathing. "Is he having a seizure?" came out of both our mouths at the sametime. And just in time for Luke to move on in his dreaming; he was dreaming, not seizuring. Geesh; okay now that I'm a wake.

Luke is epileptic; and I hate to actually say this but I shall knock on some wood. He hasn't had a seizure for sometime now thankfully. He started seizuring at the age of 3.5; the normal onset age is between 3 and 5 years of age. We have been able to pinpoint his seizures to stress or chemicals pretty much. Stress can play a large role in many dogs that have seizures. That said; stress is dealt with differently by each dog, so how much stress is too much stress is very individual. Luke is a stress monkey so it doesn't take too much to push him over the edge.

Toxins also can play a big part in seizures and epilepsy. We keep all lawn fertilizer, weed killer type things off of our lawn. And I do not use harsh chemicals in our home; I opt for Baking soda and Vinegar or micro fiber cloths. All dogs with epilepsy are different so it is up to us and with the help of our vet to figure out the best approach as far as treatment. We have opted to go the natural way; with feeding real food and using management in the stress department. Luke has Grand Mal seizures (they are very bad) which are difficult to experience with him but they are luckily far apart. He may go as long as 6 months or more before having another.

Drugs used for epilepsy have side effects just like any other chemical drug. So do your research, know what you are giving your dog and make the best choice that you feel is right for your dog.

Dog breeds that are more prone to epilepsy are the Keeshond, Tervueren, Cocker Spaniel, Poodle, Collie, German Shepherd, Irish Setter, Golden Retriever, Dachshund, Labrador Retriever, Saint Bernard, Miniature Schnauzer, Siberian Husky, and Wire-haired Terrier.

Canine epilepsy network

Canine epilepsy resource

EPI Guardian Angels

Canine Massage @ Il Fornaio

I had a very exciting lunch yesterday; one that I'd been anticipating for a while. First I had been asked to choose our meeting place; I chose Il Fornaio in Irvine. Il Fornaio is a wonderfully authentic Italian restaurant with amazing food. Second I was to meet the owner of a Japanese Holistic Dog care facility; Dog Relation and her husband. We spent two hours over lunch discussing dog behavior and living with dogs both in America and Japan. Ms. Matsue found me through my blog; pretty amazing and evidence of just how small the internet makes our world. I sat completely fascinated as she explained about working with behaviors and health issues through the art of massage. Of course we discussed my dogs; mostly Luke and his reactive behaviors.

I explained about life with dogs here in America; training and nutrition. And after much of our conversation; I discovered that there are similarities and differences with regards to living with dogs in Japan compared to here. Being that we were discussing dogs and everything about them I felt we could have easily continued well into the dinner hour. Learning about alternative methods of dealing with all things canine is always enlightening. I am always searching for new ways for people to connect with their dog; and this is definitely one more option. When you meet someone who has the same outlook on the canine/human connection it is intriguing to here their perspective.

I had the best time and another fabulous squash raviolli dish; my favorite. I look forward to June when Ms. Matsue will be bringing some of her students back to visit many local dog facilities and events here in America. They will also be visiting my home; meet my gang and I will discuss behavior, the canine/human connection, nutrition and general life with dogs here in the US.

Tilley is 13 today

It is Tilley's birthday today; this is a big one. She is 13 on the 13th so it is suppose to be her lucky birthday and 13 is my lucky number so it should be an extra special day. I do have something very cool happening other than her birthday; but more on that in a later blog. So today's blog is about Tilley and fitting that it is #1001 blog at that. The first thing I want to do is to thank Tilley's breeder; Glenna Mae of Kalchan poodles.

I first saw Tilley when she was three weeks old; I didn't actually see her as an individual but saw the mass of poodle puppies as I peeked through a doorway. On that day I did meet Grandma, Sister, Aunt and Uncle, all of who I was very impressed with. So after my first visit; I returned home to wait the 5 weeks until I could return to choose my gal out of the pile I'd seen. I had pick of litter; nice.

When I returned three weeks later they sure had changed; there were little black puppies running everywhere. With Glenna Mae's assistance; Tilley was chosen to come home with me and as they say the rest is history. Tilley has been the most amazing dog anyone could ever have. She is what I often refer to her as "Lassie in poodle clothing." Perhaps now she has actually surpassed Lassie and should be only known as Tilley. She truly is a celebrity all on her own; or at least she should be.

The only issue that Tilley has ever had is her drive; it's off the charts. And because of this she became an amazing frisbee dog appearing on Pet Star twice. Over all the years of my dog training Tilley accompanied me often as a neutral influence. Often dogs with fear or aggressive issues were helped along with her presence. She has been and is an amazing companion; loving, devoted and the ultimate Miss Manners. Her bond with my son is one of the most intense I've seen; each sharing immense love for one another. They grew up together; Tilley joined our family when my son was a young 7 year old and they have been inseparable since that day.

This is a big day to celebrate; with Tilley's recent Vestibular issue we could not be happier that it was but a hickup in her wonderful life. As we celebrate today we will look back over the 13 years spent with such an amazing dog who has influenced and enriched our lives to a degree that words do our relationship justice. So here's to the girl; Tilley.