The leash

The leash; what could you possibly write about something so simple? You would think that it is a clear cut; strap type device that goes from dog to guardian, right? There is so much more to a leash; that is nowadays with so many different types out there to choose from. So I will give you my opinion on some of the types out there and what I like to use when I am required to hook'm up. I have just about every leash there is; but my go to one is a simple device.

I want to discuss the extension leash first; I have big issues with these. On the homepage of the website there is an image of a woman walking a dog past a hotel at the end of the leash DON'T DO THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Too many people walk their dog in crowded areas with their dogs on these type leashes; extended. The dogs are too far out front; which can cause a tangle for their dog and the people around. Most of these leashes have a tiny string as the main body of the leash; and believe me when I say they can really leave a mark if wrapped around you. I feel very strongly that these leashes should only be used in a park or field type area when there are not others around. The extension leash is a great device for those dogs who should not be off leash like my little Jack Russell; but great care should be cautioned around other dogs and people. If you really love the extension; know when and how to quickly reign in your dog and when it is safe to have them extended.

The bungee leash; have one of these. I bought one at a trade show; I'd always seen them and wanted to give it a go on my standard poodle sled dog Luke. It actually did take some of the umpf out of Luke's pulling; I was pleasantly surprised. Of course teaching your dog not to pull is the most effective way to avoid sore arms but if you aren't going to do that then the bungee leash helps. The last time I visited the land of squirrels; this leash saved my shoulder.

The Clicker leash; I am in the process of product testing this leash. So far I really like it; it has a built in clicker in the handle which I love. Even if I am training; I only want to be carrying a leash in my hand as I walk my dog. It is a great leash for no pull training; my guinea pig is Luke. The concept is obviously "clicker training" made easy. The leash is shorter than normal which is good for training as well. It is pricey but a wonderful training aid to get you to a non pulling enjoyable walk. If everyone started out with this and taught their dogs not to pull; just imagine.

Chain leashes? What's there to say? I don't get these; don't waste your money. Who wants to carry around a heavy chain? Not me and I'm sure your dog's neck would object as well.

The WalkyDog Bike leash; this I have not tried. But; there is a guy at my regular park that uses two with two dogs on his bike and he does a great job of it. He rides around and around the park with a dog on either side; both dogs look like they enjoy it. The pole type device keeps the leash away from the bike and becoming tangled. Pretty cool I think.

Now onto the regular good ole leash. My preference is 6-10 foot 5/8" cotton webbing leash. I just recently bought some nice new red ones. I'm always putting my leashes down in the grass and loosing them so I figured with red I could see them better in the grass; and I do. Regular leashes come in many different materials; nylon is one that I'm not a fan of, if your dog pulls it can pull through your hand burning you. You can't get a good grip on a nylon leash although they do come in an array of colors (wooohooo).

Wider is better if you go with nylon but then coiling them in your hand when you want to shorten up is difficult. Leather is the same; hard to bunch up when you want the leash shorter. Of course leather lasts well and the styles and fashions are too many to even discuss. As a trainer I like a leash that I can roll up into my hand when I want to work on close training or simply have my dog near me, cotton is the best for this. And I like to have a long enough leash so that if the moment arises when my dogs can wander around; I have the length to allow them to do this without giving up my rolling ability. Wide nylon and leather are tough to bunch into your hand.

And as far as fashion leashes go; the skies the limit. I'm not into fashion leashes and go more for the best utility leash out there which happens to be about the cheapest as well. Now go walk your dog. ;)

A connection

I was out doing errands yesterday a woman saw the back of my car; she asked about what I do. I told her that I was a dog trainer and photographer and she said that she loved looking at photography; she loved when an image showed emotion and moved her. I agreed that a good photo should create a feeling. But; it's not always easy to achieve even when you are trying very hard to create just that. It is the connection that I look for; that inner meshing of human and canine.

For me a connection between human and canine is subtle; often something that is not visual but something you sense. I work around dogs all the time and I am lucky to connect with many; but definitely not all of them. Many new owners tell me about an instant connection; the one that was invisible but very strong as their puppy chose them. What was it about this one particular little dog that they felt so strongly about? Connections are a very personal thing; something that others may not even be aware of. But if you happen to get a glimpse of a true human/canine connection it is something to behold.

I have seen many connections between rescue workers and the dogs they are helping. A welcoming open spot lies waiting in the heart of a human who is driven to help dogs in need. This is where the scared and needy dog quickly gravitates to; you can almost see the instant connection. A connection is not always a touch; it is often a look, maybe only a simple sense of being connected but you can see it.

Both species are very aware of a connection; that is a part of the connection itself. A connection is a point in time; a moment when a dog and human are one. An instant; a millisecond or even in a passing, there has been something. A connection is not something you can measure; it's worth is immeasurable.

I often watch dogs and the human guardians; and I realize that the connection is what I'm looking for. Sadly some people never connect to even their own dog. For some reason the human has not opened themselves to the amazing human/canine connection. Once we humans have had a true connection you simply cannot return to a non connected life; you're usually a dog gonner. The old saying "gone to the dogs;" is a pretty great saying.

Food merger

I am merging; Just dogs with Sherri and Cook'n just for dogs with Sherri are now one. I find myself extremely busy these days so the two are now one. I haven't been getting around to writing the second blog since April so this is the best option for me. I will leave the Cook'n blog standing; it has a lot of information on feeding dogs on it for those who want to read some of it.

So this mornings blog is about eating and the differences in each dog's eating habits and tastes. Long ago when I fed my dogs generic dog food; and this is way back in the beginning I put the food on the floor and they ate; boy how times have changed. I clearly remember asking my vet at the time (I was in my early 20s) "is there a difference in foods?" He shook his head and claimed "they're all the same." So I bought the cheaper generic food. I wish I could go back in time and change things but you can't so you learn and push forwards.

Over the years I've learned a lot about nutrition; it is something I am very interested in. Having two long time vegetarian daughters and recently converted son and husband we do a lot of talking about food. So it makes sense that my interest in food crossed over to the dogs. I've been feeding home prepared food to my dogs for over 10 years. I have on occasion switched back to dog food but it was the best I could buy if I did. I now feed all "real food;" I do not use the term "people food" to describe.......well real food. People food is Pizza, chips, twinkies; you get the idea. With all the real food every so often I feed dog food that is agreeable with all three dogs both in digestion and taste; so that if I ever had to leave in a pinch they could eat Orijen or Stella and Chewys dog food.

I feed a wide variety of foods; I feel it is the optimal way to cover nutritional needs. Tastes are probably the biggest thing you see once you start feeding different foods and watching; who likes what? My three dogs are very different eaters; Jessie is a your basic Hoover, she will eat anything. Tilley is a great eater; there are a few things she is not a fan of. And then there is Luke; and I wish Luke's appetite on no one, he is by far the fussiest, most picky dog I have ever met. It is a constant challenge to keep meat on that boy; although as he nears 10 years of age his svelte body will do him good.

Along with Luke's fussiness; he also has eating issues. He often snubs foods that we think he loves; his appetite is just not peaked. So I go out into the yard and toss their food around; this kicks in his drive and he eats like a champ. The girls love this type of eating as well; it is after all much closer to how their ancestors ate. I also try to get lots of healthy snacks in throughout the day; Luke get's many and the girls get a bit not to be left out.

So with the merger I will be discussing food and feeding dogs here on Just dogs with "me."

Drive

Prey drive; we've all heard it, what exactly is it?

Prey drive - is the instinctive behavior of a carnivore to pursue and capture prey.

Okay so that's where it started; but it has gone in many varied directions. Hunting dogs have been bred to retrieve downed birds without destroying them. Herding dogs have been specifically bred to round up animals without attacking them but having a very tough persona so they can control animals many times larger than themselves and some dogs have been basically stripped of their prey drive.

Not all prey drive ends in killing; often the drive is simply to chase, which is common in many dogs nowadays. When I temperament test puppies; one of the tests is designed to test drive. A test designed to assess the natural desire to chase in a puppy. Most average pet owners will not want a dog with a high drive; it can be a bad thing if you work long days and don't have a lot of time to spend exercising and satisfying the drive in your dog.

My girl Tilley was not tested;had she been she would have no doubt scored off the charts. Just yesterday I had her and Jessie at the school near by. We wandered the different fields; slow and steady. On our way back to the car we passed through a parking lot when a rabbit darted out; ran in front of us and up a hill. Tilley immediately flew into action; I yelled LEAVE IT. Being that she is 13 years old with Vestibular disease I didn't want her hurting herself. She stopped in her tracks; thought for a moment and gave me the finger. This is very out of character for Tilley; the ignoring me part that is. As the parking lot was fully fenced I decided to let her go for it; she ran a crooked full speed after the rabbit and up the very steep hill. It was then that I worried she might just fall down the hill; but luckily she managed her way down and was one very happy old gal.

Over the years I have worked very hard at keeping Tilley's drive under control. And it was at times extremely difficult; her drive to chase is unbelievable. After successfully transferring some of that drive onto objects like balls and frisbees it was much easier to control. Many dogs find obsessive outlets for their extreme drive; Tilley found shadows. Other dogs obsess over squirrels, cars or even bicycles. If you have a high drive dog you must find an outlet for it.

Many breeds have been bred with high drive so you can weed those out if you are not looking for drive. A couple of high drive breeds are Labradors, Border Collies, Kelpies, Sight hounds, Malinois and German Shepherds. Over years of careful breeding; many dogs have almost lost their drive completely. These are the dogs bred more for companionship; the ones that won't leave your side because a rabbit just ran by. But as I said; each litter contains different drives in each puppy. Jessie also has a high drive but hers is driven by the catch and kill; she really isn't into the chase so much. It is almost like she has no control over it; no thinking involved. She sees movement and it triggers her to run. Now at 14 it is far less only because she cannot see movement like she use to.

Drive is not lowered by age; it can only be controlled by training and management. If you have a high drive dog then you need to find an activity to redirect that drive. Agility, flyball, herding, frisbee or field trials are just a few of the outlet activities. The higher the drive the more work it is to control. If you are interested in participating in many sports and activities with your canine then you will want a certain degree of drive. Some dogs have no drive at all; preferring to spend much of their time watching sports.

Many people who I have talked to purchased their dog from working lines; thinking that they didn't want a show dog. Working lines have drive; these dogs are bred with more drive than the average dog because they are meant to work. You should be very aware of this when you go looking at a litter who's Dam and Sire are field champions. Field champion = drive.

I prefer to use the term drive instead of the more historic term prey drive. With human intervention much of it has just become a desire to to chase; with no kill requirement. Drive can pop up in a litter of non drive type dogs; but in general it follows certain breeds and lines. Unlike color or ear set; drive is something that will influence your life, it is important to understand it.

Breeding dogs

Breeding dogs; have you ever considered breeding your dog? There are many reasons I hear why people want to breed their dogs;

- We love her so much we want a puppy from her.
- I want my kids to see puppies being born and raised.
- We could use the extra money.
- My neighbor wants a puppy from her.

Any of these sound like things you've considered yourself? Well there are other things to consider before breeding your dog.

- Are you willing to do all the necessary health tests? (Hips, elbows, eyes, skin disorders etc?) These are essential to producing the best physically healthy puppies you can for people.
- Have you studied your dogs pedigree; do they have a strong and healthy lineage? A dog can be healthy but if they have bad genes these can be passed onto puppies.
- When searching for a stud dog you must find a dog who has been tested as well.
- What about temperament? Is your dogs temperament stellar? Is the stud dog's temperament stellar? A good percentage of temperament is genetic, unless your dog has an amazing temperament you may be passing on problems to the puppies.
- Are you financially equipped to handle huge medical bills should something go wrong? Puppies may need to have medical treatment, the Mother may need a c-section etc.
- Veterinarian visits are essential; prenatal, postnatal, during and puppy visits. Can you afford these?
- Are you willing to risk the life of your dog for the sake of having puppies? Things can go wrong and dogs can die while giving birth.
- Are you up for screening possible puppy buyers with a fine tooth comb and potentially turn people down?
- Are you prepared emotionally to hand over your puppies to new owners? It's pretty heavy.
- If things simply don't work out with new puppies and owners are you ready to accept puppies back into your home and re-home them?
- Are you planning on having the litter in your home? Perhaps in the middle of your living room where they can be subject to daily life?
- Puppies need mental stimulation right from the start; they need constant socializing, this takes time. Do you have the time to do this?
- Are you going to temperament test each puppy to best match it with a future guardian?
- Nutrition is a big part of raising a litter; cost should not factor in when choosing foods.
- What if you cannot sell all the puppies? This is a common occurance; especially in these economic times. Can you keep a houseful of puppies?

I could go on and on with this list.

Oh yes this is a long and daunting list; but if you are not prepared to do all of this and more don't even let the idea of breeding cross your mind. I know many many dog breeders and if done right; breeding does not make you money. You are lucky to break even as things always arise that put big demands on your wallet. Breeding is not for the faint of heart; things go wrong all the time and you must be strong enough to deal with all of the issues that arise head on.

There are far too many unwanted dogs in this world already; this list is a tiny look at things to consider about breeding dogs. If everyone checked off at least these before breeding we would have a lot less people breeding dogs; which is a good thing. Spay and neuter your dogs please.

Chewing sticks

Dogs love sticks; give them a stick and they will be occupied for as long as the stick remains intact. For some that's not long; others like to toss sticks around and play along with their destruction tactics. Last night we had a bonfire; it was so nice sitting around the fire, a nice glass of red wine in hand just chill'n. It wasn't long before Luke discovered the sticks; there were two types. One pile was split longs chopped down to kindling the other was sticks from pruning the trees. He went over and tried a nibble on the kindling and was quickly told to leave it. That was the last attempt at that pile; dried wood that has been split is very dangerous, too many splinters.

He next went over beside Dad where the pruned sticks were kept in a box; he stuck his head in the box of twigs and asked for one. These sticks although dry were still bendable and not the splintering type. Dad obliged and Luke quickly destroyed the stick. The objective for Luke is destruction; that's it, rip the stick to pieces and move onto the next. He returned to the box and asked for another one; gone. He went through about 10 sticks in a row within a 10 min. time span. He then asked for a stick and brought it over to his bed that was beside the fire; he chewed it with less purpose although still destroying it. Once it was in tiny pieces he went and asked for another and brought it back to his bed; this went on through the entire bonfire.

I love seeing dogs chew and play with sticks; it is quite a natural behavior. Even wild wolves play and chew sticks. Each and everyone of my dogs over the years has loved sticks. But there are precautions you need to take with sticks. Watch out for sticks that are so dry that they will splinter. Dogs tend to get wood stuck between their front teeth if they are grabbing bark and ripping it off. They appear to be choking when in fact they are attempting to get rid of whats caught between their teeth and need human assitance. Be very careful when throwing sticks; we had a horrible stick accident years ago with my very first dog Mandy (an airedale). My boyfriend at the time (now my hubby) threw a stick and it landed and stuck into the ground; as Mandy ran at full speed to retrieve the stick it jabbed into her mouth piercing her soft palate. If you are going to throw sticks; throw them sideways, not end over end.

Sticks are great fun; they don't cost anything and dogs love to destroy them. Luke was thoroughly entertained for the entire evening last night by the ever humble stick. My job this morning will be to clean up the piles of stick pieces left behind from all the fun. ;)

Walking your dog

Most of my inspiration for writing comes from being out with my dogs. I frequent parks, beaches and open fields. Of course my favorite place to walk is somewhere quiet with my dogs off leash just running having fun but those places are becoming harder and harder to find; especially here. Although running off leash is wonderful; our dogs must learn how to walk nicely on leash, it's a fact of life. Yesterday when my husband and I had all three out having fun at the park a woman walked by with three little dogs on leash. She'd obviously been watching too much of a certain guy on television.

Our dogs were running everywhere; two were on leash (they have long leashes), Tilley was off leash doing her rehabilitation ball retrieving. The woman was far away but I could see her trying to get organized and then she proceeded. As she walked past us I watched; she bent down and gave one dog who was walking a bit out front a push to get back behind her. Okay so they looked happy enough; they were definitely cuties but were they having fun? Happy and fun are two different things.

We walk our dogs for our dogs; correct? Well; we actually walk them for us as well, a walk is always good for us but we mostly do it for our dogs. When I walk my dogs I like them to do what they enjoy; sniffing, lifting, wandering etc. I do not want my dogs dragging me down the street or across the park but I in no way want my dogs walking behind me like robots. If I head out on a power walk; meaning that I mean business and we are getting in some exercise, I allow sniffing for a good amount of time before we commence. Sniffing is what dogs do; they love it, so they get in a good amount of it before we start our non stop walking.

If you watch a pack of wolves move around in the wild; it is the Alpha who says where they are going. The top wolves decide which direction to go in but they don't have to be out front; that is a fallacy. The members of the pack watch the Alpha and go where he goes but the lower members are all about, even out in front. When I take my dogs for a walk in the woods and everyone is off leash they are following me; there is no doubt about it but they are like a pack of wolves, all around.

In my opinion having your dogs walk behind you is just not fun for me or my dogs. Now if they want to walk back there as my Tilley likes to; fine. But keeping them back there to show them who's boss defeats the purpose of why we are out for a walk.

Touch

I first want to say PLEASE NEVER HUG A STRANGE DOG. Although it is very tempting to give a cute dog a big squeeze; in dog terms it is very rude and may get you into a heap of trouble.

We all love to pet our dogs; it's actually good for us, lowering our blood pressure simply by touching them. But what if your dog doesn't like to be touched? A touchy situation for sure; you got a dog to keep you company and now you discover that they are not the touchy feely type, great. There are many different types of reactions to touch; some love it, like my Luke. Others thinks it's sort of nice; there are the dogs who accept it; only barely tolerating it. And then there are the dogs who do not want to be touched; some will move away while others may let you know with a growl that your touch is not welcome.

Most family pets that don't like to be touched simply pull away. If your dog growls at your touch you are probably dealing with leadership issues and need to have a professional have a look at your relationship. If your dog just doesn't like to hug and kiss; rest assured, there is hope. Tilley is not a touchy feely type gal; that is if we approach her and give her a big hug. But she loves to come up on the couch and snuggle up beside you; even lay in your lap.

It's all about what our body language means; and a hug in dog terms is a dominant gesture. It is the equivalent to being mounted. Never considered this before? And if we dissect the hug even further; a hug coming from below will be accepted far more easily than coming from above. If I hug Tilley from underneath her stomach she is fine with it; she doesn't lean into it like Luke but accepts it. If I hug her from above and around her neck or chest; I can feel her pull away.

Positive; positive, positive. This is the way to go to teach our dogs that touch is not only good; but great. Start slowly; and always "quit while you are ahead." A quick touch is much easier to accept than a half our petting session. So start small and work your way up. Add treats to the touch game. A hand on your dogs neck as you give them a yummy treat; a treat offered while you rub their chest.

Some dogs are over stimulated by touch; so for those types you want to keep it short and sweet. And touch can also be a status seeking behavior; bet you never thought of that before. With my boy Luke; it is often status seeking with strangers. When someone new comes into our house and lavishes attention and petting on Luke; "that's right; who's the boss?" When they think they are the best of friends; they go to move into the living room as Luke lunges at them barking. The person is left thinking "what the heck is wrong with this dog?" When this is normal procedure with Luke; he established who was the top dog as soon as the lowly human started the petting procedure. Now the human thinks that they can just simply walk about "his" house?

The best way to enter a home with a dog is to ignore the dog. Ignoring solves so many issues; over excitement, over submissiveness, fear and status seeking behaviors. Then once you are in the house; you can acknowledge the dog. But keep it simple and watch for acceptance of touch. Don't assume anything with dogs; they are all different and have their different needs for space.

For many dogs; learning to love our touch is a process. We cannot force it upon them; we must teach them that it is a wonderful and mutually beneficial activity. If after all your work they still aren't on board; then that is who your dog is, they need their space. We should respect that.

Dog park Etiquette

With all the dog parks popping up everywhere there are some good and bad things about these facilities. How many people have tried the dog park and didn't go back? Was there a bully in the park? Was your dog not happy to be there with so many strange dogs? Did your dog have a scare? When you put a bunch of dogs into a confined area; things can happen. The smaller the park with a high number of dogs can create a bad situation which was intended to be a good one.

I have heard many horror stories about dog parks but if you follow some simple rules they can be a great way to socialize and vent some excess energy.

Unfortunately not all the dogs that frequent the park should be there. But; the problem typically lies with the human guardian of that dog and not the dog itself. There are pushy type dogs who run around bullying every other dog in the park who receive no feedback once so ever from their human. Their human is happily chatting up a storm on the other side of the park without so much as a glance Mr. Bully's way. This is the biggest issue that I have dealt with and hear from other owners.

There are the folks who bring their dog kicking and screaming and sit there with their dog hiding under their legs. Do you really think that your dog is enjoying this? Obviously this is a traumatic experience and if this is not their first or second trip but a long term behavior; I suggest you skip the park all together. A dog like this needs a lot of work before being thrown into a dog park in close proximity to other canines.

So here are my list of rules for the parks;

Firstly; play nice, if your dog cannot play nice they need a time out. Give your dog another chance to play nice and if they still are not playing nice; leave.

Watch your dog; that means eyes on your dog at all times. Sure you can chit chat but watch your dog while you socialize.

Watch the other dogs; you need to know who is in the park. Keep your eyes out for any problems that may arise from other dogs.

Guarding behaviors are not conducive to playing at the park. If your dog guards their balls or frisbees then leave the toys at home.

If you have a dog that is extremely fearful; work on this at a less scary place before introducing the dog park setting. It is much easier for a fearful dog to handle a couple of dogs at a time before dealing with a mob.

Chill out; if you are uptight about going to the park your dog will sense this.

Dogs communicate via growling and body posturing; don't think every growl or pounce is aggression.

Don't coddle your fearful dog. If your dog is screaming behind your legs you have work to do before subjecting them to a park situation.

Short and sweet; dogs become over tired and cranky with too much in your face time with other dogs. Leave when your dog is still happy to be there.

If a negative incident arises at the park; wait and have some positive time before leaving. You don't want to abruptly leave on a negative creating a negative association to the park.

Do not allow your dog to bully other dogs.

Do not allow your dog to mount other dogs.

Do not allow your dog to pester other dogs; barking consistently in one's face is pretty annoying.

Pick up after your dog.

My motto in life is "quite while you're ahead." This is definitely good advice for a dog park.

canine structure

I wanted to talk about structure this morning with regards to movement and action. The more dogs I see the more I realize how important structure is. With people breeding dogs to their personal likes and dislikes many dogs are suffering the consequences.

Structure; a complex system considered from the point of view of the whole rather than of any single part.

Structure plays an important part of daily life; it can be the difference between happy go lucky or constant pain. In the wild a wolf with a compromised structure will suffer and may even die. Survival of the fittest is cruel but reality in the wild yet our domesticated dogs can suffer the same pain although we are here to care for them.

One can look at canine structure as a whole but it can be one fault that brings the integrity to a screeching halt. Since the existence of the canine; man has had a hand in manipulating their physical structure. Many dogs that we have today were created for specific purposes; most of these purposes are now long gone. What we are left with are physically manipulated dogs with problems. Take the long breeds; dachshund, pekingese and dandie dinmonts, all suffer from back issues.

The flat faced breed or brachycephalic like the bulldog, pug, pekingese have respiratory issues that owners need to deal with. These breeds have a high rate of sleep apnea which is something an owner should be cautioned about.

Then there are the short legged breeds; again the dachshund, pekingese, corgi and bassett hound. These dogs can suffer from skeletal and leg disorders caused by having abnormally short legs. Here is an article on the genetics of dwarfism in dogs.

Other than these three obvious structural issues the every day dog can suffer just like humans from a lack of muscle mass or small variations in build. Now there are many people who have no intention of participating in racing, swimming, tracking, flyball or agility with their dog. For those people the risk of their dog being injured is far less; obviously. But for the average Joe with a dog; you are going to want to hike, run and play with your dog so structure plays a big part in your everyday life.

Let's take my dogs for instance; all three are very different in structure. My little Jack Russell is built like a tank; she has average length legs (she's not a pudding) and is pretty much average in just about everything else. But she is stocky no doubt which makes her very durable. Her lack of length of neck and legs helps her to maintain good structure in movement and she has rarely been injured because of it.

Luke and Tilley are both standard poodles; Tilley is an amazing athlete, Luke is not although he is incredibly fast and can run like the wind he tends to injure himself often. Tilley is compact in every way for a poodle; she has amazing angulation in her rear and shoulders. Her neck is on the short side which does not do her well in terms of a "show dog" but as far as an athletic body goes; she's got it all. Luke on the other hand is a more show type poodle. Long in every way which does not do him well in the athletic department. He has a very deep yet narrow chest; he can be knocked over easily. He is very long necked and long legged which makes maneuvering a greater task for him and he is much more prone to injury. I can't tell you how many times he has tweaked some part of himself which results in days of rest.

So structure is a vastly important part of having dogs and playing with dogs. If playing is a big part of your life whether in the form of a competitive sport like flyball, agility, frisbee or dock diving then you need to take extra care when adding a new canine member to your family. Many breeders now a days are taking a closer look at structure in movement and the sporting dogs. As they say; beauty is only skin deep. Not only is skeletal structure important but the tissue which surrounds the skeleton is just as important. Without the supporting muscle and tendons you have a weak skeleton; which is prone to injury.

None of us want our dogs in pain; whether it is from an injury or genetic fault from birth needing surgical repair it is simply pain for our dogs. And this is yet another reason to NEVER EVER purchase a dog from a pet store; millers don't care about the life of a dog down the road. As long as they get that money they don't care who they hurt on the way.

Collar reliance

How many times a day do you grab your dog's collar? Me? Never, they don't wear them; at least not in the house. The reason that my dogs do not wear collars is that accidents happen. I have heard so many horror stories of dogs strangling and choking from getting their collars snagged on something that it just isn't worth the risk. I’ve also dealt with it at a very personal level.

When we go out they have harnesses or a collar on but as soon as we come back in the door it's all taken off. Years ago when I had two male dogs; they were playing outside and got tangled up. One boy got his mouth stuck in the others collar; both didn't know what was going on and a fight ensued. Luckily I was there to untangle and calm them down.

The decision to take collars off can have a huge impact on your canine/human relations. With the collar gone, you quickly discover whether or not you have ability to direct your dogs verbally. As a dog trainer, I see collar reliance often. Collar reliance is the act of grabbing the collar when you feel the need for control. Taking the collar off may seem like no big deal as you read this but if you are in the habit of grabbing for control it is a very strange feeling for it to be gone. There is a definite loss of control sensation which can be a very big deal.

So here is my challenge; take it off. How much control do you have with your dog if you cannot rely on a collar for it? You will soon find out once you take it off. As a photographer I am often asking guardians to move their dogs around. "Can you get them to go over there?" The answer many times is "I'll try." And it usually ends in the dogs being dragged around by the collar; not good. If you pull on a dog; they pull back, you push, they push. It just becomes a power struggle.

Using visual and verbal cues to move your dog, takes work. But when you take the time; the payoff is immense. This is not so easy with Jessie now that she can barely hear or see; but I just pick her up most of the time now and move her. Beats screaming and waving my arms around like a mad woman. But for the others I simply tell them; "come here," and point. If they don't make it to the correct spot I further guide them in the right direction. I try very hard to maneuver dogs hands free.

Once you get use to the collarless life, you won't miss it. You become more connected to your dog without an actual material connection. You learn how to better communicate and attain a much more harmonious relationship. Without a collar to grab hold of you become much more aware of your movements as well as your dogs. With training, guidance and work; you will be able to achieve a point A to point B without dragging your dog by the collar.

Sure there are times when we need to grab a hold of our dogs; but they are very few and far between once you obtain a serious connection of guidance. Do it for your dog.

Memories

We all have them; both good and bad, memories.

Memory - a mental impression retained; a recollection.

Of course I'm talking about our memories of dogs; left from the ones who have touched our lives. As we go through our day in and day out; there are moments that for some reason or other are left with us while others seem to slip away, gone and forgotten in time. Often memories are of a fleeting moment; nothing monumental but for reasons unknown to us we often think of them.

Just the other day I had the good fortune of shooting a dog thoroughly enjoying a game of frisbee. After we wrapped up and headed for home I could not stop thinking of Tilley in her prime; she was amazing and loved nothing more than flying through the air after her disc quarry. This lead me to thinking about Tilley now and how much she loves to chase down her ball; her tail wagging in delight as she finally connects. A lifetime offers a never ending wealth of memories; each day and experience is a possible future memory.

As time passes many memories fade but the strong ones remain; waiting to be called upon. It can be a simple event; a smell or perhaps seeing another dog that reminds us of our dog now gone that stirs an old memory. Just writing this reminds me of the small toy poodle I had as a child; Strawberry was his name (I know). He was my first and only dog while I lived at home and I have many memories of him. I remember fighting with my four brothers and sisters over who was going to walk the new dog. Who was going to be allowed to feed him or brush him? I clearly remember waking up on Saturday mornings; I must have been around 12 years old at the time, I would find Strawberry and put him inside my bathrobe and zip him in snug. We would sit and watch cartoons together; this was our special time, we both loved it.

Yesterday my husband and I discussed Jessie's 14th birthday which will be on the 26th we went down memory lane. Remember when we got her? Remembering is often wonderful; sometimes sad and then again a memory can be a catalyst to change. Memories are a funny thing; sometimes we have the most difficult time remembering and yet other times a memory comes at just the most perfect time.

When I consider the human and canine connection I often bring up old memories to help in my directional path; these memories have the most impact, my fuel you could say. Whether memories are recent or from the past long ago; they are all bunched into the big filing cabinet labeled memories tucked away in our gray matter. Some memories can be pulled upon when needed; others may only be seen when it is tweaked by an external stimulus. And sometimes a good memory is all we need to keep a dog in our heart. No dog is ever gone when they have left us with memories.

So much to remember and much more in store. A dog's memories; in future blog.

Nice weekend so far

We had a great day yesterday; first thing Luke went out with Dad for a canyon run. Its been a while since they went down there and they had a blast. After I finished blogging I took the girls out to one of our favorite parks. Tilley is doing amazing and although she is not a fan of going for a leash walk; once her leash is off and her ball is out she is a transformed girl. Her whole body is up; ears, tail, everything as she waits for me to toss her ball. The ball has to stay on the ground now because she can't catch it but she tries ending up just hurting herself in the process. Even Jessie got in on the act yesterday and as Tilley went after her ball Jessie went after Tilley, fun.

Then it was home where the girls reconnected with Luke after his big walk. They did some sun soaking in the yard and then it was breakfast time. They had Stella and Chewys freeze dried raw for breakie. I didn't rehydrate it; instead I broke it up and tossed it around the yard to peak their drive, Luke loves this form of eating. He always eats best when there is a game involved.

Once everyone was fed it was snooze time; they slept soundly until mid afternoon when it was bone time. Out came the leg bones and there was once again three happy dogs. They chewed for 2 hours as I read magazines and gardened. After they had chewed for about an hour; I did the bone trade which everyone loves "a new bone to chew." At the very end of the chew I was watching Luke try to get the marrow out of his bone; I didn't notice Jessie tip toeing closely. In one big bluster I was made well aware of her sneakiness as Luke let her know she was not getting his bone.

For dinner they had a home cooked meal; beef, sweet potato, arugula and cranberries. Then it was down to the family room for some much needed chill'n time and a movie, nice.

What makes them happy

What does your dog like to do? This is a question that I often ask guardians when we are going to do a shoot. What is your dog's favorite thing to do? I like to capture dogs at their happiest; so if we allow them to indulge in that activity I can usually get some great images. Sometimes people don't know what their dog loves to do; they like to go for walks, they like to play ball, they like to sleep on the couch but they don't have a "love to" activity. Well; that's pretty much like people right? Some people are driven some are happy just doing whatever.

I had the chance to shoot a very happy dog yesterday; a super athlete. This gal loves her Frisbee and was having a great time as I shot away. I love it when a super athlete jams on their breaks at the last moment so as not to crash into me. This tells me that they are so into their game that they didn't notice me until the last second. They skid to a stop; give me a look as if to say "hmmm; didn't see you there," and they are off again. Tilley was one of these dogs and I have to say it was a bit tough to see this flying poodle and not think of my girl now long retired.

Many dogs love to chase; this stems from the hardwired prey drive. Drive comes in many different degrees; for Tilley it was off the charts. Her desire to chase was so strong that she found her own outlet for this behavior. She started chasing shadows which she discovered were a pretty reliable source for her; this is where it all started. But shadow chasing became dangerous so I transferred her chase drive to balls and frisbees; this gave me more control over the drive.

Many dogs love water; and it's not all labs or goldens but many are. I remember one home I went to where the woman told me of her obsessive labs; they were in the pool all day. And if a toy should sink to the bottom of the pool one of the dogs would dive repeatedly until they got down there and retrieved it. Finding what your dog loves to do usually comes from a natural drive that you need to untap. Dogs that do not have a high drive can be more difficult to figure out.

I'd have to say that one of Luke's all time favorite things to do is to sit in the family room. After dinner he stands waiting for me at the kitchen door; he appears to be tapping his foot as he impatiently waits for me to finish up. As soon as I approach the door he flies off with excitement; across the living room and down to the family room where he stands with a huge grin on his face and wagging like crazy. Yep; he's an odd one.

Some dogs LOVE to hike; they are more into the slow paced sniffing walk. They love to check out every step and have no desire to simply charge through the woods at full speed. What about those dogs who love to pull you down the street or around the park? Wouldn't they love to be hooked up to some weights and pull to their hearts content? I often gave weight pulling a thought as Luke dragged me around as a youngster. I wondered how the bully breed people would welcome me and my standard poodle; more than likely with a snicker I'm thinking.

And for all of you with those herding dogs that can't stop rounding up the family. There are places where you can take them to round up flocks of sheep or geese; simply for the fun of it. Expelling energy is a huge factor in doing what a dog loves to do. If your dog is the type with energetic drive then you best go with it. A dog with no where to go and nothing to do can wreak havoc on your yard and home.

"Got a digger?" You use to have a beautiful yard but now it looks like a mine field; ah the telltale signs of a digger lives here. For dogs like this you need to make them a dig box or find an outlet for the drive. Jessie was a digger; a huge digger driven by the desire to find a critter in the ground. We took her almost daily down to the canyons to release this energy and she was happy as a clam with her butt in the air and head in a hole.

For those of you who have couch potato dogs? Just about every home has a couch so you've got it made.

Trick training

Several years ago I wrote an article for the K9 Magazine called a view from Canada. It was about life with dogs in Canada. For the article I wanted a shot of a dog holding a Canadian flag. I had previously taught Tilley to "hold" items in her mouth so she obliged for these shots.

Tricks; useful or useless? Let's face it; when you see a dog that can do a huge array of tricks, you're impressed. Even the simple handshake can impress when strategically placed in a precisely perfect moment.

Trick; a clever or dexterous feat intended to entertain, amuse, etc.

Regular training and trick training are all the same; at least to our dogs. The difference for us is that basic training helps us to communicate actions from our dog that assist in living day to day. Tricks are more for entertainment purposes; although this is the simplistic way to look at trick training. Being that tricks are impressive; they can be used to elicit interest. I have often used trick training to involve the children in a family, kids love tricks and they love to show their friends the tricks that their dog can do. This alone can get the family coming together and thinking that their dog is a way cool dog.

Dogs are never too old to learn; usually it is we humans that stop teaching. I remember one training client of mine years ago; an older very serious gentleman. As we started in our training I offered that we could teach some tricks after all the basics were dealt with. He shook his head with a stern look on his face and said "no tricks." He was not teaching his dog any silly tricks. Ah; a challenge I thought to myself. So I came up with non-silly type tricks for this particular situation and slipped them into the training without using the term "tricks."

The dog was taught to "back up" which is useful when maneuvering. "Catch" was taught so that it could be used as an attention redirection and "paw" was learned to assist in nail trimming. ;) Before long this gentleman was asking "what else can we teach him?" The sky's the limit for teaching our dogs behaviors or tricks; however you want to term them. Many tricks can be taught in a matter of minutes; others are more complex and may need many separate sessions before linking a large behavior together as one.

Our dogs see no difference in learning to sit vs. learning to shake a paw. Spinning is as simple to learn; or perhaps even easier for many dogs than the down is to grasp. I love the simple fact that trick training gets people excited about training their dogs. Many people give up quickly with the boring sit, down, stay exercises but add a "high five, bow or roll over" and they light up with pride.

Any dog can learn to do trick behaviors; some are physically challenged so you might need to tweak the trick to individualize it. Also all dogs learn at different rates; and in different ways so take the time to get to know how your individual is best suited to learn. The tough thing about training anything new can be our inability to think up the behaviors and how to teach them to our dog. No trick is useless; time spent connecting and communicating with your dog is always a good thing in my books.

A new day-our morning routine

I can hear Luke dreaming as the day ends and I drift off. The morning alarm seems to go off within moments of falling asleep and I hear Tilley; she is stirring and licking her legs again, something that has become a habit since the onset of her Vestibular disease. I don’t want to wake up; but it is time, Jessie is ready to get up and she joins me down to the kitchen. At nearly 14 she is amazing; she charges down the stairs and dives off of the fourth step to the landing, with lightening speed she flies to the door. Sluggishly I finely get to the door to let the very impatient lady out to quickly relieve herself. Everything is fast in the morning, Jessie has one agenda and one alone, food. She is back before I have a chance to get the mugs out and she waits. While I prepare breakfast she does a little early morning grooming on the bed in the corner of the kitchen. Once everything is ready we head up to bed again; she is way ahead of me.

She charges up the stairs and stops for a split second making sure that I am indeed coming with the food. We regularly have breakfast in bed with all the dogs; sometimes Tilley stays in her bed but she doesn’t miss out on any of the goodies. And as any Jack Russell would do; Jessie is spinning and leaping lest I forget to hoist her up onto the bed. Grabbing her is much like grabbing a wreathing fish; first thing in the morning she’s a bundle of energy. Once settled in we enjoy our coffee and the dogs enjoy their morning snack. Luke is still asleep but with Jessie’s first chomping sounds he has one eye open and is partially 'sready for his goodies.

Jessie gets her piece of cheese first; she first in line. I toss Tilley her piece; she is not budging and knows that her snack is only a toss away. Then I offer Luke his piece; but it has to be a small piece. He cannot deal with large pieces of anything first thing in the morning and will reject it if you try. And unlike the girls who gobble down the food tossed to them; if you throw Luke's treat at him he is highly offended and again it will be rejected. Even when I follow this strict protocol of his; a baby sized piece, hand fed, he will often reject it from me but eat it from Dad.......geeeesh. But I love our morning and this is the way that morning should always be.

After our breakfast snack and a blog; our day starts, well at least mine does. As I get ready to hit the gym the dogs get comfy for some extra snoozes. They know that I’m not taking anyone with me so there is no “take me” displays. Before I leave I check that the dog door is open and I’m gone. Once I’m back; the “take me” begins; that is once they are up and at it. I am often greeted at the door; sometimes I’m not greeted at all. This depends on the day before and how tired everyone is. I like to switch things up so the three dogs are juggled for walks and destinations are switched up daily as well. Whomever is not going for a walk clearly understands this by the absence of their collar or harness; so they usually go back to bed at this point knowing full well their turn will be on my return.

Once everyone has had their exercise; me at the gym and the dogs on their walks it is time to consider our official breakfast. The dogs must have been home and cooling down for at least 45 min. before they eat. Even food is switched up; they don’t eat the same meal each day, always something different. As they eat their breakfast; I clean up the kitchen and casually supervise. Jessie has taken to her new eating routine and immediately goes to the bed after finishing; she gets her treat and waits for her release. Tilley is done next and proceeds to snorfle around the kitchen steering clear of Luke while he finishes. This can take a while; he’s not exactly a speed eater. He often walks out of the room; with his bowl half full of food. I’ll call him back and ask him to finish; sometimes he obliges, other times he gives me a look and walks out of the kitchen once again. Okay we’re done; Jessie is release and she rushes to pick up anything carelessly dropped by the poodles. Now the day begins; which for a house full of seniors is usually a trip back to bed, at least for a while.

Puppy mill exposed

There was a lot of buzz about the Petland show on Animal Planet Monday night. Facebook was cluttered with "watch it" statements on many of the dog groups. The show aired on the Animal Planet channel; the puppy mill link to the huge pet store chain Petland was exposed. I made a point of watching; was it going to contain factual impact or was it basically an attempt from the waiving popularity of the HSUS to look good?

After watching the show I gave myself a day and a half to ponder the content. Now that I've thought about what I saw I can write about it. Obviously Animal Planet wanted the ratings; correct? As far as HSUS, Petland and the puppy mills; this is my take on the show. Empty. There was live footage of a young guy making the rounds; trying to get into the millers places to get some video footage. He continued throughout his adventure to tell the audience; that's us, how dangerous this was. There were a few glimpses of millers and their set ups; nothing that you can't see online with a quick search.

They had a few conversations between the investigator and the millers that were disturbing; and to people who really don't know that this is going on, those people would have hopefully seen the light. Petland is a Franchise and one owner was standing his ground that they do not buy from millers and that their puppies are happy and healthy. And then he claimed that they were "at least healthy enough to go home." The show interviewed several owners of puppies that had been sick; they used one child and her love of her puppy to drive the point home. They also used images of these puppies in little incubators at the vet office.

So what was the outcome of the show? Hmmmmm; at the end they said that there was a definite link from Petland to the millers; no sh*t. They said that they are hoping that Petland will stop buying from millers; I'm thinking they won't. The HSUS got some nice footage; are they doing anything with it? They did not say that they were prosecuting anyone; they stated that they hoped that Petland would stop buying from these people.

I think the show did nothing to help the dogs. Maybe; just maybe someone will stop and think before going into one of these big Petland stores and purchasing a puppy. But from experience I doubt it. Even after Oprah's big show on puppy mills the pet store at our mall is always packed with future puppy buyers. There is no reason at this time that anyone could say they didn't know; not after all the shows on the subject. They know; they just take the easy road and turn a blind eye. Also putting false blind trust in the young clerk claiming that these puppies don't come from a mill.

I'm telling you that all pet store puppies come from millers. No ethical breeder sells their puppies to a pet store, bottom line. YES; they all come from Puppy mills. The only answer to stopping this is to stop buying. The ones who own and run puppy mills are horrendous people (I have a difficult time even calling them people); they care nothing for the dogs. Dogs to them are merchandise and nothing more. The facilities are typically far from their home so that they can lead their life separate from all those noisy dogs. They care only about the almighty dollar; that's it, that's all.

These mill dogs live their life in a small cage; maybe fed, often not. They might get a bit of water but they get no human companionship, no love, no care. These dogs spend their life making money for the people who house them. The ones that run these places are cold as stone; there is no compassion. If the dog isn't producing they are either left to die in a cage or euthanized. No dog should spend it's life in a cage pumping out puppies for the brokers. I do not care if a cage is clean or not; there are a lot of new and upcoming "commercial" breeders out there boasting about their beautiful breeding facilities. STOP; DOGS SHOULD NEVER LIVE IN A CAGE, no matter if the cage is clean or filthy. Dogs should live in a home with a family.

The show gave us a reality check; a view into what is going on. No action was taken; we need action, we need to support those who will take action. DO NOT BUY FROM PET STORES; DO NOT BUY PUPPIES ONLINE FROM THESE PLACES THAT LIST THEIR PUPPIES. Pages and pages of puppies to buy from, pick your puppy, use paypal and they ship them to you. THIS IS A MILL; they just have an online store front instead of a pet store to sell their goods. Take a stand; don't set foot in a store that sells puppies, our dogs deserve at least this simple act from us.

A great greeting

Yesterday morning I had Jessie out for her walk; I took her alone because she had missed out the day before. As we made our way around the park I saw a friend of mine; she had one of her two dogs with her, the young one. Now; Jessie is well known around the dog world as............ let's just say not a social butterfly. I have discussed how I go to great lengths to avoid other dogs and keep Jessie from being retaliated on. But today as my friend and her dog grew nearer I thought this might just work. Although her dog is very young and very energetic she is very submissive and has excellent communication skills.

They grew closer and closer; I can't say anything to Jessie, she can't hear me unless I yell. So I gave her a heads up; with the smallest amount of tension in the leash I let her know that I was paying attention. And then I let it go slack but without any extra leash; just in case. The young dog started lowering her body posture about 3 feet from where Jessie stood; she also urinated just a couple of drops. Anyone who understands dog language could clearly see the interaction here. Jessie was standing tall; head up, tail up, no mistaking her dominance. The young dog literally towered over Jessie and probably out weighed her by a good 35lbs. Jessie stands 12.5" at the shoulder and this young gal is probably at least 24".

Even with Jessie's vision and hearing almost gone; she can still get her message across and somehow understood this young dogs communications. Jessie never growled; her hair did not go up, it was clear to her that this much younger dog understood who was boss. When everyone is clear on who is the supreme reigning Queen then huffing and puffing and putting on a display is simply a waste of time; Jessie knew this. Jessie is a very confident dog; so much so that I have had to save her from herself several times as she tried to tell a very dominant large dog that she was more dominant. It didn't go over well.

As far as the humans go; staying out of it is often very important for a good interaction. And that means leash tension as well as touching. If Luke is greeting a strange dog I make good and sure that there is no tension at all on his leash. The first sign of tension puts Luke on guard and he is likely to react to it with a dominant or aggressive display. When you allow a greeting interaction between dogs it is important to try not to pull your dog away by the leash. This act itself can cause an aggressive response. If you can teach your dog to listen to you under distractions; you will have a better outcome by simply calling your dog out of a dog/dog interaction.

Once we had a wonderful and very positive greeting behind us; the young dog started to bounce around with excitemeny. Jessie is not a fan of young bouncy pups so we made our exit. She stood and watched the young dog for a moment or two and then we went on our way. I was very impressed with my old cranky gal and very much so with the young dog. And of course I enjoyed every second of the interaction; dog communication at it's finest.

The diggin dog

We had a great weekend; with our time spent mostly in the backyard working. We've recently taken down a fence that was a between our grassed yard and a dirt slope. With the slope now in full view we are fix'n to plant. Trees, grasses and flowers but for now it is simply dirt and it is very inviting for a good dig. Jessie is our true digger but she has pretty much given up the dig unless she finds a hole that is currently occupied and that she stands a good chance of catching the critter in the hole; otherwise she's pretty much over it.

In her younger days Jessie was a mad digging machine; this was what she lived for so we made sure that she had an outlet for this energy driven obsession. She was bred to go to ground; this is what these little terriers love. So to ensure that she did not single handedly destroy our yard we took her to dig regularly. The canyon close by was a great place for her to expel energy and get her fill of digging and dirt. I could watch her dig for hours at a time; she was a digging machine. Not only were her tiny little feet strong and precise; her mouth was the shovel she needed to remove much of the dirt. Yep; she used her mouth, often it would be so full of dirt that she had a difficult time dumping her load. With her mouth open as wide as possible and packed tightly with dirt she often looked to me for assistance. I would hold open her jaw and scoop then she was right back at it.

Tilley only digs if a shadow lingers; it may be on the grass but if it happens to land in the garden then she'll go for it. For this reason there are fences where the birds make regular shadows in the garden. This is enough to deter her digging and she is content to just watch the shadows. Then there is Luke who is a casual digger; he isn't driven to dig, it just sort of happens. And this weekend was the sort of scenario where it happens. Luke loves to accompany us as we work in the yard; especially if we are digging. He likes to check out each new hole, freshly turn dirt and the plants that are going in. He stands staring at the ground as if waiting his turn. He inhales the wonderful smell of dirt and every so often it stirs something in him and he digs. Once started he can wreak havoc with those feet of his; so you have to be quick to stop it.

When Luke digs you can see that it almost out of his control; there is a certain smell that gets him going. He also sees us digging and is very much a lead by example sort of guy. He is easily deterred which is a good thing; but it has to be caught at the very onset of the dig as that first toe takes the dip. Otherwise he really gets into it and the digging becomes more frenzied and the dirt flies. So what do you do if you have a digger and you don't particularly want your yard dug up? You must release the energy elsewhere. The main cause for a digging dog is excess energy. It may be caused by a lack of exercise or boredom; or the fact that they saw a critter go into a hole.

Often a fence is all that is needed; making it very clear that this area is off limits. If you have a dedicated digger then you may need to make sure that they are getting enough exercise; both for their body and mind. A dog left to their own in a yard with nothing to do; will definitely find something to do. So do not leave a digger unattended in your yard; they need feedback. If your dog is left to dig alone in the yard with no feedback; they quickly learn to love this energy releasing activity. They should only be in the yard when you can let them know that digging is unacceptable. Teach them that the yard is for other activities like fetch, chase, water games or learning new behaviors.

The old saying "A good dog is a tired dog;" still stands true today.

They aren't robots

Nope they aren't and I don't know how many times I've stated this fact. Long ago I expected my dogs to perform like robots; it is what my obedience teacher taught us. Times have changed and so have I; thankfully. My robot days are long since past; left in the cave with the choke collars. All people are different; just like all dogs are different and what one human expects from a dog, another may expect something entirely different. But as far as I am concerned; dogs should have wiggle room.

How often do your children come running immediately at your beckoning? Not so much eh? What about when your kids call you; do you run to them instantly, do you drop what you are doing and wait on them at their beckon call? I'm thinking; not so much either. So why do we expect perfection from our dogs? Are we asking too much from our canine companions when we offer no leniency? Do as I say the second I say so; hmmmmm.

Dog's have a mind of their own; they are their own dog. I know my dog's tend to have an agenda, and if they are otherwise occupied by a previous engagement it is up to me to figure out how to break through. Many owners call their dog "Fido Come;" the dog hears this on a regular basis but is doesn't mean anything. They hear it over and over but the end result is the owner walks away. This is how owners teach indifference. If you want your dog to respond to a verbal cue then you must empower your cue. A verbal cue must mean something; and it should means something good.

The quickest way to a dog who never listens is to never offer anything for them to listen to. "Come?" Why should your dog drop what they are doing and come to you? Is there something good happening? Do you have something yummy to give them? Or are they going to come; look at you and get nothing? That was a waste of their time and they learn this.

But even well trained dogs have off days; they are not robots. If I ask my dogs to come or go out and they are slow to respond; perhaps thinking twice about it or hesitating, they are only dogs. I have seen some very highly trained dogs baulk at their owners as they are pushed to perform on an off day. A flash head turn and hard stare delivers a clear message of "I'm not in the mood." Dogs; like us have bad days and when they do we should be flexible enough to accommodate.

Those who understand dog behavior and create a positive learning and interaction association get less non responsive behavior. If listening to you is linked with positive association there will be in turn more listening to you; correct? If you have created a "whatever" scenario, you speak and no one listens. You have things to say but your words have little or no meaning then your will have more non responsive behaviors.

There are two words that must always be listened to in my dog family and those are "here" and "NO." I reserve "here" for an super speedy recall if needed. It has been proofed and will be enforced immediately if not instantly responded to. This is a life or death verbal cue. And "NO" reserved to stop a dog in their tracks. I have tried very hard not to use this word unless I mean business; I do not throw it around willy nilly for every little thing. It has the same effect hearing your second name when your Mother was calling you as a child. "Sherri Lynne," was much more impactful than simply "Sherri."