The social life

My husband and I spent several hours at the County Fair yesterday; County, not Country.  As we wandered around; the difference between country and county we're vast.  Crowds are not my thing so I was more than happy that we made our visit early and the crowds held off until later.  There were only two dogs that we saw as we wandered through the rides, displays and vendors.  Both dogs were "official" working dogs.  One was a Seeing eye dog in the making; the other a therapy dog.  Being able to wander around a place like a Fair is a wonderful way to socialize a dog.  There is such a huge variety of people, sounds, sights and sensations.

Unfortunately; unless your dog is an "official" working dog, holding a bona fide certificate then you are out of luck at these very social places.  But you can get your socializing done in lots of other places.  Parks, outdoor cafes, friends houses, outdoor malls, many shops allow dogs and all pet stores do and changing the time you visit each gives you a whole different array of both people and other dogs.  So just how important is socializing; getting your pup out into the world to experience it all?  Socialization is one of the most important things to do with new puppies, new dogs or inexperienced dogs.  The more variety things that your dog is introduced to which produces a positive association; the easier life becomes.   Positive experience equals a less stressful life.  Keeping a dog sheltered in a home or backyard handicaps their social skills and their ability to deal with day to day life.

Through life experience; interactions and changes in environmental stimulus a dog grows and so does their capacity to experience more.   Once a dog is well socialized and seasoned; a situation which may have previously caused a fearful or aggressive reaction will no longer motivate the same response.  Just the other day Luke and I were at the park; a woman walked by us wearing a very large hat and walking sort of crooked with her arms held out in front of her.  I thought how this would have surely made Luke stop and growl when he was young but now he is such a seasoned guy that he doesn't see this as something to fear any longer.

When a dog reacts in an undesirable manner we can only teach through example.  We cannot explain that these things are nothing to worry about; we must show them.  And the best way to display a "no big deal" attitude is to chill.    

Fear and our reaction

I spent a good part of yesterday in the kitchen; which means that the dogs did as well.   I took the old gals out for a big walk in the morning and then Luke and I hit the park for some power walking.  We all had a good workout; then it was into the kitchen.  Tilley spent most of the day snorfling; she has not always been so into food but her senior years have brought on a serious need to continually search for something to eat.  It is easy to see why older dogs can put on weight if you are not careful.

Luke was an occasional visitor to the kitchen; he came in and out often, he wanted to lay on the big bed but Jessie had taken it.  So he would come in; look at the bed and then leave and lay in the living room.  On one of his visits he came to my side and rubbed his head on my leg; he needed a snuggle.  As we were snuggling the broom slid down the wall and hit the floor.  He startled; immediately his ears went up as he watched it intently on the floor.   Luke does not like when inanimate objects move on their own.  He turned to get some reassurance from me; his ears back fearfully.  I quickly stood up and continued baking; watching him out of the corner of my eye, but otherwise ignoring him..  He looked at the broom and back to me several times before letting it go.  I let him know through my actions that the moving broom was a non-issue.

It is so very important to lead by example; your dog is constantly watching you and your reactions.   We have startle reflexes just like dogs; but if we are startled by something along with our dog we need to keep it in check.  I have readjusted my own behavior many times so as not create a fearful situation.   Fearful behaviors can quickly be ingrained by our own reactions.  Dogs can pick up the smallest signal from us that we are fearful, nervous, stressful or angry.  Acting plays a huge part in living with and educating our dogs.

If you happen to have a nervous type of dog like my Luke; then your acting career will be put to the test often.  But even steady dogs; the type who rarely flinch and take everything in stride will have their moments.  And it can be the ones who rarely need an oscar performance who are the toughest.  With dogs like Luke; the nervous type you are always sort of ready to act.   The unflappable dogs may catch you off guard when something arises and they have a fearful or aggressive reaction.   Giving off a calm and confident image can be one of the most influential lessons you can give your dog.

We display behaviors on a day to day basis; our dogs are constantly watching.   What  messages are you sending your dog's way?

We're skyping

Ah; we have entered into the technology age, we had our first Skype yesterday.  And by we; I mean the dogs and I.  My sister got her Skype up and running; I've had mine for over a year but with no one to Skype it has sat dormant, that is until yesterday.  This is the greatest thing ever; with my immediate family in Southern California and the rest of our family back in Canada it can be lonely at times.  Plus; need I say our dogs have never had a chance to meet, at least not Luke anyway.  When we moved here from Canada we already had Jessie and Tilley; Luke is our SoCal boy.

So with a push of a button I was chatting with my sis back home; nice.  And there sat Miss Ruby; her Toller (Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever) who I have had the honor of shooting many times.  She even had her own four page spread in Dog World dedicated to her and her alone.  I will say they were some gorgeous shots of her in the water doing her Tolling thing.  So there she sat in her chair beside her Mom; my sister.  I talked to her and her ears picked up, she's a smartie.  No one there on Skype has met Luke so I propped my laptop up in front of my boy and made the introductions. 

Within seconds Ruby was going off; how dare this intruder invade her office, her home.  Luke's ears went up; he watched intently for a few seconds and realized that this dog was barking at him.  This whole behavior scenario was amazing to see unfold.  Luke has seen hundreds of dog videos; he only slightly raises his head if there happens to be a toy squeaking noise or some sort of big commotion.  But this was different; he somehow knew that this dog was barking at him.  Luke is a very aware dog; he watches t.v., I mean really watches.  Of course the show must involve some sort of animal or he's not interested; just like his Mom.  He will watch an entire documentary with us and he loves to watch dog shows. 

What was it about this dog in the computer that made him realize there was a difference.  He's seen dozens of dogs barking in videos; I show him all the time and he ignores both me and the computer.  But when Ruby started barking at him; I swear he clearly understood "hey; curly blonde boy, get out of my house."  Luke stood up on the bed; smeared nose prints all over my laptop screen while trying his hardest to sniff this grouchy girl out.  This went on for about a minute or two; Ruby barking at Luke and Luke watching her.  Then Luke simply lay down and watched her intently.   He quickly realized that nothing was to come of this and was happy to simply watch.

I took my laptop around to Jessie and Tilley; they've changed alot in 12 years.  When we left to come hear; both the girls were just over a year old.  Man how time flies and with it comes new and improved ways of communicating; this is a human communication and I love it.  I am wondering with time if Ruby will grow accustom to having Luke in her office; in her territory.  Only time will tell. 

Vanished

As I head out the door for a quick dinner with my husband; I did the three dog head count.  I yelled up to my son to watch the dogs.  In all honesty there isn't much to watch; they typically watch me exit and find a spot to sleep until I get back.  On return I got a very exuberant greeting from the poodles at the front door.  I assumed Jessie was deep asleep; most likely up in my room.  Many days she doesn't  realize I've been out; she is asleep when I leave and still sleeping when I get home.  So I quickly meld into the day to day and she is none the wiser.

After my greeting I headed to the kitchen; preparing the dogs food usually brings her out of even the deepest sleep.  No Jessie?   I stopped cutting and went to find her; as I checked on all of her favorite spots I started to worry.  If she wasn't on any of these comfy spots and she wasn't in the kitchen; where was she?  I could feel my adrenaline running as I check all of her choice spots; each glaringly empty.  I yelled to my son and husband "I can't find Jessie."  We scoured the house; the yard, every nook and cranny we could think of, no Jessie.  Then my son yelled "the screen is ajar."  We have two patio doors in the front of the house; one in a room which is empty at the moment and the screen was pushed out.  Scratching my head; we checked the tiny pseudo-deck, nothing.  We then ran frantically down the stairs and out in front of the house.  If she had not gone back into the house the only other way down was off the deck; a good ten foot drop.

We were all frantic; how does a dog simply disappear?  If she had gone off the balcony; surely she would be injured.  Yes she is a Jack Russell but a fourteen year old Jack Russell.  The idea that she came off the deck just didn't seem right.  I ran back into the house and screamed for her as loud as I could; she is now nearly deaf, almost blind and her sense of smell isn't great.  The thought of her wandering around the neighborhood was terrifying.  She had to be in the house somewhere.   My husband was still searching the surrounding yard; I was scouring the house and my son ran down the streets.   This is every canine guardians worst nightmare.  Normally she would have just stood at the front door and waited for us to come out and get her; all my dogs are like velcro to the house.  So where was she?

Moments later; which of course seemed like hours I heard my sons voice out the front "I've got her."   Music to my ears; I sped down the stairs and out the front to see Jessie in my sons arms.  She wagged her little tail like crazy as I spoke to her.  My son filled me in; she was around the corner on someones yard.  A woman was trying to catch her and was then going to put out signs.  We all breathed a huge sigh of relief and went inside.  Jessie seemed to be fine; no signs of injury from her little adventure.  She tore around the house and grabbed the first toy she could find; shaking the living daylights out of it.  She ran to me again; whining her happy whine and shook her toy some more.

This story has a happy ending; it could have been much different.  We still are very perplexed to how she got out and why.  She is not a runner; at fourteen she is a home body and rarely ventures further than one step onto the grass to pee.  The only thing I can think of that may have caused this is my absence.  She has become very needy in her old age; she was always a girl who liked to know where I was, not a typical needy shadow dog like Luke.  But in the last couple of years she has become my shadow; and with her diminishing vision, hearing and smell, she seems to be in need of knowing my location.  She becomes fraught when she cannot find me and I often have to go to her; pick her up and reassure her that I am there.  I think last nights scenario unraveled as such.  She was looking out the front window for me; she may have pushed too hard on the screen door which is very old and it gave way, allowing her to go out onto the balcony.  Once there she could not find her way back; the opening was small.  Given that the only way down was off the balcony and not being able to see how far down she leaped.  Perhaps shaken she became disoriented; easy when you cannot see or hear well.

Even at fourteen; she is one tough cookie who is at the moment curled up on top of my feet.

  

Eye contact

Eye contact is a touchy situation in dogs.  It is a huge communication source for dogs; that along with the rest of their body.  Dogs use it all but much is said with eyes alone.  As a photographer I love to catch "a look" during a shoot.  Having watched dogs intently now for 35 years (yikes!) there is much to be said for communicating through body language.  Often an emotion or mood can be seen in the eyes well before any other communications are made.  But not all dogs speak loudly with their eyes; my Luke speaks volumes with his eyes.  In fact he probably has the most expressive eyes of any dog I have met.

Reading eyes takes some practice; but many canine guardians know their dogs looks and the meaning behind them very well.  Positioning of the eye and the size of the pupil can mean so many different things for different dogs.

Reaction:  action in response to some influence, event, etc.

A dogs actions are directly related to their experience or lack of experience to a stimulus.  So what one dog may consider to be frightening another may view as nothing.  This will largely effect eye movement, positioning, size of eyeball and pupil.  One common eye message in dogs which is not a commonly understood one is the squint.  When I meet a new dog I am very careful to watch body language and eye communications.  As a dog approaches me in a lowered stance; this tells me the dog is submissive but this along with squinted eyes says VERY submissive and a lack of confidence.  Most owners have no idea that their dog squints as it is typically saved for strangers.  Something to watch for.    Squinting can also signal pain in dogs.

Attitude eyes or  "whale eye" as they are commonly known, can mean trouble.  This is when a dog does not turn their head but only uses their eyes giving you a display of the whites of their eye.  Many dogs will display this eye while guarding or as a clear threat that should be adhered to.  Luke has a lot of attitude and tends to give me this eye when he is in a mood.  Of course it can simply mean that a dog is too feeling a head motion and just moves their eyes.  My little Jessie uses her eyes a lot; and most dogs listen when she speaks with her eyes.  I call it her laser beam look and it conveys a clear message.  Much of our dog's communications are lost on us as we go about our verbal days.  Dogs watch; so to fully communicate with them we must watch.  I can constantly be heard saying "did you see that?" As I watch both my own dogs and others.  A simply look can be a WOW moment in a dog's world.

A direct stare is a threat in dog language; so you should never stare at a dog.  This is something that I wish was common knowledge in children as it is typically children who stare at dogs.  Many of our dogs learn that a stare or gaze from an owner or family member is different than a typical stare.  I can stare at Luke and he gives me googly eyes.  If I stare at Tilley she is good for a few seconds and then grows uncomfortable.  If a stranger stares at Luke; he regards it as a challenge immediately and reacts.  If you have ever seen a dog fight in the beginning stages; there is much said before any physical contact is made.

As all of you regular readers know; I am a fiend for watching dogs behavior and that too encompasses eye communications.  Dogs are constantly watching us; if you aren't watching back you are missing much of the canine day to day.

Accidents happen

I have to admit that I'm one of those Mom's that is always thinking about safety.  As my kids were growing up they constantly complained as I hovered; I'm protective, perhaps over protective.  But allowing something to happen because I wasn't watching was not something that I was okay with.  My dogs are also encompassed by my zone of safety; I try to stay as vigilant as possible and foresee accidents before they happen.  That said accidents still happen; even to the most cautious of us and when I hear about weird accidents I like to share them with others so that this information may just save others in the future.

So here are a few things that have happened to me; Miss Cautious.  The first that comes to mind is the day that my little Jessie got her face stuck in the car window.  I had Jessie in the front passenger seat; she was harnessed in but able to stand to see out the window.  Paying close attention to the road I heard a small yipe; as I quickly glanced in Jessie's direction the problem unfolded.  She had been standing on the doors armrest looking out the window with her nose out the small crack I'd left open when she inadvertently stepped onto the window remote.  This caused the window to close on her face; she was standing on the control so it was trying to close as she struggled.  Her yipes got louder and I panicked; I wanted to help her instantly  but had to pull over so we didn't both end up dead in a car accident.  I pulled over and parked in about 10 seconds and quickly removed her foot from the control which was locking and clamping her face.  Once free she had a few big stress sighs but seemed to be okay albeit being left with a nice indent in her face.  Luckily that was all that happened in the freak accident.    What a horrible stressful event.  The windows have been locked from that day on.

Another accident which could have definitely been avoided was caused by collars.  Collars can be very dangerous and should never be left on when dogs are together or left alone.  Years ago I had two males; they loved to play rough and tumble outside as I gardened.  One day I heard a commotion; as I looked up to see what what was going on, it looked like my boys were fighting.  I  quickly ran to the scene; I could see that they were stuck; one was stuck in the others collar.  One of the boys had got his mouth snagged in the others collar; both were panicking and struggling to free themselves.  It was not a good situation; I screamed their names which stopped them long enough for me to get in and untangle them.  From that day on no dog wears a collar in this house; they are strictly as a walking tool.

Sadly I have heard many stories of dogs hanging to death by their collar.  Choke collars are by far the worst because they cannot slip off if caught and continue to tighten.  I believe all choke type collars belong in the garbage.  But even a flat collar can kill.

Another incident also occurred years ago; with my very first dog Mandy.  We were out tossing a stick for her and on the last toss of the day the stick landed vertically sticking into the soft ground as she ran full speed to retrieve it.  It went into her mouth and up through her soft palate; she screamed in pain and we rushed her to the ER.  Luckily soft palates heal quite quickly and after being on pain meds and antibiotics she was fine within a week.  A simple game of tossing the stick for my girl had ended very badly; take great care when throwing sticks.
  
We had the same sort of thing happen to Luke but it was not caused by a tossed stick.  We were in the canyon for a walk one day when he stuck his head into the bushes and yelped.  I immediately thought "rattlesnake;" and contemplated the distance to the car.  He rubbed his face with his foot and on the ground which made me think it was indeed a snake that had nailed him.  I opened his mouth to have a look and he again yelped.  But when I looked into his mouth I saw what looked like a stick at the back of his throat; off to the ER again.

Once at the vets; she had a look into his throat.  Not an easy task with a nervous boy.  The vet had to hold his mouth open as wide as it would go as Luke struggled.  She said it looked to have pierced his soft palate but it was now gone.  She put him on a course of antibiotics and said he should heal up nicely.  A week later Luke was not fine and each time I opened his mouth to check he yelped loudly.  We went back to the vet to see what was going on and they put him out to have a really good look.  After much probing around they found the cause of the pain; a two inch piece of hard reed that had stuck up into his soft palate which had then covered over the opening.  He had this thing in his mouth for a week; I cannot imagine the pain.

So even when you take the greatest of care; accidents can happen to the best of us and our dogs.  These are just a very few of my own accidents.  Even when you are playing; you can never forget about safety.  I hear about canine related accidents all the time; and it enforces the hovering behavior that my kids use to complain about.

The gene pool of life

I watched And Man Created Dog last night on Nat Geo; I was skeptical but it was pretty good.  It covered a lot of ground; and they discussed a topic which I am very passionate about, gene pools.   For as long as I can remember; many breeders have been inbreeding and line breeding.  The difference between the two is a fine line; one used by many to steer clear of the stigma attached to inbreeding.  Inbreeding is described as breeding two closely related dogs; brother/sister, son/Mother, daughter/Father, Aunts, Uncles and first cousins.  Line breeding is the mating of more distant related dogs.   But the fact remains that genes are being duplicated; which can and does cause health issues like low birth rates and shorter life spans.

Everyone has heard the phrase "mutts are healthier;" right?  The typical understanding of the terminology is that nature has taken over and no one is controlling the genetic make-up of the dogs.  Genetic diversity is good when the genes in the mix are good.  That means that if you breed bad genes with good; there is a good chance you will produce just that, the good with the bad.  What happens when breeders in or line breed is that they take away genetic diversity.  So if there are bad genes in the mix they will be multiplied having no new genes to draw on.  Many pedigrees read as a duplication in lines; the same dogs can be seen behind both the Dam and the Sire.

When new healthy genes are brought into a breeding line it can add genetic vigor; but the important factor is health.  Healthy dogs bred to healthy dogs raise the percentage of healthy puppies.  Of course there are always unforeseen issues that can arise; there are no genetically immaculate dogs, they all carry something undesirable.  But with research we can lower those undesirable traits or diseases.  Zoos have long known the result of inbreeding and  now put many hours into ensuring that only healthy and genetically diverse animals are used for breeding purposes. Some breeders are now doing the same and these are the ones leading the way of the future.

Sadly; many unscrupulous breeders have jumped on the bandwagon boasting that "designer dogs" and "mixes" are healthier.  This is simply not true; yes they may have more genetic diversity but it is healthy diversity that counts.  Breeding bad dogs to bad dogs only produces more bad dogs no matter how many mixes are put together.  And unfortunately many of the breeders of these designer dogs and mixes are what I would call bad breeders.  They care little about the dogs who make them their almighty buck.  No; they are not concerned with providing you with a healthy dog; they have no interest in doing genetic health screening.  They want their money and will spend little to get it.

There are good "designer dog" and  "mixed breed" breeders out there.  And the research to find them is well worth it.  Sadly there are more bad than good.  But just like with purebred breeders; you must look to find the good ones.  There are lots of bad purebred breeders out there as well.

No dogs should ever be bred without health screening.  Breeding without screening for health issues is like breeding blind; you have no idea what you are passing onto the future puppies and their new families.  A dog may seem like an amazingly healthy specimen with a wonderful temperament; but was his Father, brother or relatives as wonderful?  A dog is a dog so whether a breeder is breeding purebreds, mixes or the newly fashionable term used for today's mixes, the designer dog, they should all be health tested.  If you contact a breeder and they are not health testing; hang up and call someone else.

All in all genetics is very fascinating; at least it is for me. Some breeders are doing it all right; some are just now having a look at this whole genetic diversity thing and there are still some caught in the dark ages with the mindset that line or inbreeding is the only way. Hopefully somewhere along the way they will see the light; if only for the good of our dogs.  Our dogs deserve to be the healthiest they can be.

Not so pleasantly plump

A happy healthy active pooch

I love when I have a request for a blog; I often sit and ponder for quite a while before deciding upon a topic.  So as per request; chubby is the topic for today.  Is your dog fat?  How do you know if your dog is fat?  I see alot of fat dogs around; and it always seems like the owner is the last to know.  How can your dog be fat and you not know?  I believe that many people don't really know what they are feeling; what is your dog suppose to feel like if they are in good shape.  It's really tough to explain but I shall do my best.

Neoprene is a thin synthetic rubber substance which they use for wet suits, pouches, wine coolers etc.  My weight lifting gloves are made of neoprene.  Your dog should have a nice layer of neoprene over their ribs.   You should be able to feel ribs; but with the smallest layer of sponge over them.   For us; a neoprene layer on Luke is a goal.  He is the pickiest eater we've ever had; so he is often missing the neoprene.  Although as he ages; his lack of extra pounds will serve him well.  Any extra weight that a dog carries is just that; extra.  In January Tilley was hit by Vestibular disease which made it a neccessity for her to be carried both up and down all the steps in the house.  This was like a giant ah ah moment for me as I had to lug her up and down the stairs.  Tilley weighs in at around 45 lbs right now and I felt it in my knees.  The impact of extra weight on my body was immediately obvious. 

Keeping your dog on the lean side is so important for their health and joints; especially as they age.  I have seen young dogs crippled by weight; a dog carrying a lot of extra weight can appear to be years older than they actually are.  They are often sidelined; although they'd probably love to be in the middle of the action, these dogs may have to just watch the fun.  I recently saw a hugely overweight dog at a park; the owner was obviously in denial about their dog, they just didn't see the dog as having any extra pounds on them.  This is sad because other than some sort of health issue; a dog carrying extra weight is the owners fault.  Overweight dogs are at risk of  suffering from obesity health issues and a shortened life.  These dogs have a higher chance of joint problems which can lead to severe arthritis.  They can suffer from heart problems, gastrointestinal problems, respitory issues and even diabetes. With all of these health problems; there is also the sad reality that heavy dogs simply cannot enjoy life like they should.


Often particular breeds are expected to carry extra weight; Bulldogs, Labradors, Bassett Hounds, French Bulldogs, Dachshunds etc.  No dog should be fat; they should have a wasteline and you should be able to feel their ribs, even the stockiest of breeds.  It is a sad thing for a dog to carry extra weight; they simply do not have the ability to function as they should be able to.   Having a heavy dog has a snowball effect; the heavier they are the less they move causing them to carry even more weight. 

If you cannot feel your dog's ribs; then your dog is overweight. The only way to drop weight on a dog is to lower their calorie intake and get them moving.  They must move; of course you must start moving them slowly to start.  Just like with humans; a dog that is out of shape cannot be expected to run a marathon, it is extremely dangerous.  So start by cutting calories and get out for a short walk.  Unless your dogs has a health issue that is causing obesity; it is fairly easy to to get weight off of them. 

It is all under your control; think lean.   There is nothing kind about over feeding your dog; even though they may act as though they are starving.  They give you those big puppy dog eyes and you cave.  It is up to us to say "NO; I want you to live a long and healthy life."  Loosing weight is typically much harder on an owner than a dog; but you must  do it for your dog.  You will never see a wild dog, fox, coyote or wolf that is chubby let alone obese.  The problem is us; humans, we are the over feeders and under exercisers.  If your dog is carrying extra weight; time to step it up and drop that fat.  It's easy; you just have to do it. 

Sand between your toes

Sand between your toes; the wind in your hair and your tongue hanging out the side of your mouth.  What could be better?  The other day I had Luke at the park; for some reason there was sand put down in random areas which looked like maybe the low spots in the field.  For the life of me I could not figure out why they would fill these crevices with sand.  Anyhow; we walked by several mounds when Luke decided to check out one of the sand piles.  I didn't take much  notice until he walked onto the second one.  He very purposely stepped onto the sand and sort of stomped around; hmmmm.   The next pile we came to; he made a b-line to it, threw his head back, his ears flat back and he did some serious stomping.  Of course this made me smile; he was enjoying the feel of the sand between his toes.  We left that pile and went onto the next one where he did the exact same thing again. 

Did this trigger a positive association for him?  After all we go to the beach often; and he loves it.  Miles before we get there he starts the whining and the closer we get to the beach the louder the whining becomes.  So was it the feel of the soft sand squishing through his toes or did it cause a happy reaction due to an association?  Many dogs are very aware when the surface under foot changes; Luke definitely is.  Watching a canine take their first steps onto grass, snow, sand or mud is very interesting.  There is a fleeting recognition; adjustment for a few seconds and they are good to go.  Seeing a dog who does not have the luxury of grass in their own yard; his the grass with their feet is a wonderful thing.  Many tear around like maniacs; the extra traction makes running glorious although many opt for the dive and flip.  They bolt head first onto the grass and wriggle around enjoying every bit of the grass that they can. 

Snow was always a biggy for my pooches; an inch of snow changes everything.  It makes your toes spread; but just enough to trigger an exciting change of surface underfoot and more than likely a zoom around.   Bounding through really deep snow is also a favorite of many; with the added benefit of supercharged exercise dogs can bound around endlessly enjoying the new snow.  Shallow water has it's own particular stimulus as a dog feels the sand, the surf and the cool all at once.  Even dogs that are not into swimming typically enjoy a good surf run and the cooling effects are not lost either.   Our dogs know only too well that running in the water keeps you cool. 

As your dog takes note of surface change; are you noticing them notice?  Being a huge fan of "watching"; you must be constantly aware of  the subtle changes or they may be missed.  It truly is the little things in life that bring the most joy; like sand between your toes.

Where should they sleep?

I took this picture of Tilley last night.  I was getting ready for bed which involves tucking everyone in and perhaps covering; depending on the weather and coat length.  Tilley just got her hair cut; she is old and gets chilly so she's got her cute pink t-shirt on and her covers.  I walked by her and could not help but smile seeing her so comfortable; and of course grab my camera.  This is how all dogs should look when they are sleeping; she looked as about as compfy as you can get.  Comfort is definitely a must; our dogs need to have an agreeable place to lay their head.  But along with comfort comes location; just where should our dogs sleep?

The absolute best place for our dogs to sleep is in your room; with you, or someone.  Dogs are pack animals and to be segregated from the pack is unnatural and disconcerting for a dog.  Of course they will grow accustom to where ever you designate them to sleep but the best most optimum spot is with you.  It does not need to be in your bed; it can be but it doesn't have to be.  I have strict rules about bed sleeping; any growling for being pushed or asked to move and your off for at least 6 mos. (the dog that is).  Prime real estate is a valuable comodity; not only to us but for our dogs as well.  If they are not willing to hand over  the best spot to it's rightful owner then there are behavior issues that must be dealt with.  But if your dog imoves when asked and gets off when told to do so; you're fine. 

My dogs sleep on their own beds; we did buy a kingsize bed when it was time to purchase a new one but now that the girls are older it is not safe to be on our bed.  We put them up there in the morning when we can supervise and then lift them down.  Luke jumps up usually in the middle of the night at some point.  But he has his ritual of being on the bed as we get ready for bed; when my husband comes to be bed he jumps off and goes to his own bed.  Then joins us later and sleeps there till morning; sometimes late morning. 

There are people who do not want their dog in their room for some reason or other.  I have discussed this with many owners; the dog may snore, toss and turn and keep someone awake.  Other reasons I've heard are that the dog is not allowed upstairs...........hmmmmmmmmmm, not a big fan of this reason.  You can always set boundaries; no upstairs during the day, only bedtime.  So if they are not joining you in your room to sleep you need to find the next best place; either an older childs room or somewhere nice and comfy where they can get a good night sleep.    More often than not; after having a discussion with me the dog wriggles it's way into the room and then the bed.

I have three dogs; if I go outside and lay on the lawn, so do they.  If I go into the family room and lay on the ground; so do they.  If I'm on the couch; so are they.  Dogs do what the rest of the pack does.  So when you head to the bedroom at night to get a good night sleep; your dog should be heading towards their bedroom as well, by your side.  One big happy pack.

 

A big splash

Bombs away; "just toss'm in, they know how to swim." Many people figure that dogs are natural born swimmers; but that is not always the case and how you approach swimming and the water can make or break a great swimmer. I remember an incident years and years ago; a guy who had just added an adorable 6 week old Airedale puppy to his family tossed her off a raft. She immediately sunk and then came up splashing and panicking. He had to eventually scoop her up to save her and when she got her paws on the sand she ran for the hills. I can't say that I blame her; what an idiotic thing to do, honestly.


Most dogs of course can swim; but many need help. They are by far much better than us at adapting quickly but if they are not introduced to swimming at a young age and in a gentle manner; things can go very wrong. I have made numerous attempts at teaching Luke to swim; not an easy task. He is a very nervous type so he tightens up and stresses. Unfortunately we don't have a lake here to practice in; we only have the southern California coast which has fairly big and ominous waves. These waves will pick you up and toss you upside down so teaching a dog to swim in them is out of the question; unless they are fearless, a lab or golden.

I've seen many dogs charge into the water without ever being in it before. They dive in head first; spit and sputter and eventually get it. while nearly drowning in the process. But they find their way and become official water dogs. But for a great majority of dogs; they need our assistance, water can be very confusing. Walking in the water is great; lots of dogs love it. But take the ground away and they panic; they reach down hoping to catch a toe on a piece of ground beneath them. As they reach further and further down they become vertical; not a great position to swim in. Then comes the frantic splashing; of course they will panic, they're sinking.

Turns out that I eventually ended up with that Airedale who was tossed into the water at 6 weeks of age. And I had to teach her to swim; being an Airedale she was a natural water dog but had no idea how to swim. She never found her way on her own and would simply sink as she was reaching for the ground. You must take great care when you are around any dog in the water; even the best of swimmers will try to use you as a floatation device at times and you can get injured as they attempt to climb you. So; in water deep enough to swim in you must hold up their rear end; it is not an easy task. With my Airedale gal I simply held her tail; she was very buoyant so this was all it took to keep her afloat. Their legs are naturally swimming so once they start to propel themselves; they pretty much take over. The trick is to create a calm atmosphere; otherwise they cannot even think. Mandy (the Airedale) actually turned into one of the most amazing swimmers I've ever met. She would go into the water and come back in an hour; she loved it and would dive deep under the water to pull out boulder sized rocks, she was an amazing dog.

Other dogs need a bit more; a lift from beneath, something to stop them from sinking in the rear. Often just barely holding them under the chest and lightly moving them about to get them moving on their own. Many people use life vests for dogs. This of course is a great thing to use when on boats with your dog and a must for many of the shorter legged dogs. But using it to teach swimming can be both good and bad. If you use it for just the introduction it may be good; a few days of floating and then take it off. Unfortunately many dogs will end up back at square one once you take it off. You have given them a false sense of swimming and now they think it is easy peasy when the realization "sinks" in.

Tilley had the luxury of learning to swim in lakes; she did it herself mostly. A couple of helping lifts and she was on her way. She loves to swim; dive and go under. My son and I use to get out our masks and watch Tilley go under water for her toys that had sunk to the bottom of the pool. How I wish I had an underwater camera back then. Watching her teach herself to hold her breath was amazing. Luke has done the same; albeit from the safety of land. He puts his head underwater to get his toys from his kiddie pool. It took him a couple of tries before realizing that you cannot smell the toys under the water. Watching the process of the breath holding is amazing; it is done fairly quickly. From water up the nose to whole head submersion in a matter of minutes.

Be safe around water; dogs do drown.  If you have a dog that has shorter legs take extra precautions.  Many cannot swim at all and simply sink.  Pools are very dangerous with dogs; even the best swimmer can drown if they cannot get out of the pool.  Teach your dog how to exit the pool "in case" there should ever be a need.  And always supervise swimming activities. 

Patience is the best line of attack for teaching your dog to swim; make it fun. Never push; pushing causes all sorts of issues; one is pushing back.  The harder you push the harder your dog pushes back. You want your dog to trust you; trust is all important with dogs. And if they simply are not interested after all your fun attempts to get them into the water; maybe they'll love Frisbee, flyball, agility or going for a bike ride.

Puppy placement

It's hump day yet again; the morning is a quiet one with all three dogs snuggled in bed, locking my legs in place.  I have my cup of java, now what to write about?  I have once again been dealing with a lot of puppy issues and trying to finish up my puppy training book.  So I thought I'd discuss  the theory of temperament testing and puppy placement.  I love hearing how people ended up with the dog of their dreams; how when they locked eyes initially it was love at first sight.  Unfortunately it's not always this way and far too often the dog they chose to bring home is not the dog they should have chosen.

This choosing a puppy thing goes for all breeds and mixes.  It makes absolutely no difference what type of dog it is; big, small, long  bodied, short bodied and everything in between.  In a perfect world; a great breeder who has a litter of puppies, sells those puppies once they hit the ground.  Meaning that they should only accept money once the dogs are born; otherwise they could have a great deal of money to return if their dog only pops out a couple or should some not make it through the birthing process.   Many breeders only accept deposits as a prospective puppy buyer may not find what they are looking for in a particular litter. 

Like people; dogs are very individual and what one family may consider as desirable traits, another may find to be quite annoying.  Maybe you want a dog for flyball; that means you are going to want alot of drive in your puppy.  If you are a quiet couch potato family; drive is going to drive you over the edge.  Perhaps you want a dog to do therapy visits to hospitals; you will want a very friendly pup that loves to be handled.  But far too often people choose puppies for the exterior; the shell, the cute factor.  Of course their are litters where the puppies are very close in similarities; Mom is great, Dad has a wonderful temperament so the picking and choosing of puppies is an easier process.  This may mean that there are several puppies who would fit the bill.

But don't you want the best fit?  I do.  One of the most important things for me when looking for a puppy is the touchy feely part, I want a dog that wants to be with me constantly.  One who loves to be snuggled and kissed.  So I would not choose the puppy who doesn't give me the time of day and goes about busying herself.  Let's face it; all puppies are cute, I've never ever met an ugly one.  But it is the inside of the puppy that you have to deal with most throughout your lives together.  Even if a breeder does not do "official" temperament testing they should be able to direct you to one or a couple of puppies that would best suit your family situation. 

I know many people who were given their puppy out of a litter; they had no choice in the matter "this is your one."  And they could not be a better match; good breeders want a good match.  Of course a great breeder will take a puppy back if for some reason it should not work out; but they would prefer to do it right the first time.  In all honesty; most people do not know what to look for in a puppy.  It is overwhelming to visit a litter and try to pick; they are all adorable.  When you do; visit a litter things may not be as they seem.  The puppy who is most awake and keeps coming to visit you may be the dominant pup in the litter; and the fact that everyone else is sleeping is why you don't see this.  Maybe one of the sleepy ones in the corner; the one that can't keep their eyes open is the most lovable little munchkin but at the moment she is very very tired.  So you pass her by. 

Questions; ask tons of questions when choosing a dog.  If the breeder simply says "nice puppy" for every one you pick up; this is not an attentive breeder.  Breeders should use words like feisty, trouble maker, love bug, snuggler, first out, first one to walk, thinker, adventurous, etc.   And if a breeder says to you "you don't want this puppy," listen.  Breeders; you should step up and give all the information that you can if you are having people choose their own puppy.  Don't just sit back and hope that they choose the one you think that they should choose. 

There are many online sites where puppies are shown in the cutest of poses; big flowers, cute blankets and baby paraphernalia all around them.  A number or name is listed beside each puppy; you simply call up and order the puppy.  This is not a good breeder; good breeders don't sell puppies like this.  There is a good chance that it is a mill.  It should be difficult to get a puppy; if the breeder is a good one.  You will have to fill out forms; perhaps be put on a waiting list for the next available litter.  A good breeder will want to know all about you and your family; this can help to match the best puppy to you.  The same goes for rescue dogs; not all will be a match to your family.  The really great recue folks will help to match you and the dog who best fit. 

Choosing the wrong dog is a major contributor for dogs ending up in shelters or rehomed.  Know yourself; know what you can live with and what you cannot live with.

More recalls

2007 was a very bad year; a bad year for dog food companies that is and sadly for many dogs that ate contaminated food before the big recall.  Many dogs were lost because of the dog food we feed them.  Well; there is another big one, Iams.  If you research on the net you will come across lots of good information regarding all the most recent recalls.  It has become very scary purchasing dog food for our companions; as you go through the check out you hope that the bag you throw on the counter is not going to be listed on a recall.  So what are you to do; you love your dog and want the best for him, what food is the best? 

I stumbled upon this website which has a plethora of information regarding pet food; definitely worth a look.  Truth about pet food   There are always going to be food recalls; it happens with our own food often.  But doing some very essential research can minimize recalls done on what you are feeding your dog.  Unfortunately many of the great dog foods out there have gone bad; and by bad I mean that they have been bought up by the big conglomerates.  You know the ones that buy up anything and everything that might turn a buck.  P&G is one of those as is Colgate.   P&G recently purchased Natura Pet foods which make Innova, Evo and California Natural.  Well; you can check those OFF your list of foods to feed now as well.   Another  great read is Pet Food Politics written by Marion Nestle about the 2007 recalls. (link below)

When a great dog food company get's bought up by the big guys; everything changes.  Gone are the small batches; local ingredients and care put into the food.  It becomes the money maker; the conglomerate basically buys the name and trust of all the people who put their faith in that name.  Education is the best protection against poor nutrition for our dogs.  It is a monumental task to stay up with all the company purchases, recipe and source changes but there are groups like Truth about pet food that make it their goal to keep you informed.

As well as keeping informed about pet food you may be interested in looking at a real food diet for your pooch.  I have just finished reading Raw & Natural Food for Dogs by Lew Olson, PhD.; and it is by far the best dog nutrition book I have read to date. (link below)    Lew Olson PhD; explains how to feed  raw, cooked homemade and if you are a kibble feeder, how to add additional nutrition to that as well.  There are diets for specific health issues that many dogs have like joint issues, gastric problems and simply being a senior.  Taking the leap from kibble to real is a scary one; Lew Olson PhD; makes it clear and much less freightening.  It will defintely be my go to book for a long time.  

Whatever you are feeding your dog; read up on the product.  I like the small companies who are using human grade products; it is important to me that they also purchase their ingredients locally.  There are a few organic dog foods out there which is nice to see and that list will be growing quickly in the near future I'm sure.  As they say; you are what you eat, and that goes for our dogs as well.

Picking up on signs

We had the poodles at the park yesterday; we were slowly walking around the field letting Tilley stretch her legs and go after her ball a bit when I saw a poodle friend in the distance. We are accustom to meeting at this park and the dogs always look forward to a greeting. This particular dog is a very young exuberant gal and her greetings resemble that of a tornado. She is very submissive and is typically on the ground by the time she gets to Luke; she is simply adorable. As she whirled around I hovered over Tilley; not wanting her to take an impact. But the youngster steered clear of Tilley seeming to know; did she sense that Tilley was somehow different. I had met this same dog last week when I only had Tilley with me; she had displayed the same contrasting behavior then. When she greets Luke it is a rough and tumble greeting, very exuberant.

I often hear stories of dogs exhibiting completely opposite behavior which is typically not seen when they encounter an elderly, very young or fearful person. The dog seems to understand that they need to change their behavior for this particular person. Can dogs sense emotion? Do they understand our age and our slightest physical handicaps? This question is quite controversial but those who have witnessed it firsthand are clear on their answer.

My husband is dealing with kidney stones right now; for anyone who has had these little buggers you know that they are extremely painful, comparable to childbirth. On Saturday he had a very bad time and paced around hoping that the pain would stop before we headed to the hospital. Watching the dogs; especially Luke, it was clear that he knew something was up. As you know he is my constant shadow; but he never left his Dad’s side. He stood inches from him; tail at half mast (which was also very strange) with a small wag every couple of minutes. This was very much out of the ordinary for Luke; he was quite subdued. And when my husband lay on the living room floor both poodles lay by his side; watching him with concern. Then Jessie approached him slowly; her face directly at his height and only inches away, she stared at him until he acknowledged her presence. There she stood; just staring.

It is fair to say that we give off an abundance of information via scent. Emotion causes the secretion of hormones in our body; depending on the current influencing emotion we will emit a wide variety of scent. Our dogs can smell 50-100 times more accurately than we can; which makes it easy to consider the idea that they can indeed smell what we feel. As our emotion change so does our body chemistry and our dogs can pick up on this.

But it goes beyond only scent for a dog; as dogs rely strongly on body language as well. Tilley’s posture is very non-threatening; she has always had a very neutral stance and this is one of the many reasons that she accompanied me on numerous fear and aggression cases over the years. Now well into her senior years she is even less threatening; even fragile in her posture and other dogs seem to clearly understand this. Elderly people who may be unsteady on their feet also give off body language; often scary for a dog who has not witnessed it before. But many dogs take this as a cue to calm down and settle; they may even lay down on their own.

So as we deal with our day to day lives and react as humans do; our dogs are constantly watching. My husband was acting very out of the ordinary which my dogs picked up on immediately. He most likely smelled very different; of course we are not capable of distinguishing this but it is nothing for our dogs. Dogs are being used to scent cancer cells; they can alert people to an oncoming seizure and pinpoint a body within a massive pile of rubble. It would make sense that they can pick up on our subtle emotional changes through scent. Accompanied with their amazing ability to communicate through body language; they are able to visually extract the smallest of facial expression and body posture. So the answer to the question; “do they know?” Of course they know.

Tell me

Have you ever wished you could tell everyone; something you had learned or experienced and you wanted to share it with the world?  This is one of the reasons that I love to blog; when I find new products, or simply new important information I want to share it with as many people as I can reach.  There have been times in the past that I have shared information; only to hear "oh I wish I'd known this sooner."    I have come across a new website that I believe is a wonderful way to share; and in a very important way.  This website allows you to rate a breeder; explain your experience either good or bad.

For all the wonderful breeders out there; you are going to love this.  For all the unscrupulous breeders who care about money alone; not so much.  The website is called The Breeder Ratings and is just up and running since June 29 of this year.  With more traffic to the site and people sharing their experience; there will hopefully be less sadness, and more pressure to step it up.  There is an unbelievable difference in the good and the bad; even more between the horrific and the above and beyond amazing breeders.  I have seen a good selection from just about every category; there is no comparison.  When I find a breeder who does it all right; who cares about the puppies so much, from the day they are conceived to the day they are in new puppy owners hands I like to spread the news. 

If you have had an experience; both good and bad I suggest you visit the site and tell others.  I believe this site will help others in the near future.  Families who may be or will be duped by the bad; may just be stopped before the purchase by hitting this site first.  Education is never a waste.

Memory lane

Honestly; how fast does time pass us by? It seems like only yesterday I was discussing the addition of a Jack Russell to our family. Having done a small amount of reading on the breed I wasn't quite sure if we really wanted a Jack. Now here we are 14 years later and our little Jessie is still going strong. Her eyes, ears and nose are failing but that little tank body that is typical of the breed is holding up. Sure she sleeps longer than she use to; definitely more soundly but we know that she’s look’n good when we constantly hear "how old is your puppy?"

We've been through a lot in 14 years; the good, the bad and everything in between. As I sit and watch Jessie sleep; her breathing is heavy, she is completely relaxed and surely dreaming of the chase. There were days in the past that I would have loved to see her sleep; those days when I was off and running to catch her at the neighbors house, yet again. Being a Jack Russell; Jessie is trigger happy, it takes but the slightest of movement to set her in motion. In fact the number one cause of Jack Russell death is being hit by cars. Once they get onto movement they rarely come back before they are done with their hunt. At the age of fourteen there are very few occasions where she might bolt now. Keeping her on leash has nothing to do with chase these days; but lack of hearing and vision.

The stories that this little gal could tell; charging down groundhog holes and being retrieved by the tail, falling 30 feet out of a tree after chasing a squirrel up. Jumping and catching a bird in mid flight and swallowing it down in entirety; no need to chew. Waiting patiently at the top of a critter hole; knowing full well it was in there. She waited for it to make an appearance; and again, it went down whole. She took on a skunk and lost; attempted to take down a few very large dogs and was caught in the nick of time.

Jacks can climb; boy can they climb. We had a chain link fence that she regularly scaled to reach the critters that tormented her from the other side. The higher we built; the higher she climbed. There was no stopping her until we built a prison like enclosure with inward leaning fencing. That stopped her; but only just. She tried to dig out; as the chipmunks screeched at her, driving her over the edge. But we had covered the entire enclosure with gravel making it very tough for even the mightiest of Jacks to dig with their tiny feet.

When Jessie joined our family we also had Clyde; a 5 year old male standard poodle. Clyde was a love; a real pushover and it took her mere days to conquer him; leaving him to do whatever she said. It was amusing to see a tiny 12 week old 8 lb. dog push around an adult male weighing in at 50 lbs. She wielded such power; she took what she wanted and left him with the remnants. But it worked; somehow this little pushy; headstrong gal wiggled her way into even Clyde's heart and he adored her. He was wary none the less.

And now she rules over two nearly 50 lb standard poodles. They have learned well and know to listen up when she speaks; deek when she snaps and duck when she leaps. At 14 she needs help to withhold her status; we are happy to oblige her. She misses a lot of what goes on around now; but one bark from the big dogs and she is screaming mad and ready to protect her territory. There is no messing with a Jack; they are a lot of dog in a tiny body. A Jack Russell is a force to be reckoned with; tenacious, stout, durable, unyielding, intense power houses, and one of the cutest most loveable little munchkins around.


If a Jack shares your life; you may need one of these.

Are we clear?

Over the many years that I have worked with dogs; things have become very clear for me. Knowing how dogs most easily learn; seeing through the issues and basically delivering a lesson which will be clearly understood by the dog. But as I watch others in their attempts to teach new behaviors or manipulate their dog in some way; clear is far from what I see. We humans tend to flail around as we strive to teach our dogs. We also have a tendency to grow frustrated quickly if our dog does not seem to "get" what we are teaching. The secret is to make it simple; get rid of the excess, creating a clearer picture.

Dogs communicate through body language and vocal sounds. The visual is far more important than vocal; sounds typically only come into play afterwards or if needed for impact. Touching has a huge interference effect when teaching; with each touch you remove your dog from it's current thought path. Let's say you are in the process of teaching the "down" behavior. You want your dog to lay down on your verbal cue. You lure them down with an object of food and as they start to go down you cannot help but touch their back. Your dog's attention is immediately on the touch; removing the brain from it's previous path, going down. Your dog instantly slips into the google effect of a touch and out of education mode.

Touch should be reserved for after the fact; a reward for completing an exercise, placed strategically after the lesson is learned. Touch has huge array of effects on dogs; from interference to over stimulation. Luke is very easily stimulated by touch and used during a training session can send him into an excited frenzy. Teaching should be touch free; saving touch as a reward used strategically as each individual dogs ability to handle it.

Movement is also a huge obstruction in learning. Have you ever seen a dog who can go through their paces with only hand signals? Pretty impressive eh? Well; dogs actually learn hand signals much quicker than the verbal cue, anyone can teach visual cues to their dog. In fact most dogs learn their own visual cues for just about everything we do. Ever go to reach for your running shoes and your dog is instantly excited? They know what running shoes mean and have come to watch for the slightest hand movement towards them. But; one of the biggest obstacles in learning is too much movement. With too many visual cues we confuse our dogs; leaving them in a fog. Arms flailing around; body movements, up and down, we are all over the place. You need to keep that simple as well; clear for your dog. If you signal your dog to come to you; typically a big "come to me" swooch of the arm, that's it, do not make any other movements if you want to send a clear message.

Our dogs are constantly watching us; they notice the most infantesimal visual cues. So when we attempt to communicate through visual cues alone we must again cut the clutter and simplify. Stop moving about; stop adding what we consider as training hints of arm and body motions. Adding extra movements to a visual cue just adds confusion. Take note of what you are doing with your body as you attempt to communicate with your dog. Simple, uncluttered, touchless communications are the way to a clear picture for your dog.

Becoming your dog's one and only

"I want the dog to like me more than my husband;" she secretly whispers to me. Even though her husband is not home at the time; her actions speak volumes. This owner feels like a traitor letting me in on her little secret. She is not alone; most of us want our dogs to love us most, it is human nature. When I'm out at an appointment and come home to three very happy dogs; hearing that they have been pining for me, even though everyone else is home, of course it makes me feel special. I am told by many Dad's in the family that they wish their dog liked them more.

So how does one go about obtaining the highly desirable position of the "special" one in your dog's heart? Well; you cannot just tell your dog who the one is, it is done with time, quality time. Typically if there is a stay at home Mom; that is the person who becomes the one. Of course not always; sometimes when Dad or one of the kids get home from work or school there actions fill the void left by the one at home all the time. Just because someone is home for the largest percentage of time does not mean that they have sealed the deal; they may not have a connection with the dog.

Time and attention is what is required to be an important person in your dogs heart. There are relationships and then there are RELATIONSHIPS. I go for the RELATIONSHIPS; when you put everything into it; you get everything out as well. So if you are the person who spends less time with your dog because you are at work all day you can make up for that with quality time. I have always been the one in our house that does the dog stuff; feeding, grooming, training, walking etc. The other members occasionally do these things but I'm the regular doer. Several years ago I had a very bad leg injury; my husband had to take over the dog walking completely, this act alone shifted relationships. Not only was he now playing a major role in the dogs lives but he was connecting like never before.

To become an important human in your dogs life you simply need to give of yourself. Sometimes it can be a struggle; often personalities clash and connecting can be a challenge. Many of these strained relationships only need the help of a professional; someone on the outside looking in to see where the problem lies. Once you become an important human in your dog's life; things evolved. There is nothing like a great relationship with a dog; nothing.

A disc in the tree Luke communicating with Sally

What's going on here?

Boy; she's worked up about something.

Ahhh; there's a Frisbee in the tree!

I need to get Mom.

I'll give it a go.

What?


















Okay; I'll try again.

I just can't reach it.

I'm sorry; I can't get it.

One more last ditch attempt.

I'll set the stage; Luke was attending his very first "official dog birthday party." It was a party celebrating the 10th year of his best friend. He was enjoying romping with his poodle friends; socializing and catching up. One of his buddies is a white Frisbee loving gal named Sally; she's pretty engrossed with her disc, Tilley style obsessed. So while the gift opening commenced; Sally's Mom put her Frisbee in the tree. This kept her otherwise occupied from giving compelling eyes at everyone so that they might toss the disc for her. Sally kept very busy trying to get the disc out of the tree; and all this commotion caught Luke's eye. He watched her intently for a while; tried to figure out what she was doing when he spotted the disc in the tree.

Luke is quite accustom to discs being in trees; we used to play Frisbee daily when ultimately it would end up in the tree at some point. He would locate it and communicate to me where it was and that I needed to get it for him. So; yesterday he first tried to do just this, he came to tell me there was a disc in the tree and they needed help. I didn't oblige; the disc was suppose to be in the tree. So he went back and spoke to Sally about this. He decided to give it a go; when he tried to get it she stood back and watched hopefully. He couldn't quite reach; so he backed up and pondered a bit. He is not the type to hurl himself aimlessly in the air like Sally was doing; her enthusiasm runneth over.

They spent a good long while discussing and attempting to get the disc out of the tree. I loved watching the communications between the two; the team work they opted for in their mission. At the beginning of the disc in the tree situation; Sally tried meticulously to get it out of the tree. Then her excitement and anxiety took over as she jumped everywhere; often no where near the Frisbee itself. Luke on the other hand saw them problem and attempted to solve it calmly. When he couldn't he came to get help from Mom; and with that availing no results they worked together to find a way.

Inevitably the party ended and the Frisbee came out of the tree. The disc girl was happy and Luke had long forgotten about the disc in the tree; he was simply ready to go home. After all he too will be 10 in a couple of weeks; the Frisbee retrieving from trees should be left to the young'ns.

Keep on truck'n

It amazes me; some dogs are such troopers. I've been dealing with a lot of medical issues lately with my old gal Tilley. I wrote a blog a couple of weeks ago about one issue that she had and thankfully has since moved on from. Then last Monday she started with something new; a look was all I got in the beginning. Knowing my dogs so well; a look is all I needed to know that something was up. That look turned to complete paralysis of her front legs by Tues. morning and we were off to the vet.

After a full examination it was obvious that something was going on with her spine. Only a week before she had had a full diagnostic x-ray done. She was given a heavy dose of prednisone and pain meds. She was bad; really bad, her front legs were completely buckled over and she could not right them. Tuesday was a rough day; but only an hour after a shot of cortisone she was sitting up. The vet had given her a 50-50 chance of getting better; it was that bad. And soon she was on her feet trying very hard to right her feet that had gone wrong. Now a full week later she is at the moment lying on my bed peeking over my laptop. We are not out of the woods yet but her ability to bounce back simply amazes me, she is one tough cookie.

I am in the process of weaning her off of her pain meds. They are addictive; you must take weaning time so as to not trigger withdrawal symptoms. We don't need that on top of everything else so by tomorrow she should be off and I will have a clearer picture of how she is really doing. She will be on prednisone every second day for another week and then that's it. Hopefully it will have given her body the chance to heal whatever had been going on.

Just last night I had the honor yet again to photograph Courage. My first meeting and shoot with Courage was the end of June; he looked wonderful and was truly inspirational. Last night he just amazed me; Mr. Social at his obedience class. He played with all the other dogs; visited all the other canine guardians and was generally having a great time. He gave me a huge greeting; and touching his wonderful soft coat and now much heavier body made me smile. What a dog. Not only has he put his past in the past; but he has moved on with gusto.

I sat watching him go through his paces as he worked with his guardian through the lessons. He has a enthusiasm; strong work ethic like any German Shepherd I've trained with. There is an intensity about him; as he stands taking his surroundings in. And the connection between his guardian and he is unmistakable. The interactions are subtle yet profoundly moving. A simple touch from his guardian alters his whole aura; a joy to witness.

Giving up is not an option for dogs; as long as they have fight left in them, they do so. Whether it is illness; abuse, being lost or injured, they have a determination in them that can be simply put.................amazing.