Begging

Good morning; begging came to mind this morning with all the yummy food that is starting to be prepared and consumed this holiday season. And the fact that I had quite a begging situation lastnight. So how bad is begging and how far should it be allowed to progress or encroach?  Begging is a very natural behavior for dogs. Watch any documentary on wolves and you will see the exact same behavior within a pack. Begging goes as far as the "alpha" wolves will allow it. The act of begging is how a dog asks for the food that you are at the moment; eating. Begging in general is not a bad behavior; infact I consider it to be quite an amazing behavior.

Most trainers think of begging as simply unacceptable; but how well mannered is a dog that sits and watches you consume a delicious meal without attempting to remove it from you? I think it is a very controlled behavior when a dog can accomplish this; especially if they are drooling at the sametime.

When it is not acceptable is when they do attempt to take your food from you; whether by charm or cheer force. Dogs who try to take food from you forcefully by grabbing or jumping probably lack manners in all aspects of their life. Training and rule enforcement is a must to get this under control.

Even the ones who sneakily attempt to take your food; inching up on you without notice then ever so slightly moving their head forwards. If you give in at this point you have not only been had but you have just lowered your status within the pack. Eye contact is a great way to let your dog know they are way too close to your food. Moving towards them if eye contact is not enough and when they move back you sit and eat.

It is essential that you should be able to complete a down stay with your dog while you are eating so you know that if you desire this amount of control, you have it. So rethink the whole begging issue; does your dog watch you eat from several feet away? Do their eyes watch every bite you take? Then that's pretty amazing to me. Having them not watch at all is a difficult task and needless in my mind.

Always reward your dog for good behavior, do not give in to those sad eyes moving in on your food or you have been had and out brained by your dog.

Great shoot

I love it when my work brings me to the beach "okay; fine I'll go to Laguna beach, wink, wink, nod, nod."  I love it; and I have to say that the coast of California is pretty spectacular.  I have a thing for waves; I love to shoot them and the bigger the better.  When I'm shooting a dog at the beach; there just is no better back drop for a shoot.  I'm a natural photographer; I don't have a studio, I don't typically like props and I'm not a fan of posing.  I'd much rather catch a natural shot; a dog being a dog.  Last night was gorgeous; it dropped about 20 degrees from my house to the beach which works for me. 

This shoot was another for my upcoming book; so if you know that I'm working on a standard poodle book you will know that; yep, it was a standard poodle.  So far I have done a book on Dogs in the OC; which was filled with all breeds and mixes set in different places that we walk our dogs here in the OC (Orange County.)  My next book is a black and white rescue Greyhound book for the non-profit canine blood bank Hemopet and the dogs.  All proceeds from this book go to the dogs.  I have a couple of calendars; and last week published Courage's calendar which I am very proud of.  100% of the proceeds will go to the dogs.  So now I have to get this poodle book done; I'm halfway there. 

Even though I have a Facebook group called The Standard Poodle which has now over 1300 fans and a local OC Standard Poodle group; finding my models is not that easy.  Standard Poodles are not a really popular breed; those who know and love them usually have more than one, like most dog lovers.  But they are slow to come out of the woodwork.  So when I get an email about a new one I'm pretty excited; and last night was no different.  She was gorgeous and one of the happiest dogs I've shot. 

First we started with the typical back up shots, the beautiful stills with the ocean behind.  They are important just incase the action shots don't turn out.  When all goes right and I snap "the" shot and find out once I get home  that I did get "the" shot, amazing.  So once we get the guaranteed shots; we let her rip.   She was set loose to be herself; and that's what I love to capture.  Actions shots are definitely more difficult  to get; a spinning, jumping and running dog can be a challenge to focus in on.  But when it happens; it's magic.

I could watch dogs running around having fun forever.  I love to stop action; this enables you to see things that you would have missed completely.  A look; a head turn or communication that you would have been oblivious to had you not been able to see it by freezing a moment in time.  For me; there is nothing more beautiful than a dog, being a dog.

Touchy feely

I just finished giving Luke a massage; I regularly massage all three but I tend to focus on Luke the most.  For you long time readers; you all know he is a nervous ninny and a thorough massage does him good.  First he worries what I am doing; then he worries about why I am pushing him over.  Next he worries about why I am not letting him get up; all the while I am staying as cool as a cucumber.  He looks at me and sniffs to test my mood; then he relaxes.  He is much better than he use to be; after ten years he actually trusts me and really enjoys his massage, once we are into it.  How do I know he enjoys it?  He gets his googly eyes on; his eyes half shut and his third eyelid half up. 

Massaging your dog is not only beneficial for them; it is also great for lowering your blood pressure or destressing from a bad day.  The moment I start rubbing I can feel the stress leave my body.  Most dogs learn to love it if they don't from the start.  Many dogs are not the touchy feely type and need to learn to enjoy a massage.  But even if a dog enjoys a massage from you; they may not enjoy receiving the same treatment from a non family member.  None of my dogs would appreciate someone pawing all over them; it would be in itself, a stressful event.  So keep that in mind.  Several years back I talked to a gentleman who was offering Reiki for animals.  I understand the basic idea behind reiki and asked if there was a need for touch while doing it?  He assured me that no touch was needed; although if an animal enjoys it, they may touch. 

Massage not only feels good; it is very relaxing.  So relaxing that 5 min. after our session Luke remained on the couch as I vacuumed around him; something he never does.  Normally; as soon as I head his way he's gone, this was very interesting, he even had his eyes closed as I approached.  Massaging your dog regularly is a very good way for bonding time; it builds trust and helps dogs get over their touch issues.  I've worked with many dogs that cannot be touched in certain areas.  Owners say to me "oh ya very friendly, just don't touch his stomach," or "just don't touch his feet."  You should be able to touch everything; even their feet which is the most common issue.  Most dogs recoil when you touch their feet; even if they don't mind a whole lot. 

You must start slowly; and if they have any reservations about the process, add yummy treats into the mix.  Ah; good treats appear when the touching begins, your dog will soon look forward to the touching session.  Then once they are accepting the gentle massaging; you can slowly eliminate the treats.  When you massage you should have a firm but gentle touch; keep your hands flat on your dog, no digging fingers.  Keep one hand on the dog at all times; removing one if the other remains.  This helps to eliminate the startle factor; I learned this by getting my own massages.

Massage everything; spine, legs, tail, feet, ears, toes etc.  Luke loves a good face massage; he is particular about it but it is probably his favorite, the googly eyes come out bigtime for a face rub.  When you move; think "zen."  Pick up each foot gently and return it to the ground as if it is made of something very breakable.  But firm with your touch; you don't want to freak out your dog by acting apprehensive.  Canine massage should be short and sweet; unless of course you have one that slips into a coma from a massage...........then time may be limitless.  But my motto in life is quite while you're ahead. 

                                             

Life with dogs

I am at the moment supervising a bone chew; being that I have to sit and watch I figured I may as well blog.  It is surprising to me that I am not asleep; I didn't have the greatest sleep last night.  Something woke the both of us up about midnight; it was only for a moment and  I fell back asleep fairly fast.  But then I was waken abruptly at 4:00 am which I did not fall back asleep from until moments before the alarm went off at 5:00 of course.  So I'm a bit tired today; not quite myself.

I was rudely awaken last night by a loud gag and a heave; I was up and out on the deck with a 50 lb dog in my arms before I was awake.  I don't even think that Luke was awake at that point.  Normally if I hear the all too familiar heaving sound during the night I'm up pretty fast.  But as I heard the first gag and sat up quickly I realized that Luke was on our bed; not good.  If I didn't get him off fast enough I was going to not only have to clean up the substance that Luke so kindly brought up on our bed; but change the whole bed as well, and fast.  Oh I'm fast; I'm really fast now.  After three children and many dogs you learn to whip things away before they have a chance to set in.

Funny how certain noises; even quiet noises will wake you in the night while other loud noises don't even cause a stir.  When you have small children; the softest of  squeaks can have you up and running to check on them.  My kids are now 20 and over so I rarely hear them come in at night now.  What I do hear is the dogs; not the normal happy dog sounds like snoring and dreaming, I hear the sounds of somethings up, impending doom ir perhaps somethings coming out.  Those noises none of us want to hear but if you are lucky it can be a heads up for you to be on your way to the tile, linoleum or outdoors in time.

Funny; I never pick Luke up, he is 25" at the shoulder and although he is skinny, he is still close to 50 lbs.  Which at 50 lbs is not heavy but he is large in size and I am only 5' 1"; short.  Being a dominant boy he doesn't like to be picked up; and because he is a large dog there is no reason to pick him up.  I do however lift him down from the car and the bed when I can catch him.  He is completely fine with this and I know it will move to a full pick up into the car before too too long.  Tilley is lifted into the car everyday; she has been for a couple of years now.  I really should get a ramp; might save my poor back.

Anyway; there I was out on the balcony with blondie in my arms.  I really don't know how I got the screen door open or stepped over the fan with Luke in my arms and in the dark, but I somehow managed.  And there we were; me holding Luke until he finished and Luke giving me pathetic eyes that said "what just happened?"  He is an extremely sensitive and emotional guy; so this grab and run event was not his bag.  He was upset; upset enough that I'm sure he just stopped himself from being sick.  We sat our there in the bright moonlight; looking at each other, then snuggling before coming in and making it back to bed.  Of course Luke was twitching off to his dreams in minutes; me on the other hand?  I lay there tossing and turning; planning today's meals, thinking about daily stuff until moments before the alarm went off.

Yep; I can smile about it today; I will be able to laugh about it tomorrow when I get some much needed sleep.  Life with dogs is filled with stuff that keeps you humble.  They make you laugh, smile, beam with pride, pull at your heartstrings and make our life essentially complete.  "What's a little puke and lack of sleep right?"

Leave it - Do you mean it?

Do you mean it?  You said it; but are you serious?  If you're not then forget about your dog listening to you.  Often when we make rules and regulations we sometimes let things slide; but there are a few behaviors that should never slide.  One of the least trained behaviors is "leave it.  It is essential that each and every dog should be taught and understand what "leave it" means.  It's not easy for some; those who are not into sharing or have a high drive can find it difficult.  But all dogs can learn and perfect the "leave it."


The secret to this particular behavior is to make not taking something a good thing.  In the beginning of the training you are going to make it easy; really easy.  Dogs learn very quickly when they have success; so the most  infinitesimal progress will be rewarded.    The leave it verbal cue is to be used before your dog picks something up in their mouth.  So if your dog already has an item in their mouth; you would use "drop" or "drop it" which I will cover in a future blog.   To teach the "leave it" behavior you begin by putting a low value item in one hand.  In your other hand that is held behind your back you will have reward treats.  The item that you are going to have your dog leave can be a toy; but preferably food, if your dog likes food that is.  Before opening your hand and putting it in front of your dog you say firmly "leave it."  You cannot allow your dog to take the item at anytime; you have to have really fast reflexes.


If your dog attempts to take it; close your hand quickly around the item and pull it away.  I also use ahhahh in a deep tone.  Then try again; remember to say "leave it" first.  If your dog does not take the item for a split second; praise and reward with a piece of food that you had in your other hand behind your back immediately.  Once they leave it for a second they catch on very quickly.  Dogs learn that they just need to sit there and not take the food and you will keep rewarding them for it; simple.  At that point you make it harder and harder; first switch hands, this usually throws them as the delivery hand now becomes the no no hand.


Leave it video

Once they can do both hands then you move your hand down until it is on the ground to do the exercise.  Most dogs loose it here as well; typically food on the floor is fair game.  Be very on guard; if they actually get the food out of your hand then it is much harder to get your point across.  Next you are going to say " leave it," put the food on the ground and your hand an inch away.  Reward again for a second of not taking the food.  Practice this throughout the day at short intervals and only progress to the next step when you have success at each.

The goal is to be able to drop food on the ground and have your dog not grab it.  If you practice the  leave it behavior often enough and make it beneficial enough for your dog; you may have a dog that never grabs for food dropped on the floor.  A typical response then turns to attention on you and waiting for the okay.  "Leave it" is an amazingly useful behavior; you can use it for many different situations once it is second nature. I will often use it when Luke and I are walking by a pushy type male dog; this averts a leash aggression issue.  Just this evening I told Tilley to leave it when she approached the dishwasher for her regular pre-wash evening cycle.  She looked at me like "what?" I always lick the dishes; but she left the kitchen like a good girl.

For dogs who have an obsessive behavior for a particular object; this takes a lot of work to get to the "leave it" stage.  Tilley is very obsessive for tennis balls or anything that might be tossed so that she may chase and retrieve it.  But with hard work; she learned to leave a tennis ball and even a frisbee, even when tossed.  It is very important to get a handle on obsession in dogs; "leave it" can make the task a bit less daunting.

Giving your dog is never a waste; each and everything that you teach your dog makes it that much easier to teach the next lesson.  And this one really comes in handy.

Hard work'n men

Yesterday we were working on our back fence area; and by we I mean my hubby, myself and Luke .  We had taken down an old dilapidated fence from the backyard and realized that the hill behind it was so steep that if Jessie or Tilley went down; they couldn't get back up.  So lots of shoveling had to be done today; the paper laid, edging installed, plants planted and then the bark put in as the final touch.  The shovelling part; or digging is one of Luke's favorite things to do.  He is just adorable as he watches you dig; watches where and what needs to be dug and gets to work.  As I was off pruning the already existing garden; Luke was watching my hubby.  And you guessed it; I was watching Luke.

Luke was watching my husband's every move.  He watched every shovel full and got way too close trying to see what the heck he was digging up.  He watched for a long time before he started his own digging.  If someone is digging Luke's digging; he a real team player.  People often ask why their dogs are constantly following them; dogs are pack animals and where the pack goes, they go.  Today the pack was digging, so Luke was digging.

As my husband moved; Luke checked out every spot and then commenced his own work.  He was actually helpful; he dug with such gusto that he was really assisting.  He sure did his fair share of the work. 

At one point he realized I was watching; he looked up staring, and gave me a look as if to say "hey we're working here."   

Nothing gets past this boy; every stick, weed or pebble that is removed must be checked over by the curly blonde crew member.  These guys worked for hours; side by side until it was break time.  They'd been working so hard that they both needed a drink which was shared as well.   Dad had his share of the water and when he was done with the water and glass; Luke got his. 

After they both had a good hydration break it was back to work;

except for a quick best buddies moment.

After a long day of work; both boys were dog tired, especially this one.

Chop chop

I think I might just be in the market for a meat grinder in the very near future.  Every so often I like to make a whole bunch of dog food at the sametime.  I love it when I'm not in the mood and I have so smartly pre-made a pile of food which is waiting in the freezer for feeding time.  Typically I make the dogs meals fresh everyday; they eat such a variety of food that there is always something to give them.   I feed a combination of raw and cooked real food; every once in a while they have S&C freeze dried or Orijen kibble.  I like to keep them accustom to eating kibble for those "in case" times when I might need to be away and didn't have time to pre-make all of their food. 

So the other day I bought 3 chickens, two packages of beef liver and a couple of london broils.  The dogs have already eaten the raw london broil; the chicken and liver was cooked up today, combined into a nice combination of meats and veggies, labeled and tossed into the deep freeze.  But chopping; chopping, I grow tired of chopping quickly.  It is probably why I prefer to make food at each meal; much less chopping at one time.  But although I hate it now I will be happy when I'm not feeling like chopping at all and just have to go pull a bag out of the freezer.

I have seen the results of feeding real food tenfold.  First; Jessie had bald ears and several hairless spots at different areas of her body.  We had assumed it was the prednisone she'd been on after nearly dying but after only a couple of months of real food; presto, gone.  Not only did the bald spots grow in; her hair became twice and thick.  Luke has epilepsy; I'm not sure if it was a genetic thing or if something triggered it's start but since eating real food he rarely has a seizure.  Much less than when he was eating dogfood alone. 

There is nothing like real food to get the best nutrition for your body.  Real food means food that has not been processed; or minimally processed.  I feed my guys alot of raw but they eat cooked food as well; the variety makes it very easy to feed them.  And when they eat such a variety of foods; an upset stomach is very rare.  My girls eat like champs; anything that is put in front of them they'll eat, wonderful.  Luke on the other hand is so fussy that I find myself wanting to bang my head against the wall.  It's not easy to make a wonderful meal; offer it up and be turned down.  He has always been fussy; food just isn't his thing.  But we have discovered that he loves to eat on walks; just snack pieces here and there so S&C comes in very handy for this. 

Feeding real food is much easier than most people think; it's not rocket science.  Heck we feed ourselves and do just fine.  The difference is that a dogs meal should revolve around a variety of animal proteins.  My favorite canine nutrition book (Raw and natural food for dogs by Lew Olson) is a must have for anyone considering taking the plunge. 

Things to steer clear of

I had the girls at the park yesterday morning; the heat had broken and we were enjoying the breeze in the shade.  Our walks are unbelievably slow; snail slow, senior snail speed slow.  Over the last couple of years I have adjusted my speed; it wasn't easy at first.  Tilley was the first to start slowing down; this was the toughest for me.  I am constantly referred to as the speed walker; so slowing my pace took some modification but I managed to figure it all out and now enjoy our dawdling walks. 

Today we had some deeking and diving to do; things to steer clear of.  The first was a young boy on a bike; not only was he on a bike but he had a very large and very excited large lab attached to him.  In one hand he held the leash; the other he attempted to steer the bike, and he was coming our way.  Having a 13 girl and 14 year old girl on their snail walk I'm very protective.  This did not look like anything good coming our way.  The big Labrador had his hair up; not a good thing.  He was either way over stimulated or grumpy; both I did not want my girls dealing with.  As the boy headed our way unsteadily driving his bike he was dragged off the path; "good he's staying off the path."  Nope; back on the path, back and forth wherever the lab dragged him.  This scene was just an accident waiting to happen.  I quickly made the call to move out to the middle of the field; giving this pair lots of space.

After they passed us and I gave a big sigh of relief; along came the gentleman and his very large dog.  Again; I have a not so great feeling about them coming my way.  The dog is not friendly; we have met them a few times before and the man can barely hold onto his dog.  This is one of the things you tend to steer clear of; a man barely hanging onto his very large dog that wants to go after your dogs.   He grabs the leash with both hands and makes a good attempt at bracing himself while trying to get some distance.  Knowing how frail my girls are now I want nothing to do with this situation.  This team needs some intense training or I can see an accident in their near future. 

It doesn't take much to knock Tilley down now and Jessie wouldn't even see it coming.  I'm very protective and rightly so; I'm their protector and as such my job often entails steering clear.  I often write about watching your dog; I find their behavior fascinating and never grow tired of it.  Watching dogs that are approaching us is also something I do with an eagle eye; I assess a situation before it is upon us.  This gives you sort of a heads up; allowing time to react appropriately.  I don't like surprises; especially when it comes to a situation that should have been steered clear of. 

Courage; he's got that.

There's a new calendar; helping the dogs. 

Courage calendar; proceeds going to gsroc.org

He's a fighter; after being intentionally starved and left for dead, he's turned it around with the help from a wonderful group.  A large group effort from the German Shepherd rescue of Orange County; Courage was rescued, cared for and brought back to the healthy boy that he should be.  The resilience of a canine is remarkable.   The day I first met Courage; he crossed the parking lot and my eyes welled up.  I'd read his story; his struggle to hang on to life, hours from death he was not giving up.  With the kindness and dedication of a caring rescuer; he was pulled from the brink and set on a path of recovery.

The story made the headlines; the owner, a full time kennel attendant for a veterinarian left Courage in their yard with no food, no water until he was a skeletal 37 lbs.  The public was rightly outraged; the horrendous act left many wondering what went wrong.  Whatever happened will be dealt with; the important fact is that Courage was rescued and most definitely saved.  He has recovered and is continuing to overcome his past.  I met Courage; roughly a  month after his rescue, he was already looking pretty good.  And more recently I photographed Courage graduating his obedience class; he looked amazing. 

The most uplifting part of this whole story is the phenomenal connection between Courage and his new Mom.  The mutual affection is undeniable and intense; seeing Courage seeking the security in his new guardian is moving.  Watching him interact with people and other dogs instills hope; not only has he recovered, he is truly an Ambassador for the breed.  I was honored to have been able to photograph him and I look forward to photographing him again in the future. 

Courage is sadly one dog of many; there are vast amounts of canines needing help.  I am hoping that with the sale of this calendar that many more needy dogs can be helped. 

Click here to buy Courage's calendar

Nope; not robots

When I started out as a dog trainer; I'd been training a long time on my own, now I had to teach others.  The hard part in the beginning was getting my point across to the owners, I had to sharpen my own communication skills.  As the years past it got easier and easier to teach people to teach their dogs.   There were several things I wanted to really drive home about dogs and training; one was that they are not robots.  If you have ever been involved with official obedience competition; these dogs are robots.  There is no room for error; no leniency, no short cuts and no crooked sits.  This was not what I was going to teach.

They are not robots; they have minds of their own, they have issues, they have good and bad days like we do.  You must take all of these things into account when working with dogs.  There are several behaviors that I am very strict with; those are the ones that could result in a life or death situation.  Boundary exit training, coming when called, leave it and reacting to NO.  This does not mean that everything else slides; quite the contrary, I'm a pretty firm leader and when I speak I expect to be listened to.  But if my dog sits crooked or slowly; I don't care.  If they lay down on a sit stay; I don't care.  If they baulk when asked to down in cramp quarters; I get it. 

I have to smile; each and everyday when Luke and I exit the front door.  He waits for his "okay" to exit, dances around for a second and runs several feet out ahead.  Being a reactive dog he can barely contain himself but he tries.  I stand at the door and wait; he looks at me, then looks at the car, he tries to wait it out.  Then in a goofy burst he charges back and spins at lightening speed into heel position and waits; he is waiting for me to grab his harness so we can proceed.  I don't want him accidentally running into the street so we have rules; he knows what they are and obliges as best he can.  I will never proceed until he is in place; he knows that.

My girls are not pushy; although Jessie is a very dominant female she knows who the real Top dog in the house is.  Luke likes to push; you could anthropomorphise his behavior stating that he likes to clown around, he enjoys getting a rise out of you.  He is dominant and will talk back when he is over stimulated; I know this about him and give him time to get his anxiety out.  And if he intentionally ignores a behavior cue; a body posture change is all that is required to bring him back.

There have been many many times that I've seen a dog thinking; you can see the wheels turning.  They are given a verbal cue; you know they know it.  If you wait and watch you can see the smallest of clues that it is coming together in their head.  "They aren't going to do it; they don't understand" is a  common statement of frustration from owners.  "They are; watch" I tell them as I narrate the progress, a behavior broken down into fragments to the final goal, but success none the less.   Sometimes you just need to wait; it's coming if you have the patience to wait for it. 

I remember a dog in an group class of mine; he did an amazingly reliable recall (coming when called.)  The owner would call him from the other side of the room; and he reacted immediately.  He got moving in a full  snail pace the whole way across the room.  The people watching could only smile and laugh; he was doing it, in his own sweet time.  There was no pushing him; we simply had to find a way to make him move faster, without forcing him.  Push a dog and they push back.  The next week I brought some steak; a big treat for this boy and amazingly enough, he could darn near fly.  Before the steak he saw no reason to run; now running had purpose behind it. 

No; they aren't robots, they're smarter. 

A lame owner

Okay; I'm ticked off.  SOMEONE; is crapping on my lawn, I'm assuming it's a dog.  I went out early this morning; headed to the gym and low and behold; a big pile on my front lawn.  Standing there staring at the mound; my hands on my hips scanning the neighborhood, hmmmmmmmmmmmm.  Someone is letting their dog take a dump on my lawn and not picking it up.  I don't mind if a dog uses the lawn; but "hey human; pick it up."  I really have enough of my own dog poop to pick up; I don't need more.  This has been going on for a while now; and it only happens at night or when we are not home.  Obviously someone; some human is letting their dog do this.  This morning it was smack dab in the middle; sort of like "take that."

I have huge issues with people who do not pick up after their dog; it makes me crazy.  And I have let people know loud and clear that it is their job to pick up after their dog.  You know the non picker uppers; the people who pretend they don't notice that their dog is hunched over pooping.  No they are too busy looking in every direction except for the angle in which their dog is dumping.  Then they keep on walking like nothing happened.  AHHHHHHHHH; your dog, your dog's poop, you pick it up, simple.

I have to admit that I have guts of steel; nothing grosses me out pretty much so picking up poop is easy.  I also understand that some people cannot pick it up through a bag; my husband was one.  And I am happy to say that he is reformed and can now pick it up without gagging, amazing.  So if he can do it; anyone can do it.  They even make poop pick up contraptions so that you don't have to touch it at all.  Some come with a long handle so you don't even have to go near it.  So there really is no excuse; so don't try.  You just have to do it.

It is very unacceptable not to pick up after your dog; other people and children play in many areas where our dogs drop a load, so you must pick it up.  I use to walk at a park that was right beside a school; I always brought extra bags and picked up all the poop that others did not.  The park was always filled with children and having poop on the ground is just disgusting.  All it takes is one to ruin it for the rest of us; so if you see someone who is not picking up after their dog, speak up.  I completely get why non dog people get so mad about crap everywhere; I get just as mad, it's not fair for everyone else using the park or field.

I will find out who this lame owner is who is not picking up after their dog.  Perhaps because my car says "JustdogswithSherri" on it they think that I'm cool with it.  I'M NOT.   I'm thinking that it is the woman down the way who plays ball in the middle of the street with her dog.  Another activity performed in an inappropriate place.   

I'll be buying a sign for my yard; crazy that people just don't know this.

Association AGAIN

I talk and write often about association; when you understand how dogs learn you cannot skip association.

  Associate:  to connect or bring into relation, as thought, feeling, memory, etc.:

Dogs associate; they associate often and quickly.  Yesterday I had a plumber at my house; we had a backed up kitchen drain, charming.  His work involved going outside; the dogs were outside.  It was very clear by his body language that he was not okay with the dogs being outside.  He hovered around the back door without actually opening it.  I took that as my cue to get the dogs into the house and into the family room; nice and secure.  My body language immediately caused concern amongst the pack; I was rushing.  Tilley wondered what was up; poor Jessie stood at the wrong door convinced that is where I was calling her from and Luke stressed.  As soon as I got them in the house; Luke was out of the house again.  (I forgot to close the dog door; duh!!)

I went out with a more serious tone; the guy was waiting to get outside and unblock my drain.  I asked him to come in; he ignored me, he was stressed.  I knew right away that he was associating my behavior with my recent bath time behavior.  He assumed that this serious behavior meant that he was having a bath; he's had several in the last couple of weeks so when I got serious, he thought I had my shower face on.  I smiled; told him he was a huge goof and to sit stay, which is what he did.  Once I get behind him he rushed back into the dog door with his ears flat back in worry.  I told him he was a major goof; roughed up his coat and he was wagging again.  He had jump to conclusions that something was up immediately; and the location of entry made him think "bath."

Luke is a worrier; he is also a reactive dog so if there is going to be a reaction in my house, it's likely going to be Luke.  Once I let the plumber know that the coast was clear I went back downstairs to talk to the dogs.  Luke was wagging his speedy stress wag; then seeing that there was no bathing equipment in my hands he relaxed as he figured that there was no looming bathtime.  He then quickly lightened up and laughed it off.  Association is huge for dogs; often we cannot figure out an association.  But many times you can put the puzzle together piece by piece if you just sit and think for a while.

Odd behaviors can arise from an unknown association; a dog can associate something without us even knowing about it.  Jessie has created an association to dinner time.  She associates going out the kitchen door to getting her food somehow, someway.  For the life of me I cannot figure it out.  If I go into the kitchen to make dinner; only dinner she will stand at the kitchen door wanting out.  When I let her out she quickly turns around and stares in the door.  She will stand there a minute or two and then go down the stairs and in the dog door; into the kitchen and wait to be let out again.  At first I thought that this was caused by her age; perhaps loosing a few marbles, but it is like clockwork.

Running shoes are a very common learned association.  Put on your runners and your dog comes unglued; pull on your work boots or dress shoes and they lay there, nothing.  But they pick up even smaller things; shorts vs. work out pants, grabbing a work out towel or not.  When I walk my guys I often toss their harnesses to the front door; each dog knows immediately if their harness is there or not and they usually go lay down knowing they are not going anywhere.  They are amazing; and the art of association is amazing, you can teach dogs unlimited behaviors by applying it correctly.  Timing is essential with association; one missed moment and you may teach a completely different association. 

It can be a challenge to be faster than your dog; they're quick learners.

A new harness

I stumbled into a pet store in San Francisco at Ghiradelli Square; I love finding new places to shop for the pooches. This was not your regular pet store; no this was Yap Wrap.  I went in and started to look around; they  have lots of great stuff but then I found the harnesses, I was very curious.  The manager was in the store and was very helpful; he educated me on their very special harnesses, they looked so comfortable.  All I could think is that this Wrap harness would be wonderful for my little Jessie (a Jack Russell Terrier.)  I definitely wanted to try it out; so I brought home a red one with a strap as well.  They make straps that hook onto the harness and right into the seat belt buckle of the car.  A great safety feature.

Once home from our trip I unpacked the harness and gave it a test run; just a fitting to see if we'd gotten the right size.  Looked great and I still thought it looked very comfortable.  Not only did it fit but Jessie looks quite smashing in it.  I let her wander around for a while with it on so she could get use to it before we tried a walk. 

Today was our true test; I hooked Jessie up in the car.  I put her into the back seat; and snapped the strap into the buckle, very cool.  I love the idea of being able to snap the strap right into the seat belt buckle.

  Now to try a walk while Jessie sports her new Yap Wrap.   Jessie went on about her walk like business as usual.  She seemed very comfortable and I was able to guide her along with a gentle tug every once in a while.  She is nearly deaf so calling her no longer works; I like that when I tug on her that her neck does not take any pressure.  There is a handle on top of the Wrap; you can grab this if you need to grab a hold of your dog in a pinch.  I used it to pull Jessie out of several bushes. 

As we walked along I thought how wonderful this harness would be for my girl Tilley.  With her Vestibular disease she is often off balance; I could have definitely used this several months ago.  And even now; the handle on top would be a wonderful way to steady her, especially in the evening when she is at her worst.  Jessie and I finished our walk; I hooked her back into the seat belt buckle and off we went.  The Wrap is attached by velcro in two areas making on and off a breeze. 

I love it; and I think Jessie likes it as well, she sure looks snazzy in my red Xterra.

Put on a happy face

On our recent trip to San Francisco; the first stop was a beautiful Marina where we walked the misty coastline.  We ran into our first dogs there as well; the above pictures are of them.  Two beautiful brown labrador boys; with their Dad, were out enjoying the damp early evening air.  As soon as I sat down they came running over to me; both with big grins on their faces seeming to know that I was drawn to them, I was already missing my guys badly.  We chatted a while as I photographed their smiling faces.  They were definitely two very happy boys.  As I watched them interact with their Dad; their shared admiration for one another was obvious. 

Lots of dogs smile; there are a couple of different type of smiles.   The smiles on the boys above are not actually smiles; not like our smiles.  Their whole body exudes relaxation and contentment.   Body posture low; ears back in a relaxed position, eyes lightly closed and mouth relaxed with slightly pulled back lips causing the appearance of a smile.  It is the whole picture rather than simply the mouth position that creates such a joyous air about them.  Even without their mouth being held in what looks to be a smile; they would be smiling with their eyes, ears and body. 

When a dog is subordinate or has a submissive temperament they may smile more often.  This is because a submissive dog will signal their acceptance as a lower member by pulling back their lips.  There are times when they are pulled back to display the front teeth in what may appear to be a smile.  Tilley is a smiling dog; I love when she smiles and many of the Dobermans that I have known over the years were smiling dogs.  A dog that is smiling usually also has a lower body posture as well.  For Tilley; a return home was usually the cause for big smiles, especially if it was her Dad or her boy (my son.)

Many dogs who are extremely submissive will go through the whole process of signaling their status; body so low that they can barely walk, eyes squinting to tiny slits and low wagging tail. The smile is usually the final signal; one which is often missed by humans as the dog is so low with their head slung down that we cannot see it. One of Luke's poodles pals is quite submissive; although she typically reserves the smiles for him as a dominant male. Once they have their greeting; she will start to come back to normal position. But she will still stay lower than normal in his presence.

I loved watching these boys and their big smiles.  When you see a smiling dog; you can't help but smile back.

A dog's gotta run

A dogs gotta run; some run and run and run, while others prefer the couch.  I spent several days in San Francisco; and one evening we stumbled upon a beach where there were many dogs running for the love of running itself.  In the wild; dogs run specifically for hunting, they have bursts of speed and may need to run for several miles at a time.  Other than hunting they don't do alot of full out running; saving energy for when they need it.  Our dogs of today have no need to hunt; their food is delivered to them daily so most enjoy a good run when they can get it.

I feel very strongly that dogs need to get an off leash run at least 3-4 times a week.  For many of us this is not an easy task.  With all the leash laws it can be very tough to find a place to let Spot have a rip.  Of course; the first task at hand is to be sure that your dog comes when called.  You must be 100% sure that your dog will not run off.  Second; you only allow your dog off leash in a very safe and secure area.  Once these are both checked then you need to find a spot.  If you are lucky and live in the country then you probably have a spot not far from you.  If you live closer to the suburbs or in the city then you may need to visit a dog park or get in the car and travel a bit.

There is nothing more glorious to watch than a dog enjoying a great stretched out run.  Luke is a dog that loves to run just for the love of running.  When he was younger; he would run for a solid 20 minutes before slowing.  I taught him that he must wait for a release before running off.  I didn't want the act of unhooking the leash to be mean that he was released; he had to wait for his "okay."   He sits patiently; almost spring loaded waiting for the word.  As soon as he hears his release; he sprints off running for the pure love of it, and I feel honored to witness the joy.

If you can; find a place where your dog can run.  It's a great way to drop a few pounds should your dog need to loose a bit of weight.  If they are very heavy; then take it very slow and build.  Most dogs love to run; finding a place or event for them to run is well worth it. 

Running fun

Lure coursing

Bicycle ride

Tough little packages

Does size really matter? Well; maybe in humans but not so much in dogs. I love watching dogs interact with one another; the interactions at dog parks are very different from regular pack behavior so there is alot of angles and dimensions to experience. Entering the park dogless is a little tricky; automatically the dogs gravitate to the gate when they hear the latch close. I draw quite a bit of attention because to them; it looks like I have a small black dog in my arms which is typically fair game.


Anytime you pick a dog up while in a pack of dogs; all attention goes to the elevated one. Not good attention normally; the dog has lost their control and the other dogs tend to take advantage. So I try my best to sneak in unnoticed but it doesn't often work. At one of the parks yesterday there was a pile of puppies playing together, great entertainment. They were 3, 5 and 6 months old; and would eventually reach about the same size at maturity. It was the 3 month old that was running the show; she was controlling what the other puppies did. This very confident and bold puppy was clearly a leader; she will definitely be giving her guardian a run for their money in the near future. The three month old showed the other two puppies how exactly to dig a whole and get as dirty as possible. She was playing rough, much rougher than the other two. And for her age; she had boundless amounts of energy. This was a very different puppy; usually at the age of 3 mos they tire quickly.

Then a small terrier came into the park; up until that point the park had been filled with big dogs and big breed puppies. But in typical terrier style he came in and claimed the place. Size is definitely not everything; attitude can be though. I have regularly seen small dogs put very large dogs in their place. Watching a tiny dog submit a big burly dog is very interesting; a dog either has it or they don't. But with small dogs comes the extra sense of protection from a safety perspective. I feel much more protective over my little JRT versus my standards. Even though Jessie is a much tougher dog; it is this toughness that can get her into trouble.

When she meets a dog; she has an immediate sense urgency to educate the other dog. She wants them to know right off; she is the boss unquestionably. There is no waiting around for small talk; she swings into action. And if the other dog isn't impressed by her "boss of the world" attitude; she can get into trouble. So I watch her body language very closely and I also watch the other dog's body as well.

There are times when being bigger works; if a fight breaks out and you have 50 lbs on the other dog; the odds are going to be on your side. But in regular canine meetings; it is all attitude. Dogs speak to each other way before they actually touch; if infact they ever do touch is a factor having to do with the initial greeting. No one touches Jessie, fact.

There was a big and burly Bouvier at the park the other day; he was a very confident and calm male who slowly did the perimeter of the fence. As I watched; a much more inexperienced and status seeking male attempted to mount the Bouvier. The confident Bouvier would have nothing to do with it and in a quick spin and freeze motion the younger dog got the clear message. Within minutes a tiny mixed breed came in; he approached the Bouvier stiffly; hair raised and walking on his toes. The Bouvier immediately averted his eyes; and made a huge circle around to the back of the small dog. The small one turned to greet the large furry guy; still stiff he gave the big bouvier a hard stare. The Bouvier lowered his postured and moved away slowly.

Attitude is everything.

San Fran

What does dog friendly mean?  To me; it means that dogs are allowed.  Not only small dogs; or two dogs, DOGS.    San Francisco is a very dog friendly place; most hotels take dogs.  Some take small or medium dogs, which is nice if that is what your family consists of.  Size shouldn't matter; a small dog can make a huge mess; a large dog can be the best canine guest and visa versa.  A few hotels take them all; big or little and however many dogs you happen to have in your family.  The Argonaut in San Francisco is one that takes the whole family as is the Monaco.

The Argonaut is in a great location with lots of places to walk and a park right across the street.  They are situated in the heart of the Fisherman's Wharf.  Touring around San Fran you notice water bowls everywhere; I love a dog friendly town.   Taking your dog on a trip with you can be great; if they are prepared.  There are a lot of things out of the ordinary day to day when you go on a vacation.  Has your dog been in an elevator?  Would they mind all the hustle and bustle that can come with a trip?  What about being left alone in a strange hotel room?  I know my guys would not like this one bit; they would feel abandoned and more than likely bark their heads off until we returned. 

If you have prepared your dog to accompany you on a trip then having them join you is wonderful.  But you must consider how your dog would deal with all the different things that might arise.  If you think that they might be upset or not be able to handle the change then the best thing may be to leave them at home.  We have a sitter come into our home or have one of our children stay with the dogs.  We have found a wonderful dog sitter who just moves in; she's our replacement while we are gone.  The dogs retain their routine; they are in their own home as well.  Of course they miss us when we are gone but that is the only thing different for them to deal with. 

I miss the dogs the second I'm out of the house; I find myself searching for dogs to talk to on my trips.  The Golden in the image is the resident dog at the Hotel Monaco in San Fran.  What a hunk of a boy; Oliver and as sweet as they come.  The most important thing is that your dogs be comfortable and relaxed.  So that may  mean that they join you on your trip or they stay home where they feel at home.  And just think; absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Outdoor dogs?

Its Wednesday morning and I'm going to get serious, I have always been and will always be completely against keeping a dog outdoors. Outdoors meaning that a dog lives outside of the home, not inside with the rest of the family. Wow it even has more impact to me when put like that "outside of your home." I don't mean dogs that are outside for the afternoon or the ones who are put outside while you are off doing your running around for a couple of hours. I'm talking about the dogs that live in a backyard, never coming in, never joining the pack and living a very sad and lonely life.

Some backyard dogs are dealt a double blow by being a tied dog as well. These dogs are left sitting alone, tied to some inanimate object so that they cannot wander off in search of a better life. There are also fenced dogs, those who are fenced into a backyard and those that live in a tiny "dog run." The term "dog run" is such a hugely incorrect use of the word. A dog that lives in a dog run will not be doing much running at all and if they are running it would be correctly labelled as an obsessive before like crazed pacing. Most are about 4x6, some of the luckier dogs live in an expansive 4x8 or even 4x10 woohoo. So it is about these tied or fenced dogs that I am talking about.

In all of my years of training I have only been asked to work with about a dozen or so outdoor dogs and out of these I only agreed to work with a few. One was a rescue which should not have been placed with this family as they had no intention of living with the dog as a family member. I only agreed to work with these people because they were utterly clueless, they had never had a dog before and didn't know the first thing to do with this newly acquired item. So when I could I did my best song and dance for this dog, I tried my hardest to work him into the home and family that he deserved and where he belonged.

The others were people who seemed to have a softspot that I could work on; there was something in our discussion that told me I could work this dog into the house. And out of the the few outside dogs that I did work with; they all became indoor/outdoor dogs which I call a success.

The way people think about dogs; those who have an outdoor dog is completely foreign and different from those of us who consider our dogs as family members. For most people who have an outside dog; a dog is a dog and dogs belong outdoors. Believe me, I've talked to alot of people who have outside dogs and they are just different. Some tell me "she loves being out there, she never wants to come in." Other have said "I can't imagine her inside, all the hair and my poor house." And I'm not shy about telling people that I do not believe in having dogs live outside which obviously puts a stick into our conversation. But I've planted a seed that will hopefully grow with time. Just maybe; that one tiny seed will persuade the "owner" to look at their dog differently.

I mean honestly, what is the point of getting a dog if you plan on throwing it into the backyard? I just don't get it? What is the satisfaction in that? Is it the pressure from society thinking that everyone should have a dog? If that is the case then shame on those people who give into pressure and do not hold up their end of the bargain. The backyard is no place for a dog to live out their life and I don't care what breed they are. So many breeders or breed fanciers will say "this is not a breed you can just put in the backyard." There is NO BREED OR MIX; regardless of size, coat or structure that should be sentenced to a backyard life.

I want all of you dog lovers to spread the word, do what you can for those who are less fortunate than your dogs. If you know of someone who wants a dog and is planning on having them live outside, speak up. I have told many people to spend the money that they have put aside for a dog on a beautiful new patio set instead. It takes self control, tact and alot of calm explaining to try to enlighten the people on adding a dog to the family correctly. And I always tell people that if they don't want the hair, don't want the chewing, peeing and pooping then don't get a dog. And the most important thing I can tell someone who feels this way? Is that it's okay to feel this way, it is a good thing to know that you don't want a dog. Just don't feel this way and then go ahead and get the dog that you really don't want.

One of the greatest moments in a puppy's life can be when they join their new family and start life as a member of the family. Yet one of the saddest moments in a puppy's life can be when they leave the caring and loving environment with their Mother and siblings to be placed in a yard to live out their life alone, all alone. Let's all do what we can do to make sure that doesn't happen quite so often.

Fleas

Nobody likes fleas; especially our dogs.   On occassion I pick a random flea off of one of the dogs.  Luke is the easiest to locate fleas on; then Jessie and lastly Tilley.  When they are a random flea it's usually on Luke anyhow; he is Mr. Social and tends to wander over to other dogs just to say hi.  He is long enough and typically close enough for a flea to jump ship; they do jump from dog to dog.  I've had fleas jump on me too; and they run, they head for the hills when you are after them.  Fleas are not an easy catch; I'm sure I've looked like a complete idiot as I chase around the floor hopping after the jumping flea that is trying to elude my grasp. 

But when they are more than random; you must be proactive before your problem grows.  First is to pick up all dog beds and throw them in the wash.  Make sure they go in the dryer as this is where the fleas will die if they hang on for dear life in the washer.  Next; a bath, any shampoo will do, it does not need to be the chemical type.  Fleas drown; so the goal in the tub is to drown some fleas.  First you put shampoo all around your dogs tail area, a good thick layer.  Next a complete collar around the neck; thick gobs of shampoo, then add water to both areas and lather up.  The reason you do this before adding any water elsewhere is because the fleas run for cover; both in the dogs ears and anus.  So if they head either North or South they must go through the thick shampoo; and drown.

Then you suds up the entire dog; the whole body.  Make sure it is good and thick; down the legs, between the toes, chest, private areas, head, ears everything.  Leave it for 5-7 minutes and you will see black dots start to rise to the surface; gasping for life, but alas they drown.   Rinse your dog well; you should see fleas swirling down the drain; a wonderful sight.  I always use conditioner; and with this application you might just get a few fleas that made it through the shampoo process.  Poor it on thick; let it sit and rinse it off well.  Not only will your dog be flea free; they'll look and smell fabulous. 

Sometimes fleas drop off here are there in the house; vacuum, vacuum, vacuum.  Every nook and cranny; especially around your dogs sleeping areas.  Vacuum beds; furniture, everything.  Although if you have an infestation; you might need to look at some sprays or powders.  There are natural ones that help; they smell strong but at least they are not composed of harsh chemicals.   The first visual symptom of fleas it normally scratching; if I see a scratch I grab my glasses, go to the itchy spot and search.  Sometimes there is a flea in there; I grab it pinching it as hard as I can until I get to the sink and run the water to hot.  Being careful to put the flea into the water before opening your fingers and then happily watch it swirl down the drain.  Sometimes that's it; just one that someone picked up somewhere. 

I remember one of my clients at a group obedience class a couple of years back telling me very non challantly that their dog was indeed infested with fleas.  I'm sure my eyes grew as she described them hopping around her house.  And here she was with the flea bag and all her fleas at class; very generously sharing them with anyone who wanted to say hello.  Maybe for some; fleas are not a big deal but once you've been infested they quickly become a big deal.  And when you see one of those tiny suckers on your dog; you go into kill mode.  Fleas can lead to anemia if they are not controlled.  It is sad to see a dog infested with fleas; they simply cannot stop itching.  They can also cause flea bite dermatitis; which is basically an allergy to the saliva of the flea.  It causes red and swollen skin that itches like crazy.  My Jack Russell is sensitive to this and goes insane itching.  So at the first sign of itching; I'm all over it. 

Mother Earth News article on fleas

Hot dogs

The dogs were sluggish today; lots of laying around.  They are all slowed down by the dog days of summer.  I use to get regular comments from new dog owners on their dogs energy level being low.  Many worried about their dog which is a good thing of course but when I let them know that it was quite common for dogs  to lay low in the heat; they let were quite happy to have this information.  Most dogs know to conserve their energy in the high temperatures of the summer.  Cooling their body takes a lot of energy itself so staying in the shade and limiting movement helps to conserve energy.

When dogs are active in the heat their core temperature rises; causing their body to go into cooling mode.  Panting is the first action that starts the cooling process; if the panting does not work to cool the body then heat stroke occurs.  Both wolves and our dogs naturally seek out cool locations to lower their body temperatures.  Many dogs dig holes in the ground; knowing that the ground beneath the surface is a cool place to lay.  They also fully understand the effects on temperatures in shaded areas.  Even the youngest of puppies can be seen seeking out a shady spot in a yard.

Wolves are less active when the temperatures rise; they are built for the cold.  Wolf packs tend to rest during the hottest time of the summer days and do most of their hunting and activities before dawn and after dusk.  And like wolves; our dogs naturally rest when it is hot.  When new owners worry about this sluggish behavior; I tell them to enjoy it, it will pass.  And as the temperatures cool; your dogs energy level will rise.  Families with senior dogs need to take extra care to keep them cool; they can become disoriented and not get to the cool spots where they may need to be. 

Fresh clean water is a must on hot days; like wolves our dogs know what is drinkable and what is not.  Luke likes fresh water; really fresh and often is at the water cooler trying to figure out how we get the water out of it.  Bacteria can grow in our dog's water bowls; especially when you have more than one dog drinking from it.  Many dogs will not drink old water; wise, as water can contain harmful bacteria if it is not changed regularly.

So on the hot days; let your dog chill and pour them a fresh one.