Greenies today

I was in a petstore the other day. There was a woman looking at all the Greenies and the salesperson was explaining the differences between all the different types. Satisfied that she had learned all she could about them she grabbed a pack; I held my tongue.

There are so many articles on the dangers of Greenies yet people still keep buying.

#1

#2 (VERY GRAPHIC IMAGES)

#3

These are just a few that I pulled up quickly on the ever popular Greenies. I do not feed greenies to my dogs; never have and never will. Anything that can be consumed like rawhides, pig ears, greenies or those other dental chews by pedigree should in my opinion never be used. There are lots of things out there for dogs to chew on that do not breakdown in size possibly causing choking or blockage issues.

I use real bones; and I use the tough Nylabones. I do regular inventory of all bones and toss any that are small enough to ingest. Poor Jessie has to use the wolfsized bones because of the larger dogs in the house. But at least she is safe from choking.

Please do your research and if the petstore owners are not going to be ethical about a product and the manufacturers are still pumping them out to get a piece of your hard earned money; then you have to do the work for all these people and research like crazy before giving your dog anything.

Maintenance

Maintenance; our cars need it, our houses need it, our bodies need it and so do our dogs.  Maintenance is the little things we do to help avoid the big problems from popping up.  I know the whole idea of cleaning teeth; trimming nails and looking into those gross ears is a little overwhelming for some, but it should be done none the less.   Every couple of weeks I give my guys a good once over; I comb their hair and feel every inch of their body.  If there is something new on them I want to know about it.  I do nails about every two weeks; scrape teeth every month or so and pluck ear hair every couple of months. 

Not all dogs need hair plucked from their ear; but they all need to be cleaned.  Even my little Jack Russell get's a build up of dirt and gunk in there so they need to be cleaned.  Sure you may take your dog to the vet and the groomer but they could still use more a going over now and again.   Ears get dirty and they need to be cleaned out every so often.  Caution:  never clean or put tools further down the ear than you can see.  For dogs that have hairy ears inside they often need a plucking.   Poodles are notorious for hair growth inside their ear so I remove just enough so that the air can get in there.  Take out too much or pluck them bald and you can open up the ear for infection. I use a hemostat for this job; but you must be careful not to pinch the skin with them.

Yesterday my guys had RAW bones in the morning; a great way to clean teeth and a scraping in the afternoon.  None of the dogs are keen on maintenance but they put up with it.  Jessie probably hates it all the most; she tends to struggle a lot and grunt.  She finally gives up and just lets me do whatever I need to do.  Yesterday as I was scraping Jessie's teeth; I use an official dental scraping tool that gets the job done.  Jessie is tough because she has a big dog mouth in a little mouth.  Its very difficult to get those back molars but I got the job done yesterday.


Tilley tends to leave the scene when she sees that either teeth or ears are being done.  I found her out in the yard hiding after doing Luke's ears.  She does not stick around if she is next and high tails it.  Although when she is getting done she is just the best.  After ears it was nail time which I do with a dremel tool.  I use to use a clipper but Jessie started objecting as she got older.  With the dremel; I'm done all three dogs, 16 feet in less than 5 minutes.

Doing the little things helps to ensure that the big repairs won't arise.  It's just a few minutes out of the day and it can be a great time for bonding and trust building.

Homeless

Today while I was driving home; I entered the on-ramp and was immediately startled to see a guy standing in the middle of the on and off ramps with his dog no less.  I bolted in reaction; much like a parent reacts to a child falling.  The medium is no more than two feet wide; and the dog was standing in the middle.  Realizing I couldn't stop; I kept looking in my rear view mirror, good way to cause an accident.  "What an idiot;" I thought to myself.  Okay; this is the area where the homeless people wait for hand-outs but never have I seen one standing right in the middle, much less with a dog.

I was mad and sad; this is just too common an image these days.  And when they are standing somewhere that I can pass them some money safely; I often do.  What was going through this gentleman's head?  Perhaps the other corners were taken by the regulars; come to think of it I have never seen this guy either.  So maybe he's new; but you can add stupid to that as well.  As I drove by I frantically was looking for a leash; surely the dog was tied somewhere.  I was stressing all the way home; I'll be back tomorrow.  I will bring dog food and a lecture about safety.  The scene today made me think of how many dogs are being given up in these poor economic times; it is very sad.  I plan on keeping several bags of dog food in my car now and I will hand them out freely to the homeless with a dog.

As well as human food banks; dog food banks are popping up everywhere and it is wonderful to see.  Having a dog stay with their existing family is always the best option and maybe some free dog food is all that they need for a bit until they are on their feet again.  I can't imagine the heartache of turning over a dog because you just cannot feed them any longer.  With the holiday seasons around the corner; more and more people and dogs are in need.  I have compiled a small list; there are many more.  Think about bringing a bag of food by or donating cash; it could just be all that is needed to keep a dog at home with their loved ones.

If you know of a pet food bank in your area; please list it in the comments below.  Thanks.

The Pongo Fund - Portland, OR

Rescue Bank, Houston, TX

Pikes Peak Pet Pantry, CO  This link has a list of pet food banks across North America and Germany

Pet Chow Pantry - NY

Never too old

Today I had Luke at the park; I put him through his paces.  Yep; at ten years old he's still got it.  It amazes me how some dogs pick up cues so easily; the most subtle of body posture change and they see it.  He saw it today; I got in my training posture, a place that has not been visited for sometime.  I assumed my posture; he kicked it into gear without a second thought.  Before I knew it we were in sync; without even thinking about it we were heeling, turning, downing and heeling again.

I think it does a dog  good to have a refresher.  As we all know; rules tend to slide as our dogs age.  "They're old;" quickly becomes the excuse for everything.  "They don't want to;" just comes out to easily as our dogs enter their golden years.  But I'll tell you; Luke was beaming today.  He was heeling with a huge smile on his face and loving every second.  "That's right; who's the man?"  The gushing praise cup runneth over and Mr. Luke was soaking up every bit he could.

Does it seem that old dogs should just be left to do as they please?  Yes it does but they enjoy doing their thing.  Even if that thing is doing obedience that was once a must and repetitious; now it makes them feel young again.  Watching Luke beaming as he heeled around the park with me was invigorating.  He was so happy with himself; he was dropping on a dime when asked to down, became my second skin as we turned and listened with such intensity that it was obvious that he was having fun.

Luke was trained with purely positive methods; obedience is fun for him.  He was never given a yank to stop; go or follow along, it was always encouragement, praise and reward.  Why wouldn't he want to have a good game of obedience?  He has a great association with obedience; as far as he is concerned it's an easy way to impress Mom and extrapolate the positive fueling that warm and fuzzy.

It's raining; yeah

I was just out watering my flowers when I felt the rain, how weird I haven't felt rain for a very longtime and we surely need it. But it's only spitting and we need a couple days of solid, steady rain. Back home in Ottawa they've had a ton of rain, it must look pretty much like Ireland about now.


The only thing about not getting rain often other than the threat of fires is that our dogs become accustom to non rain weather. The biggest complaint in the rainy season is how to get Fido to go out in the rain. I have this problem myself, not with my poodle girl she is from Canada and loves water; whether it's on the ground or coming from the sky but just as long as it's not because of an impending bath. But my California boy and my little Jack Russell are another story, even though Jessie is from Canada.  Jessie was always sort of a sissy about the weather and getting her to even walk on wet grass is a chore let alone go out when it is pouring on her. Luke will go out in the pouring rain if its for a walk or a hike, we've done that and it's a blast. But if I want him to go out for a tinkle in the rain? He'd rather not and will hold it until later.

So for dogs who hate the rain the trick is to go back to the very beginning of housetraining and reward your dog with a small treat for going out. You may have to go out there with them in the beginning but they'll catch on really quick. When your dog really dislikes or even hates to do something; giving them a reward for doing it only makes sense. Why should they go out just because you want them to?

Going back to the start will not affect your regular weather visits outside. Sure they'll want a treat but will soon learn they only get one if its raining. My little piglet Jessie would like it to pour everyday just to get that one treat each time she relieved herself outside.

If there is rain in the forecast, break out the cookie jar and add a positive to a negative.

Multiples

Ah; more than one............................big fan here.  I think all dogs deserve to have canine as well as human companionship.  That said I am also a big believer that you must want a second, third or forth dog.  Don't go out and get a dog to keep your existing dog company because you don't have the time or don't want to make the time.  Two dogs is two times the work; of course as time passes it gets easier and easier.  Having three here now is almost like having no dogs; being that they are 10, 13.5 and 14.5 a huge part of the morning, day and evening are spent sleeping. 

I am often asked "when is the right time to add another?"  A simple question with a complicated answer.  First off; I am not a fan of multiple puppies, getting two puppies at the same time.  I know that many people do this so that they can keep each other company but there are quite a few things to consider about this other than companionship.

-  They will tend to bond to each other and leave you and the family out of the picture. 

-  Much time should be allocated to spending individual time with each puppy; that's a lot of hours in a day.

-  Each dog must be trained alone before putting them together.

-  Just like with twins; when one is being good, #2 may not be being good.

Two puppies is not as easy as one; not by a long shot.

Okay; enough said about two together.  If you have a dog now and are considering adding another; consider this:

Is your current dog trained?  Are they reliable with their behaviors? 

Do you spend a good deal of time with your dog each and every day?

Now that #1 is all trained and well behaved; are you ready to do it all over again?

Do you have time to spend alone time with the new addition and your current dog?

Do you really, really want another dog? 

If the answer is yes; then congratulations.  I love having three dogs; I will probably always have three or more, life with a pack can be summed up as simply wonderful.  I love it.  But it is most definitely work; and the most important thing is that you; the boss, the leader of the pack become that and retain that position.  You should be the most important thing to each and every one of your dogs.  That means alone time with each dog.  Sure most of our time is spent as a pack; and the most important alone time is in the beginning so that you can bond and establish your connection. 

My pack is a great one; no fights, everyone gets along but they are very individual.  What they all have in common is me; where I go they all go.  Each may lay in different areas of the house at rest but if I go outside; they all go outside, if I come in they all come in.  I am the boss; I make the rules and everyone needs to follow the rules.  This way we have a harmonious, happy pack. 

So when is the right time?  My average age to add another dog is when your youngest or current dog is three years of age.  By then most dogs have matured; they are well trained and know the in's and out's of living in your family.  Now; not all dogs or families are ready at the age of three.  Many dogs mature slowly; it may be five years before you can even consider another dog.  And that would be a good decision on your part.  As long as your existing dog can handle dealing with the craziness of a puppy; should be your guide as far as how old is too old.  There comes a time in a dogs life; that they deserve piece and quiet and should not be subjected to the antics of a young'n in the house.

Adding a puppy to your family can be a fun and wonderful time.  It can be what an old dog needs to regain some vitality and put some spring back in their step.  But the most important part is to know your existing dog and try your best to get a compatible dog.  Meaning if you have a very dominant male; don't get another.  Maybe you have a tiny little pocket pooch; you probably should not get a Mastiff puppy.  You need to look at your lifestyle; your existing dog and choose appropriately.  Many people stay within the same breed; some make a clear choice to go in another direction.  But no matter if you are looking at a purebred or a mix; choose the personality and size to make a nice match.

Its just water

Today we had rain; hallelujah, boy do we need it.  We didn't have a lot and of course we got it as we just arrived to the park.  We were meeting my hubby and Luke like usual; but my son had join me and the girls for our saunter around the park.  No sooner were we out of the car; when it started to pour.  Funny how we humans run for cover when it starts to rain; when in fact it is quite glorious to walk in the rain.  The dogs didn't mind it; they never do when on a walk, at home is another story entirely.

How is it that a dog who loves water; I mean totally loves it, loves nothing more than sticking her head underneath the water, swimming and attacking the hose is sent running at the thought of bath time?  Bath time in my house is a strategic planning event.  I typically grab Jessie first; being that she can't hear or see well I just grab her and throw her in the shower before she knows what hit her.  But; this leaves Luke trembling away until his inevitable turn.  I don't like leaving him in this state long as I always think that the stress could send him into a seizure; he is epileptic.

And my maniac water loving dog is at this point headed for the hills.  There is no telling where I might find her; but it will be as far from me as possible.  Tilley has always been a water dog; from the day she joined our family she loved it.  Luke too loves the water; he doesn't like to swim but dive, splash, run and even retrieving under water he loves.  He is drawn to water like any water retriever (which the standard poodle was the first of; just saying.)

Thinking about Luke's stress level I have opted to do him first lately.  But it seems that even when he has been done and is sun drying in the yard; he still thinks that there may be a chance that he will go again.  He has not learned that once you've had a bath; you are done, that's it, no more.  When I bring the next dog out he watches me with a wary eye; he keeps his distance and is ready to bolt if needed.  I have never understood this hatred of the bath; never had a dog who enjoyed it and believe me I make it enjoyable.  Who would not love a warm 20 min. massage?  I'd love one myself.

Luke gets a haircut and a bath 

I know that they do not enjoy nail cutting but they don't run from me; they aren't keen on grooming but grin and bare it.  They are all too game for ear cleaning even though they hate it but a bath; that is where they draw the line.  But as you all know; no sooner have they had the suds rinsed away, the excess water squeezed from their giant sponge body and had their body water transferred to a towel when they start their joyous "I had a bath" celebration.  If it were only the simple joy of watching them shake it off; not that they are clean or the fact that they now smell wonderful it would still be well worth tossing them in the tub to just watch the "I feel good" dance.

Wait

Now that we've discussed stay; I wanted to talk about Wait.  Yesterday I was working out at the outdoor gym at the park again.  Luke has become very used to our routine there now; he waits patiently by my side and wags if I talk to him, he's so cute.  There were a few others there; one man came and tied his dog to a tree close by and it sat happily watching him work out.  The day before  I had seen a dog tied to the same tree and he was barking his face off while his owner worked out.  Some wait nicely; some do not.

Wait is a similar behavior to STAY but different as well.  For me; "wait" means to just chill, you can move about a bit but wait in the same area and I may or may not release you from afar.  I use wait for when I open up the hatch of the car; when I am going in the house ahead of the dogs; when I want my guys to wait on a walk while I tie my shoe or pick up some poop.  It would have been a good command for the gentleman to give his dog tied to the tree.

If your dog does not like to wait and barks defiantly at you then you have work to do.  It is easy to instill a solid wait and reward a wait but again timing is everything.  If you toss treats to them when they are quietly waiting; then you are rewarding in perfect time.  If you simply returning to them to tell them to stop barking; you are rewarding the barking.  You are going to your dog when they bark; they are learning to keep barking.  Many dogs would prefer any attention over no attention so returning to them is not a good idea.

And chill is the name of the game; you should remain calm giving off a relaxed aura for your dog.  If they really become upset while you ask them to wait or stay; do it at close range until they get use to you slowly getting distance.   Baby steps and perfect timing reward will result in a happy pup waiting for you patiently.  

Serious guard dogs

I thought this morning that I would discuss watchdogs. There were many definitions in the dictionary for watchdog but I liked this one - to watch carefully, esp. so as to detect illegal or unethical conduct. This statement makes me think of a very serious tiny dog watching over their home and human companion. A serious job indeed.

There are many types of watchdogs, degrees and levels of intensity. So many times while I'm watching a movie I will say "if they had a dog this wouldn't happen." Dogs have amazing hearing and sense of scent far beyond what we have. Infact lastnight Luke was barking up a storm outside; I went out to see what was up. He was standing to one side of the yard, head held high in the air sniffing out the intruder. Of course I couldn't smell anything but he definitely could.

Tilley will often wander outside and suddenly move into a pacing action back and forth at the side yard. She obviously knows something is there and she knows when it leaves as well; which is usually soon after her arrival. Most dogs will alarm in some way if something is out of the ordinary. And even if your dog is not the barking type they may tell you in other ways if you are paying attention. Like Tilley's pacing, she is not much of a barker but communicates with ease displaying that something is not right.  

All of my dogs use to be great watchdogs; even my little JRT. Now they are not as quick to jump to the occassion as they are all moving just a bit slow. If they know there is someone new at the door, a stranger or someone they just have not met yet they are there in a flash. Often they will think that a family member has come in alone; when they hear one word out of the new persons voice they sound off and charge.

A watchdog is all most of us need; someone to tell us when that they hear something strange or smell something out of the ordinary that we as meer humans cannot sense. A good watchdog can be any size; afterall it is just an alerting requirement, not an action requirement. My breed; the standard poodle are very good watchdogs; surprising to most people, especially the ones being charged by a full sized cranky poodle. Many breeds do not have a watchdog bone in their body. Most dogs natural instinct to bark at a strangers approach often kicks into gear; even if they do plan on licking the person to death once they arrive.

It is the alert; a heads up that you want from a dog, no action other than that is required. This is how it should be but for some breeds it is hard to stop at that. Some of the natural guarding breeds are on the job 24/7. For these types of breeds it is important to let them know where their job ends and where yours starts. In essence "thanks for the heads up, I'll take it from here." Unless you want your friends and family to get the "up against the wall, spread'm" routine everytime they come over, you need to work on clearly defining the job description.

Even if you love that your dog is barking at the door; don't promote the continuation of the behavior.  It can quickly turn into a serious problem.  You can thank them; praise for letting you know and then tell them to go sit down while you answer the door.  This works for everyone involved and you won't have to worry about a bite from your guard dog.

Just another day

The sun is just rising; the air is much cooler this morning and only little Jessie is wandering around the bedroom.  Luke is sound asleep with a handful of Charlee Bears in front of him; he knows that they are there and will eat them when the mood hits him.  Tilley is asleep on her bed; she's eaten her cookies already.  Jessie is still looking for more as she snorfles around the room.  Once she is done scoring on all the crumbs she settles in for her morning nap. 

I felt like I needed to switch it up.  I typically take the girls out; it's cooler so they don't get hot and then the man and I go for a power walk.  Jessie was sound asleep; still in her morning nap so I thought I'd grab the poodles and go.  Luke lay on the couch once he saw I was taking Tilley out; he knows the routine.  I called to him and he got suspicious; so I asked him if he'd like to go for a walk with Tilley.  Those big ears of his flew up and he was off the couch in a flash.  We went through our snail approach to getting his harness on and then we were ready.

Once at the park Tilley seemed to be happier to be out with Luke; perhaps she doesn't like going out with Jessie.  I wouldn't blame her; Jessie likes to sniff, and I mean sniff.  Up and down each blade of grass; it can take eons just to get a few feet.  Once we got to the safe field I took out Tilley's ball and she came to life; she is instantly transformed by the ball, tail up, head, body, everything up and ready.  I just kick it now because I don't want any mishaps; but she loves it, it's what she lives for.  Luke is patient; waiting his turn.  I am clear as to who is getting the ball; I use names and they understand.  When both were younger; Tilley had no hesitation in running over Luke should he go after the ball when it was her turn.

Now that Tilley is 13 1/2 I worry that he will run her over.  First it is Tilley's turn; she has a few tosses, then Luke's turn.  As soon as I ask him if he would like a turn; his whole body morphs into drive mode.  When it is Tilley's turn; he pretends not to be watching, he keeps himself occupied but when it's his turn, he's on.   Tilley lays on the grass and does a very controlled stay; what a girl.  And then it's Tilley's turn again; I always end the ball throws with her.  Luke loves the ball but Tilley lives for the ball. 

We make our way around the rest of the park; two happy poodles, three smiles.

Stay

"Can she stay?"  "Well; we can try."  Picture a silent movie playing in fast motion; that is what many of my shoots look like.  If stay is not on the list of things to do for the model today; I snap like mad until they inevitably slow down.  And with most of my shoots; the very best is saved for the last.  The dog or dogs are tired; they have stopped moving at top speed and I can get some wonderful animated and very real expressions.  So; stay.........hmmmmmmm, really stay?  Like not move at all?  Or just stay in the same sort of vicinity?  Stay is a toughie if you've never contemplated asking your dog to do this.  So let's talk about it.

An official Stay in the competitive obedience ring means exactly that; the dog is to stay in the exact spot they have been placed into.  That means if you put your dog into a sit, stay; they must stay sitting.  A down stay; yep they have to remain in a down position.  But that is the official type stay; for me stay means to stay in the same spot.  I really don't care if the dog lies down from a sit; they can sit or lie down but they cannot stand.  Stand is far too difficult to control  movement; how much do you allow?  One toe move?  Two?  Stand is hard for a stay; so it is sit or down for me.

There are a few essential for the optimum stay training:

 1.  Enforcing; you must enforce a stay.  If you actually use the word stay and expect that in the near future your dog will stay when told then you MUST enforce.  Do not use the word "stay" willy nilly.  Don't tell your dog to stay and then forget and go do something.  Do not ask them to stay if you just want them to sort of hang around.

2.  Do not call your dog out of a stay; this gives way to the idea that at some point they will be coming to you out of the stay.   Always return to your dog and then release them.  That way they will never anticipate coming to you and break a stay.

3.  Choose one release word; doesn't matter what it is but everyone should know it.  This word is the only way your dog can move from a stay position.

4.  Do not set your dog up for failure; start with no distractions, very short time and distance away.    Begin easy; with each small success you can then up the "stay" requirements in distance, time and distractions.

Stay is one of the most important things that you can teach your dog.  Sure it comes in handy if you'd like their photo taken; but on a day to day basis it is very useful.  The more vocabulary that your dog understands; the easier it is to communicate.  Plus when you can communicate "stay;" there is much less man handling needed.

Let's end it right now-rant time.

Okay; I'm sick of it.  What am I sick of?  I'm sick of seeing the pet store at the Mall filled with people.  HEEELLLLLOOOOOOO; did any of you see Oprah?  Did you see the HSUS show on Mills?  By now there is no reason why anyone would not know; come on, everyone knows.  And frankly I think it is appalling; turning a blind eye, what they don't see can't hurt them right?  After all the sales person assured them that they don't buy from Millers.  Well it may not hurt immediately but there's a good chance down the road that it's going to hurt and hurt bad.  What happens to many pet store dogs is that issues arise, health and emotional.  I've known a lot of puppy mill dogs and almost everyone had something either physically or mentally wrong with them.

Just stop; if everyone just stopped buying dogs from pet stores and the online Millers, they'd go out of business.  Once they are belly up then the rescue begins.  But only once they have stopped pumping out puppies for a buck can the weary find rest.  Those poor little dogs stuffed in a cage with little or no food or water.  Left alone to procreate for the; dare I say humans who use them up until they are of no use to them any longer.   People need to JUST STOP; stop buying from these horrible excuses for humans.  They have no heart; they don't care who they hurt, kill or injure in their quest for the almighty dollar. 

Shut'm down I say; there needs to be more raids, a stop to this madness.  A glimmer of desire in a consumers eye turns to greed and despair very quickly.  First it was the pocket pooches (thanks so much Paris).  A Miller's dream, no need for a big facility when you can have tiny little cages stacked high with hundreds of dogs bringing in the big bucks.  Then came the Designer dogs; yep the Millers jumped on  that one bigtime.  You name it; they've crossed them.  Doodles galore, maltipoos, puggles, pekapoos, chiweinies, you name it.  Some even brag about their modern facilities; out buildings and cages galore.  Breeding corals, whelping buildings...................STOP. 

Time to stop the madness; we can all do it.  Spread the word; tell everyone you know.  Time to boycott the stores; shut'm down.  If they sell puppies; never set foot in the store again.  Someone somewhere has to take a stand; and it can be all of us together.  It is a huge pyramid of perpetrators; from the leaser of the buildings and storefronts to the owners of the stores who pretend to have no idea.  The employees who know better but want to keep their job.  To the shippers who know what they are doing is not right; but they too shut up to keep their job.  All the way down to the consumers; the ones who buy the dogs, the ones who pretend not to know but know they know.  Let me state this loud and clear for all to hear "GOOD BREEDERS DO NOT SELL THEIR DOGS TO PET STORES."  That is a fact and if they do sell to pet stores; well then you know what they are. 

Millers buy what they can; they often scam ethical breeders; lying about who they are and what their plans are.  Many don't get past the screening but occasionally they do.  These poor dogs; once in the hands of a Miller, receive little food and water, little or no medical treatment, no affection, no love, no caring, no concern.............no compassion.  It is a compassion less business; it is the scum off the bottom of the bucket who Mills dogs.  Dogs deserve a home; a family, love and care from someone who is always there for them.  They deserve it and we need to demand it.

These horrible acts inflicted on dogs are stoppable; but someone has to stop it.  This can be done; it could actually be stopped, but people need to stop first.  Stop frequenting the stores that carry  puppies; if no one goes into the store, the store owner is going to change something.  If he stops carrying puppies; there will be no demand, no more demand on the poor suffering animals who live a life of horror to keep pumping out more.  Perhaps the Millers will turn to the next hot ticket item; maybe some new fancy "pet rock" thing.  Then the rescuers can do their job and rescue the survivors.  Finally giving the dogs the life they always deserved but never had. 

Take a stand; you can make a difference.  Stand today; say it, you will not set foot in a store that sells puppies.  You will spread the word because our dogs.........................our dogs deserve it.

From the moment we met

From the  moment we met; I knew you were the one, you caught my eye when I wasn't looking.  No I was not looking to bring a puppy home with me that day.  I was simply visiting a friend; a friend who had a litter of puppies who would soon be going home to their new homes.  You jumped and you jumped, you wouldn't give it up.  When your brothers and sisters slept; you were doing your best selling job.  And as I picked you up and held you; looking into your eyes, I asked "do you want to come home with me?"  I hadn't really meant it; I say that to alot of dogs, I really wasn't looking. 

I put you back onto the ground; you commenced your "pick me" routine.  I tried hard to ignore the fact that you were standing out of the pack; really standing out.  I asked my friend about you as she hoisted you into the air stating "this is a great boy."   She told me all about you; I tried to shrug it off.  As I looked around at all your brothers and sisters nothing was happening with them, with you something was happening, I could feel it.  I met your Mom; talked about your Dad and learned about a couple of your siblings that were going to new homes in a couple of weeks. 

After our visit I got in my car and drove off; all I could think about was your beautiful fluffy golden coat.  Those amazing brown eyes of yours and that tail that just wouldn't stop.  For three weeks I talked about you; I basically obsessed over our meeting.  Something had happened that day; something that I could not ignore.  We'd connected; the connection had been so intense that I couldn't forget it.  Until finally one day through an amazing sequence of events, unbelievable friends and your now Dad saying "just go get him" you joined our family. 

I didn't know I was looking for you at the time; apparently I was.    My life will never be the same; boy am I glad you chose me. 

 

Direction changes

I hate to see a dog out on a walk with their owner and being yanked at every turn.  If you are going to turn around; make a right or left hand turn it makes sense to give your dog a little notice.  I was watching a woman and her dog jogging around the park the other day; every time the woman changed direction she yank her dog off balance.  If your dog is mid sniff; let them know you'd like to move on.  Heading for a tree?  Let them know you need them to stay on your side of it; otherwise you can get into that embarrassing situation when your dog is wrapped around a tree.  

These direction and impending obstacle verbal cues take a while to set in but once they are in; they're in.  I love that all of my dogs understand these cues and heed them when they hear.  Luke is probably the best direction follower; of course he is 3 years younger than Tilley and four years younger than Jessie.  Unfortunately Jessie has past the point of hearing verbal cues and seeing visual cues so I need to gently guide her.  Although if I stop at a post or tree she will still come around my side, smart little gal she is.

My favorite direction cue is "this way" I have taught the dogs that it means that I am changing direction.  If they hear the cue "this way" they stop to see where I am going.  If they are off leash and out in a field; a "this way" shouted to them has immediate attention on me.  I use the cue daily at home as well; they clearly understand that it means I am changing directions, they like to know where I am always going.

If they are sniffing and I'd like to get going; they get a "let's go."  This is a much better option than yanking.  My cue for staying on my side of a tree, post or pole is "this side."   To teach this I would approach a tree; as one of my dogs takes the route around the tree I hold the leash taught.  I repeat "this side;" when they loosen the leash they are praised, when they come around my side they receive a treat and lots of praise.  It takes only several times to instill this behavior on cue.  And once they learn it I always give it to them before they head behind the tree.

Another great one is "turn;" this I teach for when they are walking directly beside me.  It means that I will be walking directly in front of them; literally cutting them off.  They learn to stop and move back at this verbal cue.  I teach this by having the dog by my side and a little back so that when I turn into them I don't wipe out and they don't get stepped on.  This one is learned very fast but you must accompany it with a lot of praise.  Some dogs can become a bit apprehensive when you keep cutting them off at first.  But lots of "you are amazing," and treats helps even the most timid to overcome this.  You must give the verbal cue before turning; a heads up.

Life is much more enjoyable when you give your dog a heads up.

The loss of a companion

This blog dedicated to Dakota; who left her family far too soon.

As canine guardians; we all know that the day will come, the day when our best friend slips away.  If life plays out the way that it should then we have many years to spend loving our dogs, but sadly it is often cut short for reasons unknown to us.  Sudden death is very tragic to those left behind; having not been prepared it hits us blindsided, sending us into a tailspin.  And if that death comes at a far too young age it is worse; a dog taken before it's time.  My brother lost his 4 year old shelter this week; they do not know what took her.  At just four years of age she left far too soon and is excruciatingly missed.

My neighbors lost their dog of 11 years a couple of weeks ago.  It was sudden and unexpected; they were left wishing for just one more day, one more day to hold their much loved girl.  "If I'd known;" a phrase far too commonly heard; but life does not always give us a heads up.  Sometimes we see that the end is near; we can prepare ourselves and lessen the shock of a loss.  But the heartache is still there; a loss is never easy, especially when it is the loss of a family member.

Dealing with the loss is a very personal matter; but the one common element is sadness.   I have discussed the loss of a companion with many, many people and it is never the same.  Some people need a lot of time; they cannot even think about a dog until several years after.  While others need to fill a void right away; the lack of a canine around is unbearable.  There is no right; there is no wrong way to deal, but deal we must.

It is a sad reality that our canines live short lives; some shorter than others.  But as our dogs slip away from our lives together; we are left with memories.  When everything is said and done it is memories that we fall back on and those memories are so very important.  I feel very strongly that each dog that passes through our lives, touching us makes us more compassionate for the next.  There are many things to learn from our dogs; each one has their own lessons to give us in their own way.  As we spend more years with the canine species we hopefully become a more compassionate, patient, loving, understanding and kind person.

True connection with a canine can only be a good thing.

Sebaceous Cysts

Okay; this is a heads up and warning of the following GROSS talk blog.  If you have not had breakfast yet or you have a queasy stomach then best to not read this one or leave it for later in the day.  Sebaceous cysts; a volcano like bump that is commonly found on dogs.  It seems that no breed or mix is predisposed to these little annoying lumps so any dog is fair game.  I don't remember the first time I saw one but it was on Tilley; she has now had them for years and it is has become a common attack strategy when we see one.  First we take note; lump, next we wait and we wait and we wait until it decides to erupt and erupt it does, usually.  They open up much like a volcano and release the contents which can vary from gray goo, maybe a little blood to tiny little dark gray pearls.  The tiny beads beads are common and have been inside almost all of Tilley's and by tiny I mean like large sized grains of sand but there are a lot of them with accompanying goo.

So what are Sebaceous cysts and what should you do about them?  All dogs have oil glands in their skin; these are what produce the oil for their hair, which contain a substance called Sebum.  When a hair follicle becomes blocked for some reason then the natural flow of oils cannot be expelled.  This causes a backup so to speak and a lump can form; it can grow to a good size before it opens up, if it opens up.  Tilley has had them when they simply dried up and went away but typically they have come to a head and opened.  This is when great care must be taken to keep them clean; infection can set in fast and make matters far worse.

I've taken care of dozens of them; yes they are extremely gross but fairly easy to fix so to speak.  If they open up; you use hot compresses, a cloth with warm water.    As warm as your pup can stand and put it on top; let it sit and then gently squeeze.  It may not seem like there is an end to the goo but there is; believe me.  When you start to see blood; which may be a few days you are nearing the end.  I like to keep neosporine all around the opening but not covering the opening.  Best to keep a dry bandage on it if you can; this stops licking.  Perhaps sit out in the sun with your pooch to let it dry without a bandage for a bit each day.

The hair may or may not grow back on the spot where the cysts formed; I've had it grow and not grow back.  Problems can arise with a cyst if they do not come to a head and continue to grow .  If they become red and warm to the touch; best to head to the vet.  They are often removed surgically; but only if they become a problem.

So there you have it; gross but very normal.

Too cute for words

I had a fabulous shoot today; two little fuzz faces and a Golden and her Mom.  The two fuzz faces were what I would call Disney dogs; it didn't matter what they did, they were adorable.  When I left I hit Old Navy; I'm in need of some photo shoot pants, I tend to wear the knees out quickly.  So as I was going through the cash; the cashier asked me if I take care of dogs, I had my Just dogs with Sherri t-shirt on.  I told her no; that I was a trainer and professional dog photographer.  The woman behind me piped in "that must be just about as bad as babies."  Hmmmm; I wasn't quite sure what to say to that so I simply replied "I prefer to shoot dogs; I love it."

Of course I love babies; I had three of my own, now grown.  And I think they are as cute as the next person; but dogs are my thing.  That said I do love to photograph dogs and kids; that is entirely different.  Seeing a completely natural, unrehearsed connection between a canine and a human child......................amazing.  Over the years I have contemplated branching out; and who knows I may still but for now I'm shooting dogs.  I've been doing it for 6 years now and I love it; haven't gotten even the least bit weary of it.

Taking a great shot of a dog demands that the dog is relaxed; a face says everything.  And if a dog is stressed about a shoot; it's not going to have a happy face.  Today I was sitting on the ground as one of the dogs inspected the camera.  He sat nearly on top of me as I put it all together.  Once I was ready I sat and let him check it out; this is important.  Often during a shoot I will see a glimmer of hesitation about the camera; this is my cue to drop it and chill.  We wait; have a rub, a little chat and we're good to go again.

The next dog was the same; as friendly as they come but a little worried about this huge black thing staring at her.  She voiced her opinion to the black monster; so the camera sat on the floor for a bit until she felt okay about it.  It's all about the dog; nothing else matters during a dog shoot.

Watch; see, react.

A dog is a dog

I love dogs; this fact I am sure of.  How many times have I heard; "this is the best breed?"  "Mutts are the best."  Dogs are the best; plain and simple, I love them all.  I love the tiny pocket pooches all the way up to the mondo Great Danes and Irish Wolfhounds.  I love the feisty Irish Terriers; the wiry mix breed mid-sized dogs, the ones with the scruffy face.  I call these guys the Disney dogs; and there are alot that fit the bill.  I love the Bulldogs that wiggle when they walk; there isn't a more expressive dog.  I love the short coated, fluffy coated, wire coated and half and half coated mixes.

That's it; I love them all.  Sure there have been a few dogs in my training and photography career that surely have not liked me; and for those it's been a little tougher to love.  But it's not me that is important; it is their guardian, that is who they need to love and be connected to.  I love nothing more than seeing a dog gazing into their owners eyes and their owner gazing back.  A true canine connection is amazing; and once you've had one you know what all this dog fuss is about. 

Honestly; a dog is a dog.  I don't care what size, shape, color, texture, configuration or weight they are, they are all dogs.  And I love them all.  Big hugs to all of your dogs; give them all a hug for me.  Tell them it's from Sherri.

 

Boundaries

Boundaries; we all have them, as adults and children and dogs.  An environmental boundary can be anywhere; you just have to choose it.  Teaching boundaries is fairly easy but without consistency; you'll have a challenge.  One thing about boundary training is there is no command for this exercise. We want your dog to know that it is absolutely not an option to cross a boundary; especially out a door on their own. If someone should happen to leave a door ajar your dog should know that they just don't go out, without you telling them that they can.

The first thing you need to establish for yourself is what boundary you will train. Even if you have several areas you want to teach say like the front door, side gate and garage door only work on one at a time. Once that is trained it is easy to train a new additional boundary.

Now you need to make sure there is a clear boundary for your dog so that they can understand. It may be a front door mat, the actual door or a change in flooring. Once that is decided and you have a clear view of where your boundary is, get your dog. Put a leash on your dog so that if they cross the boundary you have something to grab onto and if your dog is a guaranteed bolter, get a long leash on them and tie them to something, leaving the leash long enough for them to cross the boundary. Get some treats, small ones like the size of a dime (charlee bear treats) work great for this.

Start out with your dog behind you and behind the boundary, walk towards the boundary. If they try to follow you over the boundary you turn and walk abruptly into them. Body language is important for this exercise as it helps your dog to understand right from wrong.

Once back over the boundary you turn and try again. If they do not attempt to follow you quickly throw a treat back behind them. You want the treats behind them because you do not want them coming to you to get the treat. Make sure to reward the smallest of success, this helps them to move on more quickly.

Now try to walk over the boundary and touch the door handle, always be ready for your dog to fail. You must act immediately turning and walking into them. Dogs really do not like when you walk into them so this is a very good message to keep them back. Do not use words, you can use sounds as I find it nearly impossible not to grunt some displeasure to my dogs and use happy sounds for their success. But you are not going to tell them to stay, they are not staying they are just not to come over the boundary. (More on stay in the future)

You are going to make it harder and harder but in baby steps. Now try to open the door, always keeping one on eye your dog. Do this exercise in a very fluid motion, do not hesitate and move slowly or it is a very unnatural behavior from you.

Treat for success, move in and walk at your dog for failure. Only move to the next step once your dog succeeds.

When you need to get your dog back over the boundary it must be done quickly, calmly and with purpose. Walk into them and once they are over the boundary turn around right away and try again. You have your dogs attention right now, use it.

I'm sure you get the drift of the exercise now. You are going to push it and try to take a step outside and then back. Once you can do that, pretend to talk to someone outside (this almost always creates a boundary break so watch). Then you are going to start hanging around outside, don't forget to treat for them NOT following you.

Treating is to get the message through quickly and clearly. Depending on the level of your bolter and age will be how long and how often you treat. My dogs never get treats for this now but they sure get happy talk.

The boundary you set is for when a door is open, if a door is closed a dog can cross the boundary at will. This is something you cannot always be on top of so futile to try.

When it is time for your dog to go out the door or gate or whatever you must make it very official. They are only to ever go out with one word. It makes no matter what that one word is but they must hear it before going out. Push your dog with this exercise, practice lots of different scenarios that you think might have your dog break a boundary. The more you train the more your dog will be ready for the real thing.

Questions?

OB (Ocean Beach, CA)

I was down in Ocean Beach on the weekend; what a great dog friendly town.  We first hit the beach area for some lunch at a cute cafe called Shade.  While we sat watching the surfers taking on the monster waves I watched dog after dog wander down the streets.  Several came in and sat with their owners to enjoy lunch.  Others went over to other restaurants that were also beach front.  There were a couple of Boston Terriers; several labs, a coupe of pit bulls, a tiny chihuahua that was joining her elderly guardians for a day out.  She had her tiny harness on; yet one leg was out of place.  Nevertheless she hopped along happily by their side; very cute.

As we wandered back to the car after lunch I saw many more dogs; many off leash but walking close to their owners.  Ocean Beach has a very casual feel; dog's enjoying the day out with their family and obviously well socialized.  They were greeting other dogs like old friends, perhaps they were.  I was the outsider looking in; and what I saw was great.  The more welcome our dogs are to join us in our daily lives; the more socializing they get.  The more social interactions that our dogs receive; the better able they are to deal with day to day stuff.

Do you have a great dog friendly town?   I'd love to hear about it.  Are there amazing dog parks in your town?  Water bowls left at every corner, store and restaurant?  The restaurant we were in had a jar a doggie cookies right beside the large human cookies; nice.

"The greatest of a nation and it's moral progress can be judged by the way it's animals are treated."

Ghandi


"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."
        --Ghand"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."
        --Ghandii