A pat on the back

One of the photos that I took of Courage ended up as the image for the award plaques.  I am honored.  

A pat on the back; a job well done.  Isn't that one of the best things in life?  To be recognized?  Far too often hard working, selfless people go unnoticed, passed over and taken for granted.  I was able to attend the Bellflower Bravo awards this past Thursday where there were many citizens and officers recognized for their valiant, above and beyond actions.  Several of the people who were recognized at the event were from "team Courage."  The folks that stepped up and never gave up in their fight to keep him alive.  Courage was a standout for sure, he took the stage to the excitement of the audience.

                                    David Ono was the host of the 2011 Bellflower Bravo awards

            Huell Howser of PBS California Gold television series was the keynote speaker at the event.

As I sat in the audience waiting for the event to begin I couldn't help but over hear all the folks talking about the dog.  "Did you hear about the dog?"  "That dog Courage is going to be here."  "Did you see that starved dog is being honored?"  "My son asked that I get a picture with Courage."  It made me smile; knowing what a wonderful dog Courage truly is and how with the help of a crew of caring people, he not only recovered but is thriving now.  He has a new Mom, a new family and a support system that anyone would dream of.

                                                 Everyone wanted to touch Courage, he is a true hero

I often think about the sheer man hours that people give to rescue, save, rehabilitate and re-home canines.  It is a daunting task but many have stepped up to make a statement.  "I/we will save as many as I/we can."  It is inspiring to see the dedication of those who give every spare moment to one common goal, save.   I have met so many wonderful groups of people who have dedicated their lives to just that, saving dogs.  When you meet some of these folks who just won't stop, they have a passion that drives them, it is uplifting.  With all the bad in the world there truly is a lot of good.

And every single one of the rescuers say that hopefully there will come a day when they are put out of business.  Imagine if this were true, no homeless dogs, no over crowded shelters, no euthanasia of healthy dogs?  That is a goal that we should all strive for.  And to those who make it their life goal to save unwanted dogs?  I would like to simply say, thank you.

Get your copy of Courage's very own calendar, 100% of the proceeds to to German Shepherd Rescue of Orange County. 

********************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Unbelievable

Here we go again.............................................ya gotta hear this one.

As I pulled into the lot at the park I thought to myself “what a great day for a walk.” I was there with my old gal, Jessie who is nearing 15 years of age and suffering from Dementia so we take time to stop and smell the roses.   We’d only made it a quarter of the way around the park when we ran into a cute little black dog. I told the black dog's owner that my girl was not friendly and they sauntered on by. It was earlier than we usually walk and there were several dogs there that I'd never seen before.  But it was cool and quiet, with a feeling of ahhhhhhhh in the air.

Our peaceful walk changed very quickly when two white fluff balls came charging across the field. One of the dogs ran up behind Jessie, luckily she hadn’t seen it and I wasn’t letting it get any closer. Keeping one eye on the dog that was closing in on us from behind I saw another white fluff making a b-line to the black dog and his owner that we had just spoken to. The little white dog made a full on attack, the black dog never knew what hit him. But at more than double the size he fought back, it was quite a display of ferocity from the white fluff dog.

Thinking now that perhaps the white dog shadowing us may be up to no good I called to the lady to get a leash on her dogs, as did the man with the black dog that was being attack. Just like the little black dog that hadn’t seen an attack coming, we did not see this coming our way. We were about to get the full brunt from the owner of the white fluff dogs. She yelled “calm down,” with her hand held out to show that she was not listening to us she yelled again “I said just calm down.” Odd because we were the calm ones, she was the one going off.

This was just the beginning; she had much more in store for us as I told her “just put your dogs on leashes, no one is freaking out.” This was what followed and I am still baffled, shaking my head. She screamed “I know everything, I know it all, I know everything more than you.” It continued “I know it all, I know everything more than you.” This was delivered with the ever present raised hand which was now waving furiously at us. After 15 years of training dogs I still don’t know it all, this woman must be a super human. We stood in astonishment. The attack never stopped until she was out of range, she never took a breath in her assault on us. I had a few choice words of my own, but they fell on deaf ears as she was still ranting her “know all” theory to us across the field.

She made her retreat to the other side of the field with her tiny misbehaved dogs, where she proceeded to throw the ball for them while keeping her distance. I kept one eye on her and her dogs, my job was to protect my old girl and that is what I intended to do. While I kept an eye on the group who was lacking even the smallest speck of dog or human etiquette, one of the white dogs pooped as the owner stood pretending not to notice. Was I surprised when she walked away not picking up after her dog? Are you kidding?

As I often run out of ideas for my blog; sometimes all it takes is a trip to the park for my material. Thankfully people like this woman and her dogs are a very small percentage of dog owners. We don’t often run into this type of very poorly behaved dogs and humans that ruin it for all the great dogs and their owners anymore. But it is a reminder that they are still out there. Unbelievable.

Smile

We should all know by now that having a pet in our life is good for us. I read an article years ago which I have had a very hard time find; about how we are not as healthy now that we have moved away from the farm way of life. I'm a big believer of dirt, I try to use as little chemical cleaners as possible and opt for vinegar and baking soda for as much as I can. My family has been (knock on wood) very healthy to this point.

I am not a cleaning fanatic by a longshot but I like my house to be tidy and clean (it's not always).   So back to farm living, the more regular dirt and germs that your body comes into contact  with throughout the day the more your body can handle. Of course I'm not talking about filth and buckets of germs, just regular everyday stuff.

I truly believe that people who have dogs (I know other pets count as well) are much happier and healthier. Each day my dogs make me smile, and it is the small things that do it for me. Watching Luke wait patiently while he stalks a lizard across the back wall or Tilley enjoying a good roll in the grass and then showing up at the backdoor covered from head to toe in all the dead grass she pulled out of the lawn.

One of the greatest things that dogs give us is simple fact of being dogs. How much fun is it to watch your dog having a blast being a dog. The beach or a park are some of the best places to see it. Dogs running free and loving every second. Watching a dog dig a hole is completely enlightening; of course only if it is not in the beautiful garden you just spent hours planting.

I walked into my yard yesterday to see a pile of dirt outside of one of the planters, a huge smile came to my face as I pictured long legged Luke in there flinging dirt everywhere. Seeing my little Jack Russell Jessie trigger by a movement in the bushes makes me smile. And watching my three dogs all covered in blankets cozied up together twitching away in their dreams makes me smile.

Dogs truly do bring meaning to our lives each and everyday; so start watching for those amazing little things they do for us.

DROP IT

I thought I might discuss the whole "Drop it," idea.  Let's face it, dogs may pick up and chow down on the strangest things around, and the most gross things of course.  Once an item is inside the dogs mouth it is one hundred times harder to get it out.  Stop the behavior before it happens and your a champion, get a dog to spit out something they want to eat?  You are a star my dear friend.  The most common cause of dogs picking up items is us; that's right we have associated attention to picking up unwanted items.  So the first step is self control, our self control.  No chasing, screaming, arm waving etc if your pooch picks something up.**  Many dogs just simply pick up the taboo item and wait for you to fly into action.  Others chomp and swallow, these are the very dangerous situations so training needs to be done now.

You start out by teaching your dog what "drop" means.  So; when they have a low value item, something they are allowed to have you begin the training with that.  Walk up to them and say "drop" while holding out a very yummy treat.  They may smell the treat and keep the toy in their mouth, if they want the food enough they'll drop the toy.  Praise and reward immediately.  Give them back the toy.  What you are doing is creating the association of dropping items out of the mouth = receiving food.  You need to work up to the point of just saying "drop" without holding out your hand and having your dog drop the item.  Always reward.  You can sometimes reward with another better toy but never take away the original item.

Then you up the value of the item, perhaps a brand new toy.  Approach your dog, say "drop" and reward with an excellent treat for dropping.  With enough practice, an automatic response starts to take place.  As you up the value of the items to be dropped you are training for that big moment when you really want the item.  By not taking away the items from your dog you are lessening the impact of when you do need to take an item away.  For those moments, make sure there are amazingly yummy treats around.

This takes a lot of work, it does not happen overnight and you must constantly practice it.  Teaching your dog to retrieve is a very helpful exercise for those dogs who pick up everything.  Tilley use to be a big picker upper.  I was afraid that she would destroy socks, clothing etc so taught her to bring her picked up treasures to us.  She was a quick learner and was soon picking up things that people left on the floor for a reward.  Your dog may pick up more things but 1.  They won't be destroyed by the dog taking it away and chewing on it and 2.  They are much less likely to eat the object because you can't retrieve it and eat it at the same time.  :)

The new association of the word "drop" is a good one.  If your dog likes to retrieve they start spitting out the object faster and faster because they learn that dropping means retrieving again.  This action brings that time when you need a quick expulsion closer to a reality. 

This is a shortened version of a very long exercise.  The more you break a behavior down into tiny steps the easier it is to achieve your final goal and avoid frustration.  I will be having a series of e-books coming out in the near future for the long version.




**Of course there are times when it is of the utmost importance to get whatever your dog has in their mouth away from them.  These times do arise and yes you must do what you must to get it away for your dogs safety.

Strap'm in

Thank you everyone, I got quite a bit of feedback.  It came in via the comment section, email, my Just dogs Facebook and my The Standard Poodle Facebook.  I will put all the "issues" down to write about in future blogs.  The general consensus though was keep doing what I'm doing so I'm glad you all enjoy the blog.  And I will keep blogging away.

Jessie is wearing the Yap Wrap harness.

Now; yesterday we were headed out to Home Depot when we were stopped at a set of lights.  I saw a white flash in my peripheral vision and turned to see the cutest little munchkin sitting in the car next to me.  It's face was so small that you could fit it's eyes, nose and mouth into a golf ball sized circle.  Sadly it was on the owners lap, in the drivers seat.  I know it was cute and I'm sure it was loving riding up front with Mom but it was also extremely dangerous.  The drivers seat is one of the most dangerous places for a dog to ride.

Just imagine for a moment, not that this would ever happen in Southern California traffic, noooooooooooo.  Okay, you are driving along and someone several cars up from you jams on their brakes.  Immediately a chain reaction occurs until it is your turn and you hit the brakes throwing your body forwards.  Inevitably the guy behind you jams on his brakes and slams into the back of you sending you back and forward again, perhaps locking up your seatbelt.  What about your dog?  Depending on how tightly your belt was on, where they were positioned and whether they are thrown or not will be the outcome of the damage.  But your dog will be injured, likely gravely or fatally.  On top of this what if your airbag goes off?

They should be in the back, it is safer.    If you must ride your dog in the front, seat belt them in.  Shorten the leash to belt ratio so that they cannot hit the dash.  Same in the back, the safest place is belted in.  There are harnesses and straps galore to choose from these days.  I actually stumbled upon a very cool set up that I am looking into trying out.  It is a strap for the back of the suv, will let you know if I give it a try.

Save your lap for couch time, not driving time.    The driver seat is strictly, for the driver.

Light Monday

We had a pretty quiet weekend with the hounds.  We had a nice little walk today and yesterday, although yesterday there was a situation that I will blog about in the near future.  I'd noticed yesterday that Luke was a bit stinky, he smelled sort of like grass, dirt, beach and dirty dog.  So it was bath day.  Its always fun deciding who will be first and I swear that Luke can read minds.  He was stressing before I'd even gone down to the bathroom once, it blows my mind.  Although I had said earlier that all the dogs were having a bath today, perhaps he'd been listening.

It was warm out today so that means a drip dry, nice.  Jessie went in first and although she is the quickest wash she kills my back far more than the big dogs.  One of the these days I will invest in a raised tub, I think I deserve it.  So it was Jessie, Luke and then Tilley.  Even though Tilley is by far the best behaved dog we have ever had, she is the biggest challenge to get into the shower.  Once she is in I have to be quick, standing for a long time is tough on her.

Luke stresses before his turn and trembles for a few minutes in the shower normally but today he didn't.  He did tremble after Tilley was done, he always thinks he has to have another bath.  That is until everything is put away and we head to the drying phase.  After everyone had their bath it was outside in the sun to dry.  Just when the poodles are almost dry I bring them in for a forced air dry, it gives them a bit of fluff and helps the complete dry.  As I was finishing up the drying I thought about my blog and wondered.

Inquiring minds want to know, well at least I'd like to know.  I'd like to know what type of blog you guys like to read best.  Do you have any pressing issues that you are hoping one day I will write about?  I'd really like some feedback so if you will, send me a comment telling me what you like to read about best or whatever else you'd like to tell me.

Light Monday

We had a pretty quiet weekend with the hounds.  We had a nice little walk today and yesterday, although yesterday there was a situation that I will blog about in the near future.  I'd noticed yesterday that Luke was a bit stinky, he smelled sort of like grass, dirt, beach and dirty dog.  So it was bath day.  Its always fun deciding who will be first and I swear that Luke can read minds.  He was stressing before I'd even gone down to the bathroom once, it blows my mind.  Although I had said earlier that all the dogs were having a bath today, perhaps he'd been listening.

It was warm out today so that means a drip dry, nice.  Jessie went in first and although she is the quickest wash she kills my back far more than the big dogs.  One of the these days I will invest in a raised tub, I think I deserve it.  So it was Jessie, Luke and then Tilley.  Even though Tilley is by far the best behaved dog we have ever had, she is the biggest challenge to get into the shower.  Once she is in I have to be quick, standing for a long time is tough on her.

Luke stresses before his turn and trembles for a few minutes in the shower normally but today he didn't.  He did tremble after Tilley was done, he always thinks he has to have another bath.  That is until everything is put away and we head to the drying phase.  After everyone had their bath it was outside in the sun to dry.  Just when the poodles are almost dry I bring them in for a forced air dry, it gives them a bit of fluff and helps the complete dry.  As I was finishing up the drying I thought about my blog and wondered.

Inquiring minds want to know, well at least I'd like to know.  I'd like to know what type of blog you guys like to read best.  Do you have any pressing issues that you are hoping one day I will write about?  I'd really like some feedback so if you will, send me a comment telling me what you like to read about best of whatever you'd like to tell me.

Greenies

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 had 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.

DON'T stop

DON'T stop!!!!!!  Have you got a dog with issues?  You know the type of issues that concern walking past other dogs, people or perhaps just objects?  Don't stop.  It has long been the protocol to stop and sit your dog.  At that point you are to gain control, wait until the trigger object passes and then move on.  What are we telling our dog when we stop?  "Issue, something is up and we need to stop."  Movement is huge in dog terms; a simple stop can mean many things and it can mean something bad.  It definitely says "there is something we need to stop for."

What you want to convey to your dog is that whatever their issue trigger is, does not call for stopping.  Not only do we not need to stop when we see this thing but we don't even need to acknowledge it.  As you all know my boy Luke is quite the nervous ninny, there are lots of things that are "issues" to him.  Yesterday as I sat typing away my door slammed shut with such velocity that I nearly jumped out of my skin.  It was wickedly windy out and I had unfortunately not tucked the door behind the stop like I normally do.  It is something we have tried to ensure because Luke has had several seizures because of slamming doors.  Once I had my initial startle I realized that Luke had been on my bed sleeping, he was off in a flash.  He stood wide eyed staring at the door, I never flinched.  I purposely kept typing.  I could see out of the corner of my eye that he kept looking at the door, then me, the door, then me.  I did not acknowledge what had happened.



My body language was telling Luke "we don't care about things like that."  He soon lay down beside the bed and was calm.  About 20 minutes later I got up, opened the door and closed it quite hard very nonchalantly.  Then I moved about the room a bit and opened it up and propped it open.  It is just the same when you are out, keep moving, do not alter your movement.  Altering your movement is a cue to your dog that something is up, whether it be good or bad.  Dog's pick up the most minute signal, one that we humans would never notice.

It is important to learn to treat on the go, while you are moving.  It can take a while to get it down.  Holding the leash in one hand and the treats in one hand and delivering a reward while not stopping.  This helps to keep your dog's mind on you and off whatever it is that is trigger an issue response as well.  Giving the "we don't have time for that stuff" feeling.  Instead of sitting and focusing on the trigger object, you just take it in stride and keep going.

Move it, move it, move it.

Another Great Leash

My test group recently received two new leashes to test and review.  We sent one off to Bentley and his folks to give a try and I tried out one on Luke (aka sled dog in diguise).  Luke and I tried out the L-Fa Lead.  Of course I love the look of the leash to start with, red and it has a carabiner.  I love carabiners, not sure why but I think it is the multiple utility uses for them.  I thought that this carabiner might be to big for Luke's connection but it didn't bother him at all.  It might bother a small dog when hooked to the collar as it is quite large.  But it looks very utility and tough, which I love. 

                                          To order or view d-fa dog gear click here.

The handle is padded for extra comfort.  The whole leash was very comfortable to use.

In the middle of the leash is a shock cord section which worked magic on Luke's pulling.  After he initially tried out the new leash he fell into place without so much as a small tug.  I walked as usual so I could get the full read of the leash working on it's own.  I do not like to pull on my dog, if anyone is pulling it's him.   Great leash, it looks very durable. 

Now onto Bentley's test, this was the true test. 

Below review written Bentley's Mom.

Photo courtesy Bentley's Mom (Chelsea Gilbert)

I pretty much had given up ever trying to get my 90lb Labrador to stop taking ME on a walk, until I tried the d-fa “Gandhi” lead. What a perfect name for a lead that truly turned our walks into a peaceful experience. One of the first times out using the lead; it proved to be my saving grace! A cat darted out in front of us from behind a bush and sadly enough; my boy isn’t such an angel and tried to lunge after the cat. Quickly, we both looked at each other in shock. To his surprise had never been flung back into shape so quickly and I was speechless by the mere fact that my arm was still attached! So, needless to say I knew that this lead was something special.

A feature that makes this lead so unique is that the entire lead is not made of shock cord; but rather just a portion which allows for just enough pull. I’ve noticed that without even trying the shock cord is doing its job by allowing quick pulls on the collar if he begins to tug.

The heavy duty carabiner is my favorite feature. It has a swivel motion which allows for easy circling or motioning without the leash getting all tied up in weird sort of ways. In addition, the locking mechanism and sheer size of the carabiner makes it easy, and secure to use during any type of outdoor adventure.

The “Gandhi” lead has the ability to shorten to a shorter traffic lead in seconds with a quick snap of the buckle. I honestly had no idea how useful such a tool actually was; until I used it with this leash. Passing by another dog; a crowded street or for quick rides on the bicycle the ability to shorten the lead has proven to be a necessity for us now.

                                                    Photo courtesy Bentley's Mom (Chelsea Gilbert)

So, as if this weren’t all good enough; the d-fa lead has a special pouch where it makes storing poop bags; keys; money or even that Starbucks card, easy and secure. I’m so glad that I had the opportunity to discover the d-fa “Gandhi” lead. Now, I am confident that I will be able to control my dog; enjoy our peaceful walks and can rest assured that my arm will remain attached!

Pulling it all together

Sit, down, stay, don't let them walk in front, don't let them pull, what is that lip curl about?  Yes there is a lot of information out there from training methods, behavior issues, communication misunderstandings, leadership, guidance and education.  I'm sure that many people feel overwhelmed by the canine perfection status goal these days, so how do you pull it all together.  How do you have a dog that listens to you at home, is a model citizen in public and obedient all at once?  Is it even possible?  Yep.

So you throw it all up in the air and pull it together into one amazing dog.  First let me say that no dog is perfect, just like there is no perfect human.  Even when you train to perfection, have leadership quality and communicate like a pro canine educator, there will be times when your dog is simply a dog.  And there may be no other explanation for a behavior other than the simple fact that your dog is infact a dog. 

The big secret to having a well behaved dog who is wonderful to live with, listen and obeys is guidance.  Your #1 job when living with dogs is guidance, whether it is guiding them through everyday life, learning new lessons or helping them to express themselves, it's all guidance.  Not everyone who guides is a leader, we need to be both.  It is imperative to let your dog know that you are the "Lead Guider."  The position is filled and you will guide them every step of the way.

Without this guidance a dog is left to their own, imagine trying to figure it all out without guidance?  Each corner, every question, doubt or decision needs your guidance.  Will you be there when your dog needs you?

Really?

Really?   I mean REALLY?  Today's blog is sort of a rant, I need to vent.  So yesterday morning I had two similar incidents but different.  The first which I will quickly discuss because it is not dog related but it is related to the second incident.  Really?  Okay; I'm at the gym on the cables, which are situated near the crunch machines, too near as far as I'm concerned.  When I use the cable machine I'm normally way out so that I don't hurt my back.  This means I'm about 6 " from the crunch bench (where people do oober sit ups).  A woman comes by and at the last minute acts like she is startled to see me standing there.  I was there the whole time.  Okay; so she wants to use the machine on the other side of me.  Literally 6" from my face she is humming and hawwing about how to get over there.  I AM DEFINITELY IN THE WAY.  "GO AROUND" I'm thinking to myself.  She just has to walk around my machine to the other side, nooooooooooo she pushes her way past my face.  REALLY?

Now the next incident was at the park and it really left me with my mouth hanging open, REALLY?  So Jess and I were walking early at the park, Jessie weighs all of 14lbs and is pretty darn tiny.  A lady comes up from behind us with a very boisterous yellow lab so I move over close to Jessie and lock up her leash to let them pass.  The woman stops and waits; not sure what she was waiting for.  Jessie and I proceeded at our snail pace.  Then she does a big huff; lets her dog's extension leash go and starts our way.  There was no way she was waiting for the two snails to move along.  At this point I say "she's not friendly," as I see her big boy coming right for us.  Another big huff; and she says "I need past, I want to get by, what am I to do then?"  REALLY?

Jessie and I are taking up literally a 3' square piece of land.  The entire park is left, oodles and oodles of room to go around.  With a giant QUESTION MARK over my head; I tell her "go around, go past."  She has only about 50 feet or more to go around us.  At this point she was really ticked off with Jessie and I.  How dare we hold her up, hold this patch of the path ransom for this little old devil Jack Russell.  Even if Jessie was super friendly, at almost 15 she does not need a rambunctious lab stomping all over her.  I yelled again, now growing angry at the lack of respect for others that this woman was showing "GO AROUND!!!!!"  She acted like this go around concept was foreign, how could she reel her dog in and walk around this person and tiny dog?

Once she figured out this complicated situation and how to overcome it they stormed past us.  And as soon as she had passed us she saw another lab, a puppy.  She louded stated for all (us) to hear.  "There is a big dog puppy fix I needed this morning."  "A big friendly puppy."  Yes I heard this; how could I not, she was yelling.  The people with the other lab didn't know what hit them, they just sort of stood there as she ranted and stormed past again.  Did it make me feel bad?  She had intended it as a bigtime insult.  No; it made me think even less of this woman than I already did.  I'm just fine with Jessie and I. 

Had this woman thought for just one second about someone else, this would not have happened.  She could have happily reined in her leash and walked by without leaving the path just like everyone else does.  You never know why people are doing what they are doing.  Jessie and I were walking slow because she is almost 15 and walks very slow.  She is also dealing with a stagger from the Dementia that has now hit her.  I wasn't walking with my arms out yelling that the woman couldn't pass.  I moved right over to the side to allow her to pass, I know we are slow. 

All I have to say about yesterday's walk is MEAN PEOPLE SUCK.

Whispering trust

I remember bellowing across the empty room DOOOOOWWWWWWN; as I raised my arm high in the air to signal a down for my dog. Obedience class was not a relaxing place and for our dogs it must have been the night they hated each week. Heeling round and round, direction turn and continue round and round as you yanked your dog into place when they inched away in attempt to get to safety. Not anymore; not for this trainer anyway, nope there is no more yelling, yanking or pushing. That was alongtime ago and oddly enough it seems like a lifetime ago.

My training and behavior work now focuses on the connection; the human/canine connection. Building a better bond with your dog takes dedication and above all else trust. Trust is something that you cannot take; you must earn it and it is one of the most important things for humans and canines. Take for instance my boy Luke; nervous ninny type, worries about anything new and stresses about things he doesn't understand.

The other day I was scraping teeth; Tilley doesn't like it but doesn't fuss too much, Jessie lets me do it but would rather not. When it comes time to Luke he is amazingly good; this always shocks me because it is a pretty strange thing to be doing. The only reason he allows me to do this is because he trusts me; there is no way anyone else could do this. Same goes for teaching your dog new behaviors or living your everyday life with them. You must build trust.

Then there is communication aspect; there is no need to bellow out orders to our dogs (unless they are nearly deaf) so that they hear and understand what we want. In the lowest whisper ask your dog if they would like to go in the car? Or maybe ask them if they'd like a cookie? Bet those ears go up right away. Dogs hear far better than we do; why do we feel the need to yell at them? I also use please and thank you with my dogs. This was something that got my guardian clients big praise as well. When you say thank you to your dog; it is more than words. It comes from a different train of thought; one that is far from the "do it because I said" idea of training. I love when I hear people say thank you to their dogs.

Dogs are so much better than us at body language as well. Do an experiment tonight or whenever your dog seems to be wanting what you are eating. As they sit and watch your every bite; stop eating and freeze. For some dogs this will be enough to get a head turn in response. For others you may need the lazer beam stare so slowly turn your head looking them; you should get at least a head turn in response. Even better they will move away. You just spoke dog.

If you yell and get excited when dealing with your dog then your dog will do the same. They see you getting stressed out and upset and inturn will evolve into the same mode. Instead try to use calm, relaxing and quiet words. Speak softly to your dog and they will listen close. Use your body to enhance your communications with your dog; not only will it create a more claming atmostphere but it will give you and your dog a stress free environment in which to live.

Life's a beach

I spent Friday morning at Huntington Dog Beach; I hadn't been for far too long so it was great to get back. I know I just put up a display of water images but I wanted to share a few of my beach shots as well. The dog beach is a fun day for all dogs; big, little, long, short and everything in between. It's a social event for sure and Friday was a great one.

This gal was a hunting dog from New York, no doubt enjoying the California sun.

As I pulled into the parking lot alongside the beach, it was busy.  It's almost always busy, it's a popular place.  But I was lucky to grab a spot right away.  I threw some quarters into the meter, grabbed my camera and head out.  I was immediately scanning for dogs heading down to the beach, I can barely wait to get down there.  As I was heading down I noticed they'd put in some permanent restrooms, nice.  And the pathway down to the beach was resurfaced since I'd been which was great.

The sun was shining, and just there was just enough breeze to keep it from heating up too bad.  It was a glorious day and by the looks of all the tongues hanging out and tails wagging, everyone was having fun.

                                                           This girl was having the time of her life.

 Although the parking lot had been crowded the beach was quiet.  This area is also a big surf zone so many of the cars are not dog cars.  I sat and watched the goings on and then started shooting.  Talking to all the great dog owners at the beach is just about as much fun as capturing the dogs having fun.  And this day was just pure energy and fun for everyone concerned.

         It is so interesting watching the dogs do their initial greeting.  I could watch their behaviors all day long.

What a cutie.

I thought these guys knew each other.  But after talking to their owners I found out they'd just met.  They ran and played like they were long lost friends.

A boy on vacation from up North enjoying Huntington Dog Beach.

This little guy was one of the fastest dogs I've seen in a long time.  And smart, he kept diving into the water to cool off and then he was off again.

                                                                 Another Frenchie having fun.

I stayed a little over an hour, I never want to leave.  Just as one dog leaves another bunch arrives and I always feel like I'm going to miss out on some great shots.  But I'd left 3 long faced dogs at home so it was time to head home.  As usual on the drive home I take in the beautiful scenery down the PCH and can't wait to get back to HDB for another shoot.

I will be scheduling several ongoing beach shoots in the near future.  If you are interested in having your dog photographed, contact me at sherri@justdogswithsherri.com to find out dates and times.

This dog was amazing; I'm not accustom to seeing Huskies love the water quite as much as this gal did.

This was a big happy family, playing very rough and loving it.

Quite a variety at the beach.

A retrieving Doodle

STAY

I recently saw a guardian working on obedience with her puppy.  The puppy seemed to be doing wonderful at everything she was asked to do.  Then they came to the STAY, she did pretty good for a puppy of her age and then we got to the confusing part.  The owner made the most common training mistake with regards to teaching a solid STAY, she called her puppy out of the STAY.  The puppy is told to sit and stay, the owner walks away and then calls the puppy.  Hmmmmmm.  Common practice even with many trainers, so where lies the mistake?

To teach a solid stay, you want to give the idea that your dog is not to move.  By adding the COME verbal cue or even simply coaxing a puppy out of a stay because you are done puts more emphasis on the process of COMING, not staying. Often the COME is followed by praise and a treat.  So what is a puppy learning?  They are learning that COMING is great.  Therefore they are not learning a solid STAY.

When I teach a STAY, it means STAY until you are told that you can move.  In the beginning I always return to the dog, reward, pause and then calmly and boringly release them.  STAY like any other behavior must be taught small, both in time and distance and then grow in both categories as you and your pup achieve success.  There should be a release word to get out of a STAY and it should not be COME.  One word and one word only releases the pup from a STAY.  This needs to be taught, trained, practiced, proofed and practiced some more.

Praise and treat rewards should be given while the dog is in a STAY position.  This makes the STAY a great thing.  If you reward for coming out of a STAY or after the release, the STAY becomes irrelevant and the after behavior of coming or getting out of the STAY much more important.  This causes an anxiety effect "oh I can't wait to get my release word,"  wiggle, wiggle and the moving begins.

Along with the mistake of calling a puppy out of a STAY, is the ever present STOP sign hand in the air.  Give the signal and put it away.  You don't want to have to hold your hand up the entire stay for the rest of your pups life right?  Don't start something that you will have to undo later.

Also; never, ever use the word STAY if you do not intend to enforce it.

The first man in my life

I love the boys; something about a male dog.  The boys are different, more Momma's boys.  I love my girls dearly but the boys just seem to melt me.

Clyde was one of my heart dogs. If you are lucky you will have at least one heart dog in your lifetime, I've already had several. Sadly I think many people have had or have a heart dog but they just don't know it. It takes time to know your dog and time to build a relationship. I spend hours upon hours with my dogs, watching, listening, playing, learning and just plain chill'n with them.

I remember the day like it was yesterday. I drove out to North Gower, Ontario, Canada to choose my new brown boy. At first glimpse the task seemed insurmountable, there before me lay a sea of brown curly puppies. I'd landed in heaven somehow.  Way back when, I was there to choose whoever I deemed the cutest.    The task was made easier immediately by the fact that I wanted a boy. I have to admit I have a soft spot for the boys and anyone who has never had a male should do so. I'm not really sure at this point why I chose Clyde, he was adorable and brown just like his brothers but for some reason I thought this little brown boy should be mine.

Once home it took no time for us to bond. I remember one day running down to the basement; on my return back up the basement stairs I looked up to see standing quite proudly at the top, Clyde. He was too small still to make the death defying traverse down the stairs and could not wait for me to get to the top. He stood with his whole body quivering and as I rose up over him I could see his tail was vibrating "different tail I thought to myself."

Clyde had an amazing personality, happy, devoted, loyal and friendly to everyone. That is unless he felt the need to protect his family, not too many people know what amazing guard dogs standard poodles are. Clyde loved nothing more than spending the days by my side no matter what I was doing. Cross country skiing? He'd get harnessed and take me for a ride. Skating? He'd run along the snow banks out back on the pond to stay with me. Doing errands? Clyde loved to ride in the car. Even if I was washing the car Clyde would sit for the entire time it took to wash the car in the drivers seat and wait patiently.

Clyde was amazing, he was not a big thinker; he was more a doer. He loved to wrestle with my husband and it got rough but they both enjoyed the rough and tumble. He loved to hike and loved to go on our daily adventures through the back forty. I will never forget him and often mistakenly call out to him in error. It is a slip of the tongue but one that makes me smile. To the end he had a vibrating tail, it never wagged but vibrated. Clyde is still in my heart and always on my mind.

Water

Now; I know that for many of you, the image of dogs playing in the water is but a sweet memory.  You are up to your eyeballs in snow and ice right now, there is no more water left unfrozen.  Well, hopefully these will cheer you up, give you something to look forward to.  Time whizzes by and before you know it, it'll be summer again.

Water and dogs go together, most dogs that is.  Of course there are dogs who are not water fans at all.  But for those who are; whether they like to dive in head first, paddle around the edges or simply sit and take it all in, the combination offers some beautiful images. 

And the winner is...............................................................................

I wasn't going to do this until tomorrow but I have a great blog that would definitely be second fiddle to the prize winner. 

The answers to the posted questions are:

Jessie, Tilley & Luke
100% of the time
Vestibular Disease
French Bulldogs or Frenchies
Coyotes

So here you go.


And the winner is...........................................................................................(drum roll)...........................

Congratulations Kathleen and Jody.  Kathleen gets the Ruff Wear prize and Jody will recieve the Sunz Jewelz prize.  Please email me at sherri@justdogswithsherri.com with your name and address.

Thank you all who participated.  We will have another giveaway in the near future, I hope you all play along.  Once again thank you all for reading Just dogs with Sherri.  I'll see you tomorrow.  ;)

That's it

That's it; the GIVEAWAY IS OFFICIAL OVER.  No more answers will be accepted.

The Giveaway BLOG

 

Wonderful prizes by:  Ruff Wear - FOR DOGS ON THE GO 

    And:   Sunz Jewelz - LOOKING THROUGH GLASS AT ALL THE WONDERS OF THE WORLD

Good morning everyone; I'm glad you have joined us for the Giveaway.  I'm so excited, this is our first giveaway, how fun.  Okay; these are the official rules. 

Below you will find several questions, you must write your answers in the comment area.  The little blue word comment at the bottom of each post.  Click on comment and leave me your answers.  The comments are moderated by me first so they will only be posted once we have our two winners.  Good luck, I hope you've been reading.  All answers can be found in my 2011 blog entries. 

The questions will remain on here until 7:00 pm tonight, so you have 12 hours.  GO.

Questions:

1.  What are the names of Sherri's ( my) dogs?

2.  How much time out of a day does a puppy need to be supervised?

3.  At a recent trip to a Wolf Center, one of the wolves was suffering from the same disease as one of Sherri's dogs.  What is that disease?

4.  A certain breed was given a photo tribute recently.  What breed was that?

5.  January had two wild animal blogs, one was wolves the other was what?

Good luck and thank you for reading!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!