Walk'n the dog

Good morning; what a great cool morning, love it. We all had toast for breakfast this morning; Luke and Jessie were on the bed with me and Tilley was still on her bed. I am perfecting my toast toss so that Tilley doesn't have to move from her bed to get it. At almost 13 it's getting tougher to get up so when I made a bad toss this morning I watched and laughed at her commando crawling across her bed and out onto the carpet. Obviously a much easier means of maneuvering.

Well onto leash etiquette. I'm a stickler for the proper use of a leash and when and where certain types of leashes are appropriate. I have tons of leashes but the ones I use almost all the time are my 8' 5/8s" cotton web leashes. They are long enough to give the dogs some distance and thin enough to wrap in my hand easily. I do not like the big thick 1" nylon leashes nor do I like nylon leashes in general as they can slide through your hand injuring you. I like the bungee cord type leashes; mostly when used with body harnesses though. And I like a nice short 6"-8" leash for walking through crowds.

Then there is the extension leash; most either hate or love them. I have one for Jessie and it is used ONLY when we are at the park and not around other people. If other people come around she is reigned into 5' length and locked in. Extension leashes can be dangerous and cause all sorts of problems; like cutting your leg. I've had my leg cut twice by the thin ones, clients let their dog out to the end to see me and then tried to haul them back while they were wrapped around my leg, smart. Dogs getting wrapped up in someone else's extension leash can be very dangerous indeed; fights start that way. When dogs feel trapped they swing into the fight of flight mode and being that they cannot move away they resort to aggression to get them out of the situation.

No matter what leash your dog is on when you meet someone else with a dog; do not allow them to become tangled. If they are becoming excited either move away and keep on your walk or drop your leash. But even if you drop your leash watch for tangled feet. If you have a dog that tends to be aggressive on leash, stay calm when you meet others with dogs and keep walking. Get a bit of distance by stepping off the path and calmly moving away but do not change your stride, do not have your dog stop and sit. When you do have to reel your leash in do it in a calm and smooth manner. Do not panic; the more calm you remain the calmer your dog will be.

Do not allow your dog to wander up to others without asking. Extension leashes are horrible for this although people do it on shorter leashes as well. When I walk Jessie I send clear messages that we do not want to meet with others. I get distance, step off the path and continue my walk. Sometimes the other people are so anxious to have their dog meet my dog that they don't register our message so then I must tell them that she is not social. But had they been paying attention they would already know that.

When walking with your dog on a leash have a look down at what is going on when you are walking. Does the clasp hit your dog in the face? Does the leash keep swinging and catching their ear? I see these type things all the time as the dog struggles to get away from the annoyance. Does your leash hang down to far and keep tangling your dogs feet? Is it too short so that your dog cannot do their much needed sniffing? These are all things to watch for.

No matter what leash you use; watch how you use it and hopefully it is not connected to a chain.

Stubborness

Today I was watching a woman attempt to walk her bulldog.  I was sitting in my car at a set of lights when I noticed them standing under an overhead cover of the bank.  I realized by the body posture of the bulldog immediately that the dog was not going to want to go into the rain.   It was cold and rainy and he had no intention of moving forwards.  She prepared to walk down the stairs and he put on his brakes, and when a 70 lb bulldog puts their brakes on, there is not automatic release unless you have planned for such an incident. 

It was pretty funny watching the woman pull and pull.  The harder she pulled the more firm this big boy planted himself.  There was no way he wanted to walk in the rain and no matter what she tried he was not giving in.  I had to move along so I never did see what the outcome was, but I have a pretty good idea.  Dogs are programmed so that when you push, they push back.  You pull on them, they pull back.   Just try it; walk up to your dog and gently push them, they will push back. 

So what do you do if you have a lunk of a dog that won't move?  Training, training, training.  Once you see that you are dealing with a certain type of mindset then you work with it.  In my opinion dogs are allowed to like and dislike things, but they also need to learn to listen.  Listening could someday save their life.  So you need a very positive association to a word that means "let's go."  That can mean many different things as we have previously discussed.  What is fabulous for one dog may not be the least bit positive to another.  So find out what makes your dog tick and use that. 

For Tilley it would be the chance to catch something, for Luke, probably the same.  For Jessie; food, most definitely food.  I taught all my dogs that "let's go," meant of follow along with me.  Meaning, stop doing what you are doing and do what I want.  Not always desirable but followed by a reward, is then given a completely different meaning all together.  As they caught on the reward became less and less but as always when the rewards get few and far between the praise becomes the replacement.  I can often be heard mushing over my dogs as they stop what they want to do to do what I want them to do. 

Afterall; like I always say, they are not robots.  And sometimes you are never going to win a tug-o-war.

A k9 heart

How many times has a human let you down? If you are like most people; your answer will be often. This morning I was having a bit of bloggers block; it happens now and again so off to the gym I went. On my return; I was welcomed with an exhuberant display from a tiny Jack Russell doing her best "wild stallion" display. She grabbed her toy and stomped her way through the house at top speed. She had seen me coming; she was looking out the front window as I pulled into the driveway so as soon as I came through the door the show began.

How great is it to be greeted by your dog? After my big JRT greeting Tilley came flying down the stairs with her tail wagging and her teeth giving me the biggest grin. Geesh; I'd only been gone maybe 35 min. but they were overjoyed to see me. This old lady was acting like she was just given a shot of super juice and charged around barking and growling up a storm. She did the best "huge" greeting that her old legs could muster. We ran out the back door to continue our big event as she latched onto my arm the way she use to many years ago.

I knew it was only a matter of time before all the excitement got Luke out of bed. He watched from the livingroom until he could stand it no more and charged out to join in the fun. I don't know what got into Tilley this morning but she was surely excited to see me. It is a bit sad to see her mind going through the process but her legs have a hard time keeping up. But no matter; this morning made me smile, her sheer happiness made me happy. It is contagious; watching dogs have fun and being happy just for sake of being happy makes you happy.

Although the elaborate greetings are wonderful ; sometimes it is in the quiet times that you come to the realization; just how wonderful dogs really are. They seldom talk back; never put you down, never lie (that's a biggy), never disappoint you, worship the ground you walk on, hang on your every word and are always, always there for you. Dogs are great listeners; something that I try very hard to be but they are naturals at it. You can tell them your deepest darkest secrets and they won't tell anyone........Mom's the word.

My husband commented earlier this week "dogs are way happier than people." This is so true; my dogs are rarely in a grump and the worst of it is usually that they don't feel like obliging to one of my requests. They are up and ready all the time; even at the age of 12 and 13 my old girls are up for fun. And now that it is there time in life for all the special tlc they are still giving. When your really need a hug they are there to give them out freely; they seem to draw away all the bad and fill you with peace and happiness once again. Amazing what one simple hug can do for a human. Canines have amazing healing power; simply by being a dog.

Confessions of an Agility Addict

Written by:  Helen King*

Have you ever watched dog agility on TV or in person and thought I could do that? Well you can!

Dog agility is one of the fastest growing canine sports on the planet. It is fun, fast and invigorating. The adrenalin rush is unlike any I have ever had and I used to ride show jumpers over huge fences when I was a kid! Agility builds a great bond between dog and handler, makes for a better house pet and gives you something to do in a very social setting without having to wear makeup or put on fancy clothes.

You may be thinking agility is a sport for young, fast athletes. NOT TRUE! I am 61, overweight (WAY OVERWEIGHT), had polio as a kid and now suffer from a mild case of post polio and three years ago I fell, broke my kneecap in half and have had two surgeries to repair it. I am in pain most of the time but a couple of Celebrex on the weekend and I am good to go. Once that adrenalin kicks in, all the pain disappears.

My husband is 73 years old and runs one of the fastest dogs in North America. He has a terribly bad back and neck and a painful knee but every weekend he is running around that agility field with two standard Poodles and a speeding bullet of a Border Collie.

Here they are in action:

I had a friend who was competing in agility into her 90s! There are people who are confined to a wheel chair that compete in agility using a motorized chair. It is not just a sport for the young and the restless. It is just as much fun for the old and the restless! I can't think of another sport where a 73 year old can step onto the same field as a world champion and give them a run for their money and beat them! It is a grand sport indeed.

Agility is about training and handling the dog around a course of obstacles in the fastest time. At the highest level, where we compete, the dog is allowed no mistakes at all. The Poodle I run is not nearly as fast as my husband's Border Collie but occasionally, we might sneak in for a placement. We sure have some fun though!

There are many different methods when it comes to training an agility dog. We happen to use what we believe to be the best methods. Others use what they consider to be the best. The bottom line, however, is that only positive methods really work well for training agility dogs. The only punishment we use is just withholding reward if the dog gets it wrong. We try to put the best foundation we can on each dog and build from there. One of our mentors is Susan Garrett from Say Yes in Ontario, Canada. She has many books and DVDs available and recently began teaching online courses for those who do not have access to good instruction. Here is a link to her latest course on creating a great recall on your dog (it also builds an amazing bond between dog and owner)   Link

We started agility in 2000 with an instructor who knew very little about teaching agility the right way. We jumped around to 5 or 6 different instructors until we found one who really knew what she was doing. We have been with her for the past 8 years. It is well worth it to train with the best trainer you can find but the most important thing is to use only positive methods. If your instructor tells you to correct your dog verbally or physically, then you need to find a new instructor!

If you don't have access to good instruction, there are plenty of great books and videos out there. http://www.cleanhrun.com has a large selection and is a terrific resource for all of your agility needs.

As long as it is physically sound and not dog aggressive, any dog can learn to do agility. You may just want to go to classes and have fun or you may want to be on the World Team someday or you may be somewhere in between. When I started, I was only in it for the fun and had no intentions of ever competing. Now I am addicted and go to trials 3 or 4 times a month. We take off several months every year (usually in the fall) to give the dogs a well needed rest. During that time, we do not train, we just let the dogs run and do whatever they want. It is great R & R for body, mind and soul.

Dog that are doing any kind of agility, for fun or for competition, need to be very lean and well-conditioned. This is a good rule of thumb for any dog, not just the canine athletes! An overweight dog has a shortened life and can develop diabetes or other diseases associated with being obese.

We use toys and treats to reward our dogs. The best way to motivate dogs for agility is with the use of a tug toy. This interaction builds drive and love for the game and it is interactive with the handler. It is all about the bond between dog and person. That relationship is everything! We train so that our dogs love nothing more than to train with us. We want agility to trump squirrels, rabbits, or anything else that might be tempting!

If you would like to see our dogs in action, see us here on our Youtube page. On the top right side, there are 200 videos of us running our dogs as well as some training videos and some other videos we made just for fun.

If you think you would like to give agility a try, here is a list of resources that can get you started.

Say yes dog training

Clean run

Well, that should be enough to get you going! Happy training!

*  Born in Gloucester, Massachusetts, Helen King was being led around on a horse long before she could walk. Dogs and horses have been a major part of her entire life. Her mother raised Boxers in the ‘50s and ‘60s so.   Helen’s education of canine structure began at a very early age. 

In the 1970s, Helen raised and showed harlequin Great Danes and Basset Hounds as well a few other breeds. As an award winning sculptor, Helen has studied structure in depth to enhance her understanding of conformation and how it relates to movement.  She and her husband, Mel, bred successful race and performance horses for many years. One of the Connemara stallions Helen bred and owned was immortalized as a limited edition Breyer model.

Helen has been an Inspector for the American Connemara Pony Society for many years as well as a Connemara judge and seminar presenter. She attends seminars and lectures with the leaders in the field to
continually sharpen her eye and hone her skills.

Mel & Helen can be seen running the chicly shaved standard Poodles:

ADCH MACH 6 Josephine MFX, SACH, SCH, RN, CD, HIT, VCX, CGC
MACH Isabella O-EJC, EAC, OGC, NTC, AAD, JM, HIT, VCX, CGC
MACH 4 MeMe MPD, NR, HIT, VC, CGC
MACH Charisse Poodle NF, MPD, CGC
Crush (Border Collie) MX, MXJ, MXF, HIT

Helen’s lifelong passion has been the study of structure and how it relates to performance. She has observed hundreds of dogs in agility to compare conformation and performance as well as tracking the puppies to
maturity from the litters she has bred and evaluations of outside litters.

Cleaning up - four paws up for Earthpawz

Image property of Earthpawz

First let me say that Earthpawz was having a bit of technical difficulties yesterday so if you can't get on their site, please try again later.  Definitely worth the effort. 

I recently received a new cleaning product to try.  Of course these are dog related cleaning supplies.  The company is called Earthpawz it's new and growing fast.  I first got wind of the products and company after seeing that it was being given away at the Oscars no less.  Earthpawz is a Canadian company owned by

Taren de St. Croix of Brantford, Ontario, Canada.  The company lauched it's products in September of 2009 and has exploded onto the market.

Luke; checking out the news guys in town.

If they were giving it away to the big celebrities at the Oscars, I figured that it had to be good.  I received my box of goodies and could not wait to give them a try, even if it meant cleaning.  And conveniently enough I had two pukey messes to clean up the day after my cleaning products arrived.  It worked great, my carpet is clean.  Much cleaner than when I use my normal carpet cleaner and now I don't have to worry about what I'm putting on the carpet. 

I think the biggest impact with these products, aside from the fact that they actually work is the message.  Each time I used the products I considered that this was not bad for my dogs.  I am already very conscious about what I use in my house but these products are meant to be used in a home with dogs.  My dogs don't drink out of the toilet but I know many that do, this is a wonderful idea.  Regular toilet cleaner can be some of the most toxic substance out there; extremely dangerous if your dog ever got into it.  This is not.

This image belongs to Earthpawz

Then I tackled the windows, you know all those nose prints?  I have them literally everywhere, anywhere there is a window at dog level, it is covered in nose prints.  As I sprayed the product on the window I again considered the fact that the dogs press their face up against the window.  Imagine using a toxic product to clean the window?  Earthpawz is dog friendly so spray away those nose prints knowing that you are not harming your canine. 

I've cleaned the baseboards, windows, toilets, carpet and last but not least the kitchen floor.  The marks came off the floor like a breeze and my floor is sparkling clean.  All of these products are pet friendly and work great, what's not to love.  What a great idea and I or we give it a four paws up for sure.

Epileptic Seizures

I was writing a blog as the poodles lay on their beds next to me.  I heard a stomp and looked down to see that Luke had started a seizure.  This was very unusual as he always comes to get me before it starts.  We get comfy and then work through it.  This one was different; I immediately got on the floor beside his bed and he was seizing but still there.  There is usually a phase in the second half of the seizure where he totally leaves.   There is no longer eye movement and no life in his eyes.  This seizure was very different.

The beginning or when I joined him he was tense but not stiff.  His eyes fixed but moving.  I could see that he was still listening as his eyes moved when Tilley made a noise beside him.  I talked to him a lot, I try to use words that I know he understands.  Mommy, Daddy, Brad, ball, outside etc.  I try my best to keep him with me.  This lasted about 3 minutes and he started to come out.  Normally this is when he has a very short break, 20 seconds or so and then it gets bad, really bad.  The break was long and I actually thought it was over, he started his customary panting that comes at the end.  It must have been 3-4 minutes and then he got a look in his eye.  A look that I didn't like. 

I cranked up the chatting, told him not to let it take him.  We worked hard to keep him with me and he did not leave this time, there was eye movement until the end.  It was a short phase and then it was over.  I hoped that there was not going to be another one, this was a very unusual seizure.  But this was the end, he started to get restless, shifting from side to side and his panting was heavy.  The panting usually means that he is coming out of it, and he was.  He does a great deal of sniffing around, making sure I am still by his side and smelling the surface beneath him.  I know he is trying to figure out what happened but there are no answers for him. 

He then tries to get to his feet, he always gets up too early and staggers around.  This is the time that I must be very careful to not let him fall.  He is also ramped up, panting heavy, fast tail wagging along with aimless pacing.  I always try to make him rest but he is persistent with his pacing.  Finally he lays down, it helps if I turn the tv on or get the laptop out, he knows these things mean that I will be stationary and he stops worrying.  While he comes out of it he needs constant reassurance, we make eye contact at least every 20 seconds.  He licks the drool from his legs and does a lot of air searching, searching for answers that never come for him. 

Luke is 10.5 and has had seizures frome the age of around 3 years.  We have chosen not to medicate him and switched him over to real food and try to keep his stress level down.  I also work very hard at keeping toxins out of my home which seems to definitely be a trigger.  This is what I was blogging about before he started to seizure.  That blog tomorrow.

Working through a seizure demands control.  Staying calm is important, you need to be there for your dog.  I have found that talking and keeping his attention does seem to shorten and lessen the severity of his seizures.  And touch is important, I think that it helps him focus on me, something other than the seizure.  Seizures are very scary the first couple of time you see them, especially when the dog enters the "gone zone."  Their eyes are fixed and they are no longer aware.  But it is important to help them through and make sure that they do not injure themselves.  Also be aware of feet and throwing heads, your dog may not be able to control their movements so be careful. 

Here are some excellent sources of information on the subject.

Canine epilepsy network


Canine epilepsy resource

EPI Guardian Angels

Purely Pets

Fido; FETCH!!!!!

Please, please fetch the ball.  How many people have dogs that don't fetch?  And how many people wish that their dog would fetch?  I have to admit that the whole game of fetch is very useful.  When you are in a pinch for time and need to get some exercise into your dog it comes in very handy, especially when they are a speed retriever.  Retrieving does not come naturally for all dogs; in fact many dogs just will not retrieve a ball.  And I know many people with a "retriever" dog that does not or will not retrieve.  Some dogs go after the ball with gusto but the idea of bringing it to you is not on their agenda.

Other dogs go through the whole, run after the ball, pick up the ball and even retrieve it.  But if you attempt to get the ball away from the dog, forget it.  So how can you have a dog that retrieves a ball and hands it over?  The first thing is genetics, not all dogs have drive to chase a ball, some watch it roll by and have no desire to chase the stupid thing.  For those types it is hard to get them to like it but sometimes you can.  You have to make getting the ball the most exciting thing in life.  Tons of praise and baby steps just might get you there.  Sometimes a cheering section is all that is needed.  If you make the object of the retrieve the only toy available, that helps as well.

For most dogs the problem with the retrieve is handing over the ball.  Even if they want you desperately to throw the ball, they are reluctant to give it up.  Afterall, dogs are not programmed to share.  And if they really love their ball or toy then handing it over can be tough.  So you need to teach them that the only way that this toy is flying for a game of chase is for them to drop it.  Never, ever go after it out of their mouth if you truly want them to retrieve and drop.

So once your dog likes the thing that you want them to retrieve, the trick is to have two.  Two items of equal value, so equal that your dog wants both.  You throw the first toy, with the other behind your back.  And when they run out to grab it you whip out the second one.  Once your dog picks up the item and has it in their mouth show them the second item.  This typically creates a "hey, give me that."  This is what you want, you want them to forget to drop the item in their mouth at first and run to you.  Once they are right near you tell them to drop if they know what that means.  If not; just wait holding the other item.  Most dogs will eventually drop the item and as soon as they do, I mean immediately toss the second one.  Quickly pick up the first item as they run after the second and start the sequence over. 

Once they start to catch on; use the word "drop" or whatever word you want.  This teaches them to drop the ball on command as well as to drop it fast.  The faster they drop the faster they get the second item tossed.  Do this practice for several days to weeks, depending on the dog.  Once the whole sequence is well imbedded in their head, you can stop the second ball or toy.  They should still habitually run back to you and drop the ball.  Make sure that you pick it up and throw it quickly.  Many people lose the momentum and a good retrieving dog by lagging on the throw and this might just be the thing that makes them turn and run with the ball instead of fetching. 

So out you go to find two equal objects of desire for your dog.  ;)

Gizzards

If you're like me you grew up hearing the terms gizzards, giblets etc around the holidays. It never really peeked my interest; I just knew that it was the gross stuff my Mom boiled up and it came out of the turkey. Now as a canine guardian looking for great food for the dogs I wanted to know. What the heck are gizzards?

While at the grocery store yesterday; looking for liver I spotted a good supply of gizzards and hearts. I did know that they come out of turkey's and chickens but I wasn't sure what they were exactly. They are cheap; so I bought four packages for the dogs. Once home I got out the computer to see just what these gizzards are.

Gizzards are secondary stomachs used by birds to grind their food before digestion. Very much like the tripe people feed their dogs and themselves; yuck. Because birds don't have teeth, they must fill their gizzards with small stones to achieve the same end result. Gizzards contain a very tough inner membrane, surrounded by a muscular pouch which provides the grinding action. Gizzards are part of the group of foods called offal, which also includes beef tripe, chitlins (pork intestines), and hearts; mmmmmmmmmm.

I am of Scottish heritage so I am very accustom to the stuff that some people eat. It really is what you are raised with. Steak and kidney pie, blood pudding, haggis (made from sheep liver, lungs, hearts, oatmeal and seasonings). I have to admit I love oatmeal; love it in anything but the other stuff? I'll leave that for the dogs to enjoy.

I have three packages of gizzards, hearts and liver fresh off the barbeque. They will be outside cooling; lest they offend any sleeping human members of the family in the house. But believe me, the dogs are going to be very happy.

Designing the next big fad

Okay I know I said I was going to talk about tiny micro dogs today but that will have to wait; I want to talk about "Designer dogs" today. The definition of a designer dog is a mixbreed or mutt. Two purebred dogs bred together resulting in the "designer dog" or mutt. There is a good chance that you know someone with a designer dog; they are everywhere. But not only are people scooping up this little 1/2 & 1/2s now they are breeding three breeds in to make even more of a mix; even more "rare." And folks unfortunately you are all buying it, the hype, the false advertising, the whole enchilada.


When I saw an adorable puppy the other day I simply said cute and asked her name; but the proud guardian felt compelled to tell me "she's a chiweiniepoo." Oh wow, you have a chiweiniepoo? I just smiled looking at this obviously very poorly bred dog with runny eyes and a gimp back leg. The guardian was beaming with pride; poor little thing I thought to myself. The young lady had no idea what evil lay behind the whole
operation where her puppy came from. People pumping out whatever they can for a buck.

So are these designer dogs really healthier than the purebreds of today? Nope. By breeding two dogs together you do in fact produce a larger gene pool but if they are bad genes then that is the bottom line. Breeding must be done with alot of research behind it; health and temperament lineage must be researched well before mixing dogs together whether they are of the same breed or not.

Unfortunately I have only met two really great ethical breeders of the "designer dogs." Most others are pumping out the large array of mixtures are in it for the money; I'm sorry to lay it on you like this but that is the fact. You may think by my stand on this topic that I am against the designer dog but I am not. What I am against is the unscrupulous people who are pulling a fast one on all the innocent people out there. Just as I am against all the people breeding purebred dogs and doing no health testing, no anything, simply pumping out puppies for a buck.

I stumbled onto a website this morning; a Designer dog breeds website. This was their actual web address even. There are pages of "designer" puppies listed and you can buy them right off the web like you would any other piece of merchandise. This is so sad; and the idea that people think that they are going to get a healthy puppy at the end their purchase is even more disturbing. This is where the puppies come from in your local pet stores as well people; the same horrific puppy mill.

The bottom line is buyer beware; do your research and if you want a mixed breed dog that's great. Just don't be fooled into buying a mixed breed dog for big bucks buying into the "healthier" hook, line and sinker. There are lots of mixed breed dogs out there that don't cost thousands of dollars waiting for a new home. And please; don't buy a puppy from a display list online; ethical breeders don't have pictures of puppies set up with cute backgrounds that you choose from.  Good breeders are hard to get a puppy from, they care where their dogs end up and do not just sell them to anyone who's got the money.

The reward system

If you are a longtime reader then you know by now that I am a positive reinforcement trainer.  I use rewards to enforce desireable behaviors.  When you use the reward system you cannot just assume that you simply whip out the cookies and your dog does everything you say.  Oh sure, there will be a few of you that this is how it happens for you but for the most, it is much different.  There are many things that factor into a reward.  First and most obvious does your dog like the item that you are offering?

Rewards don't always have to be food, quite often they are a ball, a frisbee, maybe a sock to tug on or even a big hug.  But the important thing is that the dog you are working with must enjoy this object or activity.  Otherwise they are not going to be hugely thrilled by it's offering.  In the olden days, way back 35 years ago when I was just starting out in my training life, a pat on the head was a great reward.  Let's just think about this for a second.  Your dog is heading out after a rabbit, prey drive is kicked into high gear, the catch closing in and you call your dog.  Like a great dog that your dog is, they stop dead in their tracks, turn around and come to you and you pat them on the head.  Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm?    Do you think that the dog is going to drop everything and come next time?

Chances are the dog is never coming; it is busy doing a very doggy thing chasing a rabbit.  And if you really want to be able to call your dog off of things with that much value on them, you have to practice and practice and practice.  Not only do you have to practice, you must create the best, most wonderful association to "come."  That means REWARD; payment, payday, moola.  Basically we need to let our dogs know that if they listen to you, it will be worth their while and we do that by rewarding their behavior.

Take Tilley, she was a timid and fearful dog when she was young.  When we would be out somewhere different she was often very uncomfortable and there is no way, no matter what I tried that she would take food from me.  For her in these environmental scenarios, food was not a good enough reward.  At home they worked great, and she'd happily snorfle them down for whatever.  But out when she was stressed it had to be better, bigger and more amazing.  Enter the ball, the mild mannered tennis ball, unassuming what weilding great power.  She was instantly transformed, I mean incredibly.  There was no sign of timid, fear, nothing.  She was a lean, mean retrieving machine.  And she would do whatever it took just to sink her teeth into that ball.

Every dog has something, I'm not saying that it will be easy to find but it's there.  Sometimes an owner and I have just about pulled our hair out to find something that works as a reward in a stressful or distracting environment.  And even if it is food, often it has to be really great and maybe stinky food.  I've gone to training sessions many times with my pouch filled with roast beef, liver, hotdogs and some yummy chicken gizzards.

That said; on the other end of the spectrum is the treat that is too good.  More on that in another blog.  ;)

Sofa; yes or no?

The big debate; "should I let my dogs on the sofa?" And the answer is yes and no depending on your dog. This is one of the most common questions and one that can make or break your relationship with your dog. My rule of thumb about couchdom is "when I say so," meaning that only when and if I say you can come up, you can come up. But we have a slightly different rule in our home and it is all due to Luke.

Luke is a digger, a fluffer of comfyness. About 70% of the time he fluffs madly and then makes his ritual 12 spins before laying down. Now I don't know about you but I'm not real keen on having him fluff my leather or fabric furniture. He has ruined I don't know how many dog beds which then are flipped over until he ruins the otherside. So my rule is only because of this digging fool and really has nothing to do with the whole "dogs on the couch." They use to be on the couch until his digging got worse and we got new furniture and before that it was always "only when I say so."

Many dogs will growl or posture if you try to move them off the couch, afterall they are sitting in your spot which is the ultimate position. But they think you are trying to take their spot. That is when things have to change drastically, and off they go. Dogs like this should never be allowed on the furniture, and that is specifically so you can take back your status  "leader of the pack." If you allow your dog to have the best seat and not be moved because everyone is afraid of the snarling canine then guess who really is the boss?

It's all about manners, manners, manners. So if your dog get's off when you ask and has no guarding of the spot or status seeking behavior over the couch then simply implement the "ask first" rule. This means that they must wait to be asked before getting up onto the sofa.  They may ask to get up but they must wait for your reply.  Ask?  How the heck do they ask you ask?  They sit looking at the couch, you, the couch, you, waiting ever so patiently for the word.  That magical word that says "yes you can get on the couch now."  My word is okay, it is and has been my release word since I was 13 years old and that's a longtime ago. 

The rule works for just about any dog and it stops your guests from dealing with a 100 lap dog when they visit. 

Dog doors

I was on my balcony with Luke photographing a strawberry.  He decided to go downstairs and outside to watch me from below.  He then started barking at me because he wanted to come up again.

How on earth did I ever live without a dog door.  I wanted one for as long as I can remember but back in Canada we really couldn't figure out where to put it and here in Southern California, well it just took us a while.  So I finally have one, got it several years ago and I cannot imagine life without it.  Truly I cannot.  Letting the dogs in and out use to be something that was constantly on my mind.  Before I went out, as soon as I got home everyone had to go out together and they had to go. 

Tilley heard the commotion and went out to see what was up.  I originally put the sticker on the flap to help the dogs see where to push.  Jessie was target trained so it was very helpful to assist them in locating the spot to push.  Before the sticker they were pushing everywhere to get in the door.

They had a few words and she figured out that he was just being, well..............Luke.

Back in she goes.

I never wanted to be away for too too long, my dogs had to go.  And heaven forbid if someone had an upset stomach, not good.  The door we put in is like a panel that just fits right into the patio door and then the door closes up to it.  I researched forever before deciding on it and I love it.  Ordering the right fit was a bit tough because we have tall and short dogs.  If your dog is short you must lower the opening, tall you have to raise it.  So we have a larger opening to accomodate both a little Jack Russell and Standard poodles.

Luke decided that he too was done with the nonsense and came in and up to the balcony again.

I never worry about letting the dogs out; although we always do the before bed trip outside.  But in the morning I go to the gym, make sure the dog door is open and if someone has to go, they go.  Even Jessie with her Dementia still uses the dog door all the time.  I close it at night because we don't want critters using it to come into the warm house but other than at night, it's open.

Then Jessie came in as well, she'd been out to see what was going on as well.  So there you see my inspiration for todays blog.  :)

The girls caught onto using it fast, Tilley had it down in minutes.  Jessie took a little bit longer because she has to push harder to open it.  And Luke; well he uses it all the time now but I never thought he would.  It was month and months and months of work to get him to push it on his own.  First we worked on him coming in and out with it being held open.  Luke is not a dog that offers behaviors, he is not brave to try something new so he would just stand outside and bark.  I raised the edge enough that he only had to push it when he was almost in.  He had to get use to the feel of the door on him as well, so once he was okay with that I opened the door less and less until finally one day he came in on his own.  From that moment I would not open the door again.

He did a lot of standing outside and barking.  He would watch the girls come in and out.  And he would even try to scoot in on their opening but he got stuck a couple times and set him back in his training.  We stepped back a bit, opened it for him a few times and then we were back to him opening the door.  He was hesitant to go through on his own for a longtime, but he finally conquered it.  I had my doubts, I did not think that he would use it but he does.  Oh he stills like if someone will open it for him and he tries the barking deal but I just yell at him to come in and he does.

Life without a dog door?  I can't imagine.

Bumps and lumps

As our dogs age they tend to have more lumps and bumps on them.  Even if they are not seniors, dogs can get lumps that may need to be looked at.  It is very important to look at your dogs very closely and sometimes looking just may not be good enough.  If you have a very full, dense coated breed it can be difficult to see what's going on under that coat.  So touch is very important.  When it is time for a shave for my guys I am happy to get the big thick coat off and have a good look see. 

But even when they have a full winter coat I often optimize the use of my forced air dryer to it's fullest.  Not only is it a great device to dry my dogs but it blows their coat completely open allowing me to see inside.  I have found several lesions and marks that needed looking into by using my dryer.  When it is nail time I make it a habit to feel toes, spread them out, get my finger in there to see if there might be any thorns or such.  I have found several things in there that needed removing and that the dogs weren't working to get out.  Sometimes they are fussing to pick something out of their coat or foot that let's me know but often they give you no signals that there may be a problem.

With my poodles, ear hair is an issue and needs to be addressed regularly.  Many other breeds have hair in the ear issues as well and need attending.  Sometimes waiting for the groomer visits are not enough, and sometimes groomers take too much out of an ear leaving them open for infection.  Get a flashlight out and have a good look in there, no it's not a glamorous job but it needs doing.  Even if you have a smooth coated breed you should have a look in your dogs ears now and again.  They can build up gunk without hair that needs cleaning out too.

How about their teeth, how's the old pearly whites looking?  And breath, how's your dog's breath?  That is a big heads up to mouth problems or worse if they have very bad breath.  Even old dogs should not have bad breath if their teeth are good and they are healthy.  It's won't smell like roses but it shouldn't knock you over either. 

Do the visual check on a weekly basis.  How's your dog walking?  Any limp?  Favoring?  Are they panting more than normal?  Do they seem to be sleeping well?  Very small changes in the norm can be a sign of a problem and there is no one who should know your dog better than you do, that is if you are paying attention.   There are also seeing and hearing tests that should be done regularly as your dog ages.  It is easy to see if they hear or see well, but you must test it.  Dogs are very good at manouvering around a familiar surrounding so you must test them to be sure.  Calling out when they aren't looking or are in another room, dropping food on the floor and throwing toys for them is an easy way to tell how well they can see or hear.

Along with all the regular stuff that we do for our dogs, general maintenance is very important.  Keeping on top of things before they get out of hand is always a good idea, even with our dogs. 

Rainy days and celebrity mistakes

Wow; it's rainy here in Southern California.  Yesterday I spent the afternoon curled up on the couch by the fire with the dogs sleeping sound.  We were lucky to get out nice and early for a walk, before the rains came.  We took all three dogs out together in the morning and head over to one of our favorite parks.  It was glorious, no one else was there so that meant "off leash."  Tilley was in an amazingly great mood and ran like the wind, well a crooked slow wind but she ran and was so happy to be running.  Like I always say, it is the simple things in life that are the really good things.  Luke and my hubby took off and did a bit of a run and we did our slow walk.  Tilley was out front looking for her Dad, she was actually pulling me.  And when he finally came up from the path from down below us I let her off and she flew to him and into his arms.

We let them have a run around being that not another soul was out in the windy weather.  Once we got home everyone had a nice chicken breakfast and that's about it for the day for them.  The rains came and we hit the couch, pulled out the blankets and turned on the fire.  As I lay surrounded by the dogs on the couch I was reading some dog stuff on Facebook.  The news of Whoopi Goldberg stating on "The View" that she thought she should be allowed to buy a dog from a pet store was abound.  It seemed as though there were two sides, one against what she said and one defending her from the attackers. 

It always surprises me when people jump to defend what a celebrity says.  I read the posts on Whoopi Goldberg's FB, and I added my own.  It is sad when people go on full attack, they themselves become abusive and that is when people stop listening.  And it is sad as well when celebrities make statements before educating themselves.  They wield a lot of power and a few wrong words can go very wrong.  Standing behind the stores that sell puppies is horrific.  We all know that only millers supply pet stores with dogs and that the dogs left behind, the breeder dogs lead a heart wrenching horrendous life. 

What sort of person supports those who abuse animals in a mill?  There are only two types who support these money making operations, the uneducated and those like the millers themselves, people who care nothing for the animals and only the bottom line.  And, at this point I think going with the "I had no idea," line is a little hard to believe.  Don't you think that Miss Goldberg may have seen the Oprah show on Puppy Mills?  If not then she needs to read up more on what is going on in the world. 

If she is shocked at the backlash? well that's stupid.  Say something stupid like; you should be allowed to buy a puppy from a pet store if you want to on TV and it's going to come back at you.  It saddens me to think that the words of a celebrity can undo so much good.  So many are fighting to end the suffering of Puppy mill dogs, to end the sale of puppies in pet stores.  And one celebrities says that we should have the right?  NO; no one has the right to treat animals the way that millers treat them, NO ONE.  And no Miss Goldberg you should not have the right to purchase one if you want, you should educate yourself and see all the suffering.  There are no rights involved for the animals who are doomed to live out their life at a puppy mill, very sad indeed. 

Free feeding

Free feeding - don't. Plain and simple; just don't do it and here's why. First and foremost can you imagine having a big old pile of food on your counter all day, all night there for your every whim. It may be cool for a day or two but you would grow sick of looking at it and if you are like any normal human you would have eaten way too much of it. Now just looking at it makes you feel sick; so if this is your only food source you will probably pick at it, but the gusto is long gone. Dogs who are free fed are usually poor eaters.

Now, not all dogs grow sick of eating and those who still enjoy eating and have a bowl of food that is always full risk the chance of becoming obese. Fat dogs are fat through no fault of their own; nope it is the humans who create fat dogs. Just picture your dog while you are at work all day. They are probably bored; what do you do when you are bored? I often eat; yes it is a bad habit but dogs will do the same, again increasing their risk of gaining extra pounds.

Leaving food out all day and night is not healthy; food goes bad. And the better the quality the faster it goes bad. If your dog is not cleaning their bowl everyday and receiving new fresh food then how do you know that the kibbles on the bottom haven't been there for a really longtime? Eeeewwwww.  When a dog is constantly nibbling it is very difficult to know when they are going to need to relieve themselves. For puppies this makes housetraining extremely difficult and making sure that your dog goes before you go off to work in the morning can be very difficult.

Free feeding has no benefit except that I guess it seems like the quickest and easiest way to do a job that must be done.  Just keep filling the bowl that is sitting on the floor, day in and day out.  There are other reasons not to leave a bowl of food on the floor as well.  You have no control of food in your house.  Being the controller of the food is a big deal and a good deal.  It makes you, well the food holder and that position is one of power.  Not that I'm power hungry but it can give you a chance to work on some issues. 
 
 

 

There are times when I don't even feed out of a bowl at all.  Even though my dogs typically eat something different at every meal, I often will chuck food around the yard, use it for obedience purposes or just plain behavior training.  Having your dog sit and wait for their portion of food without fighting with the other dogs is a highly desirable behavior.  Even if you only have one dog, could you sit nice and quiet while fork feeding your dog some steak?  Most people would say NO.  Manners is so very important and to miss out on the use of meal time to work on them you are really losing out. 
 
Think about that bowl of dry corn chips on the counter, there for your nutrition for the rest of your life.  Then consider spicing it up and take back feeding time as your own.  You bought the food, control it.

Get your walk on

  Walking the dog; yep pretty much everyone does it right?  Well I wish that everyone did it but sadly many people simply don't.  Lot's of dogs live day in and day out in their house and backyard, that's it, that's all.  Sad.   Every dog should get out at least 3-5 times a week for a great walk.  I say 3-5 times a week because even my own old girls don't need a walk everyday.  Sometimes everyday is too much for Tilley at 14 years of age and suffering from Vestibular disease.  Often we just visit a park and sit, the getting out is important.

So, there are two types of walks we take with our dogs.  One is the on leash walk, very important, good mental stimulus, time for training, learning to walk nicely on leash.  Then there is the exercise walk, off leash, ripping and tearing around for the sheer joy of stretching your legs.  Exercise is very important for dogs, even if they get two nice on leash walks, dogs have to get off leash to make it really count.  That is; unless you are a runner or use a bicycle hookup or something like that. 

Dogs who are never given the chance to run are really lacking in the muscle department. Running in an open field or at a park going in circles, deeking and diving, going after a ball etc uses different muscles than the just walking muscles. Dogs who are more muscled will fair better as they start to age and lose muscle due to the aging process.   So using those muscles will help protect joints and keep everything nice and limber. 



The old saying "a tired dog is a good dog," is very true, to a point.   Sometimes a dog is too tired, maybe had too much stimulation or exercise so more is not always better when talking about exercising our canines.  With all of the dog parks popping up many people pull up to the park, let the dogs go and sit and chat for hours at a time.  A single hour at the dog park is a very long time to socialize and exercise for a dog.  They can become over stimulated and exhausted.  So short and sweet is the key to power exercising at the park.  If the park is filled with powerhouse runners then let your pooch get out their ya ya's and then head for home. 

If you are hiking in the woods then longer will work.  It really depends on the workout that your dog is receiving as far as length of time.  You must factor in other dogs, size, velocity, stimulus etc. etc.  Sometimes our dogs get too much of a good thing and need more and more to become a tired dog.  Think about marathon runners, when they started out they were probably exhausted by a mile or two but after a year or more of running they never tire.  We want tired dogs at the end of the day.  A dog who settles in the evening,  maybe watches some tv and then has a nice sound sleep. 

The more controlled walk, the on leash walk is just as essential.  Dogs who are only ever off leash and allowed to run wild have a very hard time dealing with the structure of a walk.  Way back when Luke was young we had a field that we frequented to allow the dogs off leash.  When we would get to this field Luke was very unruly and was not interested in listening.  This field meant fun to him, it had nothing to do with behaving properly or structure.  So we turned that around in a hurry.  We would get to the park and go through our obedience.  I would regularly practice long down stays, with each dog while the other participated in ball or frisbee.  This was amazing training and perfected "you only go crazy when I say you can go crazy," idea. 

Variety is the spice of life; I tend to become bored quickly so like to switch it up a lot.  Sometimes a leash walk at the beach is far more exhausting from all the sights, sounds and smells than an off leash run at a familiar park.  And then there are other times when a good ole run is all that is going to do it for a particular day.  There is nothing better in life than watching a dog run for the sheer joy of running.  In my life with my dogs running is very short and sweet, a big burst and then walking.  But when they were young, what joy they took in running.  Ears flying, tongue flying and hearts soaring. 

So get your walk on. 

Evolution in the making

"My dogs are like humans."  "My dog is really a little person."  How many times have I heard these phrases?  Many, many and lots of other similar ones.  So where does this sense of humaness stem from?  Is it the fact that dogs are becoming a more increasingly important part of our lives?  The marketing ploy of the dog industry to give us more human type products for our dogs?  Or is it the simple fact that evolution is playing out before our eyes?   We all know that our dogs descended from the wolf, what wolves and from where is still being researched further.  I often sit and marvel that these "dogs" sitting by our side, live so easily in our human world.

After my visit to the Wolf Center in January I found it difficult not to compare. As I sat beside Luke, he did a huge yawn only an inch from my face.  This action alone starts the ponder process.  To be this close, this connected to another species is truly remarkable.  The bonding process immense, the sense of trust a little amazing.  And the trust runs both ways, I feel no sense of dread as his huge mouth opens only an inch from my face.  He trusts me even though he is a very nervous type dog, we have grown to trust one another. 


But are they becoming more human?  No.  I am very happy to say that they are and will remain to be dogs.  I am not happy when I see people treating dogs as humans, little four legged furry people.  Dogs have needs that we do not have.  I have no sense of need to run down a rabbit in the park, but my dogs do.  I also have no strong sensation to roll in things that smell really foul, which I'm sure the people who live with me are happy about. 

What I really think is happening is that we are perhaps seeing dogs as a very important part in our life.  As each person who lives with a dog is evolved themselves into a true dog person, everything changes.  We spend more time with our dogs, we talk to our dogs and we are more active participants in their lives.  All of these create a smoother coexistence, this is the evolution of our relationship.  Our dogs made their initial evolution from the wolf but there it rests.  The biggest evolution has been our own and how we see dogs in our lives. 

There are many people who will never evolve, remaining in the dark ages when a dog was just a dog.  To them a dog is an object and not something that you would purposely cater to with any concern.  I remember hearing people say "are you kidding, the floor isn't good enough?" when I told them that my dogs had their own bed.  I also know many people who would never consider nutrition when talking about "the dog," in their home.  Many people dogs belong tied in the backyard, there to lead a sad and lonely life tied to a dog house. 

Hopefully as more and more people evolve there will be a domino effect.  Sometimes you just need to help spread the word by telling people your story.  I am proud that I care for my dogs the way that they need to be cared for, and you should be too. 
As far as I'm concerned dogs are just perfect the way they are, it is we humans that need the work.  :)

Perfection

Ah gotcha didn't I, you thought I was going to boast about a perfect speciman and you wanted to know who and what that was. Well, I'm here to tell you that the perfect dog does not exist; nor does the perfect human for that matter. Each dog is an individual and with that comes personality traits, temperament good, bad quirks and all. My dogs all have something, every dog I've ever met had something.

Some of the biggest surprises with regards to perfection are from the dogs who seem to be almost perfect. The amazing statuesque Great Dane I met on a beach, terrified by my camera. The adorable little white poodle who loved nothing more than to sit in your lap, just don't touch his food. The big tough German Shepherd who would scare anyone by her appearance, big chicken at heart. Or even my seemingly perfect Tilley has obsessive compulsive disorder. So I am very sorry to give you this news but there is no perfect dog and if you are looking for one? You'll be searching into eternity.

But with all their quirks and strange behaviors they are all wonderful. Sure some are more work than others, some you actually need a professionals help to change some of the worst behaviors and some are what they are. You can always work with odd behaviors but there are some behaviors that run very deep, and will not change. What we really work to change in dogs is more how they react to things. We try to reassociate for them; change how they feel about a certain situation.

Say you have a dog that is afraid of garbage cans on the street. Why? who knows but you can help them with this issue by changing how they feel about garbage cans on the street. By using baby steps and something they love, whether it be a ball or liver and slowly teach them that when garbage cans are out they get to play catch or eat liver and that's the only time. All of a sudden your dog will be looking for those cans to be there.

My Luke is one of the quirkiest dogs I've ever met, he is a true nervous ninny and for all of his weird behaviors I love him even more; because he is my Luke and that is who he is.

Pool party anyone?

I head out to a shoot yesterday and as I drove down the freeway I saw this huge mass of fog rolling in.  Noooooooo; not for my shoot.  But as I got closer to my destination I was leaving the fog hanging over the beach and the sun was winning the battle.  When I got to my shoot I met the owner and talked about her dogs.  She told me about her amazing Goldens, and how they loved nothing more than to swim.  Infact she said that she had a hardtime keeping them out of the water.  I could feel my excitement rising, I love nothing more than shooting dogs having fun in the water.  And especially if they are going to dive into the water. 

"So can they swim today?"  "Would that be okay?"  And she said "sure they can swim."  Yes.  I'm sure I was smiling bigtime.  When you get the chance to see dogs having fun, or enjoying themselves so purely, it just makes you feel great. 

For those of you in the colder climates, hopefully this will bring you feeling that there is indeed light at the end of your winter tunnel.  This too will be your weather very soon.  Please enjoy the images, I sure enjoyed taking them. 

Keeping out of the splash zone and shake zone are two important parts of shooting diving, swimming, splashing dogs.  I've shot many splash events now and have gotten into the habit of pulling the camera just as the splash is at it's fullest to save the lense.  Of course you always have to watch out for running dogs when you are crouched down shooting.   But it is one of my favorite things to do. 

The last straggler

What would you think if you visited a breeder and they had one puppy left for you to take or not. Chances are you would wonder "what's wrong with this one?" Most people would; it is in our nature to dwell on what we missed out on. "Why did no one want this puppy?" The first thing you have to find out is how a breeder places puppies; do they let every family come in and choose their very own puppy from the whole litter? Does the breeder assess their own puppies and give their prospective puppy guardians a choice of a couple that would best suit their home? Or do they choose and place each puppy specifically to the correct guardian?

"Pick of litter;" is a misleading term for the general public. When I was very involved in conformation showing and handling this was the big thing; "I got pick of litter." What it meant back then and in that context was that this specific dog was deemed to be the best conformational specimen representing the breed standard. And still today if you are getting a puppy from someone who is showing in conformation then there is normally at least one or two chosen from a litter for that and they are chosen first from the litter. But what about if you just want a pet? Normally the rest are up for grabs as pets unless some of the guardians have specific requirements in mind.

Some people may want a dog who will be a future agility star; they are going to need a puppy who is active, listens well and is extremely structurally sound. Another person may really want to have a therapy dog; then their choice must be in the puppy who is calm and most interested in being with people. And then there are the less stringent requirements like a family with 5 boys; a family who has 4 dogs already or a family who has never had a dog before. A good breeder can choose the right puppy for these families as well. And then there may be one puppy left; why has this puppy not been placed yet?

The last puppy left means that this specific puppy's family has not come yet. This puppy may need a special family; maybe with all the other families the breeder felt that this puppy needed someone different; special. Or maybe when families visited the litter this puppy was the most quiet; not an in your face kind of guy. Often the quiet ones are the ones who are left; people overlook them because they tend to sit at the back and watch. So don't let the "last puppy" scenario freak you out; this could be the pick of the litter and has been waiting for you all along.