Whistle while you work

Well; whistle is what I'm going to be doing for the next while.  I went out to Sports Authority this evening and purchased two new whistles.  When we first got to the store we asked one of the sales guys if and where they had whistles.  He looked in one isle and declared that they were all gone.  Deflated we had a look around at a few things and were about to leave.  My husband asked one of the guys up front if they had any whistles; yes.  He said he knew for sure that they had some and took us right there.  I was so excited, two shiny new whistles.

So what am I going to do with these whistles you are asking, right?  I'm going to try to train Jessie to them, that is if she can hear them.  These are genuine coach and referee whistles so they are really loud; so loud that it hurt my ears when I blew them as loud as I could.  I have no idea if Jessie will be able to hear these; I'm not sure if she has any hearing left at all.  I know that if I yell really loud she seems to hear but is she hearing or feeling?  She seems to hear when the other dogs bark; again is she feeling or hearing? 

I took a whistle out and blew it slightly; Luke came running right away with his heading turning madly.  Tilley followed shortly after wondering what the noise was.  No Jessie; I went down stairs where she was and blew and blew and blew, nothing.  Now, this could mean two things:  1.  She is not hearing the whistle at all and; 2.  The whistle has no associated meaning to her so even though she heard it, it meant nothing to her. 

My plan is to associate the whistle to food; this way it will be easier for me to see if she is indeed hearing it.   This means that when it is meal time I will blow the whistle.  I will have many sessions during the day just like clicker association but with the whistle.  Will it work?  I'm not sure; that will on depend on if she can indeed hear the whistle.  One thing I do know is that my other two will learn the association between whistle and meal time.  So instead of a dinner bell they will have a meal whistle, not a bad fall out behavior.

This may take a while but I will keep you posted to my progress or lack there of.  It would be very nice to just have to whistle instead of bellow like I've been doing for about a year now.  So we'll see; here's hoping.

Sleeping

Wow; 8:00, are you even kidding me?  I can't even remember the last time that I slept in until 8:00am.  5:00 am is my typical up time each day and even on weekends it's usually around 6:30 so today is very different although last night I went to bed with the intention of sleeping in so I'm pretty happy.  As far as dogs are concerned; our guys would pretty much stay in bed until whenever.  During the week when the day starts early; I'm off to the gym and back and everyone is still sound asleep.

Over the years we've been very lucky to have dogs that love to sleep.  I know many people who are up in the wee hours of the morning everyday to let their dog out; we are lucky to have all sleep in dogs.  Now with all of them well into their senior years, sleeping is a huge part of life.  On a daily basis if you had a look into my house you would see 3 sleeping dogs.  Both Jessie and Tilley sleep really really sound now.  The sort of sleeping where you can shake them and it takes a while for them to wake up.  Luke on the other hand is a light sleeper because he follows me everywhere.  Where I am he is.

If the dogs have been on a big walk which for the girls is a small outing now they sleep even more sound and deeper.  It's great to see a dog who is truly tired from being out and about.  Sleeping sound is an extremely important thing for dogs just like it is for us.  It is the time when their body is rejuvenated; a time for complete relaxation.  All dogs should have somewhere that they can feel 100% at ease to fall into a deep sleep.  We know ourselves how wonderful that feels right?  As bad it is for us to go with little or no sleep it is just as bad for our dogs.

Sweet dreams to all.

A touch

You wanted a dog to be your companion and now you cannot even touch him. Does your dog growl at your touch? Many dogs are not okay with human touch; some came this way and some have learned how to keep you away. But no matter how your dog got here it is not a good place to be. You want to snuggle with, brush and cut their nails but each time you touch them they growl. How can you change this?

First; dogs are not humans and because of this they don't accept some human behaviors like we would. Take my girl Tilley; she is an amazing dog, she loves the entire family and loves to snuggle. She can be found daily with her head pressed on someones chest soaking in all the love she can. But if you try to hug her she pulls away; is this strange? No. Dogs don't hug; a hug in dog terms is a mount and very undesirable at that.

Even though Tilley loves to snuggle she is not comfortable with a direct hug. But she has never growled over it; she just is not comfortable receiving one. When a dog does growl; it is a clear signal of something. Whether they are not comfortable or they just don't want it a growl is a communication. Some dogs just growl and that is as far as they'll take it. Others will up the communication if their message doesn't work.

So how do you turn your untouchable into a touchable, loveable, snuggable? It must be done in very tiny baby steps, push too hard and your work will backfire. The method is simple; link a favorite thing with an undesirable action. Most dogs hate to have their nails cut; it's a normal dog thing and it starts with the feet. So let's start there because so many dogs have foot issues.

Get out the best treats you can, and if your dog doesn't like treats then get out whatever they do love. It may be peanut butter, a favorite type of chew or a toy. Sit beside your dog and bring out a treat, touch foot and give the treat. Only touch the foot for a second while treating. Over time make the touching last longer while giving many treats. What you are doing is creating a positive association to a negative situation; thus turning it around.

Once your dog is fine with you touching their feet you want to try to hold their foot, so lots of treats while this is going on. It also really helps to name body parts; especially when they have an issue with it. This gives them a heads up; on what you intend to be doing. My word for feet is......well.....Toadies; that's right. So when I'm going to cut nails or I need to see a foot I just ask them.

Once you can hold your dogs foot with ease you move to pulling on the nails; easily, lots of treats. Sort of massage the foot and give lots of treats. Then you want to introduce the trimmer; touch the foot with the trimmer and treat, treat, treat. Tap the trimmer on a nail and treat. You want to work up to cutting a nail, treat, next nail, treat. I'm not going to discuss the actual trimming as this is not what this blog is about. It is about touch and being cool with it and maybe even learning to love it.

Many dogs go through a stage of not wanting touch strictly because of their age and desire to do what they like; the teenage years. It is so important that you be able to touch your dogs whole body, clip their nails, scrape their teeth, brush them and anything else you'd like to do without being growled at or bitten. With a bit of work you can get there.

Be warned though it is extremely important to start at a place where your dog is not growling. A far distance or a simple one finger touch; you want to avoid the growl entirely. Each time your dog growls and you back off they learn that this is the way to keep you away. So you start before the growl.

Questions?

Reading

Luke demonstrates a mannerly greeting; he is turned sideways.

Today I had the poodles out together; as you know they don't often go on a walk at the same time.  Not because I don't enjoy having all my dogs together but they walk at very different speeds.  The difference between Tilley and Luke is the widest; Luke is a sprinter and Tilley..................well let's just say that the local neighborhood snail would outrun her easily.  So when I do take them together I resemble a propeller just before take off.  Right arm out front, left arm out back coaxing Tilley to come along.  Funny how she walks soooooo slow but get a tennis ball out and she can amazingly run very fast after it.  Oh well.

So today as we were about half way around the park we were coming up on a Wheaten looking mix.  I'd seen him/her as we got out of the car.   With old dogs I always scan like crazy; we cannot afford to have even a very friendly rambunctious dog run up on us.  Actually I always scan; even when they are young, I don't like surprises.  So we were heading that way and Luke was sniffing, trying to assess the dog.  The dog was stiff; I'd noticed that way back.  The dog would not move for the owner; she'd tried several times to get walking but the dog just lay back down. 

As we got closer and closer I could see Luke stiffen up; he didn't like the looks of this dog's body language and he was right on.  I told Luke to "leave it" as we walked by, he immediately turned his head away as the dog started with a fierce display. I praised Luke like mad and he strut on past without a glance back. As we walked past I noticed that the dog had hair over it's eyes; it could barely see.  It could see well enough and smell to know that dogs were coming but it could not see perfectly.  Dogs who have their vision impaired by hair can often be aggressive.  They aren't really truly aggressive; just sort of defensive just in case sort of thing. 

I remember seeing a rescue video several months back of a hairy little beast; the dogs hair completely covered his eyes and he was displaying aggressively.  They quickly cut the hair around his eyes so that he could see and the displaying stopped.  Dogs don't like when they can't see properly; and it can put them on the defense when they might otherwise be fine.  Whatever the dog was signaling; Luke wasn't buying and was none too impressed.  He will typically display back to a dog like this unless the dog is simply an annoyance more than a real threat.  They just know.

You really do need to be watching at all times; watching your dog and watching the other dog.  There is a lot being said and if you aren't paying attention you will miss it and be left saying "what was that all about?"

The dog

Dog  -  a domesticated canid, Canis familiaris, bred in many varieties.


       - A domesticated carnivorous mammal that typically has a long snout, an acute sense of smell, and a barking, howling, or whining voice. It is widely kept as a pet or for work or field sports


        -  a highly variable domestic mammal (Canis familiaris) closely related to the gray wolf


The dog is to us many different things.  I think the first and most important is that of companion.  Those of us who have one, two or more canine companions find it most disturbing when we see dogs who live a lonely life without companionship.  Dogs have evolved into our perfect companion when given the chance; and every dog deserves companionship.  


Dogs give us everything and it is not until we give our all that we see what can be.  Once we open our minds and our hearts to a canine the result is simply put; amazing.  The canine is a complex yet simple animal making every attempt to live flawlessly in our human world.  With just a bit of guidance from a human they do a remarkable job.  One I must say that we could not come close to accomplishing with such perfection.  


We expect a great deal from our dogs; in fact we often inflict such high demands that the goal is unobtainable.   There is nothing more sad than a human who is disappointed with their dog simply for being a dog.  A dog is not a human; yet when they act very dog like we are often shocked.


The dog has evolved into our right hand man, our guardian, confidant, bed warmer, best friend and companion in life.  A furry creature with a huge set of teeth, sense of smell far beyond ours, ability to see much greater than us with the talent to communicate without speech.  What else need be said?


I was recently asked to answer several questions about my life with dogs for an article.  My answers were published in the online Wow travel magazine,  titled To the dogs  The photos shown in the article are a few of my favorites from over the years.

Growls; a glimpse into your dogs head

When I was at the Yappy hour about a month ago there were a lot of dogs in attendance.  When in this type of situation you can expect the odd disagreement amongst the dogs.  Dogs and people are in close proximity and not all dogs nor people for that matter have the same personal space.  Luke did very well that night, he schmoozed like a super star and only had one "thing."  It was with a intact German Shorthaired pointer.   I was talking to someone and didn't see what the other dog said to Luke; but saw Luke puffing up soon enough to move away.  He saw the dog again a few moments later and they had a few words.  It was only this dog.

When Luke growled at the GSP the owner of the other dog angrily said "what was that all about?"   I smiled and said "they had a disagreement."  :)  No big deal.  Growling is simply canine communication.  There is communication in the form of body language as well but we humans often miss the most of that.  I know many owners who say that they never allow growling in their house; I say that is unwise.  Of course I don't allow fights or even confrontations or large threats delivered but I definitely allow growling.  A growl let's you know how a dog is feeling.

Lately Tilley has been growling at Jessie in the morning.  With Jessie and her dementia she is exhibiting some very strange behaviors; one is that she likes to back into Tilley and lay as close as she can, even right under her chin.  Tilley knows that this is strange and growls; this growl let's me kick into action as I hop out of bed and place Jessie somewhere else.

When you bring a new puppy into your home there is often a great deal of growling from the resident dog.  Sadly most owners angrily punish the older dog each time they growl which creates a whole bag of problems.  It is the older dog's right and job to teach the younger dog rules and manners.  If no growling is permitted you my  end up with an out of control obnoxious puppy that no dog wants around.

When I'm out for a walk with my dogs and we greet another dog it sometimes goes well, sometimes not.  Many owners are mortified when their dog growls at my dogs.  They apologize profusely stating that they don't know whats wrong with their dog.    That is when I tell them that a growl is nothing but communication.  A growl does not make a dog a bad dog, it is our dog's way of communicating their feelings at that precise moment.  Perhaps the particular dog was uncomfortable with Luke looming over it or being so close in proximity.  The growl gives Luke the information that he needs to act in accordance.

When a dog growls you are given so much information; with this information you can deal with the issue at hand.  It may simply have been that another dog was trying to steal some food, or it could have been because a stranger got too close for comfort.  When Tilley was young she was not comfortable around men, she let me know both with body language and a growl.  She always moved away as far as she could but if they kept coming she would growl, yes Miss Perfect Tilley.  To punish her for growling would have been the worst thing I could possibly do.  This growl contained the information I needed to help her.  She was letting me know how she felt around men so we turned that around; she now adores men even more than woman.

As all of you longtime readers know I am a big believer of being a strong leader.  We have rules and regulations and the dogs must follow them.  I am the boss; bottom line.  But as far as growling goes; taking that means of communication away from a dog in the form of punishment puts us at a disadvantage.  Instead, listen.  A growl contains a plethora of information; use it to create a scenario where no growl is needed.  Don't silence your dogs voice.

What's in a name?

We were driving home from the frozen yogurt store when I saw a man running with his German Shepherd.  It was a big buff GSD (German Shepherd dog) and I thought to myself "bet that dog's name is King."  The thought of course lead to this blog; naming your dog.  Naming your dog can be a tough task and one if done incorrectly can bring much grief in later years.  How many of you let the kids choose the dog's name?  "Cupcake, Twinkle, Snowflake or Lovelove," causing a cringing effect as you shout across the dog park?  You are not alone.

I know many people with a new puppy and before that new puppy has a name cast in stone I arrive for training.  The whole naming thing can seem like a inconsequential detail but it must be thought out.  Think about calling it out as your dog races out the front door.  Maybe you are out fishing with the guys and call out to your pooch to join you in the boat; do you want to shout out Fluffy?  How about Snake?  Maybe someone in the family wants to give your dog a big tough name so that people think tough when they hear it.  And then perhaps you have a super tiny dog so you think calling it Brutus or Monster would be in order.  Many big giant dogs are named Tiny or Minute for the same reason.

Whatever the reason try to remember that your dog will hopefully be around for a long time.  It should feel good using it; say it over and over and over to be sure.  We first named Luke, Molson.  I called him Molson for a few days and hated it, it just didn't roll off my tongue.  So Molson became Luke which I love and he of course is now the very essence of Luke.   When we first were married and beginning our life with dogs they all were given historical gangster names.  This because my dog life started with Dobermans and when I was young I'd seen The Doberman gang movie where all the dogs had historical gangster names, very cool.

 

Once Tilley joined our gang she was anything but a gangster so we gave her a very Canadian name.  Tilley is named after the very famous hat and apparel Tilley.  So as far as our next dog is concerned, I'm not sure what her name will be.  I am partial to real names and no more than two syllables.  Most names that are long will be shortened anyhow, just like with people.  When changed Lukes name to Luke, he was named after another poodle that we had for a very short time but fell in love quickly with.  We took him in after a breeder decided to place several of their dogs.  Within a couple of days I got a call from the original owner and he was heart broken.  He told me that he just had to have his dog back.  He came within an hour and took back Luke #1 who within a week was already working his way quickly into my heart.

There are many reason to choose a certain name.  Sometimes a name may have a great story behind it, perhaps  some wonderful memories.  A name can be in remembrance of someone or something close to our heart.  Many people like descriptive names, Snowy for a white dog, Fluffy for a fluffy dog.  What ever reason you choose a certain name for your dog; make sure you like it.  Before long that name will represent the very dog that will wriggle it's way into your heart, etching all of their wonderful memories on it.

Cupcake wars

I just finished watching an episode of Cupcake wars; no thank you.  Although I love to bake; I use to bake and sell cookies at a Farmers market and use was known as the "cookie lady" I would HATE to bake under pressure.  This got me to thinking about the dog treat wars that are going on.  Each time I go into a pet store there are more and more treats on the market for our dogs.  Not only do they line the shelves of the pet stores they now are in specialty shops, boutiques, health stores and just about everywhere.

I love to try new treats out for my guys; of course you know that Luke is Mr. Fussy pants so if he'll eat it and it's healthy then it gets a four paws up from me.  There are several things that I look for in a dog treat; first is ingredients.  I don't want a lot of garbage in my dog treats; in fact I want no garbage in them.  I will always reach for organic over non organic as well.  There must be a good quality ingredients.   If it is a cookie type of treat I want to see whole grains vs. white flour etc.

As far as I am concerned the fewer the ingredients the better.  I also want the ingredients to come from North America and be human grade.  If that package says "not suitable for human consumption," my question is why?  What is in this treat that I should not eat but feel great giving to my dog?  Hmmmmmm?  Something to ponder.  I use quite a bit of treats for my guys; of course being that Luke is so skinny he always gets far more than the girls do.  Because I like to use treats I also look for good protein treats like dried meats.  I've found some really great ones that I like and so do the dogs.

Dogs don't need carbs like we humans do so when I am feeding cookie type treats I like to make sure they also get their protein.  I often use good old meat as treats; it's always a big hit for training time and you don't have to worry about ingredients.  I have often gone to my clients homes for a training session with a training pouch full of cooked chicken or roast beef.  Yep; when you are working with high distraction levels nothing works like the real thing.

Before you reach for that box of cookies to give your Fido their bedtime snack, read the list of ingredients.  Is there anything listed that leaves you wondering "what the heck is that?"   Take the time and look it up; if you don't like what you read or are still puzzled as to what it is, toss the box.  Be very discriminating when you purchase those extra treats for your pooch.  Do your own research; don't rely on the big advertising gimmicks for nutritional truths.    When in doubt; make your own, that way you know what is in those treats.

Anthropomorphism

Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human characteristics to non-human creatures and beings, phenomena, material states and objects or abstract concepts. Okay; we are all guilty of anthropomorphizing to a degree, although some people take it to scary degrees. Last night I turned the channel to a show where human couples had adopted monkey's as their kids. No the animals were not purchased as pets; they were clearly tiny human substitutes. I watched in amazement as one woman was applying makeup to her little hairy daughter; odd to say the least. As far as dogs are concerned we all put human emotions on them at some time or another as well.

I am not into dressing dogs as humans; but I do believe in dressing for warmth. It was we humans who made the smooth coated and hairless dogs so we better keep them warm. My poodles are at this moment covered in blankets; they got a new haircut about a week ago and it was cold last night. It can be difficult not to place human emotion on our dogs but it simply is not how they work. Dog emotions are a far cry from our emotional roller coaster; they tell it like it is. Dogs don't lie; they don't play games, they don't do revenge or spite and they don't spend quality time on stupid drama. When humans think that dogs are doing some of these listed behaviors it is our mistake, not the dogs.

Dogs are very clear and when a dog is feeling; their emotions are shown in exterior body language. It is sad to see dogs clearly communicating to their guardian who in turn are oblivious to what is going on with their dog. I hate to see dogs being hauled around like a little ornaments; with no regard to the true dog wanting to be a dog. When I hear comments like "oh no she doesn't like to get dirty," or "she loves this sweater" I cringe. The list of of human emotions that some people put on their dog can lead to all sorts of issues between canine and guardian. For one; many people think that rules and regulations are mean. I see dogs who don't listen to their guardian all the time; this is probably one of my biggest irks. Dogs have to listen; yes dogs have their own mind and their own agenda but if I speak they must listen. If you have not taught your dog to listen to you; then you have failed.

Not listening and doing what they are told are entirely different; albeit the same. Not listening is simply a lack of respect and not doing as you as is very "I'll do what I want." It amazes me when people call their dog and they don't even get an acknowledgement; and they are okay with this. "Oh; she is busy right now; she didn't want to go for a walk today," or "she has to be in the mood." No; it's not cute and it could be dangerous. When you add a dog to your family you should learn about dogs; really about dogs. We are the leader; bottom line. If your dog is the leader and believe me there are a lot of leader dogs out there ruling their guardians lives. If you are not a good leader then you have failed your dog.

The term leader is getting a bad wrap these days. With regards to dogs in our home; they need a leader and that must be the human. Being a leader has nothing to do with strength, physical assertion or anger. Leadership is the act or an instance of leading; and when paired with the canine species it is our job to show them how to properly live in our very human world. But to try to mold them into little humans or misconstrue their behavior as human is unjust to them as a species. Dogs display a lot of behaviors that may be unwanted by us; and that is because they are dogs.

It is difficult to not put human emotion onto our dogs; hey I'm guilty. But to try to mold them into little humans or expect them to act like a good little human; well that is where it all goes wrong. Dogs growl, dig, mark, jump, bite, lick and steal. All of which are very unacceptable behaviors for a human; but they aren't are they?

4 years

I cannot believe it; today is my 4th anniversary of Just dogs with Sherri blog.  Back on June 4th 2007 I wrote my very first blog.  At the time I had no idea that four years later it would still be going strong, but here I am.  I love having the opportunity to share so much canine information with all of you.  Living with dogs is a lot of fun, often a challenge, can be hysterical of course when many times you feel like crying and to be able to share all this with you has been wonderful.

When I sit down to write my blog each and every day I am often inspired by the dog world around me.  Sometimes I get bloggers block and have a difficult time coming up with an idea.  I have asked my family and friends and you my readers for inspiration; things you'd like to see a blog about and you didn't let me down.  I have tried to address hot topics, controversial subject matter, things that touch your heart, current happenings, new products, fun events and everything else that has to do with dogs in our day to day.  I have introduced you to my life and my dogs, Jessie, Tilley and Luke and shared our life together.  As we go through issues; from behavior, health, nutrition and more I try to pass on information to you the best I can.

We've been through a lot in the past four years; many canine health issues have come up.  When I share these with you I hope that maybe it has helped even one dog or person.  It is amazing when you hear about other people's lives and how they can reflect on your own, it makes our world a whole lot smaller.  Knowing that other people are dealing with the same issues that you are can help just knowing that you are not alone.  I know that when I hear about a new illness that I'd not heard of before I put it into the back file in my memory bank; perhaps someday I will call upon it.  We all hope that the life we share with our dogs will be a smooth one; filled with health and happiness but that is not always the case.

I truly hope that the joy I get from writing about dogs brings you even a fraction of enjoyment from reading it that it brings me.  I know that I was meant to have a dogs life and a dogs life I have.  Whether I am training, listening, watching, photographing, writing or simply being with a dog it is where I was meant to be.  Thank you for allowing me to share my passion of the canine species with you all.  I look forward to many more years.

Rare breeds

Over the years I've seen a lot of dogs so I recognize most purebreds.  Occasionally I will see a dog that I will have never set eyes on one before.  I love when this happens, I enjoy nothing more than seeing and hearing about a new breed.  I love to hear about their heritage; what they were originally bred for and how much of their natural traits are still there.   At a rare breed dog show I got to see some of these guys that I'd not seen before.

There is an association for these rare breeds who are not yet or may never be recognized by the AKC.  The
American Rare Breed Association list the rare breeds and when and if they are ever recognized by the AKC.

The Red and White Setter, beautiful.  This was the first Red and White I'd seen in person.

The tenacious Patterdale Terrier  I'd not seen one of these guys in person before; they are very rare.

The amazing Beauceron  I've photographed these guys before but never this color.  Note on the back foot the double dew claws.

This was definitely a first for me; I'd never even heard of this breed.  Danish/Swedish Farmdogs.

The Leonberger was recognized by the AKC in 2010 but at the time of this image they were not recognized yet and I think he is gorgeous.  I have shot this breed several times.  In fact yesterdays black and white shot of the dog coming out of the water was a Leonberger, a different dog, different shoot.  Great dogs; huge with lots of hair.

Miniature Australian Shepherd; although I have photographed many of these, none quite as cute or tiny.  

No matter what size, shape, color or coat type, mix or purebred I love them all.  Dogs.

A dog's life

Summer is now upon us; not officially but it's heating up.  With summer comes new puppies; lots of new puppies. If you are in "the search" stage; you should be asking yourself a lot of questions along the way so that hopefully you will end up with the perfect match for your family. Adding a dog to your family is a win, win situation. You get the dog you wanted and you give a dog the life they always wanted, right? But what does a dog want in their life? Wow, have you ever considered what your dogs life aspirations are beyond the food bowl and cookie jar?

If it was up to them what would they want their life to look like? Well, looking at my three on the bed with me at the moment; a comfy place to sleep comes to mind. They love comfort and those people who think it is weird that a dogs wants somewhere comfortable to sleep just don't get dogs. As I have said many times before; my house both inside and out is filled with dog beds, all of which are used on a daily basis. So comfort would definitely be on the "want list" for our dogs.

Next would be companionship, both canine and human. Dogs in the wild don't need humans but our domesticated guys need us for sure. I am a huge believer in multiple dog households, that is only if you want more than one dog though. I think it is very good for dogs to live with dogs as well as humans. Humans are great to live with aren't we? Well, not all of us but even as great as some of us are; we aren't dogs and dogs need other dogs in their lives.

Food is a big one; for some dogs it would be number one on the list; like my Jack Russell. And I'm thinking if it was really up to our dogs they would be eating a raw diet, or at least a "real food" diet. I don't imagine any dog would choose to eat a dry bowl of the same kibble day in and day out. They would like bones as well, dogs love to chew bones contrary to what some people believe. I've seen it with my own eyes.

Exercise would be on the list as well, dogs love to run and they love to join us on outings. Of course they have their favorite forms of exercise; many dogs love to retrieve, some obsessively like my girl Tilley. Almost all dogs love to run free and when you watch them; there is no mistaking the pure joy of running for them. Some have learned that frisbee is the greatest thing in life, others may love the challenge of the agility course but whatever it is; dogs love to move.

Dogs love to go different places as well and experience many aspects of our life with us. Where we go our dogs want to follow, travelling as a pack. Taking our dogs to different environments is good for their mind, it is very stimulating. It also helps them to enjoy life more; the more they are introduced to the easier it is for them to enjoy our human world.

Dogs are a simple species in regards to "needs." They are happy with very little; they don't need fancy collars, leashes, clothing, eye wear, houses or designer beds. They need us and we need them. Having chosen to be a canine guardian you have taken on the responsibility of giving your dog a good life. Is your dog enjoying their dog life?

Mixed messages

I was at the harbor on the weekend where I saw a guy pushing his dog into a down while he met another dog.  The dog that was being pushed down was an Alaskan Malamute and the dog he was meeting was a young boxer, not really young but not quite a year it looked like.  The Alaskan was not comfortable being in a down position while meeting this other dog.  The other dog was quite apprehensive which I'm assuming is why the Alaskan was being put into a down.

So let's pick apart what was going on in this situation.  A young insecure boxer was to meet a very large husky dog who looked very friendly and energetic.  Maybe a bit too energetic to meet for the boxer, but it would probably be a good experience.  Unfortunately what was happening was that the Alaskan was being wound up by being continually put into a down, where he did not want to be.  He had something to say obviously and it was not that he was a submissive dog.  The Alaskan became more and more agitated as his owner manhandled him into a  down.  This happened several times until there was to be no meeting and they parted ways.

Placing a dog in a down to meet another dog is fine if your dog is fine with it.  In fact many meetings improve once the very big dog is down and smaller, less threatening.  But if the big dog does not want to be down; then down is not where they should be.  A dominant dog forced into a submissive position has more to prove; they don't want to come across as a submissive dog.  Each time this Alaskan Malamute broke his down he assumed his tiptoe posture.  He was friendly but confident.

The Alaskan simply wanted to say "hi; I'm a big and confident guy."  But instead; his human kept interrupting causing him to start over and speak more loudly each time.   Often dogs will lay down all on their own when they see that a dog is fearful, I love when this is a natural response.  It is very important to know your dog and not force a situation.  Forcing almost always backfires.  

Yesterday

I hope that you all had a great weekend.  We had a pretty good weekend; finishing up some renovating, a walk at the harbor, morning at the beach and a few slow poke walks at the park.   We spent a great deal of time at home; my favorite thing to do.  Last night we watched a movie and I thoroughly enjoyed having my room back in order.  The dogs clearly did too as they joined me on the couch.  Our couch is 13' long; great for lots of people, or lots of dogs as it was last night.  Me, Luke, Jessie and at the end Tilley.  All covered up and on blankets; it is a very content time of the day.

During the day we had some outings.  Things are getting a bit tough though with our trips out with a dog.  It is becoming more difficult to bring either Jessie or Tilley along; that is if we are planning any amount of walking or time spent.  Yesterday was a big walk at the harbor, even big for Luke now nearing 11 years.  There is just no way that Tilley or Jessie could join us.  It is heartbreaking leaving them behind but as a canine guardian it is what we have to do, use our head.  Jessie isn't as difficult to leave as Tilley; Tilley stands blinking at the front door as I quickly exit and lock it behind me, I just hate it.

Luke is definitely showing signs of age before either Tilley or Jessie did.  It is genetics and structure and he is suffering earlier than the girls did.  He is stiff after long walks and he is always tweaking that long neck of his.  But he has the energy to go so we keep it at walking now.  Even if he is off leash he does one initial burst of speed and then pretty much walks.

So yesterday Luke got to go to the harbor and today to the beach.  Jessie has a sore leg or paw, not quite sure what is going on so she rested and we may visit the vet tomorrow.  Today we spent 3 hours at the beach; we didn't walk that far but it was a very stimulus filled day for Luke and he was zonked once we hit the car.  On the ride home I stated that there too will come a day when Luke can't go; but we didn't discuss that further.

It is not easy leaving dogs behind but you simply have to listen to your head and not your heart.  The girls get their snail walks. Tilley loves nothing more than a game of ball in the yard, it's what she lives for.  But neither can do the distance and even my baby Luke is finding it more tedious.  So at the end of a long weekend we all piled onto the very long couch once again and had a snugglefest, everyones favorite activity these days.

Happy Memorial Day

Have a wonderful day everyone, enjoy and stay safe.  See you all tomorrow.

Sherri

Dogs and gear

I love dog gear; I mean really great and useful dog gear.  Over the years I've been through mountains of the stuff; I have a bucket load of leashes and collars that I plan on going through.  Once I decide which are keepers I will donate the rest to a needy rescue.  Fortunately a good leash can last a lifetime; that is if Fido doesn't chomp it in half.  I have bags, poop bag carriers, back packs, water bottle holders galore, harnesses, bowls etc.  So what makes something "great gear" for me and my gang? 

I like utility, I am not into glitz for dogs without usefulness, although dog glitz for me, yes.  I like my gear to be tough enough to take a beating.  I bought my Xterra for that reason, toughness and utility.  I also like if the gear is smart and useful; does it do what it is suppose to do?  Can it hold up or is it made to look good and crush under the first sign of use?  We all know that there are lot's of things out there that are not good quality, both for dogs and for humans.  Doesn't it make you so angry when you buy something for your dog only to have it break or be useless on the first try?


When you enter a pet store it is literally mind boggling to see the amount of "stuff" that we can buy for our dogs.  And I am the first to admit that I love dog stuff; but it has to be good dog stuff as I've said.   I've made many bad purchases and tested some really stupid stuff but when I find a great product, service or dog essential I share it.  I love when someone comes up with a fabulous idea and runs with it.  Even more so I love a company that stands behind their product.  So if you are a regular reader you will have already seen many items that I've either purchased and loved or been given to test and review.

I'm always on the hunt for new cool stuff for our dogs; and new cool dog stuff for those of us who are dog lovers.  I will let you know when I find cool dog stuff for us too.  Anyone who loves dogs as much as we do like to wear and sport dog apparel regularly right?  Finding new accessories, clothing, car decal, bags and dog stuff that you just have to have can be a challenge.  But it's a challenge that I'm up to so I will search high and low and find the coolest things that I can for both your dog and for you and I will share it here, on my blog. 

Now off hunting I go.

Don't lie

It has come to my attention recently that we as a human race tend to lie to our dogs quite a bit.  And I am here to tell you to try not to.  Oh sure there are the times when we are in a panic; perhaps there is impending danger and all we have to fall back on is a lie, but that is the only time a lie should be pulled out.  I'm sure many of you are thinking "I don't lie to my dog," right?  So you've never yelled out "Cookie?"  This while standing in the park and then hooked up your dog and gone home without delivering the cookie?  You've never told your pooch that you were going in the car so that they'd come in the house or come? 

We've all done it; although I try my hardest not to because there are fallout issues with lying to our dogs.  The biggest issue is the ignoring issue.  Have you said "cookie, car or walk" one too many times and not produced what you said?  Well then we have the "never cry wolf" issue.  Someone I know has done this a lot lately; I'm not mentioning any names but lets just say I know him well.  What happens when you lie to your dog often is a diminished verbal reliance.  The word which use to hold so much power has now become a neutral word, not good. 

For our dogs; everything is black and white.  They have a hardtime with gray; the clearer we can make our communications the better.  With enough training and repetition some of our words weild great power while others just mean what they mean.  So if we over use and under produce we tarnish our reputation and our words.

Tone factors in when communicating as well.  I can say to Luke "did you see any lizards today?"   If I say it in a very loud asking tone he flies from whatever he is doing to see if there are indeed any lizards.  If I ask him in a low boring sort of tone he gets his ears up but doesn't fly off the handle.  You must be careful how you use your words; specifically the ones that our dogs understand.  These are golden or should I say silver?  Silver because it can tarnish if not taken care of; we need to treasure our words of communication and not throw them around willy nilly. 

Before you speak, think.

Great kid

When I was at the park the other day, Luke and I were enjoying the crisp cool air as were many others.  We'd made our way around the park once and were just about to cut across the field when I saw and heard a little girl on a bike yelling at me.  As we got closer she shouted out "I think that's a poodle, is that a poodle?"  First off let me say how shocked I was that she knew that Luke is a poodle; I've had other poodle owners ask me what he is.  "Is that a doodle?"  NO for the millionth time.  This little girl who had to be no more than 3 or 4 knew.

She stopped her bike; then said "he looks different, he's missing, missing his poofs."  "Yep I cut them off," I told her.  "Oh, you cut them off," she said nodding as though this made clear sense now.  How cute is this little girl?  Then she says; as we are about 10 feet away at this point "can I pet your dog?"  What?  Did she really ask me that?  Someone has taught this girl well.  I couldn't help but smile, this little girl doing it the right way.  She never approached us until I told her that she could indeed pet the dog.  But of course I didn't tell her this until I yelled to what looked like her Grandma.  She nodded so I told her she could pet him.

She comes over quietly and calmly pets Luke's back.  Her little brother was on a scooter and he dropped it and ran when he saw his sister petting a dog. He had to be around two and said to me "is that a doodle?"  I laughed because I'm pretty sure he meant to say poodle.  He too pet Luke calmly on the back as I monitored the situation.  Luke was calm and being a good boy.  The two children were done in a split second and ran back to their bikes.  I smiled at their Grandma and said "great kids."  She was beaming of course; as any good Grandmother should be.

This was a great interaction with little kids and a strange dog.  Not all are like this and it is completely the fault of the parents.  More than once I've had to hold my hand out keeping a child at bay as they swing their arms around attempting to throw them around my dog's neck.  Not all dogs are okay with kids; this is a fact.  And if you do not teach your children to respect dogs, then they could be the victim of a dog bite which could have been avoided.  Some dogs are down right freaked by children; perhaps never having been accustom to them being around.  Children are very different than adults; they move differently, faster and haphazardly.

Child/dog interactions also need a huge amount of supervision, adult supervision.  Dogs are very clear in their communications but children will not notice; that's your job.  It is our job to protect our children and to protect our dogs.

Happy Birthday Jessie

15 years; 15 years is a longtime especially when 9 of those years feel like an amazing gift.  Today is Jessie's birthday; she is 15. We were given 9 years longer than we thought we would have with this little dynamite dog.  You can read her story and her struggles here, The little dog that could  But be forewarned, I cannot read it without crying.  Of course this doesn't mean that you will but it gets me each and every time and I wrote it.

                                          Get your very own merchandise with the tenacious J on it.

This last year has seen many changes in the life of our little Jack Russell.  She was struck by dementia or canine cognitive dysfunction.  this past Christmas so we are plodding along.  Up until that point in time she had only had a few odd behaviors now and again.  Jessie is a huge force in our family as she has maintained her "top dog" status throughout the years.  Her first conquer was a male Standard poodle that we had, Clyde.  He was much older than Jessie but he was quickly and efficiently demoted.

She has always been the "supreme" dog; letting all dogs who meet her know this fact instantly.  Over the years I've grown accustom to blurting out "she's not friendly" as people are oddly drawn to her with their dog.  As soon as she meets another dog she stiffens up and her hair goes all the way up.  She walks on her tip toes very slowly and methodically.  If the other dog doesn't understand this and continues with their approach; well lets just say it doesn't normally go very well.  Although there have been times when Jessie has shocked the pants of me and been downright cordial.  It really depends on the level of groveling that the other dog offers, grovel well and keep your head.  :)

                                                                            Jessie calendar

I have to say that I have never had a 15 year old dog; our dogs have all gone at around the age of 13.  They have all been large dogs which is pretty average.  But I now have a 14 year old large dog and 15 year old small one (body only).  Throughout the years Jessie has shown me just what tenacious means and when someone says Jack Russell Terror I know exactly what they mean.  But it also brings a smile; how can you not love that much confidence in such a small package?

Even though Jessie is now often confused she is very healthy physically.  So here is to many more years with this crazy little munchkin.

Food bowl guarding

After a very long and controversial, yep controversial conversation yesterday about food bowl guarding and how to best fix it I got my inspiration for today's blog.  Even though food bowl guarding is very unwanted and can be a dangerous behavior, it is amazingly common.  Dogs don't share; let me just get that out there first.  Oh yes there are those who don't give a hoot about anything; anyone can take anything from them and they don't care.  I'm not talking about those guys.  Even the most meek dog who has very little confidence will try guarding once in a while.

But to guard; one must possess desire.

Desire: to wish or long for; crave; want.

Occasionally a guarding behavior will become habitual; meaning that even if a dog doesn't really want a certain item, guarding has become the go to behavior for everything.  Nipping a guarding behavior in the bud is essential; but it takes smarts, human smarts.  Many people just take the item away; perhaps they smack or yell at the dog and then take it away.  Sometimes people do an alpha roll or scruff a dog when they guard their food bowl. All of these mentioned reactions are not great ideas; in fact they will often make the problem worse.  What is going on in a dog's head when they food bowl growl is that they want to make sure that no one is going to take their stuff.  So if you take it away from them everytime they growl...........................yep; you give them cause to guard their food.  Ponder on that for a bit. 

Even if you have never touched their stuff; your dog may think that you want it.  And in your dog's eyes it may be a very valuable commodity.   Essentially what you have to do is change the way your dog feels about you or others around their bowl.  Through association you are going to recondition their automatic response.  So what would the best association be when someone approaches your bowl?  Probably that they are bringing some delicious food to you!!!!!!! Bingo.  Depending on the degree of food bowl guarding will be where you start and how quickly you progress.  It begins with hand feeding which is extremely important.  Get rid of the bowl and take control of the food allotment.

Once you have a dog that is comfortable with being hand fed their meal; you can re-introduce the bowl but don't feed in it yet, just have it hang around near the hand feeding.  Then you start dropping piece at a time into the bowl and leave your hand in there occasionally adding really yummy stuff like cheese, chicken or liver.  Something obviously different from whatever they are eating.  Then you add more food at a time and drop the yummy stuff in while you sit and hold the bowl.  You work up to feeding a whole meal and dropping yummy stuff into the bowl.

I suggest dropping good food into all dog bowls while they are eating.  Even if they do not have an issue with guarding their bowl; this makes a humans presence around the bowl a great thing.  As well as picking the bowl up mid meal every once in a while.  Add some delicious tidbits, stir it around and give it back better than when you took it away.  Don't take it for long, just a couple of seconds.  Do not take the bowl until your dogs is looking at you with excitement when you approach the bowl. 

I still push my hand into all of my dog's bowl and drop in something yummy.  It keeps even the slightest idea that someone is going to "take it" completely away.  If you have a new puppy, start this right away and you won't ever run into "food bowl guarding."