Finding the good guys

Life in general can be a challenge to sift through the mediocre, bad and deceitful.   How many times have you thought that you were hiring the best only to find out you made a very bad choice and may have just hired the worst.  Perhaps someone you thought was an upstanding, honest and reliable person turned out to be someone you would have never associated with.  Well the dog world is the same; it can be a monumental task to say the least.

When I started as a dog trainer; I heard that I was the second trainer at least a dozen times.  Second trainer because after the first guy was paid he never came back.  Can you even imagine?  One very nice training client had put her faith in a training facility where you leave your dog.  She had faith in him; he was a professional and he said that her dog would be ruined if she didn't leave him.  When she returned to pick up her dog she found a shell of her former dog; listless and scary skinny.  She was mortified; felt betrayed and was guilt ridden.

Finding the "good guys" can be a challenge.  Research, recommendations, more research and a visual is imperative.  The most important thing to remember is; if you are EVER leaving your dog somewhere you must  be able to visit.  Whether it is a breeder, a boarding kennel, training facility, groomers or daycare you should never be denied visitation.  I have heard of several places that do not allow visits, never.  Their reasoning is that it will interfere, upset the dog.

If anyone ever says that you cannot stop by and see either a facility where you are leaving your dog or getting a new dog then I say DON'T DO IT.  If someone doesn't want you to see; then there is a reason.  Being a professional anything is never a guarantee of honesty; trust or care for you or your dog.

We work hard to gain the trust of our dogs.  When we achieve that trust it is our obligation to find other trust worthy people who we choose to care or work with our dogs.  When you do find someone who is reliable and honest; share them with your friends because you have found  one of  "the good guys."

1000 words in one moment

I take a lot of images; often getting the shots is all about me being fast enough, like yesterdays blog photos.  Other times it's being in the right place at the right time.  Photos can portray every emotion there is; a photo should stir emotion.  That emotion can be anything from joy, happiness, fear, sadness............anything really. 

When I uploaded the photos from the dog walk the other day, I'd hoped that I had captured a moment.  Sifting through the images I stopped on one particular shot, the shot.  The one I'd hoped to have captured and I did.  It is a moment; one that you cannot set up, a time that I was very happy that I had my camera with me and ready.  I'd taken a couple of shots of cute puppies in a cage; puppies who were looking for a forever home (top photo).   I don't know how many shots I have of dogs looking hopeless out of cages; I do know that I have too many. 

I walked over to where my husband was chatting with a guy who had this dog (below) and a Golden type dog looking for homes.  When my camera clicked the shot; this gal very shyly turned her head and quietly walked away.  No more shots of her were going to be taken.  She didn't freak out, she just wasn't a fan of having her photo taken. 

I headed back to where I had been photographing the tiny chihuahua puppies.  Standing back to take in all the booths and checking out what I might have missed; I turned around, the below image was before me.

The little girl desperately wanted to touch; I would imagine she'd been told not to put her fingers in the cage.  This little puppy wanted just as desperately to touch the little girl.  The pup reached out several times and I took a few shots hoping that I'd caught the moment.  For me this is a powerful image; and a little overwhelming.  I feel like we are missing the point with dogs; so many sad homeless dogs, so many left abandoned and abused.  We have such a strong natural connection; the human/canine connection.  So many miss it; countless humans will never get it, the emotional connection well beyond their grasp. 

What are we doing?  We need to reach out and take that tiny paw;** make the connection and become better human beings.  Like I said; 1000 words.

**Not literally; you should never reach fingers into a cage.  This little girl had it correct.

Disc dogs

I planned on attending a local dog walk Saturday morning but lagged and arrived late. The event was still on but the disc dogs were done. This is the group of disc dogs and their owners that Tilley and I had the chance to play with a few times. Disc dogs in Southern California is an impressive group of flying canines and their human partners. I was disappointed that I'd missed the chance to shoot some flying dogs but Benny Wong was a member of the Purina Incredible Dog Team offered to throw the disc for one of his dogs for me. He brought out the youngest member of his pack and gave us an amazing disc flying display.

Below are a few of the images that I captured of Benny and his dog Skid; a three year old Border Collie who was more than happy to oblige.

Skid keeps her eye on the prize

Leaping, diving and running are all part of the fun of discing.

Disc dog anticipation.

The close bond between dog and handler is evident as they play.

With a disc in her mouth she looks for the next toss.

It's a serious workout.

For a dog with high drive; disc catching can be one of their favorite things to do.

Yep, dogs can fly.

Just imagine catching everything with your mouth; add in the amazing leaps and flights.

Focus.

At the end of the day it's all about the human, canine connection.

Thank you Benny and Skid.

Happy Father's Day

I want to wish all of you dog loving Dads a great Father's Day.

Driving down the street the other day I had to smile; there was a very big man with the tiniest of dogs.  In fact the size difference made the dog almost invisible.  At the park when we are making our rounds I smile seeing a guy playing fetch with his boxer.  Guys with dogs is a wonderful thing; men who have a close relationship with their dogs; for me are the best guys out there.

 Happy Fathers day to you all.

They really are amazing

Yesterday my husband and I were outside having a conversation when Luke came out and wandered around.  All of a sudden he was very excited; definitely after something.  He was over by the side gate; his tail wagging furiously which is a sure sign that he had found a lizard.  As I watched he stood fixed right at the crack of the gate door.  He was wagging and searching for the lizard which had obviously scooted under the door.  He suddenly darted into the house and then came out again charging the gate.

I watched intently; he sniffed under the door, the crack and along the route which the lizard would have traveled.  Right then it dawned on me "did he just go in and look out the window in the kitchen?"  Shrugging my husband said "maybe."  As I watched Luke's frustration growing at the gate he made an abrupt turn and charged back into the kitchen again.  I immediately got up to see where he'd gone; he was standing behind the kitchen table looking out the window.  He was undoubtedly viewing the lizard on the other side of the gate.  What????????  How did he know that this window looked out to the other side of the gate?  This window is literally behind the kitchen table; not a daily viewing window.

Smart, smart, smart.  Had he seen me out this window as I walked through the gate at some point?  There was no mistaking that he knew clearly that the lizard was on the other side of the gate; not just slipped away somewhere that he could not see.  I went out to be sure that there was indeed a lizard on the other side.  Luke was behind me in seconds.  Feeling his excited breathing on the back of my legs I carefully opened the gate to have a peek without letting Luke in.  With booming excitement he could not contain himself; he burst open the gate and past me after the lizard.  Yep it was there, a good sized lizard.

Problem solving; oh yes, he had solved the "I can't see the lizard" problem.

Something a little different

I am always telling you all about my dogs; how cute, how good, different behaviors and basically why they are the best dogs in the world.  Today I'd like to try something different; I'd like to hear from you all.  Now I know if I just say "tell me about your great dogs," I'll get more than I bargain for.  We all think our dogs are the best in the world right?  Just as it should be.  So..................what I'd like to know is; what is the one most important lesson that your dog or dogs have taught you?

After all the comments, and hopefully I'll get some comments, I will add mine.  I can't wait to read this.

Dogs in cars

Summer is just a few days away but in many places it's already been really hot.  Here in Southern California it could be mid January when we get summer temperatures; no matter where you are it is the temperature more than the season that I'm going talking about.  Dogs in cars; really?  Really?  Many people still leave dogs in cars to die from heat stroke.  Even if the temperature is only 75 degrees outside a car can quickly heat up to over 100.  Just the other day I went out to a store to do some clothes shopping and as I pulled up there was a car next to me, all the windows were wound up with a dog inside.  There really is only a clothes store here so this owner was shopping.   Really?  Do they think their dog is happy sitting in the car waiting for them to finish up? 

Before I left home I did my customary head count; one on the couch, one on the dog bed in my room and one on the dog bed in the family room.  Everyone was sound asleep and I left knowing that they would probably still be in the same spot when I returned, and they were.   I NEVER leave my dogs in the car for more than a few minutes and never if it's even slightly warm.  If I know I have to stop somewhere for any length of time they simply don't come.  On the rare ocassion when we are out and decide to do a quick stop; I stay in the car with the dogs while my hubby runs in.  It is just not worth the risk; plus I really really don't get it.

More than once I've entered a store and had them announce over the loud speaker that there is a dog locked in a car that needs out.  I can't see a dog panting and stressed and just go home.  People need to know that someone will say something and you will be the center of attention for leaving your dog in a hot car.  DON'T LEAVE YOUR DOG IN YOUR CAR.  JUST DON'T.  Running in quick to grab something is one thing; IF it's not hot out.  It is so sad to see dog's die every year because they were left in a car.  You are not doing your dog any favors by hauling them along and locking them up in the car while you have a leisurely shop.   

Last summer on a day that was a scorcher I had been in the parking lot of Petco. When I pulled into the lot I noticed an SUV a couple of cars over from me. The SUV had a pitbull mix and an American Bulldog in it. The windows were open a crack but the temperature was well into the 90s.  I thought to myself, okay someone just ran in and are coming out, even though a minute in this heat in a car is too long. I was having a conversation with someone on my phone sitting in my car and could feel my body starting to melt. I've said this before; I am not into this type of heat. I turned to check that the car with the dogs was gone and it was still there with the dogs panting profusely.

I excused myself from the conversation and went into the store. I asked the cashier if she knew who's car was outside with the dogs in it. She responded with a useless shrug of her shoulders and turned away. I shook my head and yelled it out "who has their dogs in the white SUV?" A young man admitted that the dogs were his and I told him he better get out there immediately. He actually thanked me which certainly surprised me.  As I walked out the doors he was right behind me, got into his suv and drove away. I stood there in complete astonishment that people still don't get it. How many times do people have to see dead or near dead dogs in a car on tv, an email, a blog or a story on the web to "get it."

Dog's don't want to sit in a car and wait for you to shop, even if it's not hot out.  Besides leaving them at home helps them adjust to being alone which in itself assists in making sure they don't have any separation anxiety issues. 

Enjoy your summer with your dog together.

The Doberman

 Jake (Jagameister's Smack Water Jack)

Why a blog on Dobermans?  This is the breed that started it all for me; and very specifically, above is THE dog.  Thirty six years ago I was handed Jake's leash and the rest as the say is history.   Janice; if you are reading this, this one's for you.

Moving onto the present................................

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Below is:

               
                                                Drake (Luddington's Harvest Knight)

I met Drake for a photo shoot this past week; it was my very first full Doberman shoot since my Doberman days so long ago.  

For me, dogs are art all on their own and Drake was surely that.  The whole shoot was filled with WOW, cute, awwwww and head shaking moments for me. 

Not only is Drake gorgeous; he's the biggest sweetheart, most definitely a poster dog for the breed.

Showing off his goofy, playful side.

An awww moment

I was smitten and I think the feelings were mutual.  For a while he wouldn't leave my side far enough to photograph him.  What a face.

I use a term often; airplane ears, it is the Doberman that started that as well.

Kissed by the sunlight; still holding his deflated ball. 

Camoflauge

After the ball

I fell in love with the Doberman Pincher many, many years ago.  Getting the chance to be up close and personal again brought back so many memories.  As I sifted through the photos;  images of the many Dobermans in my past flooded my thoughts.  This is a wonderful breed which exudes energy, athleticism and presence.  The Doberman Pincher has a regal heir about them which can camouflage their fun, goofy and mushy side.  Yep; after thirty six years I still love Dobies.  

Doberman Club of America 

Doberman Club of Canada 

Nature's Logic-Review

Luke likes what he smells

I recently did a food test on Nature's Logic dog food.  When I do a test on food or a product the guinea pigs are either my own dogs or one of the other test dogs that I have listed on my site.  This food test was done by my group; so I had to like the looks of it before it even got tested.  If I don't like what I read; I'm not going to give it to my dogs for a test.  So I obviously liked what I read about Nature's Logic first. 

No hesitation; Mr. Fussy pants digs in.

Association of American Feed Control Officials state that Nature's Logic is complete and balanced for all stages of life.  If a food is not at least substantiated by AAFCO then don't waste your money.

The food is made in the US which is great; it is also a high protein food.  My gang tried the dry chicken and beef dry food; and all the canned flavors.  I even gave Luke the sardine variety and he ate it.  The first night I opened the can and took a sniff; it smelled pretty good for canned dog food.  Everyone ate like champs and no one got upset.  That is a big test first and foremost for me; being that my dogs eat a huge variety of food they should easily be able to eat a "good" new food without a problem.  There was no problem with the transition to these foods. 

I especially liked the ingredients on the canned food and plan to keep several cans in my pantry.  In fact when I last visited the pet food stores I bought more of the beef for Luke.  With less processing and a higher moisture content it is much closer to real food than dry.  Each of my dogs enjoyed all the different flavors; Luke really enjoyed the beef and chowed down which is very unlike him.  The protein source ingredients on the canned food is impressive:  Beef, Beef Broth, Beef Liver, Sardines, Cottage Cheese and is filled with fruits and vegetables. 

The dried food was a big hit with all three of my dogs as well.  I fed them from their bowls and did the toss the food around the yard routine.  All the food was eaten except for Luke's of course, he always has to leave something.  Although he did not leave as much as with other dog foods.   I had a small bag of each type of dry; because Jessie is small I was able to keep her on the chicken dry for two weeks.  She has done great on it; she eats every bit and has not had upset once.

Unfortunately I was unable to get a raw sample from my closest store so I will visit another shop and let you know when I try it.  The list of ingredients again is impressive and looks to be a very high quality frozen raw food for dogs.

Nature's Logic has a thorough website listing all of their products, ingredients and locations to buy their foods and supplements.  A FAQ page is included on their site which is extremely helpful; there were several questions that I had which were answered on their page.

The gang and I give this dog food 4 paws up.  If you are going to feed your dog, dog food, feed them the best you can buy.  

Retrieving

This is a game not played often anymore between these two.  Tilley gets the ball and Luke tries to get it         from Tilley.

Ah the joy of retrieving; even at the age of 14 years Tilley loves nothing more than retrieving.  Yesterday I filled up their kiddie pool and tossed some tennis balls and sinking rubber toys in for her.  Luke gets out his one ball and Tilley proceeds to empty the pool.  She usually puts all the toys in a pile and then waits for them to be put back into the pool so that she can start over.  She has a bit of a time because of her Vestibular disease but does pretty darned good.  

   
   Luke's ball went over the rail and down the stairs, he stared at it for so long then charged down after it.

 

Taking a corner after the ball.

Found it; happy guy.

There are many different types of retrieving dogs and some who have retriever in their name but wouldn't think of chasing a ball if you begged them to. I have had several training clients who were very upset that their retrievers didn't like to retrieve. My husband always wanted a golden retriever; now we have one. Luke is golden color and loves to retreive; there you go. Both poodles are maniac retrievers; and love nothing more than chasing the ball. In fact both dogs love to retrieve just about anything. 

Tilley has OCD and chases shadows which quickly became a problem.  With her shadow chasing bad behavior I had to switch her chase drive onto something else for her own safety. First it was balls and then onto frisbees which she was unbelievably amazing at. She has actually been on Pet Star twice; I'm in the process of trying to get a video of her from Animal Planet.  We progressed to the frisbee; other options are Flyball which is a great outlet or field trials or perhaps agility.  

But not all dogs have drive; it actually amazes me when I see dogs interacting in a friendly manner to rabbits, birds or other small critters. Some may never become interested in retrieving; so for those guys you have to look at what they like to do.  My dogs are all very wired to chase, but they do not all kill. My JRT use to kill small things like lizards, birds, mice, rabbbits etc. But my poodles just love the chase.

Retrieving is great for exercising your dog; especially if you are not big on jogging yourself. But you must take great care if you have an obsessive retriever; they tend to not watch where they are going and only keep their eye on the ball so to speak.  If you have a retrieving loving dog it is wonderful to give them an outlet for this drive.  Teaching them what to retrieve is a start; where and when is the next important thing.  Tilley has learned not to chase shadows anywhere but in her own backyard and at the age of 14 she reserves it for when I join her in the yard.  

So if you want to get your dog retrieving, you must make the item to be retrieved the greatest most fun thing in the world first.  If you don't accomplish this, forget it.

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.