New digs

I'm getting new digs and I'm stoked about it.  A new office............wooooohoooooo.  We've been working very hard to transform the room into my office.  New paint, new carpet, desk (coming on Saturday) and yesterday a new book shelf.  A book shelf!!!!!!!!!!!!! and it's half stocked already.  Last night I sat sifting through my books that had been boxed up and in storage for years.  I'd gone through them several times over the years; moved them back and forth from rooms to the garage and thinned.

I collected dog books for many years but after several severe household leaks with boxes and boxes of books I had to thin.  Once I'd gotten rid of the damaged books I took a good hard look at the rest of what was left.  From there I donated anything that I didn't consider re-readable.  To me that means a book that I will reference again; these are not novel type books but educational behavior and health texts.  So last night I had two boxes to go through; and once again I tossed a couple.  What I have left has had a huge impact on who I am today as far as a dog owner, trainer and behavior specialist.

My new book shelf has compartments so I divided my books into several sections.  One is for humans which at this point only contains two books.  A compartment for behavior and training related books which will easily turn into two or more sections.  Another for breed specific books.  And the last is nutritional and heath so far.  Just going through these books gave me a sense of anew; I am driven by the desire to learn more always and having my books at my finger tips is a great feeling.

I realized as I headed off to bed last night that my night table is piled high with newer dog books.  I will tackle those today; that is to say put them in their place as these are all definite keepers.  Next week will start a new chapter in my new office and I'm more than ready to get the party started.   This weekend I will be looking for two very large dog beds for the office; after all what is an office without dogs?  Especially the office of Just dogs with Sherri?

A whisper

I miss it; the drastically reduced volume of a whisper.  Not long ago I could whisper the word "lizard" sending all the dogs into a hunting frenzy.  Not anymore, only one can hear the hushed words now, just Luke.  I find myself whispering to him often these days; it's a good feeling when he raises his ears to hear the barely audible words that I am sending out hoping that he will hear them.

Much of my day is spent bellowing and signaling, thank goodness Tilley still has her vision so I can signal to her instead of yelling all the time.  The yelling isn't really yelling but more of an attempt to send out some vibrations.  I really have nothing to say; I simply blurt out the waves that will hopefully reach them so that both Tilley and Jessie will turn.  What I am finding is that it is very difficult to get their attention with sound waves.  Unfortunately the waves pass them by bouncing on whatever is behind them giving off a false location of my whereabouts.  This is all new, sad yet interesting.  I'm going to try a flashlight; many trainers use flashlights for the deaf dogs as a behavior marker.  Perhaps it will work for my girls.

Whispering is wonderful, that is when your dog can hear a whisper.  A whisper holds much power; somehow a whisper is far more interesting than a louder delivery of the same words.   When I started training as a very inexperienced 13 year old we were taught to belt out our commands; loud and deep.  If you meant business you had to yell; obedience class was far from a calm, relaxing or fun place.  There was no whispering at class, not back then.

 Funny how the term "whisperer" itself has positive connotations.  The Horse Whisperer or the original Dog Whisperer Paul Owens.   I read Paul's book many years ago; he was the original and is still the true Whisperer.  There is no force, no alpha, no yanking.  My husband has always called me the dog whisperer but I have to concede that it is Paul who owns that title.   Dogs use so much more than their hearing; it is in fact a back up.  Reading of body language is used far more than their hearing ability.  You can say a great deal without every uttering a word.  But when you do speak; a whisper is often all that is needed.

Try it; whisper to your dog, you will have their undivided attention.    

Getting out

Getting out, going out  for a run is important for dogs.  Not only is getting out and running important as far as the exercise aspect of it all but the experience is essential as well.  Dogs need to run; how much depends on the individual dog.  Many dog owners feel that their dog needs to run for hours and hours but they may be missing the mark.  Like athletes who become marathon runners; you can find yourself needing more and more to get that satisfied feeling.  Too much of anything can be bad, even exercise.  Dogs also need to learn to relax and be calm; sometimes too much exercise can interfere with that.

The experience of the run or outing is crucial for a happy hound.  That means that they need environmental stimulus to keep them happy.  Much like us, staring at four walls all day can make you a little crazy.  Many folks head out for their daily walk or run and leave their dog at home which doesn't make a whole lot of sense.  Leash them up and take them with you; you'll have a much happier dog.  They will get their exercise, and get a good dose of socializing and stimulation.

If you have an elderly dog then of course you must cut back on distance and intensity.  Tilley goes out for a very small walk a couple of times a week now, she is 14.5 years old.  But she does play a great deal of ball and water retrieving in the yard.  By the age of 12 she had really been cut back, it is easy to tell when you need to start cutting back. It is difficult on us, guilt weighs heavy when you are required to shorten walks or eliminate them completely but it is something that we must do.  Once a walk is too much, simply sitting on a park bench can be more than enough stimulus for an oldie.

Luke went down to the canyon on the weekend with my husband and son.  He has had to cut way back on his distance; he's been getting very stiff after big runs so this was a big treat.  It had been a while since he'd been down there for a run and he was beaming.  Luke is a very competitive dog and when he saw my son take off on his mountain bike he took off after him and was out in front before long.  Of course he over did it but my husband told me that he was grinning from ear to ear.  Luke is one of those dogs who loves to run for the sake of running; it is pure joy to watch him.  Although now at 11 years of age he doesn't do nearly what he use to.

If your dog is not accustom to going the distance then start out slow and work up.  If your dog is horrible on leash, the type that drags you down the street then get a no pull harness.  Work at teaching your dog to run along side of you and no crossing over.  The cross over while you are running can be a very dangerous one so they must learn to stay on one side while on leash.   With a  little time and effort you can really enjoy being out walking or running with your dog and kill two birds with one stone doing it.

Labor Day

I hope you all have a wonderful Labor Day today; the day when you should not be laboring.  So taking my own advice, I'll stop typing now.  Have a great one and I'll see you all tomorrow.

Sherri

Second time around

I just finished at the gym and hit the supermarket on the way home. I'll have some happy dogs today; I scored on a pile of whole chickens at .69/lb. Got some tri tip; beef liver and frozen ground turkey, nice. So it will only be moments until Mr. Luke gets a wiff and is down in the kitchen. Okay; enough about my morning, I want to discuss second hand dogs today. First off what is a second hand dog? For me; all dogs who have had a previous home and now live with a new family are second hand dogs. This is no way means that they are second grade; in fact many of these dogs turn out to be the absolute best dogs.

There are alot of ways to get a second hand dog. One is to go to the shelter and adopt one of the many dogs there waiting for a new home. Another is to look in the paper or a Craigs List type place for a dog; many people acquire a dog and for some reason or other cannot keep it. These days financial issues are a common reason for rehoming a dog and sometimes life just throws us a curve ball. Yet another way to get a second hand dog is to acquire a rescue. Now the term "rescue" is used loosely these days; seems every dog who is a second hand dog is considered a rescue.

Rescue: to free or deliver from confinement, violence, danger, or evil. So this pretty much explains where a rescue dog fits in. Many dogs are actual rescues; saved from a horrific life of pain, suffering and strife. Dogs taken from Puppy Mills that have been raided are indeed rescue dogs. Dogs abandoned and saved from a life on the street are rescues. Many of the lucky rescues end up in a foster for some rehabilitation before being rehomed.

But many second hand dogs are simply rehomed dogs; dogs who have gone from one home to another. When you add a second hand dog to your home there is often alot of unanswered questions. You may know a bit about this dogs past life; perhaps you will know nothing of their past life. Often when a behavior issues arises with a second hand dog the new guardian has no idea where or why it has appeared. Being that you may know nothing about this new dogs past life you must deal with the issue at hand. Having a professional help with the problem can be very enlightening.

I think the most common misconception is that a fearful dog means that it has been beaten. Many dogs are never socialized properly; putting an under socialized dog into a new environment is very stressful. And this stress often results in a dog that cringes away giving it a "must have been beaten," look. Recently I was asked if my little Jack Russell was a rescue. After telling a gentleman at the park that she was not social he concluded she must be a rescue. Funny the idea people have in their head of rescues or second hand dogs. And no she was not a rescue; she is a terrier and a very tenacious terrier at that, even at almost 14 years of age.

The most common behavior issue that I have seen with second hand dogs is separation anxiety; true separation anxiety. This makes perfect sense if you think about it. Even if the new home is a better place for the dog; he/she has a sense of wanting to go back home. Where has the family gone? Of course not all dogs display this and there are extreme differences and levels of separation anxiety if they do display it. We cannot sit our new dog down and explain what has happened; they have no idea why they are in a new home. So time, patience and understanding are in order.

Dogs adjust; they happen to be a very flexible species. Bonding can happen very quickly depending on the dog. Sometimes it never happens; this is a sad but possible situation, it all depends on the dog, the person, the past and present. Often a dog a dog may seem to be the best dog ever and after a few months they make a complete turn around. Dogs tend to hide their insecurities; once they relax into their new home you get to see the real dog come out. This can take days to months to happen and it is often when I get the call for help.

So if you are adding a second hand dog to your family; take it slow, get to know this dog as it unravels over time. There may be many hidden secrets behind those amazing eyes; many you will never know. But a dog is a dog and worth every moment shared.

Bringing home the goods

Recently my husband was away on a business trip.  The dogs are accustom to his absence but are always sort of on pins and needles until his return home.  Luke often gets antsy; he barks more often, stands looking at the door and is generally in "wait mode" if Dad is away too long.  This trip was a quick one but none the less he got a giant sized canine greeting when he got home.

Tilley was at the door immediately which was actually surprising as she rarely hears comings and goings any longer.  Luke stood on his couch barking Dad's arrival and once I entered the scene he dove off the couch and attacked his Dad.  There was head butting, biting, pushing, huffing and kisses to be given.  It is a tornado of activity but is over as quickly as it started.  The commotion is over but the following commences immediately after.  They both stick close to Dad just in case he tries to get away again.

On this trip my husband found some great snacks for the dogs.  He brought home a bag of Omaha Steak and told the dogs he'd brought something for them; the excitement began again.  Luke ADORES getting gifts; I believe that he loves opening them more than what is actually inside but this one was a bit different.  All the dogs love beef but unfortunately Jessie is allergic so this gift was strictly for the poodles.  Beef is Luke's favorite meat by far so this was a very big treat.  He could barely contain his excitement as he tried to get to the contents of the bag.  He has always been allowed to help open gifts and he adores it.  But when the gift is for him he's over the top.

Both Tilley and Luke could smell the contents before the package itself was even opened.  Once open they were in for a huge treat, they absolutely loved it.  Luke even got his dilated pupils face on; they were that good.  Dogs are so amazingly smart that a problem may now arise.  How does one come home from a trip empty handed?

The good life

It's early, I can hear the birds starting to congregate around the feeder outside and a cool morning breeze blows through my patio door.  Opening one eye, stretching and rolling over I come face to face with a big blonde muzzle. How can I not smile; of course this is the good life.   I lean in for a kiss as Luke opens one eye, then he quickly slips back into his little dream world.  Tilley is just waking up as well; she's rubbing her face on her pillow trying to build momentum enough to get out of bed.

We often talk about the good life; the phrase itself can mean a million or more different things.  For me the good life means health and happiness.  It also means that I am lucky enough to indulge in some of the finer things in life; like snuggling in bed with a big fur face.  I may be throwing the zillionth ball into the pool so that it can once again be retrieved.  Perhaps sitting in silence with my three canines as we watch the world go by.

Just a moment ago I was enjoying a favorite snack of mine, white cheddar popcorn from Trader Joe's.  Tilley loves it as well so we were enjoying it together.  Great things are always better when you share, aren't they?  Watching someone else enjoy is pretty enjoying itself.   Oprah is always talking about the good life "live your best life."  Living your best life is a very personal goal; one that many people will never reach.  Goals set out, put on a shelf so high that they may be unobtainable.   When in truth many "best life" moments are the most simple ones.  Having a dog who wants nothing more than to be with you.  It makes no matter where you are or what you are doing; they just want to be with you.

Just the other night I had ventured out as the sun had just set.  The air was cooler, a welcome relief from the sweltering heat of the day.  I sat on our concrete steps which wrap half way around the yard realizing that they still held the heat of the day now past.   As I remained perched on the top step I noticed that I was not alone.  There I sat in deep thought with my dogs by my side.  All of my dogs had come out and were sitting there silently waiting, waiting to see what we were doing next.

I then got up and turned towards them and they all moved in close; three dogs two arms.  There is no dilemma with my bunch; Luke is my hands free boy, he gives the best hugs with arms or not.  I can have both arms filled to the brim and he still delivers the best hugs there are.  Although I have to steady myself when we are hugging hands free; he's quite the bulldozer as he pushes in for his share.  Each dog gets their one on one; two hands surrounding their face as I tell them how special they are.  Before moving into the house we do a big group hug; wrapping my arms around a mound of canine Jessie slips under the poodles for a low level connection.

Honestly, the good life?  This is the good life.  

Off in the distance

Gazing out a window often makes magic.

Can't take her eyes off of her owner, a loving distant stare.

One eye is sometimes more than enough

Being themselves always produces the best images.

A photo op can change in an instant, that's a good thing.

The soft face of avoidance

Yep, being themselves definitely draws my camera to them.  Gorgeous, if I do say so myself.  :)

Good days and bad days

I've had a headache for three days; and on top of that add a wrenched neck.  I wasn't sure what the heck I'd done to my neck until last evening as I hoisted Tilley up and carried her down the stairs.  Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, a good probability, lifting and carrying Tilley.  So, a not so great couple of days but tomorrow is another one right?  This got me to thinking about good day and bad days for dogs.

Dogs do have good days and bad days and depending on their ability to display emotions outwardly is where it makes it easy or tough to read.  All dogs display how they are feeling differently.  It is the owners job to see the subtle changes between good and bad.  For us Luke is an easy read; he sends clear signals for his good and bad moods.  Tilley not so much but there are subtle signs when she is not lets say in the best of mood.

As a long time dog trainer I am always telling my clients that dogs are not robots.  You do have to factor in mood; now that does not mean that they get to completely ignore you when they are not in the best of mood but they should receive some slack.  Patience, it all comes down to give and take.  When we are not in the best mood; none of us would appreciate someone pushing.  A little space, some extra time and things go much better.  Often if I'll see that Luke is in a funk so I just let it go completely.  I let him sleep it off so to speak.

Each and every dog is different and their moods are just as different.  Sometimes they need slack, for us to back off and other times they might need a cheer leading team.  But again it is up to us as canine guardians to know our dogs well enough that we can see these slight shifts between a good day or bad day.  Or for that matter a good moment and a bad moment.

Advanced stuff

How much fun is training?  I for one love training and think it's a blast; that is since switching from force training many many years ago; with positive training you can actually have fun.  It should always be fun and if it's not then you are not doing it right.  If you aren't having fun and your dog is not having fun then you should stop and re-examine your training method and regime.  It should be fun and it should be very rewarding.  I love the moment when a dog "gets it," and when the behavior sinks in for good.

Perhaps we should change the word altogether; maybe saying and thinking "training" has a bad connotation to it.   If you think more on the lines of learning or educating or teaching tricks it possibly sounds more fun.  Everything you teach your dog is a behavior so no matter what you call it you are teaching new behaviors.  From sit to jumping hoola hoops; they are all behaviors. 

It can be very rewarding teaching a dog; and the sky is the limit.  You could teach your dog a new behavior forever; how cool is that?  I remember teaching Jessie some cool new behaviors; ones that I would have considered as very advanced.  She learned them like it was nothing and was ready for more.  The more you teach a dog the easier it is for them to learn new behaviors.  Which can then leave you struggling to think up new behaviors to teach. 

Educating our canines is one of the easiest ways to connect with them.  It can make the difference for them as far as easily understanding every day life or struggling to understand.  I've worked with dogs before who are well into their adulthood that have never learned how to learn; it can be a challenge to break through.  With a great deal of patience all dogs can learn to learn and when you see a fined tuned team (dog and owner) working together it can be pure magic.  The connection between the two is intense; as if there is an invisible line connecting them together.

Even after all the years of training and teaching I am still thrilled to teach my dogs a new behavior.  They learn so quickly that it is almost unreal; and if you know what you are doing then the process is made even simpler.  Taking the time to learn how to teach your dog is something that everyone should do.  Even if you learned how many years ago; things have changed drastically so you'll need a refresher.  Force training was the way of the past; many trainers have left it there for good as it should be.  A whole new wave of positive canine educators are emerging; the have learned a new way, a method of teaching that requires no physical force.  Positive educating methods use brains, patience, a gentle hand, guidance and a reward system replacing yanking, yelling and forcing. 

There is no need to yank; there is no room for a physical correction.  Our job is to educate and the new and improved method of that is to educate.  Don't let the big hype training on television ruin all the hard work that the positive folks have done.  Pain, anger and frustration have no room in educating our canines.  Have fun with it; heck it all about spending more time with your best friend.  :)

Missing the big picture

Our dogs today have the same genetic material as the wolf; same DNA, same behaviors albeit modified. Over thousands of years humans have altered the dog to their liking. Being that there are so many humans doing the altering we have landed with hundreds of breeds and mixes in our world today. But they all came from the same genetic stuff.

Over all the years of conformation showing, training and photographing dogs I have not met all the breeds but I've sure met alot of them and it is surprising how different they can be; but at the sametime very similar. The most obvious difference is where the humans have intervened, exterior image and general interactions with humans themselves. When I meet new breeds I am full of questions; I am usually dealing with longtime breeders so they have the clear and concise answers I am looking for.

Aside from the visual differences there are the differences in submission to humans, being how easily they follow direction and their drive. Many of the small companion type breeds have had their drive reduced to nearly none. Watching dogs interact with birds and small rodents; it is clear to see the behavior selection process in breeding. Many breeds have been selectively bred to think on their own; take the Australian Cattledog, they need little or no guidance in their job and thus can be difficult to have follow our rules.

Then there is the submission; I am not talking about turn over, belly up submission, I am referring to taking orders in general. I have been around many dogs who continually growl and baulk at orders given; these dogs seem to be closer to the wolf than the other more pliable breeds. And although they are built from the same genetic material it is in the selection that keeps these strong behaviors intact. These natural behaviors of different breeds are very important; very important to know about when you are choosing certain breeds.

I know myself enough to know that I do not want a continual dominance challenge for the life of my dog. I like drive but do not want to deal with trying to curb it around every corner. Over thousands of years we have been modifying and tweeking dogs to our liking. Some breeds have kept their "wild" side, some show none of where they once came. This is where the terms "soft" and "hard" dog comes from. And they vary from mush; everything in between and all the way up to titanium.

There is as much difference between humans; when the perfect match gets together it is a wonderful thing. But far too often the wrong dog ends up with the wrong human through no fault of the dog. Knowing yourself is as important and knowing the dog to find a good match.

Pooping

Last night we were headed home from dinner out; we were discussing diapers for Tilley as I had to stop and purchase more.  I told my son that she was wearing the largest size for children and that the next size up only came in pull-ups.  He asked "what the heck are pull-ups" and "did I wear those?"  I explained and told him no, there were no pull-ups when he was little.  After that the discussion went to poop and we ended up laughing about my first dog Mandy, an Airedale.

Mandy was a water dog through and through; every inch of her was made to swim and swim she did.  Each year we would take her to the cottage and all summer we got her out to swim as much as possible at the nearby lakes.  One of Mandy's favorite things to do was to poop in the water.  As soon as we arrived she headed straight for the water; and almost like clockwork she'd be hunched over shoulder deep taking a dump.  No one else knew what she was doing; that is of course until the goods floated ashore.  This was not something that I encouraged; the act itself tends to send people packing.   Hmmm; maybe she was doing us a favor, it is nice to have the lake to yourself.

 Once we got home after dinner we sat out by the pool (kiddie pool) while the poodles fetched their toys from the depths.  Luke got a look on his face and dashed off; he is very clean and will not relieve himself where we are hanging out.  Through the fence I could see that he was having issues; let's just say messy issues but I was not worried.  You see Luke's pooping form saves us from much cleaning up after the fact.  He hunches himself over so much that his butt is literally pointing downwards and there is no way that even one drop is going to be touching him.  A perfect "10" I say.

There are a lot of different ways that dogs "go."  Some are very talented like Luke; others not so much.  Tilley is what I'd call very average; she'd fit in with the general population as far as form.  Jessie is a traveler, never stopping to smell the roses while going; she is on a mission and keeps on trucking.  Picking up after a traveler becomes a follow the trail sort of chore.  I knew a dog that would not go in front of people or dogs and would always go to the middle of a bush to secretly do her business.  Then there is the complete opposite, those who will drop it where you stand.  I've known several of these.

Clyde, who has now been gone over 11 years use to dump on top of tiny bushes or trees.  He lived most of his life with us back in Canada and when we did much of our baby tree planting, Clyde was in heaven.  Unfortunately I had a great deal of baby trees to save on a weekly basis.  Luke likes to go on top of things when he is out for a walk as well; small bushes or baby trees suffice although it does make it difficult to pick up.  Live with dogs; pick up poop, it's part of life.  And we have to pick it up even if it hasn't touch the ground yet.

Every dog owner has gone through the traumatic experience of "grass poop."  You know the ones that are not willing to let go; hanging on for that perfect moment when a group of people walk by.  There you are standing waiting; waiting and hoping for the last piece to fall but it does not, it will not fall off.  Some dogs will drop their butts to the ground and attempt to remove it themselves; but this only adds a much worse issue to deal with.  You learn over the years to get in there fast and just git r done.  If you are like my husband you are most likely gagging or nearly passing while picking up the dreaded "grass poop,"  but once you've done it a dozen times or so it gets easier; even for the most squeamish types.

Over the years I've seen quite a few dogs who have.....................let's just say, oblivious owners.  There dog is carrying quite a bit of poop with them.  More often it is a long hair or furry type dog; the kind that demand more grooming.  But for some unknown reason; perhaps sheer "I'm not cleaning that," they leave the crap there to collect more.  Over time it can grow and grow; sort of like a snowball effect, becoming a real problem for the dog.  These folks send their dog off to the groomers where the poor groomer has to deal with mound of s(*$.  No fun, no fair and not right.

Have a look at the other end every so often and make sure that all is good.  If there is anything there that shouldn't be; clean it up.  It is your dog after all; which means it's your job, it comes with the job.   

A bit of this and that

This was taken many years ago; I wish this was also our kiddie pool.  :)

Good Saturday morning; I hope that your week was a good one, mine was a hot one.  Its hot and only getting hotter; September is by far the hottest month here in Southern California and I am not above whining about it.  I hate hot weather so I'm out super early and then head indoors to hibernate for the bulk of the hot time and then I emerge again once the sun goes down.  This weekend is going to be one of those; up in the high 90s today so we'll be out early.  During this weather I often fill up the little pool in the evening for the dogs or I should say poodles to play in.  They love it and I get to sit by the pool; albeit little pool.

I'll be heading off to target today to get more underwear and pads for Tilley.  She has been wearing diapers at night but not liking wearing them.  I got the largest children size available which is a 6 but she could use a 7 which they don't make.  Then I remembered the other day that when she was still intact and having seasons that I use to have her wear little boy underwear and pads.  She was fine with it and quite comfortable so I head out yesterday to get some.  I couldn't find size 4 so got a 6 and they are a bit loose.  She can wear them but I'm going to hit another Target to see if I can get a 4 so they are just perfectly fitting.

Our last year we have seen a great deal of change; we have our little Jessie (15.5 year old JRT who is curled up beside me as I type) with Dementia and Tilley with different ailments and challenges.  I've written about it all so if you look back you'll find it all.  Tilley's incontinence is still fairly new and we are continuing to perfect our routine.  I'm hoping that these underwear will cut down on a great deal of work.  They also allow Tilley to sleep for a bit longer during the day without having to be put out.

Getting Tilley up and out is no easy task at this now.  Thinking back on her Frisbee days it's almost unbelievable to see how difficult moving can be at times.  She's pretty much a dead weight; having no intentions of getting up or going out.  Once she's down she's down in the afternoon.  She's old, tired and sore so it mostly up to me as I hoist her up and guide her to the door.  Once out she does a great deal of standing there and I wait.  Our life consists of a lot of waiting at this point; waiting, pushing, lifting, guiding and cleaning.  But how lucky are we to have our dogs in these senior years 11, 14.5 and 15.5, amazing really.

A bit of this and that

This was taken many years ago; I wish this was also our kiddie pool.  :)

Good Saturday morning; I hope that your week was a good one, mine was a hot one.  Its hot and only getting hotter; September is by far the hottest month here in Southern California and I am not above whining about it.  I hate hot weather so I'm out super early and then head indoors to hibernate for the bulk of the hot time and then I emerge again.  This weekend is going to be one of those; up in the high 90s today so we'll be out early.  During this weather I often fill up the little pool in the evening for the dogs or I should say poodles to play in.  They love it and I get to sit by the pool; albeit little pool.

I'll be heading off to target today to get more underwear and pads for Tilley.  She has been wearing diapers at night but not liking wearing them.  I got the largest children size available which is a 6 but she could use a 7 which they don't make.  Then I remembered the other day that when she was still intact and having seasons that I use to have her wear little boy underwear and pads.  She was fine with it and quite comfortable so I head out yesterday to get some.  I couldn't find size 4 so got a 6 and they are a bit loose.  She can wear them but I'm going to hit another Target to see if I can get a 4 so they are just perfectly fitting.

Our last year we have seen a great deal of change; we have our little Jessie (15.5 year old JRT who is curled up beside me as I type) with Dementia and Tilley with different ailments and challenges.  I've written about it all so if you look back you'll find it all.  Tilley's incontinence is still fairly new and we are continuing to perfect our routine.  I'm hoping that these underwear will cut down on a great deal of work.  They also allow Tilley to sleep for a bit longer during the day without having to be put out.

Getting Tilley up and out is no easy task at this point.  She's pretty much a dead weight; having no intentions of getting up or going out.  Once she's down she's down in the afternoon.  She's old, tired and sore so it mostly up to me as I hoist her up and guide her to the door.  Once out she does a great deal of standing there and I wait.  Our life consists of a lot of waiting at this point; waiting, pushing, lifting, guiding and cleaning.  But how lucky are we to have our dogs in these senior years 11, 14.5 and 15.5, amazing really.

Cats and dogs

"Fighting like cats and dogs."  This phrase has stood the test of time and is even now pulled out when things get really ugly.  But do all dogs hate cats and cats hate dogs?  Nope, lots of dogs love cats and maybe even a few cats who like their dogs.  Several points factor into a work or not work scenario.

First is temperament; does the dog have high prey drive?  Triggered by motion?  Come from hunting heritage where it was there job to hunt down the critters?

The best age is young to do any introductions; both for the dog and the cat.  It is not always the dog who is the bad one in a dog/cat relationship.  Often the dog would love nothing more than a good snuggle but the cat has other plans like ripping the dogs face off.

Past experience is huge; my dogs have never been around cats, we have two very allergic family members so cats have never been a part of our family.  Intrigue is high when they do see a cat and big desire to chase.

Behavior also factors in; many dogs live with cats very nicely in their own home but put the cat outside and everything changes.  Many cats learn how to act accordingly around dogs by walking slowly; they know if they run they will be chased.

It always amazes how domesticated some dogs are; no drive to chase, they love every other animal from baby chicks to bunnies.  If dogs are familiar with cats and living with them it can work out very nicely.  They learn each others different behaviors and coexist; happily.  With others it may take a bit of time and a great deal of work to teach them that living together can work.  And then there are the times when it is just not going to work or just not wise.

I have heard of many cats losing the fight when people have pushed the living arrangements.  Some dogs should just never be trusted around cats.  Alongside tenacious terriers can be the toughest to provide a safe habitat for cats.  They may seem just fine until the cat runs kicking in the "prey" mode of a genetically predisposed chaser.

The bottom line is to know your breed, more specifically know your dog before adding a cat to the mix.  When you do add a cat, either add a kitten or cat who is accustom to dogs or can learn to live with dogs.  It can be a sad life for a cat to live their life in fear.  When it does work out it can be a beautiful thing.  

Dog toys

I was at Homegoods yesterday having a look at all their dog toys.  They seem to have stocked up and tidied up, the shelves were overflowing with new dog toys.  Perhaps they are already getting ready for the Holiday season which is just around the corner.  My daughter and I eeeeeeeewwwwdddd and awwwwwwwwwd over them all.  They had a bunch of big whopper stuffed toys that I know someone will be getting for Christmas.  A huge boar that made the coolest sound when you squished it will be on my list to purchase.

Each morning as I start my day of pick up I make my rounds in the house. In almost every room I find toys; dog toys. Two on the dog bed in the kitchen, 2 in the livingroom with guts strewn randomly about, 2 toys and 2 bones in the bedroom and down in the familyroom there are carcasses, guts and toys from one end to the other. I don't mind at all; dogs need stuff.

I have often walked into a new dog home when upon having a quick look around asked "where's the toys?" Sometimes the new guardians admit to picking up before I got there but more often they just didn't know. The more toys you give your dog the less likelihood of having your stuff ruined. Now of course it still requires supervision but once your dog learns what is their's and what is yours, they need a large selection.

We have a basket of toys and the dogs know where it is and that the contents are theirs with no restrictions. If I bring home new toys I will often ask the dogs to not ruin them; at least for a few days. They play with them and then when they start to kill and gut them, I remove them for later. This only ever lasts a few days and then the white fluff covers the carpet.

Tilley is my only dog right now who does not gut her toys; she takes great care of her them. Because of this I do not allow the other two to play and destroy her toys. They are surprisingly good about leaving her toys and strictly ruin their own. It is extremely important for dogs to have alot of toys; many dogs have a high prey drive and toys are a good release for that.

In my mind you can never have enough dog toys; they are good for their mind, their body and saving your toys from destruction.

More is not always better

Thinking about today's blog, I had decided to write about dry dog food expanding in water and the effects of it.  I'm going to cover that and the fact that I just got back from a big box store where I shuddered as I read the ingredients of the dog food that they carry.

So first I want to talk about swelling food and a dogs stomach.  I remember watching a canine rescue episode on Animal Planet several years ago.  The team went to a home where a dog was tied outside with no food or water.  They went to their truck, got out a bag of food and tossed the whole thing down on the ground and ripped it open (I gasped).   They filled up a huge bucket of water and put it within reach of the dog, gave the dog a pat on the head and left as they were coming back tomorrow to pick up the dog if they did not receive a call from the owner.  I was freaking out watching the show; did they not realize what was going to happen?

Upon return the next day they found a very, very sick dog.  They were shocked that they'd left a fairly  healthy dog the day before, what had happened?  Ummmm hello??????   I'm assuming the following scenario played out during the evening and night.  The dog was very hungry, he gorged on the poor quality food that was left and then gulped copious amounts of water to quench his thirst.  Dry food went into the stomach, water went into the stomach, food expanded to explosion level and then possible bloat, perhaps gastric torsion?  All they said as a follow up was that the dog was taken to the vet to be attended to.

More is not better with regards to dry dog food.  I put a 1/4 of dog food in a glass last night and filled the glass about 1/2 full with water and I watched.  When my dog eat dog food which is about once a week they get Orijen or Nature's Logic.  The food I used was Orijen and even left over night to swell it barely did, not even double the size.  But Orijen is grain free and about as good as you can get for dry dog food.  If you tried that with a corn or grain based food the results may be drastically different.  I do suggest that if you feed your dogs a diet of dry dog food that you do this so that you can fully understand just how much could possibly end up in your dogs stomach.

I know many people who feed very large amounts of dry dog food at one sitting.  Just imagine if the food tripled or quadrupled in your dogs stomach with the addition of water.  Less is more when it comes to dry dog food; feeding at least two meals a day helps to eliminate the need for massive quantities at one sitting.  Carefully monitor water intake before or after a meal and make sure that you also restrict exercise before and after meal time.  Do your dog a favor and buy the absolute best food that you can afford; and believe me it will not come from a big box store.

So today I was at a big box store, I needed some diapers for Miss Tilley (yes she wears diapers to bed.)  I wandered over to the pet isle; I had planned on buying some crappy food to do the swell test and then decided after looking it all over that I was not giving even 5.00 to any of these companies so left empty handed.  While I stood there looking over all the foods; you know the ones in the big ads on television, I took in all the visual marketing lies first.  Then I proceeded to read.

I have to say that I was shocked; I knew they were bad but it was like a huge reality check.  All of these foods are garbage; none would be worthy of feeding any dog.  Almost all of the ingredients started with Corn; the soy, soy products, high fructose corn syrup (this one floored me) and the list went on and on.  Some sort of meat product was second on the list of one and way down on all the others.  I even saw Purina's Meaty morsels which I thought was long gone.  It had one of the worst ingredient labels.  Imagine ingredients formed into the shape of ground beef to dupe the innocent pet owner into thinking that it is good for their dog.

After reading the labels on all of these horrible foods I realize that there was nothing worth buying and certainly nothing fit to feed my dogs.  The cost of the food was only a couple dollars less than the really great food that I buy at the small stores.   So please; go to a pet store, preferably a private small pet store and buy the good stuff.  The better nutritional level in your dogs food, the less that they have to eat of it.  There are quite a few really great foods out there now but you won't find them at the same store with the diapers.  I can guarantee you will not find any of the good stuff at the big box stores.  Your dog is worth it.  

Obedience; yes or no?

I know a lot of people who never teach their dogs any sort of formal obedience.  Their thought is that a dog has their own mind and they don't want to be telling them what to do all the time.  Yes dogs definitely have a mind of their own; great minds at that but obedience is not only for bossing our dogs around.  Obedience allows us an easy method of communicating with our dogs.  I can't imagine not being able to tell my dog; "over here, closer, come, stay etc."  And when I do run into people who have not taught their dog any form of obedience there tends to be quite a bit of physical pushing and pulling.


The big 'O' - Obedience (the act or practice of obeying; dutiful or submissive compliance)

In my opinion obedience training is essential, that you can control your dog via verbal or physical cue to listen to you.  The amount of obedience training that your dog receives is purely a personal decision; everyone requires different levels of compliance from their dog.

Okay, this is how I really feel about the whole obedience thing excluding obedience competitions etc; just the average dog in the average family. If you have a dog and you are planning in anyway to be around the public; that is in your own home or out of your home in public areas then you need to be able to control your dog! Bottom line. If you have no means of control once so ever; then you and your dog need work. And training starts with very small baby steps and grows as your dog can achieve more success.

If your dog is one of those amazing breeds that pretty much doesn't do a whole lot of anything and you do not want your dog to do anything in particular then you've got it easy. For most people; dogs will be dogs and we must teach them how to act in our human world accordingly. When I speak of control; I am not talking about collar or leash control. Yes in our world both are essential and often they are a last resort control tool but it is essential that you have some sort of verbal control over your dog; how else can you communicate other than yanking on them?

The basics that I feel every single dog should know, understand and follow-out are

sit
down
stay
come
leave it
drop
boundary training
a clear understanding of "good" and "bad" feedback sounds

These are the bare essentials of living with dogs. From these basics, the sky is the limit. The more you train your dog the easier it gets. Our dogs actually learn to learn and the more verbal or physical cues you have to communicate with your the better life is with dogs.

So, if I ask you to ask your dog to go to certain spot in the livingroom, down and stay while you have a cup of coffee sitting on the couch; gonna happen? Or not?

I feel good - shower time

Dirty dogs are gross and believe me I've met many.  Sometimes a dog is simply dirty with good old dirt; like when they have a good dig session.  But then there are the times when they have just gone too long between baths and a big hug is all that is needed to know that it is bath day.  Luke had a good digging session yesterday and it had been a while so that was my sign that it was bath day.

Sunny Sunday bath day; well at least two out of three got done.  It is a strategic process, one that is well thought out with deliberate steps to the final results.  Once one dog goes in the other ones stress; well at least the other poodle or poodles.  These days Jessie isn't really aware of much other than feed time.  I was going to put Luke in first; he was sitting beside me as I worked on the computer but then he left.  This meant that I would have to call him to the bath; this is always a huge tip off and the shaking begins.

I opted for Jessie, she was sleeping so I just grabbed her and in she went.  It is a quick procedure for a smooth coated 14 lb little gal.  I put a good amount of shampoo on before the water; this is something that I started a couple of years ago when we had a bad flea problem.  Soap goes on, then I add the water so there is instant suds just in case there are any stowaways on board.  They cannot get out of the soap and drown quickly.  Happily I saw no one emerge in attempts of saving themselves yesterday.

I achieved an unnoticed bath for Jessie, that is until I put her outside to dry.  One shake and the waft of shampoo gave Luke a heads up.  He stressed a bit and I resumed my computer work; Luke stared at me with suspicious eyes.  Once I had worked for a while he let his guard down and I quickly ushered him into the shower.  It was all done so quickly that there was no shaking or trembling and we moved right onto enjoying the massage.  I always think that having a bath for a dog must feel pretty amazing.

But it's not a bath really is it?  We always say our dogs are having a bath but they have showers.  Even when they are standing in the bathtub they get a shower.  My guys are always in the shower, we have two showers and one bath and they are never in the tub.  We often see dogs on television in a tub in the yard or the bathtub but most people shower.  Throwing your dog in the bathtub and filling it up could lead to a huge mess unless your talking about a tiny guy.  Anyways, back to showering.

Once Luke was done it was outside to dry as well.  He always has the zoom around after and I hang outside with him until he is dry enough to come in.   I then went to get Tilley who was snoring away; sound asleep tucked in a corner and I did not have the heart to wake her.  So it is in the shower for her today.  Done for at least a couple weeks and we start over again.

How they eat

Although many people attempt to form our dogs into little people; they are not human and our nutritional needs are very different. The way we eat is different and the way we digest is very different. First off the dogs teeth are entirely distinct from the teeth in our mouth. Our teeth are meant for grinding our food; a dog's teeth are meant for tearing, crushing and pushing food back down into the esophagus; from there it goes down into the stomach where the process begins. Our process begins as soon as the food is in our mouth; through the chewing process we breakdown our food and our saliva starts to predigest. Dogs don't have predigesting saliva.

A dogs mouth is made to get the food down; their bottom jaw is formed making it impossible to grind back and forth like a cow. So when our dogs seem like pigs and swallow things down whole, this is because it is how they work. Typically a dog will crunch their food into bite sized pieces that they can swallow down. Other times when they are far too exhuberant they may attempt to swallow down a piece of food that is much too big. This is common practice with my Jack Russell. Dogs may choke for a bit until it goes down or throw it up and give it another go.

Once the food goes into their stomach there is a recognition of food to be digested and a dogs pH level drops down to as low as 1 becoming highly acidic; so acidic in fact that it would literally burn a whole in our skin if we were to touch it. There the digestive enzymes get to work breaking down the food into molecules that the body can use. Once the stomach has digested most of the bulk food it is passed down to the small intestine where the liver and pancreas produce more enzymes for further digestion. From there it enters the large intestine and you know where it goes from there.

Dogs are not meant to eat the way we eat; they have entirely different food requirements and luckily there are a few good dog food companies out there that are heading towards that goal. But as with anything else in our consumer driven world there are far too many just trying to make a buck and are not concerned with our dogs at all. Do your research before you grab a bag of dogfood and if you can buy it at the big box store or the grocery store, you probably shouldn't be buying it.

Check out your local private pet store (of course the ones that do not sell puppies or kittens) to see what they carry.  Many of the small family owned stores carry the good stuff.  And if they are really good they will have several freezers filled with frozen raw, bones and prepared cooked food available for purchase.  You can feed your dog complete balanced diets of raw food that has been frozen, simply thaw and feed.  It is a great alternative to bagged dry or canned.

Variety is the best way to ensure balanced nutrition.