Competition

Humans are a competitive bunch; not all but many.  No matter what sport or activity you are involved with there is bound to be a competitive direction for it.  Canine competition is thriving; whether you are into conformation, agility, flyball, frisbee, hunting or whatever, you can compete.  Many, many, many years ago I was into conformation showing; I have to say that I loved it, but much of what I loved was the time spent with dogs.  I had no dogs of my own when I started and the chance to spend whole weekends with dogs was amazing.  Once I had my own dogs and continued to show it lost its luster pretty quickly.  It took up too much time when I had little ones at home, the grooming, the waiting...........oh the waiting.

Over the years I've dabbled in several competitive aspects of canine performance.  Approximately 7-10 years  ago when Tilley was in her prime, she was pretty amazing as far as disc dogs go.  I have no doubt that she could have gone far in the freestyle division.  My issue with the whole competition aspect of sports was the waiting; I hated it.  I don't wait in line for my own things; I'm just not a fan of waiting for much of anything.  I hate lines, I am not a fan of crowds but it is mostly the waiting around that I hate.  I remember attending one frisbee event, the registration was early in the morning and once signed up you pulled up a seat and waited.

We waited and waited; Tilley and I watched all the other dogs playing frisbee.  She was dying to catch, all she wanted to do was to catch the frisbee.  As I sat there waiting our turn to strut our stuff I thought to myself; "I could be in the park right now throwing the frisbee for Tilley for an hour.  It was then that I realized that I am not the competitive type; meaning that I don't want to participate in "official" competition.  I happen to be a very competitive person but my hate of waiting around outweighs my desire to compete.

I definitely understand the desire to compete and kudos to those who do compete.  You have a great deal more patience for waiting around than I do.  But just as all dogs are different so too are we humans; what one person may love doing another may hate.  I have amazing patience for other things like watching dog behavior, waiting for a certain behavior, training, shooting etc.;  it's just the waiting idly for my turn that I have no patience for.   I enjoy travelling; but then again I hate the waiting, I could go crazy waiting.  Waiting to get through the lines, waiting to get on the plane, waiting at the stop over, waiting for luggage, I hate it.   That was one factor that I loved about driving across country, it certainly took much longer but there was no waiting in lines.

I am looking at Rally right now but think that I may run into the same "waiting" issue. I also want to do Dock Diving with Elsa; that is once she gets her water legs.  I have attended a great number of Dock Diving events and they are typically casual and many have a side pool where the dogs can play and practice their stuff.   Whether or not you decide to compete or not in whatever sport or activity you enjoy with your dog; it all comes down to drive and patience.  I have the drive but do not possess the patience to wait around.

Basic manners

Manners; ways of behaving with reference to polite behaviors.  Manners are important; they are what separate us from the uncivilized, unmannerly.  They are also important for dogs; some dogs come with manners built in, they are somehow born not to push buttons or behave bullishly.  Tilley is about the most naturally mannered dog I've met; I have always called her my Lassis in poodle clothing.  She does not push, barge, assume or seek status.  Often it is the status seeking behaviors that get dogs into trouble.

Luke has always been a pushy, gotta be first type of guy.  For much of his life he has been seeking status; now at the age of 11 much of that is gone.  Who cares?  seems to be the message he gives off often although with a new young'n in the house it can still come out now and again.  Status seeking is often seen in toy acquisition; Elsa is very much into the "mine, mine, mine" stage.  Anything anyone else has is what she needs to have.  For this reason Luke will go and take things from her to make a point.  "I will take it because I can," is the message delivered by taking and obtaining his toys.

Prime real estate is also something that is high in demand and not only for humans.  Typically the best spot is beside the owner; although it can be a cozy spot by the fire or the best seat in the house for viewing.  Elsa is a clammerer, she clammers all over us and the other dogs and has no physical boundaries as far as what you climb on and what you do not climb on.  She will get a toy and go sit on Luke's head to chew on it; he is getting very accustom to this and has extended his boundary allowances for her.  Tilley is not as accommodating and will growl at any foot set upon her; females will not typically put up with as much nonsense from other females.

Up until now Elsa has been banned from the couch for the most part.  As the young dog in the house or bottom man it is important to establish rules that the older dogs have earned.  She very much likes to try to climb up and squeeze into the smallest of spots between a human and a sleeping dog.  This weekend we watched a couple of movies and she was allowed to join and snuggle; this allowance has lead to more clammering.  So it is time to establish some very clear rules about furniture; that being that you are not allowed on unless invited.

This rule is one that I have made clear with any dog who likes to push.  Luke was banned from the couch and beds when he was young for a six month period.  He was asked to move off the couch by my young son at the time and growled.  A growl is a ticket off the furniture and depending on the dog will factor on how long this should last.  For Elsa, it is more that she is just a very happy go lucky girl with no personal boundary knowledge.  So she will not be allowed on unless she is specifically invited and not every day.  She must also learn how to get up and that she is not allowed to stomp all over the people or other dogs on the couch or bed.

Going through doors is another biggy as far as status.   Not all dogs barge so not all dogs should be required to wait for us to go through a door.  Luke was a barging type, that "gotta be first" thing was always there.  He doesn't care much now so the rule is no longer enforced except on doors that lead to danger.  Elsa is also just like Luke was as a youngster with doors and being first.  She has no manners and will push and barge her way in to be first.  She has been asked to wait since she arrived as this was a clear behavior already instilled in her.

I really like the "wait" rule for dogs who like to barge because it helps them to learn control.  Self control is difficult for dogs who are driven and are status seeking.  Teaching them to wait and/or to ask before they are allowed to partake in fun activities helps them to learn their much needed manners for life.

Winter

Winter; I've missed it.  Oh sure we had winter in California but it's not really winter in the true sense of winter, it's more like a cool summer month or two.  Typically there is a rainy season in January or February; sometimes with huge amounts of rain which I always welcomed as actual weather to deal with.  I grew up in the Ottawa, Canada area; where winter is very real and very cold.  I remember taking the dogs out and having them lift their feet because they were freezing; we would adjust and stay on paths where they did better.  Days when our face was so cold you thought it might actually crack off; this sort of stuff makes you hardy and as weird as it sounds I missed it.  I am a northerner.

Tilley was also a northerner and when the temperatures drop she gets a spring in her step.  I remember when fall was upon us and the dogs were more than excited to run and play and not get hot; I was right there with them.  Not everyone understands this; I know lots of people who think I'm crazy.  In fact not long before we moved from California; I was out at a park with the poodles.  I was stopped by some really great folks who were also standard poodle folks and it turned out that they were also from Ontario.  They'd lived in SoCal about the same amount of time as us and unlike me did not miss the snow or the cold.

I don't know how many photos I have of Tilley in the snow when she was young.  Most dogs love to play in the snow.  All of my dogs that I had when we lived in Canada loved it.  They loved running in it, catching snow balls, running full speed with their nose dug under the snow and doing anything they could in it.  I really hope to get some snow shoes and go hiking in the snow, it is one of my favorite activities.  I remember walking into the woods after a huge snow fall and lying in the snow; the thick blanket of snow muffled all sounds but my dogs running around.  I could lay there for hours listening to them root around in the snow.  Crazy?  Maybe.  But if you love the north you know what I'm talking about.

As we made arrangements to leave Southern California I consciously left coat on Tilley; she's pretty full and fluffy now.  At 14.5 I thought she could really use it.  I took Luke down a bit more and left Elsa with her gorgeous puppy coat.  Winter is a funny thing because too little coat and they are cold, too much and they get hot when inside so you have to find that happy medium.  Of course this is just with poodles, most dogs just have what they have right?  Dog coats are very useful for those who don't have much of a coat, like Dobermans, Greyhounds, Weimaraners etc.

So far I've only had to deal with two cold days here in Connecticut.  It's been unusually warm here in the North East which is maybe good for us to get back into the swing of the cold.  I know it does not get as cold as it does up further North like in Ottawa so I think it's a good adjustment area for us to be in.  Last week in SoCal it was in the 80s and I would have definitely been complaining about it.  Here it has been gorgeous in the high 40s, low 50s.  The dogs seem to be adjusting great; Elsa is so cute when out in the wind with her coat blowing, her head lifted to the wind to take in all the scents that she can.

I look forward to our first snow here, that is if we ever get any.  Elsa and Luke had a their first experience not long after we left CA.  Flagstaff AZ had quite a bit when we made our way East and seeing Luke look at the snow, look at me and then shrug as if to simply accept it was cool.  Elsa sort of had a little zoom like she does when her feet hit the sand and then she too adjusted to walking on this cold white stuff.

Come on winter, we're waiting for you to arrive.

The end of another year

2011; not a year I'd relish redoing but there were a few good moments.  Some highlights from last year.

Stanley; the gorgeous Chesapeake Retriever that I had the chance of photographing years ago was the main man at the Rosebowl Parade in January.    What a story.

My Christmas gift from 2010 was a trip to the California Wolf Center.  How exciting to watch wolf behavior and capture some fabulous images, a trip to remember.

Sadly around this time last year Jessie was hit with Dementia; she suffered for a year with this debilitating disease.

We had a great giveaway with terrific prizes last January.

Tested some great new leash product, I love testing.

Dealt with some REALLY?  issues.

Met some three legged wonders.

Tilley celebrated her 14th birthday

I got to shoot two goldens enjoying their pool

Had a wonderful guest blog written by Helen King on Agility

Another great day at the beach in So Cal with my main man squeeze.

Visited Yappy Hour at the Ritz in So Cal

Had the best photo shoot with my own dogs, a vase and water.

Celebrated Jessie's 15th birthday

Another fabulous shoot, this time the Doberman

Dealt with yet another horrible vet

Visit Ottawa and a whole knew pile of poodle friends

Luke's 11th Birthday

Visiting dog friendly cities

Bringing home Elsa

Visiting great friends

A sad fairwell

As I look over my blogs from the last year I did a lot.  There was a great deal of change in 2011; good and bad.  This is a New Year and I hope it will better than the last; it was a memorable one but not one that I would redo if I could.  I look forward to hearing from you all in the New Year; experiencing new canine activities with my guys and hearing about all of your dogs.  Have a wonderful New Year everyone; give your pooch a big hug from Sherri.

Real food

Good Saturday morning all; first a little update on my face.  It is slowly, very slowly healing.  I made my first outing into the public on Thursday; I took Elsa and Luke down to Greenwich for some social time.  My face is pretty scary to look at so when people stopped to talk, and they did it was a bit awkward when they finally looked up from the dogs at me.   Oh well it can only get better right?  And I must get out.

I have been asked to discuss "real food" by several people recently.  I have done a great deal of writing and speaking to people who are interested in the subject of feeding real food.  The term "people food" is what many who are trying to keep us on the dog food train use.  I hate the term and do not use it, it is simply real food; when they feed it to elephants and monkeys in the zoos do they call it people food?

I understand that it can be a scary thought, the dog food companies have done their job well of making us feel like we just can't.  We have been brainwashed into thinking that the big dog food companies know best.  These companies put everything our dogs need into their dry little kibbles for us to feed and have our dogs thrive; how could we possibly do any better?  As far as dog food is concerned there is a huge variance in quality; for me the bigger the company the lesser the quality.  So if you stay feeding dog food, do your research and buy the best that you can.

As for real food or "people food" as most call it, it's easy to feed your dog better than most dog foods just by feeding real to start with.  Dogs are carnivores so most of their food should come from an animal based protein.  Dogs don't care if it is the expensive cut or the lower priced tough stuff; in fact I always by the lower priced stuff for my guys.  I feed chicken, beef, pork, eggs, cheese, organ meat and fish.  I also give them vegetables, finely chopped or parboiled.  A small percentage of their meal is vegetables, sometimes I add fruit like dried cranberries, blueberries, apple, banana or orange juice.  I use to have an orange tree in the yard so would sneak some in; many dogs are not fans of citrus fruit.

There is a wonderful book that I highly recommend.  Raw and natural nutrition by Lew Olson.  This book takes away the mystery of feeding real food to your dog but does not focus on one way of feeding.  The book offers help for supplementing real food into dog food, feeding cooked meals and raw.  I cannot recommend the book enough for those who are hesitant about taking the "real food" step.

When you consider the lack of nutrition in much of the dog food that is available out there; feeding real food not only makes sense but is much easier than people think.  It has been the objective of the dog food companies to make us feel like we cannot compete with them.  We not only can compete, we can far exceed the quality of food that we feed our dogs compared to dry dog food.  I collect eggshells and grind them for calcium in the dog's food which is pretty much a free source considering I would normally just throw them out.    I buy cottage cheese at Costco; the big tubs and add this to their food.  I also give them plain organic goat yogurt and lots of other things.

Variety is important; just like for us it is the easiest way get the most nutrition that you can.  So many people these days, even Veterinarians will tell you to feed one food and don't give any "people food" to your dog.  This is not only misleading but entirely wrong.  If I am having a turkey sandwich with cheese and arugula for lunch I will almost always share.  I like my dogs to be able to eat anything.  On my recent trip across the country I had my guys on strictly dog food; it was something that I had to do.  Now home again I am getting them back on track with real food and once I find a good protein source other than the grocery store I will plug in the deep freeze and stock up.

Buy the book; it makes taking that first step to better nutrition much less scary.

Hand signals

Isn't it cool when someone puts their dog through a string of behaviors without uttering a word?  It is a goal of many to do just this, work silently.  The reason that it is impressive is that your dog must be paying close attention to be able to follow hand signals.  If they aren't watching then they aren't going to see the signals right?  Attention can be the most difficult thing to teach when trying to use strictly hand signals; especially when you add distractions to your training.

In fact most dogs learn hand signals before they ever learn a verbal cue; most but not all.  Elsa learns words just as fast as she learns hand signals.  Because of this I have used the words on their own and am now adding hand signals.  Yesterday I taught her the swing; the action of going to heel position from sitting in front of me, going all the way around to the right of me and ending up on the left.  It took her all of 5 min. from start to finish.  I never used a verbal cue for this because it is a lured behavior.  Now that she is reliably performing it I will add a verbal cue and slowly remove the hand signal.  This allows you to use the verbal, visual or both.

Hand signals are extremely useful for keeping a dog's attention on you, they learn to go about their business with one eye on you just in case.  It is also extremely helpful as our dogs age and lose their hearing.  I have always used hand signals with my old guys once their hearing starts to fail.  It is much easier on the nerves than yelling in hopes of some sort of acknowledgement.  It is sad when an old dogs vision goes as well and you are left with only touch to communicate.

Many hand signals are in fact shortened versions of how we originally teach our dogs a behavior.  Over exaggerated signals can be shortened up until they are barely visible.  Dogs are masters at visual cues and the slightest movement from us can hold a great deal of information for a dog.  When I watch and guide clients through the teaching of their dog; I often see visual cues that their dog is picking up on that they don't even realize.  I will ask the owner to stand perfectly still, with their hands by their side and then use a verbal cue.  Typically their dog will stand in front of them stupefied, which then leaves the owner wondering what's going on.

A turn of the head, a slight bend, motioning with the body or facial expression can be all that is needed for a visual cue.  If you really want to know if your dog "gets" a verbal cue all on its own then you need to take away all visual cues completely.  Standing like a statue you can then offer your verbal cues to see if your dog is listening.  Dogs do a great deal more watching than they do listening so having a dog that will go through their paces strictly on verbal cues is just as impressive if not more so than a dog who will act on visual cues.

I believe all dogs deserve to learn; learning opens up doors to more learning once those doors have been opened.  If you've got a real smarty then it can be difficult to think up stuff to teach them; but the more you teach the more means you are developing in communicating with your dog.  

The ground that we walk on

Ground - the solid surface of the earth; firm or dry land.

Having moved around quite a bit I have experienced a great deal of different floor coverings and exterior ground conditions.  When we lived in Canada we had a couple of acres that was pretty much natural and a huge dog run  at the side of the house with gravel in it.  The gravel was large enough so that it did not stick to the dogs feet in the winter and with a good bed of sand beneath it, there was excellent drainage.  It kept their feet working and no one ever took a spill on it.

The last house we had in California had a beautiful large concrete patio with a massive set of steps leading down to more concrete.  There was also a grass area in the back.  The concrete was beautifully smooth;  it was wonderful to clean and we spent a great deal of time enjoying the yard.  If the dogs really got going they would slip a very small bit here and there but it was pretty great most of the time.  Here in Connecticut we have natural surroundings and a few wood decks.  The property has gorgeous rock outcrops, flat grass areas and wooded pieces here and there around the yard.

As dogs age, like us they lose muscle mass which makes walking more difficult.  Tilley is now nearing 15 and has a great deal of difficulty walking on anything that she cannot get a grip on.  The regular ground is great, rocks not so much.  It is the decking that gives her the most difficulty outside; and add to that a bit of frost and it can be treacherous for an old gal.  I have put several rugs out on the area where she walks to come in and am always there for extra support.  Under foot substances need to be thought out.

The inside of the house is something altogether different.  Looking at flooring from a cleanliness point of view, tile or wood/laminate flooring would seem to be the clear choice.  I have stated many times before how much I hate carpet; I consider it to be one of the stupidest inventions ever.  BUT, it definitely gives traction when needed.  Back in California we had recently renovated our family room.  It was beautiful; we transformed it from a shag carpet and chain shelving retro room into a warm and cozy modern one.  We chose laminate; one of the newest products out.  It was environmentally friendly and cleaning was a breeze.

As far as being a good product for the dogs?  NO.  It was horrible and had I known how slippery it was going to be I would have never chosen it.  The dogs could barely even walk let alone romp and play; playing was all done in the living room with the carpeted floor.  Here in Connecticut, almost the entire house is wood floors and they are just about as slippery as the laminate.  There is no playing on the wood floors; Elsa doesn't mind as she seems to have little grippers on her feet and falling is a non issue when you are only half a year old.  For Luke and Tilley it is an unwelcome surface beneath their feet.

The kitchen here is tiled, again it is very old and very worn giving it more texture and hold ability when walking on it.  It is a great floor for any dog messes, easy to clean and although hard it is easier for the dogs to walk on.  We do have a large office area that is carpeted as well as a small area in our bedroom.  I took Elsa and Luke to the office area yesterday and they had a full on rip and tear.  It was obvious how much Luke enjoyed and needed the traction of the carpet to keep up with his little sister.  On the slippery surfaces he is quite leery of wiping out, on the carpet he threw caution to the wind and let her have it.  It is wonderful to watch.

So with all this surface experience under my belt; where am I as far as likes and dislikes?   First off I am not a plush, luxurious type of gal, I like utility.  I love anything that makes living with dogs easier and less hassle.  So as much as I hate the idea of carpets with dogs it is definitely easier for them.  I am not a fan of wood or laminate flooring with dogs now; it is an extremely slippery surface.  I really, really love stone or tile floor; not the slippery shiny type, the rustic rough stuff.  It is easy for them to walk on and easy to clean.  So if and when I redo or build again, it will be stone and the occasional very low, very tight, tough type carpet here and there for when a dog really needs a good tear around without the fear of falling.

Poison Ivy, Oak or Sumac

What did you get for Christmas?  I got poison oak, ivy or sumac; nice eh?  I'm not sure if I will post an image or not, it's pretty scary.  Yesterday I had to run out to the store for a few things but opted not to because my face was oozing.  Even a split second having to glance at an oozing face is a bit much to ask of the general public I believe.  So I stayed home and slathered calamine lotion all over it.  A thick pink coating that eventually peels off isn't a whole lot better as far as nice visual is concerned.

This case of erupting rash is smack dab on my face.  It covers the left side of my face from my collar bone to my eyebrow.  Each morning when I open my eyes or try to open my eyes I feel around to see what has changed.  This morning my lip is also fat, something I just commented on before falling asleep last night.  "At least my lips are fine," I stated.  Hmmmm.

I am highly sensitive to the stuff, it sucks big time.  Years ago when we lived in Canada I had it several times and narrowed my acquisition of the lovely oozing rash to my dogs.  Having gotten it in some strange places like the middle of my back I realized it was indeed being delivered to me via the dogs.  Dogs run through the bushes, bushes have poison in it, dog jumps on me with the poison on their feet, voila.

This left me pondering as to why my dogs never got any itchy, oozing poison yet generously gave it to me.  Can dogs get poison ivy, oak or sumac?  After much research it seems as though they can although very rare.    It doesn't happen often as they do not seem to be sensitive to it.  And much of it remains on their outer coat being shed off quickly over just a few days.

The toxic substance in any of these poisons is urushiol, the dreaded oil that delivers the rash.  Just touching the stuff can leave you with a nasty rash that is crazy itchy.  After reading scores of pages on these poisons and dogs it seems highly unlikely that they themselves will acquire a full blown case.  If your dog has bald spots in their coat they can get it but more likely they will just carry it to you on the outer layer of their coat.  Take care when walking through wooded areas that are known to house these dreadful plants.  And if you are unaware that they are lurking as I was then you may suffer the wrath of the poison ivy, oak or sumac platn.

Poison ivy, oak, sumac and dogs

Poison ivy facts

Pets and native remedies

Dog talk

Yesterday we hit the beach again; the beach here in Old Greenwich that allows dogs after Dec 1.  It is a wonderful place to walk dogs and everyone on the beach has them off leash.  The best part about it is that it is very close to my house.  Being that it was the day after Christmas there were more dogs than the last visit; although still just a handful or two.  It is a great place for Elsa to get some socializing in and exercise at the same time.

The first dog that she met was a Goldendoodle; we met at least ten "doodle" type dogs there before we left.  This guy was pretty occupied and really had nothing to offer as far as a social visit for Elsa.  He was busy playing in the water which was FREEZING and chasing his kids.  So we moved onto the next dog and he was playing with his ball.  He too had been in the water and was more concerned with his ball than meeting Elsa.  They had a little visit and then he was back to his ball.

It looked like at some point Lucky's tail was injured or broken.

The next dog that Elsa met was a fabulous dog.  A mix of some sort, either pit or boxer and he was just adorable.  Full of body language and was up for a great social visit.  After meeting Elsa and Luke he came to meet us giving us all a huge one sided face smile.  His name was Lucky; I don't know his story but would have loved to chat with his Mom and Dad.  Perhaps we will meet him again.  He was very free with his body language and it was easy to see that he was more than friendly.  Elsa really enjoyed playing with him.

Shortly after her visit with Lucky I had to chase Elsa down the beach to fetch her. She took off after the Goldendoodle as he tore up and down the beach from one owner to the next.  It was like her hearing turned off, so we'll be working on her recall before we visit again.  After that a large group of "doodles" entered the beach, brown ones and black ones.  There was one very beefy female that Luke had a few not so great words with.  I hadn't been there when they first met so I didn't see what she had said to him first but looking at her body posture I suspect that she was letting him know that this was her beach.  It is very rare for Luke to have words with a female so she must have said something.

The "doodles" moved on and an adorable little Sheltie came by.  She was the same age as Elsa but very tiny; but in that tiny body was a great deal of heart.  Both puppies gave off great body language and even though Elsa towered over this little gal they played amazingly well together.  When it got a bit rough the Sheltie took shelter between a strangers legs for a bit, grabbed a breather and was ready to go again.  It was fabulous seeing the body language shared between the two youngsters.  Several times when Elsa has run into small dogs she lays down to play, this is a behavior that I really like to see.  It shows how aware a dog is of the other dogs size; she does not do it with large dogs.

I could really sit and watch the dogs interact all day but we had places to go, I'll be back this week for sure though.

Christmas Eve Day

There is a nip in the air but alas, no snow.  Having recently moved to Connecticut we were looking forward to a white Christmas, but we will have to settle for chilly.  Elsa slept in this morning and of course so did Tilley and Luke, they always sleep in.  I believe that they are still on California time; Luke is good until 10 or 11 if I don't get him up sooner.

We spent yesterday in NYC, just the people.  We took the train into the city and as we were riding I was contemplating taking Elsa on the train at some point.  Dogs are allowed, they are not allowed to be annoying or sit on the seats but they can head into the big city.  If I do take her it will be just for a one trip stop for a trial run and work our way up to a full trip which is around 45 min.  Once you get to Grand Central Station it is pretty crazy, mind you it is the busiest time of the year so it wouldn't be this crazy when I go.

I saw quite a few dogs down town, some sporting pretty adorable little coats others without.  We hit Central park for a bit where there were lots of dogs of all shapes and sizes. As we head down the streets of New York City, right in front of us was a tiny Rat Terrier with her owner.  She was pretty skittish but her owner just kept trodding along.  She deeked and dived out of the way of the masses of people and startled horns, huge truck noises and blasts of steam coming from the ground.  It is a lot to take in as a human, I cannot imagine being 8 " from the ground and doing it all.

Today will be filled with baking, wrapping and walking the dogs hopefully at a beautiful area that we have found where they can run off leash.  The homemade cookies that I make for the dogs is down to crumbs in the bottom, that needs topping off so I will try to get to those as well.  We bought the dogs gifts during our Dog Food Drive back in California, glad my hubby thought to get them then.

I hope you all have a wonderful day, evening and Christmas morning.  From mine to yours; Happy Holidays.

Dogs in bed

This is a re-post.  It is from a little more than a year ago but I felt like it should be posted again, so many people have weird issues with dogs sleeping in beds.  Obviously my little Jack Russell is not with us anymore but just reading this made me smile this morning.  I woke up to a very large puppy licking me in the face today; soon she was up on the bed snuggling for all get out.  She is not allowed to sleep on the bed yet but she is definitely allowed up when asked.  Life is far too short not to enjoy your dogs in bed.
*************************
Re-post
*************************




As I lay here in bed; the sun is not yet up.  There is a chill in the air; but I am cozy with my very own Jack Russell foot warmer.  She's snoring; she is snoring loudy under her down comforter and not far from her is Luke; silently keeping the left lower quadrant of the bed warm.  Dogs in bed; the statement alone is controversial.  Many guardians love nothing more than sharing their bed with their dog; but is that where dogs should be?  There is a great divide on the subject and some of the biggest opponents are the dog trainers.  So here's what I think about the subject.

My opinion on dogs sleeping in bed with you is clear cut; black and white.  If you would like your dogs to sleep in your bed with you and your dog shows no signs of grumblings, complaining about being moved or ousted then that is where they should be.  Enjoying the company of your dog in bed is one of the great joys we have with our dogs.  Snuggling with your dog is wonderful; listening to sleep can be a huge stress reliever.  But what if everytime you move; your growls.  Or when asked to get off the bed; your dog objects, offering the "just try to move me," look?   Let's face it; your bed is the prime piece of real estate in your home and in a pack the leader gets it.

Often a guardian will toss some information my way as a side note.  "Oh ya; he growls everytime I move in bed."  This is the line; the line I have drawn for dogs in bed................off they go.  But this is not a life sentence; they can earn a spot back on the bed but "earn" is the important word here.  Back when Luke was a young'n we had an incident with him growling at my son for couch rights.  Luke is the type that thinks he is all that and a bag of chips and his couch priviledge was fueling this.  I was present at the time of the growl and Luke left the couch abruptly; he was kicked off for 6 months.  We worked on a new set of rules; asking permission.  There has never been another incident.

Being that sleeping with dogs is suppose to be mutually enjoyable; having you avoid your dog in your sleep is not good.  If your every move elicits a growl which inturn interferes with your sleep; then this is a clear sign that someone has to go.  And that someone is not going to be you.  It is your bed; you dished out your hard earned money to buy it, you are going to sleep in it.  But now you are feeling guilty; poor Fido has to sleep on the floor?  Put your guilt aside; buy a nice bed for your dog and put it right beside yours, this is the best thing you can do for your relationship.

My dogs all have a their own bed in our bedroom; and they use them.  With the girls being 13 and 14; it is not safe to be up on the bed if I am not awake so they are safe and sound in their own beds.  Most often Luke jumps up on the bed in the middle of the night and everyone joins us in the morning.  I feel very strongly that dogs need comfort; and a floor isn't comfortable, not even for a dog.  Make sure that if your dog is not sleeping in your bed that they have a very comfortable bed of their own.

On the opposite end of the spectrum are the folks who don't want their dog even in their room with them to sleep.  Well; the best place for your dog to sleep is in your room, bottom line.  Where you lay; your dog should lay.  A pack sleeps together; they don't need to sleep on top of each other but they should all be in the same room.  It makes me sad to think of a dog that lays alone at night; banished to the kitchen, garage or worse (outside) at night.  Bonding occurs during these special times; in the absence of night bonding you are missing half your life with your dog.

Substance and structure

Substance -  the actual matter of a thing, as opposed to the appearance or shadow; reality.

Leaning down to greet a new client; a German Shepherd puppy I grab hold of her front leg, nice substance.  I like a dog with substance, beef, good bone, meaty.  Sadly many of our breeds are taking a dive in the substance department.  Many breeders are heading down the path the leads to injury and structural problems as they adjust their goal to the "refined" look.   A longer neck, a lighter gate or refined face.

Luke does not have substance; he is from show lines and has a wonderful long neck, beautiful gate but he is always hurting himself.  When I grab his front leg I shutter at how little substance there is compared to Tilley or Elsa.  I want to feel a handful when I grab a leg; something that tells you that this dog could hold up after a long day of work.

Structure - a complex system considered from the point of view of the whole rather than of any single part.

But substance does not stand alone; you can have substance without structure or balance and a dog will suffer.  I am not talking about what is required in a show ring; I am talking about work-ability, movement, ease in day to day life and being able to play hard and not suffer for it.  Some breeds have gone the other direction with so much substance that they can barely move.  This is as much as a hindrance as having too little substance.

Take the German Shepherd for example; a fabulous dog that has undergone extreme change over the years.  The dogs seen in the show ring are no where near the dogs of years gone by.  They have lost so much in the rear that many cannot lead a normal day to day, let alone a working life.  Why has this happened?  Humans are a weird bunch, if a tiny slope is good then an extreme slope would be better correct?  No, not even close.

How about the Dachshund?  Again another great dog but structure?  Really?  It is obvious when you look at the breed that they have back issues, how could they not?  Substance?  Yes many have great substance but every single one lacks in the structure department.  They may be the best show specimen ever but are they a structurally sound dog?  No.

When you follow along the years and watch a breed transformation it can be a bit scary to say the least.  Depending on a breeders eye and what is in at the moment can have a drastic impact on results.  Many of the "big hair" breeds suffer due to the focus put on hair instead of what's under the hair.  All dogs are meant to run and play and maybe work; but with human intervention much of that has now changed.  I see far too many breakable dogs these days, it is a sad truth.  

Scaredy Chicken

"What was that?"  "What was that?" I've got a scaredy chicken on my hands; not so scaredy during the day but when the sun goes down she is sure that the monsters come out to play.  Ever on guard after the sun sets, Elsa is a chicken.  Being a HIGHLY alert sort of gal she doesn't miss a thing; she is extremely aware of movement.  Whether it is a plane high in the sky, a rustle in the bushes or a reflection; she is constantly aware during the dark hours.  The dark has her spooked but she is worried about scary things during the day as well.  If she is outside barking at noises and then Luke joins to bark; she runs for the hills assuming there must be something seriously scary out there if the man of the house barks.

So what do you do with such a chicken?  As I always say, each and every dog is an individual and as such need a personalized attack strategy when dealing with behavior issues.  For Elsa I am sure that age will help her; she seems to have a high priority on self preservation, not a bad thing at all.  But age can definitely help with the "monster" issue.  I have tried the ignoring tactic; going about my business and showing her by example that it, whatever it may be is nothing.   This was not enough of an impact message for Elsa so we have gone to "Yay........check it out, fun."  Yesterday she was quite worried about the neighbor dog who was non stop barking at us outside.  I picked up her ball and we had a long game of retrieve which is one of her favorite things to do.

Out for a social walk yesterday we were hitting a few of the strip  malls hoping to meet some people and things.  One gentleman who was very elderly was heading our way; I knew in an instant that this was what we (as in trainers, we) look for.  He was quite small, shrunken over, with a cane, a leaning stride and a hat, perfect.  I kept my pace the same and as we approached him, Elsa's head slung down, he reached out to touch her.  She immediately started barking which I had already anticipated and kicked into action.  Her bark is not menacing, more a "hey I'm little and a bit scared" type bark.

"Who's this, yay a nice man to meet" I chirped in a very happy upbeat tone.  She immediately stopped barking and wagged like mad to meet the man.  He adored her, he was quite clearly smitten by her beauty and told me a very long story about a dog he had long ago who had puppies etc. etc.  We said our goodbyes and he kept his eye on her, stating at the last minute as we walked away "what a beautiful dog."  We had a great experience, those are the ones that puppies need to experience.  I clearly remember Luke meeting a man who was similar as this gentleman and his reaction was not as cute.  Luke was in the car at the time and the man was walking to his car which was beside ours; Luke considered him a threat and sounded the alarm.

Things can be scary in life, especially when you are little; how you deal with your dogs reaction has the most lasting impact.  Ignoring is the best reaction from me when Luke is frightened, same with Tilley, Elsa needs the YAYYYYY routine.  It's all about difference.

Regrouping

It has been just over a week now that we lost our little Jack Russell Jessie.  Whenever there is a loss or an addition to a pack; it shifts.  For us the biggest shift has been meal time; one less mouth to feed throws everyone for a loop.  Being that Jessie was absent for much of our dog life in general; it was those times when we was in attendance that there is a noticeable change.  The biggest thing is that Jessie was always fed first; the other dogs are having a time with this, especially Elsa.

Elsa is one smart cookie; she figures out how things work and likes to stick to it.  She has a difficult time veering from the norm and missing #1 during feeding time is no different.  She knew that she got her food 4th, so now she is in a slight state of confusion when I put her bowl down 3rd.  She stands, looking, hesitating and antsy.  I am trying to mix it up anyway with Elsa because of her steadfast adherence to ritual; so she will learn to be #3.

Other than feeding time there doesn't seem to be much of a change in our pack.  It is getting older and the care level is going up it seems everyday with Tilley.  For much of my day spent unpacking and organizing I can briefly forget about our loss; then suddenly I will have a panic about where Jessie is.  It only lasts a second or two until I remember, having cared for a dog for over 15.5 years makes it difficult to not have an eye out for her.  Especially in the end when Jessie spent many hours wandering; I was always going to find her.

I am sure that all of this will hit home after the hustle and bustle of the move, unpack and holidays quiet.  For now we are regrouping; getting adjusted and settling in.

Oh that tail

I have for many, many years now thought that the process of tail docking should end.  It is a hugely controversial subject and one that has gotten me into the thick of it with many a tail docking fans.  After many years of searching for a new puppy we ended up getting one from a breeder who feels the same way about tails.  The litter that Elsa is from was the first for the breeder which she did not dock tails.  I remembered years ago looking at a breeders website somewhere in BC, Canada who was not docking tails.  When it came time for us to get another puppy I could no longer find the link to the site so I was more than ecstatic when my breeder told me she planned on not docking.

"They aren't balanced," "they don't look like a poodle," "it has always been done."  These are many of the phrases I've heard repeated over the years.  Not balanced?  How can we possibly say that when our dogs are born with a certain length of tail?  Look at wolves, they are completely balanced with their long tails.   My son recently commented on Elsa's tail which inspired this blog today.  "Elsa totally uses her tail, why would they cut them off?"  he exclaimed while watching her play in the yard.  He could not understand the reasoning behind docking tails so I tried to explain where it came from.



Some breeds have very short or little tail at all due to their being guard dogs; others are docked due to the concern about their tail being caught in some sort of bushes, tethers or straps.  Have you ever seen a Doberman with intact tail and ears?  Very hound looking and not that scary at all.  Many breeders and tail docking fans say that it helps avoid injury or matting on the tail.  Hmmmmmm; how do wolves get by with those long tails in the forests and deserts?  Foxes have amazingly long tails; in fact I think all wild canids have long tails.

Watching dogs interact with other dogs and humans you see their tail in constant use.  You can clearly see dogs using their tails in life from day to day.  Speaking of balance, dogs use their tail continually for balance when running, walking, swimming and jumping.  Having it shortened or removed completely only handicaps a dogs movement ability.

Watching Elsa move around it is clear just how much dogs use their tails.  Not only for balance in movement but for speaking.  Elsa's tail is far more obvious than Tilley's or Luke's making it much easier to read the signs.  Her tail is more extreme because of the length and makes it far more useful when speaking to other dogs.  As a behavior specialist; it is clear why we should not remove tails.

Several years ago Tilley had a severe wound on her tail; the vet opted quickly to amputate.  Not only was Tilley 11 at the time which would have made the surgery extremely difficult and painful but she would have been missing her tail.  I would not allow the amputation and with around the clock nursing she healed and is very happy I'm sure to still have her tail.

An amazing study was done at the University of Victoria on the subject of tail length.    It is a very interesting read.

There are many of you out growing angry as you read this.  It is not meant to point fingers or name names; it is  hopefully a read that will get you thinking, pondering.  So many things from the past have been abolished, phased out or drastically changed.  After all, we know far more now than we did way back then, don't we?

Sunday morning

Good Sunday morning everyone; I'm now on Eastern time so hopefully my blogs will be posted earlier.  We had a great day yesterday at a beautiful area we discovered.  So many new things to see and discover.  I am hoping to connect with some dog people here so that we can venture out for some Eastern fun.  The place we went yesterday was very dog friendly, winter time is downtime for beaches so the dogs get to enjoy.  And enjoy they did, this is somewhere I will be visiting often.

Luke has been catching up on his rest since our big trip across the country.  A few of first days in the house he was my constant shadow so he is resting from that as well.  Elsa is discovering all the new things and figuring out what is what.  Tilley is resting and getting more to her old self everyday.  She, like me is a northerner; born in Manilla, Ontario she always loved the cold.  Taking her out at the crack of dawn this morning; she stood sniffing the cold air and wagged her tail.  She then decided to go on an adventure with me following her around in my boots and robe.  She is very tippy and needs constant supervision so that she doesn't fall on the uneven terrain.

Blogs may be short for a bit as we get settled in our new place; but bear with me.  There will be lots of new things "dog" to discuss, new places, new adventures, new behavior and life with dogs.  Have a great Sunday.

Where to stay

As you all know my son and I just finished a road trip across America.  We left sunny Southern California and drove to South Connecticut.  We stayed at 5 hotels that allowed us with our dogs so I have a good feel for where to stay and what to ask for now.  When we began our trip we had four dogs, not an easy number to tell the reservation people.  We didn't want to pay an exorbitant fee for having our dogs but understand that there would more than likely be some fee.



We discovered that almost all La Quintas allow dogs of any size and any number with no extra fee.  We stayed in 3 La Quintas.  One was nice, one a bit run down and dirty but with great outdoor grounds and the last very nice.  We actually stopped at a fourth; brought our bags and "dog stuff" up to the room only to turn around and leave.  The girl was nice at the desk and understood.  The whole hotel stunk of cigarettes and cheese (says my son).  It was run down and divey, not somewhere I wanted to stay.

Cost per night for the La Quintas was 70.00-90.00 with no extra dog fee.

We took a quick trip up the road and stayed at a Drury; my favorite hotel on our stay, easily.  When we got to the Drury Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee I was pleasantly surprised.  They also gave us the most convenient room and had lots of "grassy" area for the pooches.  We had complimentary snacks and wine on our arrival which was more than welcome after 4 solid days of driving.  Their breakfast was great and they were very friendly.  The hotel was clean and very accommodating.  Even though when we were originally looking for a hotel to stay in at all of our stops we were told that the Drury had a 2 dog limit they allowed us in with our 3.  Sadly we didn't stay at other Drury Hotels because we thought they had a 2 dog limit.

Cost per night was 119.00 with no extra fee for dogs.

Our last night away we stayed at the Marriott Residence Inn; there was nothing else that would accept dogs in the area that night.  It was a really nice hotel but although they allowed our dogs they did not seem "dog friendly."  We were told not to bring the dogs through the lobby and were given an end room on the third floor.  I asked for something close to the elevator because of Tilley and hauling all of our stuff but we were told that they were completely booked and that this was the last room.  Neither I nor my son bought the "full" line as the parking lot was nearly empty all the way around the hotel.

Cost per night 169.00 plus 100.00 dog fee.

The girls at the front desk were very friendly and the hotel was beautiful.  It was a king suite with a full kitchen, a great place if you are staying a while.  We were also told that they had a very strict barking rule as there were so many "business" people staying at the hotel.  They charge a flat 100.00 dollar fee to stay with your dogs which is non refundable.  Nice hotel but didn't receive a warm and fuzzy about the dogs which were down to three at that point.

When you stay at a hotel with your dog think about location, both in regards to the room and the hotel.  If your dog is not accustom to staying in hotels then you will not want to leave them unattended in the room for more than a very short time period.  Luckily there were two of us so when we arrived and got settled Brad went and got our dinner for the night.

Location of room was very important for us, we had a 5 month old puppy and Tilley who has a tough time going a long distance.  Plus she is so slow that it can literally seem to take forever getting anywhere.

All in all it was a great experience.  Would I do it again?  In a heartbeat for my dogs.

Facebook

Sitting here now in Connecticut I am reflecting on our long journey.  It was far from what I had expected; much better in some ways but gone wrong is one other.  Admittedly I am not a great traveler; I am not a patient person as far as long drives so driving from California to Connecticut was not my cup of tea.  Not wanting to put my dogs in the cargo of a plane, entrusting their lives to someone else I opted to make this very, VERY long drive.  As we headed out I had no idea of what was ahead.

I am a huge Facebook fan; I have several groups that I have started and am on every day.

Just dogs with Sherri  with 857 members
The Standard Poodle  with 3695 members
Shutting down puppy mills  with 66 members (new and growing slowly)
Sherri Regalbuto Photography  49 members
Poodles in need around the world  309 members

My two largest groups knew that my son and I were making this journey; we'd already discussed it quite a bit.  Luckily my son has an iphone and I was able to post our progress across the country.  As we ventured onto the highway there was a feeling of not being alone knowing that not only was family with us but hundreds or thousands were also with us.  Receiving continuous comments from my Facebook family put a smile on my face daily.  I felt like we were all on this trip together.

When issues came up and we needed help; I just posted the need and they were there.  My Facebook family has been beyond amazing.  I now have friends around the world; friends who I feel comfortable sharing with.  I had no idea that this amazingly huge trip would make me look at Facebook a little differently.  Not only does it enable you to tap into friendships that you would never have been able to do otherwise; it changes your life.

To my Facebook fans:  I cannot express how wonderful it was knowing that you were all out there keeping an eye on our travels.  When I was down you picked me up; you cheered as we got closer and closer to our destination.  When we lost our little girl along the way; heartache and constant tears streaming down my face were comforted  knowing that you all understood.  You gave me your opinions and much needed "if it were me" advice.  It truly is amazing how close a group can become without ever meeting in person.   But after all  the heart of a being is what's inside, correct?

I lost a member of our family on this trip; but gained a whole bucket load of friends.  I cannot tell you how much I appreciate you all; thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Sincerely;  Sherri.

Hotel etiquette

We are almost there; our new home, our destination after 6 long days of driving.  I can't believe we made it across the US.  We are sadly missing one of our passengers but we are almost there.  Over the last days we have stayed at many different hotels.  I had no idea what the dogs would think; how they would react but I have to say that I am way impress with my dogs.

Tonight we walked into the hotel room; Luke had a look around, sniffed the suitcases and jumped up onto the couch.  It was like he was saying "okay, cool."  Tilley has had the hardest time, she is the oldest and set in her ways.  Elsa and Luke have just taken everything in stride and after tomorrow it will be six very long days of driving, stopping and driving.

Hotel etiquette is lost on many; hotels that allow dogs are really going out on a limb.  Sadly I've seen many people just pushing it; asking for those hotels to stop accepting dogs.  Poop, poop everywhere.  Nothing drives me more crazy is people who do not pick up after their dogs.  The hotel puts out bags, garbage cans and has a special place to use and people still let their dog take and crap and walk away, disgusting I think.

Barking dogs?  I was in the shower and heard Elsa barking; I ran out and asked her to shhhhhhh.  She was barking because someone was letting their little yapper bark, bark, bark and bark.  She only did a couple of chicken barks but the other dogs in some room was barking up a storm, really?  Were the people really able to sleep through their dog barking like this when we could hear it so loud through the walls?  Honestly.

This is all new to my dogs; I have hoteled with dogs many times way back when I started with dogs.  With all the changes and new things thrown at my dogs I am extremely impressed.  Ya they're pretty great.  :)

Always in my heart

I cannot believe how the events of the last few days have played out.  I am at the moment, sitting in Nashville, TN with a few moments to spare, a nice breather from our non stop trip.  This past Friday our little Jack Russell; Jessie who was a wonderful 15.5 years took a turn for the worst.  For almost a year our little nugget has struggled with Dementia; a disease that has never before struck our home and I frankly hope that I never see it again.

Dementia left our little robust, spitfire girl with little more than a desire to circle.  What she did have as far as memories were from long ago, set in stone type memories.  Feeding time, or the meaning of a leash and that is about it.  With our essential relocation Jessie became much worse; her world as she knew it was now gone.  As my son and I traveled across the country we could see her growing worse by the day, so bad that the decision became essential.

No one ever wants to make this sort of decision; taking away the life that you have nurtured for over 15 years is not an easy thing to do.  What needs to be done is for the human to step back and look at life from the canines point of view.  There was no question, it was time.

I thought that it might be easier this time, she's been failing for a while.  It is never easy; with the decision made I came unglued the moment I walked into the vet.  I held her tight in my arms, whispering to her how special she was and what an amazing life we'd had together.  I held her close, I kissed her head and breathed in her scent, stinking as it was.

In the 15.5 years of Jessie's life she did a great deal of teaching and making us laugh.  The tenacious little 15 pounder went down a hole after a ground hog, took on a Rottweiler and many

 several big and scary dogs, fell 30 feet out of a tree chasing a squirrel and kept on going and leaped high to grab a bird in mid flight, swallowing it down.  A girly girl she was not.  Always ready for a rumble she ran this pack as the "top dog" for over 14 years.   

The vet came in and was wonderful; but it doesn't help.  Jessie left this world wrapped tightly in my arms.  She remained there long after she was gone, her confused circling now over.  Her struggles with the unknown were now gone and she was free to run and chase whatever her hearts desire.  Our little girl is gone, never forgotten and always in my heart.