My Books

It is Monday again, the start to another very busy week.  I am working on a new book, actually I am working on many books but one in particular today.  I am writing a book on the journey I took across the country with my son and our four dogs at the time.  Last week I sat down for the first time to get started on it; I want to write is now so that I can recall most of what happened.  After a huge move and losing two members of our pack of four I think it will be very healing for me as I replay the adventure on paper.  So far I've gotten our first day of travel done and we have just got to the hotel; so much more to come.

This of course has me thinking about the books that I've already done and am currently working on.  I am very nearing the completion of my Standard Poodle photo book that will be gorgeous if I do say so myself.  I have shot so many dogs and met their wonderful owners, what an experience.  It will be a must have for any Standard Poodle lover; and of course it will contain my own guys here and there.  :)

Books that have already been completed and published are my Dogs in the OC and Greyhound Rescue.  I started the Dogs in the OC many, many years ago with the idea of shooting dogs in areas where people actually walk them.  I mapped out many of the parks, beaches and trails within the OC (Orange County, CA) and tried to hit most of the cities.  Dogs of all breeds, mixes, ages and sizes were included.  I remember looking for dogs for the book and people would contact me asking if their dog could make it.  I asked "is it a dog?"  When they of course answered yes, I said "then there in."


Article on Dogs in the OC

Lori Basheda wrote an article on the book for the Orange County Register.  Surprisingly we ended up on the front page.  The link to the article is above; it is from a different paper, couldn't find the Register copy.  If you click on the enlarge image there are 9 other images.  I'm so very happy to have these images now that my two old girls are gone.

Dogs in the OC can be viewed here 

Once I had Dogs in the OC I got to work on the Greyhound Rescue book.  The production of this book was such an amazing experience.  Each and every dog in the book is a rescue, and every dollar earned for the sale of the book goes to Hemopet.org  Meeting the dogs and hearing their stories was life altering; what amazingly resilient dogs and wonderful people who rescue them.  I would do the whole thing over again most definitely.

Greyhound Rescue book can be viewed here

So those are my books that are done; like I said I have several in production at the moment.  I am so close to being done my Standard poodle book as well as a first stage New Puppy behavior book.  It is all done I just have to put it all together.  But today will be focused on my recent journey; it is a book that cannot wait.  Lots of writing to do, I best get at it.  Have a great week everyone.

Goal, the small steps along the way

Do not let ambitions over shadow small success.   I read this statement last night after dinner at PF Changs. Last weekend we discovered that there was indeed a PF Changs in the town beside ours; I was so excited.  Not because I love PF Changs but more because it is a familiarity set in a unfamiliar and strange place.  At the end of dinner we got our fortune cookies and this is what one of them held inside.  When I read it I immediately thought of our dogs; all of our dogs, yours, mine, everyone's.

Often when training a clients dog the owner will grow frustrated; it can seem like extinguishing a behavior is just not working when you want it gone very badly.  This is when I have to explain tiny, baby steps.  Infinitesimal success, steps that may otherwise be missed can be big achievements on the way to the big one.  Many years ago I worked with a dog that had an obsession with an ice making machine on a refrigerator.  Every time the owner went towards the fridge the dog started to come unglued.  Once the machine started it was pure nut case behavior, spinning, barking and whining.  What we had to do was desensitize the fridge area first; this meant that we had to change the meaning of walking towards the fridge to the dog.

As we achieved small success we could work our way to the actual ice issue.  I remember the owner becoming frustrated as we worked through.  When she would say "how long is this going to take?"  I would ask first "how long has he been doing it?"  "Three years" was the answer.  As we went through the process I would single out the minute successes that were being missed by the owner.  To create a solid end result you must take your time to the finish line.

That said we can miss the small successes by also looking for something else.  Perhaps you want a flyball dog, maybe a dock diving dog and you have been moving towards one of these with regards to behavior work.  You may be missing tiny alternative behaviors that do not relate to your goal sport.  Your dog might be exhibiting a new control that they had not shown before; you need to recognize these as well.  Maybe you have a puppy who has started to display some nice sitting manners; small perhaps compared to diving off the end of a dock but success none the less.  Living in our human world is most definitely a challenge; some have more of a challenge ahead of them than others.

It is our job as humans living with dogs to not let ambitions over shadow small success.  

The truly evil sock

Sock:  A short stocking reaching a point between the ankle and the knee.

The sock, it keeps us warm, stops blisters from forming when we wear shoes with no socks and creates a fashion statement.  But what else can a sock do?  It can cause a great deal of damage and even kill.  The sock's ability to draw a puppy in is staggering; it may lay there looking very innocent on the floor but it is far from the pure item of clothing that you may think it is.   For some strange reason socks are a very hot item for most puppies and the desire alters with each individual.  Some just like to carry them around, others like a good chew leaving your socks with custom air conditioning and then others want to consume them.  Consuming is the massive danger with socks.

When a dog eats a sock it often does not pass through.  You may wait for weeks hoping to see it laying there in the backyard but it never comes.  Perhaps you forget about that sock until there is another.  Another sock is eaten and then you start to worry; and worry you should, socks can cause a huge blockage.  If a sock does not pass it can become a serious blockage in the stomach leading to the intestines, the small or large intestines themselves or the bowels.  You may not notice for a great long while as the build up slowly does it's damage.

Typically dogs start to seem "not themselves."  They may throw up and pooping may turn to diarrhea and then  stop completely.  Eating socks is far more serious than most people think; with a puppy of my own it has been a constant worry.  Elsa happens to love socks, she has and will go to great lengths to find them.  Luckily she most reliably does a happy dance when she has found one cluing me in immediately.

NEVER CHASE; chasing makes finding socks even better and if your dog is worried about losing a sock during the chase they may swallow it.

Teach the drop command as soon as you can.  Instill a great reward system for dropping anything.

Build a positive out of a negative.  Tilley was and Elsa is a huge retriever; with a high drive they thrive of chase, finding and retrieving.   So as I did with Tilley I am teaching Elsa to bring me socks.  When I see her with one I praise her and ask her to bring it to me; she is then asked to drop and rewarded.  I stay very calm and remove the sock like it is nothing, no big deal.  The more "big deal" you make it the more mystical power that you give the sock.  Your goal needs to be to extinguish any power that the evil sock holds.

Of course other things can be just as dangerous but socks seem to be a common desire among many of our canines.  So keep them out of reach and teach your dog to retrieve and drop, eliminating the swallow reaction.

A turn of the head

Batting her eyelashes at Luke saying "you know you want to chase me for this ball."

Dogs are smart, in fact they are far smarter than we humans give them credit for.  They are sneaky smart and depending on the dog; crazy unbelievably smart.  "I was just gone a second," "I just turned around and.........."  I hear these sort of statements all the time and explain why in the blink of an eye a great dog can become a very naughty dog.  As I said they are amazingly smart, so smart that they can be constantly watching you and make it look like they are not.  I can barely move about my house without both Elsa and Luke knowing.  Of course as Tilley and Jessie got on in years and lost their hearing I could sneak out of a room without them knowing but if their hearing is good then they are watching like a hawk.

When I watch my own two (wow, two sounds weird to me) playing I get a glimpse of the intelligence that I deal with.  Elsa loves absolutely nothing more than to be chased; she will grab a ball and torment Luke until he gives in and goes after her.  If Luke happens to get the ball and try to keep it then Miss Elsa kicks into her "smarts" routine.  She knows perfectly well that if Luke keeps the ball the game is over.  She bats her eyelashes and pushes her body on his, wrapping that long tail of hers around him.  She sits on his head until he gets really mad and starts to growl; then she licks his mouth, teeth and tonsils until he is thinking she is pretty darned cute.  All the while I can see her looking at the ball during this whole routine.  As soon as he is bit by the "cute" bug she goes for the ball and runs off with it to start the game all over again.  He sits looking at her like he can't believe she got him again.

Many counter surfers do just this; they look like they are ignoring that roast on the counter edge.  You have a false sense of "they would never," thinking not your dog.  Meanwhile your dog has seen the roast and is plotting it's demise; they are watching and waiting for your departure.  All they need is a split second; a moment of attention loss and they are on it.  "I literally left the kitchen for one second."  That's all they need; they had the whole plan of action played out in their head and all they were waiting for is your part in it.

I will often have food on counters or tables when I'm in the room, I make a lot of food both for humans and dogs.  The other day I was leaving the kitchen for a moment and got a glimpse of breakfast dishes on the table; I stopped and thought for a moment.  Hmmmmmm..............if I leave them  there and Elsa jumps up and gets them then I will have a behavior to then get rid of.  Nope.  I picked up the dishes and put them in the dishwasher before walking out to get what I needed.

Just yesterday I was going out to the gym; I contemplated leaving the dogs in the kitchen for the first time.  They have been in there when I have to go outside and pick up but not for a 45 min. stretch.  Elsa is always in her ex-pen if I go out, it keeps her safe and ensures that I still adore her when I get home.  So I thought "is it time?  Should I give it a try?"  But then I thought better of the idea; she is only 6 months old and there is a great deal of "stuff" to get into in the kitchen.  I will try in a couple of months; for now the best option was to avoid a problem behavior.

When  a dog gets something that they want but are not allowed to have it is because we allowed it to happen. Once they start this behavior then they are watching more closely for your split second lack of attention.  Each and every time that they do get something they are rewarding their own bad behavior; fueling a behavior that will most certainly grow.  So when you consider "I'm just going to run upstairs for a second," think twice.  Scan the room, what are they going to go for?  If you have any doubts at all bring them with you upstairs; it most definitely beats undoing a bad thing.

The name game

Several weeks ago we were at a local beach here in Connecticut.  Both Luke and Elsa were off leash which puts me on high alert.  I cannot carry on a good conversation because I'm "watching."  I am watching for proximity, distance, other canines and interactions.  It is a full time job watching that nothing goes wrong; mostly I was watching Elsa, at only 6 months now she is far from reliable with her recall.  Add in a bunch of other dogs to play with and she goes stone deaf.

Luke is a dog that likes to get distance, he has always been like this and it makes me uncomfortable.  He is completely reliable and trustworthy but I have my own "safety zone" distance and he always goes out of it.  Realizing that he was a bit far for my liking I shouted out to him "Clyde."  I stopped dead in my tracks, what?  Did I just yell out Clyde?  Where the hell did that come from?  Clyde was the boy that I had before Luke; Clyde has now been gone 12.5 years but it still came out.

I think that I shouted his name because I'd been thinking about him a lot lately.  With the loss of Jessie and Tilley growing older (this was before losing Tilley) I was thinking about all my past dogs.   I was shocked that it came out so naturally and was quite taken back.  Names are a strange thing; if I meet someone on the street I will rarely remember their name, that is unless I do the name association thing.  I'm horrible at remembering human names.  But; I can remember just about all the dogs I've met in my life, yep.

It is common when I'm calling out for one of my children that I go through many names, dogs included until I settle on who it actually is that I am calling.  That person usually smiles and shakes their head; I clearly remember my father doing the same thing. There were 5 kids in my family and only one dog but he would go through all the names until he got to who it was.  We all do it, even bringing up names from the past.  Two evenings ago my husband got home from work and bent down to greet out little gal Elsa.  He smiled and said "Hey Till."  I said "Till?" catching the error immediately.  He shook his head sadly.

There can be many reasons why we miss use names; calling out the wrong name of who we are addressing.  One reason is that we are far too busy and our minds become a cluster of thoughts are tangled up.  The other is that our words reveal our thoughts; clearly my husband had been thinking of Tilley that night.  Clyde had been on my mind a great deal the day I called out to Luke with Clyde's name.  Then there is the simple fact that we tend to screw things up; calling out to Elsa I yell "Luke," then catch myself, shake my head and readdress the little one.

I figure the more names you go through until resting on the right one, the more amazing beings you have in your life.

Taking a few personal days

I am taking a few personal days to try to get back on track.  Bear with me; I'll be back in a few.

Sherri

Gone but NEVER forgotten

Kalchan's Time for Tilley - March 13, 1997 - January 08, 2012

As many of you know we lost our sweet Tilley yesterday.  What can I say about a dog as perfect as she was?    She was as close to perfection as you can come for a dog.  Tilley was my Lassie in poodle clothing; she was gentle, affectionate, intelligent, athletic, mannerly, mothering and beautiful.

I will mourn her loss and then take joy in the memories I shared with her for almost 15 years.  There are many, from the quiet moments sitting simply enjoying each others company to the crazy frisbee days of watching a super athlete in her prime.  Tilley wowed almost everyone she ever met, she had the patent on  "sweet." 

As sweet a girl as she was there was never a doubt in my mind that she would defend her family with her life.  She was an amazing guard dog and took her job seriously.   For most of her life with us she was the caregiver of the pack.  She never fussed about her position and was happy just being one of us.  She was and will always be my Lassie.

Tilley had been steadily declining in the last few weeks; at nearly 15 you expect this knowing that their time left with us is short.  But no matter what age they are taken from us we are never ready to let go.  As I sit and write this mornings blog I am looking at an empty bed on the floor, the unsteady ticking of her nails on the floor has been silenced and I am left with a broken heart.  

Yesterday she took a turn for the worst; we rushed to the emergency.  After many tests it was discovered that she had a mass on her spleen and was bleeding internally.  It was time to let her go; never an easy decision but when you love a dog there is almost always a last horrific decision to be made and it was with great love that we let her go to finally rest.   

My sweet Tilley, she filled a spot in my heart and will rest there forever, memories we help the to mend the sadness.  

I want to give special thanks to Dr. Alex Rousseau at Cornell University for his care and kindness.  The speed and professionalism that they showed upon our arrival is how it should always be for our dogs.  

After many weeks of preparation and a great deal of travel Tilley joined our family.  

Tilley was born in Manilla Canada at Kalchan Standard Poodles.  I can't thank Glenna Mae enough for allowing me to share my life with one of her amazing puppies.  How lucky was I to not only to share all the memorable moments with Tilley but to call her a member of our family?  Thank you once again Glenna Mae.

Tilley joined our pack of two in May of 1997 and blended in as a perfect fit.  From the day she joined us she took Brad (my son) under her wing as her own.  

Tilley accompanied me on many private/group training classes leaving students often say "I just want my dog to be like Tilley."  I could never took the credit for her being so amazing, she came to me as pretty close to perfect.

Our pack soon shifted and Tilley became #2 in our 3 dog pack.  Luke was the new comer and not so nicely welcomed by his older sister Tilley.  It took months for her to adjust to this new boy in town but once they bonded; the rest was history.

I have never in all my life seen such a naturally talented dog; amazing utility dog should have been her middle name.  Give her a task and she was not only on it but excelling at it.

Tilley not only helped other dogs learn how to behave but she also helped several "dog fearful" humans to trust a dog again.  She had about her a special air of neutralness.  

Tilley was an amazing athlete; her drive was off the charts and she loved it, throw and she would catch it.

Tilley appeared on Pet Star twice exhibiting her amazing catching abilities.  If you see the show on television you may be lucky enough to see her in action on the re-runs.  She also appeared in many magazine as she "got air" for her discs.

Always ready to retrieve.

As she aged gracefully she enjoyed the good things in life.

Even as an old lady she could do things that were amazing.

She was a true water retriever

My constant companion.

Luke's partner in life.

She was a very happy girl.

While she was able to, she spent many happy hours on our bed with us.

Even at the age of 14 she was always up for water sports.

Tilley loved the simple things in life.

Big sister and mentor

The apple of her Daddy's eye.  Tilley had a special love for the men in her life. 

NO DOGS ALLOWED

You can see Luke and Elsa off in the distance, I love this shot.

NO DOGS ALLOWED, at all?  What?  Not even on a leash?  NO.  Hmmmmmmm.

Not cool; not cool at all.  Okay I understand that there are some places that dogs should not be allowed.  Busy children playgrounds, Dr. offices, nail salons etc; but open fields or parks?  Hello?

I just don't get it; I got an email from a friend the other day with pics of her walking on the beach and when I asked where her dog was she told me "no dogs allowed."  Even in the winter months?  Talking to a gentleman yesterday about local parks he explained how many of the parks have the "no dogs allowed,"  rule.  Not even on leash?  Dogs are not allowed to walk in the woods?  Really?  What are dog feet going to do that people feet don't?

I understand that there are folks out there that have ruined it for those of us who have well behaved dogs.  We pick up after our dogs and generally make sure that they are good citizens while out.  There are others who allow their dogs to run amuck, miss behave and leave their poop where it drops.  So of course those who make the rules think twice about letting dogs in at all.  But really?  The ground we walk on is not fit for our dogs?

I remember in California, going out to shoot the wildfires one day several years back and as I entered each park it amazed me that so many wild scrubby parks didn't allowed dogs on leash or off.  Really?  In this wild, open scrubby area you cannot walk your dog?  Really?  It seems that I will be running into that as well here in Connecticut.  There are always people who will break rules, take leashes off in on leash areas, take dogs where they are not allowed but to not allow them in a wild and natural park at all?  I just don't understand it and will not agree with it.

If the poop is an issue then give tickets to those who don't pick up; I am all for that and will even volunteer a day or two to do so.  I can't stand people who let their dogs drop and don't pick up.  If it is a leash issue where people are letting their dogs off when they shouldn't then ticket.  But don't stop people from enjoying the wide open spaces of the great outdoors with their dog, it's just not right.

Sure if there is a beautifully landscaped park, meticulously groomed with lavish flower gardens spread across the grounds then okay, maybe.  But wild parks?  Really?
 

Jumping, jumping, jumping.

I wrote the other day about Elsa smiling at the cable guy.  Not only was she smiling but she was jumping all over him.  He had caught her by surprise as he walked into the living room; she'd been napping and didn't know that he'd been at our house for what seemed to be hours.  He was just finishing up when he came in and was discussing what he'd done with all the connections to my son.  I had no treats on me at the time; which was very rare.  I'd had Elsa out before her nap and spent all of my treats on working on a recall.

As soon as the guy spoke her ears went up and she kicked into super charged greeting mode.  She was hurling herself at him while smiling and wiggling with sheer joy to see a stranger in the house.  I asked her to get off but I had nothing to compete with the new guy.  Seeing that there was no stopping her as she did her best tasmanian devil greeting routine I ran to get the goods from the kitchen.  She followed me into the kitchen and watched as I pocketed my secret weapon.  We then headed back into the living room to work on NOT jumping on guests.

The difference was amazing; Elsa loves food so much that when she jumped on the guy and I asked for an off she immediately got off and sat.  She was quickly rewarded.  Elsa LOVES people and when I want her to stop saying a very rambunctious hello I have to have something better than the greeting that she is partaking in.  She then only went to see the guy a couple of times; opting to listen to Mom for her reward.  Elsa is turning out to be very typical in that she is an excellent example of how things work in a dogs mind.  Behavior work that I have been teaching for years unfold to perfection when used on Elsa, making her a perfect example of what to do and not to do.

Of course each dog is different so if you have a dog that is not into food then you must find what they are into.  If you want to stop them from doing something that they love then you must be able to offer them something better if they listen to you.  For Tilley it was always a ball, with Luke it was praise; he is a mush and loves nothing better than to be gushed over.  He also hates getting into trouble so he was always working for the lavishing of praise from Mom.

As I get to know our little addition to the family more and more it is becoming increasingly obvious that a ball may soon take over food.  Of course not in all instances but the other day she didn't even drop a ball for a treat; she opted for another toss instead.  Learning all about each is fascinating and knowing what makes them tick is the secret to behavior modification.

Smiling; in a dog sense

A happy face yes; but not the toothy smile I'm talking about.

Human smiling:   to assume a facial expression indicating pleasure, favor, or amusement.  Characterized by an upturning of the corners of the mouth.

Dog smiling; a flash of a dogs front teeth, it can be a fraction of a second flash or a longer drawn out flash.  Typically accompanied with squinting eyes and lowered body posture.  A submissive gesture.

Dog smiles; many people say that their dog smiles but what they are usually explaining is the relaxed mouth of a happy dog and often the mouth is open.  This is commonly the case when you have been out for the day or even a walk with your dog, they are indeed happy but it is not a true smile in a dog sense.  

A dog smile is a visual display of teeth, body, eyes and ears.  They will lower their body, squint their eyes, flatten their ears and flash you a big toothy grin.  Smiling can happen when a dog is feeling exceptionally submissive or in greeting.  Elsa smiles, her first smile was delivered to my son Brad who is also the recipient of most of Tilley's smiles over the years.  Tilley has always smiled, I love smiling dogs.  Her favorite person has always been my son and it is he who receives most of Elsa's smiles as well. 

My husband receives huge smiles from Elsa when he comes home from work each evening.  Strangers have gotten a good smile from Elsa, my daughters and friends.  Over the past months I have received only 2 smiles and that was after a long absence.  Even though Elsa is quite a confident puppy she has a submissive factor about her as well.  Like I often say about dogs, she is complicated yet simple; much like her big brother Luke.

Elsa smiles during greetings, it does not have to be a family member.  She smiled at one of her trainers a couple of months ago when we first entered the building.  She smiled at the cable guy yesterday, this was a much more exuberant smile than normal.  It was accompanied with body wiggles, an immensely wagging tail and jumping all over the guy.  The cable guy had been at our home for hours but Elsa had been napping; he walked into the living room and was greeted by a very excited and surprised Elsa.

Luke has never smiled although several times over the year it has looked like he is almost going to.  His face crinkles in a pre smile position but the smile has never come.  Although Luke has never displayed the full front teeth flash of a true canine smile he does have a very  happy and relaxed "smile" face as many people know the dog smile to be.  But a true smile is a very precise behavior delivered only as a canine can.  

I have yet to capture a good smile but am shooting for it all the time.  I have to set everything up correctly to capture the smile and typically I am on the wrong end to get it.  I can get the lowered body posture, and the ear position but that's all from the rear.  I will have to enter into the house by my sons side to truly capture the fully delivered Elsa smile.

Many people think that a dog is being aggressive when they smile; after all we are shown a flash of a dogs pearly whites when we get one.  It is very close to an aggressive display but the body is the secret; you must watch the entire body to get the full message.  When you see one you will know that you have indeed been smiled at.

Shooting canines

Good morning; I was recently asked to blog about my canine photography.  Just to let you all know, I really enjoy receiving requests from readers.  As I've said before, I often get bloggers block and sit looking at the empty page with no inspiration.   If I don't have something pressing that I want to discuss on a certain page I will always write on a requested topic, so here you go.

My love of photography started at a very early age.  The only thing that I can ever remember wanting to be "when I grow up," was a photographer.  Having the good fortune of meeting a great dog person early on in my life I was in the thick of it from the age of 13.  After being a professional dog trainer for over 10 years I got my hands on a camera and the rest is history.  I immediately knew that "this" (photography) is what I wanted to do; as well as my dog training.  Capturing canines through photography was an instant passion; it enabled me to see what you might never notice if not instantly captured.  A look, an emotion, a reaction, action etc.

Once I got some experience under my belt and some amazing images I started contacting the big dog magazines.  One of my very first published images was the cover of Off Lead.  Shown below this image was shot at a dog park and is full of communication and expression between the two.  Action is probably my favorite aspect of capturing the essence of a canine.

After my first cover I was bitten by the "published" bug; I loved having my images on dog magazine covers.  I got to work right away filling my stock and contacting more publishers.  Since those early days I have had so many covers and inside shots published; it was an exciting time.

After the initial excitement of being published I wanted more.  I started doing private shoots for those wanted to capture their canines in a beautiful portrait.  I have to say it was a strange sensation at first; meeting a dog and their owner and not working on behavior.  As a long time dog trainer I am constantly watching interactions for insight into problem issues and behaviors.  It took a while to hang up my trainer vest at the door when I entered a "shoot" home and not a training home.

Music to my ears is when an owner says to me "you totally captured my dog."  I have done several shoots now for people who's dogs have passed since their shoot.  Getting an email or call telling me how much more they appreciate having their images now that their best friend is gone gives me a special feeling.  I feel so lucky to be able to meet each dog that I shoot and their owners.  In my eyes, dogs are art all on their own; being able to capture each one's individual amazingness is pretty amazing itself.  I love it.

The noble canine

Expression!!!!!!!!!!!

This was taken several years ago and is still one of my all time favorite images.

Having an extensive canine behavior background has made the job of shooting jobs so much easier for me.  I can't imagine those who try to shoot dogs not knowing about dog behavior.  It can be more than a challenge to get a good shot and patience beyond belief.  Yesterday I wrote about my lack of patience for waiting around; this is where my patience is at it's best.  Either in my training or photographing; for dogs I have never ending patience.  Often a client will become flustered at their dog's behavior; especially if they know I am also a trainer.  They grow increasingly embarrassed as their dog acts..........well, like a dog.  I always assure them that I am in no rush, just chill and we'll get the shot.

Not only do I work with dogs but I also work with their owners and when doing a shoot it is all about what the owner is looking for.  We sit and chat about what they want me to capture, what to them is special about their dog.  It doesn't take me long to get a feel for a dog and it is the images that I want to capture that often turn out to be the ones that the owner loves.  Posed images are not something that I enjoy doing; they are essential sometimes when I have to get a particular shot but it is the candid shots that shine.  Like the one above and the one below, life as it unfolds is what makes me tick.

                  This image best exhibits our (my son, our dogs and me) adventure across America.

I have had a big break now in my work with my recent move and it is time to get back at it.  There are new things around the corner for Just dogs with Sherri and as they unfold I will share them with you all.  For now I will keep shooting, training, cooking and baking for dogs, it's all for the dogs.

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.