Electric fences

I have to say that I am shocked; since moving to Connecticut it has become obvious that most use electric fences.  I haven't been here long enough to discover why people opt for an electric fence over a traditional fence but I will find out.  My first day out in daylight brought this to my attention.  Looking around as I drove the neighborhood I realized that there were no fences.  I thought maybe it was because the properties are so big; they are all around the 2 acres range.

Now that I've been here for over a month I've been around.  Even the smaller properties in town have no fences.  Talking to some of residence they have concurred that they indeed use electric fences.  Like I said; I'm shocked.  I'm shocked that this many people use electric fences.  I'm a fence person; I love fences, I mean really really love them.  They make having dogs in my life really easy, safe and secure.  But the fences I love are the physical type, chain link, page wire, wood, block wall or stone, not electric.

Over the years I have heard many stories of dogs who go through the electric zap but don't come back.  Just imagine a squirrel driven dog; chasing a squirrel is definitely worth a zap.  Coming back through the zap to get home, not so much.  Fallout, with dogs there is always fallout behaviors.  Just like with pinch or prong collars the association is unavoidable.  Pain is quickly paired with whatever is near, a dog walking by, a person jogging or a child on a bike; the dog believes that this event caused the pain.  The same thing can happen with electric fences; dogs walking by cause painful zaps, perhaps it is vehicles that cause the pain to happen.  Whatever it is that would draw a dog near or across the fence line is the cause of the pain by association.

Great article on electric fences and collars. 

The link above is an article published in the Whole Dog Journal; it is a good read although I was nearly in tears and almost could not continue reading about the Airedale Andy.

Electric fences will not keep a dog in if they want out badly enough but they will definitely keep them from coming back home.  They do not have any safety value as far as keeping other dogs or animals out of your yard.  With the amount of deer in the area I would think that keeping them out of the yard would be enough to put up a real fence.  Sure they can jump a fence but I'm sure they'd rather go next door to the house without a fence to eat.  As far as using the excuse that fences may be unsightly?  I don't get this one, I love fences.

I cannot imagine putting a collar on my dogs and starting the electric shock training.  Knowing my dogs so well I do know that they would both be traumatized; the emotional fallout would be horrific.  I will never use an electric collar.  For me the good old fashion fence system is my choice of canine containment; zapping is not even a consideration.

Masters of the scent

This deer shot was taken in Victoria, BC several years ago.

We were all sitting quietly in the family room; after a big hike and a play session with a new friend Elsa was baffed.  Luke was curled up under one of his favorite blankets enjoying the warm fire and his peeps.  In an instant it all changed, Elsa's nose shot straight up in the air; she inhaled hard moving her nose around to catch the best scent.  Then she barked, Luke stuck his nose in the air and did the exact same thing.  Luke now standing on the couch and Elsa running around the room trying to capture the scent they were onto something.  We lowly humans sat wondering what they were smelling; obviously something very potent as nothing had changed in the indoor environment.

We have deer here in Connecticut and they come very close to the house.  We all thought that perhaps a deer had just walked by; I turned on the outside lights and had a look, nothing.  We listened to the best of our ability; our much inferior ears could not hear a thing and our noses certainly could not smell whatever it was that the dogs were smelling.  It was over as quickly as it started and everyone settled once again.

The next morning I had a look around outside the house; I checked the area that would be just outside the family room and sure enough, fresh deer tracks.  I know that dogs are amazing at scenting but the fact that they smelled a deer walk outside the house is still amazing to me.  Imagine being able to smell things like that? Was there a time when we human had that degree of scent ability?  Perhaps, but it is most definitely long gone now.  Luke has amazed me with his scent ability for years; he is our great spider hunter.  I have written a previous blog on him and his amazing spider talents.  (Click here to read the past blog on Luke's spider talents)

Having Elsa around reminds me daily how amazing dogs senses are; old dogs lose much of their senses so it's been much less vigilant around for a while.  I could come and go without the old girls even knowing.  I could vacuum all around their snug little bodies without them stirring.  Watching Elsa with her seemingly bionic ears and eyes brings it all back.  Dogs are far more superior than us in many ways.

What color is your retriever?

For many years my husband has said "I'd love a Golden Retriever."  He happens to be quite allergic to dogs so that's not happening anytime soon.  He loves the look of a yellow lab; the Old Yeller types, something about those retrievers.  When we added Luke to our life we had added the Golden part of a Golden Retriever.  As he grew I stood watching him while my husband tossed the ball or threw a frisbee it dawned on me "we had a golden retriever."  Of course I pointed that out to my husband............many times.  He
adores our poodles; he is one of the great supporters of the versatility of the breed.

Now we have yet another Golden Retriever; no not an actual breed replica but she is gold and she is an amazing retriever.  In fact I know that she will be an amazing whatever as she is up for anything, anytime.  I ran into a woman at the beach the other day; in fact her yellow lab went and saved our ball from floating away.  Both Luke and Elsa had stood up to their ankles in the water watching it go out with the tide.  Too cold for some very smart poodles.  "Great," I thought to myself; then hoped that a Labrador might come by to save it and she did.

When we stopped to talk to the woman with the lab I told her about Tilley and how she was an amazing frisbee dog.  She told me how her son wanting nothing more than a frisbee dog.  This lab girl had tons of drive but she was very short legged and hefty so she obviously did not resemble the sleek types that fly in the air.  But; she most certainly had speed, amazing speed for such short legs and with enough training I'm sure she could be a great frisbee dog.  Maybe not the airborne type like Tilley but definitely a great catcher.

I love watching all the dogs at the beach; they are all different, each having their own talent.  Some dogs excel at just about anything they do; others have very specific talents and shine in their own arena.  It is especially amusing when you see dogs who look they are little lap dogs; only to see them charge across a field and dive into the air grasping a tiny disc catapulted by their owner.  Seeing the huge buff body of an English Bulldog seemingly swimming with ease is quite the scene when it seems that they should sink.  Of course many of the breed do sink and should always wear a life jacket.

Dogs are dogs and as such should be given every opportunity to excel at their passion.  Each dog is different; I know many Golden retrievers who have no intention of retrieving anything.  I know German Shepherds who will hold the front door open for an intruder and Yorkie's who would give their life defending their family and home.  When a new dog joins your family it gives you the opportunity to do something new; discover your new family member and how they will enrich your life via new experiences.

When we were waiting for the day that our Elsa would join us I clearly remember saying "I can't wait to meet her."  I was very anxious to see who she was and would be.  She is still unraveling, she's not done yet but taking the journey around each corner with her as she grows is an amazing part of it all.  But one thing is for sure; we have added another amazing Golden Retriever to the pack.

Snacking and TV watching

Yesterday was the big football day; not that I am a football fan at all but I love the action.  Some of my best memories are those from when I use to shoot my sons football games in High School.  I love to shoot action; and seeing the resulting photos with people flying in the air and emotion playing out on their face is amazing.  But my better half and my son were watching the big games yesterday so I was sort of floating in and out of the family room.  Luke was snuggled on the couch for the entirety of the both games.  We'd gone for a big hike in the woods, met a few new friends and saw some cool new sites, Luke was exhausted.  Elsa joined him now and again but she was mostly scouting for food.

One of the many joys of old dogs is that they know; they have their training done long ago and life just gets simpler.  I remember when I had three dogs and I could leave a coffee table full of food and walk away knowing that when I got back it would all be there where I left it.  Luke is amazing; he would NEVER eat off the table unless asked to do so.  Even then he'd probably have huge stress issues about doing it; he's a "only needs telling once," sort of guy.

As I sat watching Elsa watch the food on the table I realized how far she'd come.  She is by pure definition of the meaning; a chow hound.  She loves food too much and has a very difficult time controlling herself around it, any of it.  So when she walked past our legs, brushing the nose level table filled with food without giving it a second glance I was proud to say the least.  She is learning that the only way to get any of the food when we are eating is to go and lay down on her bed.  (Of course not everyone always listens to these rules (humans)).

The table is off limits, that is what you must ingrain in their heads.  If it's on the table; you don't touch it!!!! Simple, right?  Not always.  Some dogs just "get it."  Others need a ton of work, supervision, feedback and more supervision.  Elsa is one of these types, it has everything to do with how much they really want that food.  But that said the closer the bond that you forge the easier it is.  Puppies in general don't give a hoot if you are mad at them; it typically doesn't really phase them.  Once your puppy starts to mature and you become an important person in their life then it starts to matter.  I am seeing that now at 6 months of age.

One of the most important things to remember when trying to teach our dogs what to touch and not to touch is our role in the matter.  You must keep an "I can do this," attitude otherwise you can't do it.  If you have a wishy washy attitude; sort of like "ah..........she keeps taking stuff," then she always will.  The ever famous phrase "give them an inch and they'll take a mile," stands true with our dogs.  One sniff of the table leads to a lick which leads to a head turn which leads to a full on steal.  So dig your heels in and make a statement "no touching my stuff," believe it, follow through and you will soon have a dog that you can be proud of.  One who can join you for those football watching days of food and kick back.

Dog play

Good Sunday morning; it is a chilly one here in Connecticut and the sun is just up.  I hope you all had a good day yesterday; we spent much of it outside in a snow storm playing with the dogs, what fun.  Elsa has decided that snow is pretty wonderful; I believe it comes a close second to sand.  She loves sand and when her toes hit it, its like something happens inside of her.  She comes unglued and tears around like a maniac out of control.  She has always been like this, even when she'd just hit the sand at a park in the playground area she'd be off flipping out at the end of her leash.

Speaking of sand we were at the beach again on Friday.  The dogs had a wonderful time and it was not very crowded; we saw maybe 6-7 other dogs in total which is a nice number.  Far too often there are just too many dogs and when the number of dogs goes up to big numbers so can the stress levels.  The chance of fights or other behavior issues rise with stress levels.  So hitting a dog park or beach in the off hours is always the best bet.

Not all dogs that visit beaches or parks have learned how to play nice.   Many people bring their dogs to interact with other dogs but don't give appropriate feedback.  Feedback is essential and if your dog does  not know how to play nice then best to not bring them to an off leash park before working on behavior problems.  Certain behaviors may be okay at home with siblings but might not fly with strange dogs at the park.

There are a large number of dogs who do not have good communication skills.  They may naturally have an  obnoxious personality even though they have had a great deal of socializing with other dogs. Or they may lack the experience of playing with and reading other dogs.  No matter why, they need feedback from their owners, you.  If they won't quit you need to remove them.

When Luke was a puppy I took him often to the dog park to play with other dogs.  It made all the difference in the world.  To this day he is very social; but he has his limits.  He puts up with a lot, more so with females which is very normal; but even with males he puts up with a lot of nonsense.  One line that he draws is with mounting, many dogs will not put up with this.  Mounting is a very dominant behavior and can get a dog into serious trouble; it should absolutely never be allowed with strange dogs.  One foot on the way up to a mount can be all that is needed to start a fight.

Elsa has amazing communication skills, I just love to watch her ability to read and interact appropriately.  Giving dogs the opportunity to interact with other dogs is a wonderful thing but like many things in life more is not better.  Too much can be a bad thing; dogs get tired, cranky and then problems begin so like I always say "quit while you're ahead."   Had a good short visit at the park?  Leave on a positive, don't hang around for a negative.  Dogs don't need hours and hours of full speed running............patience grows thin when tired.

This and that

Friday; TGIF right?  Wrapping up the week and heading into the weekend is always a welcome time.  What a week; it was an emotional one for me as I worked through some separation anxiety with Luke.  He is no doubt taking note of his missing siblings and learning to cope.  Helping him through it makes dealing with the loss myself a must; I have wrapped my arms around his head numerous times a day telling him that I am so sorry that he lost his life partners.  Sometimes we forget, it is not only us that suffer with loss.  Luke lived with both Jessie and Tilley his entire life; it's not easy to adjust to them being gone.  But together we will make it through, we are a pretty tight pair.

This week was also filled with getting out and socializing.  Elsa makes us get out which is a great thing.   With her bubbly, cup half full attitude she enjoys everything that life has to offer her.  Even a tiny cranberry can bring much joy for both her and anyone watching her.  I offered her one the other day and she played with it for a good 20 minutes before deciding that she would eat it.  She tossed it around just like the bugs she played with back in California.  She bats at it, curls her lips up at it and generally takes great joy in the tiny red piece of shriveled fruit.  It is uplifting just watching her enjoy such tiny things.

We met several other poodle people while we were out being social.  I am stopped often when people see the two blonde poodles strutting down the street.  Both Elsa and Luke have those big smiley faces and people cannot help but smile back.  I think today that we might hit the beach again; it is much more crowded on the weekends so today might be the day.  I was really hoping that the weatherman was correct and we would indeed have snow last night but again we were passed over.  No snow this morning.

So what's on the agenda for this weekend?  Hmmm?  I think getting out for some exploring is ahead.  I really want to have a good look around so I'd like to dedicate at least one day a weekend for checking out the surrounding cities.  We hit New Canaan last weekend with the dogs; what a great little town, so cute.  We visited one of their great parks with the dogs although it was so cold that my fingers were numb.  Elsa very much enjoys the cold; Luke is still thinking about it.  Perhaps a nice warm jacket will help?  I'll give it a go; he's never been one to wear stuff but maybe a nice new down jacket will warm him up to the idea of these cold temps.

Have a wonderful weekend whatever you are going to be doing with your pooches.

Return policy

Recently I've spoken with several people who acquired a dog and then for some reason or other had to return it.  In these tough financial times, sadly many people find themselves in situations that they had not expected.  Losing a job can be life altering and then not being able to secure another form of employment can change everything even further.  What happens when you get a puppy and either the puppy doesn't fit or for some reason you simply cannot keep a puppy?  The return policy.

Over the years I've heard a great deal about return policies; some are amazing, others not so much.  In my opinion when you choose to breed you take on the responsibility of all that you breed.  Meaning that each and every dog that you put out there in the world, you are responsible for.  If that means that you have to reclaim a puppy due to being duped by someone, then you do it.  If one of your families finds themselves is need of returning a puppy because they are a statistic of today's financial issues; then you take it back.  No matter what, you take your puppies back.

I spoke to one breeder who said "you better be sure because I don't want any puppies back."  Her stance on returning was not; she wasn't taking back a puppy for any reason.  When most other breeders that I know write in their contract; if for any reason you are unable to keep your puppy, it will be returned to the breeder. Of course the more puppies that you put out there the higher the possibility that some will come back.  I guess other than taking back a puppy is the money issue.  All puppies should be taken back if needed; that's just a given.  But the money issue is a tricky one.

Knowing many breeders and their policies, they are all different.  One particular breeder that I know takes puppies back and returns money no matter what.  Her thoughts are for her puppies alone; "give me the puppy, here is your money back."   Returning monies paid for a puppy when that said puppy is returned most definitely makes things more simple.  It leaves nothing lingering; all ties are severed, nothing to discuss further.
Sometimes it just doesn't work; for whatever reason a puppy chosen hasn't fit the family.  Should the family pay for this?  I think not.  Those people who may have had thought that a puppy would fit wonderfully could suffer greatly with the loss of that money.  Maybe money is the reason that they cannot keep the puppy; either way I think that it should be returned.

 Life is not a science and if even you do your homework it sometimes goes wrong.  What matters is that the puppy is placed in a home where it fits; that is what is the most important thing.  For a breeder this means work, but that is the work that you chose when you started breeding.   Returning all money is most definitely the easiest and cleanest policy to have but; then there are the people who dupe you.  They convince you of the great home they have for your puppy; they are just the greatest family.  But then you find out otherwise; do you return money to these people when you take back your puppy?  A thought to ponder.

Tying up the funds can draw out the agony which has already been placed before you.  Litigation may follow as these less than upstanding citizens attempt to retrieve their funds from you.  Is it worth it?  The time and the effort to keep their money?  That is a very personal question both with regards to situation and personal option.  I do think in the long run that even for these "bad" folks that it is easier to just give it back.  You have your puppy back which is the important part; there is good in that fact alone.

Breeding dogs is huge; there are so many aspects to it if..............you are an ethical, reliable and "good" breeder.  It's easy if you have no heart and pump out puppies like they are pet rocks.  But if you want to breed dogs so that other people can enjoy healthy, happy dogs then do it right.  Making money should NEVER be behind it because money is behind the bad ones.

First snow

Elsa trying to figure this stuff out.

Yesterday was our first snow here in Connecticut.  It was the first snowfall for the poodles; they saw and walked in snow in Flagstaff, AZ and New Mexico on our trip across the country but never the fresh stuff.  Elsa took a few hesitant first steps very early in the morning and soon discovered that this white stuff was pretty great.  Luke not so much, I could tell that he was not a fan of it at first.  He's getting up there and this simply made his feet cold.  But he too ignored the white stuff after a while when Elsa convinced him that a good romp would do him good.  I of course couldn't wait to shoot them in the snow; I have not had the chance to shoot snow much living in Southern California.  This wasn't a huge snowfall but it was snow.  Enjoy, I sure did.

Seems good enough to play ball in.

Except that the snow on the ball is weird.

Who's moving first?

It's on.

I'll get you my pretty.

Having fun

The body hurl

Elsa looking very human on her two legs

The neck chomp

The ball stare down

Zooming

Elsa using her full tail to lure Luke in for the attack.

Loving every second playtime.

Luke has wonderful ball removal technique

Luke, pondering this cold white stuff

New puppies

Today's blog is a response to a request for a blog topic.  It happens to be something that I am very passionate about and have written about often in the past.  Choosing a puppy should take a great deal of time and effort.  I don't care if you want a mix, a tiny yorkie, giant Irish Wolfhound or pound puppy; we need to look inside as well as outside.  Temperament!!!!!!!!  As someone who does temperament testing I get to see the vast difference a litter can hold.  It really bothers me when people sell puppies as soon as they are born; it is often all done by color.  Other breeders let people choose once the puppies are moving around; 2-3 weeks seems to be a popular age.

What are you getting?  If you choose a puppy before the age of 6-7 weeks of age then you have absolutely no idea of what you are getting.  That said, if you do not take puppies away from the pack and visit on their own then you really don't know what you are getting.  Within a pack or litter, the puppies typically work out a hierarchy.  It can change as the puppies age but the behaviors that you see within the litter can be drastically different once you stand a puppy on it's own.   Often the tough guy of the bunch is the biggest chicken when they are all alone.  Maybe the little meek puppy is the best at handling different sounds and sights.  You just don't know until you test.

The first thing to look for when getting a new puppy is a breeder who places puppies into the most appropriate homes for their temperament.  Many times a litter may be very similar so there can be many choices for a family; but other times they are all very different and there may be only one suitable puppy.  Then there are times when there is not a puppy to fit; this may be the case when a family is looking for something very particular.  I cannot tell you what you want in a dog; that is something that a family must sit down and decide.  It may be a super athlete, you want a super charged, energetic, go getter.  Maybe you want a quiet, mellow and calm dog; the ones I call "porch dogs."

Are you looking for a therapy dog?  One that can visit either children, elderly or sick patients?  You may be wanting to do search and rescue, go to ground, dock diving, competitive obedience or flyball.  When you are looking for something particular you need to look for something particular.  For myself, I was looking for a dog who was very social, a tail wagger who was not dominant.  I needed a puppy who would respect her elders and it had to be a "she."  I went through a great number of litters and it just never seemed to be the right fit.  When I found Elsa's breeder I told her what I was looking for; we spoke over the weeks until the temperament test.  Elsa was the one for us.

My question for those who don't try to match puppy to family is why not?  Why not give the puppy the best chance at having it be a forever home?  One of the biggest reasons that a puppy doesn't work is that it is not the right puppy for the family.  Like I always, always say, every dog is different and every person is different.  Knowing what you want and what you can and cannot live with is a good thing.  This fact alone has many dog lovers shaking their head claiming "you should love them all."  That would be nice in a fairly tale world but it is not reality.  I know that I love all dogs, that in no way means that I want to live with all dogs.

Temperament is important; so is health and structure.  Is genetic health testing important?  Most definitely.  And my question again would be "why not?"  Why not do the best you can?  Why not be sure, or at least as sure as you can be?  Of course things can happen, dogs get sick just like people get sick.  But if a breeder chooses not to test then they are working blind and in my opinion not doing their job.  I have heard many breeders say "they have very healthy lines, no problems in their lines," but without the tests they don't really know.    Even though dogs may seem to be healthy they can be carrying secret genetic health issues that will be passed down to their offspring.   But that lacks breeder will never know and neither will that new puppy owner until it rears it's ugly face.

If you are getting a shelter or rescue puppy then make sure it is the puppy you are looking for.  I believe that all rescue groups should be doing temperament testing; many do not.  Of course they cannot do genetic testing because many dogs come from an unknown background.  But they can fit puppies and/or dogs with the appropriate family.  I have been to many behavior appointments where the cause of the "issues" is the wrong puppy in the wrong home.  Sometimes it has been the wrong breed entirely; the person has not done their research.  There have been misplaced rescue dogs from the groups that do not do temperament testing.

Having a dog join your family can be a time of transition and challenge when it is a good fit.  When it is a mismatch it can be a continual struggle to make it work; creating a situation that could have been easily avoided by matching puppy with family.

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.