Leash greetings

Our society is mostly a leashed one, leash laws are in place everywhere.  They are there for a reason and are often enforced.  So as we walk our dogs through the streets, parks and beaches we come across others with their dogs on leash.  We may or may not greet depending on the look of the other dog, our own dogs reaction to other dogs on leash or if we want to stop and say hi.  If we do it can be all undone in a moment, that friendly greeting can go bad quickly and not because of either of the dogs being grouchy.  If you are not careful with your leash the two dogs can become entwined quickly.

Yesterday I had Elsa at the park for a walk, we ran into a guy with a nice Weimaraner.  I am trying to teach Elsa that we can simply walk past dogs without engaging every time but this looked like a nice girl so we went to say hi.  She was very nice and Elsa got very excited.  Within a split second Elsa was in a tangled mess.  The other dog was on an extension leash and the guy was not controlling where she went at all; he was allowing her to pass that precise point where tangling starts.

Dogs greet by circling, each wants to smell the other dogs parts so of course it's going to result in a circling behavior.  If you allow your dog to go past the neck to neck they are going to get tangled.  I keep Elsa front and center because I never want to deal with tangling issues.  But when you are dealing with other people you cannot control what they do.  So his leash quickly got wrapped around Elsa as she bounded around and I grew angry.  I grabbed her to stop her from moving an unwrapped the leash from her legs before she got hurt and said "okay that's enough."  We moved on.

Allowing dogs to greet on leash can be a challenge at the best of times, many dogs show leash aggression.  They feel constrained by the leash and often act very different from their off leash self.  But the leash can cause problems all on their own.  If a dog becomes wrapped up and feels like they cannot get away they can become defensive causing aggression and a learned behavior.  The leash can also get wrapped around them so tightly that they fall to the ground.  Tangled leashes are a big danger both physically and mentally.  Tangles are to be avoided at all costs.

If you want to say hi to another dog keep your distance, do not cross that invisible tangle line.  Once two dogs facing each other cross collars the tangle can begin.  If you want your dog to move around the other dog then you need to move with your dog keeping the leash at a short length.  If you are one of those folks out  there using an extension leash, reign that baby in and lock it when you approach other dogs.  They are by far the most dangerous leash out there for tangle accidents.  If you approach someone with an extension fully extended, keep walking.

Barking dogs

When we were on our way back home; driving across America I hoped that a particular neighbor might be gone.  This neighbor is the one who's dog regularly took dumps on my front yard.  The owner would never pick it up and was often standing out front of her house waiting for her dog to finish and come home.  I don't know how many times I bagged up that s*%t and threw it back onto her yard.  So anyway now more people live in the house and there are three dogs, three dogs that bark at every single dog that walks down the street.

My office is in the front of my house, I love it.  I have a sliding door which is usually open allowing a great breeze to come through all day.  Elsa likes to lie at the door and watch the world go by.  She is doing very well with it all being that she spent nearly four months in the silence of the forest with nothing going by.  She is learning to watch and not bark.  Yesterday a boxer went by with it's owner, I don't know this dog but as it passed by my house and beyond the three dogs at "the" house went crazy.  It was so loud that I could not believe that no one was asking them to stop.

The commotion went on well past the dog passing their house, the sound echos through the neighborhood and keeping my own dogs from joining in is a challenge.  When there is that much craziness happening of course it winds up all the other dogs around.  The poor dog walking down the street with it's own was clearly upset as I would imagine the owner was as well.  I quietly reached for some treats and asked Elsa to stop.  She was doing her chicken barking, the barking that is the quiet, under her breath barking.  I wanted to stop it there before she got herself into a frenzy and she did stop.

She came over to me and sat in front of my chair, she got her treat and we remained calm, zen calm.  Remaining calm when this sort of ruckus starts is essential in the display that you show your dog.  If you get all fired up then your dog reads that as your frenzy behavior.  My most common response to barking that starts is shhhhhhhhhhh.  I have to say that being able to go back to whisper talking to my dogs is nice.  With both Tilley and Jessie I had to resort to yelling much of the time due to the loss of hearing.

If for some reason the barking does not stop when I ask it to then I get up and calmly move her away from the window.  I don't get all fired up, I keep my zen mood and simply let her know that if she does not stop then she is not allowed to look out the window.  Luke is very good about stopping, he never likes to get into trouble, not  even zen trouble.  He is such a good boy.

Barking is fine if it is done in moderation, a couple of barks followed by "thank you," and then I take it from there.  The crazed barking and behavior from the dogs down the street is horrific.  I'm sure that people dread walking by if this is what they are in for each time they do.  I know that I would choose another path if it happened to me.  Allowing your dogs to go off on people and dogs and not even attempting to control it is unacceptable.

Speak softly and carry a big stick.  :)

Barking dogs

When we were on our way back home; driving across America I hoped that a particular neighbor might be gone.  This neighbor is the one who's dog regularly took dumps on my front yard.  The owner would never pick it up and was often standing out front of her house waiting for her dog to finish and come home.  I don't know how many times I bagged up that s*%t and threw it back onto her yard.  So anyway now more people live in the house and there are three dogs, three dogs that bark at every single dog that walks down the street.

My office is the front of my house, I love it.  I have a sliding door which is usually open allowing a great breeze to come through all day.  Elsa likes to lie at the door and watch the world go by.  She is doing very well with it all being that she spent nearly four months in the silence of the forest with nothing going by.  She is learning to watch and not bark.  Yesterday a boxer went by with it's owner, I don't know this dog but as it passed by my house and beyond the three dogs at "the" house went crazy.  It was so loud that I could not believe that no one was asking them to stop.

The commotion went on well past the dog passing their house, the sound echos through the neighborhood and keeping my own dogs from joining in is a challenge.  When there is that much craziness happening of course it winds up all the other dogs around.  The poor dog walking down the street with it's own was clearly upset as I would the owner was as well.  I quietly reached for some treats and asked Elsa to stop.  She was doing her chicken barking, the barking that is the quiet, under her breath barking.  I wanted to stop it there before she got herself into a frenzy and she did.

If for some reason the barking does not stop when I ask it to then I get up and calmly move her away from the window.  I don't get all fired up, I keep my zen mood and simply let her know that if she does not stop then she is not allowed to look out the window.  Luke is very good about stopping, he never likes to get into trouble, even zen trouble.  He is such a good boy.

She came over to me and sat in front of my chair, she got her treat and we remained calm, zen calm.  Remaining calm when this sort of ruckus starts is essential in the display that you show your dog.  If you get all fired up then your dog reads that as your frenzy behavior.  My most common response to barking that starts is shhhhhhhhhhh.  I have to say that being able to go back to whisper talking to my dogs is nice.  With both Tilley and Jessie I had to resort to yelling much of the time.

Barking is fine if it is done in moderation, a couple of barks followed by "thank you," and then I take it from there.  The crazed barking and behavior from the dogs down the street is horrific.  I'm sure that people dread walking by if this is what they are in for each time they do.  I know that I would choose another path if it happened to me.  Allowing your dogs to go off on people and dogs and not even attempting to control it is unacceptable.

Speak softly and carry a big stick.  :)

Getting over the maintenance issues

Being that I have one of the most groomed breeds, maintenance is an ongoing thing.  For those of you who have smooth coated or dogs that do not require clipping or trimming there are still things like ears, nails and teeth to attend to. Typically my dogs are shaved down with no pom poms, nice and trim.  This makes for very little grooming other than the shave itself.  That said Elsa has a great deal of coat now which I am not use to dealing with.  Oh I did my fair share years ago but not in a long while.  I don't like the time that it takes to brush and comb out but she does look beautiful.  It's all that puppy hair that is the issue and the look.  I know that once I take it off it is never coming back so I've been holding off.

 

Both of my dogs get regular ear cleaning, weekly nail trimming and teeth scraping.  Luke has always been a very good boy about all of these things even though he is the nervous type.  Trust is the first issue, if your dog trusts that you will never hurt them then you are over the first hump.  The next thing to conquer is the association to being touched, brushed and squeezed.  Feet are a biggy for many, dogs don't like having their feet touched, or at least most.  But if you start working on foot touching early it should not be a problem.  If you got your puppy from a great breeder who works on this from the get go then you are really lucky.

Maintenance can have a very negative association so you must create something positive out of a negative.  I have used food, massage and mushy talk turning the stress of having general maintenance done into a great activity. Elsa really did not like any of it, as a very busy girl she did not enjoy having her freedom snatched away for some poking around stuff.  With lots and lots of treats she has turned into a very good girl about it all.  Of course now she is having to deal with a great deal more grooming which in the long run will be a good thing.  Once that coat comes off everything else will seem like a breeze.

As far as nails go you must use as many treats as it takes to make it positive.  I start with a treat per nail and Elsa is now up to two feet for a treat.  Luke gets a treat at the end and all of my dogs have always been rewarded at the end of nail cutting or grinding.  If your dog fusses and tries to get away when you do nails and your reaction is to hold them tightly and just get it done, things are going to go from bad to worse.  The more they struggle the tighter your grip gets on them causing their stress level to continually rise.  They may even growl or snap which can be very detrimental to your relationship.  Once a dog growls at you it can be very difficult to get back to where you were before the growl.

A growl can come from a created dominant dog, meaning that the dog may not be a dominant type but because of how they were raised, basically being allowed to do as they please they have become the boss of the house.  Or it can come from fear, so a growl must be dealt with.  You may need to call in for some back up help from a positive trainer.  But no matter why a growl needs attending to.

I am surprised by people when they tell me that they have never thought about nails, looked in their dog's ears or picked up a brush.  In my breed many folks use professional groomers like many other people who have full coated breeds.  The groomer does it all and they never think about it.  Everyone should brush their dog and at least get accustom to looking and checking out all the parts.  Just hoping that it is all good because you go to a groomer is not a good idea.  Going over your dog and knowing what everything should look like is what general maintenance is.

Maintenance is a great bonding time; I use it for some very close and personal mushy time which of course everyone enjoys.  :)

Easter weekend at home

Luke with his happy face on while searching for ground squirrels at Dana Point Harbor. 

As you all know I am back in town, we arrived in Southern California just over a week ago.    I also know that many of you are wondering why?  Well it's a long story, one that I am writing about in a book which will be number two about my trip to CT and back.  But for now here are some pics that might help you to understand a bit more.  When you've lived here for nearly fourteen years it's hard to live elsewhere. This was a bit of what we did this past weekend.   Enjoy, I sure did.

Dad, Elsa and Luke

Some of the local wildlife.

We had come to see the sunset and as we rounded the corner of the marina it started.

Elsa watching the sunset, beautiful.

Then Sunday morning we hit The Montage in Laguna Beach with the dogs.

Elsa is so funny, as soon as her feet hit the sand she has a zoom, digs and zooms some more.  Here Luke joined her in a good dig.

Handsome old guy

Elsa asking Luke "did you see the size of that wave?"  

Not too hard to look at.

Heading home for breakfast with the wind in their hair.

Thank you for being you

Being that it is Easter Sunday I want to wish you all a wonderful day with your family and friends.  I would also like to thank you all for being a part of my life, crazy as it is.  :)   There are many people out there who are very negative about social media but I for one have met so many wonderful people on all of my groups that I cannot imagine going back now.  We have connected from all around the world, getting to know each other and sharing our lives.

I so enjoy getting to meet you all. 

For everyone on all of my groups, have a wonderful day.

Just dogs with Sherri

The Standard poodle

Sherri Regalbuto Photography

Poodles in need around the world

Bloat

Shutting down puppy mills

Place

Place is probably one of the best things that you can teach your dog.  Of course you can use any word you like and multiple words meaning different areas that you want your dog to go.  We have taught Elsa "bed" being that we have lots of beds around the house there is typically one in every room that she can go to.  When we are eating in the family room she knows to go to her bed if she'd like any food.  All we have to do now is look at her and she runs to her bed.  Throughout the day I can say "bed" and she will charge to the nearest bed, it is a wonderful thing.

When she was younger I taught her "place;" which at that point was a very bright orange piece of fleece that I moved around to help her generalize the behavior. But she has not used that piece of fleece for a while now so I am going to reassociate the word "place" with a new small rug.  I will go out this week to get one, it will have to be something obvious so that she will be able to locate it quickly.  I plan to put it at the front door, far enough away so that it is not in the way but she can still see what is going on and who is coming in.

Teaching the place behavior is fairly easy when you use behavior markers, either a clicker or pre-chosen word and reward.  "Place" will become this little rug so no matter where it is she will be required to go there.  In the future I may choose something else to do the same exercise with but use another word to associate with it.  Perhaps a pad that I bring to outdoor restaurants and picnics.

I remember teaching a labrador puppy the place exercise when she was very young.  It wasn't long until she got it and would charge from anywhere in the house to that spot awaiting her treat.  It is a very useful and wonderful exercise.  So I'll be off to find a cool new rug for the front door this week.

Have a wonderful canine weekend everyone.

Association 101

I've written about association and dogs a great number of times.  Below are two previous blogs on the subject.

The Association Factor

Association

Association - the process of forming mental connections or bonds between sensations, ideas, or memories.

Association is one of the most important things to consider when dealing with dogs; this is how they learn.  Yesterday I took my two to the beach.  A couple of days before we had gone to a beach area but not walked on the beach.  As we drew nearer to the beach Elsa started becoming unglued, once we set foot onto the sandy surface that was that.   She was so excited that she immediately started digging like a wild girl. Elsa has always had a thing for sand but with that came the association to the beach.  At this point the beach has meant being off leash and pretty much doing as she pleased.  This was a tough one for her.

She whimpered and whined in anticipation; she was sure the leash was about to come off.  But alas it was not coming off anytime soon.  Through our walk she very much resembled a rabbit, often leaping with all fours at the same time.   She zoomed, barked and basically exuded all her typical beach antics albeit on the end of her leash.  I felt bad that she couldn't get off her leash but I also realized that she needs to learn control.  All dogs learn through association; action/reaction.  Elsa is a fast learner and things tend to be cast in stone with her in very short order.

Often our dogs learn and ingrain things in their head which we are unaware of.  It can take some unraveling to figure out what is going on in those canine heads of theirs.  Off leash activities can quickly become just that, off leash.  I have seen many dogs who think that off leash means doing what they please.  Going to the park and running off leash means that you don't listen to commands, you don't abide by rules and you basically run a muck.  So how do you stop this bad association?

Switch it up; as Elsa had to learn yesterday, you can walk on the beach on a leash and live to see another day.  Control is important and dogs must learn that even when they are in the area of "free reign" they must listen.  When a dog sets environments and behaviors in stone it is essential to change. Luke had the same behavior when he was young with a secret "off leash" spot that we had.  So I took him in every so often on leash and worked on obedience; leaving after a good session and not letting him run free.

Doing things that are off the norm is good for dogs.  It puts you very much in the driver seat.  It does not take dogs long to feel like they are the ones making the rules and running your life and this fact can turn into reality if you are not careful.  Letting our dogs have fun is very important but when that fun takes over we need to step in and switch it up.  Canine guardians need to take the "we're doing this today," attitude.  Human guidance is essential in a human/canine relationship.

Common courtesy

Common courtesy in the dog world.  Yep, there are things we should and should not do as far as our dogs are concerned in the human world that we live in.  Yesterday I hit a favorite park of mine with Elsa.  We were just getting into the park when we met a wonderful six month old lab puppy.  He was smitten with Elsa as was she with him.  They had an on leash mini play session, great for more dog socializing for both. His owner and I were chatting a bit about letting the dogs off leash which I did not do with Elsa, it was much too public a place.  She said that she often let him off for some "chuck it" fun but sometimes people got mad.

I am all for sneaking off leash fun, I do it when I can and with a puppy; only when it is extremely safe to do so.  We must  either be alone or with others who are being off leash. Having dogs off leash in an on leash area where people are walking their dogs on leash is only okay if you have 100% control, which of course is impossible so let's say 90%.  Still then if you walk by someone who is leery of dogs you may be in trouble.  All it takes is one incident to ruin it for everyone.  Even if you have the most friendly of dog or puppy you can still be in a serious predicament if your dog approaches that dog fearing person.

I know quite a few people who are not comfortable around dogs, they should not have to tolerate a loose dog in the park where they walk.  Often simply seeing that a dog does not have a leash on can send canine fearing folks into panic mode.  I have run into many people myself who get very irate when I ask them to leash their dog.  "He's friendly," they often say of their dog who is bounding around aggressively at my dogs.  Hmmmmmm..........this makes me really angry because these are the folks that ruin it for us all.

Even the best of dogs can never be under 100% control unless they are leashed.  My perfect boy Luke is amazing off leash, he walks by my side like a champ and is rarely tempted to bolt off.  But, he is a dog and has his own mind so he could at some point decide that he must go see another dog or person.  He is extremely friendly with both dogs and people but not everyone wants to say hi or get to know him, this is what we dog lovers must understand.  

Before I unsnap a leash I make sure:

Am I in an off leash area?

If it is not an off leash area are there other dogs around on leash?  If so how far are they?  With Luke I can unhook and not worry but not Elsa.

In an on leash area, are there people walking without dogs?

Do I have control of my dog?  Luke?  yes.  Elsa, no.

I am constantly looking for off leash areas that are safe and secluded.  Luckily I have a good sized backyard where my dogs can run and play but it is not the size where they can go for a run.  So I'm always on the lookout for a new spot.

Sadly many of the secluded areas are spots where I've run into the worst dogs.  People who have aggressive dogs think that they are safe in these areas, wrong.  If your dog is aggressive you should never unsnap that leash, no matter what.  Acting like it is the first time your dog has gone after another is a common response that I have heard far too many times.

So before you unhook, look around and ask yourself if it is worth it?  Are you being a courteous dog owner?

Old Friends

Yesterday between emptying boxes and getting my life organized once again we made a quick trip to the beach. I hadn't been to the beach yet since we returned to CA last Thursday so I was anxious.  Luke, Elsa and myself were to meet some old friends, I was excited and I knew the dogs would be as well.  As we headed to the coast I opened the window to let the sea air hit the dogs noses.  It didn't take long for Luke to figure out where we were going and the whining started.  He loves The Montage, who wouldn't?  It's like you are walking in a post card.

Elsa up front with Libor in the back with his Mom.

We were a bit early so we just hung out for a while until our Pet Sitter arrived.  Luke went crazy as soon as he heard her utter a single word.  Elsa went crazy as well but she doesn't know her, she loves everyone.  Then Sheima arrived, a longtime friend of Luke and mine.  She is about a half year older than Luke so they are truly old friends.  There was much excitement and again Elsa was excited to see everyone.

Right after Sheima's arrival came Libor, being a male the greeting is much more subdued between Luke and he.  They are good friends but keep their cool.  Elsa on the other hand did remember Libor and showed it, she lavished him with body slams and kisses which I'm sure Libor loved.

Libor's Mom giving Luke and Elsa a drink.

I love this shot, Sheima's Mom was calling her but Libor's Mom was giving out treats.  Guess who won?

Happy face Sheima; her 12th birthday is this coming Sunday.  

Luke surveying the beach that he loves.

Elsa looking very grown up.

Who wouldn't love it here?

It was wonderful to see friends that we hadn't seen since last year and I love seeing the dogs meet up with their friends.  Watching them greet and catch up on old times is just as much fun as catching up myself.  It was a great walk, another reason I'm so happy to be back.

Settling in

I cannot tell you how happy I am to be home, I feel like all is well now and I have my life back.  It was not that CT was awful it just was not me, nor was it my life.  It is obvious to me that the dogs feel the same way; or at least Luke for sure.  When we pulled into the driveway after our six day drive across the country he lit up.  Those big ears of his were up as high as they could go.  When we opened the back hatch he leaped out like a spring chicken; he, raced around the front yard, power sniffing and ran for the door.   Luke has always been velcroed to our front door, he is very much a homebody. 

Even Elsa seems more settled; calmer somehow.  Perhaps it is the vibes coming from me, most likely.  I most definitely have an aura of grounded now that I am back home.  We have quickly slipped back into our little life here and today we hit the beach with some of our poodle friends. 

Elsa is quickly getting use to people being around much more.  After living on two acres down a secluded road she is adjusting very well.  Our home in CT was crazy quiet, I mean cone of silence quiet.  Not great as far as socializing a puppy so we were out all the time trying to find people.  Here Elsa is subjected to people and dogs walking by the house all day long and she is doing amazing.  She is a highly adaptable dog.  She has already stopped barking at the people walking by and only barks her "quiet voice" barks at the dogs that go by. 

Life is quickly getting back to normal although I still have a mountain of boxes staring at me.  Yesterday as I unpacked most of the day I had two shadows.  It is difficult enough maneuvering through the sea of boxes but add eight legs to move around as well and it makes for more work, but good work.  Luke has always been a follower and Elsa is even more so.  Often Luke will fall asleep on the couch and being that he is 11.5 years old he allows me to come and go sometimes without following, not often but sometimes.  Elsa is a constant, of course she is much younger and has the youthful energy that Luke does not.

Have a wonderful day everyone, I know I will. :) 

It's official

It's official; Elsa is out of her pen at night now and sometimes when we go out.  Taking this huge step is a leap of faith.  Luke was my youngest to get out of his crate at night at six months of age and for that we simply opened the crate at night.  He slept in there for a while and then slowly transitioned to one of the dog beds in the bedroom until we finally took the crate away.  Elsa has been out of her crate for sometime; she throws her body around so much at night that she kept us awake by banging on the sides.  She also is not one to sleep curled up so I wanted her to have more room.

When we moved from CA to CT we put the crate away and switched to an ex-pen at night giving her more room to move around.  While I was in Connecticut I decided to give her free run a couple of times when I went to the gym or for quick errand runs during the day.  She was always there at the front door when I returned, sometimes sleeping.  We had planned on breaking her ex-pen down in CT but never got around to it so on our trip we packed up the ex-pen and put it on the moving truck, hoping that everything would work out on our trip without it.

The first night was rough; we'd asked for a king sized bed and got a queen.  Being that Elsa is the type that has to be either touching or right on top of someone it made for little sleep.  The next night I decided to keep her off the bed; I actually thought that it might be an all night struggle but when I told her "OFF," firmly she stayed off to my amazement.  In the morning she asked to get up by sitting and awaiting her "okay."  What a great girl.

So that was the beginning of the end of the ex-pen.  She was back in it for one more night for our first night home simply because there was no where else for her to sleep; the house was pretty much stacked high with boxes.  But for several nights now she is out of the pen and doing great.  We headed out early this morning to workout at the gym and left her with  free run of the house.  We returned to the house intact and I believe she had gone back to bed with Luke while she waited for us.

The step has to be taken at some point and sometimes doing it earlier than later is a better decision.  That said it all depends on the dog; sometimes they just never prove themselves to be trustworthy out of a containment. But Elsa has so she is a free sleeper now, at least at night.  Of course if I am going out for any length of time she will still be in her ex-pen but that too will end as we stretch the trial time more and more.  My little girl is growing up.

Scaredy cats

This is not the dog from the park, this is a PBGV (Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen) 

Yesterday I had Elsa out at the park for some very much needed 'out and about time.'  We were making our way around the park when we spotted what I thought looked very much like a Puggle.  A puggle is a cross between a beagle and a pug and they are quickly becoming a common site.  As we approached the dog bolted to the end of her leash; I could tell even from afar that she was young.  Elsa on the other hand was chomping at the bit to meet someone new.  She was doing her leaping in the air routine so I asked her to sit.

I talked to the owner and found out that it was actually a Chug  She told me that she was five months old and scared.  The owner wanted to pet Elsa so she held her arm out that was holding the leash with her dog and moved in for a quick visit with Elsa.  Then she moved away getting some needed distance for her little dog.

We could have simply walked away seeing that this dog was intimidated by Elsa but I chose to help these folks out with a positive meeting for their puppy. Leaving at the moment the puppy bolted would have enforced that behavior so I got on my knees beside Elsa and held out my hand.  She slowly came over and sniffed my hand and I rubbed her chin.  Now this was more like it; she had not overcome her fear but she was working on it.  She was not ready to meet Elsa but she didn't run in fear, she looked at her and then we left on a positive instead of a negative.

When you have a fearful dog you must allow them to take their time.  If you push you only make matters worse.  A dog who is in an anxious state needs space, time and patience.  Even the smallest of advances is success.  Tilley was quite a fearful puppy when we got her, it was in her nature not to trust people.  She like many dogs looked at men as the scariest of the scary.  But after a couple of years of working with her to engage with men she overcame it completely and ended up liking men more than women.  In fact she loved men and was drawn to them.

Fearful dogs come in many different levels of reaction.  Each dog is a complete individual so the approach that will need to be taken will be individual as well.

 Dealing with fear requires patience; with tiny baby steps each dog can improve.

Last chance

Well today is the day; the last day for the beach in Old Greenwich CT.  Being that we are no longer in CT it is not a concern for me but there are many people who are concerned.  It is a sad day for all the people and dogs that love the beach, I for one loved every second on Todd's point.  Both the dogs and I met many nice people and dogs there and I had the chance to get some great shooting in.

As I've said many times before Elsa is a high energy girl but a twenty minute full out rip on the beach was all she needed to put some of that energy to rest for the day.  We often hit the beach well before 7:00 am and the best days were when it was misting or raining.  Not too many came out on bad weather days allowing us much of the beach all to ourselves.  So today is the last day, dogs are not even allowed to set foot through the gate of the park.  I don't understand why they cannot create time allowances for the dogs to have access to the beach.  Why not make clear times that they can and cannot use the beach?

Here in SoCal there are only a few off leash beaches but many more that you can walk on, on leash.  There are seasonal access rules but they are not as limiting.  As of the long weekend in May you can only use the beach before 8:00am and after 6:00pm, which I intend to do once we get to that date.  Often it is too hot for a beach walk in the summer anyway so early morning or evening definitely works.

Why not allow dogs in Old Greenwich, Connecticut the use of the beach say even before 8:00 am during the weekdays and 7:00 on the weekends?  That would allow die hard beach loving dogs the chance to play and splash on the water?  It really makes no sense why they could not do this, the beach is small enough to enforce this rule with one person in charge.  I'm sure that anyone who loves and respects the use of the beach would comply, right?

So for those of you spending your last chance day on the beach with your pooch, enjoy.  It's a long wait until December when you can set paw on the beach once again.  Thank you Old Greenwich, we savored every minute that we were on the beach during our short stay.

Ummmm, breathing room please

I woke up in the middle of the night finding myself wedged between two poodles so tightly that I couldn't budge. Prime real estate seems to be in the crook behind my knees and spooning position. So there I was trying to fall back asleep as my leg started to cramp.  I'd waken up earlier with Luke draped across my legs, it wasn't comfortable in the least but with 6 days of travel behind him he needed sleep.  I slowly drifted off again.

My dogs like to be close; Luke has always needed to be close but not as close as Elsa likes to be.  Luke will follow me from bed to bed just to stay close.  He will lay on the a bed in the living room but if I move to the other side of the room to be on the computer he must come across and lay on the computer dog bed.  While Elsa on the other hand has to be touching you if she laying down beside you.  She if you sit and allow her to sit with you she will likely be on you more than just beside.

As I lay there contemplating if I could indeed fall back asleep in this cramped position I decided not.  I was really uncomfortable, after 6 days of sitting on my butt it is pretty sore so no I could not make this wedged position work.  I announced "I have to move" as I tried to wriggle my way out.  Finally with enough leg movement, Luke finally moved over slightly allowing me to break free.

Ahhh the love of dogs, no need for breathing room.  

On the road again

We're heading out on our last leg of the trip.  From Connecticut to Southern California.  I cannot
believe that I have made this trip twice in 3 1/2 months, is that a record or something maybe?  Not looking to do it anytime again soon. 

The dogs are doing great; it is bitter sweet, coming home but with only two dogs.  Life deals us twists and turns and we must adjust. 

                             "Life is an evolution of oneself,"  keep on truck'n.  :)

A lock of hair

I was cleaning a room that I regularly groom the dogs in the other day and found a big clump of Tilley's hair.  I was so happy, I grabbed it immediately and put it up where it would be safe.  I hadn't remembered clipping her before the incident but seeing the hair I quickly remembered lying her down on the table and trimming her face.  She was far too beautiful to have a big fur face like Luke.  So she had one last grooming before she left us.

I have a lock of hair of several of my dogs and now Tilley as well.  I am not one to keep ashes and being that I do not want to be buried in the ground I don't bury my dogs either.  I like to remember them as they were.  After death is a very personal thing and this is how I remember; in my heart and a lock of hair.  I don't know how many times I have picked up that tiny brown piece of hair in my jewelry box and sat thinking about Clyde.  Of course my dogs are always on my mind and in my heart but that tiny bit of fur makes me stop and remember.  Tilley's gray hair that is now tucked away safely brought tears; it's still too early to just have memories.  But the tears will soon pass as all the others have.  She was an amazing dog; no two are ever alike but she was one in a million.

I didn't save a lock of hair from Jessie but I know that for as long as I live there will be hair.  She was a crazy shedding dog and I am constantly finding it everywhere.  When I do find the inch long white hairs it makes me smile; what a girl.  They may be gone but they are still very much here with me in my daily thoughts.  A lock of hair or hairs found in the most remote spots in my house create a moment for a personal one on one.

I really want one of her puppies

To breed or not to breed; that is the question for many canine guardians. Over the years I have pulled out my soapbox more than a dozen times; climbed upon it, gave my schpeel and put it away for the next. "We think it would be great to have a puppy from her," "we'd like the kids to see puppies being born," "my neighbor wants a puppy." These are some of what I've heard over the years which then causes me to pull out the box. Breeding is serious business; or at least it should be. With so many unwanted dogs in this world we surely don't need anymore.

I understand that you love your dog; what I wouldn't give to have a couple of Luke's running around. BUT; and this is a big BUT,there is alot to consider before you take the plunge. Alot more than those cute little puppies to think about. The list of considerations should at least encompass these:

1. Is your dog structurally sound? By this I mean is everything where it should be? Or is their structure compromised in some way? I've met many dogs who should not be bred simply by structure alone. And this has nothing to do with a beauty pageant; structure is about correct physical elements in place creating ease of movement.

2. Is there temperament stellar? Would anyone want to live with your dog? Is she friendly and steady in temperament? Or would you be passing on traits that are not so desirable. You need to look deeper and past a pretty face.  Temperament is far too often skipped over in lieu of a great body.

3. Are you willing to pay the hundreds into the thousand dollars to have health testing done? Afterall you owe it to the perspective puppy owners to give them the healthiest puppy you can.

4. There is always the risk of complications; c-section, eclampsia (or milk fever), compromised puppies or even death. And there is always the risk of more serious complications; even death for the dam.  Are you willing to lose your dog just to have puppies?

5. Do you have the time, money and patience to raise a litter of puppies until they are at least 8 weeks old?

6. Do you have a list of people who will take these puppies? Often breeders are left with one or more puppies; especially in this economy. Can you keep them until you find a home down the road?

7. Are you willing to take a puppy back into your home for any reason? Things happen in life; often things that were unforseen. Many puppies need to come back; and if you are not willing to take them back they may end up in a shelter.

8. Are you willing to take the time and energy to learn about proper nutrition and health in puppies, pregnant dogs and nursing dogs?

9. Vet bills can easily reach into the thousands; you got that covered?

I could go on for a longtime but you get the drift. Someday I would like to have a litter of puppies; this will only happen if I have an amazing specimen with an wonderful temperament. And even then; I don't know if I could ever hand them over to people, I may just end up with a poodle emporium of my very own.

So if you are dying for a new puppy; skip the breeding idea and find a good ethical breeder. Or visit the local shelter or rescue group. Your dog will definitely thank you for this one.

Common sense

Common sense - sound and prudent judgement based on a simple perception of the situation or facts.

Many folks do not have common sense; I've met quite a few.  Just the other day at the beach I met one.  We head out early, it was foggy, chilly and glorious.  We'd gone early enough that there were only a couple of other people with their dogs there.  We ran into a guy with a spoodle (spaniel/poodle mix) and a woman with a labradoodle (labrador/poodle mix.)  Both were very friendly and they had fun running around.

Then Luke spotted a dog down the beach, it was so foggy that I could not make it out perfectly.  It looked like a German Shephard and it looked like it was remaining very close by the owner.  The owner was not walking down the beach; she was just sort of standing there.  I called to Luke so that he would not go that way; but then of course Elsa spotted the dog and was gone in a flash.  It didn't look like a warm and fuzzy situation to run into, even from what I could see through the dense fog.

The woman with the doodle said to me "that's an old dog."  I then remembered seeing this woman and her dog several times on the beach and wondered why she had the dog her dog there.  This is an off leash beach, not a place for dogs that cannot interact with others.  If you are afraid of your dog taking off then yes they could have a leash on as long as it can interact with others.  Being that it is an off leash beach, other dogs are going to approach.  So there I was trying to get Elsa back when I heard the lady yell at Elsa; she probably deserved it.  But her old dog did not deserve being harassed by a puppy.  I head there way and as I approached I could see better just how old the dog was, why would she have it on an off leash beach and risk it?

I remember quite a few years ago making the conscious decision not to bring Tilley on group walks anymore. Our poodle group got together often and at the initial greeting ritual got pretty crazy, all of the dogs were so excited to see each other that there was bounding, jumping and spinning going on.  This was far too dangerous for Tilley as she had gotten frail and had vestibular disease.  So not wanting her to suffer from an unintentional impact we skipped the group walks from then on.  It's just common sense.

I called out to Elsa one more time and she came running, thankfully.  We went off the other way to toss the ball a few more times and then head out as the fog was lifting.  The woman was still there with her German Shepherd, they'd walked all of a few feet.  This dog was definitely old and frail and deserved more from it's owner.

Mine, all mine.

After a very long and controversial, yep controversial conversation yesterday about food bowl guarding and how to best fix it I got my inspiration for today's blog.  Even though food bowl guarding is very unwanted and can be a dangerous behavior, it is amazingly common.  Dogs don't share; let me just get that out there first.  Oh yes there are those who don't give a hoot about anything; anyone can take anything from them and they don't care.  I'm not talking about those guys.  Even the most meek dog who has very little confidence will try guarding once in a while.

But to guard; one must possess desire.

Desire: to wish or long for; crave; want.

Occasionally a guarding behavior will become habitual; meaning that even if a dog doesn't really want a certain item, guarding has become the go to behavior for everything.  Nipping a guarding behavior in the bud is essential; but it takes smarts, human smarts.  Many people just take the item away; perhaps they smack or yell at the dog and then take it away.  Sometimes people do an alpha roll or scruff a dog when they guard their food bowl. All of these mentioned reactions are not great ideas; in fact they will often make the problem worse.  What is going on in a dog's head when they food bowl growl is that they want to make sure that no one is going to take their stuff.  So if you take it away from them everytime they growl...........................yep; you give them cause to guard their food.  Ponder on that for a bit. 

Even if you have never touched their stuff; your dog may think that you want it.  And in your dog's eyes it may be a very valuable commodity.   Essentially what you have to do is change the way your dog feels about you or others around their bowl.  Through association you are going to recondition their automatic response.  So what would the best association be when someone approaches your bowl?  Probably that they are bringing some delicious food to you!!!!!!! Bingo.  Depending on the degree of food bowl guarding will be where you start and how quickly you progress.  It begins with hand feeding which is extremely important.  Get rid of the bowl and take control of the food allotment.

Once you have a dog that is comfortable with being hand fed their meal; you can re-introduce the bowl but don't feed in it yet, just have it hang around near the hand feeding.  Then you start dropping piece at a time into the bowl and leave your hand in there occasionally adding really yummy stuff like cheese, chicken or liver.  Something obviously different from whatever they are eating.  Then you add more food at a time and drop the yummy stuff in while you sit and hold the bowl.  You work up to feeding a whole meal and dropping yummy stuff into the bowl.

I suggest dropping good food into all dog bowls while they are eating.  Even if they do not have an issue with guarding their bowl; this makes a humans presence around the bowl a great thing.  As well as picking the bowl up mid meal every once in a while.  Add some delicious tidbits, stir it around and give it back better than when you took it away.  Don't take it for long, just a couple of seconds.  Do not take the bowl until your dogs is looking at you with excitement when you approach the bowl. 

I still push my hand into  my dog's bowl and drop in something yummy.  Elsa was a frantic eater so it was very important to implement this strategy immediately.  She's never flinches now at my approach, she still eats fast but isn't a guarder.  It keeps even the slightest idea that someone is going to "take it" completely away.  If you have a new puppy, start this right away and you won't ever run into "food bowl guarding."