Terminology and the meaning behind it.

Correction - The act or process or correcting.  Correcting - To remove the errors or mistakes from.

The meaning of correction in dog training - To punish for the purpose of improving or reforming.

Very different.  Back in the old days as a typist I was often returned a report I'd typed out with corrections on it.  This was simply something that came with the job.  It was either a typo on my part (not often that is) or a rewrite by the scientist dude.  I worked at National Defense in Canada for many years; before my full on dog days.  "These are the corrections" they'd say as they handed me back the report.  I was to redo the words or phrases that were circled.  Can you imagine if I got a yank on a chain around my neck every time I made a mistake?   No, nor can I.

In conventional choke collar training, a correction is a yank on a collar.  Depending on the person training, a yank can be a tiny one to an almighty knock the dog off their feet type of yank.  It is typically delivered for any behavior that is unwanted.  There is not a great deal of education offered from the owner/trainer.  It is more of a "don't do that," type thing.

The term 'correction' is not used in positive reinforcement training.  There is no such thing.  Instead it is replaced with an error marker.  Some PR trainers don't use error markers but I do.  I feel that the more information you can give to your dog the better.  Why leave them searching for an answer to getting a treat with no hints as to what they are doing?  Best to let them know what is an incorrect offer of a behavior so that they can move on to the next.  

When a person takes the time to learn how dogs learn they discover a better way.  Sure corrections work; if you got a yank on the neck every time you reached for a cupcake on the counter, you would stop.  Now depending on how good those cupcakes (if it were one of my amazingly delicious ones) were and the level of your desire you might not stop right away.  This would then mean that you'd receive more harsh yanks on your neck.  Perhaps so hard that you would fall to the ground.  Would you stop then?  Maybe not.  This is where it can get scary.  Then what?  What does a conventional choke collar trainer do when the escalation of yanks stop working?  The answer is that it gets physical.

Frustration grows when we try and try and try without results.  Do we ponder the idea of error on our part, not likely.  The trainer delivering the harsh yanks thinks that their dog is deliberately defying them, trying to dominate them.  Resentment builds and the horrible cycle of the challenge begins.

When I was walking in Newport beach the other day Elsa stopped on a dime to take a whiff of something that had caught her nose.  I stopped and let her take it in when a man walking by said "oh someone has a mind of her own" as I was still facing our walking direction and Elsa had turned.  I smiled my "stupid" smile and we proceeded along.  I stored that statement in the back of my mind to ponder on later.  The whole idea of a dog having their own mind really bothers some people.  This has been something that bothers me for years.  Often I will tell owners that my training does not work around the robot scenario.  Dogs are not robots and yes they do have their own mind.

A dog's mind is quite regularly smarter than a human mind.  They keep it simple, black and white whereas we confuse things in our emotional minutia.  Dogs are amazingly intelligent, so why do humans think that they should not have their own mind or thoughts?  My thought on the question is that many humans with their inferior mind have yet to realize just how exceptional the canine mind is.

Feeding canines

I have a new section within my blog, this is the first issue.

 "Elsa in the OC" - Adventure #1

Trying out her sample, Elsa just turned one and most definitely looks all grown up now.  :(

There is most definitely a big trend today in feeding real and raw food to our dogs.  There are companies that make both raw and cooked for our dogs now and you can buy it frozen at a pet store or have it shipped.  Wednesday afternoon I took a much overdo trip to Just Food for Dogs in Newport Beach, they make a cooked real food menu for dogs.  I took Elsa because she loves food, Luke not so much.  When we got there Elsa was thrilled that we had arrived and began her greeting process while beating my legs to death with her tail.  I talked to Kelly who is a RVT (registered veterinary technician) and works for Just Food for Dogs.

She filled me in on all the products, how they make the food, costs and shipping.  I was amazed that they not only ship locally but nationwide.

Then it was time for Elsa to have a taste test and she was more than happy to oblige.  She was quite polite about the whole deal, I was very proud of my little one year old.

Elsa thanking Kelly for the wonderful food sample. 

I'm really excited that Just Food for Dogs makes real food available for people and their dogs.  So many dog owners are very interested in feeding real food but are apprehensive about doing it themselves.  This takes all the pressure off.  It comes pre-made, fresh (locally) or frozen (locally or shipped).  I often discuss cooking for dogs and the response is commonly "I don't cook for myself, I'm not cooking for my dog."  Well, if you feel this way but would love to offer your dog a higher quality nutritional food then this is the way to go.   

Here Justin, Kitchen Manager mixes up a special order.

While I was there Justin not only mixed up a special "sick dog" order but was mixing "pot belly pig" food.  They work hard to accommodate everyone's special needs, even pigs.  Their food is made on the premises and never sourced out, great news.  As well as food they make treats and pupsicles.   I bought the big bag of dried chicken; I really like the idea of having extra protein to offer throughout the day and as training treats and knowing it is not from China.  

Checking out the shops in Balboa

Seeing that Elsa and I were already in Newport we hit Balboa Island for a quick walk around.  We took in a few sights, worked on not eating the pigeons (which she did amazing at) and then head for home with our goodies.  

We also came home with a couple of pupsicles.  Here Elsa is enjoying the beef flavor.  Peanut butter is in the  freezer for tomorrow.  

Don't cook?  Don't want to?  Afraid to take the step to real food?  Worried about getting all the nutrition into your dog?  Just Food for Dogs is a great option.  

Taking off

I've never had a runaway.  The whole idea of removing a dog's leash and having them charge off into the distance is a bit strange to me, I have to admit.  Of course there are reasons why a dog might feel the need to take a small run around but to actually leave and not come back?  Strange.  I rarely meet dogs that will really run away and not come back.  But many people think that their dog will and that is caused by having never taken the leash off.  Leashes need to come off so that you have a confidence about taking it off.

I know what you are thinking "Sherri, there are leash laws."  Yep, and being the rebel that I am, that law needs to be broken now and again.  How will you ever know if you don't do it?  You will always have that fear of taking the leash off if you've never tried.  When we lived back in Canada on two acres surrounded by farm fields it was much easier to know.  My dogs were always off leash; only on a rare  occasion did they have a leash on.  Here in Southern California it is much harder to take it off.

As well as a rebel I am a safety freak so when the leash comes off there are many security protocols followed.  The first is proximity to traffic.  Traffic can mean the death of a runaway.  Next is other dogs, are there any around?  If there are and they are not with you then don't do it.  Don't take the leash off when there is a good chance that your dog is going to charge off to go visit.  People who have dogs on leash do not appreciate off leash dogs running at them.  I know that I surely don't.  So when you first start taking it off, do it in a very secure area.  School yards are probably your best bet.  Yes I know, most school yards are off limits to dogs but there are times when no one is there.  Just be sure to bring your poop bags and pick up.

Practice, practice, practice.  Practice makes perfect right?  Wrong.  With regards to a recall (calling your dog to you) it makes it reliable but not perfect.  Dogs are dogs and there will always be that one thing that a dog cannot resist.  Keep your dogs attention on you.  If they are a retriever type, hype up that ball, give it magnetic powers.  Bring your best treats ever and use them when your dog comes on their own as well as when you call them.  

Slowly introduce distractions at a great distance so that you and your dog can succeed.  As dogs age most lose the draw to go to see every dog.  Luke has never lost this, he is very social and it was a struggle when he was young. Even if a dog was on the other side of a football field he'd go for it.  That is until a mature white German Shepherd female gave him a lesson he'd never forget.  He ran far across a field to see her, in his young and foolish ways he ran straight at her.  He should have made an arc as he approached out of respect but he didn't do a whole lot of thinking in his younger days.  As he got to about 4 feet in front of her she charged him.  Scared the crap out of him and he came running back in a flash.  I smiled knowing that it had been a very good lesson for him.

Using other friend dogs helps when you first start letting your dog off.  Dogs will stay with dogs, especially if they are playing.  Not too often will a dog leave a pack of playing dogs simply to run off.  Of course there are dogs that need to run and the desire to run is stronger than anything in the beginning, before you have a bond.  For those dogs, hook'm up and go for an urban mush or buy a hook up for your bike.  But be sure to let them indulge in running with you.

As far as dogs that run out of doors?  Well, for that you need to teach boundary training.  You train your dog that they never, ever go out trained doors without being asked.  This is probably one of the best things that you will ever teach your dog.  Again, there will be times when they feel the need to break the boundary but with age and training you can get it to where you don't panic every time the door is open.

Dogs that run away have had no training.  With proper positive reinforcement training you will be helping to build the bond that creates your relationship.  Once you have a relationship, you're in and you are where your dog wants to be.

But they don't want to.

"But they don't like to do that," the woman would tell me over and over.  I was there to work with her and her dogs, they had literally taken over and had the woman at their mercy.  Each time we would implement a new rule the woman would try and then tell me "they don't like this."   "Really? too bad," was my response.  Many people who have dogs just don't get it; the whole guidance thing.  Dogs need  to have leadership to live in our human world, bottom line.  Even the best of dogs, my Lassie in poodle clothing; Tilley needed instructions.

If dogs are left to their own, offered no guidance throughout life they can get into trouble.  This does not only apply to the tougher type dogs, wrong decisions will be implemented by all if they are not shown the correct way.  When an owner chooses not to give guidance to their dog, to let their dog make all their own choices they fail as a dog owner.

Guidance can be huge life lessons or very small bits and pieces that make up our day to day.  Watching people with their dogs when we are out in the park is quite enlightening.  There are people who approach us and offer no guidance to their dog.  Sure they are saying "Fido don't pull or no Fido those people don't want to see you," but their dog is not listening.   The people are saying empty words, you can see by this simple act that they do not have a leader/follower relationship.   Then there are those who allow their dog to lunge, bark and growl and then tell you "ya they do that."  Hmmmmmm.


My voice of guidance is a low throat sound, no words just an authoritative sound with substantial impact.  My dogs learn it from the get go and I rarely have to raise my voice.  I also use ahhhh and body language to get a directive across.  When I am very displeased with a behavior I will make a range of commotions creating a clear and appropriate message.   


Can you imagine going through life without any type of guidance or lessons?  No one to ever show you the way?  Teaching our dogs how to live in a human world is pretty easy.  It just takes patience, supervision and lessons, daily lessons on life each step of the way.   

Checking'm out

Good Monday morning everyone.  I had a great weekend and hope that you and your canines did as well.  On Friday morning my son sent me a link to a local OC restaurant.  I was thinking that it did indeed look like a great restaurant when I noticed an added note that he had written under the original link.  "Check out the dog specific menu."  So I did and it looked like a nice place to take your dog for a snack for sure.

After checking out the canine menu an idea came to me.  I'm going to check out all the local restaurants that offer a canine specific menu along with a human menu.  We will visit, taste and review them.  What a great idea!!!!!!  There are restaurants that offer up a good ole Milkbone for your pooch, yuck no thank you.  Then there are those restaurants that actually have good selections for our dogs along with a great human menu.

I'm not just going to be reviewing the dog dishes but also the human food items and the dog friendliness of each specific restaurant.  I will note ease of access, parking, custom service (which is huge for me) and anything else that needs to be commented on.  Dogs are a integral part of our lives and everyday, so many shops are making theirs a dog friendly one.  When a store takes that leap into including 'mans best friend' they catapult themselves into a whole different realm.  Obviously I think it is wonderful when they include our dogs but it must be done correctly.

 Lots of people these days are jumping on the bandwagon.  Many celebrities are dabbling in the canine nutrition or product ring just to make a buck.  I have yet to see any of these products shine as far as a spectacular must have.  I always refer to a quote that my husband has been saying since I met him (over 35 years ago) when stepping off into a new endeavor.  "If you're going to do it, do it right."  So I will be visiting these establishments who are not only dog friendly but offer our best friends a menu of their own and see if they are doing it right?  As far as I'm concerned that is.

Once we taste all of the local, maybe we'll go global.  :)  Yum.

The world we live in

Things use to be simple.  People did things on their own, everything from feeding dogs real food to mending them when they were sick.  Then somewhere it all went wrong and when it went wrong it did so in a big way.  Drugs, drugs and more drugs.  Drugs seem to be the only way to fix things these days.  If you go to the vet and they offer up some cortisone or antibiotics as soon as you say your dog is sick, you are not alone.  Much like human Doctors of today the world of medicine is run by the pharmaceutical companies.

There has been an ongoing question; how much kickback do vets get?  Many veterinarians will say that they do not get kickbacks, others will fess up to it.  The dog food companies also give 'incentives.'  Ever notice that most of the vets have a very nice display of Science Diet in their lobby?  Even though it is one of the worst quality foods out there they still push it.

Bayer to end the kickbacks  to flea medication that is.

The truth behind the lies

The big conglomerate companies that make the big name dog foods are the ones that teach many vets about nutrition.   Nutrition?  Really?  The big pharmaceutical companies sponsor much of the conventions and initial training that a vet receives.

Of course there are great vets out there, the ones who have decided to stand for something.  The Veterinarians who took a vow "first do no harm."  They stand strong by this statement when the big guys are tempting them with serious rewards to turn a blind eye.  It is not easy to find an amazing vet but they are out there and I know several.

Are drugs important?  Yes.  There are times when we really need them, both our dogs and us.  But much of what is given to our dogs is not needed and in fact does more harm.  Does your vet recommend all the annual shots?  Bordatella, the new tick vaccine and recommend that you feed a special Science diet menu?  Then you might want to think about finding a new one.  

There is so much information on the net these days that you can really become educated.  Each and every time I learn about a disease that I have never heard of in dogs I dive into research.  I like to know as much as I can.  Research is your best defense.  I'm not telling you which way to go, that is a very personal decision.  But, do your research and make your own decisions about YOUR dog.  That's right, it is your dog and not your vets dog.

I remember going to the horrible vet that told me never to come back with Tilley.  After the initial consultation they came back to the room with a HUGE list of things they recommended.  Most of it was ridiculous and had nothing to do with why I was there.  As the tech went over the list and I said "no" to more than three quarters of the procedures and drug offers she gave me a funny look.  "Hey, this is my dog."

The great ones are out there, if you look you can find them.  

The ups and downs

One minute your puppy is the best dog in the world.  She never does anything bad, always listens and is as sweet as can be.  The next minute she has turned you off, runs the other way when you call her and basically does everything she's not suppose to do. What?  What is going on?  It's called life and as we move through our day to day, things change.  Don't worry, you are not alone.  It happens to the best of us and it can be frustrating for anyone.

All dogs are different, you know how many times I have said that right?  Well it is true so making a blanket statement about how and when dogs will have behavior changes is a tough call.  Some never go through the "I have no brains" 6 mos. old stage.  They may or may not push your buttons at 10 mos. of age.  Perhaps they were pushing all your buttons from the get go.  Their behavior can be as individual as they are themselves.  When it does happen you can assure yourself that it is perfectly normal.  Your once angel dog has now become a devil, like many others.

All of my dogs have had their own specific unwanted behaviors that popped up now and again.  Luke was probably my biggest pusher of buttons.  Even now he will give ignoring a try just for fun, he loves to ignore.  But when I mean business he knows it and will not push.  He gets away with ignoring often now because I think his old ignoring face is so darned cute.  But most of the undesirable behavior of the past are now gone with Luke.  He is the poster boy for how wonderful senior dogs are.

Elsa on the other hand is just a young'n so she has gone through some stages much more recently.  I have to admit that she has been an amazing puppy.  She has very high drive which can require redirecting now and again and her zest for life in general can get her into trouble.  One of her newest things is barking when asked to go out the dog door.  We still have not conquered it, she simply hates it no matter what I put on the other side.  I've clicked, I've treated, praised, thrown new toys out there and held the door open until I thought my arm would fall off.  We will get there but man oh man.  But the barking is a new addition and it is quite bold.

This new barking thing is annoying to say the least.  I don't mind that it is taking so long to get the whole dog door thing, just don't bark at me every time I mention the door.  She has a very loud bark, not extra deep or high, just very, very loud.  I hate barking for nothing and barking at me because she doesn't want to go through the door?  No, this is not going to fly.  So I will up the dog door training and try to consider yet another tactic to get the big chicken through the door.   Hmmmm; I actually just thought of an idea while typing.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Throughout a dogs life they will have many good days and bad days.  The bad days will have you questioning this whole "mans best friend" thing.  Stages are very different than temperament or personality.  A stage is a short span of time when a dogs behavior changes.  There is typically a reason behind a stage but you may never know what it was.  Then again you might figure it out quickly and be able to nip in the bud.

Stages are good for our learning curve.  If you had a dog that never had any stages, whether they be fear, pushing or otherwise you wouldn't learn a whole lot.  Luke taught me the most of any of my dogs over the years.  It was most definitely because he was the most difficult and by difficult I mean wonderfully challenging  :)  Even as my most challenging he was no where near some of the dogs that I've worked with, he is after all a standard poodle (and you know what they say about poodles).

As you plod through all the stages of life, the ups and downs, take it all in.  There are many great lessons in the things that seem to be quite annoying at the time that they are occurring.

I signed, have you?

This past weekend we were at the Mall, the Mall that has a pet store in it.  The pet store sells puppies; lots and lots of puppies.  It opened up years ago and has since changed hands I don't know how many times.  Each time I go to the Mall I cannot believe the number of people in there looking at puppies.  The puppies are exorbitantly priced and yep, they come from mills.  Mills where the Mothers and Fathers are left behind to live out their life in cages.  The cages could number into the hundreds.  Many live in filth, are not cared for, have any number of diseases and lack even the basics.


Outside the store and down the hall, actually directly outside of See's (what a coincidence, yum) was a petition signing table.   It was held by Best Friends so I of course went over to see.  They are trying to shut them down, the pet store.  Or least stop them from selling puppies and kittens in their store.  Sweet.  I'm all for shutting these guys down, in my books they are just as bad as the millers themselves.  They don't care about the dogs, they care about the money.  


The girl at the petition table told me that a woman who had been in the store in the morning said she had wanted an English Bulldog.  The one in the store was 4,000.00.  Really?  We discussed the whole Miller situation and I gladly signed the petition.  In this day and age I actually cannot believe that they still sell puppies in the pet stores.  There is absolutely no way that anyone doesn't know about where the puppies come from.  Sure the folks that work in the stores will say "no, we don't sell puppy mill puppies."  But they are lying, all the dogs in the pet stores are from millers. 


Let me just say this, reputable and ethical breeders do not sell their puppies to pet stores.  Bottom line, they just don't.   I've heard all the lines from the pet store people.  They get their puppies from a nice woman not far away.  They get their puppies from a private source, not a mill.  Anyone who sells their dogs to a pet store is a miller.  Sure they be a small sized mill; but they are still millers.  They pump out dogs for money, there is no special care, no love, no socializing, no nothing but a dollar sign.  A mill is a mill, there are only different degrees of disgustingness. 


If you give your money to the pet store people in the hopes of saving a puppy?  Think again.  You are actually giving the pet store owner and the miller more money to do it again.  If and when those stores are closed down and the millers put out of business, all the dogs and puppies will then be saved and placed in forever homes.  But until that time each dollar you give them fuels their disgusting greed.  


If you have bought a puppy from a pet store before you knew, don't beat yourself up over it.  If you are thinking about doing it now when you know, when everyone knows, shame on you.  Do not go in the store, do not even go in and buy food, a collar or a toy.  Do not give those blood sucking low life people your money.  They care nothing about the puppies that they sell.  They simply want your money, that's it, your hard earned money.


Yes I signed and I will sign every single petition to shut them down that I can, have you?  Time to put the pressure on.  

And then there were two

Two, yep I have two dogs.  Strange for me; I've had three dogs for as long as I can remember.  I like having three dogs.  You can take one out for their alone time and there are still two to keep each other company at home.  Three seems to be a perfect number, I have three kids too and wouldn't want anymore or less.  Having two has been an easy transition; it is the change of the pack that was a bit more of a struggle.

For eleven and a half years I had my three, Jessie, Tilley and Luke.  It still rolls off my tongue very easily.  They were the three musketeers for a very long time.  I clearly remember last fall sitting in my family room and thinking "how can it change?"  With Tilley and Jessie well into their very senior years I knew that it was only a matter of time.  It was going to change and there was nothing I could do about it.

I thought about the pack that might be in my future.  I couldn't imagine having a completely different pack.  I felt that my pack was me and I was them, we were one.  How could it change?  What would life be like with a different pack?  They were my pack, we were Sherri, Jessie, Tilley and Luke.  How could it be any different?

We had added Elsa to the pack in September, this was a very strategic decision on our part.  We knew that in the near future there was a chance that Luke may be left alone.  I didn't like the idea of Luke being left alone.  That thought was difficult enough, thinking that we could be at some point left with no dogs was unbearable.  So enter Elsa.  It was a bit of work at first.  I'd already gotten use to all my old dog routine and then had to get use to that with the added puppy stuff.  Yes it was work, but caring for my dogs is never bad work.

The decision to add Elsa when we did turned out to be a better thing than we had even hoped.  She had a short time with the old dogs learning invaluable lessons.  She brought a great deal of spark back into the old pack and got Luke off the couch, for a bit anyway.  She learned how to just sit and take life in from the old dogs.  Adult and older dogs have so much to share with puppies, it is such a fabulous combination.

With the loss of Jessie I was back to three, no more munchkin by my side.  It was huge, a big shift in the pack.  But because she had suffered with dementia for the year prior to her death the blow was less to the pack.  She had already been removed from the pack somewhat so they were not quite as hard hit.  There are many lessons ingrained in Luke that Jessie gave him.  It is nice to see them once in a while and makes me smile.  The biggest lesson he learned was that all food that dropped to the floor was hers.  Touch it and you get a Jack Russell Terror in your face.  He does not touch fallen food to this day.

We then lost Tilley only three weeks after Jessie.  I always thought about them being so close in age as a bad thing but never considered they might both go so close together.  After the very sad day at the vet when we said goodbye to our amazing Tilley; I clearly remembered walking into the house in CT and saying "and then there were two."  I had a horrible nagging feeling of losing Luke, I couldn't shake it for sometime.  I hovered a great deal, anything out of the ordinary had me worrying.  But he's good and healthy as can be for an almost 12 year old.

So yes, I have two and although it is not a completely new pack it is new.  I am enjoying taking both dogs to more places.  Having two enables me to bring them along much more often.  It doesn't seem like quite the circus when you just have two dogs along with you.  I can devote much more time to the two of them and have been able to focus on Elsa when she has needed it.  Elsa is lucky to benefit from living with old dogs.  With Luke she has learned a great deal.  In his younger years he would have had a lot of bad stuff to show her, now it is all good.

She will take her lessons and share them with the next youngster to enter our family.  But for now I have two and I am very happy with my new and modified pack.  Do I wish I could go back in time when I had all four?  Most definitely.  But life is ever changing and whether we like it or not it cannot remain the same and we cannot go back in time; not yet anyway.  So with change comes the making of a new pack.  Now I can proudly and happily say we are Sherri, Luke and Elsa.

Thank you for what you do.

    Our prime purpose in life is to help others, 
                 and if you can't help them, 
                   at least don't hurt them.  

                                                            Dalai Lama

This quote came across my computer yesterday and got me to thinking.

I want to take a moment this morning to thank all of those people who are helping dogs.  When I look at the big picture, there are just so many people out there who really care.  From the Veterinarians who are going against common practice to do what is right.  The positive trainers who refuse to choke and yell at dogs.  The foster parents who take in the strays and care for them when they most need it.  The pet store owners who are taking a stand and not selling crap to people and their dogs.  The dog food companies who are making great food for our dogs and not cutting corners to save money.  I THANK YOU.

I was sitting here with my two twitching away in their dreams and thinking about a very harsh local trainer.   I've seen him in action and it makes me shudder.  While thinking about how he is even still in business I stopped and shook off all the negative.  I redirected my focus on the good, much more positive.  I am happy to say that there are far more positive trainers than harsh conventional ones now.  It really does boggle my mind that the conventional ones are still out there though.  But onto the positive.  The positive trainers take the time to learn how to best communicate with our dogs.  They understand how dogs learn and work to build the relationship between human and dog.  They have a huge bag of tricks and know how to get to what makes your dog tick.  They love dogs and do not want to hurt or dominate them.  Kudos to all of you PR trainers.

The Veterinarians who say "no."  They are not going to push horrible food on unsuspecting owners and not going to tell owners to keep doing things that we are finding out are really dangerous.  The Vets who go above and beyond to find the answers.  Those who have open minds and search for the newest information coming out.  The Vets who know that there are better ways.  The Veterinarians who really care, I mean actually care about the animals.  Before the money, ahead of the protocol; they put the animals first.  THANK YOU, from the bottom of my heart.

What about the small food companies who strive to go the opposite way of the big guys.  They search for the best products, find ways to get the best to our dogs without sacrificing quality.  It can be a struggle to do it all right but they wade through the battle and come out with a great product for our dogs.  They are the little guys and if you feed your dog pre-made food; then this is who you should be supporting.  Not the big guys who pump out whatever just to make a buck.  It is the big guys that are making your dogs sick.  Thank you little guys.

How about the dog sitters and walkers who actually care?  Those are the jewels in a bag full of stones. Believe me when I say, I have heard many a horror story about people left to take care for dogs.  When you find a good dog sitter or walker, one who cares for a dog like it is their own; reward them.  Like any profession in life, there are the top notch performers right down to the worst.  Someone out there has the worst pet care person.  The good ones are worth their weight in gold.  I truly respect these gems.

Now onto the canine foster parents.  I have such respect for the ones that do it right.  This too has the good and bad but when a dog foster parent does it right it is amazing.  A foster parent can make such a difference in a dog's life.  They can take an abandoned and frightened animal and transform them into a trusting companion for a new family.  A canine foster parent gives, they take little for themselves but the satisfaction of knowing that they have helped a life.  These people are selfless and have my greatest respect.

To the wonderful groomers out there that take the time needed to make a dog comfortable. The ones who are patient and kind with respect to a dogs emotions, thank you.  There are good groomers with regard to quality of clip and then there are the ones who really care about the dog under the fur.  The groomers who take a special concern for the dogs and  don't just pump them out assembly line style.  Those are the great groomers.

Lots of people work with dogs; a select few work with care and compassion, heart for what they do.  There is a true difference in working with dogs for a buck and loving working with dogs.  The difference can easily be seen if you look and watch closely.

To all the people out there who have broken free from the rules and regulations to do it right; THANK YOU.   For those who take the high road and move away from the pack to go a new and better way; THANK YOU.  For all of the wonderful humans out there that do even the smallest act towards helping dogs to have a better life; I CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH.

Afterall; dogs are in our hands, shouldn't we do our best for them?

The Buddy System

Recently I was sent a special hands free leash called The Buddy System.  I was really excited to give it a try but thought of an even an even better test, the new running team of my hubby, Steve and Elsa.  They have recently fledged their running partnership so I asked if he'd give it a go?  He wasn't sure that this soon in their partnership that it would be good to try something different but he agreed.

It is very simple to put on, one snap just like a collar and your piece is on.  Next you hook it to your dogs harness or collar.  I prefer harnesses so this was attached to Elsa's harness and off they went.  I wasn't sure how Steve was going to feel about this new system.  But the first words out of his mouth when we met up in the park was "this is the bomb."

Being that Steve and Elsa gave it a full test I decided to ask him some questions so he could fill you in on it.

What about The Buddy System do you like best?

Steve:  Definitely the hands free aspect.  It goes without saying that this is the whole idea behind it.  I ran with Luke for over 10 years and never realized how nice it was to have both hands free for running.  The bonus part is that going up hill Elsa tends to assist me by slightly pulling.

Do you consider the system an easy use?\


Steve:  It is very easy, I just grabbed it the first time; snapped it around my waist and adjusted it.

Is this a good addition to any canine/human running team?

Steve:  It is a must have now that I have used it.  The built in bungee suspension system works great.  Elsa has on occasion lunged at lizards and rabbits; it has saved me from being pulled completely off balance.

Was this leash hard to transition from a regular leash?

Steve:  Nope.  As soon as I started running with it I knew that I was going to be using it all the time.

What are the benefits to being hands free?

Steve:  You can run with a better stride.  You can use one hand to nudge the leash left or right to keep her off to the side as you run.

Would you recommend this product to other dog folks?

Steve:  For sure.

Is there anything negative about The Buddy System?  Anything to be aware of?

Steve:  I'd like to see a slightly lighter clasp.  I use a front hitch harness on Elsa but with this device I'd like to find a side or shoulder hitch connection on it which would make it perfect.

Is this a permanent addition to your running routine?

Steve:  Yes.

Steve, are there any other comments you'd like to add about The Buddy System leash?

Steve:  One last thing I forgot to mention was that there is an easy release where you can detach it to use as a regular leash.  It snaps on and off very easily.  I tried interchanging it while I was running and it was very easy.

Also, the belt portion is pretty discrete, my t-shirt covers it so you can barely see or feel it.

I gave the leash a test of my own.  I'm not a jogger but I do love a good speed walk and when I tried it, I also loved it.  I found that it took me a while to get the "hands free" thing.  Having had a leash in my hand now for well over 30 years it was an adjustment.  But I have to say being hands free is very cool. 

Life lessons

Yesterday I was getting in my car in a parking lot when I noticed the car beside me had dogs in it.  It was around 11:00 am and it was hot and muggy already.  Really?  The scene of dogs in a car in the heat still amazes me.  How can people not know?  There was a big shepherd type dog in the back and a hefty rough Jack Russell up front who was not thrilled that I was looking in.  I loaded my car up with my groceries and was about to head into the store when the owner of the car arrived.

She only had one bag which meant she hadn't been too long which I was happy about.  But none the less, even a few minutes can be too long.   The woman said to me "I didn't think it was very hot out."   As I stood there I couldn't believe what she was saying.  It was hot, freaking hot and humid which is odd for this area.  The dog in the back was panting heavily and obviously overheating.  I told her everything that can happen in a car and that it doesn't have to be 100 degrees out for it to happen.  

As I told her the sad facts of what can happen to a dog left in a car she apologized to me. She apologized several times and didn't get angry at all.  I am accustom to being yelled at or thrown some choice words in warning when I intervene. When I approached her initially I had my back up big time, I was mad.  But as I explained, she listened and apologized more.  My anger turned to educating.  I told her to tell all her friends.  

The word needs to be spread, how can we get this message out?  I have a cut off temperature much lower than most.  I think even in 65 degree weather with the sun out can be dangerous.   Why do it? Just leave your dogs at home.  I truly don't get it.  The only time my dogs are in the car when I go in somewhere is if I have to run in when we were out.  Also only if it is cold out.  

Cars heat up extremely fast.  Here is an illustration.

An Arizona police dog was left in a patrol car this week and had to be euthanized shortly after.  This was a case of life getting too hectic.  The handler of the dog forgot about the dog and left in another vehicle on the next case.  He then realized he'd left the dog but it was too late.  I cannot imagine what the owner is going through, he will obviously never forgive himself.  It is a horrific death for a dog.  

Don't take your dog, leave it at home. Please spread this message on.  It is unbelievable how many people do not know.  

Toxic Algae - REPOST

I wanted to re-post this blog from last year.   It is very important that people know this about algae, especially at this time of year.  Please pass the information along to all of your dog friends.

There is nothing better than finding a spot where you and your dog/dogs can spend the afternoon swimming.  Away from all the crowds; you know of a place where there is a great little pond.  But that pond may hold a toxic substance dangers to humans but even more so for your dog.

I remember several years back hearing of a couple of canine deaths caused by algae.  Being that it is mid summer and the temperatures are rising I felt that I should give everyone a heads up.  We use to run our dogs in a creek not too far from our house.  It would go from deep and raging for months after the rainy season to a mere trickle at dryer times.  After hearing about the algae deaths we stopped allowing them to run in the water all together.

Not all algae is bad but the blue green type can become toxic in the warmer weather.  As the water levels drop and the temperatures rise a toxic potion can result.  Many people who commonly swim their dogs in fresh water need to be aware of the dangers.   Not all blue green algae is blue or green, it can be shades of brown, red or orange as well.  Sitting water or stagnant ponds are the worst.  Below are several articles on the subject; please take care.  

Pet connection

VT Vet

Algae

The news guard

Almost

Well I ordered a proof copy of my book yesterday, PBJ & me.  I'm so excited to see it and get it finally done.  I had no idea it would take this long to do but will be thrilled to have it in my hands.  PBJ & me is the story of our six day trip from Southern California to Connecticut and then some.  My son, who was 21 at the time, three poodles, Jessie and me.  With Jessie close to 16, Tilley nearing 15, Luke 11.5 and Elsa at 4.5 mos. it was quite the trip.  Of course as many of you already know it went very wrong midway.  What started out as an adventure turned into an emotional heartbreak.

I have several books on the back burner just waiting to go, so once this one is done and published I will get to them quickly.   I have two books that are ready to publish after this one, they just need the putting together part.  I have to admit the formatting and getting them ready part is not my favorite and it is at that point that they lie dormant on my computer until I get the get up and go to get them done.

I have already started the sequel to PBJ & me which is titled And Back Again (appropriately.)  This second book will cover the time span from when we got to Connecticut, the trip back and a bit after that.  But for now I am waiting patiently for the delivery guy to arrive with the proof copy of the first one.  Once I re-read it and give it the okay it will be available for anyone who is interested.

I love writing, it gives me a chance to empty out a lot of what sits in my head.  I am continually thinking up new book titles and ideas and if I ever get them all done there will be a whole library of my books.  Of course they will all be dog related, I think.  Occasionally I do have thoughts that are not dog related, I know weird.  Have a great day.

don't over do it

Yesterday I hit the park early with Elsa, she needs to get a good run in and with the heat we had to do it early.  So we were done and back before 9:00 am which was great.  While we were there we met a few folks.  One bunch was a Mom and her two kids and two furkids who had just returned from the dog park where there were quite a few aggressive dogs.  They'd left because it was not fun.  Her two were very friendly and Elsa enjoyed meeting them.  After we had our fun at the park we made our way to the car not before meeting someone else though.

A lady and her seemingly very old dog.  I asked how old he was and she told me "11." Some dogs look a great deal older than they actually are, I thought she was going to tell me 15 or 16 by the way he looked and moved.  I then asked her what I thought was a logical question, "what's wrong with his back?"  She looked at me like I had two heads "what do you mean?"  The dog was walking like he had either severe hip dysplasia or some sort of really serious spinal issue.  She shrugged and said that he had hot spot on his back.  Hmmmm; she hadn't noticed that his movement was painful.  She seemed very perturbed by my question so we head to the car.

When we came around the corner and up the street to head home I saw the woman with the same old dog on the sidewalk.  The dog was lying on the ground.  I immediately pulled over to ask if she wanted a ride somewhere.  Nope, he was just taking a break.  When old dogs take breaks like this something is wrong.  This poor guy was either exhausted or in pain, probably both from watching him move.

There comes a time in a dogs life when you have to slow down.  I understand that it is much harder for us, it means that we must admit that our dog is getting older.  It is our job to use our head and not our heart on decisions like these.  Luke has very small walks now, gone are the long marathon runs with Dad.  Yesterday Luke and I hit an empty school yard, I love this time of year for this reason alone.  As soon as we entered the field he gets off leash and runs like a youngster again.  He runs for about 3-5 minutes and then thats it.  For the remainder of the walk he trots happily ahead of me.  We do a big loop around the field and were done.

It makes me sad to see dogs who are pushed beyond their limits.  Whether there limit is due to age, health or being overweight it is a limit.  Just watching this dog at the park move was causing me anxiety.  Watching dogs is what I do and proper movement is something I have a great deal of experience with.  This guy did not need a trained eye though, no he just needed someone other than his owner to notice that something was very wrong.

If a dog is young enough and fit enough then they should be out running and having fun.  Elsa at this point can easily outrun her partner (my hubby).  But there will come a time for her that we will have to slow it down, switch it up and change the routine.  I'm all for exercise for everyone but when it hurts or is dangerous to ones health then you need to take a step back and do what is right for your dog.

I have a range of exercise rules that I follow for the dogs.

-  If you are doing a highly intense workout like chuck it tosses, then less time should be spent on it.

-  Moderate exercise like a jog can go for a longer length of time.

-  A slow paced walk can go until your dog shows signs of tiring.

Don't use a set time for exercise allotment.  You cannot expect a dog to do chuck it retrieves for the same amount of time as a nice leisurely walk.  DON'T OVER DO IT.

Elsa is 1

Elsa is a big one year old today, so I wanted to tell you a bit about her.  Not that you don't already know all about her seeing that she has a huge number of friends who have watched her come into my home and grow into a beautiful young lady.  

People often wonder when the best time to add a new dog is; well this was the most perfect of time for us.  With Jessie nearing 16, Tilley almost 15 and Luke 11.5 it seemed crazy.  But it was actually perfect.  Sure I had a crap load of work to do with the two old ladies but Elsa got to meet a share just a bit of how wonderful they were before they left us.  I have already seen the impact Tilley had on her in many ways.  

She has had many experiences in her very short life already.  Elsa is one of the most adaptable dogs that I know, throw her a situation and she is like "okay, cool."  She is also one of the happiest dogs that I have ever met, most definitely a cup half full kind of gal.  She is up for anything, anytime, anywhere.  

Elsa lost her two senior mentors very early on and then quickly and intensely attached herself to Luke.  The two are pretty much attached at the hip now.  She has brought life into him and got him off of the couch.  I am most positive that she was instrumental in getting him through the loss of his two life companions.  He had a few bumps but she was always there saying "come on Luke, let's play."  

Elsa is a foodie; when I knew we were adding another dog to our family I hoped that I would not get another fussy pants.  I did not, Elsa loves food just like the rest of us.  Although she has very good manners and will wait her turn, most of the time.  

She is a high drive girl with bucket loads of energy.  But like most standards she has an off switch and is very happy to just chill.  It always amazes me how dogs can go from a deep sleep to full on rip and tear within a fraction of a second, she is no different. 

You will often hear me saying that Elsa is scary smart, oh yes she is crazy smart.  After having poodles for nearly 30 she is the smartest so far.  She learns intensely fast and like I said, adapts.  

She also has a sweet side to her, one that is continually blooming.  She is very sensitive yet tough, much like Tilley was.  She loves to snuggle and be with her people.  Elsa has yet to meet anyone or any dog that she didn't like.  Oh there was that one dog at the park the other day that she wasn't really keen on. But he kept hitting her in the side so I don't blame her for that one, he was completely rude.

I clearly remember how anxious I was to meet and get to know our new family member.  I wondered what she was going to be like, how she was going to fit in.  Well she fits perfectly, as perfectly as one can.  

I have to thank Elsa's breeder for allowing her to leave their family and join ours.  It is clear that she came from an amazing place a home all puppies should be lucky enough to come from.  When a breeder puts so much heart into a litter it truly shows.   

So who is Elsa today?  She is a most beautiful, structurally buff girl.  She is every bit a girl but very much a tom boy.  She has a great deal of drive but can quickly throw the off switch.  She is very much a Momma's girl and Luke's constant companion.  She adores her Dad and pretty much does back flips when he gets home each night.  She is also a friend to all, human and canine alike.  Who is she?  She is everything.

I met a woman at a park when we were in CT.  She told me when she saw Elsa "you should take a picture of that dog, she's beautiful."  I had to laugh.  Well, I've taken a few.  

Her first day with us and she has already claimed her big brother who she adores.

Their time together was short but amazing.

Hard to believe there is 14.5 years difference.  Very few puppies get this sort of guidance.

Cheeky

Flirt from the get go.

Instigator 

I know there are wings in there, we just haven't found them yet.

So sweet

A new friend to chomp (Hank)

Luke truly enjoying her as a puppy

She was never afraid of Luke, cautious yes but never afraid. 

A true monkey

Another friend to chomp (Lucy)

Ooops taller than he looks.

Daddy's girl

Adventures

Moving to CT

A cherished moment

One of the gang

Still very much a puppy

Game on

Remembering Tilley at Tilley's park in CT

Really chilly morning play

She has always been drawn to Labradors

Pretzel time

Stunning

Happy Birthday to my amazing girl.

Those dang leashes

I hate them, I just hate them.  Extension leashes.  I'm sure you have all run into one or two or lots of people who just don't know how to use them.  On the weekend my hubby and Elsa were out on one of their runs.  They were in a great rhythm, their strides matched, it was great.  Then a guy came the other way with a big brown lab on an extension leash, no he did not get reined in.  He had his dog out at the end and he decided to visit with Elsa.  Steve had to take a fast side step as their stride was broken.  Even the display of Steve and Elsa moving away, making an arc around this dog was not enough of a sign.  No, this guy kept coming with his dog.  Really?

I've written about people who don't get "the message" often.  But add into that someone who is using an extension leash and you have a recipe for some heated discussion.  There is a woman at a favorite park of mine who has a brown lab (not picking on labs, funny that these were both brown labs) and she too uses an extension leash with no reining.  As we approach her the lab starts the whining to come and see us.  She tells him that these people don't want to play as she keeps coming.  Luke does not like over rambunctious types, whining and jumping to come and visit.  So we make our big arc around the pair but it doesn't stop them.  At no time is their any reining in.  Really?

The other day while driving down the street I saw a dog come around a corner of the street well ahead of the owner.  The dog ran into someone who obviously was not a dog fan and was quite caught off guard by the dogs appearance. How can you let your dog go around a corner 20 feet ahead of you?  It is dangerous, careless and frankly rude and irresponsible.

THE ONE AND ONLY TIME TO USE AN EXTENSION

If your dog cannot be off leash, I mean never off leash then use an extension leash to give that sense of freedom.  ONLY IN AN OPEN SPACE.

Jessie use to have an extension leash because she could not be off leash.  She did great on it and I never allowed her to be at the end when she shouldn't be.

Extension leashes should not be used by anyone who cannot rein their dog in fast.  At the mere sight of another dog or human the reining should start, but no, it usually starts once it's too late.  I have had a cut and an extension leash burn on my ankles, I hate the things.  They are very, very, VERY dangerous.  If you are not fast enough with your reining then your dog will get tangled up with everyone else's dog much to the dismay of other owners.

I see people using extension leashes with choke collars all the time.  NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER use an extension and a choke collar together.  They are not compatible.  The choke.............. chokes, and the extension leash is continually pulling unless in locked position.  A very bad combination.

I also people walking or running with several extension leashes.  Now tell me this, how can you rein in several at the same time?  You can't.  A handful of extension leashes, now come on people.

If you have an extension leash, get a grip or toss it.  When you are on a walk in public and around other people and dogs your dog should never be further away from you than 6 feet when on leash so why an extension?  They should strictly be used in open spaces, parks, fields etc.  Another one of man's stupid inventions that has become the norm.      

Its not working

I was watching a person in the park the other day trying to get their dog to walk beside them.  They were yanking, yanking, yanking and more yanking.  First I was saddened to see this then I started thinking what a strange bunch some humans are.  This person has been trying to get her dog to walk beside her for a very long time and it just is not working.  Then there is the person who yells and pushes her dog down every time it jumps.  It jumps, she pushes and the cycle continues.  The dog that won't stay in the house, when the front door is opened the dog is out of it.

Many humans just keep trying the same ole.  Do they take the time to sit down and think "why is this not working?"  Nope, they just keep plodding away, making the same mistakes and going no where.  Funny isn't it?  Now, it's not just the inexperienced dog owner who tries the same illogical steps over and over again.  Many dog trainers do the same thing. They know how to train a dog, but only one way and if it doesn't work they just keep trying.

The big secret about successful training is flexibility, the astute reasoning ability to change and try something new.   Then of course there is the fact that not too many people understand how dogs actually learn best.   Working with dogs is a never ending learning session.  They are all so different and the tiny differences in each can sometimes go unnoticed by the amateur.  I've watched training classes led by other trainers where one of the people/dog teams is having an issue.  The trainer just says keep trying.  As I watch from the sidelines I am chomping at the bit to explain what is going on with the pair and offer up a different line of approach.

What I am trying to get at is that all dogs are different.  What works for one might work for another but chances are you'll have to switch it up a bit.  Dog reactions to external stimulus can be vast.  Their reaction to our action boundless.  With each individual dog comes a highly personalized brain so to bunch them together like a bushel full of dog brains is human error not canine.

art

I was shooting these flowers and Elsa had to know what I was doing.  Beautiful.

I'm around a lot of dogs and when I don't have my camera on me I can get a bit antsy.  Why?  Because I see beautiful images all the time.  It can be an instant, a fraction of a moment in time but a powerful image.  Seeing images doesn't come naturally to everyone.  Having been a long time dog trainer, I was already watching, watching their every move and reading their body language.

Sometimes I walk into a canine situation and see it immediately.  Not all dogs have expressive faces but they all have heart and heart is what I try to shoot.  If you are a long time reader of my blog then you have read before that I am not a posing type photographer.  You know, the smile for the camera type.  I see these photos often, even with a dog and their owner and they leave me feeling empty.  Nothing shared, no connection, just nothing.  They actually give me anxiety as well because I know what could have been with just a different approach.

A connection image is amazing, it can be two dogs, a dog and a cat, a dog and a human but the commonality is the connection.

Often the best, most powerful images are just a slice of life.  Lifestyle photography is one of my favorite forms, there is art is so much around that we miss on a daily basis.  We need to stop and smell the roses more often, look around and see.

Sparky written all over this ball of energy

Much said in a simple connection

This is one of my all time favorite images, it says so much.

Powerful even when asleep

I will often kick myself for not having my camera when I see a face, a face that I really want to photograph.  Like people, some dogs just have a great face.  Very expressive, soulful eyes, a scruffy beard or just a look.  Some dogs never have to do anything but stand their, they art already.  Art is a very personal thing.  I have been asked before in a sort of unbelievable tone "really?  just dogs?"  Of course my answer is yes, dogs; they are amazing.  I work with just dogs, sometimes an owner sneaks in which I love but as far as my work, it's just and their connection.

I do love to photograph other things around me as well.  Pretty much anything that catches my eye, I never stop seeing images.  But my eye is always more apt to see a dog image.  You also know that my dogs are shot a lot.  Even now I am mad at myself for not having my camera.  Elsa is curled up around Luke with the most angelic face.  If I get up at this point the image will be gone.

Seeing an image simply needs a watchful eye and experience.  Knowing what can create a moving image and what does not.  The more you watch, the more you will see.  But like all art, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  What I think is an amazingly beautiful photo may not be what you would consider a good shot at all.  It is very, very personal.  Sometimes a beautiful piece of canine art is represented by beautiful scenery with a dog in the far distant.  Still and amazing piece of work but not filled with a dog.  Other beautiful canine images can be just that, a dog.  A whole frame filled with just one very close up dog.  It is all different, we are all different and obviously my passion is dogs.  Capturing is a luxury that I have been given and which fuels my passion even further.

Wrong

Here is an example of it going very wrong.  A young girl in her twenties wants a dog; she thinks nothing of the fact that she works long hours and doesn't have time for a dog.  She's seen a lot of puppies lately and feels the desire to have her own.  The girl visits many local rescue groups wanting to get a rescue dog, to do the right thing.  She wants a puppy, an adorable puppy to call her own.  Then one day she visits a rescue, they have a litter of adorable puppies.  She immediately chooses the cutest of the bunch and the puppy acquisition is complete.  Once the puppy is hers they are inseparable, at first.

But then as the puppy gets older and not so cute he stays at home more often than not.  Things start to change, he starts acting out.  There are bouts of barking at strange things, often cringing away when someone tries to pet him.  The girl isn't thrilled about these things so she leaves him at home.  Then she finds herself being offered a very cool second job.  She doesn't want to work more hours but sees this second job as an opportunity to change careers eventually so she accepts it.

The puppy who is now full grown but still a puppy is left at home 12-15 hours a day.  When the girl does get home she takes him out to relieve himself, cleans up all the mess that he's left in his crate and goes to bed.  The days play out the same as the dog becomes more and more of a problem.   The problem that is growing is his lack of socialization, learning about the human world.  The puppy has no idea that there is more to life than the four walls of the apartment and crate.  Things are brewing.

As it turns out the adorable puppy that she brought home is a working dog, an Australian Shepherd with lots of drive and energy.  This type of dog needs an outlet, a job to call his own.  Given a life pent up in a crate or apartment all day things can go very, very wrong.  Add to that a lack of socialization and you have a ticking time bomb.  Skipping ahead a year or so the girl decides that she needs to address some of the problems.  She takes him to a vet and a trainer.  The vet tells her that it could be his food.  The trainer tells her that he is a fear biter and need to be euthanized.

This information is too much for her; she cannot deal with all of these problems.  She can't have a dog that might bite someone.  So the only solution is to end the life of this dog who was once all she ever wanted.

Sad but true, this happens all too often.  Each and every step of the story was a wrong one.  Getting a puppy of any type was wrong.  Choosing a puppy without knowing what sort of puppy it might be wrong.  The rescue who allowed the girl to have the puppy was wrong.  Not socializing, not integrating the dog into our human world, wrong.  Making him live out his life in a crate or apartment while she got on with her desired life, wrong.  The final act to end his life?  Wrong.

Many dogs end up in the wrong home.  It can be because there should never be a dog in a particular home or the dog just ended up in the wrong home.  Even when a dog is a mix breed, they have a temperament or personality traits that make up who they are.  Often the new owner and dog don't mesh; things can go very wrong from that point.  I am a very strong supporter of temperament testing.  I don't care if the dog is a pocket sized pooch or a giant breed, they should be temperament tested and placed in the best possible fit home.  (More on this in another blog).


More often a family or person just don't fully understand what a having a dog entails.  This is what this blog is about.  How much work must be put into making it work.  Do you have time for a dog?  Do you want to make time for a dog?  Will you seek out help because you just don't know about dog behavior?  Will you put hours into training?  Or do you just want the idea of "I have a dog?"  Not everyone should have a dog, there are many who do now that shouldn't.  


Dogs are a lot of work, some are a ton of work while others are more easy.  But all are work and especially in the beginning, so much work.  House training, socializing, general training, socializing and more socializing.  Learning for the human, lots and lots of learning.  It is a sad ending to a dogs life when we fail.  Rescue groups are filled to capacity so the idea of taking a dog that bites is not a good one.  They will take the more adoptable dogs.  Sure there are places that will take a risky dog, the dog may end up living at a place that will take him in forever.  There are places like this.


But it could have all been different, it was that first initial "I want a dog," desire that was the beginning or it going all wrong.