Fat dogs

A lean, mean canine machine is a beautiful sight. 

When I am out and about with my guys we often run into dogs who need to shed a few pounds. Sometimes we meet dogs that need to lose more than a few.  It is always sad to me to see dogs carrying around weight that they need not carry. We ran into young dog at the park the other day.  Elsa has played with him quite a bit over the last few months.  He is about 5 months younger than she is and when we saw him I was shocked.  At 8 months old he looked like a 7-8 year old fat dog.  He ran over to us huffing and puffing; he was hefty to say the least.

Having an overweight or obese dog often goes unnoticed by owners.  The weight could have been creeping up slowly and they just didn't notice.  Sadly many pet parents are made aware of the issue when it has already done damage.  Joint damage, liver and/or kidney damage, heart problems etc. etc.  There are so many fallout health issues related to being overweight.   Dogs who are overweight also risk living a shortened life which is horrific without all the other ailments that can occur before that.

Many people have told me that my dogs are skinny.  Yes I agree that Luke is skinny, very skinny but much of his "too skinny" appearance is actually due to low muscle mass.  Elsa only weighs in at a few pounds more than Luke and although many people would consider her to be skinny as well, I believe that she is perfect.  She is highly active and extra pounds would cause her to haul the extra weight around putting stress on her joints and tendons.

How fat is too fat?  On a very tiny dog a couple of pounds can be too fat.  My little Jack Russell gained weight easily and I often had to cut back so that she could drop a few.  A few pounds on a 15 lb body is a lot.  Even with two extra pounds I could see a difference in her behavior.  Once she lost those couple of pounds she'd be back to her crazy self again.  Weight can spin into a dangerous cycle; a few pounds and you don't feel like moving as much.  When you don't move you put on weight.

The big secret to weight loss is cutting back on calorie intact and moving.  That's it.  Better food fuel into the body helps to create high performance.  If you have an overweight dog, start today.  You must start slowly if you have not been giving your dog the appropriate amount of exercise up to this point.  Begin with tiny walks and build on length and intensity to build a healthier dog.  Weight is a burden for both people and dogs; losing it can be a challenge.  Too much weight on our dog is all on us.  Dogs do not put weight on themselves.  They don't reach for a bowl of potato chips or plate of donuts like we do.

When cutting back don't skimp on nutrients.  Simply cut back on the amount of high quality food, do not buy into the 'diet' foods.  Below are some good sites about dog weight.

Pet education

Biggest Loser - Obie the obese Dachshund

Pet obesity prevention

The life we share with our dogs is far too short, don't make it shorter and less productive by creating a fat dog.

Problem solving

Good Monday morning; I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.  We most definitely did, it was a long weekend for us as my hubby took Friday off and we had a great day at the beach with the dogs.  I want to discuss problem solving in dogs today.  Many people do not think that dogs think and/or problem solve like humans.  They may not have the exact thoughts that we have but they most certainly figure stuff out.

Last night sadly Luke had a seizure, it came on strangely and we first thought that he'd been stung on the foot by a bee.  But he started to buckle in the legs and fell into a seizure.  I lay him on the dog bed outside and sat with him in my arms.  It was a longer than usual seizure but less intense.  I sat for a good half hour on the ground with him as he slowly came out.  But while he was seizing I watched Elsa problem solving that made me smile, even though I had Luke in my arms seizing at the moment.

She has finally figured out the dog door and has worked up enough courage to actually use it without being coaxed.  She was oblivious to Luke's seizure and was merrily running around the yard with her toys. For a moment she stopped in her tracks and headed in.  I told my husband "she's getting a toy."  She knows exactly what toy that she wants to play with and will abandon all others to go and find 'the one."  I was surprised when I saw her go in the dog door on her own.  She has been going out but challenged by going in for some reason.  So in she went and I saw her pick up the new ball.  She headed towards the dog door and dropped it; then she came out. She turned around and stuck her head in the dog door. She had never carried a toy out the dog door before.

Then the whole problem solving started.  As I sat comforting Luke as much as I could I watched.  I happened to be very close to the dog door so I had a good vantage point.  In she went, picked up the ball and then as she started out the dog door, she put the ball down.  She wasn't sure that she could carry the ball out the dog door.  Out she came without the ball, looked in the door and saw it sitting there.  In she went again; picked up the ball and put it down before coming out once again.  Then she went back in, picked up the ball, put it down and ran all the way upstairs and out the kitchen door.  She went back to the dog door as if it would be there for her.  She thought for a moment.  Back in the dog door and grabbed the ball once again.  She pushed the dog door with the ball in her mouth.  She did this several times, even almost dropping the ball on the outside of the dog door.  We thought she had it when she pulled the ball in and charged up the stairs and out the kitchen with her ball.

We could see that she wanted to take the ball out the dog door.  After all the dog door is now an exciting thing for her, freedom.  She can go in and out at will, that's pretty great for a dog.  But she had finally chosen the original exit way as it held no challenge for her.  It was amazing watching her and we could not help but smile at the chain of problem solving that she was displaying.

Luke came out of his seizure and was in no hurry to get up.  He stayed in my arms a long while and then finally got to his feet.  After a little needed stabilizing he was good to go and is just fine.  I do not know what brought this seizure on, he has not had one in a very long while.  I'm just glad I was there to help him through it and to watch Elsa master the dog door.

Timing

Timing is essential in training.  Many people do not realize the degree of importance and deliver their message too late or too early. I am constantly working on my timing.  Our dogs have such amazingly fast minds that if you don't get in there and deliver a message quickly you can miss the opportunity all together.  I lump most of our human reaction to a dog action into the "feedback" category.  It is self explanatory and really helps us to think of it as just that, information.

Feedback:  a reaction or response to a particular process or activity.  Evaluative information derived from such a reaction.  Knowledge of the results of any behavior, considered as influencing or modifying further performance.

Delivering feedback at the precise moment of high impact is the best way to get your message across.  Let's say that your dog is looking at your shoe that you left out.  You watch and wait until the dog has the shoe in their mouth to say "hey, that's mine, drop it."  You missed out on a very influential line of educating.  Given the feedback before he picked up the shoe would have got the most important lesson, "don't touch my shoes."  Instead he rewarded himself by picking up the shoe and will learn to grab them when you are not looking.

As well as being fast and not lagging on the delivery of feedback we must learn to drop it.  Humans tend to hold grudges, its what we do.  But when teaching our dogs we should never hold on to extended feedback, it is useless.  When working with your dog or just in the day to day life lessons; deliver the message and move on.  Holding a grudge, keeping the delivery going we break down the bond that we are trying so hard to build.  Trust.

In and out, that is how feedback should be delivered.  If you are slow on your delivery then work on that.  If you miss a behavior and cannot give either 'correct' or 'error' feedback fast enough, move on.  Just move on and hopefully next time you will be fast on your delivery.  Teaching people to 'let it go,' is probably one of the things that I have to nag on and on about.  Eventually they typically get it but not without me standing right there and saying "stop, move on."

A correctly timed feedback delivery sends much needed information.  Drag it out and into the realm of grudge and you are spending time on useless and damaging human stuff.

In and out.    

See ya soon

Gone to the beach, see ya later.  :)

Where's the beef?

I've written about this before but sometimes it just gets to me so much that I have to write about it again.  I hate what I am seeing happen to dogs, not all dogs but many of them.  I am speaking about purebred dogs and the fact that they are losing their beef.  Of course there are some breeds who are gaining too much beef, like the English Bulldog.  Poor dogs can barely move anymore.  I'm talking about the breeds who are becoming finer and slighter in build.  "Flashy" is a word commonly heard around the show ring.  "Light movement," is another term I've heard.  Longer necks, longer legs, lighter than air movement, narrow heads, narrow bodies...........gotta catch the judges eye, right?  Honestly.

I put my hands on a standard poodle the other day and thought to myself "where's the beef?"  Sadly this dog was young and had little muscle; to speak of but his movement was most definitely light.  Luke is one of these dogs and as such he is suffering from his lack of muscle (beef).  His head is very narrow, his chest even more narrow and he has always had a lack of muscle.  Even in his young hay days he was very light in the muscle department and because of this could not move anything like Tilley could.

Now that we have Elsa who is from much beefier stock, the difference is far more obvious.  Poor Luke was from show stock; the pick of litter even.  He was meant for the show ring but ended up with me. His lack of muscle had nothing to do with too little exercise.  He had and still has exercise alright.  He was a running partner with my husband, did frisbee, chuck it and hiked for great distances.  No he was given lots of exercise but when the muscle mass is not there, you cannot build it up.  We did the best with what we had so to speak but now that he is 12 he is most definitely handicapped.

Don't get me wrong, Luke is doing great for a 12 year old and most people are shocked to hear how old he is.  But, if he had more muscle he would be doing much better.  I see dogs stacked in the show ring; primped to perfection and then look at their legs.  "Where's the beef?"  It's not right.  I don't want Mr. Universe looking dogs but come on, give them something to use.  I remember when Luke was young and we would visit the dog park; I was so afraid that he would be hit by a buffer dog and suffer an injury.  I think that he has done so well because we have put so much attention on building strength in him, otherwise he'd literally have nothing.

Many dogs these day simply don't get enough exercise, like humans of course.  They sit around the house and yard all day and their muscles atrophy. They too will suffer the fallout of muscle loss far worse than a dog with good muscle and tone.  Even small boned dogs (don't even get me started on bone mass) like Italian Greyhounds can have good muscle.  Muscle is the meat or heart of movement.  It pulls everything together and gives our dogs their core strength.

Just because a trend is going one way does not mean that we must follow.  Following trends to be popular is a common human trait and often our downfall.  Put that trend in a ring of competition and it brings it up to a worst level, a fight for the ribbon.  That ribbon may only be obtainable if you conform your dogs to the petite requirements of the judge; are you willing to go there?  Willing to put our dogs at risk of injury to place the ribbon on your mantel?  We need to think of our dogs; "where's the beef gone?"

Moderation is often the best place to be for many things.  Too much muscle and a dog is handicapped in flexibility and movement, too little and they suffer from lack of movement and injury.  It's just sad, that we shape and model our dogs to best fit the modern trends.  Dogs from the past were much less flashy, not extreme like many of the dogs of today.  All I am saying is stand back and take a look at what you are doing.  Are you producing structurally sound dogs or are you sculpting a beautiful image that is lacking substance?  Even dogs that look beautiful need their muscle, their beef.

"Where's the beef?"

1000 words

Real food

Yep, the dogs would have had some of this with their protein.

Real - genuine; not counterfeit, artificial or imitation; authentic.

Food - any nourishing substance that is eaten, drunk or otherwise taken into the body to sustain life, provide energy and promote growth.

I love this definition stated above.  Does your dog food fit into this category?  Very few do.  I use the term 'real food' where most people say 'people food.'   Sitting in bed with Elsa and Luke, we just finished sharing a plate full of turkey.  Turkey, just real turkey.  Every morning we share breakfast in bed.  Because of the possibility of bloat in my breed I don't feed them breakfast until about an hour after we get back from morning exercise.  But they need a snack before they start their day as do I before hitting the gym.

I love the fact that I can give my dogs pretty much anything and they will not get upset from it.  That is I can give them any 'real food' item.  The simpler the better when dogs are concerned.   Last night I made peanut, mushroom chicken on rice noodles for us.  The dogs got the chicken plain.  Although Elsa does love peanut butter and no matter how quietly I open a jar, she hears it and comes running.   My guys eat a huge variety of foods throughout the day.  I've grown accustom to giving Luke food whenever I can get it into him just to keep some meat on him.  So Elsa enjoys in this as well albeit at a much smaller portion size.   She tends to gain whereas Luke never does.

Real food is unprocessed, it still retains nutrients that the body can use.  The higher the quality of food the less you need to feed of it.  With many of the dog foods out there, so much of it is filler.  Feathers, peanut hulls, corn bran, cellulose etc etc.  All of these products that go into our dog force the digestive system to work overtime on something that the body cannot actually use.  It ends up reprocessed in your yard having no nutrient effects on your dog.

The other day I was having a bowl of cottage cheese for lunch.  Elsa of course came into the kitchen to see what I was doing.  I got out another bowl and put a couple of tablespoons in it for her.  She looked adorable with it on her nose.  It makes me feel good when I give my dogs good food.  I know that the turkey that we just ate will sustain me through a very rigorous and strenuous weight lifting work out.  So too will it get Luke and Elsa through their fun trip to the beach this morning.

Sure their are things that we all eat just because we love it; even though it holds little nutritional ingredients.  But the bulk of food that we take in should be something that our body can use.  The same goes for our dogs, get the good stuff in there.  If you are worried about stomach upset, start small.  Start by offering real food treats throughout the day.  Your dog's system will adjust to different foods making it possible to offer all sorts of good stuff.

The big dog food companies have brain washed us into thinking that we are incapable of feeding our dogs ourselves.  They have come up with elaborate schemes to show us that what they put into those well thought out and enticing bags is better for our dogs than 'real food.'  Hogwash.  There is so much information made available to us now about feeding our dogs. We can do it, we totally can do it.  Even if that means reading ingredients lists and choosing a better food, closer to real food than the low or no quality foods with the fancy bags.

I have heard many people say "that food costs too much." How much is too much for good nutrition?  There are better quality foods out there that cost just a fraction more but hold so much more nutrients within the bag.  I certainly understand that not everyone wants to feed their dog 'real food,' but at least look for a food that has nutrition within the bag.  The giant feed companies have done an amazing job at making us think that good food is cheap, dirt cheap.



 

A different tactic

"She'll get it."  I've been saying this for months, and she is "getting it."  Finally!!!!

I have been trying to get Elsa to use our dog door since we moved back to CA.  Before we left to go to Connecticut I did not want her using the door.  I didn't want her outside without me so I had held off teaching her.  She would watch the adult dogs go through; in and out, in and out.  She never tried to follow and the act of them going in out often sent her into a zoom around the yard.  She seemed mystified by their magical appearance and disappearance.

Once back home in CA I was ready for her to use the door, but she was far from ready.  We got the door several years ago and at the time I thought, "I don't know if Luke will use this."  He is such a nervous type and the idea of the door flapping on him as he went through might be too much.  The girls learned in a flash and within minutes of installing it, Tilley was in and out, in and out.  Even little Jessie figured it out.  She had one little glitch and that was that she pushed on a lot of spots before finding the right one.  So to rectify that problem I put a sticker on the spot where she was to push which was the bottom middle for the easiest exit.  This solved the problem.

I wrote about my dog door at the beginning of last year and in November.  

I really thought Luke might never use it, but we worked diligently on it.  Whoever happened to be inside or out when Luke thought about using the door was his cheering support team.  When he did finally work up the courage he was cheered for like the winning Superbowl team.  Luke took a while but to our delight and surprise he did it and conquered all of his would be dog door demons; and became a dog door user.

Then came Elsa; without question our most intelligent dog so far.  She learns crazy fast and has a scary intense brain BUT, she could not thwart the door.  I worked very, very hard at getting her through the dog door.  We worked on just the pushing part, with a clicker and lots of treats.  I tempted her with delicious morsels of food on the other side.  I tied the door up so that she would get use to using this spot to come in and go out.  I held the door open and worked on a smaller and smaller opening.  Believe me when I say, I have patience and I was more than willing to wait for another couple of months.  I would sit there for an hour at a time and wait as she pushed the door with her nose.

Pushing the door with her nose was as far as she was willing to go.  Last week I thought "this is ridiculous."  Such a smart girl.  You see Elsa's "issue" with the door was the 'it touches you when you go through,' thing.  If the door opened up for clear access once she pushed, she'd have been through long ago.  When she did go through as we held it open she would arch her back to avoid it touching her.  She would dart through as if it was going to attack her.  So this was a different problem than any of the other dogs.  I needed a different tactic.  I decided on the "I'm just doing it," ploy.   "I'm just pushing her through," I thought, and that is exactly what I did.

She had to learn that the sensation of the door on her as she went through was not going to kill her.  So when she was dying to go out and chase crickets in the evening I used that momentum as the perfect "push" time.  She had already got use to me holding the door open to go out so when she was amped  up with the crickets I said "go out" which is the word we've been using while shoving her butt.  To my shock I barely had to push, just a touch.  I knew that she had to get over her "the door might swallow me up," issue.  So I pushed her out many times the next day.  No more holding it open, she had to feel it.  I used treats inside and out and a lot of cheering.

Saturday she went on her own.  I was standing there behind her and motioned to go out but I did not touch her.  Yesterday she did it several times again without a touch.  Then we had a road block and I had to push again. Today she will only be coming in and out by the dog door.  Yep, its' a ton more work for me but we've come this far, I don't want to go backwards.

Even though Elsa is amazingly intelligent, she had issues with the door.  Intelligence and door usage are not the same in the situation.  Sure some dogs might have a difficult time figuring it out, not Elsa.  She knew how, she just had concerns with it.  This is a great example of how each dog is so different and how you must customize training per each dog.  She is a very confident dog but has a few concerns in life.  One is the dog door grabbing her as she goes through.  But hopefully by the end of the week she will just be showing that door who's the boss.  :)

Give your dog a bone

Yesterday was bone day; Elsa's third bone day to be exact.  Her first two bones days were fairly unproductive.  She is not a big 'raw' fan so offered a bone that is very meaty she just sort of looked at it.  

These are beef rib bones.  Before giving them to the dogs I cut off the extra bone piece before giving them to the dogs.  These ribs are the big beefy ones, not the short type. 

Luke gets right to it, there is no wasted time looking he immediately dives in.  Bones are wonderful tools for cleaning a dogs teeth.  I have never had my guys teeth cleaned.  I occasionally scrape excess tartar off myself but other than that I let the bones do the work.   

I put a blanket down on the grass for the dogs to chew on.  Luke got caught in it once but I fixed him all up and he continued.  

The molars are where the most work needs doing and once they get a good chewing going this is where the bone lands. 

It does not take long for a seasoned chewer to get down to the bone.  He will soon get into the bone itself, grinding it with his back teeth.  They do eat some of the bone but it is soft because these are RAW.  Only give RAW bones, never, ever cooked.  

Elsa picked away slowly; getting up every so often and going to have a look at what Luke was doing with his bone.  She watched intently.  She loves to learn and does so by watching.  

Check out those pearly whites.  There is no need to have a dog put out for teeth cleaning when you give bones.  It is the natural way to keep their teeth clean. 

Meat almost done.

Elsa finally got the hang of the bone thing and really enjoyed it.  I was so happy that she finally got it. 

Luke working on his front teeth for a bit.

Look at that bone now, I was so proud of the progress she made.  

She did her best on this third bone.  Next time she'll be a pro

Luke has got his bone clean in a short time.

Elsa of course had to chew close which Luke was very good about.  She only got one show of teeth when she ventured to close to have a look a his bone.  

About an hour into it Luke got up; letting me know that he was done.  He when he walked to the other side of the yard Elsa got up to have a peak at his bone.  Luke then came over to have a look at hers.  I don't typically allow bone swapping unless it is done by me but both were very calm.  Luke decided to continue his chewing with her bone so seeing that she picked up his.  The chewing continued.

Elsa shows how to work on your molars. 

This is much closer proximity than normal for chewing.  With Tilley, Jessie and Luke I always had to keep a much greater distance between them.  Supervision is a must with high value things like bones.  I sat and took pictures and fixed the blanket when it got bunched up. 

Luke and Elsa chewed in the morning, the sun was just breaking through into the backyard as they came to the end of the chew.  Then it was time to go indoors and turn on the AC.  It was 106 here yesterday and to be the same today. 

A great walk

Yesterday I had a really great walk with the dogs.  When I got home I was in a great mood, I just felt like "ahhhh, that was nice."  Mostly I get the dogs out once a day, sometimes twice.  I feel that it is very important that they get out and see the sights on a daily basis.  Often a walk turns out to be more work than others.  If there are a lot of dogs out for walks at the same time, if I cannot sneak in some chuck it throws for Elsa or if I just choose a wrong path.

As I was getting the dogs out of the car I noticed the lady with the two Goldens, I see her all the time.  She was done her walk and packing up the dogs to head home.  I had backed up to the curb which makes it less of a jump for Elsa and sometimes Luke likes to jump in the car when we are done so this is a small leap for him.  First things first, we headed off to the fenced in baseball field for Elsa to get her ya ya's out. I let Luke off first and he ran off so happy, in fact he charge off.  Elsa must then sit, get her leash off and wait for me to release her.  Once I do, stand back.  She sprints off to meet Luke then does a huge circle around the field at full speed returning to me to go around and get her throw.

Elsa has been taught to run around me before getting her ball.  This is something that Tilley learned early on in her frisbee career.  It allows you time to get the ball or frisbee out in front of them.  So while throwing the ball for Elsa I made my way across the field to the opening on the other side.  Luke was running and sniffing the perimeter and met up with us when we got there.  Both dogs were leashed and we started our walk then.

We walked through the playground where a very tiny girl shrieked in delight at the sight of Luke and Elsa.  Then over the small wood bridge to the open field.  We took our time, both dogs love to smell as we go.  Elsa is always on the look out for a friend to talk to and we did meet a very nice lady with her shaved Australian Shepherd.  I let Elsa do her greeting but was careful not to allow a tangle, the other dog was 13 years old.  We chatted and then walked together.  She was quite interested to know how the Elsa and Luke thing worked age wise.  I told her that it was great, gave her a bit of detail from our past and then she decided that she was going to get a friend for her dog.  We said goodbye as the Aussie and her head down a different path.

We were stopped several times by walkers and asked "are they related?"  One man with his tiny dogs was amazed when I told him that there was 11 years difference in the two.  He just stared at them shaking his head "really?"

We took the same path that we'd come down to head back because it was still in the shade.  It was getting very hot already and only 8:30 in the morning.  We meandered slowly but I could tell that Elsa could use more running time.  I did a serious perimeter check and there was no one in sight.  Unhooking Elsa she sat with intense anticipation for the "okay."  Then she was off, around me and out after the ball.  The next throw, I sent her out and gave the down sign which while chuck iting, is holding the chuck it up in the air.  She drops immediately to the ground on the other side of the field and I toss the ball.  She does her best to catch it before it hits the ground but misses and scoops it up on the first bounce.  What a girl.

It was hot and she had enough throws for the day so we head towards the Xterra.  I loaded Luke and Elsa into the back and then they had their drink.  Luke is the messiest drinker we've ever had and before they are done both Elsa and I are wet; as is the back of my Xterra.  I love when the two of them stuff their head into the bowl at the same time, they look so cute.  Then it was time for home, I gave them the "watch out," and they both take a step back.  Smiling I closed the hatch "what a nice walk."  I always feel very accomplished when Elsa gets enough ripping in and Luke has had his fill of looking around plus a little romp.

Dealing with grief

I am often asked "how do you get through it?" when clients lose a companion.  They also ask "when should I get another?"  Both of these questions are very personal as are my responses.  Dealing is a very individual and personal thing.  How one person copes may be completely different from another.  I thought that this was a good topic today because I found myself in tears yesterday.  I was working on my second book and had to go through the day we lost Tilley again.  There were moments of tears slowly coming down my face and then a time that I really needed to cry.  I pushed myself away from the computer and allowed for the moment.  The crying was over quickly and I took the time to think about her.  Then it was back to writing and I felt much better.

I was forced into the moment but it is very important to take the moments when they arise and deal.  Allow yourself to cry, remember and cherish the good old days.  Life is hectic and days can slip by with general day to day activities.  But when the moment arises you must seize it.  I will often stop and make myself take the time to think about Tilley, Jessie, Mandy, Clyde and the others in my life who have left.  It can happen at any time during your day to day; an event will trigger a memory, that memory  prompts a moment.

When you continue to share your life with dogs after the loss of a much loved companion, there will be more moments.  Each dog will bring about a memory from the past.  This is not a bad thing but another step in the healing process.  Elsa displays quite a few behaviors that are similar to Tilley.  She is a very different dog than Tilley but every once in a while I am stopped in my tracks by something she does.  Just the other night Elsa wanted on the bed, she came and gently touched her nose to my leg which was sticking out of the covers.  From dead asleep I was stopped in time, just for a moment but it was quite a moment.  Tilley use to communicate a great deal with the slightest nose touch.

The loss of a dog can be immeasurable; a life companion taken from us.  We spend so much time with our dogs, sharing each day together.  When that companion is taken from our life it leaves a huge void.  The grief is often overwhelming sadness.   A huge storm cloud can blanket your every thought completely encasing your life.  Allowing the sadness, the emotions to come in and interacting with each one helps you to deal with the loss itself.  Life goes on and we too must go on.  With the passing of each dog in our life comes the life lessons from our life shared.  Each dog prepares us to be a better companion for the next.

Having other dogs around when you lose one most definitely helps to get you through.  You have mouths to feed and care for so you must get through it.  That said, when you have other dogs you often don't take the time that you need, time is essential.  You must stop and remember, cry and cry some more.  If you simply push the emotions back to deal with at another time you really leave yourself open for more pain.  There are so many emotions that arise when you lose a dog, sadness, guilt, anger etc.   Each one must be dealt with as it arises.

I have been forced to take moments as I continue to write about my crazy journey to CT and back again.  Losing two dogs only three weeks apart was unbearable.  But it has been very helpful because at the time I didn't take those moments, I didn't have time to take them.  So as they are offered to me through the pages that I write I am taking them and feeling much better about the whole process, the circle of life.   Dealing with grief does not take away the loss, but it helps you to move on and makes the sadness livable.

When to add another dog to your life?  When you can no longer bare the absence of a canine in your life.  When your heart is ready to be filled again with the day to day antics of a canine.  Only you will know when it is time.  There is no right or wrong, only your heart and your life to say when.  There is a brightness and excitement that comes with getting to know the next amazing dog in your life.  You will know when the time is right.

Now, go hug your dog.

The reward system

I almost always have some sort of food on me.  Yesterday as I prepared to file Elsa's nails I grabbed a handful of new food I got and tucked it into my bra.  As soon as I did it I knew that I shouldn't have. It smells very fishy being mostly salmon so I quickly removed it and placed it on the shelf outside.  I wear yoga pants a lot so that means that I don't have pockets which means that I have no where to put treats, except my bra.  This is the reason that I got poison ivy across my chest while in CT.  I am always putting treats in and taking them out.

Having treats on you is very very important.  Of course not all dogs are rewarded by treats, some prefer a ball, a tug toy or perhaps a soft stuffed toy.  Because Elsa is young still I like to be ready at all times.  Rewarding a behavior when they offer something good, anything good is essential to fast learning.  Linking something that they do not like to something they do like is association and it is how dogs learn.

Even if Luke who is now 12 years old makes a great decision on his own while we are out, I will reward him with a treat.  For example a while back we were at the beach.   We were just standing watching the goings on when a lady walked by with her dog who was going off.  I was with my poodle group of friends so the dog was barking at all the poodles.  Luke watched the dog as it lunged at all the dogs.  Many of the dogs in our group were returning the same behavior.  Luke decided it wasn't worth it and just sat down, he got a treat and a kiss and a hug for that.

I mostly carry organic chicken and rice sticks that I get at Trader Joe's.  They are great to hold in your hand while on a walk and don't smell bad when you carry them in your clothing.  ;)  I buy them 4 bags at a time with each trip to the store.  I also use cheese strings, kibble and anything else that the dogs enjoy.
Many of the treats are pumped into Luke on our walks just because he needs extra calories.  He's such a meek eater than any food I can get in is good.

But for Elsa they are used as treats for good behavior or the association link.  By adding a reward, and by that I mean real reward; not a pat on the head which many dogs do not consider rewarding at all you speed the learning process.  "You mean if I don't lunge at other dogs I get a treat?"  Wow.  We used treats a great deal when Elsa was very early for many scary things in the park.  Statues that she thought were real, put treats on it until she is walking by without batting a lash.  When she could do a down in a crowded strip mall, treats, treats.

Of course once you start with treats and a lesson is learned and solidified you then must wean off.  Not completely, but to a minimum.  Choosing the most difficult behaviors, in the most highly distracted areas is where you keep them coming the longest.  If you continue to use treats for too long on the easy stuff then you will be left with a dog that "only does it for treats" like I hear so often.

Not every behavior is treat rewarded, some activities are rewarding in themselves.  When we get to the park Elsa MUST sit before I release her out of the back of my Xterra.  The release is her reward and until she sits she will not get it.  There is no food involved with this behavior.  If your dog wants something badly, say to get off leash and run with other dogs then you can use that as the reward itself.  But having treats on you when they offer up something great is optimal.

Timing is everything with rewarding, if you have bad timing then you might just be offering up rewards for nothing, in your dogs head.  If you are using a bridge word then rewarding is easy and the timing is put upon your bridge word (Bridge word blog tomorrow) .  If not then it can be very tricky and timing is of the utmost importance.  The treat must be given so that your dog links the reward to the behavior that you are trying to link it with.  If not then you are not teaching anything but the free food lesson.  

Don't be afraid to reward with treats but also don't use them as a crutch.  Do not bribe with food, keep them away until the behavior is offered.  I highly recommend wearing jeans or a treat pouch if you are in a poison ivy area and sensitive to it's charms.  :)  My wonderful poison ivy adventures will be in be explained in detail in book # 2, And Back Again.

Barking dogs

Thank you for this mornings topic Bonnie.

Barking dogs; don't ya just love when the neighbors dog starts barking at 5:00 am in the morning?  You are sound asleep, enjoying the fact that you can have the windows open and suddenly you are awake.  There is no way you are getting back to sleep because not only is the neighbors dog barking but now your dog is barking too.  I am always amazed when I hear dogs barking in the middle of the night.  There are regulars who bark throughout the night so I know that these are the guys that are left out.  This is a horrible idea, especially for your neighbors.

We have a very large patio door off of our bedroom and I often wake up to see Elsa watching.  She is getting better about just watching and listening and not barking.  In humans, being a good listener is a wonderful thing, in dogs too.  Some people never shut up and some dogs just never shut up.  Elsa tends to bark when she is excited or a little afraid.  If we run into a new object she will often give a sound off  alarm bark but she doesn't go on and on.  She is learning.  Dogs need a great deal of guidance to learn not to bark their faces off.  We can help or hinder in that department.

Many dogs receive frustrated yelling, yanking, waving arms or perhaps a slap for barking.  All of this only fuels the barking.  Our behavior is a tip off to our dogs about how they should act.  So when your dog starts barking it is essential that you go into "surfer dude chill mode."  I am constantly telling  Elsa"we don't care about that," as we work through all the new things in life to bark at.  Thankfully she also has Luke to learn from, he is not a barker, never has been.  If Luke barks we listen because he does not bark for nothing.  Although he is now enjoying a good puff your chest up "this is my yard" bark every so often.  Just on the weekend he did one of these little displays.  Of course Steve and I smile as we watch, he has a senior muffled type bark now; still tough enough but not annoying.  He gets on his toes, makes sure that Elsa is watching and lets the neighborhood know that there is a tough guy on guard.  It slowly dwindles to a closed mouth grumbling as he wanders the perimeter of his domain.  I love it.

When you have dogs in your neighborhood that bark there is not a whole lot you can do.  Of course you can let them know politely that their dog is barking a lot.  Maybe they don't know, but then again maybe they do and feel like they can't do anything about it.  So you must teach your dog to ignore.  Your own ignoring behavior shows them what they need to worry about and not worry about as far as barking.

Leaving your dog outside while you are not around is a very bad idea.  They can get into some horribly bad habits.   Feedback is by far the most important thing in training.  If you are not around to give feedback then you cannot control a behavior.  If a behavior continues it can become problematic.  Often bored dogs bark, there is nothing else to do, why not?  No one ever told them not to bark or gave them an alternative behavior so they bark away.

Barking is a behavior that is fairly easy to get rid of or control but we humans tend to just yell and show our dogs that we will join in with their barking.  "Ah Mom is freaking out and barking too, must be something we should be barking at."  The next time your dog starts barking, take a moment and think about what your next step should be.  Will you be barking out orders or slipping into the "chill out dude mode?"

Just dogs

Just dogs; that's it.  I am a dog trainer, dog photographer, dog writer and dog Mom.  I often think about what job I like best.  Of course the Mom/guardian one is by far the best but as far as actual paying jobs go I am really not sure which one I like the best.  After all they are all working with dogs but in extremely different facets of a dog life.

Dog trainer - this was my first dog job.  I have been a positive dog trainer for a very long time.  I am extremely fascinated by dog behavior, I love it.  I am not a dog trainer that simply teaches sit and stay; no I delve into day to day behaviors that are caused by our behaviors and other dog's behaviors.  I thoroughly enjoy meeting new dogs and helping their owners how best to live happily side by side.  There are so many little tidbits that I can give to owners that can make huge differences in their life with their dogs so it is very rewarding.  I love dog behavior.

One part of dog training that I don't like is when people don't follow through.  This can be frustrating as a dog trainer, watching from the outside.  Seeing behaviors that can be changed easily but the owner is not willing.  I can never turn the trainer in me off, that is a problem sometimes.

Photographer - Love this too.  This job is much different than the trainer in me.  I have had to learn to turn the trainer in me off because it is not my job to fix the bad behaviors that I see at a shoot.  Over the years I have been able to slip into the "I don't care" mode which is actually nice.  I get to shoot the bad behavior instead of try to fix it.

No dog gives me a bad shot.  To me, dogs are art all on their own.  I don't often add anything in the shape of clothing or accessories to dogs, I think it takes away from their natural beauty and amazingness.  I believe they can more than stand on their own and whether they are standing looking, sniffing, sleeping, in full action or by our side they are gorgeous.  Each and everyone has such an individual charm and beauty about them.  Much can be seen in the eyes of a dog if the shot is done correctly.  Capturing the dog as an individual should be done by allowing a dog to do what they do.  I love nothing more when an owner says to me "you completely captured my dog."

I do look at dogs as something to put on the wall.  I could sit and watch them all day long, why not put them on my wall?  I love watching them interact with their humans and other dogs.  Capturing those moments is awe inspiring for me.  The gray muzzle and cloudy eyes of a senior all the way to the crazy antics of a puppy; I love it all.

Writing - Love this as well, of course.  I love to share my love of dogs through writing.  Of course I have this blog which is actually a lot of writing.  I've been doing this for years now and will not be stopping anytime soon.  It amazes me that there is always something to write about but when you love dogs so much they are definitely topic worthy on a daily basis.

 Sometimes my writing is about life, just life with dogs.  Other times it is about 'stuff' that can make our life with dogs better.  Behavior, training, more behavior, life, experiences, human interference and much more.  So much to write about.  My writing is rough, you see from my grammar that these sort of things are not on my important list.   When I write I am trying to get a message across, tell a story or share something that I feel is important.  I am not a editor type writer (that's what editors are for) but a writer with a passion waiting to get out.  That passion is dogs and my eye is always on or on the look out for a dog and their behavior.  Whether it be to fix a certain behavior, capturing it in a photo or write about it; I am always watching dogs.

Scared little girl

Last night I took the dogs out into the yard before heading to bed.  Elsa was sniffing around trying to scrounge up a critter to chase when she made a quick lunge towards her foot.  She looked at me and then crossed the yard and did it again.  I told her to come to me so that I could see what the problem was.  She came right away and lunged for her foot again.  I bent over and grabbed her back left foot and couldn't see much because it was dark.  I did see something dark on the side so flicked it off not knowing what it was until it hit the ground, a bee.  She then gave me the hardest donkey kick to the stomach.  She'd been stung.

I took her inside and we headed to bed.  She let me check it once more in the kitchen before we went upstairs.  She is very good about letting me see things and if it hurts she's even better.  It just so happens that I'd bought a new bottle of Bactine with pain reliever a few days ago when Luke started licking his foot so I pulled it out and sprayed his front right and her back left foot.  She continued to be bothered by her foot, constantly donkey kicking.  When she does her high powered back kicks it is amazing the power that is in them. She has huge back leg muscles, much like Tilley did and when she kicks, she kicks.

We went to bed hoping that her foot would feel better in the morning.  As I lay reading she came to my side with the saddest face, she was very upset by her foot.  She is a very emotional girl I'm discovering and the fact that she needs me when she is in pain is a good thing.  Many dogs just want to keep you away when something hurts so this was good.  She lay her head on the bed and looked at me with huge "poor me" eyes.  She reached out and grabbed by arm with her paw and held on.  She was very, very upset, something I have yet to see.  There was no way I could not have her up beside me now.  

She is not allowed to sleep with us normally, not until the clock strikes 5:00 am.  She is the worst bed buddy, she feels like she weighs 500 lbs and that 500 lbs likes to lay right across me.  But she was just too upset to send to her own bed so up she came and settled in quickly.  Not us though.  Draped across me I found it hard to get comfortable.  She was also making me quite hot.  "The things we do for our dogs" I thought as I lay there very much awake.  She gave several kicks which from the groans that came from Steve I knew had landed on him.

Around 2:30 after not getting a whole lot of sleep I got up and tossed a few treats onto her bed.  She happily hopped down and gobbled them up.  She came to the side of my bed to get up again.  "Nope, off" I told her.  She lay down and went to sleep until around 5:00 when Steve surprisingly called her up again.  She immediately draped her 500 lb body over mine and was twitching and snoring in no time.  Me?  No, I lay there thinking "honestly how can she feel this heavy?"  But I finally fell asleep and woke up very warm with a very happy girl's face pressed up against mine.

She is feeling fine now and I am very glad she joined us in bed when she was needed some support for her bee sting.  She didn't know what had happened and was quite upset about it all.  Poor girl.

Medical supplies

First let me thank Supriya for today's blog idea.  This is a good idea which I have never thought of, thank you.

I have over the years done a great deal of tending for my dogs.  Whether it is cleaning out a wound, keeping a wound covered, administering medication or keeping them hydrated it seems like there is always a need for medical supplies.  I've collected a lot over the years and when something happens I like to know that I have the things that I will need without having to run out.  I am very lucky to have a great medical supply store just up the street from me where everything is much cheaper than a drug store.  Plus I can get really great stuff that I'd never find at a regular pharmacy.

I know that a lot of owners want nothing to do with anything gross concerning medical care with their dog.  But even if you'd rather leave it to the vet there may be times when you have an emergency and need something until you can get to the vet.   So I came up with a list of supplies that you should have in your kit at home.  Of course there will be specific things that you may need that you won't have on hand.   Like the body suit I made Elsa when she got spayed.  I used a piece of 6" stockinet which is the stuff that they put on a leg before a plaster cast.  It worked like a charm and she is all healed.

I have a human kit and a dog kit at home and an emergency kit in my Xterra that came with it and is stored neatly in the back hatch.

Here is the list of what I keep at home.

Gauze, rolls and patches - gauze is great for cleaning as well as covering wounds.

Tape for the gauze - even when you cover wrap with another wrap, sometimes you need tape to hold it.

self adhering wrap - I love this stuff and use it a lot.  It sticks to itself and you can hind the end so your dog can't find it to pick at it.

rubber or latex gloves - sometimes things are just too gross, these are great just to have around the house for anything yucky.

bactine or other antibacterial wash - this is something you will use often

Syringe 35-60 cc, 5cc, 2.5 cc - When both Tilley and Jessie were seriously ill I used the large syringe to get watered down baby food and water itself into them.  The smaller syringes are used to administer medication and castor oil to Luke's eyes.

cold pressed castor oil - fabulous cure for mildly irritated eyes due to allergies.

clean cloths

polysporin/neosporin - can't live without this stuff.

thermometer - I have the dog thermometers marks very clearly.  My kids always asked "did you use that on the dogs?" when they were little.

peroxide - only to induce vomiting, do not use on wounds.

scissors

There are probably a few more things that I have in my kit but I can't think of them.  Supplies are important, these are the ones that I use the most.  Anything else is additional and probably more specific.

Differences

We all know that there are huge differences in dog breeds and mixes.  Size, shape, temperament, personality, coat and color.  From the tiniest chihuahua all the way up to the giant Irish Wolfhounds; there is a plethora of differences from one to another.  But are they really different?  They make look different to the human eye but they are all dogs.  Each and everyone holds the awe inspiring heart that is canine to the core.  When I see the tiny guys wrapped up in human clothing, being carried around like an accessory it makes me shudder.  There is a dog in there just dying to get out and be a dog.

Much the same are the big buff dogs treated as big block heads, given little tenderness because of their outward appearance.  The big and the small are one.  I know many people who have big and small dogs.  The small dogs live in the house and are treated like royalty, the big dogs stay outside where, well big dogs belong right?  Wrong.  I don't get it.    As I sat watching television last night with Elsa curled up on my lap, it made me smile.  Yes she's most definitely a lap full but what a lap full of heart.

Over the years I have met so, so many dogs.  Crazy amounts of dogs actually and each one has given me something.  The most influential commodity that I take away from a meeting is the size of heart in each one.  A canine heart is an amazing thing and a very sad thing to waste.  Seeing the amazing connection between owner and dog is priceless.  To see the soft heart of a big buff dog is a wonderful thing.  Watching them connect with their owner in a way that they exterior does not portray is a wonder.  Just as watching a little guy romp around doing dog things with their owner is a just as special.

There is a man that runs his chihuahua's at our park each day.  Those little dogs could show a Border Collie a thing or two.  It makes me so happy just to watch as him running his dogs.  When I see a big tough image type dog wrapped in the arms of their owner enjoying a tender moment, it makes me smile. Some of the sweetest dogs that I have ever met have come in the form of a very scary looking dog.  Many of the least friendly have been the cutest looking.  We humans have given dogs their shape and size.  We have altered them to suit our fancy.  But in each, beats the same heart; no matter what size the exterior portrays.

Sure their are traits that make each of our dogs very different.  But each dog should be given the chance to be the dog that they can be.  Too much emphasis is put on exterior, it is a human thing that we do.  I remember leaving the beach one day with a very wet and sandy Tilley by my side.  A guy walked by us and said "boy I bet she wishes that she was at the beauty parlor instead of here," making it all too clear.  He couldn't have been more wrong and idiotic in my opinion but it was how many of us look at things.    Yes Tilley was a beautiful poodle but prissy and above getting dirty?  Are you kidding me?  I have also heard many people say to me "I didn't know poodle could catch frisbees."  Really?  I also remember waking up beside a very buff red Doberman who was completely upside down in my bed and snuggled close.  At that very moment I thought to myself "a lot of people would never do this;" let down their guard and snuggle up with a Doberman.  Jake was as sweet as they come and to think of him as simply a big dog and not get into his heart would have been such a loss.

Jessie ran our house of dogs.  She ran it with the heart of a Rottweiler and the body of a whopping 15 pounder.  It is all about heart.  To many outsiders she was a tough, intense and very alpha female.  To me she was that and much more.   Along with her tough exterior was a very soft heart.  She loved nothing more than to snuggle close and under the covers.  I share those same covers with Luke and Elsa now and I shared my covers with a big scary Doberman too.  They all deserve the same, to be allowed to be dogs and granted a space in our heart.  Each and everyone of our dogs should be wrapped in our hearts as they give us theirs.

A dog diet

Diet; food and drink considered in terms of its qualities, composition and its effects on health.  A particular selection of food, especially as designed or prescribed to improve a person's physical condition or to prevent or treat a disease.

The term diet is often referred to as weight loss terminology but it is in fact describing what we eat.  The words accompanying the term diet itself are the more descriptive terms.  Weight loss, weight gain, low carb, low salt, good and bad.  The world is filled with idealistic diets these days for people and for dogs.  As I sat and watched 'Chopped' last night, a commercial came on for Beneful.  The advertisement showed a bag filled with amazing vegetable shaped nutrition flying out of the bag and a very happy dog; no doubt from eating Beneful, right?  WRONG.  With just a small amount of research you can find a lot of 'real' information about the product.

I have to say that it amazes me that so few people are really concerned about what goes into their dog.  I admit that when I was young I didn't give it a whole lot of thought, nor did I give what I ate much consideration.  That and being told from a vet that food was food, that there was no difference between generic or any other food.  Of course this was a very long time ago so that was probably a correct assumption being that Purina was the most available food so a generic brand was probably as good.

I am now hugely concerned with diet, both for us and our dogs.  What you put into a body really plays the most important part of health.   Dogs are carnivores, they should eat a diet that consists mostly of good quality meat.  So when I share a chicken sausage in the morning with my dogs I feel good about it.  No it's not raw and it has more flavor than most dogs need but they sure love it.

As food enters the body it goes through many stages; pulling nutrition out of the food to fuel your dog's daily activity and sustaining life.  If what you put in their body has little nutrition then your dog will be of course lacking fuel to function and be pooping a lot.  I know I talk about food a lot on here but I would like for people to know.  The more people who learn about how bad many of the dog foods out there are, the more will tell their friends.

As a society we have been brainwashed into believing that companies who make dog food are producing a product that is best for our dogs.  WRONG.  Many of us have been told by Veterinarians to feed only dog food, never snacks and heavy forbid never people food.  (You know how I feel about the term "people food")  Many of the very low grade foods, foods?  What?  I feel weird even calling some of these products food, it's more like waste product.  Anyway many of these so called foods are just filler with the most minimum amount of dried, over processed protein source available.  This is added of course because the food has to have some sort of protein but is there anything that our dog's bodies can actual use it in?  Not much if anything can be pulled from these products in the form of nutrients.

Our dogs are getting sicker, living shorter lives and suffering.  What has happened?  The big guys have taken over, the money makers who pump out products and don't care about results or quality.  I am saying right here and right now, do not buy any packaged dry dog food that you can purchase at a big box store, grocery store or discount store.  Of course if you only shop at a health food store then that is different.  Most of these big stores only carry the big guy products.  You will find Iams, Purina, Pedigree etc. etc.

I feel good when I eat good food.  That does not mean that it has to be fancy gourmet food, it is often very simple food.  Maybe an apple and piece of cheese, a few pieces of turkey or a salad.  Real food, real nutrition that my body can use and distribute as needed.  To think that our dog's bodies need less quality food than us is absurd.  They are typically more active than us, needing for really great nutrition.  Their lives here on this earth are much shorter than ours, don't they deserve to be fed the best while they are here?  Shouldn't we do our best for our dogs?

The best for dogs does not mean the best cuts of meat.  What it means is the highest nutritional value.  You can buy the tough cheap cuts of meat which contain the same nutrition as the expensive cuts that we like because they are tender.  If I drop meat on the floor while cooking, it immediately goes into the 'dog' meal area.  Do they care that it got a crumb or dirt on it?  Are you kidding me?  They are happy as a clam to pick up a crust from a sandwich out of the sand at the beach and eat it.

Beneful - rating on Dog Food Advisor

Dog Food Scoop  - Top worst food list

As we all go through life we can listen, learn and share what we learn or we can simply push the auto pilot button and continue on not learning anything.  I love to learn new things about dogs.  Whether it is about a new dog food product that is available, a new disease or affliction that I have never heard about or a new product that makes living with dogs even greater I love it all.  No one knows everything; although some people like to think that they know most everything but you can learn a new tidbit everyday.  Keep an open mind and listen, take what you hear and process it.  Do not just cast it off as a 'they don't know anything' remark.

Mistakes are often useful, trial and error teach us a lot.  But you don't have to make mistakes to do your best.  Sometimes just an effort to do better for your dog is all it takes.

Pit bulls

This morning I want to discuss Pit Bulls.  Yes, a controversial subject indeed but I want to share my feelings on the whole 'Pit Bull' hype.  Many people have a fear and hatred for the breed and or mixes.  Others adore the breed and stand proud to show the world what a wonderful breed the Pit Bull is.  Then there are those in between, not wanting to judge or jump to conclusions.  The people who meet each dog as an individual.

In my opinion, deciding to add a Pit Bull to your family is a big decision.  Because of this decision you are often automatically shunned from society.  This is what has come from all of the Pit Bull hype, so you must know this going in.  Once you make the decision to call a Pit Bull your family then it is up to you to go above and beyond to prove people wrong.   Obviously the media has had a hay day with all the Pit Bull incidents, they make front page news.

The actual problem with Pit Bulls lies solely with humans in many aspects.  Those who do not take owning a Pit Bull seriously; they provide no energy outlets, no training, no guidance.  The people who get a Pit Bull to make a point and no matter what their dog's behavior is they consciously let it run free or do whatever it likes just to show people that they are just like any other dog. There are those who fight Pit Bulls and breed the winners to produce even tougher and more intense dogs.  There are also breeders do not fully educate their puppy buyers.  They do not instill the seriousness of owning a Pit Bull.

Pit Bulls are large, strong and intense dogs.  Sadly there are people out there who consider fighting dogs to be a sport.  They also breed dogs who are very dog aggressive to partake in these sports and of course some of these dogs end up in the general public.  The outcast, dogs that don't make it or are cast off; often breeding with other stray dogs.  As hard as good breeders are working to better the temperament of Pit Bulls; there are those constantly working the other way.  It is a sad fact.

There are many, many Pit Bull rescues; not all are alike.  Some of them defend the Pit Bull as completely misunderstood and happily adopt their dogs out to anyone and everyone.  My daughter ran into one of these uneducated type people.  She was out on a walk with our Jessie a couple of years ago, it was well into the evening.  They came across a couple with a four month old Pit Bull who upon seeing Jessie attacked immediately.  The dog latched onto her neck and started shaking her; the dog was four months of age.  Upon my daughters return she told me what happened and I jumped into my car and sped off to find these people and I did.  They got a very loud lesson that they should not forget too soon.

These people had just adopted the dog; they'd had it for only a few days.  Yet there they were walking down the street in the dark with it off leash and on the street no less.  Every human in the chain of placing this dog had failed it and now it's owners had failed it as well.  No dog at four months of age should be attacking another like this.  This was an obvious issue that had been missed or ignored by the rescue folks.  That aside these inadequate owners didn't understand the magnitude of owning a Pit Bull. They let the dog down big time.

Do I think that Pit Bulls are bad dogs?  No.  Do I think that there are bad Pit Bulls?  Yes, just like there are bad Dachshunds and poodles.  The old saying "no bad dogs," is a stupid one.  There are bad dogs just like there are bad people.  But there are far more problem dogs because of stupid people.  Pit Bulls are large, strong, active, intelligent, utility type dogs.  They are pretty much are up for anything sport wise.  They are crazy strong and excel at strong dog activities.  They love to run and burn off steam and are amazing at obedience and agility.  Of course not all will excel at everything but they are a wonderfully utility breed; meaning they love to participate in lots of different activities.

When you have a Pit Bull you must allow them to have early socializing.  Lots of positive training is required and energy outlets.  If you have a Pit Bull you must understand that they cannot come off leash. You owe it to your dog not to let accidents happen.  It is because of all the accidents that stupid people have allowed that the breed has such a bad name.  That includes the people who get a Pit Bull because they are cool, tough looking dogs.  The ones that think that it's great when their under socialized dog lunges at people and other dogs.  People like the owners of the puppy who allow accidents like this to happen, who don't understand what it means to own a Pit Bull in today's society.

Sadly Pit Bulls come from all walks of life, from the very good conscientiousness breeder all the way down to the Pit Bull fighting breeder.  Somewhere a long the line the two can merge so all the good that one breeder is doing is being undone by another.  All the amazing work that one rescue group does is undone by another.  There are those who rescue Pit Bulls solely on the "I'll show everyone," reasoning.   Showing society that they are not a bad breed takes a great deal of work, not just owning one.

Acknowledging that a breed has specific traits is the first step to becoming truly educated.  Border Collies very often have chase issues and nipping problems.  German Shepherds can be an overly guarding breed, Rottweilers as well.  Chihuahuas can be very nasty unless largely socialized.  Pit Bulls have a natural tendency to be dog aggressive as do Akita's.  It is not a horrible thing to say, it is an acknowledgement and with this understanding comes the ability to appropriately live with a Pit Bull.  They are a powerful breed, much more so than any other breed and their head alone is awesome.

Pit Bulls are a very different breed, as are Italian Greyhounds.  They are about as opposite as you can get.  Living with Italian Greyhounds, one must take great care as they are so fragile.  Much of their tiny breakable frame is due to over breeding of bad breeders.  Just like the bad traits of a Pit Bull are from the bad breeders and until the bad guys can be stopped the aggressive traits will remain for many years to come.  People who want to live with Pit Bull must acknowledge this.  Just stating that "Pit Bulls are misunderstood," does nothing positive for the breed.  People must take their dogs and show society that they are not all bad dogs.  But like I said this means that you must go above and beyond what other people are required to do with their dogs.  Having a slip up is not an option.

Pit Bulls have had a lot of bad done to them.  It will have to be the people that turn it around.   The genes have been bred in there for a very long time, it may be possible to change over a very long time, maybe not.   Understanding is the first step, working, training, socializing and involving them in extracurricular activities is a big step forward.  They are a dog that have been wronged by humans as are many others.  Used to be vicious and attack other animals has been their job for far too long.  In the wrong hands they can be a very dangerous animal, so sad.  If it does go wrong they can do a great deal of damage; owning one takes a huge commitment.  Just be sure that you are ready to take on the baggage before blindly trying to make a statement.  Do it right or don't do it.  100% or nothing.

The Pit Bull is NOT A BREED FOR NEW OWNERS OR EVERYONE.  They are like I said, intense, powerful and need an experienced owner.  Sadly for the dog they end up in the wrong hands far too often.

Some great info on Pit Bulls.

Pit Bull Lovers

Pit Bull 411

Labor of love

Happy Labor Day everyone; I hope you all have a wonderful non laboring day.  :)  Relax and enjoy the day with your pooch.

This morning I want to discuss the art of teaching our dogs.  Specifically I would like to talk about leash aggression, walking past other dogs and manners in general while on a walk and coming across other dogs.  This blog is the result of seeing things that I didn't like while on a walk yesterday.  After my husband got back from his walk with Luke we discussed our walks in detail, this is why I am writing the blog.

I got out of my car with Elsa and we immediately head to a fenced in open field.  She has been running somewhat but not with the chuck it yet (due to her spaying).  She needs to get her ya yas out, she's got a lot of them pent up.  So she ran and ran and ran.  We got hooked up and head out to the park area where we do more walking on leash and this is where we hope to run into other dogs to say hi to.  I have been working with Elsa on the fact that you don't say hi to everyone.  I always err on the side of safety when deciding to approach or not.  I don't want her to have any negative experiences.

We first saw a woman coming our way with her very large, buff guy.  It was apparent immediately that we didn't want to say hi to these folks.  She yanked on his neck hard at every glance he gave Elsa and he was giving her a lot.  He was honed in with his laser beam eyes as the woman continued to yank and yell at him.  No this was just a recipe for a disaster and we calmly but quickly took a left turn.  Elsa had  been looking at the dog coming our way as it unfolded.  She had a lot of interest but apprehension as well, she is a master reader of body language.  I never changed my pace and continued to talk about the nice day we were having when I gave her the 'this way' cue.  We happily continued our walk.

The big buff dog was learning that the approach of other people and dogs was very negative.  The woman obviously thought she was teaching him but what she was teaching him was putting fuel on the fire.  He was learning that he should be on guard and tense at the approach and likely aggressive if he gets close enough.

Then we ran into a couple walking a medium to small sized little dog.  The woman was continually yanking on the dog and as we approached Elsa added to the yanking.  She was jumping around and really wanted to meet this dog but we used this as more training.  That poor little dog withstood a great deal of impact on his little neck.  During the process he was undaunted in his pulling and just succeeded to anger his leash holder.  She finally shouted out "HEEL" to the little dog who was not listening at all. The whole scene was just a mess and very negative for both the little dog and the owner.

This scene had caused some damage to the dogs neck, I have no doubt.  The woman was growing angry as the dog ignored her attempts at training.  At one point the woman let out a sound that gave me a whole clue into the situation.  Ahhhhh the sound of the infamous Cesar Milan.  She was trying to be the Alpha in her little pack.  CM has systematically brought our relationship with dogs back to the old days, like when I was a kid.  It is a shame.

Once we got home and discussed our walks Steve told me about two woman he'd passed with very large dogs that got the same treatment.  One woman had made her dog down while yanking and pushing on him as they passed.  The dog had been fixed on Luke as he was forced to the ground to wait.  No doubt she learned somewhere that he should be in a submissive down while other dogs go by.  This, or she could not control her dog and needed him down which is always scary for everyone involved. Another woman had been a carbon copy of the first pair we saw.  Yanking, yelling and the laser beam eyes.

Each time that Elsa and I pass a dog who we are not going to talk to I make good and sure that I do not change my pace.  I continue to chat away and use my 'catch' cue for rewarding.  It is always a good experience and if she wants to bounce around a bit, fine with me.  She is having fun and that is what it is all about. I want her to think that it is all good, walking by other dogs is great.

In all the dogs we saw yesterday and heard about, none were given any reward for anything.  It is like a battle that cannot be won.  By adding positive association to walking by other dogs it can quickly be turned around.  By adding the negative like yanks on a collar, yelling, pushing and being made to down it just adds to the negative causing worse fallout effects.  Getting throw to a dog and rehabilitating is all about the brain, not the braun.