Dog stuff


My utility vehicle, yes even though it's tough, it is very cool.  ;)


Gear - implements, tools, or apparatus, especially as used for a particular occupation or activity.

Gear, I love it.  I love dog gear and I have to admit that it is one of my weaknesses.  Not just any gear though; I mean real gear, the stuff that lasts, tough, utility type gear.  I am not one for the fancy, schmancy stuff that you can get for your dogs, nope.  I like it to be of high quality, give me quality and rugged over fancy any day.

When I venture on a very rare occasion into one of the big box type pet stores, and I mean rare, I take a look around to see what is what.   I am curious as to what they sell, how much everything costs and what people are buying.  The first thing I see is a big bin of bulk dog treats.  The bulk presentation is to appeal to your sense of "good value."  "Look they are bulk, they must be cheap?"  Hmmmmmm.  Something left out in huge bins for so long isn't something you want to give to your dog.  Next.

So then I wander down the isle; I'm not shopping, I'm researching.  Almost every item in the store is made for us; the dog owner, not the dog we are shopping for.  I pull a big bed off the shelf and push my hand into the stuffing to see the comfort level.  My hand hits the floor almost immediately, its filled with cheap fluff but boy the red background with black paw prints sure caught my attention.

From there I move onto food......................................hmmmmmmm, let's not go here now.  This will end up being all about food.  Let's just ask the question, "is there anything resembling real food in these stores?"

Okay onto leashes and collars etc.  So many colors, so many types; how could you possibly choose?  It's all laid out for those who want a wardrobe of leashes and collars for their dogs.  Very tempting all those fancy color combinations.  My requirements for a leash are that it be long enough to allow my dog to wander yet thin enough to roll up in my hand.  It must be strong and of course durable.

I like things that make living with dogs easier.  Gear that catches my attention is useful.  There is a lot of it out there but sometimes you have to really look.  I am always on the search for something new and great.  Fancy patterns, bobbles and eye candy for humans does not catch my eye.  What is of interest to me as far as dog gear is something that is innovative; made for the human/canine team.  I have over the years blogged about some great stuff for dogs and I will continue to search.

Like I said there is a lot of it out there; really great stuff just waiting to be discovered.  But as I wade through much of the canine "stuff" it is just that "stuff."  I want gear, the real "stuff" that is useful.  I know that many of you love the other fancy stuff and there is lots of that out there too.  The difference is that there is a huge range of "stuff" for our dogs.  There is the cheap, useless, money wasting stuff.  The stuff up a notch from that bottom line stuff and then there is the stuff that is a little higher quality; the stuff that might hold up a year or two.  Then you get into the much better stuff that is made to last but still designed for the human and maybe the canine.  Finally at the top of the pile of stuff you hit the gear, the stuff made for the human/canine team; that is what I'm looking for.

I am a utility type person; I drive an Xterra because I don't want to worry about dirt in my car.  I don't want to care about being careful with my dog "stuff," I want to use it and have fun.  I keep several bags in the back of my Xterra filled with dog stuff that I might need while we are out.  No my stuff is not fancy but neither am I and my dogs?  Most definitely not fancy.  But if you show me some gear, real gear for me and my dogs; then you will have my undivided attention.  One of my biggest weaknesses?  A new carabiner.    Got gear?  




Sherri's way



How many times have I heard the phrase "Caesar's way?"  Too many times and as I hit the parks, beaches and public places I see it far too often.  I much prefer Sherri's way; how about we start implementing that instead?  I'm all for it and I can bet your dogs will be as well.  Yesterday I had Elsa out at one of our favorite parks before it heated up.  There was a person there who walks her dog regularly and he is by her side, head and tail down.  I'm pretty sure he's not having any fun.  As he passes by us with his owner he is not allowed to say hi as she reigns his leash in tight.  Hmmmmmm.



I see a lot of people out there walking their dogs like little robots.   No sniffing, no looking, no fun.  They must walk either beside or behind their owner.  Then there is Elsa and I; she is sniffing like mad, watching the birds and rabbits and walking loosely on her leash.  She had some chuck it fun to get rid of the ya ya's and then had a few meet and greets along the way.  Happy?  Oh yes.  Having fun?  Yep.

The way I look at it is like this.  We are out for a walk to get some exercise and social time.  I had my time at he gym, got in my daily workout in.  So when we are out for our walk it is our special time; time for us to hang together and have fun.  It is time that I take out of my day to give to my dogs.  I do not feel as though it is a duty but more a promise I made to my dogs.  "I will give you what you need to be happy." Yes I am the leader and a strong and serious leader at that; but it doesn't mean that there cannot be fun.  I have rules that must be followed and will be enforced.  I also have a great desire to ensure happiness in my dogs.

Have fun, lead, teach and guide.  I want to see a happy tail when we are out; not a tail just hanging there because we are walking to fill a need to walk the dog.  The whole idea that a dog should always walk beside us or behind us because of the "alpha" idea is false; a myth and completely wrong.  Watch a pack of wolves on a documentary, they are beside, behind, in front and all around the alpha.  But it is the alpha who is guiding; no matter where the other members are in proximity to him, they are following.   Just because you have your dog walk behind you does not make your the leader.  Physically it looks that way but are you really?   Being the boss is a constant; not something you throw on and enforce via a walk.

Dogs need outlets; they need to do the things that dogs do.  Those include sniffing, searching, running and playing.  It is a sad life for those dogs who are not allowed to indulge in canine things.  Dogs live in our world but they are still dogs; very different from humans.  I don't want to chase a ball and run in circles for a half hour but Elsa sure does.  Luke now in his senior years likes the more subdued dog activities.  He is a huge sniffer and along with a nice walk he likes to watch Elsa being a young dog.  I have said this often but I will say it again; I take great joy in seeing dogs have fun.  We are not here to keep our dogs down in constant pursuit to be the "alpha."  We are here to lift them up to be the best that they can be and have fun doing it.

Choices


Tilley, doing nothing but being beautiful.

 Most of my yesterday was spent in front of the computer.  I am working very hard at finishing my Standard Poodle book.  When it is done it will be a beautiful compilation of images along with some information and personal quotes from poodle owners.  I know that the images are great; each dog was fabulous in their own way so the book should be wonderful if I do say so myself.  :)


I love this, we had fun with a dryer for this shot.

Narrowing down has been fun.  I've been working on the book for years so now at this point of photos for the book there has been much decisions to make.  When I did each shoot I pulled a few of my favorites.  Some were easier than others to choose from.  There were shoots that I did where one single photo stood above the rest and then there were other shoots where there were so many great ones that I had a very tough time even choosing 10 best.  As you know I can watch dogs all day; well I could also look at dog photos all day which is what yesterday was.


Yep, this girl is mine. 


It is difficult when you really want to choose one and have two almost equally great shots.  I went back and forth, back and forth I don't know how many times.  Weighing, grading, thinking and thinking some more.  At one point I called my son in to ask what he thought; he liked both equally, hmmmmmmmm not much help.  So in the end there will be some dogs in the book twice.  When I have a photo that I want people to see because I think that it captures a dog so well, I just can't leave it in the computer.  There a photo can sit for a very long time before anyone sees it if ever.  If I love them that much, they are going in the book.

I still have a few more shoots to get; friends with Standards that I really want to get into the book.  Sadly there are dogs who will be in the book that are now gone; left only in the hearts of their owners and others who's lives were touched by there's.  But I am so happy that I got to meet and shoot these dogs now gone, how wonderful that even those who never met them will now see them in print.  Of course my own dogs will be in the book and that has challenged me even more so.  Can you imagine how many images I have of my own dogs?  Literally thousands upon thousands.  Trying to remember some of my favorites is nearly impossible.  But I will narrow it down to one or two as well.

The book will have photos of week old Standard Poodles all the way up to dogs in their golden years.


An amazing athlete.


This one is not one of mine.  


This looks like one of mine but it is not; this is Wolfgang, an amazing water Poodle.


Ya right!!!

 Today I will be back at it; I will be working on my Standard Poodle book as well as And Back Again.  After these are done it will be my training book that is all done; it just needs to be put together now.  Then after that, another children's book about Elsa and then after that...............................................who knows.

Enjoying dogs, enjoying.



Yesterday I got to spend the afternoon with one of my daughters and my son.  We decided to head down to Laguna beach; where we wandered around and looked for a place to have a drink and a snack.  We stumbled upon a place that none of us had ever seen before; after 14 years living here we'd never noticed it.  It was a small place called The Cliff.  The restaurant was literally on the cliff so yep, good name.    The menu was good BUT the view was extraordinary.  We were right above the beach.

The beach below us was a strip off to the left of the main beach area.  The water was unusually calm; I rarely see it like this.  With the waves lapping up onto the beach gently I wished that I'd brought the dogs.  The three of us (me, Luke and Elsa) are at the beach a lot but typically the waves are pretty large.  Our view was unobstructed with a glass half wall, the beach was laid out in front of us.

We watched and talked about the dogs on the beach.  We were presented with canine entertainment for the entirety of our time that we sat there.  One man swam out really far with his dog (should of had my camera) and as the sun hit from behind they were silhouetted in the shimmering light casting across the ocean.   Another man had his dog off leash, it looked like maybe a pit mix of some sort.  The two were having a blast running through the ankle high waves; everyone was enjoying small waves for a change.  As the two ran and ran through the surf a boxer approached on an extension leash.  The boxers head dropped lower and lower as he got closer to the dog splashing happily through the waves with his owner.  The two met and it was like two friends meeting after a long absence.  We watched so many dogs enjoying the beach with their owner.  Most kept their dogs on leash, which is the law in Laguna beach but a few enjoyed off leash fun.

Not only were there dogs on the beach in front of us but there were many dogs sitting enjoying a meal or snack with their owners at The Cliff.  A Cavalier happily waited for a table with her owners at the entrance.  A little fluffy poodle mix and a Samoyed sat quietly at their owners table.  A Pekingese wandered by just outside of the entrance as a young German Shepherd passed by.  There were dogs everywhere in this very dog friendly beach town.  

I think today I will be heading down to Laguna Beach with of course Luke and Elsa.  One of my absolute favorite things to do is to watch dogs.  Seeing dogs enjoy themselves brings me so much joy.  Even if I am very much a spectator as I was yesterday; I could watch them having fun for hours.  

Appropriate equipment



Got another blog topic from going to the park yesterday.  It wasn't at the park where I saw my subject for a blog but on the way.  As I sat at the lights waiting; a woman and her dog caught my eye.  She was walking a very large reverse brindle boxer.  He was stunning but being yanked and yanked and yanked. Lucky for him he was wearing a harness but the woman's yanking action was futile.  Boxers are buff dogs; pulling on a harness is not going to do a whole lot in terms of restraining them.


The woman could have had a handful of treats; working on teaching her dog not to pull.  But instead she allowed him to pull until she couldn't take it any longer and gave him an almighty yank.  All this did was to start the process over and over again.  You have to have the right equipment at hand.  Having just tried and tested the amazing Omnijore joring system harness on Elsa; the difference in harnesses was made very clear.

Elsa and Luke are walked on the Easy Walk harness which is made to curb their desire to pull.  A harness that is hooked up on the back of the dog encourages pulling.  This dog had a regular, lean into it pulling harness on.  Without any training for the boxer the woman stood no chance of winning against her very buff boy.  Sad because she was obviously not enjoying the walk; although it looked like he was.

Regular harnesses are great if you have a dog that does not pull.  Tilley wore a regular one for years until I decided that it was easier for the two to be hooked up at the same spot.  There are times now when I want more control so I switched to a collar.  When I do switch to a collar it is a 2" wide one so as not to do any damage.  Collars have become such a common thing that people just don't think about their dog's necks.  I talked to a guy at the beach a while ago who had actually switched to an Easy Walk harness because he had damaged his dogs spine by constantly yanking on his neck.  This was no little fluff dog, it was a very large and buff Bulldog.

I see people with choke collars on yanking away; rolled leather collars which is one of the worst I think.  Just imagine the pinpoint pressure when you yank or pull on that type of collar?   When you head out or head in, think about your dog's neck as an extremely sensitive section of their body.  The trachea, spine and esophagus are all in that one spot.   A great deal of damage can be done with one yank.  Best to use a harness for most of the walking but it has to be the right harness to be of assistance.  The right equipment.

More than a pet - the benefit of Chia seeds



Good Friday morning.  Today's blog is about Chia seeds.  As I wrote earlier this week my son Brad is home from NYC.  Yaaayyyyyyyyyyy.  It is wonderful to have him back and he has brought some cool new info with him.  All of my children are very into nutrition, exercise and general health.  When they learn about new foods or concepts they like to share with me, which I love.  My daughter Jamie actually introduced me to Chia seeds several months ago and Brad has further tweaked my interest in them.  He drinks a huge glass of water everyday filled with Chia seeds so I wanted to know more.

Brad gave me the rundown on the little seed that in the past has sat on many kitchen counters sprouting hair inside a little clay creature.  What a waste now that I think of it.  Chia seeds are filled with Omega oils, both 3 and 6.    They are high in protein, calcium and boron which is a trace mineral that aids in the absorption of calcium in our body.  The more I read about Chia seeds the more good stuff I found out about them.  I have decided to add them to Luke and Elsa's diet.  This will hopefully help Luke as he gets well into his seniors years.  I wish I had known about these wonderful little seeds years ago.

You can use Chia seeds many ways but by soaking them in a liquid they release more nutrients and make it easier for your body to absorb them.  When added to liquid they form a gel like coating around them causing a sort of anti gravity effect.  The seeds float seemingly suspended by their gel coating.  This may turn some off, if you have texture issues that is.  One of my daughters can only eat them in their non soaked state.  I have started drinking a glass of water filled with Chia seeds since Brad got home.  I work out and lift very heavy weights and often have joint pain (I'm not a spring chicken anymore) so hopefully I will see a benefit from the little seeds.  Below are two links to information about Chia seeds.  The first will give you more information than you will ever need on the subject of Chia seeds.


Shirley's Wellness Cafe - chia seeds 


The Benefits of Chia seeds

Trader Joe's now has Chia seeds available.  I have one bag but will buy several and keep them on hand now that the dogs and the humans are eating them.  Cheers to good human and canine health.




Stomach contents



First let me say that if you have not had breakfast yet you may want to save this and read it later.  That of course depends on your stomach and the level of ease in which it is turned by what you read.  I am discussing the myth of wolves eating stomach contents.



I wanted to talk about this today because I saw a video on wolves last night and it reminded me of when I visited the Wolf Center in Julian, CA.   We had a private tour when we were there and I spent almost the whole time photographing the wolves while talking to our tour gal.  I asked a ton of questions and one of those questions was "do wolves eat the stomach contents of their prey?"  The girl told us that she did not think so, she hadn't seen them eat it.  So I also contacted another wolf site and they confirmed that wolves do not eat the stomach contents of large prey.

So this morning I was surfing around trying to find out more facts to back up this statement.  Why?  Because I wanted to know how much if any plant matter they truly ate.  I found out that they often eat the actual stomach lining itself; spilling the contents before consumption.  Of course some of the contents probably is consumed when this is done.  But typically the lining is eaten and the contents left.  With that 'eating the stomach contents' myth busted then we must look at our own dog's diet knowing this.

These are a few good raw sites.  Raw fed  Natural Canine

I feed my dogs plant matter; and these are my reasons.  Our meat protein today is far less nutritious than if it were taken from the wild.  A good majority of the feed animals are fed very low grade food offering little if any nutrients to the muscle itself.  That is unless you go to grass fed and free range animals.  Not everyone can afford to feed this to their dogs.  So we are left with a protein source that is far less nutritious than the wolves wild prey.

So even though wolves do not eat the stomach contents of their prey; they do benefit from a much more nutrient filled protein source.  I do offer my dogs plant matter and when I do it is either precooked or blanched and frozen previously making it much easier and quicker for the dogs to digest.  Dogs are not meant to eat a great deal of plant as they have a much shorter digestive tract than we do.  You will see for yourself what does not get digested by your dog simply by checking out their poop.  There is no point in feeding things that have no nutritional value to your dog.

Wolves like dogs are also opportunists; so along with their main diet of animal protein they pick up and scavenge on all sorts of things in the wild.   Sort of a little of this, a little of that.  Variety is the spice of life.  

Happy Halloween



It's Halloween and all the little ghosts and ghouls will be coming out early in the evening.  Last year I used the time for some great socializing for Elsa; this year I believe that there will be a lot of barking.  Now that she is full grown she will be away with Luke.  With tons of children coming I don't want anyone getting scared in the dark.  Plus many dogs freak out at strange little costumes and masks so best to have the dogs safe and sound away from the door.

If your dog will be answering the door with you then it is safest to keep them on a leash.  With all the children acting differently a dog can spook and bolt out a door.  It is dark and very scary to be lost; a leash makes sure that this does not happen.


I am not one who dresses my dogs up for Halloween but for those of you who do be careful.  Costumes can be dangerous and uncomfortable. Be sure that they are not anywhere near any open flames and that they can see.  The more elaborate the costume the more care you must take that they don't bump into something, fall or just freak out.  The shirt type costumes are by far the most simple and less intrusive.

As far as being out and about, keep your eye on them.  They can have reactions to things that you might not bat (haha) an eyelash at.  There is often loud crazy noises on Halloween so take care to make sure that they don't get a lasting and impacting scare.  Children act much different on Halloween than normal, they are very excited so may act erratically; keep your eyes out for anything that might freak out your pooch.

Last but not least is the haul of goodies.  I don't know how many dogs end up at the vets to have their stomach pumped on Halloween or the day after but I'm sure it is quite a few.  Keep all of those goodies up high and well out of reach.  Watch for wrappers that have been carelessly tossed both in your home and on the street.  Children often start eating before they get home so the streets can be lined with wrappers that look mighty good to your dog.

The magic pill




"The Vet put him on Hill's Prescription weight loss Diet," the woman tells me as we stand talking about weight in the park.  I shudder as she tells me.  Her dog is obviously overweight and like many humans who are overweight, the owner is looking for a simple solution.  Is there a magic pill?  A secret to losing weight?  Yep, it is to take in less wasted calories and move more.  The equation is simple but we must do it to make it work.  As humans we are constantly searching for the secret to quick and simple weight loss.  Because many people think that there must be an easy way; they pop pills in attempt to find the path of least resistance.

First off let's get this out of the way.  The best food for dogs is real food, not overly processed food out of a bag.  That said we have become a society looking for simplicity and yes dog food is very simple.  I am not condemning those who feed dog food.  I use to feed only dog food like the vet told me.  I also have a bag of it in the kitchen.  Although my dog's main food source is real, and they are given a huge variety.  For the longest time I have been trying to lose weight myself and the only way that it is going to happen is to consume less garbage calories and move more, just like our dogs.  But the difference is that I am eating real and very nutritious food and cutting out the crap.  Sadly our dogs are given more crap when they need to lose weight.  This comes in the form of many of the "diet" foods out there.

There is a huge difference in dog foods.  I am constantly searching for a better and better one.  I stay away from anything that resembles a big company and tend to go with the little guys who do it themselves.  I don't want any ingredients going into my dogs that are "sourced out."  If you have a dog that needs to lose weight then get at it.  Carrying around extra weight is tough.  I see lots of dogs in the parks that are restricted in their movement just because they are too heavy.  Not only is it sad that they cannot run and jump and play but it is very damaging to their body.  Dogs with a weight problem often have short life spans as their organs are taxed to the limit.

Keeping dogs in shape is much easier than keeping ourselves in shape.  They cannot go to the refrigerator themselves and get a bowl of ice cream like we do.  They eat what they are given.  Oh sure they often use the "poor me" eyeballs to convince us that they are starving but we need to know better.   Feeding your dog extra treats does not make them love you more, this is a big misconception.  But taking them out for a great long walk surely strengthens your bond.

Years ago I saw a National Geographic documentary on digestion.  It was about humans but it changed me forever.  The big change was how I look at what I eat and how there was a realization that our body is much like a machine needing fuel.  The better the fuel the better the body.  The documentary literally showed food as is went through the whole digestion process from start to finish.  Depending on what you put into your body there may be very little nutrients to extract for your body to use.  The same goes for our dogs; how much nutrition is being extracted from the food you are feeding your dog?  I know that I feel a huge difference between eating a piece of toast and eating a piece of cheese and an apple before hitting the gym.

I have talked to many people who tell me that there dog is on a low calorie food and they are not losing any weight.  Of course I ask if they are walking their dog, getting out and moving them?  The answer is always no, they are going with the Vets recommendation of just feeding this new "magic diet food."  Oh don't I wish there was a magic diet food?  Yep, but there isn't and that is a fact.  It is all about knowing what to put in, just like our dogs.  What should you cut out?  Lower?  to help your dog to lose weight?  Less food is not always the answer.  Moving is by far the best way to turn things around.  Just by moving more you kick your dogs metabolism into gear.  All of a sudden their body has needs and it will start working better.

Our digestive systems are different from our dogs; and our nutritional requirements are very different as well but the means to gain and lose are the same.   It amazes me how much little waste comes out of a dog when you put really great food in.  My poop bags have much less work to do when my dogs are eating great food.  Both Luke and Elsa drink very little water when eating real food vs. dry dog food.  There is a great need for large amounts water when dogs eat a dry dog food diet.  Dry dog food is taxing on their organs because of the lack of moisture so keeping your dog hydrated is very important.  With my breed and other large breeds there is a constant threat of bloat which has been linked to water consumption so it must be spread out over time and not gulped down in large quantities.

Nutrition and feeding requirements may seem complicated but the more simple you keep it the better it is for your dog and for you.  Last night Luke and Elsa had a dinner of chicken, rice, arugula and ground egg shell.  For breakfast they will have something completely different, not sure what yet.  But they just finished a morning snack of cheese and turkey with me.  Now I will finish my apple and head to the gym while they continue their morning snooze.  Nice.



 

A tired dog is a good dog

First let me say that I am thinking about everyone in the East who is in the path of Sandy.  I have the weather channel on 24/7 and will be sending best thoughts your way.  Be safe.

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This photo was taken many years ago of Tilley in the Canyon. She was in peak condition here.  


Not only is a tired dog good, they are usually happy as well.  Yesterday Elsa head down to the canyon with my husband and son.  It was the first trip down without Luke; sad, but the torch has been passed and we need to use our heads, not our hearts on this.   So after Steve got back from a nice walk with Luke, they grabbed Elsa and head out.  They were gone a good long time and when they returned I got the feedback.  "She was great, amazing."

Elsa got off leash the moment they got into the canyon and they ran and ran and ran.  Elsa is built for speed; she reminds me of a cheetah, many people have said the same thing.   Although she cannot run at cheetah speeds she runs at high dog speeds and has great endurance.  All three have a love of running so what could be better?  When they got back Elsa was panting but not overly so.  She looked tired but not exhausted which is a great.

All my kids were home for the weekend which makes it tough for the dogs to nap.   Both Luke and Elsa are very interested in the comings and goings of everyone.  So with Elsa having the big run and the activity in the house it was a very big day for her.  Last night as we sat watching the news of the Eastern Storm, Elsa was pretty much a sack of potatoes.  Nice.  Many nights she gets her toy and wants to retrieve until bedtime, not last night.

So how much is enough to make a dog tired and happy?  There most definitely is a too much point and many people get there too often.  Going to the dog park for hours, many people try to tire their dog out on a daily basis but reach the point of exhaustion.  Exhaustion can be achieved by physical or mental stimulation.  Sometimes too much mental stimulus is a bad thing as well.  Dogs who become overly tired can become cranky, just like us.  They can also learn to need more and more.  I use to see a guy and his lab in the park doing chuck it.  They would be there for well over an hour; the dog running crazily after the chuck that was thrown with each return.  I mean serious retrieving with no breaks, it was way too much.

Everything in moderation is how I look at the best way to live.  As you know I am a big fan of exercise but you can over do it.  Too intense for too long is not a good thing.  If an activity is going to be very intense like chuck it retrieving then the time span needs to be cut back.  The lower the intensity the longer you can indulge in the activity.  Dogs also need to learn what down time is; and a good nap does a dog good.  Sure there are times when an event will arise that is longer and more intense but as a rule I go with moderation.

I hate to see dogs who do not get out and have fun.  Seeing dogs have fun can be one of the best activities.  Being able to have fun together is amazing.  Too many dogs do nothing, they see their four walls of the house and yard and that is it.  Dogs need to get out and experience life just as we do.  They need environmental stimulus as well as physical activity.  Now grab that dog sleeping on the couch and go.


A new look



Yep; there is a new look to Just dogs with Sherri.  Over the past several years I have updated the page now and then.  There will be lots of construction going on my main hub page which is Just dogs with Sherri.  There you will be able to quickly locate all of the other pages connected to Just dogs with Sherri.  I am very excited about one aspect which is a new file on my photography site with some of the rescue dog images that I have taken.  25% of the sales from these images will go to Friends of Orange County's Homeless pets.  Once my main site is all done it will be the 'go to' page for everything dog.  But before then I have a lot of work to do so stay tuned.

Today is a very big and exciting one for me.  Brad, my son who took the road trip with me from CA to CT and our four dogs is coming home.  Many of you got to know Brad through my book PBJ and me.  He was my rock through our six days of travel, emotional ups and downs, great loss and sadness.  A full circle is now complete.  It was a year ago almost to the day that my husband left for NYC and what was to be our new life in the East coast.  So, here we are a year later with the final member returning.  A strange year it was for sure.

Brad is a bigtime runner, he has gotten into doing long distance runs.  I am looking forward to Elsa and him rekindling their relationship and starting a new running team as well.  I know that there is no better running partner than Miss Elsa herself.  Running is in her blood and watching her indulge in one of her favorite activities is pure joy in itself.  No doubt there will be some great photos in the near future with the return of Brad and the full circle now complete.

Have a wonderful weekend and I'll see you all on Monday.




Dog walk etiquette



It seems that I write about this subject a lot.  Of course I am constantly coming across people and issues like this because I take my dogs out every day.  The more you are out and about, the more you are going to experience things like this....poor walk etiquette.  I posted on my Facebook page about extension leashes and a leashless biker with his dog in a public park.  It was Wednesday morning; I had Elsa out for a nice early walk around 7:00 am.  The air was brisk and Elsa shook to fluff her coat as we got out of the car. "What a great morning" I thought to myself.

We immediately headed to the baseball field where Elsa is allowed to run free.  I threw the chuck it and Elsa went through her different catches.  She has a number of different steps that we go through pre-catch.  Sometimes she simply has to run around me and out to get the ball.  There is the run out, turn and down before I throw it.  Then sometimes I have her down beside me before going after the ball.  It is a much needed form of high concentration and control over a high drive object.  So she has her fun and afterwards we leash up and go for a walk.

Before I was out of the fenced field I saw the guy on his bike.  I've seen this guy before; he is on his bike with his pit mix running beside off leash.  Now as much as I enjoy an off leash run; I am extremely careful and respectful of others before ever taking a leash off.  This guy on his bike can be seen yelling at his dog as they near other walkers with dogs.  I was glad to see him pass us before we headed out and hoped that he would be going home.  My hopes were squelched as I heard the running nails on his dog's feet behind us.  As they came along side of us he yelled again as his dog eyed Elsa and his hair rose on his back.  Not cool, not cool at all.  There are very elaborate bike attachments so that you can run your dog safely beside a bicycle.  If his dog were to veer off and interact with another dog he would have no time to react, being that he was on a bike.  This is an accident waiting to happen and it best not happen with one of my dogs.

We continued our walk and came down a path that is lined with bushes.  Much of the rest of the park is a field so if you have to step off the path for some reason it is easy.  But we had come to the playground area where it is more narrow as I spotted a Weimaraner on an extension leash.  The dog was out at the very end of the leash and had her eye set on Elsa.  She did not look to be friendly as I slowed my pace waiting for the woman to reign in her dog.  She did not, not until I completely stopped and put Elsa behind me did she pull the dog in at all.   This dogs locked it's eyes on Elsa, making me very uncomfortable.  Whether or not the dog was friendly or not has nothing to do with the leash issue.  What if Elsa was very dog aggressive?  What if the moment that dog came near us Elsa attacked it?

I held Elsa by the collar behind me.  As the woman got closer she told her dog "noooooooo," really?  Finally at about 8' of leash the woman passed us as I told her "reign your dog in," in a very firm tone.    She didn't respond and I took that as her "mind your own business" attitude.  The more this happens the louder I am going to get.  It is people like this that ruin it for everyone else.  Recently I was asked by a woman who was walking alone not to let my dogs off leash in the park.  I told her that I never would if she was anywhere near us and she thanked me.  I know that this woman is afraid of dogs and she deserves the right to walk without fear in the park.

There are times when it just makes no sense at all to have a dog off leash.  Like the guy on the bike, the dog is running beside the bike anyway; why not have it on a leash for his own safety and the safety of others?  Its just stupid not to have the dog on a leash.  When you are around others who do not have a dog or have dogs on leash; keep your dog on a leash.  If you are near a roadway, LEASH YOUR DOG. I hate driving by people with dogs off leash; I'm always so afraid that the dog might dart out into the road.  It just is not worth risking the safety of your dog to have them off leash near roads.  I don't get that at all.

As far as extension leashes are concerned; you all know how I feel about these.  I used one for my little Jessie who was a Jack Russell and was rarely off leash.  So using the extension gave her a sense of freedom.  BUT, learn to reign it in.  Don't wait until your dog is near another dog or near the road; do it when you see another dog way up ahead.  If you cannot get control over an extension leash, then DON'T USE ONE.  One of the worst things I see is a dog coming around a corner way out ahead of an owner.  I can't even believe this, the owner has no idea what is around the corner but sends their dog out blindly. Honestly.

Etiquette:  conventional requirements as to social behavior.  Easy right?  Not so much for many people.  It has to do with respect and discipline.  Respect others who are walking as well; think of how you and your dog are portrayed in public.  Are you a welcome site or do people with or without dogs cringe when they see you coming?



Greyhounds




Yesterday I was at Hemopet for a photo shoot.  I was very excited to finally meet Dr. Dodds and of course  all the dogs.  I volunteer to photograph a lot of rescue dogs but this is one of the most fun shoots.  Not only are the dogs amazingly gorgeous but they are so sweet and very happy.  Those long whip tails are constantly in motion.  They were all being walked when I was there or playing in the yard where I got to shoot some of them in action.   As I entered the play yard I was instantly the object of investigation.  They all swarmed around me, greeting the newcomer.  I do love my job.  

Most people do not realize that Greyhounds are fairly low maintenance.  Although they come from a life of racing they are not high energy dogs needing to run constantly.  A little sprint around and they are good.  I have heard from many Greyhound owners that they are big couch potatoes.  Greyhounds have extremely soft fur and their skin is very thin and easily torn; this is the reason for the muzzles while in the play area.  They were having so much fun running and playing until it was time for another bunch to enter the playground.  


We took a trip through the room special needs room where the dogs who have medical issues stay.  This girl was sporting a nice warm fleece jacket.  



This guy took a moment from his walk to let me take a photo of him.  What a face.  

Several years ago I did a beautiful black and white rescue Greyhound book.  100% of the profit from the sale of the books goes to Hemopet and their adoption group, Pet Life-line.  It is still available on the link above.  


I have written several blogs about Greyhounds and Hemopet.  The link below is just one.  Hemopet is an amazing facility doing wonderful things for all of our dogs.  Dr. Dodds is on the cutting edge of research on many canine related issues which you can read about on their website at Hemopet.com 

Blood banks for dogs

Many of the dogs that I met yesterday are available for adoption right now.  Of course I thought that they were all amazing, but a few of the really big boys stole my heart instantly.  If you are thinking adding another dog to your family, head down to see these wonderful dogs.

Advice

Elsa giving her advice on life itself as a 4 month old.  


Advice - opinion given as to what to do or how to handle a situation; counsel.

Advice is a funny thing; I am often asked for advice on dog issues.  Whether it is on nutrition, behavior, training, photography, writing or anything else; I happily give my advice whenever I can.  My advice on advice itself is to listen and take what you think to be good for you and your dog.  Advice is just that, a recommendation on what you should do by someone who has perhaps dealt with the same issue or is knowledgeable about the subject.  Of course there are those who give advice when they should not; people who have no idea what they are talking about.   They can lead others down a very wrong path with their lack of knowledge.

I have over the years given advice to someone; then in a month or so that same person tells me about the  identical advice they got from someone else and asks me again for advice on this new advice.  Really?  Some of my clients have offered advice from their neighbors on training and ask what I think.  I then explain that the original method that I explained is my advice.  Many people ask for advice but do they listen?  Do they realize that you are sharing your knowledge in attempts of helping them?  Some don't.  I believe some people just like to keep asking.  When asked the same question over and over I tend to shut down and just nod.

I'm not saying not to ask lots of people for advice; the more you have to work with the better.  I am careful where I get my advice from.  I will never listen to conventional trainers as they tend to fog the truth with their harsh training methods.  So I go to the good guys for my advice when needed.  Research, research, research; the more you research the more you will be equipped with the knowledge when asked to share.

If you don't know anything about what someone is asking advice on; tell them that you don't know.  Nothing worse than the blind leading the blind.  if you have a good knowledge about a topic or situation when asked; give it.  Sharing the wealth of knowledge through advice can really help people when they need it.  I think this whole social FB media thing is wonderful.  There is so much knowledge and experience sharing that you will probably learn things that you never would have being able to talk to so many people.

Got the goods?  Share it.  Hopefully that person you are sharing your advice with will listen.  :)



Rain and snuggling


I took this shot several years ago.  After laying on my stomach forever and continually wiping the rain off my lens I finally got the shot.  


It is still very dark this morning.   It is raining, strange but wonderful.  I love the sound of rain when you are in bed; although getting out of bed when it is dark and raining is not easy.  But this morning I'm tired, really, really tired.   I'm so tired that I could barely drag myself out of bed to go get my coffee.  I was up twice last night, I have no idea what woke me the first time but it was Elsa the second.  She's been going through another "I want on the bed" issue and I have to stop it.  Typically she sits beside me starring and touches me just enough to wake me.  But not last night, no at 4:00 am she took it upon herself and hopped up, landing smack dab on top of me.  Startling to say the least and it hurt.  Not only did she allow herself up but she would not get off.  She dug in her heels as I tried to push her off.  Things are going to change.

I understand that she loves to be on the bed more than anything in the world; but, I have to get some sleep.  She is just not a good bed buddy.   For some reason her weight quadruples as does gravity some how making her beyond heavy.  I have slept with a great many dogs but never one like this.  It is just not fun.  If she would happily lay in the middle then she would be allowed but she absolutely must be touching me; but she is rarely happy with a touch, she must be completely on top of me.  She has been very good about waiting for the alarm to go off but this week we have seen a change and not for the better.  So it will be tough love again.

Of course now that the alarm has gone off and Dad let her up she is happy as a clam.  She has had her morning snack and is curled into a tiny ball enjoying the rain.  Luke is still where he was when I awoke and it is pretty much heaven in bed now.  The dogs love our morning routine; and I have to admit that it is pretty glorious.  Morning seems to be the favorite snuggle time.  It is quiet and when the dogs are on the bed they have a sense of security so their sleep is very deep. It is a very good time for us as well although I will be off to the gym shortly.  The dogs will still be on the bed when I return.

I always take Elsa out before I head to the gym.  She is always reluctant to leave the bed but is back on it as soon as she relieves herself outside.  This morning she will not want to go out in the rain.  Living here has it's drawbacks and rain is one.  I adore a rainy day but because they are so few and far between the dogs don't like to go out in it.  They are more than happy to go for a walk in the rain but go out and pee?  No thank you.  I typically keep an umbrella at the backdoor just for this reason.  It is much easier if I go out with them.  This is a common problem with my clients and I often get calls on rainy days because of it.

But for now it is still early; not yet 6:30 and dark and raining.  So I think the gym can wait just a few more minutes while I enjoy my quiet snuggle time with the dogs.

Joring anyone?

Skijoring, canicross, bikejoring, mountainboard-joring.  We were recently sent the

Omnijore Joring system from Ruffwear.  

With Elsa and Steve having started their team relationship in running several months ago it seemed a great next step.   Steve had asked me if I knew of a different harness, one better for running long distances.  So I set to work and found the Ominijore from Ruffwear.  Then I found out that there is an actual sport of

Canicross

and thought that it would be a perfect fit for the newly fledged running team.

Unfortunately we got our harness just before Elsa was spayed, then our September heat hit and now we are cooling down here in Socal.  So this weekend was the trial run and it was a great one.  When I opened the package the first thing that I thought was "wow, this is real gear."  I got Elsa's harness out first and easily got it on and fit perfectly.  There are many adjustment straps on it and she seemed very comfortable in it.

Then came Steve's hip belt; yep the human part of the team has a great padded lower back wide belt.  There are straps that fit under your legs to keep the belt in place.  He tried it on and with the adjustable straps he was able to get a good fit as well.  There are several zippered pockets and a water bottle holder on the

back of the padded belt.

But after their initial trying all the gear on it sat and waited for it's first actual trial until yesterday.  The cloud cover was great, a light mist was falling and Steve was stoked and ready to go as was Elsa.  We loaded everything in the car along with Luke and Elsa.  Luke was going to hang with Mom and Steve and Elsa were going on their run.  We dropped the running team off, got them both harnessed and hooked together and they were off.  The tow line is longer than what they were use to at 8 feet relaxed, 10 stretched; so it was going to take a bit of time to get Elsa use to running so far out I thought.

The tow line contains a bungee section to take the impact off of the human team member.  This allows the leash to stretch out two extra feet.

I got back in the car and we drove to the spot where we were to meet up after their run.  I got Luke out just as the rain started so my camera stayed in the car for a bit.  We did a little meandering around the park off leash as we waited for the rain to let up.  Within minutes it was back to just a light mist so I grabbed my camera and tucked it under my jacket and we head out again.  Luke did a little run around before he fell into his sniff mode as we waited.

Finally I spotted a red head through the bushes, they were heading our way.  I pulled out my camera and got ready for some shots.  The first shots were the best; Elsa spotted us and pulled her hardest to get to us.  If any dog was ever built to do this sport it is Elsa; she adores running and her face tells the story.  I just loved watching her run, head down and full steam ahead.  I couldn't wait to hear what the test run was like, I had a million questions for Steve about the system.  The first comment that he made was "great gear."  Then he proceeded to fill me in on the whole system and how he liked it a lot.  Our first reaction to the tow line being so long had been "wow this is really long."  But after his run Steve said that it was perfect.  The length made it easier to get her out from under foot and if she did veer off for a second he had time to compensate for it.  He loved it.

The whole thing is very well made; Elsa's harness is great, I just love it.  Steve said that it only took her a bit to get going and out in front.  When I asked about other dogs on the path he said "if you need to shorten then you just grab it like any other leash" which is what he did as they approached us.  He loved it so much that he asked if Elsa and he could head across the park for more running?  Luke and I would go to the Xterra and swing around to pick them up.

The harness is very different from the walking harness that I use.  This is a really good thing, because it will not take Elsa long to learn what this new harness means; and that is to run.  At one point we switched dogs so that Luke could feel like he got a run in with Dad.  As soon as I grabbed the tow line with Elsa on it I could feel her pull.  She had a harness on that gave her something to lean into; she was pulling with all her might as I held tight.  She didn't like the fact that her Dad was heading off without her but it was only for a moment so she soon relaxed when she saw that they were not going far.  But I was excited to feel the pull from her and knew that this was going to be great.

I am really excited about this system.  Both Steve and Elsa were beaming after the run and I love the way that the harness fit Elsa.  She was wearing a size small and it fit her perfectly.  This is not a harness for a meandering stroll, it is for powerhouse running.  The way the harness is designed is to facilitate more pulling.  If you have an athletic dog and would love to give them an outlet for their energy, Steve and Elsa highly recommend this system; as do I.  ;)

Aging sucks, plain and simple.



Yesterday my heart was breaking; it was breaking because Luke fell into the gutter and couldn't get up.  I had my hands full with Luke and Elsa's leashrs when she hopped over him and got stuck midway.  The leash wrapped around his legs faster than I could react and he was down.  The horrible thing about going down on the concrete is the hit on his poor old bones.  I let out some not so lady like words and helped him to his feet.  He seemed to shake it off better than I did and went on his way.  Writing this blog now nearly a day  later and I'm still upset about the memory of him laying there.  I'm trying to be more like Luke and forget it, but it is difficult.

I am feeling like a human shield for him now; when we go out and hang with younger dogs.  He simply cannot take a hit; I won't let it happen.  Funny, a year ago things were very different.  Luke was the buff guy in the house. I had to keep my eye out for Tilley falling.  She was not frail like Luke, she was crooked from her Vestibular disease.  But every so often she'd forget about it and try to run like the good old days.  It never ended well and I learned to run and catch before she hit the ground.

When we added Elsa to the group I had to watch Tilley constantly.  She wanted to keep up with Elsa and I caught her several times jumping up onto the lounge outside just before she took a nose dive.  As our dogs age their age catches up with them; speeding the process exponentially.  The older they get, the quicker they age.  At 6 and 7 years of age; six months goes by without any notice.  Now at 12 years old, 6 months brings with it a big change.  It's a change that I hate and more evident with a young'n around like Elsa.  Seeing her take a spill from sheer over excitement is nothing at her age.  She can take a major wipe out; get up, shake and keep going like nothing happen just to do it again.

Recently it seems that Luke has been very precise with his play.  Every so often he is careless but not so much anymore.  There are two things happening here that play into the change.  1.  Luke is aging much more quickly now, and 2.  Elsa is much stronger, flexible and agile than ever before.  The difference between the two is growing on a daily basis and it is sad.  When I had Jessie, Tilley and Luke the difference was not as vast.  15.5, 14.5 and 11 is much different than 12 and 1.

As I enjoyed the day photographing dogs at the beach the other day I realized that Luke could not have been there.  I have no doubt that he would be injured by other younger, more rambunctious dogs than he, now.  So if we return to that particular beach it will just be Elsa and I.  This is the part where you have to go with your head and try to ignore your heart that is being gnawed on a daily basis.

As hard as it is to watch the aging process; I feel lucky to have him with me and pretty darned healthy albeit too skinny and frail.  But there is nothing I can do about the frail part, it is a fact of life.  He was dealt with very little muscle and now at this time in his life he will suffer for someone's error in breeding.  He has a heart of gold and is the most amazing dog.  He takes great joy in the little things in life; it is a great way to be.  I have learned so much from Luke over the years we've spent together and I will continue to learn more.  He still loves to run for a bit and then he is happy to smell the roses and look for lizards.

After a life of watching out for his Mom it is now my turn to watch out for my boy.  It's our job and I wouldn't want anyone else doing my job.  We care for them their whole life but as they age there is more care, more protectiveness and more concern.  When I got Luke to his feet yesterday morning after falling into the street; I wrapped my arms around him and took his weight in my arms.  Those poor little legs of his are having a tough time lately; I held his weight for him for a bit and then we got ourselves together.

Luke is 12 years and 2 months old.  The next year will bring much more change than ever before for Luke; but I am more than prepared for it all.  It seems like yesterday that I was hovering around Tilley whenever we were around other dogs.  Watching as the aging process took over more and more of Tilley and Jessie's lives seems like only yesterday.  But it is Luke now that needs a hand to get to his feet when his old legs struggle.  Now my baby of 11 years is in the thick of his golden years.  We'll be enjoying the heck out of these ones.

A day at the beach


I was at the dog beach in Huntington Beach yesterday to shoot some Standard Poodles for a book that I am nearing completion on.  The boys, Wolfgang and Johann were amazing to watch and photograph.  Of course I shot some passers by as well.  Nothing like a morning at the beach for a shoot, honestly.  



"I'm at the beach."  


"Yipee, we're at the beach."


The boys, rough housing.




Lots of this going on at the beach.  Dry off before you go in and get wet again.



Blondie.


Wolfgang after his ball again, amazingly athletic dog.




Hard not to get covered in sand when you are only 2" from it.



Lots being said here.


An adorable big boy (Olde English Bulldog)


This is the big boy's little sister.  Adorable.



Honestly, how cute is she?



Wolfgang and Johann having fun in the surf.



This little man seemed quite startled that I was taking his picture.


Fun.


More fun.  Dogs love the beach and so do I. 

Rimadyl

First I want to say that I am not a Veterinarian; so this is in no way medical advice. I am a canine guardian and as such I do extensive research on new products, diseases or anything else that I haven't heard about having to do with dogs. Rimadyl is one such item that I have done a lot of research on and feel the need to pass on the information that I have found.  After hearing and reading about so many sad stories with regards to taking Rimadyl; I feel that it is my obligation to share.  I hope that you share as well.

I have heard of people receiving the product from their Veterinarian for many different symptoms.  It's a little scary how it is passed out as a remedy for so many different things.  When I hear of anyone using it I recommend that they look it up immediately to see if they want to continue the use on their dog.

This was a past post but I feel needs sharing again.  I have also added a few new links.  It is a short blog; there is no need for me to go on about it when you can read the information found at the links below.

These are only a few of the articles that I found; there are sadly many, many others

Rimadyl side effect victims

Pet Honesty

k9 obedience health link

USA Today

Westword

The dog press

I recommend researching any new medication or product extensively before even considering giving it to your dog.