Another rant

This was the day we ran into the off leash aggressive dog that would not come when called.  HONESTLY???

Yep, I said I was ranting and I am going to.  It doesn't typically take too much to get a rant out of me; just a bit of stupidity can create a fair sized rant.  So here goes.  Yesterday was beautiful, my kind of weather; low 40's, blue skies with giant cotton ball type clouds here and there.  I actually had to grab my vest as I headed out with Luke and Elsa; that makes me happy.  We hit a nice big field that is almost entirely enclosed and it was empty, yes.  We were there a good long time enjoying ourselves when I decided that it was about time to head home.  Elsa had a great run and Luke had done the whole field several times so off we went to the ramp.  This field is lower than the parking lot so we usually go down a set of steps and leave going up a ramp.  I think that it is easier on Luke's legs.

So as we started up our ramp I had already leashed both dogs.    About mid way up I noticed a woman with a couple of leashes around her neck up at the top and to the right.  Hmmmmmmmm.  I called out to her "are your dogs friendly?"  She shielded her eyes from the sun trying to see us.  I called again as her dogs quickly made their way to the fence; coming around towards us.  "ARE THEY FRIENDLY?"  I yelled for a third time.  At this point she was very close to me and could easily hear me.  Again, I shouted "ARE YOUR DOGS FRIENDLY?"  As the dogs were nearly upon us with hair up from neck to tail on both.  

Then she quietly and hesitantly offered "uhhhhhhhhh ya, I think so."  "WHAT??????????"  "Can you put them on a leash?" I asked her.  She had no response.  I was growing angry at her lack of movement, she seemed like a slug. "Can you leash your dogs?"  I said again, receiving a repeat in her response, nothing.  "PLEASE, CAN YOU LEASH YOUR DOGS?"  At this point I was sort of shocked by her snail pace and sloth like movements.  Really?  I told her that if she was not sure that her dogs were friendly that they should not be off leash.  It was literally like talking to a brick wall.  Very strange. 

With the dogs on us at this point I was not about to pull my guys away.  This act itself can lead to more aggression.  I am very protective of my dogs and these were very large buff dogs.  Luke is very fragile now and I have no intention of letting him be attacked or roughed up in any way.  We stood our ground and I held the leashes as loosely as I could.  She should have at least called her dogs to her; she did nothing, absolutely nothing.  It was a bit disturbing to watch.  Was she so incompetent as a dog owner that she lacked the most basic of knowledge about etiquette?  Obviously.  

Seeing that she had no intention of doing anything; not even calling her dogs we waited.  I was waiting for her dogs to lose interest in us and move away.  Once far enough away I would feel comfortable turning our back on then and walking away.  Let me just say this "IT IS NOT OKAY TO HAVE YOUR DOGS OFF LEASH WITH OTHER ON LEASH DOGS AROUND."  That is unless you have complete control of your dog and they will not run at the on leash dogs.  It's just not okay.  Do you know how many times I had to hoist Jessie into my arms to protect another loose dog?  She was not reliably dog friendly, so she was always on leash.  It was not fair that we had to deal with off leash out of control dogs when we were out. 

There are times when dogs should not be on leash and that is at off leash parks or beaches.  If you enter one of those then you should have your leash off.  It gives your dog a handicap by having them leashed when all the other dogs are running off leash.  

Nothing happened yesterday but it was very disturbing  none the less.  As we finally got enough space to turn and walk away I saw the woman trying to get one of her dogs to come to her.  She had no control, none.  Control is so very important.  Funny because just before we came upon these two dogs, Elsa had received a lesson about not coming when Mom calls.  She had decided to drop her ball and do some grazing on the fresh new baby grass that had sprouted up from all the rain.   I called and she ignored so she got her lesson.  Then we came across these two with the owner who did absolutely nothing.  People like this should not have dogs.  

I have seen the same woman at this field before but we've never run into her; she was at a distance.  The thing I did notice the other times that I saw her was that she was not scanning.  We had not been far away; we were coming up to the right of her and getting in the car but she hadn't noticed us.   Scanning your environment and being very aware is important.  Heck it's important to do when you don't have your dogs with you; even more so when you are out with your dogs.  When I arrive to a park or field I always scan first.  There have been times when I have scanned and then got back in the car and head to another park because of what was in the park. 

As we walked away from this woman and her dogs I was grumbling and shaking my head.  Imagine saying "I think" that your dogs are friendly as you let them run full speed up to someone with dogs on leash?  No, it is not acceptable at all and I see it far too often.  Perhaps this is why it makes me so mad.  Get a clue people.  I for one do not want to deal with your off leash dogs when you have no control over them.  About a year ago I wrote about a guy we met with a fairly aggressive dog who told us he could not call his dog.  But here it was off leash.  Honestly, HONESTLY?????????? 

Power in the clicker

Having had Penelope at our house for five days she got a great deal of concentrated learning in.  My daughter and I did a lot of discussing canine education and how dogs learn differently.  I sometimes use a clicker but not always.  I did use a clicker for much of Jessie's (my Jack Russell) training when she was younger.  She was very food motivated and the clicker helped her to focus.  Once she learned what the clicker meant it held great power.  She would offer anything and learned very quickly that she was to offer new behaviors.  This is something that not all dogs do, but she offered anything and everything to get a click.  Luke does not offer new behaviors, not that he isn't insanely intelligent but that he just doesn't do that sort of thing.

So being that Penelope is very much like Jessie was I knew the clicker would be for her.   My daughter and I went into the kitchen to prime Penny (Penelope) on the clicker.  This means teaching her what the clicker means and that is food.  She is so much like my little Jessie that it is sort of strange.  As I clicked and treat over and over she seemed to be getting it.  The rest of the family was in the living room when we were priming and after several clicks they started yelling at me.  I stopped and went to see what was up.  Elsa was standing on a box.  They said she had be getting off and on as I clicked in the kitchen.

Elsa is clicker trained and she loves it.  She has learned to offer new behaviors and with all the Christmas morning gifts lying around, she chose a random box on the floor to use.  Everyone was amazed by her behavior, not me.  But I was a little "oops."  It was Elsa's clicker and I hadn't thought about that.  So I gave her a bunch of treats as she stood steadfast on her box.  Then needing to move back to Penelope in the kitchen I took her box away and put it out of reach.  Then the whole family got into the whole "clicker" discussion, having been thoroughly impressed by it's power.

Learning the philosophy around the power of the clicker is important.  Educating yourself on how the clicker works and when to click is essential.  I see so many people using the click to lure or bribe a behavior from the dog which is all wrong.  It is a marker, intended to mark a correct behavior and let the dog know that a reward will soon follow.  When done properly it is a wonderful training tool.  The only negative about them is that they are something else to hold while working.  This is why I only teach clicker training to a very few; most average dog owners are interested only until they try using it.  Holding treats, a leash and a clicker has often turned my clients completely off using it so we move onto training without it.

But if you intend to use the clicker, do yourself a favor and read Clicker Training by Karen Pryor.    Now that Miss Penelope has gone home I will be pulling out the clicker for Elsa.  I have wanted to teach her to put her paw on my foot for several months, now I have the time so we will be on it today.  I think this will be a very useful behavior when I want her close by.  No doubt she will pick it up in a matter of moments, she certainly has the drive to learn.

Boxing Day

The day after Christmas; I hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas, we most definitely did.  It's Boxing Day!!!!! Well at least in my head it is.  In Canada it is as well and having lived in Canada for 36 years of my life I still keep the day even though it is not Boxing Day here in the US.  But everyone has gone back to work and I am puppy sitting.  We've had Penelope here since Friday night and it has been very busy with her.  Elsa is almost played out, but not completely yet.  She has been beyond amazing with Penelope.  She is so gentle and patient with the puppy that I could have never asked for any better behavior from her.

As a very young puppy, Penelope gases out long before Elsa.  Elsa could probably keep going 24/7.  At only a year a half Elsa wants to play a lot; she is absolutely loving having Penelope here.  It is very good for Penelope, she is getting a great deal of socializing in.  We have introduced her to lots of new items; an umbrella this morning, a big shiny rolling decoration in the garage and many other things.  She doesn't seem fazed by a whole lot.  She didn't bat an eye at the umbrella this morning.  The statues at the park that freaked Elsa out as a puppy saw a split second of hesitation from Penelope.  They are all so very different.

Penelope is learning bite inhibition mostly via Elsa.  Elsa just deals with it, she loves playing with her so much.  As a Bull Terrier, Penelope has a huge set of jaws on her and I have to admit that the pressure behind her nips is a little startling.  So having Elsa here to help with softening her bite is a great, great welcome.  It is also teaching Penelope lots of positives about playing with other dogs.

Luke is not as impressed and mostly has walked on his tip toes around her.  She has thrown herself a couple of times at him with a resulting grizzly bear response.  She is apprehensive around him, understandably but not deterred.  She quickly learned that Elsa is the one to play with but is still drawn to Luke if is he anywhere around.  At 12.5 years old he has no desire to meet or get to know her. He is curious but that is as far as it has gone at this point.  He sits upon his thrown in the living room watching the two girls brawl for hours.  If Elsa yelps from a very hard nip from Penelope he gets down,  and slowly walks through the room sending a clear message.  He then heads back to his couch.

At the moment it is pouring rain.  Miss Penelope is not a fan, but we did just go out and have success.   She peed in the rain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  So it will be a day of playing and trying to get all the dogs out in the rain.  I may just hit the park with Elsa for some chuck it time although with the puppy here for four days she is plum exhausted.  Enjoy Boxing Day, I intend to.

Busy busy

Three more sleeps until the big day.  It's a busy time of year so with all the hustle bustle we need to put time aside to chill with our dogs.  Things can be very weird for our dogs as we head out more without them.  If your dog is not accustom to all the goings on they need help to stay grounded.  Luckily my guys are very use to lots of different types of days.  Although they still need their daily outing.  They have just left with their Dad to the park, a nice break for me.

If you are having people over for the Holidays and your dogs are not accustom to lots of visitors then you may want to put them away for a bit and let them adjust slowly to guests.  When we had our party last weekend, we had a big houseful.  The dogs spent time out enjoying our guests as well as some quiet time in my bedroom.  Of course they would like to stay out the whole time but it can be overwhelming if they stay out for the entirety of the party.

Dogs can go missing when there is too much going on in life.  They can also get into things that they might not when it is not the Holidays.  More "stuff" is out and laying about so be aware of things that your dog might get into.  The tree, decorations, goodies etc can be easy targets for even the best of dogs.  Lack of routine can shift some canines into frustration mode so try to get them out for a good energy outlet.

Above all, have fun and don't forget that this time of year can be a challenge for your dog.  Try to help them through it all and have a wonderful Holly Jolly time.  :)

Association

The trip that the vest was worn.  

I have written about association often; it is after all how dogs learn.  But we humans also deal with association.  As the temperatures started to drop here in SoCal I got excited about wearing cold weather clothes.  I am a northerner at heart and love the cold so when I get to pull out the woolies; it makes me happy.  But I wasn't too happy to see my vest this year.  I like vests best because they keep your body warm but aren't so warm that you die here in SoCal.  So I pulled out my green vest, the one that I wore pretty much the whole trip last December from CA to CT.  The memories went swirling in my head and I quickly stuck it back in the closet.  I most definitely had a negative association to it.

I told my husband that I couldn't wear it.  I told him "I just can't, it's got too many bad memories on it."  He knows how much I love vests so when I gave the tarnished vest  to Good Will he secretly ordered me a new one in a different style and color and I love it.  He's amazing.  This whole situation is very similar to dogs.  Of course we can discuss association among ourselves or with our self even  but dogs cannot.  If a negative association is created we must re-establish a new association.

Elsa has been stung in our yard several times.  The guy that lives behind us has a huge beehive in his yard right over our fence.  He has chosen to just cover the tree trunk with a bag to try to rid the bees from his property which has not worked at all.  They are very busy bees and just create a new opening to the trunk.  So Elsa has a very negative association to bees which I will leave in tack.  It is good that she is now afraid of them and steers clear if she sees one.

Dogs can have a negative association to pretty much anything.  Let's use a raised hand for an example.  I've had to re-train a few dogs with this association.  It is most definitely a negative and it is caused by being hit mostly.  Associations can be caused by many different things because it can happen suddenly and without cause.  Maybe a dog walked into a wall when you lifted your arm up and now he has a negative association.  Perhaps a loud, startling sound was heard when you raised your arm.  It can be anything but lets say it was from being hit.  You can either go through life trying not to lift your arm or have anyone raise their hand around your dog or you can re-associate.

To counter condition you must put another meaning onto raised arms.  This must be done very, very slowly.  Sort of associating without your dog knowing it.  You would start with your arm just out in front or even lower, whatever level which does not trigger a negative response.  Then you work from there.  You can associate a ball throw, treats, playing or anything else that your dog would consider positive to it.  As you raise your arm higher and higher you must make sure that there is no negative response occurring before getting higher.

Some associations can be very difficult or sometimes impossible to re-associate.  Only with a great deal of work will you know if it is doable or not.  Sometimes a response is so ingrained, creating such a fearful response that it cannot be undone.  Then you must deal with it the best you can.  But, that said almost all negative associations can be fixed.  Often a cause cannot be figured out so you deal with what is in front of you.

Associations require thought.  You must think about what your dog will think about a situation.  Not what you think, what your dog thinks.  There are ways to change the way they think and that too is a lot of work.  But it is good work, helping your dog through issues is never a waste of time.

For me it was best to toss the vest, it just brought up too many bad memories that I didn't want to re-associate it.  But that is a human thing.

The growl and bark of a dog

As I lay sound asleep on a very cold morning I was slowly awaken by a deep grumbling.  Luke was growling, a rare occurrence these days.  I listened and smiled; it makes me happy to know that he thinks he is still the man.  He growled for a long while; deep and very scary, he was bothered by the sound of my son moving about.  I don't know why he felt the need to growl this morning, he hears it every morning.  But growl he did, never lifting his head but it was steady and it made me happy.  Standard Poodles are amazing guard dogs; most people don't know this fact.

So, what was Luke saying with his deep and low growling?  He was sounding a warning and letting us know that he thought something was not right.  A vocalization from a dog is a communication and can sometimes grow out of control.  Annoying barking should be stopped; it can become a bad habit.  They can learn that a few barks is all that is necessary to give you the required information.  But a communication from your dog is important and should be listened to.    When a dog has something to say, they should be allowed to say it.  This gives us a means to understand much better than if they are silenced.  Many people have told me that they don't allow growling or barking in their house.  This silencing can do a great deal of damage.

A dog who loses their ability to communicate can become unpredictable and dangerous.   When a dog growls at a person, dog or object it lets you know how they feel at that moment.  You can then take that information and deal with what you now know.  Maybe your dog doesn't like people wearing hats and growls when someone with a hat approaches.  With the information given you can now deal with creating a positive association to people wearing hats.  At our party on the weekend Elsa was running around having fun when she was stopped in her tracks in the dining room.  She started barking and as soon as I saw what she was barking at I asked the guy to take his antlers off.  :)  Yep.  He had forgotten  that he was wearing them and thought that Elsa was barking at him.  "Oh, sorry" he said.  As soon as he took them off she was fine.  Elsa is very, very aware of everything and she knows that a guy wearing this on his head is not right.  :)

If you take away your dogs communications, you take away your access to information.  Luke use to bark at people who approached our car.  He was fine if they walked by but if they walked directly at the car  he wasn't comfortable.   He let us and everyone else know that they were not welcome in the car, that is unless he knew them.  Dogs can become more vocal in a car or small area.  They cannot move away from someone or something so are more defensive.  It is also his car and he will defend it; after all it is a really great red Xterra.  :)

When your dog talks, listen.  There are dogs that talk too much just like there are people who talk too much.  But if you know your dog like you should, you will know when they are just jaw wagging and when they are saying something serious.  These days Luke likes to go in the back yard and let the neighborhood know that he lives here.  It makes me smile.  The bark is loud and non threatening; there is a good amount of time between the barks as he once again shows that at 12.5 years old, he's is still the man.

 

Where to today?

I'm a little furious this morning, I finished my blog before heading to the gym and poof, gone.  Nice.  So here goes again, albeit condensed.

Yesterday Elsa and I hit the park.  When we left the house it was raining, which is why we left.  People tend to stay in when it is raining, we head out.  Typically on the way home from the gym I am pondering our place of walk for the day.  There are many options and yesterday it was a park that I assumed would be empty due to the rain.  As I pulled up I did a quick scan and was happy to see it empty except for a few landscape guys hiding under a canopy.  We got out quick and hit the field; the steady rain quickly turned to a downpour.  It was glorious, for us that is; not for those who thought that it was yucky rainy weather.

This is one of my all time favorite images.  There is little in it but it speaks volumes.  Caught on the East Coast in a heavy fog and drizzly day.  

It's not just here in Sunny California where folks stay out of the rain.  When we were East for a couple of months earlier this year the dogs and I always went out in the rain.  We hit the beach where we enjoyed a much less crowded if not deserted beach to play on.  I loved when there was only a couple of dogs here and there with so much room to run.  The play is always the best when done in moderation.  Everything in moderation right?

I left Luke at home yesterday; it was quite chilly and the fact that he doesn't run much to keep warm I thought it best to keep his old bones on the couch which is where where he was when we got home.  So today is very clear but cold, 37 degrees cold which is freaking cold for SoCal.  So where to?  There are two kinds of walks; power energy release walks and mind stimulating walks.  It is great when you can get in both types at the same time but sometimes you just can't .  So it is mental and physical stimulation you are looking.  Often you can only get in one so it is one type one day the other the next.

It is very important no matter what type of walk or your whereabouts to get out every day.  Elsa is still learning so much, we almost always see something new that she hasn't seen before and life experience is good for everyone.  I'm thinking the beach today; there should be a small handful of folks out in the cold but most will be shopping I'm thinking.

No matter where you are headed today, I hope that at least one outing includes your dog.  Have fun wherever you land.

A new friend

Elsa has a new friend; her name is Penelope and she joined our family on the weekend.  She is my daughters new Bull Terrier puppy.  She reminds us all of Jessie, she is very similar in appearance.

She is 8 weeks old and about as cute as they come.

She loved the ball.

Running to Mom for some reassurance when she heard Luke and Elsa barking from inside the house. They'd already met but they are still scary.

Confident little thing.

A little insecurity again with the barking from the house.

Pay back time for Elsa.

She went from confident to not in a fraction of a second.  You want to see some insecure moments.

Penelope not sure about this long legged curly monster biting her.

Grovelling as she should.

But having a lot of fun too. 

She found a great hiding spot where she could play and hide.  

There will be a great deal for everyone to learn with this new tenacious addition.  

Pain

Canines are crazy expert at hiding pain.  I was thinking about this because I burned myself during our Christmas party this weekend.  I was taking an appetizer out of the oven and did not want to throw it across the kitchen when I felt the heat come through the oven mitt so I burned three fingers very badly.  It is probably the worst burn I've ever gotten while cooking and I don't know what happened.  But I think perhaps my over mitt somehow got wet....................if you've ever grabbed a wet oven mitt and used it, you know what happens.  So I burned my fingers and continued on not to cause a stir at the party and suffered in silence until a bit later when I told my kids.

There are two reasons why a dog hides pain.  1.  If you show pain to your pack you may risk being ousted due to creating weakness within the pack.  2.  Other animals that see pain, see it as a weakness and you may be injured, attacked or killed because of it.  So it goes without saying that it can be difficult to know when there is something wrong with your dog.  Of course some dogs hide their pain more than others.  Tilley never displayed anything for us to see clearly.  But because I know my dogs so very well I could tell when something was up.  It may have taken longer to notice but it could have been a slight tilt of head, a hesitation or something so small but it was out of the ordinary.

Luke on the other hand is very demonstrative when he is in pain.  Perhaps he is so confident that he's not worried about whining in front of others.  He lets me know when something is just not right.  He is a very easy read and again because I know him so well, it can be a microscopic sign but I see it.  When a dog does show pain it usually means that there is in a great deal of it.  They can no longer hide it and this is when we get a clear and easy read.  The less you know your dog the longer it may take you to see it.

So when you see your dog acting out of the norm, don't ignore it.  I remember having Elsa at training class when she was very little, she started acting a bit different.  I thought she needed to go out and the teacher said very loudly, no she is just acting out.  Well I was right and she took a huge disgustingly gooey crap in the middle of the floor.  So there!!!!!

:)

Our thoughts are with the victims of Sandy Hook Elementary school. 

The backyard

Low tide at Tod's Point Beach in Old Greenwich, CT.  It is now open for dogs until the end of March.  Lucky dogs.  

At the moment my backyard is very soggy; not conducive for an active dog to take a rip.  Elsa had a bath on Wednesday and I thought twice about letting her do her after bath zoom out there.  My yard is small and the grass area even smaller.  She has got so much power in those kangaroo sized back legs of hers that she can destroy the entire yard in a matter of moments.  So with that idea we headed outside and I tried to keep her zoom contained to the patio area which didn't work so well.  Oh well it's just grass.  It'll grow again right?

Funny when we were in Connecticut, we were on 2 acres and she really ripped it up there.  The size of the yard was great but the condition of the ground was constantly soft.  So why am I talking about yards?  Because so many people put a large emphasis on it with regards to dogs.  Sure it's nice to have a big back yard but you don't need a big backyard to have dogs.  I hear of so many people re-homing their dog because of the size of their yard.  "Oh we moved and have a small yard."  So?  What does the size of your yard have to do with your dog?  That is unless you rely solely on your yard for your dogs activity area.  Ahhhhhh, that is where the yard thing comes in.

No matter how big your yard is, your dog should get out and about, beyond the limits of your yard. The smaller your yard is the more you need to get out.  I go out with my guys every day.  Sure there is the occasional day we miss due to life or being sick;  I think only 2 since we added Elsa to our family.   Luke needs to get out and sniff and see the world as does Elsa but she needs to spread her wings so to speak.  She needs to run and rip to be a happy girl.  Most dogs need to run and run they should.  Dogs don't need to run for hours and hours and depending on how they run it can be a short and sweet ordeal.

I know many people who never take their dogs anywhere.  They sit in the confines of their home and their backyard is their outing.  It is sad.  My dogs get so excited to go out that it is obvious how much enjoyment they get from a simple outing.  Once we've done our outing for the day they are more than happy to hang at home.  Content.  I love when I let the dogs out of the car and they run to the front door wagging about being back home; that's a great thing.

You can fit a great deal of stimulation into a single hour in a day.  Of course my dogs are constantly by my side at home so we are always doing something together.  We love hanging in the backyard but it is by no way their energy or stimulation outlet.  A small yard should mean nothing as far as your dog is concerned.  It should not be where you intend to put a dog to live their life and if you are getting a dog and putting them in the yard to live?  Think twice before getting a dog.  Perhaps get a nice new lounge chair to stare at.

Dogs deserve a life and life goes beyond the confines of your home and yard. Do stuff together, you'll never regret it.  I can guarantee your dog will love you for it.

I think I see a monster-DO NOTHING

Monsters, we all see them don't we?  Well dogs think that they see monsters too, or at least things that are up to no good.  Yesterday I decided to take some pics of Luke and Elsa in front of the Christmas tree.  I got my camera, sat them in front of the tree and was ready.  That is when Luke gave me a dirty look; got up and left to go to his place on the couch.  "Okay then,"  Luke was not in the mood.  He's allowed to not be in the mood; poor guy has been my constant model for over twelve years.  So with Luke comfy on the couch he watch Elsa and I.

She is also my steadfast model but she's only been at it for over a year so she has lot's more to go.  She was being tempted by a rubber bone that lay only a few feet away from her but she stayed and got the photos.  Then she spotted something on the fireplace.  Her ears went up, head stuck out with an intense gaze.  I turned to see what she was looking at thinking a mouse was on my fireplace or something.  "Nothing," but her posture remained the same.  I checked again, "what the heck are you looking at?"  I asked her.  After a few amazing shots I released her and she ran to spot on the fireplace that has a large carved area.  She had obviously seen something in it, or she just never noticed it before.

It is common for dogs to see things that aren't there.  Meaning monsters where a bag lays, or a shirt hangs.  About a week ago I was hanging my sons shirt outside; Elsa of course was by my side.  She watched me hang the shirt and walk away.  But when she stood there alone looking at the shirt, she was sure it was a bad guy.  With her biggest, toughest and scariest voice she let the shirt have it.  I walked outside, went directly to the shirt and picked it up.  I very deliberately walked back very close to her so the shirt brushed against her and she got a whiff of it.  Crisis averted.

This happens a lot with dogs; some more than others.  When it does happen you can either quickly fix the misconception or make it worse by your behavior.  Many people wrap themselves around their dog trying to explain that it is "just a shirt."  They do a great deal of touching and "poor you," talk.  All this creates a scenario that there is something wrong for your dog.  Even by grabbing the item and bringing it right to your dog can make matters worse.  What you need to do is interact and ignore.  Make it a non issue.

I don't know how many times I've had to calmly walk outside, pick up a random bag that blew into our yard and walk into the house with it.  Leaving the particular dog feeling much like "oh I knew it was just a bag."  Experience helps with these sort of mistaken identity moments.  Luke use to be very skittish about anything different but with many years under his belt it rarely happens now.  Then there are dogs like my Tilley; (now gone almost a year) rock solid and knew what everything was.  You could not shake that dog no matter how hard you tried.

Elsa is young and although she is not fearful she is afraid of scary things.  She will run out in the yard sounding off, trying to act tough.  But, if Luke goes out to join her in her barking she will turn tail and run for the house.  She thinks that there must be something really scary if Luke is barking.  Because we cannot explain to our dogs what unidentifiable items are; we must show them.  "Do nothing," is something that I say regularly in this house.  Human response is to typically coddle; so as quickly as someone slips into the coddle mode I switch into my "do nothing" mode.  When an issue arises and someone goes to coddle, I firmly and calmly say "do nothing."

"Do nothing," means just that.  Do not change your pace, do not change your mood, body posture of facial expression.  Do nothing.   Even in cases of leash aggression from other dogs; "do nothing."  The other day we walked by two very angry small dogs with small dog issues.  They were sounding off at both Luke and Elsa and I remained exact, I did not waver at all.  This helped Luke to keep his cool and not go off on them and to let Elsa know that we really care nothing about this type of thing.  We moved on happily and got treats for interacting so wonderfully.

So when your human reaction is to slip into action and help; help by doing nothing.  "Do nothing."  That is the best help you can give your dog.

Grooming day

I took advantage of a setting sun.

Yesterday morning was a great one.  At least for me and the dogs anyway; it was our kind of day.  After coming home from the gym, I leashed both Luke and Elsa up in the garage and reached for the opener.  As she always does, Elsa nudged herself under my hand so that I would open the door and we could head out.  We had a great walk at the park.  There weren't too many people so I was able to sneak in some chuck it fun for Elsa and Luke wandered as he likes to do.  While Elsa ran her butt off Luke meandered, sniffing around and came to get his treats every few minutes.  Although he is the pickiest of eaters at mealtime he LOVES to snack on his walks.  I literally am feeding him the entire time.

So we had our fun at the park and headed for home.  When we got home there were meaty bones awaiting.  The dogs knew right away; the smell lured them into the kitchen where the two paced anxiously.  I had rib bones so I had to cut the extra piece off the end; put out the bone chewing sheet (I use an old bed sheet) and then it was time.  There was a lot of meat on these ones which I love and of course the dogs do as well.  Elsa did really well this time, she pulled all the meat off and then had a good chew.  When both bones were picked clean I switched them which always results in more chewing.  So after about an 1 1/2 hours of chewing it was breakfast time.  They enjoyed a yummy pork breakfast.

After breakfast, both dogs were in need of a good foot trimming.  Poodles have hair and they have hair between their toes.  Shaving their feet helps to minimize slipping on slick surfaces as well as keep their feet much cleaner.  Luke was first and due to his age now I have to make it quick.  He cannot stand on three feet for very long.  I must also be careful to give him time to get his balance when I do pick up a foot.  Luke being Luke, he does not like to lay down on the table like Tilley use to do as she got older.  He also got is face cleaned up and then it was Elsa's turn.  Feet and faces, done.

After both dogs were tidied up they had their nails done.  Nails are something that need to be attended to on a regular bases.  Some dogs wear their own nails down but most need help.  Allowing your dogs nails to get too long actually interferes in proper movement and alters their foot position.  It can make walking on wood or tile floors difficult for them.  Long nails can also cause pain to your dog.  I use both a grinder and trimmer; a trimmer for when more needs to come off, the grinder for the weekly stuff.

Later in the afternoon Luke had a much needed bath.   It was warm yesterday but not warm enough to air dry so I dried him with my forced air dryer.  He loves it; and was very quickly done and ready to rumble with Elsa.  Of course that was my cue to run and get the camera.  For an old man he's doing really great and I love seeing him tackle Elsa.  The rules of the game are always the same, toy acquisition.  But the game is really about trying to tempt the other into wanting the toy which initiates the chase.  It's all about the lure.  Hope you enjoy these pics as much as I did shooting them.

The lure

The chase

Beautiful

More beautiful

Acquisition

Luke has the toy, trying to tempt Elsa 

Luke feeling cool with the toy

She is such a tease

Elsa pretending she doesn't care that Luke has the toy

Luke tempting Elsa again "hmmmmmm you probably want this eh?" 

The teasing continues

Then there is a good rumble

He's still got it, even at 12.5 years old.

Have a great one.

The Holiday Season - take care

The Holiday Season is upon which means we as canine guardians must be on our toes, more vigilant than the normal day to day.   As I said in a previous blog; we have been amazingly lucky with Elsa.   She has been as good as gold and better about not touching anything, but.  That does not mean that I let my guard down completely.  The other night we were heading out for a party and I had grabbed a smaller sized purse, throwing just a few things in it instead of carrying my full sized one.  As I turned to go out the door I saw my big purse on the floor.  I picked it up and put it out of reach, just in case.

It is the just in case feelings that you need to go with.  At this time of year you need to have your 'Safety Supervisor' hat on when it comes to your dog.  Stop, look and see any possible safety issues.  Does your dog have Christmas tree problems?  Many dogs cannot leave the tree alone so if you are going out you must keep them separated somehow.  There are many dangers in tree raiding.

What about goodies around the house?  I know in this house, the Holiday Season is one of over indulgence in the goodie department so if I'm going out I make sure that there is nothing within reach.  Of course I'm not worried about Luke at all and Elsa has been amazing so far but why chance instilling a bad behavior.  Push everything out of reach.  If you have a lot of stuff on the kitchen counters; best to keep the kitchen closed off somehow.  Often when I am baking I have to run out to grab eggs or something I forgot.  I will put the baby gate up just in case.  One stolen piece of goodie from the table or counter can create a whole behavior issue that takes a ton of work to get rid of.  Don't forget that chocolate is not for dogs, at all.

Lights can be dangerous as well.  Don't forget to unplug any lights within reach when you go out.  Puppies and dogs can find wires enjoying to chew and of course being electrocuted is not optimal.  Decorations are a huge hazard if left to be chewed and/or consumed.  Make sure that you instill the "don't touch" lesson when you put decorations out.  If you are worried even the slightest bit about them, separate your dog from them all when you are not around.  It is always better to be safe than sorry.

I'm a safety freak so to speak; I am always on the watch for dangers.  I have been since my children were born and it has spilled over into my dog's lives as well.  Not a bad thing.  Safety is all about foreseeing a problem so that it does not become one.   You cannot just go through your day to day hoping that all will go well; you must be vigilant and this is the time of year when that is needed the most.

Most people will have guests over during the Holidays; watch that door.  Dogs can slip out the door unnoticed when there are lots of people around and be gone for quite a while before you realize that they are missing.   Don't chance a bolt; stay on top of it or put your dog away for safety.

This is a great time of year; but it is also a dangers time for dogs if you don't foresee dangers.  Put your safety hat on and keep it on, especially through the holidays.

Plasma

Jessie as a puppy, sitting in a snowbank in Canada.

I spent a great deal of time thinking about Jessie this weekend.  Saturday marked a year since we lost her as we made our way from California to Connecticut.  Such a long life we shared together that all came to an end in the state of Oklahoma.  I took a great deal of time to think about our little girl and our lives together this weekend.  This of course got me to thinking about the fact that we almost lost her many years before due to some strange and obscure health issue.  You can read about her ordeal in the article I wrote years ago.  The little dog that could.  

As I thought about what we went through as she and I both fought to keep her alive I wondered about plasma. As a last dish attempt to save her, Jessie was sent to a specialist to have a plasma transfusion.  At the time I never questioned it; we just did it in hopes of saving her.   But with all my thoughts of her this weekend I wondered what the difference is between a blood transfusion versus a plasma transfusion.  So off I head to the computer to do some research.  What I found was that there is a huge amount of information about the subject and that it can get quite complicated.

There is a good chance that Jessie's plasma came from Hemopet.  When we were a week into Jessie's mystery affliction that had seen no improvement with all the different things that they had tried, a plasma transfusion was required.  I'm trying very hard to remember what they had said but that is over 10 years ago now.  I have all the paper work from that time but I need to dig it out and have a read.  I do remember that it was suppose to help her little failing body; but it did not.  After her transfusion there was no improvement and in the end it was a tiny little pill; prednisone that saved her life.

I will look up her information today and add a note at the bottom of the blog.

What a little fighter she was.  Jessie was a very typical Jack Russell; a little spit fire ready to rumble at the drop of a hat.  She ruled our home for nearly 16 years and although her body was tiny her presence huge.  The last year for us has seen great change.  I constantly think of that little mighty girl and often think that I see her out of the corner of my eye.  A random white towel or pillow left on the ground can have me taken a second look.  I swear I can still hear her going through the dog door and every time I feed the dogs I am reminded of her.  Elsa learned that meal time was when the little dynamite white dog would come charging full force into the kitchen and often slamming into the oven as she tried to stop.

They are never really gone.  A year after, she can still make me smile as I think about her force.  What a force to be reckoned with; the mighty little Jessie, what a girl.

Show shots #2

More shots from the show. 

Great Dane, what a face.

Ibizan Hound, beautiful.

Black and Tan Coon hound, love these guys.

English Pointer pups meet Great Dane pup.  Check out those feet.

Handsome little man.

Going to be monster sized.

Brother and sister English Pointer pups, adorable.

Loving on their Mom.

Tuckered Toy Poodle.

Brussels Griffon just chill'n.

Show shots

I was at a dog show yesterday and got some great shots.  I rarely attend dogs shows but figured as it was in my own backyard that I'd visit and have a look around.  I like this one as there is lots of room to move.  Here are a few, more tomorrow as I have to get Luke out for his walk this morning.  Have a great day.  Enjoy.

Great Pyrenees 

Bouvier des Flandres 

Old English Sheepdog

These two were cute, both four months old and apprehensive to say hi.  A Newfoundland and Golden Retriever.

Dandie Dinmont, check out those eyes.

Soft coated wheaten terrier

Cocker Spaniel

Standard Poodle

Standard Poodle

Bichon being groomed

More tomorrow.  I don't typical blog on Sundays anymore but will post more shots from the show.

December 06, 2011

It was a day unlike any other; yesterday a year ago I was loading up my u-haul and leaving my home in Southern California to go to Connecticut.  My husband actually sent me an email yesterday saying "Happy anniversary."  I had remembered a few days before that this was the time but as yesterday rolled around I was simply out with my dogs enjoying.  I've been trying to savor every moment of December as I did not enjoy it last year.

After I got the email from my husband I sat and tried to remember; take it all in.  How I was feeling, what happened on that day and what lay ahead.  Funny how things can change so quickly.  I use to think that I had my life pretty much planned out ahead of me.  Now ask me where I'll be in a couple of years and your guess is as good as mine.  We really don't know what is ahead do we?  Perhaps it is a good thing because some of it can be pretty tough to bear.

I spent much of yesterday baking again.  While I baked I remembered what my kitchen looked like on the same day a year earlier.  It was empty, bare except for the wrappers from the take out that Brad (my son) and I had eaten.  There were cheerios on every ledge and window sill; we had a puppy who was in heavy duty training.  I tried hard to remember every detail; the last year has been a whirl wind and at some point you have to stop and remember.  I will take the time to remember it all this week.

Brad and I were in the car with the dogs for 6 whole days; 6 very long and trying days.  It was an emotional time for all of us and like everything else in life; it left us with lessons to grow on.  I learned a great deal about travelling with your dog; perhaps a book is down the road on those tips.  I saw the country and lived through an experience with my son that I will not soon forget.  It was a wonderful 6 days in that I got to spend 6 full days with my 21 year old son.  Probably something that we won't do again, so in that way I feel very lucky.  I have the most amazing son; actually beyond amazing if I do say so myself.

This blog may not seem like a dog blog but the trip was all about the dogs.  Had it not been for the dogs it would have never happened.  Each and every step that was made, taken in the trip was for the dogs.  Life throws us lessons on a daily basis; what we do with those lessens will impact our future life.  December 06, 2011 was the beginning of many lessons.

Everything that led up to that 6 day trip was a lesson.  Ah........life lessons can suck sometimes.  But they can also make things quite clear; when you see clearly you can move forward.  Some lessons have more impact than others and there are still some things left to be done to bring closure to it all.  The good, the bad and the ugly (you know who you are); it's all life and you do the best you can with what you are dealt with.  Correct?  

December 06, 2011

Just imagine

Imagine if every large scale breeder or miller was out of business?  I was just surfing the web and landed on a breeders page that I've seen before.  It is a huge operation with pages of puppies listed on their website.  They brag about their breeding facility as if it is a wonderful place.  Dogs are not livestock; they should NOT be raised as such.  They do not belong in kennels where there are special whelping rooms, puppy rooms and runs.  Dogs should be whelped and raised in a home.

I've seen a lot of these breeding facilities, even very clean ones and they disgust me.  One of the biggest problems now with dogs in rescues and shelters is the shear number of them.  With the economy in the state that it is in now, more people are having to give up their dogs.   Breeders are having to hold onto dogs longer and some even into adulthood.  Where you might have seen a few dogs available on these big puppy production sites several years ago, you are seeing more and more puppies and prices being dropped.  People are not buying dogs like they use to.  But the production continues.

Patience is a virtue and if we humans could learn this lesson perhaps there would not be so many dogs in shelters and rescues.  Impulse is a big factor in the number of dogs being dumped.  People don't think before they buy.  They see cute and want cute right away.  But what if they had to wait?  What if someone who wanted a puppy had to wait a week, several months or even a year?  That time might change everything; it could be enough to give a person some think time.  Maybe they would realize that they don't really want a dog, they wanted a puppy but it was impulse and that is all it was.

Good breeders don't just hand over puppies like the mass production places do.  Heck the big places will tell you that two puppies would probably be a better idea.  A good breeder can talk an impulse buyer out of getting a puppy.  So many people I talk to are horrified with what they are having to deal with when they get a new puppy.  Yes, puppies are a lot of hard work and can push you to your limits but you should know this before getting a puppy.  Maybe the idea of getting up three times a night, trying to sleep through the constant whining or barking would be enough to have you change your mind.

If all the mass production of dogs was stopped..........................just imagine.  What if all the millers were shut down?  There would be so many less dogs, that would be a wonderful thing.  If anyone breeding dogs, did it in small numbers in their home.  If all dogs were given one on one time, proper nutrition, socializing and care that they needed.  If puppy placement was done by a one on one basis, not by paypal online.   This has to happen, things are getting out of control and in a very bad way.

With the economy today shelters and rescue groups are shutting down.  They cannot deal with the number of animals, the sheer cost of care let alone the time.  It is time, if the big guys can't get it done then it needs to be the general public who stop it.  That means getting the word out, stopping the selling  of puppies in stores and online from the mass producers.  If you are going to buy a puppy make sure that it is someone who has one, maybe two litters a year and those puppies are raised in the breeders home.  Do not buy a dog that you can pay for online from a photo and have shipped to your home.

When I look at the websites of these people who have multiple litter listings at one time, I shudder.  Puppies born back to back 11/4, 11/10 and 11/28, three litters or more in a month?  There is a reason people do this, and it is not because they love puppies; it is because they love the money you are about to fork over.  Don't do it, do not hand your money over to someone who mass produces dogs.  Not even if it's clean, not even if they boast their beautiful breeding facility and not even if they convince you that they are not a miller.  Yes, I have written about this a lot and I will continue to do so until I don't have to anymore.

Patience is a virtue.......................just imagine.