Connecting

The sun is just coming up; Elsa is leaning all of her 500 lbs on me making it impossible to move let alone type.  It's chilly so her warmth is very welcoming in the early hours.  She's got one eye closed and one open watching her Dad get ready.  Yesterday she went for a run so being the intelligent girl that she is, she knows that she may be going again today.  She is.  From her comfy spot crushing me she's up in a flash with a simply hand signal from Dad.  Luke is in his typical spot at the end of the bed and is more than happy to stay in bed with Mom.  It is after all only 5 am, much too early for an old guy to go jogging.

I love it when the days start to get longer; it is just light enough for a jog early in the morning.  Elsa loves to run, I swear it is what she was born to do.  When I watch her run, she reminds me of a cheetah.    Especially when she has a fresh new hair cut.  She most definitely looks the part of the sporty girl that she is.  But it was not that long ago that it was Luke who was the one running with Dad.  Even though he has never been gifted with the athletic body that Elsa has, he could run like the wind and loved it.  Now he runs for a moment or two and he's good to meander.   He loves to socialize and smell the roses so to speak.

Elsa's early morning run not only helps to release some energy but it is a good bonding time for her and her Dad.  She is always with me, we are basically attached at the hip.  Bonding only happens with time spent; you cannot force a relationship it must be built.  Elsa adores her Dad but needs more one on one time with him.  I remember when Luke started running alone with Steve; their relationship changed completely.  The more time spent the stronger the bond; it's a win, win for everyone.

I have had many men complain about their dogs liking the Mom in the family better than them.  The family got a dog because the husband wanted one.  Once they had it the dog chose Mom as his one and only.  This is common, it's  all about time spent interacting.  When I am asked how to make a dog like someone my response is always the same.  Spend time with your dog.  Not just time in the house with the dog; connection time. Of course the simple act of performing your canine duties does not qualify as interaction.  If you perform the basic jobs like feeding or walking the dog as a drone; do not expect a connection.  The act alone will not build a relationship, you must interact.  Your dog may not even know you; and for sure you do not know your dog if you do not interact.  Coexisting is not the same as interacting.

Coexist - To exist separately or independently but peaceably.

Interact - to act on or in close relation with each other.

Two different words with two entirely different meanings.  There are those who just exist with their dogs.  The dog lives in the house with the human and that's about it.  If you want to have a relationship with your dog you must interact, connect.  Get to know one another and do it often.  Once you have a connection with a dog you will realize what you've been missing out on.  There is nothing to compare to it.  Once you interact on a level that creates a connection; you will be forever changed.

Let's talk dogs-nicely

I love to talk about dogs; if you ask me a question or would like to discuss the topic of dogs, I'm in.  I have a super radar for anyone talking dogs within ear shot of me.  I can be in the middle of a crowded mall and hear the word "dog" from afar.  But truly, this is why I love to blog and love to hear from my readers.   There is so much to know, tons to learn about canines.  I am always reading and love to hear new info from people who are in the world of dogs.  That is when they are truly interested in sharing information.

Lately I've been getting some nasty attack type comments both on my blog and my FB groups.  I guess the more "out there" in the public eye you are the more you draw those types.  The other day I had a very hateful comment on a blog I'd written about yanking on dog necks with a chain.  The comment addressed all sorts of things about training; things about positive training that the person hated, how treats can work but not in the hands of someone who doesn't know what they are doing and all other sorts of things that had nothing to do with the blog at all.  This person just wanted to rant at me.  Whatever.  I don't get it; do people have so little in their own lives that they feel the need to go on a full  attack of someone they do not know?

My blog is my opinion; why on earth would I write someone else's opinion.  As far as I'm concerned everyone has the right to their own opinion.  Yes you can totally and completely disagree with my opinion; you can even leave me a comment stating how you feel.  But DO NOT go on a personal attack; and DO NOT accuse me of wrong doings.  I do not tell people what to do, I share MY OPINION.   I have a great deal of experience with dogs; but like anyone else I have much more to learn.  You can never know it all and if you think that you do then there lies the biggest mistake of all.

I am one of those "evolving types," I believe that there could always be a better way and just because something has been done one way for years and years, in no way makes it the right way.  Sure it might be a good way and even the best way but you should never stagnate.   Sharing your experience is a great thing; passing it on can help so many other people and dogs.  Everyone has their own brain, they can do whatever they like with the information shared.  Some people are not the contemplating type; they don't spend hours pondering things in life.  They are told one thing and that's it for them.  Information received and stored and there is nothing that will break through.

But for those who want to learn more; who are always seeking new and better ways.................evolution is at your finger tips.  Read, read and read some more.  Question, ponder, ask, push and challenge.  Find your way, what makes you happy for yourself and for your dog.  I do what I think is right and when I find a new way, new product, or application that I agree with; I'm really happy.  Like my dogs, I will not pick a fight, nor will I back down from one, but mostly I will just walk away leaving the attacker to bluster away to the air.   So if you feel the need to attack me, my dogs or my work in some way; don't waste your breath because you will not take up a moment of my time and it is very easy to push the delete button on your bluster.

Antlers*

These are approximately 7-8 inches long.  I always err on the longer side when dealing with chews.  I also really like the shape of these.  The extra piece gave the dogs something to hold onto.   Sent to us from Bullytested.com to test and review. 

They arrived, our antlers or I should say the dog's antlers.  I've never given my dogs antlers before but was excited to give them a try.  Both of my guys are chewers; Elsa more so being a youngster but Luke likes a good chew as well.  I'd read up and done my research on antlers for dogs and was happy where these ones came from.  Bully Tested  - their antlers are naturally shed in the US, which is important.

Introducing the antler "yep, these are for you guys."   They sniffed and pushed it for a while.

Luke being more mature and experienced gave it a go first while Elsa watched intently.  

After much coaxing she gave it a try and never looked back.

After a bath and haircut the first thing she grabbed was her antler.  

She is having a good chew.

But having made a tactical error and gotten too close to Luke, she loses her antler momentarily.  

Of course there are two, but one is much better than the other.  

Don't worry, she got it back.  Luke just likes to take things to show her that he still can.  He always lets her have them back in a few minutes.  What a guy.  As you can see she has chewed the nub end, preferring that spot best.  

We also have a forked antler for Miss Penny.  She will be getting it in about a week and I will blog how that goes as well.  

As I type this blog Elsa has just ran down stairs and brought up one of the antlers.  It is definitely her go to chew right now.

                          Bully tested, yes; and Standard Poodle approved.

* Of course like anything you must supervise the use of antlers.  There is always a possibility of tooth damage when using hard chews.  So far both Elsa and Luke are simply enjoying them and have not had any issues.

I'll take a double

Click on the above photo to see this great new Children's book.  

Two dogs, down from four.  Just over fourteen months ago I had four dogs.  We went from four to two in a matter of three weeks; a tough transition to say the least.  It was a huge change in the pack structure and work.  Taking care of two geriatric dogs with not only old age issues but both had other medical issues as well.  That and then throw in a puppy; it was most definitely overwhelming at times.  But I wouldn't have changed a second of it; except to remove the medical issues from my old girls if I somehow could have.  Not for me but for them; so that their last days here on earth would have been less of a struggle.

Adding Elsa to our life was one of the best and most impactful additions we've ever made.  I cannot imagine Luke having to have gone through the loss of two life long companions alone.  The idea of going out and leaving him alone on his couch would break my heart.  He has Elsa and she could not be a better companion for him if we had special ordered her to a t.  She was in fact special ordered though; sort of.  When adding additional dogs to an existing pack you need to do it with your brain, not your heart.  We had old dogs, very old dogs and the one who we were most worried about was Tilley.  She was completely non dominant and I did not want a young bitch coming in and destroying her last years by pushing.

I had gone through several litters before we got Elsa.  None seemed to be the match I was looking for.  I talked to Elsa's breeder and explained exactly what I needed.  I was willing to wait for the perfect dog; not perfect in herself but a perfect fit in our pack.  I would pass on her litter if the dog I was looking for was not there; but luckily for us she was and she is a perfect fit.  Seeing Luke and Elsa together is pure joy.  She is everything that he needs and he fills her requirements as well.  Sure he could be a bit younger and more willing to play but she is a cup half full girl and ADORES her Luke.  She has lots of other friends to really rough house with and a new little sister (Penny).

Is two a good number?  For us, right now it is a perfect number.  I am enjoying the heck out of these two and with everything else I have on my plate as far as photography and writing; two is perfect.  I love that we can take them wherever we go and don't have to leave anyone at home.  When we travel, they travel great.  But of course there comes a time when we will add another and that is not too far off.  We will wait to see what happens in the next year on whether it will be a girl or boy addition.  Time will tell us that.

One?  No.  I'm not a one dog person.  I think that every dog deserves a dog of their own.  I love canine behavior far too much to miss out on any of it.  I cannot imagine having one dog, not for long anyway.  I always dreamed of having five dogs; five was the number I wanted.  Now that I am down to two from four, I'm good; really, really good.

I'm not saying that everyone needs to have two or more but I do.  Two is great but only if you want two dogs.  I do know some people who get a second dog for their dog but they didn't really want a second dog themselves. Not a great idea.  Two dogs is double the work, especially in the beginning.  It is very important to give all the dogs in your pack individual time; that can take a lot of time with the more dogs you have.  Is there too many dogs?  I think so, but that is a very individual thing.

I could not be happier that Luke has Elsa and Elsa has Luke.  I don't think they could love each other any more than they do and I truly believe that they were meant to be where they are today.  Each has so much to give the other.  One?  No not me.

My dog would NEVER

This dog is running towards me and clearly sees Luke.  But he wants nothing to do with Luke.  

How many times have I heard "my dog would never?"  Far too many times.  So many owners put blind and I really mean blind faith in the fact that their dog would never, just never.  I'm not talking specifics, but the "would never" is in regards to things that they shouldn't.   Perhaps growl at someone, snap, lunge, steal food, guard an object, fight, jump on someone, bark at a child etc. etc.  Never is a pretty serious word.

Never - Not ever at no time; not at all, absolutely not, to no extent or degree.

Pretty serious words.  Dogs are dogs and as dogs they will be dogs which means that they will act accordingly.  Often the way that they behave is not as we humans want or anticipate.  I regularly talk to owners who have been shocked by their dogs behavior; but when they fully explain to me what happened in the event; the behavior was pretty normal for a canine.  Most humans do not understand canine behavior; not real canine behavior that is.  Many people have the craziest ideas in their head as to what is going on in their dog's head.

Humans tend to generalize far too much when it comes to their dog.  If their dog likes children then they like all children.  Their dog loves to hug and snuggle so they would surely enjoy a snuggle from a neighbor.  Their dog shares toys and bones with their other dogs all the time so of course it would share with any dog right?  WRONG, on all cases.

Dogs have clear rules and those rules are very bendable as they see fit.  Even within a pack there are rules that can change if just one element is different.  What if your dog loves to be hugged by your child?  Does that mean that they always want to be hugged?  NO.  That is why SUPERVISION is a must between dogs and children.  So many accidents that I read about fall solely on the humans.  Where human adults err in judgement and responsibility, dogs and children suffer.

What makes sense to a dog as far as a response may shock an owner.  A behavior that startles an owner is typically one that has unraveled without an owner ever seeing it.  Almost every behavior can be explained by someone who knows canines and their true behavior.  All dogs have limits, even Lassie would have had limits.  But if you aren't paying attention you would never know what was coming.  Maybe Lassie hated being pet on top of her head like many dogs.  Maybe the neighbor never knew this and when he went to pat her on the head she barked menacing at him.  Which of course had the owner run outside to see what his bad dog had done.  What?  Lassie a bad dog?  No Lassie's owner would have been bad in this case.  Do you see where I'm going with this?

Yesterday I met a really great lady and her dog at the park.  Elsa was dying to play with him; a 9-10 month old Lab.  Luke on the other hand is not typically a Lab fan so I kept him back until I saw the behavior of the Lab.  He was quite timid so things changed for Luke's Lab rule.  With a close eye on Luke I noticed that after about 10 min. he had decided to give the young'n one of his "I'm the king around here," barks.  But before he got the chance I called Luke to me.  I could clearly see him pumping up for his lesson.  It wasn't going to be anything bad but the little timid guy didn't need it.  Had I not been watching or assumed the initial interaction was the way it would be, I would have let the little guy down.

Never assume with your dog.  Whenever you do, you know that's when something will happen.  Dogs are dogs, not humans and they do not live by our rules.  Sure they learn amazingly how to live in our world but unless they have experienced every single moment and situation in life there will be things that bring out the real dog in them.  After all they are dogs right?  

A little of this and a little of that

I love that I can feed my dogs pretty much everything.  We are sitting here in bed enjoying our morning snack together like every other morning.  But this morning its meatloaf, cheesy turkey meatloaf; one of my favorites.  We don't always share our 1st breakfast, depends on what we are having.  Our 1st breakfast is small, a light snack before heading to the gym.  For the dogs it is the wake-up food that they have to get them over the 'Mom's at the gym' time.  Then we head out to a park where they get more food.  Often their first breakfast consists of meat, cheese or some pre-made snacks like organic chicken/rice sticks from Trader Joe's.  It all depends on what I'm eating.

Once we are at the park they get more snacks.  I keep all sorts with me but the chicken/rice sticks are a staple pretty much.  I often bring along fresh cooked chicken, beef or liver as well.  This is when Luke loves to eat.  As Elsa does her chuck it time, he eats.  Then back at home and all rested and cooled down it's breakfast time.  Mine and theirs.  Yesterday they had their meatloaf; beef, turkey, salmon, green beans etc.  Then mid afternoon it was bone time, raw beef rib bones covered in meat.  Elsa is surely getting the hang of the bone thing now and dug in right away.  She even stole Luke's when he got up for a bathroom break.

Dinner was beef, raw with broccoli and a bit of oatmeal.  Then before bed it's another snack.  Right now these guys are eating Now by Petcurean as their before bed snack.  This is the time when Luke loves to snack as well.  What a guy.  He lays on our bed and has his before bed snack, then he gets a drink of water without ever having to leave the comforts of his throne; or our bed.  :)  So as you see they eat a big variety of foods even within one day.  Also throughout the day if I am eating something dog appropriate and they are not begging; I share.

The more variety you give your dog the more variety that you can give them.  It makes life much more simple in the feeding department.  I make them their own special cookies which they love and I am always trying new foods out.  There is always something new on the market; not all worth trying but if I think it sounds good we try it.  Variety is the spice of life; it is also the best way to maximize nutritional intake.

If you are a feed only one type of dog food (kibble) type person; step out of your box today and add some variety to your dog's life.  They will thank you for it.

Association - the good, the bad and the ugly.

Association - the connection of relation of ideas, feelings, sensations, etc.;correlation of elements of perception, reasoning or the like.

In our human world, association has many meanings but in the canine world the term association is at the very heart of it all.  I have written about association often but when something is as paramount as this single connection, it is important that all of those who deal with dogs clearly understand the full magnitude of it.  It is how dogs learn, but that does not mean that everyone uses it in a positive manner, many use it's negative attributes as well.  My dogs learn that if they quietly walk past another dog and mind their own business that they will be praised or perhaps get a treat.  Other dogs may learn that if they walk past another dog quietly they will not feel the pain of a collar correction.  Both association but used exclusively different.

Association is amazing in the world of dogs.  They associate things that we may try very hard to figure out how the association was ever made.  I have been called out on many 'behavior' sessions when a dog is displaying odd conduct.  I often have to sit and think for sometime before I can figure it out.  Then there are times when no explanation can be found and we simply need to deal with what is presented before us.

Pulling up to the Veterinarians office I can already see the dread in Tilley's eyes.  With a nose far beyond what we could ever hope for she associates a very negative experience.  Being left, each one of my dogs have had a negative association with the Vet after being left.  It is not that they hate them there, it is because at one point I left them.  Tilley's was probably the worst reaction as she was such a sensitive girl.  Her response was immediate and intense and no matter how much I ignored the behavior or how many 'good' trips we made there was still the lingering negative attached to the Vet.

Have you ever been out at a park when you hear someone calling to their dog and clearly see that the dog is not coming at all?  The owner then resorts to "cookie" and the dog comes flying in.  This always makes me laugh because the owner just doesn't get how easy it is to train dogs.  They never trained their dog that coming was a good thing but the dog has a clear understanding of what "cookie" means.  Although say it enough times with no cookie afterwards and it too will lose it's luster.

Association is the pairing of a similar response to an action.  Some dogs associate very quickly, Elsa for one.  She learns amazingly fast and I find myself often having to unteach something that she has picked up too quickly.  I watch dogs, I love their behavior and I could watch it all day long.  But our dogs watch us much more than we watch them.  Associations can be caused by our own behavior.  It is very important to watch our own responses to situations because when we react, our dogs learn from us.

Elsa has learned that when I say 'stop' she is to stop doing whatever she is doing.  But if her Dad says 'stop' accompanied with laughter, then 'stop' means nothing.   She will continue to rough house until he stops laughing.  She's a smart cookie.  Luke has an intense fear of slamming doors.  Many years ago a slamming door awoke him from a deep sleep causing him to slip into a fairly bad seizure.  This only happened once but has remained a strong association.  This is the reason that we prop all possible slamming doors with something heavy, especially on windy days.

Teaching dogs new behaviors via positive reinforcement is elementary my dear friends if you associate correctly.  Timing is everything, association happens rapidly and instantly connects action/reaction.  You must associate a behavior with a correct response or reward.  This is why clicker training works so well; when you have your timing down you can pinpoint correct behaviors.  The click sound marks the correct behavior and the treat follows.  The click has great power if it has been primed correctly.  Before clicker training you teach the dog that the sound of the click means a treat will follow.  So even if a dog is across a room you can still mark an appropriate behavior.

So what about the ugly part of association?  Physical responses delivered in a negative manner are the ugly.  A dog that grows accustom to being hit, yanked or pushed when they exhibit certain behaviors.  Perhaps a puppy that nips is slapped in the face each time.  They will soon duck after they nip, fully expecting a hit.  That same dog may eventually bite the hand of a unsuspecting stranger when they go to pet it.  A hand coming towards them takes on a different meaning and a negative association is created.  The dog habituates the act of a hand approaching their face and may bite the hand before it can hit.  

This is the same reason that alpha rolling is such a dangerous act.  Many of the old time trainers use it in their everyday repertoire of tricks.  Alpha roll your dog for everything.  But what if your dog fights you?  What if your dog will not submit?  Where do you go from there?  It's like skipping ahead to the worst punishment before trying anything else.  A dog who is alpha rolled as a disciplinary action often becomes a very insecure dog.  They never learn the appropriate behavior, they are always simply flung over and pushed to the ground until they submit.  The association caused by alpha rolling can quickly turn very ugly with a dog who goes on the defense.  An aggressive response is common in dogs who are rolled regularly.

Association is a very cool thing if handled positively.  The tiniest of actions from us can have our dogs responding, so use it correctly and grow that amazing connection we have with our dogs in a positive manner.

Grass

This was taken in the fall of 2011, no fresh grass on this day.  

I wanted to talk about grass this morning.  Dogs eat grass, almost all do it at some time or another.  But did you know that not all grass eating is the same.  First there is the ever familiar frantic consumption of grass; followed shortly by the inevitable vomiting.  Dogs know when they are not feeling well; they may have stomach upset or simply feel nauseous so they eat large amounts at a fast pace to induce their stomach contents to purge.   When dogs head out on a mission to eat enough grass fast enough to vomit you should stand back and let it happen.  They will typically eat any grass in site and seem to be very frenzied in their behavior because they want to feel better.

Many owners stop their dog from eating grass when they see this behavior.  You should not stop them.  Of course if your dog is exhibiting this behavior often, then you need to seek Veterinarian attention.  There could be something wrong with your dog or your dog's food.  But most dogs will eat grass and vomit on occasion, it happens.  When your dog does go on a crazed grass eating binge you should try to direct them to grass that is appropriate for consumption.  ie. grass that is not treated.

Then there is the grass eating that many dogs do..................................well, just because.  Luke is a grass eater; he loves to nibble on grass often.  If we happen to have had rain recently and have a fresh crop of tender baby grass, he is in heaven.  Elsa has learned the joy of eating select savory grass from Luke, she watches every move he makes.  Grass contains a great deal of nutrients; nibbling on it is quite normal in our dogs.  Of course some dogs like grass more than others, like Luke.

What's in grass?  Click on the link below and go down about 2/3's of the page to find the grass section.

Raw wild foods

But you must take precautions when your dog eats grass.   Depending on where you are, you may or may not want your dog eating the local grass.  If we are at a park that is groomed, no grass eating is allowed.  Chemicals are all over most manicured lawns.  I DO NOT allow chemicals on my own lawn and have fired two lawn services over the application of such after asking specifically for it not to be used. When we are down in the canyon and have had a fresh rain, my two look like cows enjoying the new fresh baby shoots of grass.  There is no vomiting afterwards and the actual consumption is done in a very calm and relaxing................almost zen like manner.

Not all grass eating is bad, you must be aware of the difference in behavior when you see it.  But even if a dog is eating grass frantically, don't stop it; they need to get rid of something.  Do take great care not to allow grass eating when you aren't sure about what might be on the grass.  But it is a very normal activity in dogs.  I regularly plant fresh wheat grass in a pot for my dogs.  I show them the pot and let them know that it is for them by praising them for nibbling on it.  It needs to be replanted often to stay fresh and that reminds me that I need to get out and get more for these two curly coated cows.

What a pair

Penny came for a four day visit, and like every other time she has come over the two were playing before she can fully get in the front door.  Let the games begin.  

One of Penny's favorite things to do is stalk Elsa from across the yard and then launch.

Penny had just woke up from a nap here and wasn't quite ready to get started yet.  Elsa of course was.

What a stocky little body.

Penny always keeping a close eye on the neighborhood crows.

I just love capturing moments like this.  Here they were at a much more mellow stage of play but it looks like Penny is giving Elsa an earful. 

They joys of biting.  If you look closely you can see one missing tooth in Penny's mouth. Her gums are also swollen from teething.  Losing those little razor teeth, nice.

Elsa spotted a tiny twig on the ground, of course then Penny saw it too.  Elsa grabbed it and ran off with Penny following.  They played with that little twig for a while.  I thought of how we are amazed when Dolphins do things like this but for dogs it is quite normal. 

Eye on the ball but going for the leg take down to acquire it.

Another launch.

Sneak attack.

Yet another launch,

and another,

and another.

Obviously one of Penny's favorite things to do, launch.

Funny little pig/shark.

She is getting much more agile.

Too small to get up on Grandma's bed yet.

What a face.

It doesn't matter how many toys you have, they always want the same one.

Elsa loving every second.

Miss Penelope, a funny little girl.  

Oh those ears

Dog ears, keep your eye on them because they hold a great deal of information in them.  Having just had our little Granddog for four days the subject of ears comes up a lot.  She has big huge upright ears that are in constant motion.  Every thought she has moves her ears, it is quite adorable as she is an emotional little thing.  She is tough and durable but sensitive as well.   After two days I had mastered her "bad" ears; the ones she got on before she did something she shouldn't do.  They were held high, only slightly turned outward and it was a second before she was hurling herself onto the counter after the fresh meatloaf I'd made.

As you all know I'm a watcher and ears deserve a great deal of our watch time.  Much is said about tails but ears can give just as much information as a tail.  A tail is more simple, ears say all sorts of things can change what a tail is saying completely.  To know what is going on you must look at the whole package, tail, ears and body posture.  If you watch the ears closely you will be amazed at how much they move.  Of course it is easier to see the movement in the upright smooth haired ears versus big furry, floppy ones.

Yesterday I had just come home as my husband pulled into the driveway.  I went into the house first and greeted the dogs, telling them that Dad was coming.  I left the front door open for Elsa to see him coming up the walkway.  I kept my eye on her as I listened to my husband get of his truck and close the door.  I knew immediately when he appeared on the scene.  Elsa's ears dropped straight down, she trembled and they dropped down even lower, a submissive but happy greeting signal to her Dad.

If you happen to spend time with a bunch of dogs, watch their ears.  It is fascinating to learn the ins and outs of ear movement.  Like anything else with dogs, there is a difference in all; so get to know your own dog's ears.  Some use them more than others but all use them.  I am constantly asking Luke "what sort of ears are those" when he has "ears on."  Many times when it is around the hour of his Dad's arrival after work, Luke has his backwards ears on.  He gets quite the face on as well as he listens.  He is listening for the slightest sound that means that his Dad has arrived.  His ears are turned as far back as they can go and they stay there until Dad arrives.

There are happy, sad, attentive, aggressive, dominant, submissive, irritated, listening, upset and everything in between ears.  Get to know them, it is another important factor in truly reading our dogs.

Attached?

I'm attached are you?  I am attached but I am not hurting anyone.  That's right, I'm physically attached to my dogs when I need to be; that meaning a leash law or safety reasons.  My attachment of choice is a harness, the Easy Walk Harness by Premier to be specific.   Today's blog is about choke collars as you may have guessed or heard already.  My inspiration for the blog was a chance interaction with a woman at the park yesterday.  It ended with her walking away with her hand up, palm facing me so you can guess how it went.  

I took little Miss Penelope out yesterday.  Earlier in the morning I had dug out a harness that I'd purchased for Jessie years ago but it had always been too big.  I was pretty sure that it would fit Penny and it did, it was perfect.  It was the Roadie car harness which I needed to keep her in one spot while we drove to the park.  It worked perfectly and she lay quiet as a mouse on our short trip.  Once there I kept the harness on to continue on our walk and it looked very comfy.  We were only a few feet into our walk when a group of women came by, one had a dog.  

Penny and I moved off of the path to let them pass when I noticed the poor choking dog.  I quickly assessed the group and felt that maybe I shouldn't, but I had to.  I called out "have you ever tried the Easy Walk harness?"  The little 15 lb dog was pulling like crazy and the woman kept pulling, long and slow yanks on the collar.  Every once in a while she'd give it a more serious yank.  I had to say something and you never know.  Sometimes people actually listen, not often but sometimes.  The owners body posture told me right away what she was about to say.  "I volunteer at the shelter and this is what they told me to use, I'm using this harness for training now," she said angrily.  "You mean that choke collar?"  I shouted back.  

The response I got from her is typical, angry.  Just a few weeks ago I did the same thing and got a surprisingly positive response.  The couple stopped and we talked a long time about options and how they should deal with pulling.  They actually thanked me as they walked away.  But not yesterday, I continued to explain to the woman how the collar damages the neck as she walked away waving her hand "thank you, thank you, I'm doing what the shelter told me."  I had one final thing to tell her "you might want to look it up!" and she was gone.  

I am hoping that maybe, just maybe our interaction gave her a moment of thought.  A dogs neck is a delicate thing, not the durable, unbreakable structure that many think.  But more so than not we just don't think about it.  Choke collars have been around forever and as far as I am concerned they should now be history.  They should be among the other things left in the past that we look back and and say "remember when?"  But sadly they are not, they are cheap and the old timers still believe in them.

Choke collars choke, hence the name.  Many strong believers say that if used properly that they do no damage.  I disagree.  I am not a person to spout about things I've never dealt with; I've used choke collars and this is why I don't and won't use them again.  I am not here to tell you not to use them or that you are a bad person if you do; I am simply explaining why I don't.    

But here are a few facts on the subject.  

Dr. Dodd's Health Resource Blog

Train Humane Campaign

Dog Games (Graphic photos)

Dr. Dobias on choke collars

Dr. Jeff Nichol

A dog's neck was not meant to have a chain around it.  Contrary to popular belief like many things that have gone on for years and years, it's not okay to yank on our dog's necks.  It hurts and it can cause lasting and permanent health and pain damage that might only be seen via x-ray or mri.  This like many other things that go in the "it's just what we do," department need a good clear thinking through.  Sit down, pour yourself a coffee or tea and think.  Do you think that putting a chain around your dogs neck and giving even the slightest of yanks is okay?  I don't. 

Tired and cranky

Have you ever been to the dog park or beach and seen a cranky pants?  The dog who doesn't want to plays but gets mad easily and is overly aggressive.  That particular dog may have that sort of temperament but he might also be over tired.  Too many dogs that go to the park or beach stay too long causing exhaustion aggression.  I remember back when Luke was little and we were at the dog park often for socializing.  When I arrived I regularly saw cranky dogs and when I asked the owner how long they'd been there, some told me hours.  Wow.

Dogs are all different, each one very individual and their exercise requirements are the same.  But no dog has to run for hours and hours unless of course that is their job.  Exercise is a build up to it thing just like with humans.  You cannot expect a dog to run 10 miles which is easily done at a dog park in several hours and not be phased mentally by it.  There is also a huge difference in running with other dogs and just running.  When a dog is at a park with constant canine stimulus it can get to be too much.  Interacting with different dogs can be stressful, even for the most social types.  Stay there too long and things can go from great to very bad.

So how long is too long.  Know your dog.  Are they a very social type who deals with lots of different dogs easily?  Maybe they are social but only like one on one really nice and easy play.  Really knowing your dog and their limits is essential.  My Motto for dog beaches or parks is "short and sweet."  Get in and get out.  Always end on a positive as well, that is very important.  If something bad happens at a park, stay long enough for your dog to have a good association before leaving.

Even play dates in your own home must be monitored and kept short.  When Elsa and Penny are playing, I often grab Penny and put her down for a nap.  Neither will nap on their own when in each others company so I must facilitate a rest time so that it doesn't get too rough and out of control.  Penny is still very young and gets tired easily although she'd never admit it.  Elsa can go forever I think but she too needs sleep and does much better with lots of time outs.  The play gets fast and out of control when Penny gets tired.  But before that happens I will pull her out and put her down for a nap.  

Dogs can get their fill of stimulus and exercise very quickly.  They naturally sleep far more than we do and they most definitely need it.  Think of a pack of wolves, most of their energy is spent on a kill.  The chase is intense which demands a huge amount of energy reserve.  They don't waste a whole lot of unnecessary monkeying about.

Tired is good, exhausted is not.  Dogs who are exhausted and continue to interact with others can get very cranky.  Just think how you feel at the end of a rough day.

Remember this always when you are out socializing with your dog; "quit while you are ahead."  My motto in life.

Runaway

You'd think that being RED would help in a sea of gray, black and white cars.  This pic was taken when I first go my Xterra.  

Saving dogs; we would all drop what we are doing to save a dog right?  Many times I have pulled to the side of the road in attempts of rescuing a dog running in the street.  It can be nearly impossible; most  dogs freak out if you try to grab them so the fact that you are trying to save them is insignificant to them.  All they know is that in an already panicked state; they now have a stranger following and trying to catch them.  But is there a right and wrong way to approach this saving a dog's life thing?  This morning I would most definitely say a big YES.

Yesterday morning after a wonderful but cold trip to the park we were nearing our home when we were in an accident.  First let me say that both Luke and Elsa are fine; shaken but fine.  After three rear end collisions in my past, another was not what I needed really.  It all started almost a block from my home; like two other very similar rear end collisions I've had.  Traffic started to slow; looking around to find the cause of the slowing traffic there seemed to be nothing.  But the cars ahead of me were coming to a stop so I did too.  I thought perhaps there was something blocking the street.  Then I heard it; that horrible screeching of tires when someone has hit their brakes, hard.  When you hear the noise you do not want to look into your rear view mirror and see what I saw.  A van sliding towards us, smoke engulfing it from the tires burning on the road.

I braced for impact.  It all happened so fast and in an instant I hoped that she might stop before getting to us.  She must have been going extremely fast, way over the speed limit to be creating the noise and smoke.  So many things go through your head when this happens but it is all within seconds of time.  She hit and she hit hard.  Luckily I was able to avoid hitting the car in front of me.  I let out a few choice words and pulled over.  REALLY???? A fourth rear ender?  Do I honestly have a target on the back of my car?  They ended up taking the woman on a board with her neck and back in a brace to the hospital in an ambulance.  My neck and back have once again taken a hit that was very much avoidable.

A dog, a tiny runaway dog caused this.  Yes the woman should have been driving safely enough to stop as I did but it all started with a dog and human error.  The dog was not in the middle of the road, it was running down the side of the road.  YOU DO NOT STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.   If you have to stop, pull over.  There is no point in trying to save a dog if you risk injuring people or other dogs.  Accidents happen but when they happen out of human error it just makes you mad.  I didn't need to be hit, my back didn't need it, my car or the dogs.  The woman driving the car in front of me caused it all.  She made a very large mistake stopping in the middle of the road.

Slow down, this is the first thing to do.  Slowing is a heads up to people.  I knew as soon as I came up to the slowing car that something was up.  I couldn't see what it was but I knew that there was a reason for the cars slowing.  STAY OUT OF THE ROAD.  Unless you can clearly see that the road is void of traffic, stay out.  There were people all over the road trying to catch this dog.  That is a recipe for several accidents.  If you can safely stop the traffic then yes stop it but great care must be taken to give people a heads up.  I'm betting that the lady who slammed into me was texting; she most certainly was not paying attention.  She slid for so long before hitting me that she also had to be speeding a great deal.    So this particular woman in her van may have been an accident waiting to happen and placed into this scenario where there were so many safety errors made, it was the place and time to happen.

The first person to grab the dog was bitten.  The little 5 lb dog was caught before they even took the woman away in the ambulance.  My husband came and picked up Luke and Elsa and brought them home while I waited for all the accident stuff that needs to get done.  The dogs were very shaken and I have no doubt that Luke will be very sore today.   I believe that Elsa will need work creating a positive association with the car once we get it back and it is good to go.  All of this out of human error.

The little dog did not cause the woman who slammed into me to do so, that was clearly a lack of attentive driving.  But it did cause the woman in front of me to make a bad judgement call.  PULL OVER.  Saving a life is intense; it can be a make or break moment.  But there are right and wrong ways to attempt it, smart and stupid.

Dog talk

Yesterday I sat watching Elsa and Penny play for hours.  I could literally watch them for the entire day but I wouldn't get much done, not that I did get a whole lot done yesterday anyway but they would also get too tired if they didn't have several intermissions.  By the end of the evening the two were in play induced comas.  Nice.  Elsa is a champion at reading and speaking dog.  Lots of dogs are but there are a good number who are just not great communicators, much like humans.

Elsa has always been good at reading other dogs but not just the reading; her responses are pretty much spot on.  Penny is pretty good, she is still learning and not always appropriate in her responses.  Some puppies are a bit more persistent and a little less in tune with the needs or desires of others.   Luke has made it quite clear that he is not interested in sparking up a relationship with her.  But with the sheer determination of a female Bull Terrier she is not giving up.  She wants him desperately to be her friend; even though he has made it very clear that he doesn't need anymore friends.

When Elsa and Penny were playing yesterday, little Penny lost interest for a while.  This is not okay with Elsa so she pulled out all her best "tempt them" tricks.  She lay down which got Penny's attention.  But it didn't work well enough to get her to come and play.  So Elsa ran and got a toy and dropped it to the ground.  Again she got Penny's attention but still not enough to entire her  in more play.  So Elsa picked up the toy and lay down; resting her head on the ground to look as tempting as she could.  It worked!!!!! Penny flew into action and Elsa was very happy.

Then last night the two girls were in the kitchen brawling.  They began a game of tug of war when Elsa decided to add some growling to the fun.  She hadn't displayed this during tugging yet and it through little Penny.  Her ears went down and her tail wagged fast and low.  She dropped to her side and did some slithering around.  It was very appropriate behavior from a puppy dealing with an angry adult.  Except that it was a play growl from Elsa that Penny didn't quite understand.  A few more play growls and she'll get the hang of it.  It's all a learning curve and they are all different in their curve of learning.  :)

Where's the beef?

Where's the beef?  Well, I know where there is a good amount of beef but it sure is not in many of the breeds today.    My little Granddog has a great deal of beef.  Penny is staying with us for a four day visit and when she arrived yesterday I was quite shocked by the amount of beef on her.  Which of course has left me wondering where it has gone for many breeds.  Many of you know about Luke's lack of beef, substance or muscle.  He was born and bred a show dog and has suffered for his lack of muscle over the years.  No more so then now though as he ages and loses what little beef that he did have.

I have written about this subject several times but feel the need to bring it up again.  I have seen many breeds go down the same lack of muscle road and it is sad.  Some breeds are going the opposite way, seeming that they can never have enough beef.  Bulldogs and Pit Bulls come to mind after seeing many images of muscle bulging beasts that can barely move because of their over abundance of muscle.   But lets not venture there right now; I want to address the lack of muscle, not over abundance.                        

Fine, flashy, showy, etc. etc.  Moving as if they are literally not touching the ground.  How do you get these lighter than air effects?  By removing substance or beef as I call it.  Lighter bone is also a problem but that is also another subject.  I saw a very nice poodle the other day and she had beef, great beef that made me happy.  When you have a muscle deficiency a dog cannot move like they should.  Sure they might be light on their feet but muscle gives you power; power to move in all different directions.

Muscle protects ligaments, tendons and joints.  Without a good amount of muscle those other body parts are in jeopardy of injury.  Of course there is a natural variation in muscle in every being, like anything else.  But when breeders selectively breed for less to improve the lighter than air effect they are actually handicapping their dogs and opening up all sorts of other physical issues.  I am seeing far too many dogs now who are becoming leggier, but without muscle in those legs.

It is all in our hands, or the breeders hands I should say.  One can take away or give as they see fit.  A phrase that I really hate hearing is "better the breed."  This is purely a personal opinion thing.  There are those making things worse and then the ones trying to fix things.  But both consider themselves to be "bettering the breed."  I'm with those trying to give back; giving back a workable body.  A body that can work through the rigors of a whole day of athletic stuff without suffering injuries due to a fragile body.  You can only work with what you've been given so I ask you, where's the beef?

Weekend fun

Last weekend I asked for folks to send in some photos of what you did on the weekend with your pooch.  Thank you so much for sending in these photos and a little something about your gang.  I just love seeing and hearing about how other dog lovers spend time with their dogs.  This is very cool, a little piece of heaven if you ask me.

Three dogs, 30 acres, a flock of sheep and a herd of miniature horses; what could be more fun?

Pearl, the light color Standard Poodle is an avid sheep herder.  Boo, the 14 year old (wow) black lab is a master fetcher.  Boo assists with herding when Pearl needs a bit of help.  Although her herding technique is quite different than Pearl as Boo considers the sheep to be non existent.  The only assistance that she offers is in the form of chasing a strategically thrown ball.  She will go get her ball right where she is needed but then she returns.  So it is more the talent of the thrower I think.  ;)

Last but not least is Amber, 9 year old apricot Standard Poodle who is as her Mom calls her a diva.  She is a faithful companion and loves to hang out with Mom for carriage rides with the miniature horses.  She is an ambassador for the breed which in my opinion is a very serious and important job.  

  

Ode to the Chuck It.

The Chuck It..........oh how I love my Chuck It.  Chuck It?  You've never heard of a Chuck It?  This cannot be, but perhaps maybe you have not heard of the Chuck It.  The Chuck It has single handedly revolutionized the art of retrieving as a past time and wonderful way to exercise your dog.  As most of you know I have recently had a knee injury; because of this I am slightly out of commission.  Not completely but I cannot do what I typically do with the dogs which is walk, and walk a lot.  Normally we head out to the park along with my trusty Chuck It.  We make our way several times around the park, more or less depending on what park we are at.  Luke meanders around, sniffing everything he sees that needs sniffing and peeing on of course.  Elsa does her Chuck It.

I have to admit, I throw like a girl.  That's right, I said it; I throw completely like a girl.  No matter how much weight I curl or press............the throwing remains the same.   It is really pathetic, but with my trusty Chuck It I throw like a superstar.  You heard correctly, a SUPER STAR.   I can throw that thing nearly the length of a football field, I swear.  This makes exercising Elsa, easy.  Before Elsa arrived and well into her little puppy stage the Chuck It remained stored.  I hadn't used it in years; having lived with senior dogs for so many years it just was not needed.  Luke is not allowed to go after the ball or anything else because he gives it his all which at 12.5 is too much.  He almost always hurts himself so he is sidelined for good as far as retrieving goes.**

Elsa on the other hand is not even in her prime yet although I cannot imagine her getting any better than she already is at it.  She loves her Chuck It like nothing else and if I have it on me, she is on me.  But even that I have to be careful about as she tends to do circles when she thinks that I might throw the ball.  Even if the Chuck It is not yet in my hand.  Her circles are different than most as they are driven by the weight of her butt; she swings that sizable ba-dunk around with some power behind it.    So if that thing hits your leg on the way around it is enough to injure a completely healthy knee so I am being very careful about the circles.

Some folks say that the Chuck It is dangerous or can lead to injuries but have you ever seen Elsa do anything else?  Even playing with another dog, she gets slammed, slams others, ends up on her head.  The Chuck It can be overused I imagine.  I keep it at an absolute max of 15 extreme throws, but typically less and sometimes they are just small throws.  But it is enough for her to open up and get a good rip.  She needs it and once she's had her rip she's good for the day.

Oh how I love my Chuck It.

**We just got back from another walk and Luke actually had a turn.  He was being very goofy and ran after Elsa with the ball.  I asked him if he wanted a turn and he did.  So I grabbed hold of Elsa and tossed it far enough that it would take him a while to get to.  This ensures that he doesn't dive too hard to get the ball.  He picked it up and headed back but dropped it along the way to smell a few things and Elsa grabbed the ball back.  He was very goofy again and came in for his treats.  What a guy.

Did you know? Who's in?

There are 161 AKC (American Kennel Club) recognized  breeds of dogs.

175 recognized by the CKC (Canadian Kennel Club.)

The UKC (United Kennel club) recognizes over 300 different breeds.

That is a whole lot of different breeds.

The Labrador Retriever has been named the most popular breed once again in 2013.  This is the 22nd straight year for this breed to receive the title.

The German Shepherd is number 2.

The Golden Retriever 3 and the Beagle 4; and my breed, the Standard Poodle is #8, really?

But from where I stand and walk I'd have a very different list.  Yes the Labrador would be up there but it would be battling it out with the Golden Retriever.  A clear second would be the ever popular Doodle, not a breed unto itself but very, very popular indeed.  The Doodle as I refer to is a mix of anything and a poodle.  There is just about every combination you could think of these days and they come in small, medium and large sizes.

The next would have to be the Puggle (mix of a Pug and Beagle) ; oh yes, these little guys are everywhere.

Hmmmmmm...........let me think.  I see a lot of Jack Russell's still, quite a few Lhasa Apso's and actually quite a few Rhodesian Ridgebacks.  I'm not sure if there is a local breeder of Ridgeback's around here but there are an awful lot of them.  I am surprised that I don't see more PWDs (Portuguese Water Dogs) or the President's dog around.  Typically when a dog breed is in the spotlight it is a doomed sentence for the breed.  Bad breeders jump on the band wagon and pump those babies out as fast as they can but the Doodle seems to at the top of the millers list right now.  Sad, very sad.

I see lots and lots of Pit Bulls and Pit mixes.  This is most definitely due to a high volume of Pit Bull rescues and rescuers.

What happens to a breed or mix of breeds that becomes popular is just what I said, doom.  No, I do not want my breed to become the "in" breed.  I see far too many breeds completely ruined by the bad breeders out there.  What becomes popular also fills up the rescues and shelters.  It is a life sentence to become the "in" breed.

Not only can a breed or mix become the "dog to have" at the moment.  But color and or style can become very popular.  I am seeing quite a few breeds with new colors becoming a problem.  I see it in my own breed and I worry.  Red has become the "in" color and now that is all we are seeing.  Is this going to become a health issue?  It most certainly could.  What happens when people are looking for something very particular is that they stay within a small genetic circle; never, ever good.  But if the "good" breeders put the focus on breeding healthy dogs then hopefully the new "in" color will thrive instead of weaken.

It happened with the Goldens; everyone wanted a Platinum color or dark red.  So yep, they were pumped out in numbers to meet the demand.  The prices also go up for those "high demand" colors.  As far as I am concerned, color is way down at the bottom of the list as far as importance.  Health, structure and temperament is important, more extremely important.  But color, no.

Being the "in" dog is not a good thing.  But as we humans do we ride a wave of popularity until it is saturated.  Then we toss push the past aside; making room for the next wave of "in."  Sad but true.

A wrench

Well there is officially a wrench in my life right now but I'm hoping that it will only be here for a short time.  I pushed my leg usage yesterday; I hate nothing more than being sick or injured.  Times when I cannot do my normal routine or whatever it is that I want to do, I get very cranky.  Luke and Elsa missed out on their walk yesterday of course.  But I am going to try today.  I spent a good long time in the yard throwing Elsa's ball for her and she was happy as a clam.  Luke doesn't mind missing a day; his walks are pretty small now, used more for an outing than a physical exercise time.  Of course the movement is good for him because he tends to stiffen up if he lays to long at a time.  But he does like to just get out; most dogs love to go in the car and go somewhere, anywhere.

I'm going to wrap my knee up to keep it stable and try to get on with my day.  I actually got quite a bit done yesterday, albeit at a much slower pace.  I'm a fast walker, my kids use to tell me to slow down all the time.  When Tilley started to slow down I found it very hard to adjust to walking slowly.  I had to so I did and I'm pretty good at it now.  Having lived with Jessie and Tilley through their golden years I learned to walk where you are almost not walking.  It makes you just slow everything down.  I'm not a fast walker because I want to get it over with; I'm a fast walker because I would prefer to get ten things done in a day rather than two.   When I walk my dogs I also walk myself but walks change and they become more of a shared zen time rather than shared exercise outing as dogs grow old.

I have no choice but to slow down now; my knee will just buckle and give out on me.  I've torn something in there; probably my lcl, not fully but partially.  So I'll skip the gym this morning (grumbling) and just go right to our walk.  I will wrap my leg up and brace it the best I can so that I won't further injure it and head out.  Probably driving is going to be the hardest for me as this is my right leg.  But at the moment both Luke and Elsa are enjoying the sounds of distant crows as the sun comes up.  Luke has his head propped up on a pillow and Elsa has just begun to growl and run in her sleep.  I wouldn't trade morning blog writing time for anything.

 

Slacklining

Brad wiping out again, much more difficult for we humans.  

Slacklining; every heard of it?  I hadn't until my son introduced it to me via the internet.  One of the coolest videos that he showed me was of an amazing Border Collie doing it.

Dog slacklining video.

Not only is this dog amazingly talented physically; the bond between it's human and he is extraordinary.  There is much more than training going on in this video.  For me the video encompasses the trust between the two; the human/canine connection at it's best.  Yes this is a difficult task for the dog to accomplish but far more difficult for the human.  I know only too well how difficult it is.

Brad (my son) bought a slackline; he'd tried it several times over the last few days stating that it was much more difficult than he had anticipated.  I told him that it was something that I would really like to give a try.  When I was much younger I was very into gymnastics and one of my favorite pieces of equipment was the balance beam.  He assured me that it was not like a balance beam.  So off to the park we went yesterday afternoon with his slackline.

Time lapse to this morning (Monday morning) and I am now just able to walk.  Yep, I took a spill and somehow did in my knee.  Eight years ago I had a skiing accident and tore just about everything there is to tear in a knee.  Last night I was shuddering at the idea that I had done it again but to the other knee.  But I am up and walking this morning; I am determined that this will not be a lingering issue but we will see with time.   I have videos and photos of the event and even the actual wipe out but they are on Brad's phone and he is at work right now, so you'll have to wait to see them.

But back to the dog.....................amazing.  This is truly a team, there is no forcing, no yanking, no pulling.  Just a shared communication and such a close bond that communications are easy, calm and constant between the two.    The human is filling a very important part in this dog's life and making sure that he has the very essential mental and physical stimulus.  (Especially for a Border Collie).  The dog is filling the companion role to perfection.  Together they are an unstoppable team; working together, the way it should be.