Hmmmmm, which one should I choose.



This mornings blog is about a topic that I am very passionate about; choosing puppies.  Just how does one go about choosing a puppy?  Well, first the puppy needs to be of age to actually be able to see some sort of their personality.  Far too many puppies are chosen from look; be it color, sex or markings.  Maybe you are looking for a white and black dog.  You find a breeder of your choice and wait.  When a black and white one comes out, it's yours.  But should that be your puppy?  Maybe yes, maybe no.  Having been involved with dogs and canine behavior for so long I see a huge difference between puppies within a litter.  I also do temperament testing which is done at the age of seven weeks.

If you are dealing with a good breeder; they will have a good idea of temperament and steer you in the right direction.  That is if you have a choice at all.  When I got Elsa I gave the breeder my requirements as far as "fitting in" with my existing pack.  She was chosen as the best puppy for me after being temperament tested.  Had I just chosen from the puppies when they were born or only weeks old I may have ended up with a not so great choice for us.

Whether you are choosing a purebred or a mix makes no difference.  Yes there will always be the puppy that draws you in because of their looks or maybe even their behavior at the precise moment you met but you need to look deeper.  I know so many people who just chose one with no knowledge of the temperament and regretted their decision.  That is not to say that you will never end up with the perfect dog when randomly choosing or going strictly by looks.  It happens and it can happen more often with a fairly level and even temperament litter.

Puppies develop over time.  Some will be more timid, some may be crazy driven puppies that might drive you crazy.  Others will be very submissive or highly dominant.  If you choose your puppy by looks or are simply assigned a puppy at birth it could very well be the worst choice.  Now I know that many breeders do not temperament test; but they should at least wait to see who will best fit what family before placement.  I see a lot of people who have the wrong dog and both the family and the dog suffer for it.  I am not talking about wrong breed here; I am specifically talking about the wrong puppy within a litter.

Choosing a puppy without ever knowing who that puppy is, is much like saying that your newborn baby will be a superstar Baseball player.  Crazy.  I have seen people who wanted a guard dog; a dog that would be trained in Schutzhund only to be severely disappointed when the dog obviously wanted to be a therapy dog. Or a dog chosen as a therapy dog who wanted nothing to do with being touched by strangers.

The best way to chose a puppy is to do it with your brain.  That means the breeder and the potential puppy buyer.  Imagine going to pick up your puppy and seeing another one that is clearly the dog meant for you.  You were paired together before anyone knew anything about the puppy now in your arms.  I know breeders who place puppies as they come out, first out goes to the first in line on the list.  Its a crap shoot.  Choosing someone to live with you for the rest of your life should take time.  Why not make the best choice so that no one has to suffer for a flippant pairing?

It is such an easy step to take as a breeder; I truly wish that more would wait and see who their puppies might be before placing with their forever home.

Elsa just wants to have fun.


Elsa met a big buff boy at the beach the other day.  I'd been waiting for a couple of other dogs to leave before releasing the kracken; so when it was just this boy on the beach we headed over.  I never assume that an off leash dog is friendly, and always ask first.  I really wanted Elsa to rip before we left so I hoped that he was friendly.  As you know Elsa is ball crazy and tends to steal others balls;  so being that this guy was a male was a good thing.  I asked the owners if he was friendly before the release and they said "very friendly."


She really liked this guy but liked his tennis ball even more.   They ran without the ball for a bit but then the ball came out again.  He was just as crazy for the ball as Elsa and it wasn't quite as easy for her to steal it like she typically does.  What a happy face.  


She bounced around with joy as he just stood and watched her.  He was much more mature in age and although he enjoyed Elsa's company he was more into just retrieving his ball.


Elsa tryied to figure out how to get the ball from this big boy.  She is very good at knowing limits with different dogs; when she can and cannot push. 


He tries to dash past her with his ball but she's on him.  


Elsa cannot hide her joy of just being involved with the game.  "Come on, bring it back so they can throw it again."


I love the face on this big guy in this shot.  He is just trying to get the ball back to the thrower but Elsa's exuberance has made it more difficult for him.  His face says it all.  

Each and every positive interaction with other dogs is a big bonus.  Every dog is different so with each meeting there are new lessons learned.  As always we kept it a short visit.  She'd had fun, ran like crazy and everyone was happy; we left on a positive.  

Specific training



To train a dog is to education them.  It is very similar to teaching children; although we give our children much more information.  For our dogs it's more specific and fine tuned as they do not need to know about all the details and long drawn out explanations.  There is general training, the things that all dogs should know.  Come, sit, down, stay, leave it and boundary training.  From these few basics the sky is the limit.  But there is also specific training; training done for a specific purpose of problem.  Some specific training is geared around an activity, sport or function; and then there is the precise type of training to address one particular behavior.

I am going to start training or educating Elsa on a specific behavior and that is impulse control.  I remember teaching this behavior to Tilley and wondering if I would ever succeed.  Although Tilley and Elsa have the same behavioral issue it has presented itself in different forms.  The problem stems from a strong drive; and that drive is to chase.  Tilley had a difficult time watching Luke go after a frisbee and not barreling into him for it.  I taught her to wait her turn; to sit nicely beside me until told otherwise.  It was amazing to watch, she would sit like a statue; watching Luke have his turn until she was given the okay to spring into action.

Elsa has the same drive, not quite as hard core as Tilley but she's most definitely got drive.  Her problem is that she acts the fool; flying at complete strangers trying to get their ball.  Her quest for the ball is unrelenting and she has no impulse control.  She has over her 1.5 years learned to control herself somewhat, but much of it comes with maturity and training.  When it comes to a tennis ball she loses it.  So we are going to work on control under very high stimulus.  This means that I will be training her that she cannot just do what she wants when her drive is triggered.

This is not done in a day and can take a very long time to achieve but it can be done.  When you do conquer impulse control; it is pretty amazing.   Baby steps are the way to success.  You must take your time and be very patient to perfect the control.  By starting with low stimulus you work your way up to the big triggers.  I have no doubt that Elsa will be as great as Tilley at controlling herself but it will take time.  She has already conquered many aspects of control with a ball and is quiet impressive if I do say so myself but this is going to be tough for her.  Anyone with a ball in their hand is fair game as far as she is concerned.  But we will get on it this weekend, I will start in the yard with the simple things and build.

There is nothing more impressive than a highly driven dog under control.  It is most definitely worth the effort.

Socializing



Good morning.  I had Luke at the vet the other day and I have to say that he was amazing.  Many of you know that he turns into Cujo at the vet to keep everyone away from him but we only had a couple of growls.  My vet is wonderful and immediately assumes the appropriate body posture; sideways and close to the ground.  Then all is good with him.  He is after all a lover not a fighter and when people understand that the big bluff growling is a defense mechanism they get to see the lover inside.

As we waited to be called for his appointment I chatted with a woman who had a 9 week old boxer puppy (who Luke really liked).  She was adorable but noticeably timid.  I explained to her how very important socializing was and as I anticipated we got onto the "what about the shots?" discussion.  Her vet (who is not my vet) told her not to take her anywhere until her shots were done.  If you wait until all the shots including rabies are done that is four months of age.  You will have missed lots weeks of socializing time.

I cannot emphasize the need for socializing enough.  Early socializing is of the utmost importance; training and all the other stuff can follow but the socializing must get done early.  About a week after the first set of shots you need to get out there.  It can be as simple as going to a coffee shop and keeping the pup on your lap.  Visit an outdoor mall and do the same.  It is the sounds and sights that the puppy needs; being on the ground will come in time.  When you do head out to social choose places where not a lot of dogs go.  DO NOT GO TO A DOG PARK OR DOG BEACH.

When Elsa was young I use to take her many times a week to a strip mall near us.  There were people of all shapes and sizes, shopping carts, automatic doors, cars and all sorts of things to acclimate to.  But do not overdo it; puppies get tired and over stimulated easily so short and sweet is the way to go.  A little bit every day will take you leaps and bounds through the optimum socializing stage.  Keep it positive, always positive.  After the second set of shots you can venture to more areas; NO DOG PARKS OR BEACHES yet though.  Save the dog beaches and parks for after the last set of puppy shots.  Rabies can follow.

There are many other things that you can do for very early socializing.  Head into your garage and introduce strange but safe items.  The vacuum, hair dryer, washing machine and dryer are all good things to introduce.  Anything that might be a part of your puppies life should be introduced early on.  I remember taking Penny into our garage when she was brand new here.  I rolled a big plastic Christmas ball around as she barked and carried on.  She quickly realized that it was not a monster and we moved onto the next thing.  We visited the side yard where there are big scary garbage bins and strange smells.  Then it was up to my room that is filled with Luke and Elsa's scent, it was all a part of the socializing and learning curve.

It doesn't have to be huge but there should be something new everyday.  But remember to quit while you are ahead and more is not always better.

Munsterlander


A beautiful Leonberger


Yesterday I was at the beach, without my dogs (weird I know) and saw a woman with a huge Malamute and Munsterlander.  At least I was pretty sure that it was a Munsterlander.  It is strange, even though I have never actually seen one in person as soon as I saw it "Munsterlander" came out of my mouth.  I study dogs, I have been studying dogs, dog breeds, structure, nutrition and everything else about dogs for years and years.  I truly am interested in anything dog.  But after I said Munsterlander I wondered if I was right.  I had wanted to go and talk to the woman but she passed us by quickly and so I was left to look it up once I got home.  But when I got home and looked it up I was happy that I had gotten it right.

Over the years there are new breeds having been recognized by the AKC but there are many that may never be recognized.  Some have been around for a very, very long time and the people love and own them are perfectly happy with their status as "rare".  I have been to a couple of rare breed dog shows for photo shoots and it is truly a mixed bag.  It's interesting because many of the dogs who have been around for such a long time look like a mixed breed simply because our brains do not register the look with a specific name.  I did a blog on one of my rare breed shoots about a year and a half ago.

I loved seeing all the different "looks" of dogs at the rare breed show.  What was really cool is that I'd see a little scruffy black dog like you might see on the street but then there were a whole bunch that looked just the same.  Of course there are rare breeds that you might see a few around of and then there are the ones that you might never ever see.  Some you may have seen but not known it.

As you all know I have Standard Poodles; but even I am asked regularly what type of dogs I have.  Because I do not normally clip them to look like "poodles," I have been asked if they are Weimaraners, Airedales, Doberman and even Greyhounds?  I laugh when someone asks me what they are and I tell them Poodles.  They then say "they look different"  and ask if am I sure that they are full poodles and not some sort of mix?  This always makes me laugh and I really want to tell them "wait, now I'm not sure, I think that they are poodles."

Dogs surely come in all sizes, shapes and colors.  Exterior is what tends to draw an admirer in, but it is what is inside that is the most important.  So many dogs have become the "in" dog because of their exterior.  Dogs are as different inside as they are on the outside.  Before you say you want one of those cool dogs because of their appearance; research the inside to see if they might be a match for you and your family.  All dogs are amazing, that fact is true.  But there is a vast difference between each, both inside and out.


Family



We have visitors and I couldn't be more excited.  My sister and her 16 year old daughter are here for the first time since we moved here almost 15 years ago.  As the time got closer and closer to the day that they would arrive I wondered if the dogs would know.  Would they somehow know that these folks were more than just visitors?  I'd seen my dogs pick out family members of people that they know before.  Parents of my children's friend were immediately recognized by their scent.  Luke was the best at it and the easiest to read.  Being that he was always very on guard when a stranger would come we could tell when he knew someone.  But even if he'd never met one of the parents he somehow knew that they were with the guy or gal that he did know and acted accordingly.

I remember Luke greeting a Mom of one of my son's best friends.  He had never met the woman but knew her son well.  You would have thought that she was an old friend by his behavior.  When she came in he acted like he was excited to have finally met this boy's Mom, very cute.  He did this several times over the years, so I wondered.  Even though these strangers would not smell like me, would he be able to figure it out.  There is the whole emotional vibe that dogs are so well in tune with.  They have that and they have that something else that we humans do not possess.  That thing that sets them apart, the ability to take the information from us and determine what is what.  By reading the information that we give off they have a clearer picture of life around them.

So when we got home and came into the house Luke did indeed act like these were old friends.  Elsa is not so clear of a read as she pretty much loves everyone and is more than happy if we have guests from anywhere.  But Luke immediately opened his arms and welcomed them in.  He is much more mellow now in is old age and stays more in the mid range of emotion.  Much more than he use to be as a youngster but because I know him so well he is an easy read to me.  He took the information I gave off by my voice, body language and actions as "we have another family member in the house."  He opened his fuzzy arms and greeted them like the long lost family he'd never met.

I have talked about and told stories of Luke to my family over his 12.5 years.  The fact now that my sister and her daughter have met him makes me very happy.  They can now see the fuzzy man behind the stories; the dog who stole my heart 12.5 years ago.  I love to share my dogs with others; who would not want to get to know an amazing dog?  I love it when I get to meet other wonderful dogs who are the light of their owners eyes.  But when a dog welcomes you into their home with open paws; well that's just plain glorious.

Is there something else that told Luke that these people belonged to us?  Perhaps, maybe in our genetic make up there is a certain something, maybe scent that lets a dog know.  But being the mere humans that we are we will never know.  All I know is that dogs are far more amazing than we give them credit.  They do little wondrous things everyday.  We humans often miss those things because they are out of our day to day but if we pay close attention we can sometimes be witness to them.  Watching and listening can unfold a whole canine world that is far more astounding that you might have ever guessed.

Aging



Lately my husband and I have been discussing Luke and our bed.  We have one of those very high big pillow top beds that even I have to climb up onto.  We are all aging; all going in the same direction but sadly our dogs get there far too quickly.  Luke is really showing signs of aging; especially in his back legs.  He can get around okay and loves his walks but morning time just kills him.  Once he's been down for a while, getting up can be a beast.  Over a year ago we put a big body pillow at the end of the bed and under a sheet to keep him away from the edge when he moves around in the night.

He has taken to pivoting on his butt but on occasion he still gets up to turn around.  He's shakey and we worry about the toppling off.  We also worry about him jumping off.  Jumping up happens very rarely now and I do worry about the possibility of him not making it but it is the jumping off that is the big issue.  Luke's old shoulders cannot take an impact like that so..........................I fixed things.  After much talk about Luke not be allowed on the bed anymore and the emotional impact it was going to have on us all, we have a better solution.  I took out our box springs.

I remember when we first got our bed; the delivery guys brought the wrong box springs and the bed was very literally a mountain of a bed.  I sat and laughed and laughed until I got a sore stomach.  It was half way to the ceiling; but even after getting the correct box springs it was still very high.  This was fine for a young and spry Luke but not the Luke of today.  I took them out yesterday, two single box springs under our king sized mattress.  It's not drastic, we aren't on the floor; but it is enough that it makes a huge difference.  He hopped up on it yesterday like nothing and if he gets down on his own he won't kill himself.   If at some point he sneaks up and gets down on his own he won't be injured.

We actually tried having him sleep along with Elsa on the dog bed in our room the other night.  It is a huge set up; one giant bed with two other beds on top.  Of course there are blankets on top; it looks like somewhere I'd like to sleep myself.  But he was distraught; he is an old man, very set in his ways.  As upset as Luke was; it was much harder on Luke's Dad.  After a couple of moments of beaming, big sad eyes at Dad; he caved, he couldn't handle the transition, not yet.

We both realize that the time will come when he simply cannot be on the bed any longer.  It is all a matter of safety and although the heart does play a part; it should not be the driving factor.  Having removed the box spring, has given us more time; extended our special moments.  Luke loves his special time on the bed as do we; so now we have more time.

When the time comes that it is too dangerous for Luke to be on the bed we will simply do it.  It won't be easy but we will ban him from sleeping on our bed.  He will have a special bed set up right next to Dad's side so that they will still be very close.  Having a lower bed at that point will also enable the reassuring touch throughout the night that Luke is very accustom to now.  It is all a process called life.

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.  






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.