Have a wonderful weekend with your best friends and take the time to stop and smell the roses.
Have a wonderful weekend
Not really made for our dogs
It is Easter weekend and like all the other holiday seasons there will be many items out there to purchase for not only humans but our dogs as well. Isn't it funny how we scoop up seasonal items to share with our dogs? It is commercialism at it's finest. Make toys, treats and other canine items in the shape of bunnies, eggs and chicks and people will buy them. Whatever makes you happy, I say. But, is your dog happy? What I see out there in the world of products for our dogs is a lot of garbage, made strictly to turn a buck and the bigger buck the better. The products that are more geared to you are not really for our dogs.
Let me explain. First let me say that I LOVE stuff for dogs; that is I love real stuff for dogs. I love dog gear; the items that actually makes living with dogs easier, more enjoyable and more fun. I am not into things that are going to sit around and eventually go in the garbage. I do not like little toys made to fit the current holiday season that are inferior quality and quite frankly a huge waste of money. When I am out scouring for new dog items, I am looking for quality and dog appeal. Something that I believe my dogs will find enjoyable. The items on the shelf that are produced to attract we humans are passed over. I find myself snickering in the isles as I look at the things they make for us. That's right us; do you really think that our dogs care that a toy looks like a bunny?
I like things (dog stuff) that will last. Many of the toys out there are really poor quality, even dangerous due to their lack of quality. These items are most definitely NOT MADE FOR OUR DOGS. That makes me mad. Of course it is like anything in the world of commercial products; there are the excellent, good and the very bad ones. As canine guardians it is our job to sift through it all and choose the best, more canine enticing and quality products. This often means skipping over those items that have been made to lure us in. Give your money to those companies who are producing the good stuff; the quality items that are actually for our dogs and our life with dogs. Not those who are just throwing cheap garbage together to pawn off as a cute dog item.
When you buy quality products they will cost more but save you money in the long run. You won't need to replace them. Good, quality items will be around for a while so that your dog can enjoy them. When I find a toy or product that is quality and my dogs love, I spread the word. By supporting the companies that are concerned about our dog's welfare; we help to weed out the garbage producers. Sure they will always be around, they keep trying to find a product that entices the humans to buy. Most of the big box pet stores have the highest percentage of garbage products lining their shelves. Sad but true. If you want real dog stuff then you must search and although it can take time it is truly worth it.
But just because something costs more, does not mean that it is a better product. There are many products out there that cost a fortune and are not worth a fraction of the cost. These are the worst items; you spend more thinking that the product is quality, only to discover you've purchased really expensive garbage.
The almighty dollar is what drives our commercial society. The garbage products are made so cheaply because the folks producing them really don't care one bit how long it lasts or if your dog chokes on it. The companies who really do care use quality products to create their product so it costs more; it only makes sense. The ones making the garbage products are more than likely making more money from their product as well; which is their one and only goal. So think about it.
As we stand with a cute stuffed bunny in one hand and an indestructible, all natural toy in the other we think dollars. The garbage toy is 3.99, the good toy 7.99; what one are you going to buy?
That's it, done.
That's it, done; no more ball. Elsa's game was abruptly ended when she made the choice to run off to see a little dog. I was using this particular dog as a training aid; we'd met them before and the woman was very nice as was her little dog. Elsa is amazing at keeping her eye on the ball so to speak. Dogs can come and go without her veering from her job of retrieving. But this dog was coming close, very close and stopping to watch so I seized the moment. She ignored the small dog for a while as I cheered her on and tossed the ball with even more intensity. But then a small thread came loose causing the whole thing to unravel. Not only had Elsa gone to see the small dog, but Luke as well.
By the time I caught up with them I said "that's it." Elsa looked at me as I put the Chuckit back in it's resting place with the ball as well. She forgot about the little dog and ran off to do more catching. "Nope, that's it" I said again as her body posture fell. The little impromptu meet and greet ended the game and it is essential that it was ended. Elsa loves nothing more than retrieving and running so each time she retrieves the ball and drops it at my feet she is once again rewarded by it being thrown. It is important that the ball be sent out at the precise speed as the retrieve and placement.
When Elsa brings the ball in fast but drops it several feet from me, I will meander over and get it albeit in my own sweet time. If she runs at tops speed and drops it at my feet I will scoop and toss that baby as fast as I can. This action alone helps her to "stay in the game" and bring it home correctly. She's a fast girl, crazy intelligent and on the ball. So ending the game when she veered off is very important. I rely on her ball commitment to ensure that she gets her retrieving in daily. We can play where others cannot due to her dedicated commitment. If I cannot rely on that steadfast commitment; then there will be less ball throwing.
But dogs being dogs; there is no true guarantee. All I have is her commitment and my common sense; so there is no throwing in even the slightest area where there may be hint of a danger. My concern is that she not go off and bother people. She must commit to the ball if we are going to play ball; we play ball. This is not a flippant game for us; it is serious business or not at all. Even if she stops midway to sniff something; I will react. My typical reaction for this is to head right for her. She knows that if I pick up the ball then it will mean a break in the game. If I make it to the ball and pick it up, I walk very slowly back to the throw spot. Then I take my time, I ask for some obedience type behaviors and then we try again. Stopping and smelling the roses is a rare occurrence now.
It is all or nothing, we seize the moment. When we have a clear spot we grab it for some ball time. I'm a big fan of stopping and smelling the roses but that comes after our very important ball time. If there is a behavior break in the game, then "that's it," done and once that Chuck it is put away it doesn't come out again for a while.
That perfect fit.
A match made in heaven; isn't this everyone's dream of living with a dog. That old image that comes to so many when considering the idea of getting a dog. You sitting watching television in the evening with your dog laying by your feet. Jogging through the park with your dog by your side; ahhhhhh heaven on earth right? Or sitting on the front porch with the birds chirping; your dog snoozing away the afternoon. How glorious. Well, not all relationships end quite so happy; many are a mismatch right from the get go. Sad but true.
I have visited many homes where the owner simply has the wrong dog. It may be the wrong breed or it might be just the wrong dog as a individual. It doesn't matter if it is a purebred, mix, rescue or shelter dog. If it doesn't fit, things can go from bad to worse. The whole idea of living with dogs is to better your life and your dog's as well. That means that you will be required to fulfill your dog's needs as he will fulfill yours. But if you cannot happily or willingly fill those needs then it's not going to be a happy life for either one of you.
Finding the perfect fit can take a while but I cannot stress how important this is. Do you think that shelters and rescues would be filled to the brim with dogs if everyone had taken their time and considered, before acting? Many people should never have a dog; those who have an idealistic yet unrealistic image of living with a dog. A dog by their side that is just cute and cuddly, yet never poops, pukes, rolls on dead things or needs training? Those folks are best to go buy a beautiful new piece of furniture to spend their time with.
Not all of us want to or can happily live with every dog. That my friends is the fact. Even when some rescue people believe that a dog is a dog is a dog and if you love dogs you should take any of them. That is simple a recipe for failure. Being a very experienced dog person; I can deal with a great number of issues and fit them into my life. That said there are some things that I do not want to live with and I know what those things are. I have my life and I want a dog to enjoy it with me; we are active and social as we are out and about a lot.
Of course there is the "work" factor. How much work are you willing to put into making your dog fit? Some people don't mind any amount of work; training, grooming, socializing etc etc. Some dogs take a huge amount of work to help them fit in anywhere. But there are also those who are not willing to go to extreme heights to fix issues and that is fine, as long as they know that and do not take on a dog that needs a ton of work or help. Some dogs come with a ton of baggage; some have issues that they are born with, both mental and physical.
When you are looking for a dog to add to your family, think. Think long and hard about the "what ifs." Do not look into those sad little eyes staring at you at the rescue event and cave. That dog that is sucking you in may just be the worst decision that you ever made. Maybe the not so adorable dog in the next cage is perfect in every way, FOR YOU. Yes I love dogs, I love them like crazy; every shape, size, color and age. I LOVE DOGS. But, I also love a perfect fit. When a dog and human come together and make magic together. There is nothing like it when it's right. But when it's wrong it can be very sad.
I have met client dogs with huge problems with their living arrangement. But those same problems in someone else's home would seem small and inconsequential. When choosing to add a second, third or fourth dog you should always add with care. The right dog can enhance a pack; the wrong one can turn everything right, wrong. The same goes with adding a dog to your family; it has to fit. If you are one of those "want to help" folks; one who loves to nurture and give all the care needed then you will obviously have a larger selection. But if you have a limited knowledge of the canine species, a lack of willingness to rehabilitate; then go with something that fits you, just you.
Sadly there are way too many dogs out there needing homes. But finding the right home, the home where they will stay; love and be loved for the rest of their life is where they should be. Taking a dog on a whim, a heart pull or just feeling like you should do something is not a good reason to take a dog. All dogs deserve someone; someone who will do everything in their power to make their life together a great one.
What on earth are you barking at?
We were pulling through McDs drive through for our after workout coffee on the weekend when I heard barking. I looked around to see where it was coming from and could not locate the sound. My husband said "it's the dog behind us." There in an old truck sitting in the passenger seat was an old dog; a mix of maybe a husky and lab. His face was grey, his ears were upright but only half way with the tips flipped over. He looked old, he had that old crooked face look and he was barking. I watched him for a bit and realized that he was barking at everything. His owner smiled at him and they had a bit of a conversation; not sure what it was about but the dog seemed to enjoy it. His bark was a happy one, like he was happy to be out with his Dad bark.
A bark can mean a thousand different things. Do you know why your dog is barking? Yesterday Luke was being dried after a bath. He didn't want to be dried so he went to the edge the concrete steps in our yard and barked. It was a "I'm busy barking" bark; one to let me know that he did not have time for such nonsense like being dried. He lets out the same bark when he is being groomed and isn't in the mood. He pretends like there is important things that he needs to bark at. What a guy.
Then there is the fake out "look something to bark at" bark to get someone to drop their toy and come to see. All of my dogs have used this over the years; it is quite brilliant. Luke was the easiest to read when he was planning on using it. You could see the whole scenario play out in his eyes before he even made a move. He'd look at Tilley with a bone, look at the door and back at Tilley. Then he'd let out one of his small "I think I hear something" barks first to test the waters. Next came the full on barking and run to the door which inevitably got her up and leaving the bone that he wanted. A quick pivot and he would swoop it up.
Serious barking is deep and ferocious sounding; quite scary when I hear it. I don't hear it often from any of my dogs but when I do it always amazes how truly intimidating they can sound. It is meant to warn and it does if you are smart. Even the smallest of dogs can sound scary; when they mean business.
Dogs have so many reasons to bark. I really hate when I see people yelling at their dog to shut up. Sure there are times when a dog just goes off on a tangent. Often when they are bored a dog will go on and on and on. Maybe they are feeling a little bit stressed or anxious; barking can ensue. We went through a big barking period when we first moved to this house. Everyone was sort of on edge due to a new home but the cause was Jessie. After coming home to a riled up pack of frenzy barking a couple to times I attempted to figure it all out one day. I stood outside the front door after pretending to leave. Watching through the front door I saw Jessie run up the stairs after the poodles and then the barking started.
I opened the front door as quietly as I could and tiptoed up the stairs. Jessie was barking her little head off and both Luke and Tilley had started as well. What I saw when I got upstairs was a very angry little Jack Russell who could not manage to jump high enough to get onto the bed where the poodles were. She was angry and frustrated about the situation which was where the barking started. Her barking caused the poodles to think that there was something to bark at so they all kept going, it was crazy. From that moment I closed my bedroom door when we went out and the barking stopped.
Barking is not just barking; there is a reason, there is always a reason. Even if it is frenzied, none stop barking; there is a reason. It can be caused by happiness, excitement, anger, frustration, anxiety, stress, insecurity, loss, desire, boredom, you name it. Elsa barks when she is excited; it is one thing that really annoys me but it is typically short lived. She is learning to talk rather than bark which I can tolerate and is quite cute I might add. Much better than barking.
When your dog barks; listen. At what and why are they barking?
Just a game?
Mid throw, as I watched the ball soar through the air it dawned on me; this is more than just a game. Elsa watched the ball with the intensity that she commits to each and every retrieve. No this is more than just a game, this is a sport. Of course it is only a sport if I have my trusty Chuck it; otherwise as I've written before, I throw like a girl. With a Chuckit in my hand I throw like a Rock Star. ;) Has the sport of Chuckit become a competitive sport? I wondered with my next throw and would Google it once I got home. The sun was getting warmer so with a couple more throws we headed for home. Once home I sat at the computer looking for the Chuckit competitions but found none. Perhaps it is still an underground sport and has yet to appear in the mainstream performance field like agility, flyball and disc dogs. Or maybe it will stay with the weekend warriors in the parks and fields as they spend their time together with their dogs.
Competition - rivalry for supremacy or a prize.
There you have it; to be the best. Competition is a funny thing. I am a pretty competitive person; that said I am not into competitive sports or activities. When Tilley was in her prime we began a life of Frisbee. She became an amazing disc dog and we even dabbled in the competitive world of disc dogs. After only attending a few competitions I decided that it was not for us. Even though I thought that Tilley was beyond spectacular and would love for the world to see what she could do; it wasn't much fun for her or I. Too much standing around waiting for her turn to play. But it's not just the competitive Frisbee sport where this happens; no it is all organized competitive sports, both canine and human. If your strive to be the best and win the prize drives you and you don't mind waiting then you will love official competition.
But for me and my dogs I prefer to just have fun. More of it and less standing around. I could have entered into many different competitive fields with Tilley; she had drive to boot. So I learned early on that the canine competitive world was not for me or us. But, I love partaking in many different sports with my dogs. I tend to watch them as they grow and show a natural desire to do a particular sport and then we indulge in that. For Elsa it is retrieving; like Tilley but different. Elsa has a clear desire to run along with her drive, so the sport of Chuckiting fits her to a T. Because she loves to run and I don't I have worked hard on my throw; sending that little ball further and further for her to chase.
Elsa has learned to listen for instructions and is tracking more precisely with each outing. She's got huge drive which can be tough to work with when you are indulging it. But once you figure out your dog's drive and how it works specifically the possibilities are endless. Elsa watches my body direction intensely so that she knows exactly which path the ball will take as it is launched. I regularly adjust my direction ever so slightly to keep her on her toes. I may ask her to run out and then down before the ball is release; or I might just let it go. Then there are times when I have her go around; control is the secret. Control is what makes it more than just a regular game; formulating more of a performance game or sport.
As I watched the ball land and bounce once before Elsa caught it I smiled thinking that she would probably win the gold in a Chuckit competition. Her goal is always to catch it on the first bounce, as was Tilley's. But on the next throw that day she missed it which sent her on a mad scurry of an intensely driven pursuit of the ball. With it finally in her mouth I realized that miss would have been a disappointment in the field of competition. But there with just us as her spectators we smiled at her drive; beaming with pride at her quest to succeed.
We may not compete in an organized sport but we most definitely are a performance home. Furthermore, you can bet when another dog and owner show up at the park that we up our game. ;)
Completion is near
First cover on the wall.
Luke snoozing in the office
I've been back at it for a while. First came the regrouping stage, getting my head on straight so to speak. Then the writing, photographs and lots of work pulling everything together. My next book out will be my second children's book in the Luke and Elsa series. Having a passion for dogs, writing and photography it makes sense that my picture books seem to be my favorite to work on. Having the chance to break up my writing with digital editing of my images and bringing them together is just the best. I love writing but it can be tough to sit and do it for hours upon hours. The children's book gives me just the perfect amount of two passions coming together.
Coming up with ideas for my books is easy; it just happens. My life revolves around dogs and as my blog unfolds in my day to day so do my books. I don't force book subject, they sort of land on my lap. This new one is about how Elsa wants to fly; try, try, try and she just might. As a Mom myself I know what messages that I want children to get. This book will be about not giving up; when you really, really want something you must keep trying.
Elsa fell asleep on the job. Her ever watchful eye had to have a nap.
After Elsa's flying book is done I am onto other books. I have three others on the go including one just announced yesterday. There are days when I am seriously focused on one book and it draws me in for the whole day. Other days find me a little more scattered; bouncing around to several of my books. As I write I am listening to the sounds of my two; Luke and Elsa who are my constant companions. Luke typically sleeps while I write but there are moments when he likes to view his world through my office patio door. Elsa is ever busy with a watchful eye on the comings and goings outside. She does sleep and when the two are fast asleep and deep in their dreams I smile. I love watching them sleep. Occasionally they are motionless and silent; peaceful. While other times their sleep is action packed; filled with whimpers, running and barking. They are my inspiration.
You can see all of my books here.
As my latest book is wrapping up on my computer it will go through the process of reading, re-reading, re-reading and proofing before it's arrival. Stay tuned. It will be a great summer read for the kids. So then it will be onto more serious writing until the next title for the Luke and Elsa series lands on my lap.
That monster vehicle
This is a post from a couple of years ago; you'll notice the absence of Elsa in it. But it is how to help your dog over the whole fear/nausea feeling about your vehicle. It is a common problem, one that I have address many times with client's dogs over the years. If your dog is not motivated by food then you can use their favorite toy. Catching a tennis ball, tugging on a toy etc etc. The whole idea is to change the association to the car.
It is important to address the problem because if you just keeping putting them in the car and they get sick; the problem will grow. If you have any questions, please ask away.
As I said yesterday I will discuss car sickness and dogs this morning; it is a common problem and an easy fix. Almost all dogs are car sick as youngsters; but if a breeder has made a point of getting their puppies out in a car from a very early stage you may be one of the lucky ones and dodged a bullet. I remember bringing home Jessie; a tiny white bundle of adorable she rode on my daughters lap, my daughter was 9 years old at the time. The kids were all smitten; oooooing and awwwing and trying to pick a name when SPLOSH. Jessie puked on my daughters lap; of course there was a commotion, lots of GROOOOOOSSSSSSSSSSS so we pulled over and cleaned it up. She rode the rest of the way down the country roads on my lap.
All of my dogs have been car sick dogs except for Luke; it is very common. Being someone who gets motion sick myself; I understand completely. And I feel for dogs as they start to drool; long strands of saliva hanging from their mouth, their eyes filled with "I don't feel well." It is a horrible feeling. Some dogs get over it quickly and on their own; others need help and if you don't step in and assist in their rehabilitation the issue can lodge in their brain and cause unnecessary prolonged vomiting in your car. Basically what happens is that your dog starts to relate the horrible feeling of motion sickness to the car.
Tilley was one of these associated vomiting dogs. I noticed very quickly that she would start drooling before we even got into the car. So it was all in her head; I hate this phrase but it was all in her head. So we had to re-associate; and that is what you must do to help your dog get over their car sickness. Just like most behaviors with dogs you need to go slow; baby steps. If your dog is like Tilley and started before even getting in the car you need to start there. I would put Tilley's collar and leash on and head towards the car. We would stop at the car; I'd ask her to sit and give treats, tons of praise and then we calmly walked away. And did it again and again until she was giving me a positive response to approaching the car.
Next we worked on just opening the car door and creating a positive response. It is important to give all the treats and praise while in the "bad" zone. This puts the focus on building positive right at the correct place. When you walk away from the car or get your dog out of the car you are to say nothing. You want to build the association that the car is a great and wonderful place, not getting out or moving away. So from there you move slowly to sitting in the car for treats a praise. Only do this for very short time span and only move onto the next step once you have complete success at the present step.
You then progress to you sitting in the drivers sit and tossing treats back to your dog. Make that a great place by simply chilling, chatting and getting treats. When you have success there you start the car; don't go anywhere as this is a big step and you must ensure a positive association to it here. Your next step is to simply back out your driveway and drive back in; always quit while you're ahead. Don't push it; be happy with small successes. The next step is down your street and back again and from that point in time you build on time.
Make sure not to feed your dog before any of your car sick training. A full stomach is detrimental to your hard work and dogs tend to vomit much quicker on a full stomach. Use special treats that are only given in the wonderful, amazing and glorious car. Of course with all this training there are a few dogs that may remain motion sick or need you to break it all down into even smaller steps. Never proceed to the next step until you have success at the present one.
Lymphoma
I was stopped in the parking lot yesterday by a woman in a car. Luke, Elsa and I were done our walk and headed to the Xterra. The woman in the car called out "what type of dogs are those?" I am very used to being asked this question. I told her Standard Poodles and she said "really?" "Yep, I know they don't look like poodles" I told her. Then she told me about her dog; a labradoodle that had died from Lymphoma at the young age of 21 months. So sad, I told her I was very sorry and she told me that her dog was fine and in the span of two weeks, gone. Elsa is 21 months old so her story hit home for me. I don't know much about lymphoma so when I got home I did some research.
Lymphoma typically hits middle age to old dogs. It can hit any type, breed or mix but there are some dogs that are more susceptible to it. Those breeds who are more prone to being predisposed to the disease are as follows:
There is a genetic predisposition to the disease but it can also be caused by environmental toxic substances, viruses and bacteria. Pesticides seem to be a main cause of concern not only in canine lymphoma but humans as well. As I walked around my yard yesterday noticing all the dandelions I thought to myself "who cares?" Why do we put so much importance on a perfectly lush golf course type, weed free lawn? The consequences of a gorgeous lawn is just not worth it, not for anyone.
These are a few of the links I found during my research.
New York Times article points finger at pesticide
Canine Cancer
Colorado State University Cancer Center
As far as the genetic link; it can be difficult to pull a dog from your breeding line before it is too late. A dog who comes down with lymphoma may have already had a few litters sadly. Although all dogs with any genetic link should be pulled once it is discovered. As far as the chemical link; try to keep your dogs away from areas that are treated heavily with pesticides. We search out fields and areas that look scrubby; the ones that have not been treated. Do not allow any pesticides to be used on your lawn. Our dogs and family are far more important than a velvety lawn.
I remember a young guy coming to my door a while back. He was selling pesticides to kill garden type bugs. It was for your lawn, to kill those pesky bugs that live there in the ground. "What?" I was appalled as he told me which of my neighbors had just paid him to spray their lawn. "What about those spiders?" he asked me. "They are allowed to live here" I told him. "All the bugs are allowed to live here in our yard," I said. "You aren't getting my money today, sorry" were my final words as he walked away. If I want a bug dead, I step on it. (black and/or brown widows only)
Situational awareness
I hear a small jingle; it is barely audible but there. Everything else goes silent as I listen for that one single sound. Is it getting closer? Quickly I turn around to see a medium sized scruffy dog charging our way. Instantly I scan the horizon; no owner in sight, great. I throw my dog reading skills into high gear so that I can assess what is coming next. It all plays out like I knew it would. Luke is mad and Elsa is thrilled by the appearance of this Benji look alike. I can deal with it because I knew it was coming. Had I not known, not heard the far off jingle, I would have been flustered.
Situational awareness; is a very important part of our life and the day to day with our dogs. Some folks have none, others have a bit and then there are the very aware. Just like us there is a huge difference in situational awareness in our dogs. Elsa, like me has extreme situational awareness. I don't like surprises and neither does Elsa. If she happens to let her guard down which happens very rarely, things like Dove's end up fluttering close by startling her. Lesson learned. Of course everyone has their guard down sometimes; an interesting conversation with a neighbor can knock it down a few. Perhaps an incident unfolds in the distance; drawing your full attention to it. Life itself can get in the way of situational awareness but you must still be aware.
These days cell phones are a huge culprit to the dissolving situational awareness. Many people who become involved in a cell phone conversation lose all awareness of their surroundings. I run into these folks all the time. For us it can make the difference between an incident going well and things going very wrong. Dogs with great situational awareness can be more of a challenge as far as learning to deal with the surrounding environment. Of course that all has to do with how they react; how you react to each new thing and how much socializing they have had. Dogs with no situational awareness can end up being hurt; due to the fact that they just don't notice things.
For dogs like Elsa; each new element in life is noticed, assessed and stored for later recall. How you react to those things will be the determining factor as far as association. It is very difficult to remain calm when you yourself are startled. I do not like to be startled; not too many people enjoy it. Being startled gives you little time to act in a calm and collected manner. Everyone performs at a much better level when they know what is coming; situational awareness. Given the appropriate information (that you noticed) you can then act of that. With no information (because you were not aware) you have nothing to help in dealing.
The same goes for dogs. Although most dogs are much more aware of their surroundings versus humans. There are dogs who are not aware; Penny is one of those. She could be on the edge of a cliff, at the beach or at the mall and not know the difference. She often sends her body hurling at something that excites her with no sense of what might happen when she lands. Although these type of dogs may be easy as far as not having to deal with big life reactions they can get hurt simply by not being aware. Jessie was also one of these type dogs. She was triggered by motion and always on the lookout for just that. Much of the regular mundane life stuff passed her by without notice. These type of dogs need to have a human watch out for them. I was constantly protecting her from herself. What a little fireball she was.
Both Luke and Elsa are extremely aware dogs. Only now as Luke ages are there things that go unnoticed by him. I like my dogs to be aware but calm having been socialized to the max. If something should come upon us without their notice I will do my best to give them a heads up. It is important that they have time to react; time changes everything. A dog running at us can turn into a tension filled event if no one sees it coming. Versus a dog running up on us that initiates a great game of chase because the dogs had time to read the signals.
We should always be aware. If you are not the aware type, you can train yourself to be aware. Being situationally aware is important. Not only for your own safety but your dogs. It is always best if you see something before your dog; of course this can be tough with the very aware guys like Luke and Elsa. Our outings have me scanning the horizon constantly. I find it hard to have a proper conversation with anyone while out with the dogs because I am always watching. I keep my eye on the horizon, on my dogs and any other dog that happens to be around. Having a good conversation if you can is an added bonus.
Situational awareness; do you have it?
The art of defusing
Lot's going on here.
Dogs are amazing at defusing a situation. I am always writing about how each dog is an individual; different than any other. Each has their own personal way of delivering a message but as a species there are great similarities. As far as body language, they use a universal one; but each dog has their own twist. Defusing a situation is very interesting to watch. A dog assesses a situation and deals with it in their own way. Depending on who a specific dog is as far as temperament and that particular dog's life experience will make the difference. Of course there are dog's who will always throw fuel on a fire and never consider defusing. But for those who do it and do it well, it is an art form. Mastery to behold.
Years ago I was at the beach for a photo shoot. I was there to shoot Sloughi's and my two models just so happened to live with one of the most savvy dogs that I have ever met. He was a big boy that looked like a St. Bernard mix. He had a presence about himself; an air of confidence. Not long after we arrived a German Shepherd dog came onto the scene. He spotted the big mix and decided to show him who owned the beach. The big St. mix stood watching the Shepherd approach, hair up, ears up with a direct and intense stare. As he got close enough to the big mix, the St. Bernard mix turned and walked away. This left the Shepherd standing in the sand wondering what had just happened. It was clear that the big mix was not concerned, apprehensive or even batting an eyelash over the bully Shepherd. Very cool.
Watching Elsa and Penny play I see the same behavior albeit down quite a few intensity notches. Penny loves to stalk Elsa which Elsa typically loves, but sometimes she doesn't want to be stalked. As Penny approaches in her stalking stance Elsa spots her; if she wants to defuse the stalking behavior she will turn and start sniffing the ground. She is displaying that she is busy doing something else; it always works. Penny has not got this defusing behavior down yet but with Elsa's guidance is shouldn't be long before she picks it up. As a puppy she hasn't needed it; she prefers to be in the thick of it at the moment.
Often when two very dominant dogs meet one will push and the other will turn and walk away. There is a huge difference in walking away and submitting. The entire body must be observed to see the difference. What does walking away without submitting mean? It means that the dog has no desire to interact; they are quite confident feeling no need to fight. A confident dominant dog does not necessarily want to fight, nor do they pick fights. They can be a very confident dog not feeling like they need to. Luke is much like this; he is a dominant male and very confident. He will not back down from a fight but will never pick one either. He is a lover not a fighter.
Then there is the learning aspect of it all. A far more mature and confident dog may display this behavior as a clear message of superiority. A sort of "I'm at the top, I don't do this," message. Of course there is always the dog that will not defuse and a fight or further pushing may follow. Each interaction, environmental stimulus and dog will be different so you can never be sure that defusing will work. But when it is used by between two experienced and confident dogs it is amazing.
Dogs are far more experienced and talented at reading and delivering messages than we will ever be. They do it all without a word spoken. It is the humans that fail to read a dog correctly; there is so much to know and understand. Many people have it all wrong; they read and interpret their dog's behavior completely inaccurately. With this comes misguided reactions to their dogs actions. It must be frustrating to be a well versed dog who is completely misunderstood by their owner. It is more than worth the effort to learn about canine behaviors if you are indeed going to live with one.
Happy St. Patty's day
No blog today but have a wonderful St. Patty's. Be safe everyone.
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.
Taking a few
Good morning everyone, I'm taking a few days off but will be back on Monday. Have a great weekend.
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.