Advice.

Advice, everyone loves to give advice don't they?  But offering advice when not asked for can get you into trouble; ask me how I know?   I'm getting pretty good at not saying anything unless asked.  But it's not easy.  People give me advice all the time; much of it is nonsense but I always listen a bit, try to be polite and if it gets too much I'll say "I'm a trainer" which usually ends the onslaught of advice.  Most people mean well by offering up their advice but some just can't help themselves.  You know those know it all type?

When you listen or take advice from people, be careful of your source.  Even the best intentions from someone can lead you down a very bad path.  Some people love to spew advice even when they really have no idea what they are talking about.  They simply love to hear themselves talk and especially love puffing up and looking like the professional.  Listen, ponder and decide.

Advice - an opinion or recommendation offered as a guide to action or conduct, etc.

Advice is just that, someone's opinion.  We attended an event on the weekend with Elsa.  It was just a small art festival but there was lots of dogs and people to interact with.  When we first got there Elsa was fired up, she tends to bark when she is very excited in the beginning.  She had seen a dog and gave out a few barks when the woman at the booth I was approaching said "typical poodle, barking."  I immediately corrected her, "no they are not barkers."  Elsa is in fact the first excitement barker hat we have had in almost 30 years.  The information that she had thrown out there was incorrect and so I corrected her error.

There is so much information out there to sift through.  If you really have no idea what is right or wrong it can be hugely confusing.  All we can do is read or listen, ponder and decide what is the best for us and our dogs.  The more you research the more you can make an educated decision.  If you just take advice from one source; it could be completely wrong and you would never know that.  I am a big time researcher who likes to know the most that I can.  When a topic comes up that interests me but I don't know much about I set to researching the subject.

With so much different information out there; it will be handled in as many different ways.  There are those who go through life never questioning anything.  They get advice from one source and run with it; they don't want to know anything else.   There are those who are in the middle somewhere; they like a bit more info from a few more sources and then feel satisfied.  The other end of the those who don't feel a need to know are those who are always seeking more; they continue their research and open their minds to new and improved ideas.  Of course there is everything in between as far as needing to know.

When you hear something that sounds very off to you; question it.  Do not do anything that doesn't feel right.  That goes for training, feeding, grooming or just day to day general life activities.  If it doesn't feel right, don't do it.  Confusing information should be addressed; questions brought up should be researched until you feel good about what you are doing.  Each dog is different and each person is different; no two will ever come together identically as far as opinions.

"But I've always heard," is probably one of the most common phrases that I hear these days.  That followed by "really?"  My response is always "look it up."  My gosh, we can look up anything at our finger tips.  Remember when you were young and all the information was held in encyclopedias?   One source of real information, imagine?  We are fed information all day, every day.  Information that we don't ask for but is put in front of us.  Advertising or brainwashing as many consider it.  Don't believe what you read or hear unless you research it for yourself.  You cannot be brainwashed if you don't allow it.

Those who learned something about dogs years and years ago but still hold onto those tidbits of information and throw them around as the only truth should not be listened to.  When I do run into people like this and I do; I smile a lot.  I test the waters for "sharing" info but it is often a one sided conversation which leaves me smiling more and shaking my head as I try to slip away.  No matter what aspect of dogs that it pertains to; there is always something new.  New does not mean better but it does mean that we should have a look at it.  This new information might be the stupidest propaganda ever but it might hold some exceptionally wonderful insight.

When I am asked I most always give advice; but that is all it is, advice.  As you know I feel strongly about sharing life experiences to help others. This is what happened to me, this is what I am doing, this is what I plan to do, never "you should."   Dogs are much easier to offer information to, they are typically very open to it.  But humans?  Sometimes getting a message across can be a tricky and highly tactical maneuver.

But don't just take my word, look it up.  Have a great week.  

The throat

Reaching down to give Luke a hug, he coughed.  "Ahhhh, sorry, sorry, sorry" I tell him.  I hate when that happens, when my forearm crosses at the precisely wrong spot on his throat.  With just the slightest connection from my arm and the front of his throat he coughs.  The same thing happens with Elsa and did with Tilley.  I have tried to perfect my neck hug over the years so that the crook of my arm lands on the front of their neck.  But sometimes a hug is just too spontaneous and I forget.

It is this hugging action that got me to thinking about dog necks and throats more specifically, years ago.  Tilley was my first to display such a sensitivity and I am surely glad that she did.  We humans are a funny bunch aren't we?  We go about our daily lives, performing many of the same actions over the years without ever stopping to ponder what we are doing.  Collars are one of those things; and yes I know that I will receive backlash for this blog from many.  But maybe some folks will stop and think after reading it.

A dog's neck/throat is a very delicate thing.  It is where the esophagus, larynx and trachea come together.  There is not a great deal of muscle that surrounds the area.  The front of the neck is a sensitive place compared to the back.  The neck itself has a great deal of nerves, muscle and tendons surrounding the skeletal frame.  Having suffered recently from a fourth rear end collision, I think about necks a lot.  The whiplash that you receive from a rear end collision mimics very closely a severe collar correction that many of our dogs sustain on a daily basis.  Why is it that we think yanking on a dogs neck is okay?  Because it one of those things that has been done for so long that we don't think about it anymore.

Photo taken from the Dog Health Guide site.  

Not only is yanking a major cause in the physical health of a dogs neck but the constant pressure from a collar as well.  Continual tension on the front of a dogs neck can flatten major throat anatomy.  Esophagus, trachea and larynx damage are major concerns when using any type of collar.  If you do need to put a collar on your dog then go with a wide one.  The wider the better as it spreads the pressure of impact over a larger area creating less pinpoint pressure.

The neck of a dog is a complicated area.  The front of the neck is extremely sensitive, think about it.  You can see for yourself by putting the slightest bit of pressure there with an incorrectly placed hug.  I am not going to go into the full anatomy of a dog throat but leave you with a dog's neck to ponder on.

Just because we've been yanking them around for decades does not mean that we should still be doing it.  It is time for our connection (physical) to evolve.  I am happy to see so many harnesses in use these days but I am still seeing those die-hard collar yankers.

This not only pertains to neck collars but head collars as well.  I've seen people yanking away on a head collar and I cringe.   A head collar is a wonderful training tool but you must take the utmost of care when working with them.  The head collar gives you complete control of your dogs head so if you yank on it or allow your dog to yank on it, think about what is happening to their neck in the process.

Please consider your dog's neck the next time you grab a collar.

No more bugs please.

I took this photo this morning of Elsa watching a spider on the patio window.  Just a quick update for those of you who are wondering about Elsa.  She is good this morning, just had a quick run around the block with her Dad and is now sound asleep beside me.  Yesterday she took a very slow and meandering walk around the park with Luke and I on leash.  Her body needed time to heal.   It took her until yesterday evening for her to be Elsa again but I think that she is almost back completely now.

Because she was watching this little spider I thought that I'd re-post a blog from the past.  A blog about Luke's ability to scent spiders and the canine's crazy talent for sniffing.  Hope you enjoy.  

Ahhh; that lovable nose

Sniffing, our dogs are big sniffers. Some dogs are super sniffers; those who have been bred for years to use their nose for a purpose. Breeds like the bloodhound; which happens to be the best sniffer in the canine world. Here is a link to a great article on the scent ability of the bloodhound 

All dogs sniff, you can watch them on a daily basis even within your own home. If you keep a close eye on the nose you'll see it twitching back and forth. I am continually amazed how my dogs can walk out to the backyard and know immediately that there is a critter close by. They pace back and forth, noses in the air as they follow the scent trail. I love watching them when they are in full pursuit.

Some dogs rely more on their vision than scent but that does not mean that they aren't just as good at scenting. My Jack Russell was a great scent dog but when she is pushed and excited she would opt to use her vision before her nose, she doesn't use much of anything now.   My poodles on the other hand are much more prone to sniff first and look second. Infact my boy Luke sniffs out spiders; yes he is the great spider hunter of the West. I thought it was pure coincidence the first time it happened but time and time again I would see him frozen in stance; head down and staring. It was always a spider. He has even dug  under the coffee table or couch; much to our dismay relentless until we uncover the little devil. When trying to stop him doesn't work; we finally give in and move the furniture to find the little spider culprit. It is always there.

Just last night as we were watching our movie; an intense one at that, one you have to pay attention to (Inception) Luke sniffed a spider.  His behavior is markedly different than any of his other behaviors.  His giant ears go up and he stares intently at the spider or it's location.  It was on the floor right below him; he smelled it out, from the couch he could not have seen it crawling by.  I got my shoe and swapped away; Luke sniffed the spider carcass and hopped back up onto the couch feeling that his job was done.  I don't know why he ever started this but he is very reliable at it.  

Yesterday I took my little Jessie on a nice walk down a really great trail with a creek. It takes us forever to get any distance at all and my power walking idea does not happen until she gets her smelling done with. Smelling is very important for dogs and those guardians who hate dealing with it need to understand how important that it is. Like I said Jessie will often opt for vision before scent but not when she is out alone on a trail. She will find a spot and smell each blade of grass, each side of one particular leaf and then like clockwork; pee on it.

Have you ever noticed your dog walking along when they stop dead in their tracks? Their head goes up and their nose twitches madly until they find the source of smell. My dogs often press their nose firmly over a hole on the ground and immediately know if there is an occupant in it or not. Many times when I am opening a new package of meat I wait to see how long the smell takes to get to my dogs who are in the other room.  It is only seconds before they all wander in with twitching noses to see what's cooking.

A good session of sniffing out in a new environment is just as important as a physical run for dogs. Imagine all the information that their brain is processing when they are surrounded by new smells. I am often asked about the sniffing; "my dogs sniffs like crazy, how do I stop it?" You don't. What you do want to do is control it. I always tell people that they should allow their dog to sniff on the way out and if they want to get some serious walking in; then do that on the way back on a walk.

Now that doesn't mean that you have to do it every time you go outside nor does it mean that you must stand waiting for your dogs sniffing completion for 20 min. My JRT could stay at one spot for up to 1/2 hour; I'm sure of it. So after she has a good whiff of a section I ask her to come along to the next one so that we can move a bit. And yesterday I had already decided that it was her walk on the way out, mine on the way back.

Being so close to the ground probably has something to do with it. My poodles like to sniff but if I'm walking they are with me, only occasionally reaching down if something really great catches their nose. Sniffing is what they do and what they were meant to do so take your dog to new places, not the same ole walk everyday. They'll have a blast sniffing all of the new scents out there; and you'll be working their brain.

Anaphylactic shock

Elsa, taken yesterday while I gardened.  We were in the garden all morning without problem.  It was in the afternoon when we were not gardening that the incident occurred.  There will be many more fences like this one now.  

Holy shit, that's all I can say about yesterday afternoon.  I realize after the event that I have been shaken by the close proximity of Jessie and Tilley's deaths more than I thought.  Typically I am a rock steady type; the sort that could get you to the hospital while you are bleeding to death and be okay with it.  Although I didn't come completely unglued I was most definitely rattled with a touch more panic than normal; but still very much in control.  Control and taking control is so very important in emergency type situations. You cannot fall apart, you wait for after the crisis is over to do that.

It was a beautiful day, I was sitting outside painting my nails with Luke on the lounge and Elsa chasing lizards.  I looked over to Elsa who had lay on the ground and I thought it was strange.  I figured that she'd caught a lizard.  But when I got over there she was chewing at her foot; I immediately thought of a rose thorn.  I checked her entire foot several times.  I went over her foot with my eyes and my hands and found nothing.  But something was most definitely bothering her.  I went and sat again and she came over with her paw up.  There had to be something in it, so I had another feel.

In a panic she ran to the grass and pooped, evacuation style.   Right after that she lost her breakfast, vomiting 5 or 6 times before she stopped.  Now I was worried.  She ran to me and stood by my side.  Panic started to build; "could it have been a snake, a black window?"  I decided we should go in and got her to lay down for minute before checking her gums; they were pale, not good.  Elsa was panting, not hot type panting; shallow, rapid panting that is never good.  She was not herself; her tail was down and she seemed confused, out of it.  I tried talking to her but got very little response from her.

I jumped in my chair and typed Canyon when my vet came up in the search bar.  I looked up the number for my vet and checked her gums again; this time they were white and so was her tongue.  Not only was her gums and tongue white; but her face was cold.  Full on panic hit and adrenaline shot through my body.  The image of holding Tilley's cold face with white gums flashed through my head.  I called the vet and told them I was coming.

Everything was racing through my head.  This had to be an allergic reaction of some sort.  Could it be a bee?  She'd been bitten so many times last summer because of a huge hive in the neighbors yard.  Was it this, was it all the stings that finally caught up to her.  Trying not to speed too badly so that I actually got her to the vet; I talked to her constantly to reassure myself.  As long as she was still standing I felt better.  Funny, I am not one to run to the Dr. or the Vets; I am very hands on and deal with most issues myself.  But there are times when you just go; don't think, go.

 It didn't take long to get there, maybe 15-20 minutes but time had gotten away from me; time is your enemy in these type of situations.  I pulled up, hopped out and grabbed Elsa.  She was walking, not steady but walking.  When we got into the office there was a Labrador puppy in the waiting room that made her wag, yes.  Honestly, how many things can rush into your head at the same time.  I was watching Elsa's every move; thinking about Tilley along with questions, so many questions.  I just wanted her in and being treated immediately.  Typically I am very hands on, you all know how I feel about turning my dogs over.  But in a situation like this I wanted to just give her to someone to fix.

They were amazing at the Veterinarians and when my own Vet, Dr. Brower came out I could not have been happier to see anyone in the world.  I told her what happened and she said it sounded like an anaphylactic reaction and she took her into the back.  I sat and took a huge breath in; I think we have a tendency to hold our breath at times like this.  Glancing over to the small table on the left; where my book,When Luke Met Elsa sat, I shook my head.  I was very close to tears; trying very hard to push away all the bad thoughts, the technician said "I'll check on her."  So nice, they were so nice there.  She was back in a flash and said that Elsa was okay and it was in fact a bee.  A huge sigh of relief left me and I tried to shake off some of the horrible feeling you are left when you get an adrenaline surge.

Bee Stings - VetStreet

Pet Wave - Analphylactic Shock

2nd Chance - Anaphylaxis, allergic shock to vaccines.  (Not from bee sting but the same reaction caused by vaccinations.)  This is such a good article I had to include it because many people are still over vaccinating or going to the cheap vaccine clinics.

US National Library of Medicine - Epinephrine

How to recognize is your dog is healthy

Earth Clinic - Bee Sting


After a bit my Veterinarian came out and told me that they had retrieved a stinger and she was doing well.  She'd had a shot of benadryl and cortisone and they were monitoring her vitals.  "She's going to be okay," were the words I was waiting for and they came, thankfully.  They wanted to keep her for a couple of hours to make sure; that was fine with me.  I thanked my Vet and the wonderful girl in the office and head off for a couple of hours.  I immediately started thinking about my garden; things had to change.  The idea of having a dog allergic to bees was overwhelming.  We are such an outdoor type of family; how on earth was I going to keep Elsa away from bees?

On the way home I stopped at Lowe's and headed straight for the fencing area.  I grabbed four of those folding type garden fence things.  Most of my gardens have fence type things around them to keep the dog from running through them but the one where she'd been stung did not. That is the garden where the lizards hang out and Elsa stomps regularly.  So I was going to fence it all in.  I couldn't get rid of all the gardens but I may not be primping them as much for blooms now.

As soon as I got home I started my research.  I also let my huge FB group The Standard Poodle (nearing 8000 strong) know what was going on.  I have to thank all of the wonderful people who sent best wishes and support to both Elsa and I.  It means so very much at a time like this.

At 4:30 I climbed back in the Xterra to go pick Elsa up.  When I got there another one of the Techs told me about her little dog who was extremely allergic.  The stories were freaking me out; I told her that this all sounded horrible and that I did not want a bee allergic dog.  After talking for quite a while she said "you cannot let it consume you."  I have never had to deal with allergic reactions in my family; everyone so far has been (knock on wood) good.  I have severe pollen allergies but that is just the typical, runny eyes, sneezing my face off and coughing.  Nothing like anaphylactic shock.

When the vet brought her out she was happy.  She wagged and greeted a man who was waiting for his dog and then went crazy when she saw me.  We had a moment and then the vet explained it all.  I asked about an epi-pen and she discussed the serious side effects of epinephrine.  I am still researching the whole epi-pen thing and will share the information when I can find it.  There is very little information about dogs and epi-pens out there.  For now I will be carrying benadryl with me.  I am off this morning to stock up.  I intend on carrying it on me in my dog walking pouch, in the car and have it in the house.  Liquid is the best form as it can be digested the fastest.  I will also buy several syringes so that I can dose and administer it quickly.

If you are going to use a syringe you must be careful how you squirt.  Do not just open the mouth and blast, it could end up going the wrong way.  Place the syringe in the side of the mouth; life the lip at the back molar area and slowly apply so that the dog swallows the substance.

***After coming back from the drug store I have opted to carry adult gel tabs.  Each contains 25 mg so I will need 2; this is much easier than the liquid and syringe.  Plus it is less diluted.***

I have always known about the swollen faces on dogs from bee stings but I did not know that they can have such severe anaphylactic reactions without all the swelling.  Education is the best way to arm yourself; I will be well armed.

Forcing the issue

Funny, I was looking for a photo for today's blog when I came across this on FB this morning.  It couldn't be more perfect.  Taken from The Happy Place on FB.

Leaning over to pet the head of a little white fur ball, I deliver the news.  It's not good news; not what the owner wants to hear.  "She is not going to make a therapy dog," I tell them.  "She doesn't like to be touched," I share with them.  They called me in to help turn their pooch into a therapy dog but this canine had plans of her own.  Being a therapy dog was not one of them, not even close.  I have worked with many dogs over the years who's owners have great expectations and disappointments with regard to their dog.  Many people have a very particular purpose in mind for their dog when they set out to choose.  Perhaps a therapy dog, maybe a flyball champ, Frisbee dog or Search and Rescue.  But it does not always work out.

How many dogs have been re-homed because they simply weren't mean enough?  When people buy a dog hoping for a guard dog and no matter how hard they try they cannot get the dog to think badly of anyone.  They go through all the training but the dog is more like Lassie than a dog from the movie The Doberman Gang.  It just does not work all the time.  I know many people who have performance dogs, they pick specific dogs with high drive and strong work ethic.  For sports where they need to chase like Frisbee or Flyball they need drive and lots of it.  But I have seen dogs with drive who do not want to chase things in a structured setting.  They hate all the other barking dogs and people at the events and do not perform well.  The owner persists and the dog disappoints.  It is sad.

Just like humans, each dog is an individual and just because you get a dog breed or mix that should love to do a particular activity does not mean that they will.  I have seen dogs who are pushed to the edge; some come back but others break.  Dogs who may have been amazing flying disc dogs can come unglued due to stress at an event.  Dogs are simple animals; simple but very complex as well.  If you know dogs and their behavior extensively it is easy; but for many humans, life can be a constant challenge of not understanding their canine's behavior.

Tilley was a great example of a dog who was amazingly talented with a drive that was off the charts.  That said she would have shut down at a Fly Ball event.  So much noise and commotion; an overload of stimulus.  She wouldn't go crazy with a huge display; but quietly balk and become non functional.  This type of surrounding is just fine for many but not for some.  It is important to see this in our dogs.    It can be difficult when you put so much hope and dreams into one dog but if it isn't meant to be then so be it.  Maybe those big rosette ribbons were not meant to sit on your mantle; maybe you were just meant to take long quiet hikes together.

Many dogs who are not enjoying things are not big performance dogs.  They might be family dogs in the wrong household.  Perhaps they were a great dog put into a family with 6 young, active and loud children.  I have seen dogs break in these situations, they just couldn't hack it.  The dog is a wonderful one, just not for this family.  Too much noise, stimulus, ruckus and never ending loudness.  Perhaps a household has a never ending stream of visitors and your particular dog does not do well with visitors.  Stress is a horrible thing to live with; constant never ending stress can be  detrimental.

Dogs with high drive, buckets of energy and desire to work can be just as stressed if put into a sedentary type lifestyle.  These are the dogs who are not being given the outlet for these traits; the ones who eat the living room sofa, take the drywall off of walls and dismantle the backyard sprinklers.

Some owners take their dog to the dog park everyday which lots of dogs love.  But I have also seen many dogs at the park who hate it.  I never understand this; it is clear that their dog is not enjoying the outing.  There have been dogs at the park who sit trembling under their owners legs but the human still keeps going.  Dogs have stress just like we do and the more they have the worse it is.  The dog who hates going to the dog park might love going to the beach and having a quiet walk with his owner.  Maybe they love to go in the car or even have a hidden talent for the chuck it or Frisbee.

Is your dog happy?  This question is on my mind often.  I want my dogs to be happy and I am pretty sure that they are.  They are quite content and deal well with everything that our life entails.  As a youngster Elsa has a huge desire to run and retrieve; I make a point of giving that to her daily.  She is not a big fan of being chased by other dogs while trying to do her retrieving so I fit in one on one retrieving every day for her.  She loves to socialize but the combination doesn't go over well.  She is serious about her retrieving and gets frustrated when others get in the way of that.  She never gets angry but I can see that it stresses her so I watch for it.  If other dogs become an issue at retrieving time we put the ball away for later.  

Dogs do not come out of a cookie cutter; not even the ones that look like they do  Each is an individual and if the one you have is not enjoying what you had planned; perhaps you can tweak those plans to include a happy dog?

Weekend fun for Monday morning.

Let the games begin.

These girls just cannot get enough of each other.

Lots of snorting going on with all the curled noses.

Penny is getting very strong.

They love tugging.

Elsa always has a watchful eye out.

Always watching.

The eye contact between these two is a constant.

Much stalking going on.

When Penny finally got the ball but needed a drink; she was not going to chance losing it.  

My ever intense retriever with her eye on the ball.

Elsa is an amazing retriever and catcher.

It was pretty warm so I went into the shade and lay down on the ground to watch the girls play.  Penny immediately came and took up the prime position across my chest for a rest as well.  I tried to capture her there but it was a tough shot.

Fun, fun, fun.

Getting bigger by the day, very grown up looking already.

Luke is still not a fan; Penny tries very hard but she just won't slow down enough for Luke's liking.  She grovels, squints and pulls her lips back but is still moving like a speeding tornado.  

Hopefully you enjoy these shots as much as I do taking them.  Have a great Monday.  

Time to feed the hounds

Feeding dogs has done a full circle.  From the days of feeding our dogs what we had for dinner, then moving to dinner in a bag and back to real food once again.  Not everyone is feeding real food, in fact many people are shocked at the idea.  "You feed table scraps?"  Table scraps are the pieces of food items that we don't want.  The things that we scrape to the side of the plate and then into the garbage after dinner.  I guess for some, this is what "real food" means.  Not all table scraps are made equal.  Sure there are things that I give my dogs that I don't want; but much of what they eat is something that I would eat.   Table scraps can be a very bad thing if you are only giving fat cut off of a steak or pizza crusts.

Real food is just that, real.  It is not people food; a term that I absolutely hate.  What, we as a species claim rights to all the real food?  I think not.

Real - genuine; not counterfeit, artificial or imitation.  Authentic.

Food - any nourishing substance that is eaten, drunk or otherwise taken into the body to sustain life, provide energy, promote growth etc.



Many of the dog foods out there today are far from nutritional worthy of calling sustenance.  But the whole dog food industry brainwashed the general public into thinking that this was the best you could do for your dog.  All the Veterinarians were told that dog food or kibble was nutritionally complete and they backed this up with their advice to us all.  When I had my very first dog at the age of 18 I was told by my Vet that dog food was dog food; there was no better or worse, it was all basically the same.

I have to say that the dog food industry has done it's job of convincing us that it is the best for our dogs well.   So many still believe this and proudly state "no, just dog food, no treats, no table scraps."  Ah there is that "table scraps" phrase again.  That term and "people food,"  are labels that I cannot stand.  I have a difficult time not pulling out my soap box every time I hear them.   "No, not people food, real food," and only "table scraps," if those scraps are good food.  I save leftovers for my dogs all the time.  If I have real food leftovers that are plain and nutritious then why would I not give it to my dogs.

Dogs are carnivores; yes they can eat items other than meat but animal protein should be the bulk of what they eat.  So when we feed them dog food that has been processed beyond recognition and is filled with corn, peanut shells and feathers; it can wreak havoc on their systems.  Not only are our dog's teeth very different from our but their whole digestive system is as well.  They need meat, they love meat and they thrive on it.  Because our meat is much different than the meat that you will find in the wilderness; supplements and/or additional foods are a good idea.  Greens are one of the best ways to add extra nutrition for our less than perfect meats of today.

As I have said many, many times before variety is the absolute best way to maximize nutrition.  Feeding the same dry dog food day in and day out is not a good idea.  Besides I can't imagine eating the same food everyday, especially boring horrible food.  To a dog, kibble is about as far away from their species natural food appropriate diet.   How does a full rabbit compare to a bowl of over processed dry food?   I try very hard to balance the aspect of feeding my dogs in today's world.  I give them a huge variety of food, mostly real, often cooked and even sometimes dog food.

The best way for humans to eat is to go back in time, before all the processing and eat real food.  Why on earth would it be so different for dogs.  Sadly their food is far more processed than much of ours.  Just imagine eating twinkies your whole life and expecting to be healthy.  Well their food is about as processed as all of those horrible packaged foods that can sit on the shelf forever.  Do your dog a favor, give them some real food.  Something that their body can take and pull nutrients from.  Many of the dog foods out there have nothing for our dogs to use; but simply stuff an empty stomach, just filling a void.

Dog pic tips

Shooting into the sun, this was just days after arriving back in California; a poignant moment for us. 

This is a different blog today.  I was stopped again the other day as I got out to do some shopping; the guy asked me what I do.  The back of my Xterra says www.justdogswithsherri.com So people see that and wonder.  It is hard to sum up what I do in a nutshell but I do my best.  I guess the name Just Dogs is very suitable at this point; explaining sort of vaguely about the entirety.  It's dogs.

I am also asked if I live with a camera around my neck.  Not really but close.  I have one amazing camera, a great one, an ipad and a old dud camera always in the ready.  I have been shooting dogs for a long time and I will always shoot dogs; I love it.  So this morning I thought that I'd share some secrets to getting great shots of your dog.

Sometimes shoot into the moon.

-  Know your camera.  Most cameras these days have lots of settings, learn about them.  Even just a few tweaks to a setting can change a photo.

-  Be ready, know where your camera is.  Some of the cutest shots are of dogs sleeping or resting so always have your camera ready and shoot.  I learned long ago to grab the shot now because it might leave.  It might not work out but it's best to try as dogs tend to leave the scene often.

-  Watch your background; this can take a long time to get the hang of.  Many fabulous shots of dogs are completely ruined with a cluttered background.  Less is more as far as background goes.

-  Lighting is tricky and can take years to master.  Don't always use a flash in low light and use a flash in full sun sometimes.  These go against what we traditionally learn but play with light and learn to see it.

-  Forget the "never shoot into the sun" rule.  I shoot into the sun all the time and get some amazing results.  Although you need to know what you are doing and what you are going for as far as direct in sun shooting.  If you don't want a silhouette when shooting into the sun, use a flash.

-  Get close and back up.  This is probably one of the biggest things you learn after shooting for years.  Many of my favorite canine shots are just an eye or paw that fills a frame.  Then there are others where a dog is simple a speck but a very representative speck in the distance.

I was ready for this one.  I was at a huge rescue event taking photos for the group that was holding it.  My camera was ready as these little girls approached the cage of these tiny puppies.  I thought that there may be great interactions and there was.  This is a favorite of mine. 

-  Emotion, it's all about stirring an emotion. Many crystal clear shots offer no emotion at all but one that was an oops grab that is blurry may hold a great deal.  Work on capturing a moment.  Shoot what you like, not what people tell you to shoot.  Break rules, heck I break them all the time. Some of the best shots go against every photography rule there is.

Now grab your camera and go shoot your dog.

Trust

Yesterday I was in my office trying to finish up Elsa's flying book when I heard a whapping noise.  The all too familiar sound of Elsa's tail hitting the floor as she gets silly trying to catch my attention.  She wants me to focus on her and get away from my computer.  I push out my chair and the thumping gets louder, only stopping once I am on the ground.  Then I get the teeth display, she's in a goofy mood.  Rolling onto her back she hovers there for a belly rub and then it's up for play time.  She does her sideways walk trying to draw me to the door.  Giving her a good slap on the rear I tell her "you are pretty bold,"  and we head out to play.

Once we are outside she immediately gets her ball.  I like to make the rules so I ask her to get a different one or I'm not throwing it.  Searching the yard she finally finds what she is looking for and comes back with something on her face.  Asking her to "let me see," I grab her entire muzzle in my hand and pick of a stick that got stuck on her lip.  She waits patiently for me to de-stick her and then we play.  The slap on the rear and holding her muzzle make me realize how much she trusts me.  Neither of these actions create any sort of concern in her, she trusts me completely.

Complete trust does not always come easy; although just like in people there are those who trust more than others.  In dogs, trust is earned.  When a puppy comes into a home they first feel things out.  They get their feet under them so that they are comfortable with their surroundings.  Next they test out those who live in the house.  The dogs, the people and anything else that might happen to live there.  My dogs know me and know that the worst physical response that my dogs will receive from me is a poke.  That is when I need to get a fast and serious message across.  Because my dogs do not wear collars I do not control them this way.  I also do not raise my hands to my dogs and they know it.  A raised hand can mean many things to them but it does not mean anything bad.

I use a great deal of body language with my dogs.  It is how they speak and so they understand even the slightest of movements, stares or gestures from me.  I also use my voice, but again I rarely raise it unless my dogs can't hear that is.  I don't like to yell and use a low rumble sound to communicate my displeasure.   Trust is huge; we are together in this life and I am here for my dogs.  We are here to protect them and I take my job seriously.

Luke took a much longer time to trust completely.  He is and always has been a nervous type so teaching him that I would never hurt him took some time.  With Elsa, teaching her to trust touch was a challenge just getting her to stop long enough.  Very similar to the sort of thing when you try to pick up a toddler who has just learned the joy of walking.  They've got people to see and places to go.  So you take it slow, you never fight them because that goes against the whole trust thing.

Pushing the boundaries of where a dog is comfortable will be different with every one of them.  Some dogs never care what you do with them while others like Luke have concern over small things.  Turning Luke onto his side was always an issue; he never understood why.  He's a thinker and for him it took baby steps to get to a point where he didn't worry about it.  Having to apply medication of any sort can be a challenge if your dog doesn't trust you.  If you are rough when mad, hit or hold your dog in anger then trust may never come.  NEVER raise your hand to your dog, EVER.

This is one reason that I cannot stand conventional choke collar training, the constant yanking or "corrections" as they like to call it.  Inflicting pain is how it all works and that my friends goes against the whole building trust thing.  When I accidentally bump or step on one of my dogs there is a big follow up commotion.  They are concerned that I am mad; I am concerned that I hurt them.  We have a hug and kiss session, often they look right into my eyes to discern my mood.  Luke has to touch my face with his and Elsa smiles.  I don't hurt my dogs so this incident always throws them.

If something happens and I need to do something unpleasant to my dogs I try my hardest to make it not so bad.  Drops in their eyes result in tons of yummy treats, kissing and hugging.  If I need to check something on their stomach then they get a full body massage as well.  All of this work results in a constant building of trust.  They trust my touch and if they ever have doubts, we work through it until they have no more concerns.

After all if our dogs cannot trust us; who are they going to trust?  

Helping the fearful foster dogs.

Do you rescue or foster dogs?  Then you have probably dealt with fear in one or many of the dogs in your care.  As I wrote in a recent blog, fear is real and must be handled with patience, understanding and kindness.  Taking a fearful dog in and housing it is not enough.  If you rescue, you must attempt to rehabilitate or at least get the ball started.  I have met several dogs from rescue groups that were in bad shape; not physically, but mentally.  One had been taken in as a puppy and raised by a woman, alone in her home.  She never took the puppies anywhere, never socialized or introduced them to anything.  It was a horrible situation.  The dog was extremely fearful, especially of men.

Many dogs who end up abandoned have lead a sheltered life.  This can mean that they have become fearful due to a lack of socialization.  A fearful dog does not mean that it has been beaten; more often it is a fear of the unknown.  So what do you do to help these guys overcome their fear?    Get out there, out in the real world.  But you don't just take these dogs out into crowded public places.  If you overload a fearful dog you can make matters worse.  Offering too much can backfire and cause a dog to shutdown.  Baby steps is how it must be done.  Offering tiny little pieces of social introductions and moving onto more when each step is overcome.

There is no timeline for how long it can take.  The younger the dog the better; but there are many different levels of fear.  Some dogs are so fearful that baby steps can seem almost non existent.  But it must be done, keeping them in the safety of a home or yard is just unacceptable.  Fear goes from bad to worse when not addressed and worked on.

Rescuing and fostering dogs is work and if you are not up for working on a dog's problems then don't do it.  I think foster people are wonderful but they must be willing to help start rehabilitation in order to give dogs a better chance at their life ahead of them.  I've met a few foster dogs who were spending their fearful days in a yard behind a bush.  Yes they were in the safety of a fenced yard but they were also growing more fearful by the day.  Working with a 12 week old puppy with a bit of fear is far easier than dealing with an adult with full blown severe level fear.

Dogs need to be introduced to all sorts of environments, objects and people.  A starting off point could be as simple as a new room, one new person sitting quietly or putting a box in the room with the dog or puppy.  Introductions of new things are basically anything that the dog has not seen before.  By starting to introduce, people, places and things you will quickly learn what areas need work.  

These scared dogs must be introduced to life, slowly, patiently and with kindness.  You must portray a secure, positive and calm aura so that they feel confident following your lead.  Just like I said in yesterdays blog, chill is the name of the game.  Chill little baby steps is the way to success.

Nothing, just nothing. Chill dude.

Chill out dude.  

I am always telling people to ignore, do nothing, pretend you don't care, put on a "whatever" attitude.  So yesterday I was in the shower when I heard a loud slam and then a thump.  The scenario unfolded in my mind; bedroom door slammed, Luke jumped off the bed and was now panic stricken.  I reacged for a towel and calmly opened the door hoping that was not what I would find; but it was most definitely is what I found.  The bedroom door was closed and Luke was shaking like a leaf.  I calmly walked over to the door and slammed it again, stating "humph weird."  I opened up the door and let him run out then closed the door again; but not quite as hard as the first time.  Then I did it several more times and walked back into the shower; leaving the door open so that he could see me if he needed, and he did.

We are very careful in our house about slamming doors.  If Luke happens to be sound asleep when it happens; it is almost guaranteed he'll slip into a seizure.  Since his first door slamming episode he is highly sensitive to door wind movement and even if he doesn't have a seizure he is in a horrible state.  But with all of this "whatever" act he gets over it much quicker.  Luke basically does not like things that move on their own; if the wind is blowing anything he will stare at it with his huge ears up, worrying.

Our reactions to things have a huge impact on how our dogs react.  Watching two dogs interacting can give you a little glimpse at how they watch us.  The other morning there was some fence fighting going on in my neighborhood.  Elsa's ears went up and she barked several times.  In a very calm voice I asked her to stop please and then she looked at Luke.  He was still fast asleep, it wasn't bothering him in the least so she lay her head down and tried to ignore it.  Nice.

I have written about this subject often because it is one of the big mistakes that we humans make,  we over react.  We tend to take information and process it externally when concerning our dogs.  But what we should be doing is making a great deal of our day to day issues, non issue.  There will be times when you want to make a big boofy show of emotion but you need to save your outbursts for when you need an impact.  If you are always vocalizing loudly, shrieking, yelling or waving your arms around then you will lose the huge impact when needed.

Being a non reactor can come in many forms.  You can teach lessons by being chill and walking up to things, acting like you don't care.  You can simply ignore the issue all together or work it into a daily lesson by staying near but not reacting.  It really depends on what will have the most impact as far as dealing with an issue is.  Frenzied barking dogs in the neighborhood send me into "chill gardening" mode.  When I hear Elsa getting worked up I will go out and start gardening, calmly and quietly.  I see her watching me and before long she is gardening with me and ignoring the frenzied barking of others.

Dogs who live in houses with uptight, highly stressed people are as such.  They feed off of what we give off.  Learn to be a non reactor, it will help your dog immensely.  It's not easy and it can be extremely difficult for those who are reactors but it can be done.  I have tried very hard over the years to be chill; especially when there is an incident.  All because of Luke.  He has taught me many lessons over the years but this one is a biggy.  Chill, just chill dude.  Even when your own adrenaline has been triggered, switch on the chill mode.  Unless of course you must react to something serious.  But if it is something going on around you that you can simply walk past, chill.

Earth day

Happy Earth Day everyone.  What is Earth day?  Read about the history of Earth day here.     But for me Earth day represents a day to stop and ponder about this Earth of ours.  One place that we all call home; no matter where on it we are grounded.  I plan on starting the day off gardening, it is something we can all do that is good for our earth.  Planting green is a good thing.  Across the earth there is a huge amount of green removal; by gardening and planting, flowers, bushes and tress we can re-green.  Adding green is always a good thing.

What does Earth day mean as far as our dogs are concerned?

Earth day for dog lovers should be a time of considering what we can do to minimize our footprint, even our canine's footprint on the earth.

-  Use biodegradable poop bags; not the plastic ones you get at the grocery store.  Yes I know they are free but they also sit in the mountains of garbage intact.  There are lots of poop bag stands around and most use biodegradable type.  If you can't find any around, go buy them.  AND pick up.

-  Keep the chemicals off the earth.  No more lawn chemicals, pest controlling chemicals that many spray around their home, yard and dogs.  

-  Even when considering the pest products that you use on your dog.  Don't use anything if you don't have to.  Any chemical we put on our dogs is dangerous.  Plain old suds go a long way to help get rid of pests.  

-  Support the small local pet shops that care about your pets.  Frequent the stores that carry only the good stuff.  My favorite shop nearest to my house is Pet Country.

-  Try to buy green when you can.  There are lots of choices out there now to buy canine related items from companies who create and sell items made from recycled products.

-  Buy locally made when you can, it most definitely helps with the carbon paw print.

-  Recycle, many bags, bottles and cans should be in the recycle bin, not the garbage can.

Grab your best friend and enjoy the earth today, it's Earth Day.  

 

Those types

Yesterday we headed to one of our favorite beaches.  The weather was amazing, not a cloud in the intensely blue sky and 82 degrees.  It was a beach day for sure.  The dogs love the beach; both Luke and Elsa put on their happy faces before we even get there.  They can smell the ocean as we get closer; with their noses stretching close to the open window.  Not long after we arrived I saw a woman and her two black dogs that we had run into several times before and she was headed straight for us.  The first time we ran into them one had gotten stiff at Elsa and I.  The next time you can read about here.

Having a background on these dogs and their oblivious owner; and seeing that they were indeed out on full extension I gave my hubby who had Luke, a heads up.  We veered to the left and sat at a bench to let her and her unruly dogs pass.  As she passed us she shouted "do you have extension leashes?"   I told her NO abruptly and she continued to tell us about how a man just up the path had yelled at her when her dogs came up to him and his little dog.  It sounded like she got a face full of his wrath.  She thought that she was giving us warning about the man but in fact she was further supporting my opinion of her and her dogs.  She stood behind us for a good long while explaining how her dogs were friendly and she didn't mean to surprise him.  She was obviously shaken by the yelling man; good.  Maybe she will keep her dogs in; although I highly doubt it.

It really amazes me when people do not control their dogs.  If you cannot control your dog verbally then you must keep them on a short leash.  Not everyone wants your dog in their face.  So many people are shocked when a leashed dog goes after their "friendly" dog who is off leash.  If people have their dogs on leash then you better have complete control of your dog if you are considering taking your dog's leash off.  Otherwise leave it on, it is not work the problems that will arise from your unleashed dog approaching on leash dogs.

Do not let your dog wander up to other dogs even on leash before asking.  I use my best body language and getting off of the path if I don't want someone and their dog to approach us.  But that still doesn't deter some, they keep coming blindly.  I had to shout at so many people when I had Jessie, "SHE IS NOT FRIENDLY." If you are going to have an interaction take it slow.  People really don't seem to know their dogs well.  When asked if they are friendly they say "yes" when clearly the dog is not or is not interested in an interaction.

There will always be those oblivious types, like the woman at the beach yesterday.  Sad because those are the ones who give all the good dog people a bad rap.  Now have a great weekend with your best friend.

Canine photography

Photography is a personal thing, taking photos is just as personal.  What one photographer sees as a photo op another may not.  Some photos are taken in studios, others on location and many just as a moment unfolds.  It is as they say "in the eye of the beholder."  I love to shoot canines, obviously.  They are my main photography subject but, I also love beauty and action of any other type.  Action is probably my number one love as far as capturing a moment, stopped in time.

Photos taken in a studio can be beautiful, technically correct with good lighting etc., but for me they simply lack luster; that certain umph that makes a natural lifestyle photo amazing.  I have over the years considered a studio, it would make life a whole lot easier if everyone was coming to me.  I can just imagine, clean dogs, clean setting, me not crawling around trying to get "the shot."  With everything set to perfection and a dog smiling pretty at the camera?  No, I'll stay with my dirt filled, emotion seeking, dirty photographer status; I like to capture a dog being a dog. They can't move about in a studio and I like movement. I have always liked movement.  When I can stop it and see the movement that we miss with out human eye, perfection.  

Not long ago I had the opportunity to photograph my beautiful niece who is a dancer.  I loved every second of the shoot and editing the photos.    Before a shot she would show me what she was going to do, that way I could be ready for the movement and the ground that she would be covering.  What I saw in the photos afterwards was spectacular; things that I never saw when watching the exact same movement with my human eye.  Dance photography is something that I am considering; but it will be all about the movement and natural beauty.

The same thing happens with dogs and motion, it is amazing to see the expression, the hair, stride and beauty of their body moving.  All this plus the body language communications that we could never see as they move so quickly.  It is magic to me and I love it.  Sure there are times when a sleeping dog, one laying in the sun soaking up the sun draws me to photograph them.  They are after all being a dog, they aren't always moving.  I love shooting dogs in all of their modes.  Sleeping, resting, playing, running, jumping and eating etc. etc.  You name it.  But the moving and challenge to stop and capture that is what I love best.

But a very close second is connection, a contact between a dog and another dog.  Maybe a dog and it's owner.  Children and dogs are amazing as are senior humans and senior dogs.  I love the connection, the silent interaction that speaks volumes.  A touch, a look, an emotion.

As far as shooting your own dog, snap what you love.  If you love that sassy look you get when your dog wants you to throw the ball, be ready for it.  Love the look of the morning sunshine beaming through the window?  The soft light falling across your sleeping dog?  Shoot it.   For me it is expression or emotion.  Emotion can come in many different forms; it can be a sleeping dog to a dog running at full speed but there must be emotion.  A really great image should make you feel something, something more than "wow, that's nice."

Just like there are so many different people, many types of dogs, there is a plethora of great photography ops.   There are good, bad, great and amazing photos.  I have over the years capture a lot of dog images and thrown tons into the garbage because they simply lacked luster, emotion.  A truly amazing shot is one that makes you stop, hold your breath and feel.

The simplicity of life, the good parts

Sitting here blogging, listening to both Luke and Elsa sleep; this is one of my favorite times of day. The sun is just starting to come up but has not yet made a full appearance.  It's dark, too dark to take a photo without a flash; which is not on my camera at the moment.  But I must have literally hundreds of Luke and Elsa sleeping pics by now, right?  :)  They look so cute I find it hard not to capture the moment, quiet, peaceful and happy...very, very happy.  The simple things, they truly are the best aren't they?  Watching my dogs in a happy state makes me very happy.

"The best things in life are free."  Do you agree with this age old saying?  I do, mostly.  Mostly because there are times when things cost but it is the togetherness that makes a moment a special one.  Yes I had to pay for the bed, the blankets and this laptop but it is the moment when Luke looks up to make sure that I am still here; that point when he is confident that I am indeed staying here in bed when he lays his head back down.  Rubbing his long muzzle on the soft blanket underneath him, he licks his lips and falls back to sleep.  Very happy, a great moment and it cost nothing.

I believe that we are verging on the edge of a new day with our dogs.  A realization that they are far more important to a great life than we ever thought before.  Sure there will always be the naysayers but they can keep their dogless life how ever they see fit.  When we humans take care, proper care of dogs or animals in general we become better humans.  It is that simple.   Dogs are simple, the relationship between a human and their dog can be amazing.  What comes from spending time with our dogs, whether it is playing with, feeding, grooming or like this moment for me; watching them sleep is an amazing connection.

Often when I am sitting watching my dogs or other dogs I consider how amazing this whole dog/human thing is.  We have animals living with us; in our homes, they go in our cars and we spend our days side by side.  Dogs keep us humble, they make us stop and smell the roses.  Allowing a dog to be a dog gives us some of the best times of our lives and mostly they are free.  I try to get to the beach at least once a week with Luke and Elsa.  Luke loves the beach and he is not getting any younger.  There will come a time when he cannot make the beach any longer so we seize the moment now.  Seeing his huge happy face when we get to the beach is almost indescribable.  It brings such a sense of peace over me that I try to let it linger.

Moments, our life is made up of many and when you can pick individual ones out as some of the best; they will more than likely include your dog.  Caring for my dogs makes me happy.  Do I find it too much work?  No, it is what our wonderful life involves.  It is all about giving and no one does it better than our dogs.  Are we doing our part?  We are most definitely getting better.  We are finally taking a stance on those who are not good humans.  Those who care only for their wallets and have not an ounce of concern for the wonderful dogs that they suck the life out of day in and day out.  Hopefully somewhere in the future, these atrocities will be history.

They deserve our all, they give us nothing less.  Take a moment and soak up the amazingness of your dog.  Just sit close and enjoy.  Watching Luke and Elsa twitch and run in their sleep, I ponder "I hope they are enjoying this as much as I am."  It is a moment and I'm taking it.

Fear can present itself in many ways.

Yesterday I was at the park when we ran into a very nice guy with his dog.  We've met and talked to them before so I knew that his dog was fearful.  But, as we approached his little dog seemed very interested, happy interested in Luke and Elsa.  Perhaps he remembered them from before; I know that my guys only need to meet someone once and they are forever in their memory bank.  So it could have been that and the signals that both Luke and Elsa were giving off that created his non fearful reaction.  Whatever the cause it was nice for him and his owner to be able to enjoy a non reactive interaction.

Fear is a powerful emotion; it can create behaviors that seem unrelated and confusing.  It does not always cause a dog to run and hide; it can in fact be hard to see.   I have written many times before about how Luke turns into Cujo at the Veterinarians office.  When we go in he is fine until a person shows up; then he pulls on his mean and scary suit and begins his attempts at keeping everyone away.  Now, anyone who knows Luke, knows that this is not Luke at all.  He is one of the most loving, emotional and wonderful guys that you will ever meet.  But he is afraid at the vets so he tries to keep everyone away.  Not too many people, including most of the workers at various vet offices understand this.

Fear can come from the unknown or from a bad or scary association.  A great deal of aggression stems from fear in dogs; they cannot explain how they are feeling so they often resort to the "keep'm away" tactic that Luke uses at the vets.  Sadly this fearful aggression is often met with anger from an owner and surrounding people.  But fear can be conquered, not always completely but you can most definitely help it.

I have met many people who think a dog must have been hit or beaten in their previous life.  Rescue dogs can show fear which humans tend to interpret as having been hit.  When the more likely culprit is lack of socialization.  A lack of socialization can leave a dog with severe fearful behaviors.  Dogs that duck when someone reaches out to pet them, or growls at another dogs approach; both can be caused by fear of the unknown.

Each and every dog is different so they are never going to act the same.  Two dogs living the exact same lives, identical lack of socialization may react completely different.  When a dog is fearful of things, environments or situations you may never know why or what caused it.  But there is a very good chance that it is a fear of the unknown.  The little dog that we met in the park yesterday was a perfect example.  He comes across as aggressive on first meeting but he is in fact a very nice little guy once you get past the fear reaction.

Fear is hugely powerful, never underestimate it or brush it off.  It is real, very real and needs addressing.  Not in a harsh "knock it off" manner but a kind, gentle and patient form.  Fear needs assistance to disappear and be a thing of the past.

Out of sight?

Photo taken from onestopcollarshop.com   It is not my collar.  

I stumbled upon this the other day.  When I saw them I sat and looked for a long while considering the whole idea surrounding them and their use.  The secret or hidden prong collar.  After thinking much about how the prong or pinch collar works I thought that these would actually be worse than the original version.  The looseness has been removed by attaching the collar where it is hidden behind.  Making the collar more stiff and less adaptable.

Of course to be absolutely positive that I would be correct in my visual assessment I would have to try it.  But that is not going to happen anytime soon.  I would not put a pinch/prong collar on either of my dogs.  I have used one a prong collar; very longtime a go when positive training had not come around yet.  The pinch/prong collar work by inflicting pain and if anyone wants to explain to me otherwise, you can try.  But this collar seems to lack the flexibility so I can't see how it would pinch and let go at all.  It looks like it would just be stabbing into the neck continually.

Let's get to the real reason these collars are made.  The shame.  The mentality behind the collar has nothing to do with it's use; it has everything to do with "your secret."  Many of the sites where I saw this collar states "you don't have to explain," or "others will never know." If you feel that badly about using a piece of equipment on your dog; then perhaps you should not be using it?  Just a thought.

No I don't like prong collars and that is my opinion and mine alone.  If your opinion differs from mine; that is fine, it is your opinion.  But my opinion is that these are awful.  Hiding truth, pretending that you aren't using a prong collar.  If that isn't enough of a wake up call I don't know what is.  Oh sure you can walk around pretending that you would never use a prong collar; meanwhile it is there under the fancy facade that you are living.

Prong collars use pain to get a message across.  Because they inflict pain they also create many fall out behaviors from the pain.  I have written about association and it is how dogs learn.  Watching a dog with a prong collar on the other day at the park only helps to support my opinion on the issue of prong collars.  The dog was straining, barking and frenzied into a crazy mess as the woman tried to teach her dog to behave.  Every time he tried to say hi to a dog his collar tightened and it created an aggressive reaction response in him.

No I don't think that these are a great invention.  I think that the person who came up with the idea is playing along with the "hide it and you won't have to explain," train of thought.  Shameful.  Our dog's necks are priceless; you wouldn't throw a chain with spikes on it around your child's neck now would you?

Natural stuff

Taken at the California Wolf Center several years ago. 

I stood watching Elsa in a full point.  She was frozen with just the tip of her tail giving any clue that she was not a statue.  Rats, she was in the moment with a rat on the bird feeder.  It saw her and didn't want to make a run for it; she saw it and was iced in; unable to move in any direction.  The rat had her full attention until she started to drop her foot; she lowered it in slow motion.  It was coming down to the ground so slowly that you almost couldn't see it.  Very cool, I love this stuff.  The natural stuff, things that dogs do but were never taught to do.  Yes Elsa came from a breeder who does hunting type things but Elsa has never hunted.

Digging, many dogs dig holes in the dirt and then lay in the bottom.  I've heard owners say "what the heck are you doing?"  To that I say "way cool natural stuff."  Not too many puppies are witness to their Mother digging into the ground to find a cool spot; but they somehow know how to do it, and where to find the cool down in the ground.

Stalking is another very cool natural behavior that most dogs exhibit.  These days it is mostly used in play but it comes from a hunting instinct.  This stalking behavior comes very naturally but would be fine tuned if they were using it to actually hunt, kill and eat prey.  We often laugh when little Penny stalks Elsa across the yard; she is in full view with Elsa watching her.  Not sneaking at all but it still offers the desired effect as Elsa prepares for the onslaught.  Some puppies will have watched this behavior but again most have never seen it before using it themselves.

These are all hardwired behaviors.  Some instinctive behaviors are in all dogs; others come from specific breeding.  When humans breed dogs for distinct traits they breed in things like herding, guarding, retrieving...etc. etc.  Behaviors can become hardwired making it an instinctive behavior that comes naturally.  Some bred for behaviors can become huge issues when there is too much.  Behaviors can become OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) issues making living with that particular dog no fun at all.  Some breeders consider a little to be good and more to be better.  But more is not always better; sometimes more is awful, especially for the owners of the dog.  More on this in another blog.

Many hardwired behaviors have nothing to do with hunting; some are just behaviors for living in a pack that have always been there.  Tolerance is a huge instinctive behavior; of course it has been bred out of some dogs but most still have it.  Tolerance to other dogs, especially pack members and/or puppies.

Even though many of our dogs today barely resemble their ancestors; they are all still dogs and many of the same instinctive behaviors can lie dormant.  I have seen owners of tiny little pocket pooches gasp as their cute little adorable baby attacks a rabbit.  Shocked, they cannot believe that their little human in dog disguise would attack another animal.  Much to their dismay they have been witness to the fact that their little bundle of joy is in fact A DOG.

A dog is a dog and dogs are not little humans.  Dogs do things that most of us would never consider doing.  Because they are dogs.  They will often shock owners in a bad way; giving the owner a wake up call to the fact that they are indeed dogs.  But they also leave us in awe as they do things from long ago; long before we were involved, when they were wolves.  Behaviors so hardwired that they continue to this day and will for hopefully a very long time.

I remember a day that we were out on a walk with Tilley and Luke.  Tilley had very high drive; higher even than Elsa's.  She ran off ahead of us in the park and came back with a rabbit in her mouth.  Yes, our little princess Tilley; had spotted and hunt down a rabbit.  Pretty amazing.  She didn't kill it, but held it gently in her mouth for us.  Sadly it died of fright; being inside of a dogs mouth must be a scary place when you a rabbit.

 Many breeds of dogs have been bred to chase critters; most terriers fall into that category.  They are triggered by movement; often the smallest motion will send them bolting after the source.  For years they have been bred to hunt and kill vermin.  For those who don't understand the heart of a terrier; life can be a constant challenge.  It was nothing for Jessie to hunt down a mole or ground critter of sorts shaking the life out of it and/or perhaps eating it within a split second.  Drive is a natural instinctive trait in dogs; most still have it in varying degrees.

When you see a hard wired behavior it can surprise you.  Sometimes shock you in good and bad forms but I happened to love it.

Separation anxiety

Separation - an act or instance of separating or the state of being separated.

Anxiety - an abnormal and overwhelming sense of apprehension.

Separation anxiety is a common issue in dogs; more so in second hand dogs.  This is something that I try to share with anyone wanting to adopt or rescue; just a heads up of the possibility.  Separation can come in many forms and range from very mild to severe and possibly dangerous.  Over the years I have dealt with many cases; the worst one being a dog that broke and jumped out of glass windows.  That was a scary one.  

Many people think that their dog has separation anxiety when in reality it is just missing them.  There is a difference between wishing you would stay home and not being able to cope with your absence. Second hand dogs have already been abandoned; so it makes sense that they think the possibility of it occurring again is a good one.  When you leave, they panic.  

When you acquire a dog, whether it be a new puppy or an adult; you must begin the leaving process.  Of course with a new adult dog you want to hang around for a bit so that they get use to their new home etc etc.  But as soon as they are comfortable, go out.  Start with short outings and do it often.  If you have no where to go; just go out and do something.  Make your exit and your arrival a non issue, no big deal.

When you are at home don't hover.  Don't be a cling-on owner.  Owners who can never be away from their dog create a whole bucket full of problems; separation anxiety being one of them.  By over indulging your own need to be with your dog 24/7 you are handicapping your dog.  You may think that you are doing a good thing but just imagine how your dog feels.  They are use to you smothering them with attention each and every second of the day.  When you leave there is a huge vacuum (a space not filled or occupied; emptiness; void) that your dog cannot deal with. 

When dogs do have separation anxiety it can be in the form of peeing or pooping in the house or their crate.  They can become destructive or try to escape the confines of their home or yard to come to find you.  True separation anxiety is a serious behavior issue and must be dealt with as it often gets worse over time.  Dogs must learn that they can deal with your absence and be fine with it.  But teaching a dog who already has anxiety due to your separation can be difficult and take a long time.  Patience, kindness and understanding is a must.  

There are many things that you can try if you have a dog that may be exhibiting some signs of anxiety.  Leave a radio or television on when you leave.  Do a lot of mock coming and going runs.  Make sure that your dog has enough mental and physical stimulation.  This means exercise and getting out to see the world.  Leave a Kong filled with frozen food in it to create a positive association to your leaving.  Get some alone time even when you are together.  Keep the petting down to a minimum.  

If you have a dog with severe separation anxiety call a professional who uses positive reinforcement methods of behavior modification.  Yanking, yelling or disciplining a dog will just make it worse.  Separation anxiety is a real disorder; do not brush it off as your dog acting out.  Dogs don't act out in the way that we do.  They don't do revenge type stuff.  If a dog poops on the floor in front of the door it is not because they want you to step in it when you get home home. They are not plotting like "ha, there you go" for leaving them.  It is caused by anxiety and it is a symptom of their emotional state.  

Sometimes people add another dog in attempts to solve the loneliness they believe to be driving the behavior.  It can work but often does not because the issue is YOUR absence.  They don't care how many other dogs are around if you are not there.  So you must address the issue before adding another into the mix.  Like I said sometimes it does work but I have seen many people with more dogs and one with severe separation anxiety still.  

Even if you don't have big issues with separation; no big good byes.  Don't go crazy when you get home sending your dog into a frenzy of "YOU'RE HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Of course every once in a while is fine but make coming and going a non issue.  It will really help your dog deal with your absence.  

Friends

Yesterday we had our friends Lucy and her Mom over for a visit.  Elsa has known Lucy since she was just a pup but they have not seen each other for quite some time.  No matter, Elsa was beside herself with excitement.  Here she is doing her best attempt at inviting a game to ensue, toy shaking.   

Elsa had some calming down to do after Lucy arrived.  She was in her Elsa/Penny mode of crazed playing which Lucy was not such a big fan of.  Lucy hung with Luke until Elsa calmed down.   

It is so good for dogs to play with lots of different types of dogs.  It was evident that Elsa was stuck in her Bull Terrier playmate zone for a while until she realized that Lucy was not planning on playing like Penny does.  After Elsa calmed a bit, Lucy loosened up and they had their fun.  

Lucy is almost 2 years older than Elsa so there is quite an obvious maturity difference.  Both young girls so they had lots of fun playing and just chilling.   

Body language communications.

Just having fun.

Elsa always has the ball or toy.

A moment of thought.

At one point as the ball was thrown Elsa stopped in her tracks and let Lucy continue on and get the ball.  It was very interesting to watch because Elsa let Lucy have a turn.   Elsa is a ball hog but not for possession purposes, she likes to keep the game going.  Lucy tried a few times to guard the ball from Elsa but I intervened; guarding is not allowed on a play date.  

Lucy having fun.  

Elsa being a big helper trying to let Lucy know that her Mom already has the ball in her hand.