Spoos

I had bloggers block this morning.  I was up much of the night so this morning I am exhausted.  I sat staring at my laptop screen when I thought "I'll ask my FB readers."  Within minutes I had my blog topic; thank you so much Linzey.  Her idea was "how you came to love spoos."  Now for those of you who are not owned by a spoo you may not know what a spoo is.  Spoo is short for Standard Poodle.  I have been calling them spoos for a very longtime and it just rolls off my tongue now.  So when, where and how did my passion for a spoo happen?

A long, long time ago I was looking for a dog.  I already had a wonderful dog at the time; Mandy, a beautiful Airedale Terrier with the heart of Lassie.  I wanted a friend for her so over the months I researched and researched.  I had been hooked on Dobermans from the age of 13 so they were up there on my "maybe" list.  With the Doberman was the Giant Schnauzer; another Airedale, Irish Wolfhound, Irish Setter or Standard Poodle.  Ever since the days of 'Big Red' the Disney movie I'd been smitten with the Irish Setter.  So I read and talked and saw and visited breeders until I landed on the Standard Poodle.

Deciding on a breed alone was quite a task for me; I pretty much love all dogs.  I love all sizes, colors, shapes and mixes so choosing one was tough. I am a sucker for a Disney face; you know those little scruffy faces that are typically on a mix?   When I see one I always comment and melt "oh, that's a Disney dog."  I also love a sleek body; the canine physique is a magnificent one and I like to see it.  I do not like it hidden in a pile of hair.  Hmmmmm.... so a poodle?  You all know that I do not fluff my poodles; you can have a poodle look however you like.  Being that I like to see the gorgeous body of a poodle I opt to shave them down.  Not only does this allow more time for fun but less time on tedious grooming.

But hair has nothing to do with my love of the breed.  They are probably one of the most utility dogs around; ask them to do anything and they'll give it a try.  Their intelligence is unmatched.  Even when I was thinking about adding another canine to our pack when we got Elsa, I considered other breeds and mixes.   I have fostered a couple of spoos over the years but they did not blend with my existing pack so they were placed into a wonderful home of their own.   There have been times when I am shooting rescues that I am extremely close to bringing one home; mostly the little mixes with a Disney face.  Oh how I love a little scruffy face.

Being a true dog lover (which to me means you love all dogs, not just your breed) I fall into the "so many dogs, so little time" situation.  It took me a very long time to find Elsa and when I finally connected with her breeder, it felt right.  Choosing a dog should not be taken lightly; and I am not talking about breed alone.  Each dog is an individual, each owner is an individual; so will the two come together for a glorious, or tumultuous life?   I have helped many people come to the realization that they have the wrong dog.  Does that mean that they place the dog?  Give it away?  No, they simply need to realize their differences and work through them.

Even within a single breed, no two are alike.  Luke and Elsa are very different as were my spoos in the past.  But as far as I'm concerned we all fit together like pieces of a puzzle.  The Standard Poodle is the perfect match for me.  Exterior image has nothing to do with it.  Spoos are just dogs like other dogs but with curly hair.   The whole fluffy poodle image is one created by humans and has nothing to do with the true Poodle.  They are amazing athletes, wonderful guard dogs with a crazy level of intelligence.  Does that mean that a mix or different breed will never live in my house?  Not at all; you never know you lies around a corner of your life.

In the eyes of a canine you can see the true awesomeness of each individual.

But for now I am head over heals in love with... Luke and Elsa.  My spoos.

Old And New

Yesterday at the beach we ran into a very nice woman with her Sheltie pup.  He was a gorgeous tri-colored sheltie; six months old and very sweet.  Elsa quite enjoyed him but he was interested in Luke.  I kept Luke back a bit until he had a good chance to watch and get accustom to the youngster.  The puppy had very good manners; he was not jumping on Luke or in his face.  Luke stood on his tip toes which is customary and let the young dog check him out.  In only a few moments Luke seemed to like the little guy and wagged, even play motioned to him.  It was a great young and old interaction.

Not all puppies act appropriately around older dogs.  The interaction can go very wrong if it is not supervised.  The older the dog, the less tolerance to puppy shenanigans typically.  I remember asking people in the park if their dog was puppy friendly?  This was when Elsa looked like an adult to many but was not.  They would say that their dog was friendly and then I would ask, puppy friendly?  Many people changed their mind when given this information as they should.  Not that Elsa was a bad puppy, she was always very respectful, but still a puppy. This means fast movements, barking and general crazy stuff that many adults or older dogs do not want to deal with.

Some puppies are just downright obnoxious.  Add a senior to the mix and it can be really horrible.  So we need to teach our puppies how to act appropriately if they don't do this on their own.  The biggest issue with an interaction is on the puppy; how do they respond to feedback.  There are puppies who are very good readers and respond to the slightest signal all the way up to the block heads that don't care how much growling or snapping an old dog does.  The latter are the ones that need a whole lot of work.

Not only do you need to help your puppy learn how to interact appropriately; much care needs to be given to protect the older dog.  Puppies can knock old dogs down or injure them simply by their excited approach.  Old dogs should not be subjected to the constant onslaught of a puppy.  It needs to be a slow and positive approach; especially if you are trying to create a relationship between the two.  If it is just a chance meeting in the park; go with "short and sweet."  A quick hello and off you go.

This past weekend Luke and Penny had a good interaction.  Typically Penny gets herself so excited around Luke that it turns negative.  Luke has been trying to let Penny know that he is not interested.  Of course he is interested but not when she becomes a bowling ball tornado.  She is obsessed with getting to know him but in the process she gets so excited that she cannot control herself.  She also ignores most of his growls, snaps and bites.  Luke is not aggressive at all; he is merely trying to convey how he feels which she typically ignores altogether.  But this weekend she was able to control herself somewhat and they had a great interaction.

On first approach Penny looks at Luke and he stares at her.  She has her body posture down to a T.  Tail low, ears back, squinting eyes, pulled back lips and lowered body.  

This hard stare was enough to cause Penny to avert her eyes.

But not enough to stop her approach so Luke has to speak louder.  

The teeth display and growl is understood and she tests the waters again.  Notice her very low body posture, ears back, eyes squinting and low tail wag.

But as she crosses the invisible line that Luke has he must turn up the volume of his disapproval.  

Penny waits to see if the teeth will come again or if she can move closer.

She opts to lower herself even more by commando crawling on her approach.

The tactic worked and she lays still for a moment before acting further.

Feeling that she is not close enough yet she turns to see Luke.

Then falls in complete submission.  

Luke allows the groveling to continue but she is not allowed to get any closer.  

There is an old way of thinking that says to let them work it out.  If I allowed this to happen, Luke would be hurt without a doubt.  He is not strong now and can easily be knocked over by Penny's sheer strength.  Nor should he have to endure the onslaught of her desire.  She is desperate for his approval but in the process she becomes a whirling maniac of excitement.  This interaction was a good one.  It was highly supervised and I was ready to step in at any moment.  I have had to pull Penny off many times and I will continue until she can learn to be calm around him always.

Many people would step in and discipline the older dog for showing teeth or growling.  This is one of the biggest mistakes that owners do which can cause a huge turmoil in a home.  As the older dog and senior of the house it is his right to discipline her and communicate his displeasure.  If I took that away from him then Penny would turn into a dog with no boundaries.  Feedback is essential.  Of course if he meant her harm I would stop him but there is no harm meant by Luke's communications.

She'll get it, it might just take a while.  Enjoy, I sure did.

Oh those flailing arms

When I watch owners, trainers and dog walkers alike I am always surprised by the amount of arm waving.  Motioning here and there with those propeller like arms.  So much arm movement when all that it needed is a single tiny movement.  Dogs are amazing watchers of body language; they signal to each other constantly.  So many minute signals are given to each other that we often miss them completely.  So why on earth would we need to make all these huge flapping gestures.

I think the coolest thing to watch are those who have such an amazing connection with their dog that you almost cannot see it.  Have you ever seen one of those trick type shows where it looks like the trainer has nothing to do with what the dog is doing?  Watch closely and long enough and you will spot the secret signals that are being given.  They are so small that it takes our very poorly trained human eye a long time to discern them.

The big picture, we are always told to stand back and look at the big picture.  But what about the small ones; the signals and communications that you miss trying to see the big one.  I have stood watching dogs play with a handful of dog owners and been amazed by all the wrong assessments of a situation.  One dog will growl (a big picture item) and the owners jump to the conclusion that the growler is cranky.  But the reader who has made this determination has missed all the micro communications before the big one, the growl.

The only time that dogs talk "BIG" is when their regular, small and fleeting communications have failed.  So when we talk with huge waving arms to start off with we have no where to go from there.  We are already at the place where big messages come from so then we typically hit the yelling stage.  Speak softly and signal small; that is the big secret to really connecting.  Watch for tiny signal, body movements and communications.

Having an amazing communicative connection with your dog does not require a loud voice and waving arms.  A slight movement can speak volumes to dogs; and that is without a vocal sound at all.  Dogs learn signals much quicker and before they learn words; it is after all how they communicate best.  Clean, clear and concise small signals work wonders.  Stop flailing, the more movement you deliver in a message the more work a dog has to do to try to understand it.  When a dog becomes confused by a message it is probably because of our delivery.

Test and review - Mutt Lynch Wine

Just this past weekend my family had the wonderful opportunity to taste test several wines from Mutt Lynch Winery.  We'd been planning the event for a while and finally all came together long enough to give our palate a plethora of intriguing flavors.  The plan was to set the wines outside and enjoy our wine tasting outdoors before coming in for lunch.  But with the temperatures up in the high 90's; the tasting moved indoors.   The table was set, the white wine chilled and red waiting to be tasted as we sat with our tasting glasses.

The wines that we had lined up to be tasted were:

Chateau d'Og - Cabernet Sauvignon
Portrait of a Mutt - Zinfandel
Merlot Over and Play Dead - Merlot
foo foo leblanc - Sauvignon Blanc
Unleashed - Chardonnay

In attendance for the taste testing was Jamie, my oldest daughter (27), Nicole (25), Brad (23), my hubby, Luke, Elsa, Penny and me.  We are a family of foodies, fine wine and dog lovers so this was a perfect pairing.  Who better to taste test Mutt Lynch wines?

First up:

Unleashed - Chardonnay
Finding a good white wine can be a challenge.  But as we really enjoy both red and white we are always looking for a great new white.  These whites were both very good.

- warm fruit aroma,

- light and crisp,
- flavors of vanilla and pear,
- mildly tart,
- slightly sweet,
- fabulous summer wine,

- short finish.

foo foo leblanc - Sauvignon Blanc
Of course I was leaning towards this one with it's cute poodle label.  (wink, wink)

- aroma of green apples,

- smooth,
- pear flavors,
- light,
- the ultimate summer wine.

- nice finish.

Portrait of a Mutt - Zinfandel
This was a stand out for us all; surprisingly as we do not often drink Zinfandel.

- plum aroma

- smooth,
- spicy/oak flavors,
- flavors all come together as one,

- blackberry finish.

Can I please taste some wine?  Nope, no wine for dogs.  

Merlot Over and Play Dead - Merlot

- earthy aroma,

- great flavor,
- light but full bodied,
- smooth,
- hint of chocolate,
- notes of smoke,

- light lingering finish.

Chateau d'Og - Cabernet Sauvignon

- warm peppery aroma,

- palate is full with flavors.
- subtle tannin,
- touch of tobacco,
- black cherry,
- peppery smooth,

We did not drink all of the wine on Saturday so we were able to try them once again on Sunday.  As wine does, they took on new flavors as they got their legs.  These reviews were from the first taste test.  All the wines were lovely with everyone having their own favorite but the big star was the Zinfandel.

My own preference for wine is a smooth, full bodied, dry.  I do not enjoy a sweet wine but a slight touch of sweetness in a light white can enhance an afternoon glass or two.  I will be heading over to the Mutt Lynch website to stock up and hope to take a trip  to their winery before long.  Cheers.

Everyone is a trainer

Your dog's life is in your hands.  

The term "trainer" implies some degree of knowledge with regard to a specific activity.  Being a trainer does not mean that you are an expert; nor does it mean that what you teach is useful or pertinent.  As far as being a dog trainer, there is a vast degree of difference in those who call themselves a trainer.  I met one girl who said she was a dog trainer; when we started discussing behaviors it was obvious that she didn't understand what I was talking about.  She did not have a dog of her own and had only been training at PetSmart for over a month.  Scary.  She was teaching people how to train their dogs.

There are trainers and there are trainers with experience.  Experience teaches you more than anything in a book; hands on work with dogs is real life experience.  Each dog is different, working with a new dog always comes with new lessons.  There have been times when I was really surprised by a displayed behavior; a new lesson was learned.  Truly understanding dog behavior means that you can never assume that something will work.  You must have alternative tactics for when it doesn't work.

Working with dogs is a never ending lesson.  Those who think that it is done one way and that is how you do it, is not someone you want training your dog.  Typically conventional choke collar trainers do it one way; that is where the collar comes in.  Take the collar off, the leash off and where are they?  They are stuck with no means to teach, sad.  If they cannot yank a dog around on a leash and collar they really have no knowledge of how to interact and teach the dog.  Everyone should take collars off and see how much real control that they have with their dog.  If you cannot rely on a collar for control; have you got any sort of control?

My training is geared around living with extremely well behaved dogs.  I do not teach agility, flyball or other activity type training.  I know many dogs who are amazingly well trained in their field of competition but off the field they are literally a fur monster on four legs.  This is a major reason why I love doing in-home private training; I get to see the dog in the home where the action happens.  Each dog's training is set up for that particular dog in their home with their people.

In the world of training there are the inexperienced newbies, trainers stuck in their ways of the past, those who only know one way and the very harsh unbelievable trainers.  It always surprises me how many harsh trainers are still around and that people allow these trainers to do what they do to their dogs.  I have heard of one trainer who comes to your home and immediately alpha rolls the dogs. People stand back and let it happen.  One woman I talked to told me that her dog bit the trainer pretty badly after being alpha rolled; not surprising.

Over the years I have undone a great deal of damage done by inexperienced or harsh trainers.  When I meet the owner and hear about what the trainer did to their dog, it makes me mad.  I explain to the owner what has happened to their dog and then we get to fixing the issue.  Many bad trainers use bullying tactics to sell their talents.  They use the owners feeling of inexperience to fuel the "you're going to wreck your dog," idea.  I have heard this time and time again from owners who put blind faith in a trainer and now live with the guilt.

When you hire a trainer, no matter what trainer that is; you must feel good about what they are doing or asking you to do with your dog.  If you shudder at something your trainer is doing to your dog; don't do it.  Not everyone has you or your dog's best interest at heart.  Inexperience, greed and anger have no place in dog training.  Much damage can be done by a trainer who lacks basic knowledge about canine behavior.

If you feel the least bit apprehensive about a trainer, find another.  Your dog is worth the best.

Not tired yet.

Yesterday morning before our walk, before the gym and before truly being awake I was being entertained by Elsa.  I am today, still amazed by the purity of the interaction that you can have with a dog.  It doesn't have to be your dog; it can be a dog that you run into at the park, a friends dog or another family members dog.  The old saying 'a picture is worth a thousand words,' is especially true in the context of dogs.  I have been shooting dogs for a long time now.  Am I tired of shooting our four legged friends?  Bored of following a dog around to capture a moment that we might otherwise miss if it is not captured?  Do I grow weary of working up the hundreds of images shot at a single shoot?  Not even close.

So there I was, enjoying the antics of my young'n.  She was at her best and had energy to burn.  As I was not yet ready for a walk she thought that she might expend some of her excess on me.  When Elsa has some overflow energy, stand back and watch the show.  I try to capture personality when I shoot a dog, any dog. For me a shot of a dog sitting just looking at the camera leaves much to be desired.  It lacks emotion.  Of course this is why I am regularly crawling around to get a shot instead of working in a nice tidy studio.

Although I have used Elsa as an example for this blog (sheer laziness of not wanting to look through thousands of photos), the same thing goes for all of the dogs that I have shot and will shoot.   When you take a photo of your dog; are you capturing your dog or simply an image?  Would someone looking at your photo get a feel for who your dog is?

Elsa began her silly behavior when I told her to "wait," as I ran to get my camera.  This was the bored face she had on when I got back with my camera.  

She most definitely has a plan here and it is to pounce Mom.

A sneak attack preparation look.

The full on "let's brawl" face.

At only 22 months old, I have enough photos of Elsa to line the walls of my house and a couple others on the street.  Tired of shooting dogs?  Not a chance.  If I'm not shooting a client's dog, dogs for a magazine or random dogs on the street or beach then I'm shooting mine.  A picture is worth a thousand words, most definitely.  I think that most you now have a very good understanding of who Elsa is; and Luke of course.  It is all about emotion, a photo must contain something to feel or it is simply ink on paper.  My shoot with Elsa yesterday was very fulfilling; she gave me so much of herself to capture and show to you.  How can I not share the sheer joy of Elsa with others?  It just would not be right.  :)

No words needed here.

What a flirt she is.

Her approach to play with Luke is full of meaning, very respectful but to the point.

Any attention from Luke is good attention.  She LOVES when he bites her face.  Notice her ear placement and closed eyes in submission.

This is what my husband and I lovingly call the blank stare.  It is a look that Elsa gets often and I believe a ponder moment between thoughts or emotions.  

 The photos below are from previous shoots, we have one just about everyday.

A new toy, happy girl. 

The common "get off the computer" display.

Begging eyes.

This is very clearly an invitation and sheer joy.  

Elsa is very much a toothy girl.  She adores showing everyone her teeth in play.  This shot is purely Elsa.

This is a beautiful shot I used at Christmas.  It looks very angelic but holds a great deal more information than  a simple angel looking to the skies.  She was a tad concerned here as a plane had just dropped some weird stuff in our yard.  Tail down, ears slightly raised trying to figure out what just happened.   

Also one of the most affectionate dogs that I know; this is Elsa's google face.  Here she is trying to reach over with her tongue to lick my arm.  A shared moment.  

Have you called Mom lately?

Yesterday I sent Elsa's breeder a little update.  Not a long and drawn out letter; just a note about how wonderful she is doing and let her know about a few things we've been up to.  Even though Elsa is very well known, I still like to connect.  It's what I do.  I have been reaching out to my dog's breeders for a very long time.  I still talk to Tilley's breeder even though she has been gone over a year now.  I tracked down Jessie's breeder after she moved to Mexico so that I could update her.   With that connection I was able to find a Jack Russell puppy for a friend of mine that was actually related to Jessie just a year before Jessie passed.  

Not all breeders want to hear from you; but the good ones love to hear how their babies are doing.  I've tried to contact Luke's breeder but cannot find her.  We were in touch and then she just disappeared.  Luke came from a co-owned dog and when I could not find the woman who raised him until I got him I went to the "kennel name sake" other owner.  I just wanted to touch base; let her know that Luke had epilepsy, as a  sort of heads up.  I wanted to share with her that he was doing great and that he was the love of my life.  As soon as I mentioned the epilepsy I never heard back again.  Sad.

When a good breeder raises a litter of puppies; they put their heart and soul into the job.  They connect with each one of those puppies personally.  When the time comes to let them go to their new homes; I am sure that a piece of their heart goes with them.  Far too often when a puppy leaves; a breeder never hears again.  Sure the breeder can call and find out but the better scenario is to be contacted by the new owners.  Just a quick call, email or message to say "hey, she is doing great and we adore her."  Or share the problems or questions that you might have.

This goes for dogs that don't come from breeders as well.  Perhaps your dog is a rescue; rescuers too love to hear how the dogs who have passed through their lives are doing.  Imagine the satisfaction of hearing about a dog that you saved.  A dog that was pulled from near death that a rescuer helped move onto a wonderful forever home.  Stories of their new life must be very uplifting to a rescuer.

One of the first people that I talked to when Tilley passed was her breeder.  Through streams of tears I wrote her an email and within minutes of sending it she was on the phone to me.  I could barely talk but she was there to listen to the few words I could get out and we shared a moment over a very special girl.  A good breeder is an amazing thing to find. The good ones care long after those little puppies leave their loving arms.

With Mother's Day just a few days away; consider giving your extended family a call.  Be it a breeder, rescuer or foster; I have no doubt that they would love to hear from you.

Is that me?

Perhaps Luke's mirror attraction is simply because he is a handsome devil?  

Yesterday Luke and I were having a snuggle when Elsa came to join in.  I have a mirrored closet door in the office so I could see her coming up from behind.  She stood watching the interaction between Luke and I for a while and then noticed us in the mirror.  She has seen mirrors many times but seemed intrigued to see us in it at that moment.  She moved closer to the mirror watching intently.  I waved and her ears went up.  I talked to her in the mirror and she seemed to be very interested in this whole mirror thing.  She turned to see us in our real location and then got goofy; what a girl.

Mirrors and dogs are a funny thing.  There are dogs who never notice a mirror; for them it becomes just part of the house.  Others notice occasionally and some are mystified by it.  Most puppies will react when placed in front of a mirror.  The big difference is how long they stay interested in it and how many times before they realize that there is really no one behind there.  Luke has always been a mirror watcher; he also watches TV.  Not like most dogs who glance if a dog barks; he watches full on shows and follows along.  So perhaps there is a commonality between the two.

I wondered yesterday what Elsa was thinking.  The fact that Luke and I were there in front of her but we were also over there in the mirror had her excited.  She was excited but calm, although very interested.  Luke has always been a calm watcher.  If there is a mirror around he likes to check it out and I most definitely see him checking himself out regularly.  Of course he is a handsome devil but he truly likes to look at himself.  We use to have a dresser at the end of our bed and if you were talking to Luke on the bed he would always turn to see if you were in the mirror.  He would do it several times until satisfied.

Mirrors are a funny thing as far as dogs are concerned.  Even when Luke was young and very much the nervous ninny type; he never minded that we were always in the mirror.  But he did love to look into it.  There is never any real interaction between the person or dog in the mirror and the actual dog; only what is offered by the dog which is why puppies tend to lose interest quickly.  Of course there are dogs who will always be drawn to a mirror and freak out by the presence of another dog in there.  But the difference is what draws them to the mirror in the first place.  There are dogs who will go to look in the mirror who are driven by an OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) type behavior.  Feeling the need to check if the dog is still in there and of course they always are.

What do dogs think when they look into a mirror, see and notice themselves or someone else?  I'm not sure.  I know that Luke enjoys looking into the mirror and seeing himself or us as well.  It does seem to make him happy as he does it when he can.  It is a calm action, almost soothing to him.  A new puppy seeing themselves in a mirror for the first time most definitely think that it is another dog.  They display all the same behaviors as when they actually meet a new dog.  Elsa seemed to be amused by our reflection yesterday.  She did not look at her own; she was only watching Luke and I intently.  After a few moments her emotions got the best of her and she goofed out.

As intriguing as it is for them to look into a mirror; it is equally intriguing for us to watch.  Who knows what goes on in those little reflective heads but it is very interesting.  

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.