General maintenance

Flat faced breeds or brachycelphalic breeds need close attention payed to the face area.   

Yesterday was face and feet day.  Today will be bath and clip day.  Grooming, no matter what your dog looks like there is grooming to be done.  Grooming encompasses every part of a dogs body; you can call it general maintenance, care or dogscaping but it needs to be done.  Having poodles, there is some different type grooming to do in the form of clipping but aside from the actual cutting of hair there is much more to be done.

Grooming - to clean, brush and otherwise tend.

As I trimmed faces yesterday I checked in on Luke and Elsa's ears.  Poodles, like many other breeds grow hair inside their ears that needs to be removed.  I wasn't doing ears yesterday but I had a good look as to the condition and timing of their next ear plucking.  I checked their mouth and teeth as well.  This should be done whether or not you are doing the grooming.  Very few people groom their own dogs; but, you should be doing general maintenance.  Have a look at ears, mouth, teeth, eyes etc.  I know many people strictly rely on the groomer for everything but many groomers just groom and do not do the once over.  That's your job.

As gorgeous as this looks; it is a huge amount of work to keep it up properly.  You cannot simply give this coat a quick outer brushing.  You must get right down to the skin and work out any tangles.  This puppy hair mats if you even look at it so Miss Elsa looked like a super model for a very short time.  Once it got to an unmanageable stage it all came off.  

I checked on Luke's moles, yep; gotta be done.  At almost 13 he has a lot of them which is very normal for a dog of this age.  But it is important to know if any need attending to or if there are any new ones that have popped up.  Give your dog a good going over.  It is much like a full body massage but useful as far as feeling anything new and perhaps concerning.  It is surprising what you can feel; even in a full coated dog if you get right down to the skin and feel around.  Both Luke and Elsa have come to enjoy this massage/exploratory time.

Next it was onto the feet; poodles have very hairy feet as do many other breeds.  I like to keep them fairly short for cleanliness and trim the hair under their pads to help with slippage.  Having big hairy feet is like have big woolly slippers on; you tend to slip and wipe out a lot.  First I do the underside of their feet and then the top.  Keeping the hair short on their feet helps to cut down on things that they pick up in their feet as well.  Once the fluff is removed then it was time to trim the nails.  Nails should be kept nice and short.  When standing still a dogs nails should not touch the ground.  Some dogs wear their nails down nicely which is really great but most need attending to.  I use a dremel tool and have 32 nails done in less than two minutes.  The more often you do it the easier it is to do.

If you let your dog's nails grow too long it can be painful and interfere with walking.  Have a look and see how long they are.  If you are squeamish about cutting or grinding nails then visit your groomer or Veterinarian to have them done.   Elsa wears her back nails down nicely.  She has got such drive with those back legs of hers that they are kept nice and short.  I typically only need to do her front feet.  Luke's nails are everywhere these days.  He is walking like an old dog which means dragging feet, tripping and wearing his nails down in odd places.  This foot time gives me a good chance to see what's going on.  I tidy them all up and he's good to go.

Coats can hide a great deal of information; it is important to know what's underneath it.  Have you looked at your dog recently?  Or ever?  I mean really looked?  Spread their coat to see their skin, looked between their toes and in their ears?  It was one of these exploratory times that I discovered that Tilley had an open wound on the top of tail that was completely hidden by her coat.  I was very glad that I'd found it; otherwise it could have become extremely infected.

Even if you have a nice smooth coated dog; they need maintenance.  I use to do Jessie's maintenance when I was doing the poodles.   She would get brushed, have her ears, teeth and eyes checked and then have her nails done.  Grooming goes far beyond making a dog look presentable; they need to be kept in peak condition.  That means every part of them.  If you have a dog then you have dogscaping to do.

Tuesday doldrums

Well, it's photos today.  I got nothing, blank slate today with no inspiration.  Off to walk and find some for tomorrow.  :)  Enjoy.

Game on!

Little Pig/Shark

Hey, what was that noise?

The retriever Queen.

Just a little nibble.

Not so little.

The ball stare down.

Grandma, why do you always have that big black thing?

You still have it?

Elsa's favorite activity other than brawling with Penny.

Penny's gone and Elsa is one dead poodle.  :)

It's heating up

I was standing just outside the shade zone; waiting for my husband to finish his olive oil tasting.  We were at a farmers market yesterday afternoon without the dogs as it was in the high 80s.  I glanced over and saw a small Dachshund panting heavily; he too was standing just outside the shade zone.  Instinctively I took off my shoe and stood on the pavement with my barefoot.  "Mom," I heard my son say as I looked to see him standing with one barefoot on the pavement as well.  We had simultaneously seen the little dog panting and taken our shoe off to test the heat radiating from the ground.  We laughed at the fact that we had both done the identical action but then talked about the heat and the lack of thinking that people do before heading out with their dogs.

Not long after seeing the little black dog I saw several more.  One old pit bull was doing his best to get to the shade with an oblivious owner on the other end of his leash.  They were just standing at the booth talking while the dog lifted each foot individually and tried to make it to the shade.  The owner just kept yanking on the dog to come back without a thought about why he might be straining on his leash.  Mid 80s is great weather but that mid 80s pavement gets very hot.  The darker it is the hotter it gets.  Even light colored surfaces can get hot in the direct sun.  Our own patio in the backyard is very light colored but there are times when I cannot stand on it.

Standing idle on a hot surface is much different than walking.  Even though walking on a hot surface is not great, standing can be unbearable.  But it is not only the a dogs feet that suffer from the heat radiating off of the ground.  Their entire body heats up and the closer they are to the ground the more they heat up.  That poor little Dachshund was only inches from the hot ground; he was also black in color which made him hotter as well.  Think people, think.  The link below are a few facts about heat radiation.

Heat radiation facts

When we were looking into adding another puppy to our family; color played a big part in it.  We are an outdoor family; I like to be out with the dogs a great deal.  Being that we live in Southern California I didn't want a black dog.  Black dogs feel the heat more than light colored dogs.  I remember having the conversation with someone and they didn't see the difference.  Even our Tilley who is now gone felt the heat as a dark gray dog much more than Luke did.  If the weather is hot I we are heading out to the park; I will never grab a black t-shirt, I opt for the lighter colored version.

But most of you who are reading this know about the hot surface of pavement and the effects of heat and color of a dog.  It is the ones who aren't reading this that I need to read it; how do we get the message across?  A billboard might be good but there would still be people who never see it, ignore it or don't care.  Approaching people can achieve negative results; a natural defense mechanism can kick in when someone tells you that you aren't being a good dog owner.  Hopefully with enough messages, articles, posts etc. some dogs will be saved from suffering in the heat.

Visiting the Farmers Market with your dog is great if it is early; before the ground has time to heat up.  But 2:00 in the afternoon on a hot day is not the time.  Leave your dog at home in the cool of your home, please!  If for some reason you decide to head out in the heat with your dog, be aware.  Be aware of the ground temperature and your dog's proximity to it.  A black dog will feel the intense heat radiating from the sun more than a light one will.  Bring water with you so that your dog can drink.  Do not run your dog in the heat, please!  I just do not understand people running down the street in the middle of a hot day with their dog.  If you want to run in the heat of day, fine; don't make your dog join you.  Take your dog out in the morning or evening when it has cooled.  But test the ground; even after the sun sets the ground can stay hot for sometime.  It is always best to get out early in the day before the ground does heat up.

I left the market shaking my head in frustration.  The people were all enjoying themselves; their dogs were all panting profusely, raising their feet in attempts to escape the heat and seeking shade.  Sad, and simply the result of thoughtlessness.  

We ended up heading out to a restaurant for dinner late afternoon.  It was around 6:00 when we finished up our dinner and as I glanced out the window of the restaurant I noticed a dog barking in the back of a car, really?  It was over 80 when we arrived and probably still the exact temperature at 6:00 pm.  Someone left a dog in their car?  The plan to break the window started in my head as I watched the tiny dog barking at passersby.   From the time I spotted the dog to when we left was about 5 minutes.  We talked about breaking car windows and how one goes about doing it.  A rock would be good but I hoped that I wouldn't have to.  Even a few moments in a hot car can do severe damage to a dog.

Veterinarian tests the "hot car" theory.  (Video) Watch it.  

I don't know how many times I have discussed leaving dogs in cars with people who have done just that.  DON'T, JUST DON'T leave your dog in the car.  Even if you crack the window, it gets way too hot inside of the car and can injure or kill your dog.  It is not just in the high 80s or 90s when a dog should not be left in a car.  Even the low 70s can heat up to unbearable and life threatening temperatures.  DON'T, JUST DON'T.

Please, as the temperatures heat up, think before heading out with your dog.

Signals

Signals, it's all about signals.  Dogs communicate via body language and vocal sounds when needed.  So often I hear "what the heck was that about," from an owner reacting to a behavior that they could not explain which their dog exhibited.  More than likely the dog gave off lots of clues as to what was coming but they were missed.  This leaves a human with their hands in the air saying "what?????"

We had a meeting the other day with a little dog.  Luke approached on his tiptoes as he often does and sniffed the dog.  The other dog seemed okay; a bit apprehensive but wanting to interact.  I was watching the interaction like a hawk and saw the small dog's tail start to rise and tongue flick in and out.  "That's it" I said, the dog is uncomfortable.  "What?"  the other person said to me and so I explained.  So small, almost humanly undetectable, the other dog had signaled that she was not comfortable.  Luke being Luke wanted to establish that he is the King of the world and had ignored her signal.  Had I not intervened, the little dog may have felt the need to snap to get her message across.  This is when the humans often say "what the heck?"

Some dogs are more the silent type and opt to use avoidance instead of a whole pile of signals.  Even though avoidance is simply turning away from the situation; it in itself speaks volumes and should be heeded.  Avoidance can mean several things and be used in many different types of situations.  Often when Luke is outside Elsa will stalk him; he sees it coming and turns his back to her to diffuse the situation.  This ignoring technique works very well unless she is persistent and can out wait him.  It is also used when a dog feels the need to remove themselves from a situation.  Jessie often used avoidance when she found an exercise too difficult; typically involving food.

Avoidance is a commonly used signal but it should not be confused with shutting down.  Shutting down is when a dog is so overwhelmed that they actually shutdown mentally.  Nothing can be learned once a dog shuts down and it is to be avoided at all costs.  If you really want to get inside your dog's head then you must learn to read their signals.  That means all the tiny ones that we usually miss; although many people miss even the largest signals and then have their hands in the air and a giant question mark over their head.  Dogs are not humans, they tell it like it is.  They will show you how they are feeling; not in human communication methods but canine.

I regularly see people trying to get their very unwilling dog to interact with another dog or human.  The dog is signaling like mad but the human is ignoring all the signals.  So when the dog growls or snaps at the other dog or person they are aghast.  It is very sad that humans put their dogs into these situations and then are totally and utterly shocked that their dog acted like a dog.  

Once you can read your dog and become accustom to reading them regularly you can work on behavior issues must more readily.  If you see the smallest glimmer of a signal letting you know what's on your dogs mind then you can get in there and work with it before it get to an unworkable level.  I am a watcher, I am constantly watching and when I see my dogs react, I immediately react.  Ears, face, body and tail; they are all in it together.  The slightest movement from any of them can mean something, but what?  Be aware, constantly alert to your surroundings, your dog's body language and your own responses.  When each of these important parts connect; then we are aligned.

A little chin hair - ya gotta smile.

Standing at the lights, Luke, Elsa and I waited for our walk signal.  We were on the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) and heading home after leaving the beach.  There was only one other person at the lights waiting.  In the summer months, this particular crossing is usually packed but yesterday it was just us and one other guy.  He was young, in his late 20s maybe and he glanced back over his shoulder at us when I told Luke and Elsa to wait.  Then he did a double take and smiled, then laughed.  Finally he said "is that the boy and she is the girl?"  Pointing at Elsa as the girl.  I wanted to say "you're smart," but I didn't.  I said "yep."  Then he apologetically said "I had to laugh, I've never seen a beard like that on a dog."  I smiled because he was now smiling and talking about Luke.  The guy admitted that he loved it and he thought that Luke probably loved it too.  Very cute.

Just before the light turned green a young family approached and I heard "look at that dog Mommy." We got our walk signal and head across the street to the car and a much awaited drink of water.  We love the beach so we take advantage of it as much as we can.  As of June 15th you can only bring your dog on the beach before 9am or after 6pm until sometime in September.  But the beaches will start to get much more crowded now that the kids are getting out of school so I don't mind missing the big crowds.

I don't think that we ever go out when I don't hear comments about Luke's Goatee.  I had to laugh when one woman asked me "did his groomer do that on purpose?"  Perhaps she thought that Luke's groomer had missed a spot?  No matter, she thought that it was adorable when I told her that it was in fact done on purpose.  Funny.  If people don't come right up to me and ask about Luke's goatee, I hear it from afar.  "OMG look at that dogs beard," "look how cute that dog is," "look at his chin hair" and many more.   But it's not always the comments that let me know that people enjoy Luke's goatee; sometimes it is just an expression.  Smiles, laughs and maybe the slightest glimmer from the stoic type  let me know that Luke has made a connection.

Often the goatee throws people.  Most folks don't know that my dogs are poodles from the get go because they aren't clipped in the traditional poodle clip.  Add in some chin hair and their mind is completely boggled.  I've even been asked "is this normal?" from someone perplexed by the chin hair.  But it is the smiles that Luke elicits with his chin hair that makes me smile.  Sometimes just looking at something makes you smile, doesn't it?  I know that when I look at Luke's amazing face that I smile; but that is because I know the amazing dog inside.  Although I too would probably smile even if I didn't know him.  The fact that he can squeeze a smile from even the gruffest types is pretty cool.  

For some reason Luke's chin hairs seem to make people happy and in this day and age that is a wonderful thing.  Much like when people smile watches Elsa display her youthful zest for life.  There isn't a great deal of thought or reason put into it, a smile just appears.  It really is the little things in life isn't it?  I watched a 5 month old puppy brave the waves yesterday as he charged in with reckless abandon.  That split second of impulse made me smile.

Photo Wednesday

Elsa's introduction to this new water container.  She has been retrieving toys from the kiddie pool for sometime but never this thing.  First we had the ball just hover a few inches from the top.  Notice how clear the water is?  It takes but a few retrieves to start getting murky.

She closes her eyes and just goes for it.  What a girl.

And again. 

Then Luke decides to show her that he is actually the pro at this game.

Eyes still closed.

Closed.

Luke wants another try, they love this. 

But he misses the ball which can slip away easily if they don't really grab it.

A floater

My trusty assistant replacing the ball.

Brave girl, eyes open now looking for the ball.

Got it.

Luke has another go.  What fun.  The game is short lived, 5-10 minutes and then we move onto another game.  

The under appreciated carabiner.

Got Carabiners?

Gear - implements, tools, or apparatus, especially as used for a particular occupation or activity; paraphernalia.

I love gear; I don't know why, I just do.  I'm not your typical gal that gushes over diamonds; no, give me a really cool and useful piece of gear to make my life easier and I'm all yours.  :)  I like rugged, quality, well thought out equipment that is economically priced.  Utility is my middle name; and my products of choice are typically very plain and very useful.  Maybe I was a mountain climber in my past life; but ropes and carabiners are some of my favorite items.  I have a couple of ropes in the back of my xterra, just in case and carabiners literally everywhere.

Carabiners are actually very useful little things.  You can get them really cheap or really expensive; depending on what you plan on doing with them.  Mine are just the cheap ones as I am not planning on holding my weight or my dog's weight on them.  They simply hang around until I need them.  I have one on my car keys so that I can unhook just what I need and don't have to carry around a huge, massive pile of keys everywhere.  I have several on my dog pouch for random items that I don't want to have to carry.  I use these a lot.  I have a water bowl attached to one; I hang a water bottle on one if we are going somewhere that there won't be water.  Plus, I use one for my flip flops at the beach so I am hands free. Anything I don't want to carry gets hooked onto the carabiner.

I have a couple of giant carabiners in the garage that I use for everything.  Leashes, gardening tools, extra bags, you name it.  Most of the carabiners that I use do not have a safety latch; these are the ones that I hang general stuff on when needed quickly.  I have a couple that have a latch and a few with locks.  These type are required when you don't want whatever you've hung on it to fall off.

You can get little tiny carabiners to hang ID tags on your dog's collar.  That way you can move the tags if you change collars.  There are miniature sized carabiners which are appropriate for smaller jobs.  So many sizes for all different needs.  The carabiner is one of my "go to" items with dogs.  In my opinion they are overlooked and under appreciated.  I don't always use a carabiner, but when I do, it makes me happy.

The whole package

Walking down the streets of Greenwich, CT we encountered two very friendly dogs.  One was a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, the other a Springer.  Both dogs saw us; us being Luke, Elsa and myself.  They lowered their body posture and wagged furiously with their tails at half mast; they wanted an interaction.  I glanced up to see the humans attached to the end of the leashes; who gave off nothing friendly or interested looking in having interaction.  In fact they radiated a very strong, not interested vibe.  Luke and Elsa stopped very briefly to say hi as I took the signal from the owners.  They were not concerned with the obvious eagerness of their canines for a social interaction.  It was in fact as though their dogs and we were invisible.  A whatever moment.

Every dog is different; every person is different so when you put the two together you will come up with a vast range of social teams.  Approaching a canine/human team is always interesting.  Like the women in the streets of CT, there are those humans who have no desire once so ever to interact even when their dog is dying to say hi.  The range goes from these types all the way to people who are dying for an interaction with an extremely fearful dog who wants nothing to do with any human or dog.  Their desire to interact goes against everything their dog wants and they react only from their own desire.

There are those who will walk right up to you for a greeting; knowing full well that their dog is not dog friendly.  Much like the woman with the doxie who approached Elsa and I about a week ago.   I don't know how many times I have had to veer off of the path to get some distance from a human/canine team that is not in sync.  Typical an imbalance of awareness falls on the human team member.  People just don't pay attention.  They don't consider their dog's behavior before acting.  We have passed by puppies who would have benefit hugely from an interaction but the human doesn't consider this.  They walk past, not seizing the moment and lose out on a good interaction.

Positive canine interactions are always good.  Nothing bad comes from a good interaction.  The more good interactions your dog has with other dogs the less impact the bad ones leave.  That means you must read and read quickly before interacting.  Often when we are out on a walk we are directly approached by a team and after speed reading an assessment we step off the path, giving us some much needed space.  My attention to detail as far as the other canine/human team gives me the information needed to make a proper analysis.  Sometimes it is the dogs behavior; sometimes the human's, that gives me pause.

There is a canine/human team that we regularly run into.  The dog is an over exuberant large brown Labrador; the owner is an older oblivious woman with no control.  She indulges her boy to the extent of allowing hugely rude behaviors.  Luke is not fond of Labs to start with; he has learned that many are over the type rambunctious types.  So I typically get space when we approach Labs.  When we see this team coming we get a lot of space.  She walks her dog on an extension leash and does not reeling in once so ever.  So at 15' we usually cross to the other side of the park and move on quickly to avoid her and her dog.  As nice as he is it is not going to end well due to the woman's inability to control her dog.

I am always talking about reading dog behavior; it is essential if you truly want to understand your dog.  But it is not just your dog or the dog species entirely that needs reading.  When we head out into the world together we are a canine/human team; and as such we must monitor other dogs and their humans.  Even humans without dogs must be read; many have no idea how to interact with dogs.  Many do everything completely wrong, having never been educated about canine/human interactions.  It is an interesting thing indeed when you head out into the world with your dog.  The very old saying "the more people I meet the better I like my dog," is as they say...classic.

Likes and dislikes

"He won't eat that," I told my hubby as he offered Luke a piece of turkey on his couch.  A dog that doesn't like turkey?  What?  Well, he actually likes turkey but it must be offered in the correct corresponding scenario.  One does not just eat turkey on the couch at random moments; well at least Luke does not.  Elsa? darn right.  For most dogs, food is food and it is welcome at any time and any place.  Each has their own taste, likes and dislikes.  But Luke takes it one step further; he is after all a very complicated and emotional boy.  

Luke likes to eat; but only what he likes to eat.  With it being the correct food it must also be offered just so.  He is the first dog that I have ever had likes this and I truly hope to be the last.  It is a constant challenge to get food into him.  I guess he is closer to a human with regards to his eating habits.  We have things we eat at certain times of the day and sometimes we are just not in the mood for a specific item.  I am atypical as far as morning food; I like good hearty stuff for breakfast.  Don't give me a bowl of cold cereal and expect me to be chowing down with enthusiasm, no thank you.  I don't eat eggs.  I will take some lasagna, peanut chicken or bacon/avocado sandwich though.  But offer me up a salad for breakfast?  Yuck.  Any other time of the day I'm in.  I eat a lot of salad but not for breakfast.  

Yesterday I decided to cook up some liver I'd gotten for the dogs.  It is getting harder and harder to find liver so when I can get it, I do.  Elsa has had chicken gizzards and seemed to like it; she's also had beef liver but in a very small amount.  As soon as I pulled the liver out of the pack; before it was in the pan, Luke was on the scene.  This in itself is rare; but he knows what he likes and liver is one of those things.  Elsa was in the kitchen as she typically is during food preparation time.  So, to switch things up I chopped two liver steaks and added in some meatloaf.  Luke was obviously very excited about the idea of liver for dinner.  

We head outside, which is Luke's dining preference right now.  I put his bowl down first as I always do and then placed Elsa down.  She did her customary sit before being released to eat and I headed back to coax Luke. I am so use to his feeding ritual now that seeing his face down in the bowl, shocked me.  I guess it had been a while since he'd had liver.  He was chowing down; so I sat in the chair beside him and enjoyed this very rare moment.  Looking over at Elsa I noticed another rare moment; she was not eating.  Well, she was sort of eating; she was picking through her food to find the meatloaf pieces.  She most definitely had her nose turned up at the liver.  Elsa loves food but she is not a huge raw food fan although she is getting there.  This liver was not to her liking; it is after all very strong.  It just about turned my stomach just cooking it.  But it is that strong beefy aroma and flavor that gets Luke every time.  Elsa, not so much.  

So I sat watching Luke feast and Elsa pick.  It made me think of how very different they are.  Luke is such a poor eater and here he was devouring his liver.  Elsa is a great eater but not a fan of this strong smelling, weird textured stuff.  Even stranger was what came next, hovering.  Luke hovered while Elsa picked through the liver.  The only time he ever hovers over her food bowl is when they have raw meat.  As I said, she is not a raw fan either and unless I flash fry it she tends to leave a few pieces in the bottom that she just cannot stomach.  Luke's favorite food is raw beef and obviously liver.  

Wolves aren't picky; so why then are so many dogs picky?  Well, wolves were never offered a nice sauteed liver steak with organic red pepper.  They were not given a chance to sample so many different culinary dishes before choosing which they preferred.  No for wolves it is just about eating and survival.  Look at the crap that so many people feed their dogs without any regard to nutrition, let alone taste.  A big bag of dry pieces of overly processed, low grade stuff.  Many of the low grade dog kibbles don't even register in the food category for me.  It would be much like eating a Twinkie.  Lots of stuff in it but nothing that you could really consider food.  

Do I enjoy catering to the canine palate?  Mostly.  Other times I would just like Luke to eat, just eat.  It does make me very happy to give them food that they really enjoy.  Luke also loves sausages and when we have them for dinner it is one of the rare moments when he appears on the scene.  Luke likes flavor, he always has and to him it is not just about sustenance.   I guess I could call Luke a canine "foodie."  He is ever discriminating and my final taste tester as far as new canine recipes.  Whether it is a food or treat recipe the goal is always Luke's approval.    If Luke will eat it, anyone will eat it.  :)

Guarding in public

Elsa has taught Penny the joy of sharing.  

Penny was attacked a few days ago.  Rest assured, she is fine now.  She was at the dog beach in San Diego when she saw a dog playing with a ball, a Dalmatian.  She approached and was about to check out the ball when the dog attacked; grabbing her by the neck and shaking.  My daughter stopped the assault and made sure that Penny was okay.  Then the owner slowly meandered over and said asked what had happened.  The owner of the Dalmatian made several mistakes; the biggest one was not being there to see what happened.  If you say "what happened?" in this type of situation then you failed your dog.  This is an all too common scenario, ball aggression and it is NOT okay.  Guarding.

I remember the almost identical thing happening to Luke when he was just around eight months old.  We were at the dog park when he saw a dog playing with a ball and thought he'd join the fun. As soon as he approached the ball she hit him and hit him hard, knocking him to the ground.  An Australian Shepherd that had no intention of sharing her ball threw him to the ground, gave him a few chomps and left him there not knowing what happened.  No it was not okay and the guy who owned the dog was not okay either.   He was an idiot; he saw the whole thing and was obviously unfazed by the behavior. We had a quick run around for a bit of fun before heading out.

Toy or object guarding is NOT appropriate in a public area.  It is not okay anywhere but if you are dealing with such an issue at home, leave it there.  Do not bring a dog that doesn't share well to a place where dogs are going to want to share.  That or leave the items of sharing at home.  Many dogs are just fine if they don't have their own objects to guard.  When you enter into a dog park, beach or open area your dog may be required to share.  That means that other dogs may approach and want to interact with whatever your dog has.  If your dog is not okay with this then you should not be putting your dog into this situation.

I would not bring out raw meaty bones when we have a play date at our house.  Toys are typically fine, Elsa loves to share because it means that there is a pending game.  If a dog guards a toy or attacks another dog for looking at or touching their toy, you have work to do.  That dog should receive immediate feedback and depending on the severity of the objection to sharing; removed and worked with before returning.  If it is just a slight objection then feedback and try again.

If you see your dog guarding, really guarding; not just playing keep away then you need to address this.  True guarding starts with a frozen posture, then a hard stare.  Some dogs who are true guarders and regularly frequent the dog parks opt to go right to attack mode.  They have warned so many times that they skip this step.  That or their warnings are missed due to being at the dog park/beach where fun happens.

Guarding is a very natural behavior for dogs; teaching them not to guard is our job.  If you have an object guarding dog then stick to running and playing with other dogs.  Teach them the meaning of leave it and drop; for those times when someone else brings an object to the park.   Yes guarding is a natural canine behavior but it is NOT okay to allow it in a public setting.

Wordless Wednesday

My current business card (okay a few words).

The beach

The above photo was taken at a different beach visit.  

Yesterday Luke and Elsa went on separate walks.  I've been getting Elsa out on her own more and more, it is very important.  Alone time had been put on hold for a while due to the loss of both Jessie and Tilley within 3 weeks of each other.  Several weeks after Tilley's death Luke started displaying separation anxiety; of course this was also due to being in a new place. So we were pretty much together for a good amount of time after that.  Enough time to let Luke adjust to losing his life long companions and being alone.  We have been doing alone walks for a year now but I am focusing more and more on them.

So Luke and I walked the park and then Elsa and I head for the beach. I waited a bit longer in the morning to head down because I wanted it crowded and it was.  We first hit the beach and as she always does, Elsa went crazy.  As soon as she hits the sand, sheer joy takes over.  She digs her toes into the sand hard; she barks and growls and carries on, she loves it.  Once we got down to the water we had a cool experience.  There was a sea lion in the surf, not twenty feet out.  I stopped to watch is roll and play in the waves when it stopped and swam in a bit.  It hovered directly in front of us and stared.  I thought that it was staring at Elsa.  Soon Elsa shot her nose up in the air and looked out to the ocean and she saw it.  Her ears went up and she stared at it staring at her intently.

We must have stood there a full five minutes with the two staring at each other.  Then the sea lion headed out a bit further into the waves to play.  Obviously it had enough of watching Elsa at that point.  Cool, very, very cool.  So as the sea lion did, we too moved on and headed up the beach.  There were no other dogs to see but lots of screeching children, running and playing in the sand.  Elsa had a few more outburst of joyous "I'm on the beach" behavior and then we headed for town.

I love Laguna Beach, it is a cute beach town which is nearing the tourist season so even on a Monday it was getting crowded.  First we stopped at the restrooms which are being renovated at the moment.  There was a metal ramp going up to them which I thought might pose an issue for Elsa; we've never walked on a metal ramp.  It was an issue and by the time we reached the restroom she was shrunk down but still moving.  When we came out she did not want to go down it again so we will most definitely be going back there to do it again.

We only ran into a few dogs and they were not the type you interact with unfortunately.  They yapped and barked at the end of their leashes so we just moved on.  I am hoping to bring Elsa with me on some book signings so she needs to get use to crowds.  We've done super socializing from the get go and Elsa has already had a great many adventures in her short life but now we need to go further.  Now that Luke is feeling okay when left alone at home we are heading out.  The difference between Luke and Elsa's responses to life is life experience.  Old dogs are typically mellow; they don't get flustered by new things and take everything in stride.  I love watching the difference between old and new.  When we run into something strange, Luke trudges on while Elsa takes notice, reacts and then falls into place seeing Luke's response.

Getting out and seeing new things, different things is so very important.  Soon the beach will be off limits during the day time hours to dogs so we will head down for the next week or so and take advantage of it and the early crowds.  Oh yes and we will hit the metal ramp again; until it is a non issue.

Too much exercise?

Too much exercise?  Is there such a thing?  Humans can do too much as can our dogs.  I work out, I work out a lot but I am not a gym rat; although there are many people at my gym who seem to always be there no matter what time I am there.  I am in and out, 30-40 min. and I'm done.  Yesterday we were at the park and there were quite a few dogs there.  I do not let Elsa off leash unless I am sure that she will not bother anyone so she wasn't off as much as she usually is.  After a short rip and tear in the field with her chuck it I hooked her up thinking it was enough for the day.  Just like humans, dogs can get so much exercise on a regular basis that they need more and more to satisfy that desire.

I have been at the dog park and met many people who are there every single day for hours and hours.  They do nothing different and have admitted that they started out with a much shorter time at the park.  But their dog now seems to need more and more to relax at home.  Can they really become use to a certain amount of exercise and need more?  Yes.  Folks who have a high energy dog and are looking for a way to rid them of a bit, often end up at the dog park.  It becomes a crutch so to speak and depending on the dog, can demand more and more time.

Running can become addictive; just talk to a true runner.  Those who run upwards of 20 miles a day; everyday and it must be everyday.  They have a hard time not running.  It becomes a way of life.  Just think about your high energy dog who is satiated by being at the dog park for two hours a day.  They are so use to this amount of energy release that anything else will not suffice.  If they are not given this release; behavior issues can arise. At home they may pace or destroy things.  The longer this goes on the more they need in terms of energy release.  Makes sense right?

But dogs do need exercise, some more than others.  Many dogs are happy as a clam going for a slow stroll around the block.  After all, sniffing is way up there in importance with exercise.  Elsa is a very high energy girl (not hyper, there is a huge difference) as was Luke when he was young.  I like to give them a fill of running; running is so important to many dogs.  Running just for the sake of running; but I am also very careful to do offer other things as well.  Sometimes a walk at a very busy park can wear a dog out simply by social interactions.  Walking at different parks, places or areas is so very important.  I get bored with the same place very easily; like us dogs need a change of scenery.

Change it up.  I'm not saying to not exercise; I'm saying switch it up.  Dogs need to be able to relax without spending 2 hours at the dog park.  Needing that sort of release will really handicap a dog.  When you do exercise, use moderation.  Lots of running, yes but not a crazy amount and not at the same place every single day.  Offer your dog variety.  If your dog loves to run then run them; but don't over run them.  Don't over stimulate them by spending hours at a dog park.  Get in, get your fill and get out.

Having a dog that can relax and be relaxed at home is pure joy.  Getting them out on a daily basis is important.  Life gets pretty darned boring behind the same four walls day in and day out if you don't take them out into the world.  But switch it up; give them what they need but don't create issues by overdoing.

The ear drop

The ear drop, I am always looking for it, especially in puppies.  But I also like to see it in adult dogs as well.  Dogs communicate hugely with their ears.  Of course a dog with upright ears has a more distinct visual display compared to the big floppy ears that can be more of a challenge to read.  Signs, there are so, so many signs that dogs give us and ears play a big part in all of the signs.  The other night my husband was out with the dogs right after work.  They'd had their greeting and were outside just simply enjoying each others company when I got my camera out.  Luke and Steve were having a moment so I captured it.  But I also capture many signals as a side bonus.  Steve had just got up off of the lounge and was moving away.  Elsa was watching what he was doing in the first image.  Then he directed his attention to her and spoke; her ears immediately dropped in a submissive respect.  Love it.

This ear drop is what I am always looking for in a puppy.  It is not a full on body drop to the ground submission but more of a quick respect signal.  I have seen puppies do this when adults appear on the scene and what follows depends on the interaction.  With canine and humans that live together it is typically fleeting and easily missed; I'm glad that I was able to capture it.

When our little Granddog Penny is over you can see her ear drop very clearly.  With those huge upright ears of hers, you'd be hard pressed to miss it.  Even still many people see it but don't notice it.  The small respectful ear drop it quick; normally they are down and up again within seconds.  It is different than the full on submissive dropped ears.  The photo below shows a full submissive drop accompanied with body and tail submission.

The quick ear drop signals to the recipient, acknowledgement and respect.  A dog who is highly alert and in a dominant state will not drop their ears.  Many puppies do not offer the ear drop for several reasons.  One is that they are distracted to the point of not noticing or acknowledging.  Two, they may not have had the interactions needed to create this response and three, they are a very dominant type and dropping their ears is something that may take a great deal of work to achieve.  Even then it may only ever be offered to a single person or canine member of the pack.

All of my dogs have offered ear drops but not always right out of the shoot.  Jessie took a while to offer as she was a very dominant little lady.  The absence of the ear drop is not a bad thing; but when it is never offered to you the "leader" then there is work to do.  Some dogs will drop their ears easily, others need more direct contact.  All dogs are different and what one feels as an ear drop moment, another may not.  I like ear drops, it is the tiniest signal that your dog is aware that you have entered the picture.

When I am looking at a litter of puppies or a single puppy; the ear drop does not need to be directed to me but I would like to see it directed to someone.  When I see an ear drop from a puppy when their Mother appears, nice.

Someday She'll Fly

available here - Someday She'll Fly 

also on Amazon.com

It's here and I'm very excited about it.  Someday She'll Fly is the second book in the Luke and Elsa series of children's books.  Each book encompasses a life lesson for children told through Elsa and Luke's daily antics.  The books are narrated by me; being that dogs cannot talk and I'm not a fan of talking dogs.  All the illustrations are images from of their life; captured on a daily basis.  The images are worked up to create an illustrated feel after months of picking and choosing the ones to grace the pages of my book.

This book features Elsa with a few cameos from Luke (of course), Tilley and Elsa's friend Hank.  From the day Elsa joined our family it was clear that she was not satisfied with her life solely on the ground; as she spent much of it in the air.  The book came into it's own after shooting literally hundreds of leaping, take offs and flying Elsa images.  Her enthusiasm and dedication to the pursuit of being airborne play a huge part in the book.

Follow Luke and Elsa in the day to day on their brand new FB page - Luke and Elsa.

Life is full of lessons and sometimes getting a message across to children is not an easy one.  Tell it through some adorable pooches and the job is made much easier.  Dogs hold a great wealth of knowledge for us and our children.  Their actions alone can offer a plethora of stories to be told.  I am lucky to have both Luke and Elsa in my life to learn from and photograph daily.  They teach me about life through the eyes of a canine and I share it with you.

Onto the next book, there is a shelf ofthem waiting to be written.

Did you miss the first book in the Luke and Elsa series?  When Luke Met Elsa - available here.  
                                                                                  Also, get it on Amazon.

Action/reaction

This young Weimaraner did not want to interact with Luke.  She is appropriately not making eye contact to let him know.  

"Now Daisy, that's not nice; you need to learn to be nice," she said as she pulled her dog away from Elsa.  The woman had walked up to us at the park; she made a b-line directly towards us and asked "is that a doodle?"  I shook my head saying "no just a poodle," for the twentieth time.  This same woman has asked me over and over again.  It is strange when someone sees you so many times and doesn't remember at all.  Anyhow her dog is not dog friendly; but she moved in quickly as I tried to walk around her.  Her tiny dachshund let out an aggressive response, even though they approached us and Elsa returned it to both their surprise.  I was a little surprised myself but Elsa is getting older; she is becoming more protective and doesn't take kindly to those type of interactions and nor do I.  Honestly, if you know your dog is not dog friendly then why?  Why interact?  It will only lead to a negative response from everyone.

I let out a disapproving sound and we moved on.  As we came around the park again there they were; we made a big circle to avoid another interaction.  I made no eye contact and neither did Elsa; we were there to enjoy ourselves.  So many people I see who deal with their dog and behavior issues have a big conversation with their dog about it.  Sure I talk to my dogs, I have big long conversations about all sorts of things but when it comes to behavior it must be dealt with in something that a dog will understand.  You must react, not talk, react.  That means with your body and sound.

ie.   Last night I was filling the dishwasher when Luke was finishing up his dinner.  Elsa was done already and moving in close to Luke and his bowl.  I made my disapproving sound which is MMM MMM and Elsa gave me a quick glance and stopped moving forward but did not move away.  She knows just how to bother Luke enough to get him to move away from his bowl, Tilley did as well.  With just a touch to his tail he will be flustered enough that he cannot eat.  Poor guy, the girls figure him out easily.  I wanted her to give him some space so giving her direct eye contact I took one step towards her.  Her ears went down and she backed off.  "Good girl" I said and went back to the dishwasher.  Behavior met with behavior.

Reactions must be delivered instantly, direct and with enough meaning.  A reaction should not linger; it will do more damage than good if it is left to smolder.  It should be short, sweet and to the point.  Timing is everything and if you miss the moment, just move on.  Dogs do not get messages given at the wrong time; they simply relate it to something else.  Association, it is all about association with dogs.  So if you have a nice long and serious conversation after they display some unwanted behavior, guess what?  They are going to display it again.

A couple of years ago, two bully boxer girls knocked Luke to the ground when he got out of the car.  It was unnecessary, rude and very unexpected for both Luke and I.  The owner of the two very rude girls told them that it wasn't nice, they shouldn't do that and asked them why they had.  Did this do anything to curb the rude behavior?  NO.  What it did was enforce the rude behavior; leaving me shrugging, shaking my head and fuming.  The dogs see this nice conversation as enjoyable and reinforcing.  

As much as dogs understand our words, tone and posture do a whole lot more as far as delivering a message.  Most of the time my reactions are simply sounds; knowing that a reaction needs to be delivered in a timely manner it is whatever happens to come out.  Best to get something out in an appropriate time limit than wait for the perfect word for the occasion.  A long drawn out lecture does nothing but make a human feel like they've done something.  But let me tell you, you've done nothing but reinforce the bad behavior.  





 

This and that

Good morning everyone.  I hope that you all had a great long weekend with your canine companions.  We did for sure, got lots done around the house and spent most of our time at home. Luke and Elsa had a great weekend as well.  When they weren't out on their runs they spent the day hanging outside with us.  We worked on door boundary with Elsa a bit, she is amazing.  She is probably the fasted to have caught on to this lesson out of any of our dogs; although they have all been great at it.  As a tiny puppy she learned the rule and we just keep proofing it.  Enforcing is the secret to door boundaries.  We did a bunch of gardening out front with the door open while she lay watching us. She is such a good girl.

Their Dad took them down to the canyon where they love to run but Luke took a major wipe out yesterday.  He ran up a small hill and came tumbling down apparently.  Taking a head dive into the dirt and tweaking his whole body.  Poor guy lost his footing and has really injured his front left leg which is his bad one.  He spent much of yesterday hobbling from resting spot to resting spot.  Last night I gave him a tramadol before bed,which is a pain killer that is safe for dogs to take.  It may have helped for the pain but made him extremely restless.  It was a rough night, not much sleep for any of us.  He may have a bad sprain so it could be a while until he is up and himself again.  I will give him a couple of good rest days and hopefully that will help.

So there will no walk for Luke today or probably the next few days at least.  Not an easy task when your dog gives you those "puppy dog" eyes.  There are many things that you will have to do as a canine guardian that are not easy.  Emotions play a huge part in the life we have with our dogs so doing things that are upsetting for them is never easy.  But as the caretaker we must do things that are best for them and often that means leaving them behind.  So Luke must stay at home and heal; it won't be easy looking into those eyes when Elsa and I head out but it has to be.  He will not know why he does not get to go but at least he has gotten accustom to having alone time.  I often take them for walks on their own and this is one of the reasons why.  If dogs spend their time together always then times like this can truly be unbearable.

Luke is a very emotional guy; being injured puts a great deal of stress on him.  Staying behind and not getting to go for a walk is stressful but it will probably still be harder on me and my heart strings.  At the moment he is sleeping as is Elsa after a very rough night.  Hopefully he will feel a bit better once he warms up for the day.

Now go for a great walk with your dog.  :)

Memorial day weekend

Happy Friday everyone.  I'm taking a much needed long weekend so no blog until Tuesday.  Have a great one, stay safe, have fun with your pooch and I'll see you next week.

Sherri, Luke and Elsa.  :)

No sniffing?

Yesterday I took Luke and Elsa out separately.  I was walking down the path with Luke when I heard a statement from behind us; "see how she is letting him sniff, you should never do that."  I didn't even turn to see who it was; my thoughts were on today's blog.  No sniffing?  What?  We meandered down the path further as Luke sniffed every plant, bush and piece of grass that he wanted.  He stopped now and then to have a snack; we chat a bit and keep on going.  Our alone walks are pretty glorious.

So what about this "no sniffing" opinion that came from behind me?  Well, this is my opinion on the statement.  Sniffing? Yes, when you want to indulge your dog.  But if you want to go for a power walk, jog or play chuck it; then the sniffing needs to stop. I am often asked by clients "how much should I let them sniff?"  Should your dog drag you around directing every step?  No.  Should your walk only be sniffing?  No.  But should you allow your dog to sniff?  Yes.  It's what they do.

Many trainers will tell you "no sniffing," even famous ones but that is beyond stupid.  If you allow your dog to sniff you are not enabling a dominant behavior.  Sure there will be dogs who want to sniff the whole time and when you don't want them to, they shouldn't.   Walks are mutually beneficial; to make it all about you or all about the dog just doesn't make sense.  A walk is a time spent together; enjoying each other's company.  But the fact is, if it weren't for your dog you probably wouldn't be out on this walk so let them enjoy what they love to do.  At least for a while.

I like to give my dogs a good opportunity to sniff; it is what dogs do, they read their peemail on a walk.  The more new places you go the more new scents to sniff.  I probably allow 1/4 of the time spent on sniffing.  That can be on-leash sniffing or off running around sniffing on their own.  But it all depends on the dog; some are sniffers, some are not.  My little Jessie (JRT) use to sniff each blade of grass up and down, it took her forever.  But it is was what she loved to do; that and dig.  So more time was allotted for her sniffing time; especially as she got older.

Elsa is a crazy sniffer but her sniffing is more of a constant.  She sniffs the ground as we walk and if a dog has walked right ahead of us she sniffs each foot step that the dog took.  It doesn't often interfere with our walk but is just an added activity while we walk.  Luke likes to stop a lot to sniff.  He gets to sniff often but then there are times when I want him to get some more exercise and we just walk with no sniffing stops.

Life is far to short to not stop and smell the roses or any other scent for that matter.

Hi, nice to meet you.

I remember saying to my husband a year and a half ago; "I can't wait to meet her, I wonder who she is?"  That statement was about Elsa and I wondered who this little blonde ball of fur would be; that is as she grew and became Elsa in our family.  Each dog is an individual and getting to know them for who they are is pretty amazing.  I saw a photo the other day; one of many that I see cross my computer either via email or FB.  The image was that of a puppy mill and the dogs inside that no one would ever know; it made me horrifically sad.  Their captors don't know them; there's a good chance that no one will ever know them unless they are rescued.

Dogs are such complex animals; each has their own personality, temperament, likes, dislikes and quirks just like we do.  Discovering all of these things about our dog or any dog is a gift unlike any other.  I often pass dogs in the park walking with their human and wonder who they are.  You can easily tell the humans that have taken the time to get to know their dogs just by the way that they are walking.  Some people will never know their dogs; they are just a dog to them and that is and always will be sad.  The more years that I spend with dogs; my dogs and dogs in general, the more impact they have on me as a dog person.  Things that matter once may have fallen away and things that I never considered in the past are now of great importance.  Life changes you.

There is someone there inside waiting to be discovered.  When you tap into that amazing being inside of a dog you will grow; you don't have much of a choice.  But you must get inside to do that.  Big, small, short, tall, round, long, hair, smooth or curly; they all have someone amazing inside.  Far too often we label a dog for their exterior; if the owner has not got to the core of who their dog is, it can be very sad.  Often the small ones are treated like precious little angels dressed in tiny outfits and treated as a small human.  The big rough looking type are treated how they look and not given the chance to share their wonderful individual personality.  Exterior is just that and nothing more.  The heart of a canine is where the goods are; the important part of who a dog truly is.

They are all dogs; no matter what size or shape they are all dogs just like we are all humans.  BUT, there is a huge difference in us all, correct?  So is there a huge difference in each and every canine.  Within each is a bucket load of individualism that is there for the knowing if you take the time to discover it.  I love meeting new dogs; what you see is what you get.    People often try to be someone that they are not; dogs never pretend to be someone that they are not.  When you meet a dog you truly meet them.  Take the time to see the difference; they are much more than just dogs.