Tomorrow is July 4th



I know this is more than likely redundant but I have to say it anyway.  Please be sure that your dogs are safe today during the fireworks.  This is the day when most dogs go missing, many never find their way back home and some are even killed.  If you are going out during the day or evening make sure that your dog is safely contained in your house and cannot get out.  People will be setting off firecrackers all day, they started early here yesterday and scared the crap out of Elsa, Luke and myself.  Many dogs who seem to be fine can switch suddenly and be in panic mode.

When dogs are terrified of fireworks or crackers and slip into the panic zone they just want to get away.  They don't even know where they want to go, they simply run.  They will climb a fence that they have never climbed and run blindly trying to escape the noise.  If they have a visual on the fireworks it can be even worse.

If you leave your dog at home, a bedroom is a good place to leave them.  Leave a radio or tv playing loudly.  Put the AC on for comfort so that you can close up the house.  But do not leave them in a room where the temperature will become excruciatingly hot if the power went out and AC shut off.

Think panic if you are leaving your dog today.  They may be just fine but you can never know what might happen when you are away.  Always better to be safe than sorry.

Have a great day knowing that your pooch is safe and sound.

Thunder shirt - repost

This is a repost due to July 4th coming up. If you don't have a thunder shirt try an elastic bandage wrap. Not too tight just snug to give the same effect.


First let me say that I hope all of your dogs are safe and sound at home where they belong.  No doubt there will be dogs who were freaked out by the fireworks and are now wandering the streets looking for home.  The shelters will have them in their hands more than likely today but it never fails that there will be lost dogs, so very sad. 

We sat out on our balcony last night to watch the fireworks; we had'nt realized how much growth had gone on over a year as we watch the amazing explosion just over the peaks of the trees.  There is nothing really close to us so everything is in the distance.  Last year we did the same thing and Tilley never flinched; with her hearing leaving she didn't hear the big booms.  This year seemed like a boomer year and she indeed flinched.  With one exceptionally loud boom and flash of light she started to dig.  I took that cue to run and get my Thunder shirt.  I've had it since right after last years July 4th and only got the chance to give it a whirl.

I knew exactly where it was; I'd seen it earlier in the day when I was looking for a specific collar.  At first glance the Thunder shirt looks complicated but once you get it; it's easy.  I wrapped it around my digging, panting girl and she calmed somewhat.  Not sure that I'd wrapped it tightly enough I rewrapped her like a burrito.  Once wrapped she was most definitely less frantic.

The Thunder shirt did not stop her fear but it surely made a dent in the degree.  I have to say that was surprised that Tilley was bothered with the fireworks with her hearing even worse than ever.  No matter she started her digging which is her typical response to fireworks.  Where she thinks she is going is away, just away from the sound and lights.  But with the Thunder shirt she was able to lie down and once down stairs away from the light show she quickly fell asleep with her snazzy wrap tightly hugging her body.

How long will it take?



Honestly, how long will it take to get rid of puppy mills?  For those who mistreat animals to be brought to justice and not just given a scolding?  For those to recognize the severity of humans who hurt animals?  Or to stop turning a blind eye for the sake of a profit?  Too long, much too long.  We have people who do the damage and those who clean up the mess.  How long can this circle continue?  Have you ever thought about it that way?  The ones who care nothing about animals who more or less toss them out the window and the ones who catch them and bring them to safety.  Honestly what is going on and how long is it going to go on?

Stop the demand and the supply will diminish, it is that simple.  People, stop buying puppies from pet stores and online.  If you can go to a website and purchase a puppy with one click; then I can guarantee you that these puppies are from a mill.  Don't do it.  Do not give those blood suckers your money; because if you do you are fueling the torture of the dogs left behind to reproduce.

What is so hard to understand about this?  Honestly.  Dogs should not be bred like herd animals (and let's not even get into them).  No, they should be bred in a home, one litter at a time and cared for like a human child.  If not, don't buy one.  No dog should live out it's life in a cage.  I do not care if the breeder boasts that they have a wonderful clean and tidy facility.  Bred by mass quantity?  NOOOOOOO.  I know there are people out there who think that these big facilities are the newest and innovative thing.  But they are simply clean puppy mills.  The dogs are not socialized; there is no one on one attention.  It is a money making business and that is all it is.  There is no care or concern for the animals.

Write letters, share pictures, tell everyone you know not to buy dogs from any of these horrible places.  Just imagine if all those puppies that were put out into the public just stopped coming?  The shelters would empty, the rescuers would have a more manageable job and we would be doing right by dogs.  Let's just stop this now; the longer we wait the more dogs suffer daily.  Stop it now.



Is the joy mutual?



I have talked about dogs enjoying performance activities that we ask them to participate in.  But what about every day things that we subject them to; like hugging, kissing, interacting with other dogs, going in the car and all the other day to day life?   When I'm on a shoot or training I am watching for dog signals; anything that might let me know that a dog is not comfortable.  For me it is all about dog behavior and the difference in it.  This has made me a watcher of huge magnitude; I'm always watching.

It is amazing how much people miss and don't know about their own dogs.  I've had appointments where people wanted to have their dog's photo taken doing something different.  I ask "have they done this before?"  When the answer is no I let them know that we might not get the shot.  Lets use the shot of the dog in a chair as an example.  They wanted a shot of their dog in a chair by the pool.  It was to look like the dog was chill'n in the sun.  Looking at the chair and knowing that the dog had not been in the chair before; I knew that there was a good chance it wasn't happening.  Some dogs would be perfectly fine sitting in a chair; even if it was wobbly.  But many wouldn't, which would only give us a stress face and not a good photo.

Some signals that dogs give are very loud and clear while other ones are small and almost invisible unless you are watching and observing carefully.  It truly amazes me what some people subject their dogs to.  One such thing is dog parks or beaches.  Surprisingly enough there are lots of dogs who do not enjoy the company of multiple other dogs.  Some dogs love to have a play date with a friend or two but don't toss them into a fenced in area with a pile of strange dogs.  I have seen the look many times; dogs standing as if frozen, with a look of dread on their face.  If they could talk they would say "I hate coming here, I'm uncomfortable, scared and have to do things that I don't want to do."  Sad.

Many dogs love to interact with piles of dogs but should a child enter the picture they come unglued.  Funny how people who have children hating dogs will still take them to a soccer game for an afternoon of torture.  The other day I saw a family with small children approaching a couple with a dog.  A small child was heading for the dog with open arms while the owners of the dog just watched.  I was watching of course and shuddered as I saw the dog lick and shoot his eyes back and forth looking for escape route.  I actually intervened in an unobtrusive way; we simply walked through the bunch separating the child and dog so then the child was focused on Luke and Elsa.   I allowed a small interaction while the other couple moved on.  We then moved on and enjoyed the rest of our walk.

Dog owners will tell you that their dog is friendly while their dog is telling you otherwise.  Read the signals; dogs don't lie.  There are even things that you perhaps do that your dog doesn't enjoy and you haven't even considered it.  Hugging, hugging is a biggy.  There are many dogs who do not enjoy really close, hugging type of interactions, even from their owners.  Tilley was one of those dogs and she never did like if we approached her; looming over for a big hug.  But if she came to us for a hug she loved to snuggle in tightly; there was a fine line between okay and not okay.  She never did anything negative about it; but it was clear by her ever so slight pull back that she didn't like to be pulled into a hug.

I cannot tell you how many times I have had to redirect or pull children off of my dogs.  So many parents just don't get it.  Even if a dog is completely fine with children, even their own children; there is always a line, a breaking point.  Supervision is the only way to know how comfortable your dog is with children and the utmost of care should be taken so that your dog is never put into a situation where they feel uncomfortable in a child's presence.  That means supervising.  Many children love to run up and hug dogs, sometimes around the waist or butt area.  To a dog, this is a stranger running up and mounting them; think about it.

When we add a dog to our family it is so that we can enjoy the companionship of a dog.  But if our dog is really not enjoying a particular aspect of our life together; let's not force the issue.  You can tell when a dog is having fun versus barely holding it together.  Try to minimize those not so great moments by watching the signals and learning how to help your dog learn to like the activity through positive association or avoid it without too much stress.  

It's not always dominance

As a truly dominant dog, Jessie was relaxed and confident in her role.  


Dominant - occupying or being in a commanding or elevated position.

The term dominance has become an over used term in the world of dogs; a word that many people truly don't understand.  It has become the default cause of many behaviors for the misinformed dog professionals and owners alike.  I clearly remember being told by a Vet Tech that Luke had dominance issues.  They had taken him back for an x-ray and when he balked at being onto his back for the procedure;  it had to be dominance.  Nonsense.

Is Luke a dominant dog? Yes and no, he is more a pushy, confident guy.  Confidence and dominance are two entirely different states of being.  He has always liked to push when given the chance but is easily deflated.  Luke is a very nervous dog, not skittish and afraid of his shadow but more an over thinker, stress monkey type.  He worries and when strangers try to turn him over for no obvious reason (that he can conclude) he worries and struggles.  If a canine professional thinks that they should be able to easily flip any  dog onto their back, they are sadly under educated in regards to canines and canine behavior.

People blame barking at windows and doors on dominance.  More than likely it is a guarding instinct kicking in and if it is prolonged then probably a behavior that the owner just never stopped.  Not dominance.  Even aggression cannot be blamed on dominance.  More often aggression is related to fear rather than dominance.  A fearful dog is far more likely to bite than a dominant one.  Fear is a huge driving force to react; it is often misguided and inappropriately placed.  Which can lead an owner grasping for the dominance card.   It is the "in" word so we tend to fall back on what we hear around town.

When dog's don't listen to their owners; they must be dominant (not).  Many dog trainers use dominance as the go to explanation.  Sad.  Dogs are far more complicated and intelligent to toss all of their behaviors that we cannot figure out into the dominance bucket.  Sure there are dominant dogs and there some have dominance issues but very few really.  Many dogs simply have a lack of guidance in their life which leaves them to figure it all out themselves.  They are after all dogs, not furry humans so when they figure something out on their own it is not the way we would figure it out.

Dominance is not the reason that your dog is pulling on your daily walk.  It is not the reason that your dog ate your drapes or pulled up your beautiful new sprinkler system in the backyard.  Nor it is the reason that your dog growls at anyone who even thinks of walking near their food bowl.  No, there are lots of other reasons for undesired behaviors.  Even dogs who never gave dominance a second thought can seem dominant given a lack of leadership from their owner.

My girl Jessie (JRT or Jack Russell Terror) was a dominant dog.  She was naturally dominant and showed her stuff from the moment she walked into our home and took over the top dog status from Clyde.  She ruled the dogs in our house for nearly 16 years and I have to say that she was very good at it.  Of course I am the real boss around here and she knew that as well.  She was not an obnoxious canine leader of the pack; I would not allow that.  More on dominance and what to do with it in another blog.  For now, throw dominance out the window and try to figure out what is going on with your dog.  Our dogs are not secreting plotting to take over our world, so let's move on from this whole dominant phase.





Canine nutrition ponderings



I spent a good amount of time in the kitchen yesterday; I love baking and cooking.  I was making dog cookies and food.  Normally I make dog food on a daily basis but it is a nice change for me to  just be able to pull it out.  So, every so often I make batches and throw it into the deep freeze.  I also had not made cookies in a long while so I needed to make them as well.  With ingredients from one end to the other, it wasn't long until my kitchen looked like a tornado hit it.

When I cook, I rarely use a recipe; either for the humans or dogs.  If I do go recipe searching it is typically for an idea more than the actual recipe.  Over the years I have discovered what works and what doesn't as far as feeding my two.  All dogs are different; they have their own tastes, preferences and what sits right and doesn't on their stomach.  There are also a few foods to steer clear of when feeding dogs and if you are ever wondering, look it up.  A wealth of information can be found here on the internet if you simply look.  The main foods not to feed your dog are, chocolate, onions, grapes, raisins, macadamia nuts, avocado and caffeine in any form.  

The cookies I made were just thrown together as I pondered what to add.  They turned out great; both Luke and Elsa liked them.   When I make cookies I like them to be on the dry side which gives them a longer shelf life.  Luke prefers moist type cookies filled with butter, shortbread like.  So I make many different types, variety, variety.  I cannot promote variety enough with feeding dogs.  But cookies are just that, cookies.  They are not a main food item so don't worry if they have a few ingredients in them that are just for special times.  The recipe for yesterday's cookies is:

1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup brown rice flour
1 cup garbanzo bean flour
1 cup oats
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup pumpkin
1/2 water

Throw in a mixer and mix well.  Roll out to 1/4" thickness (I use brown rice flour to cover surface so it doesn't stick).  Cut into whatever shape you like and throw into the oven.  Bake at 350 for 12-15 min. and then turn oven down to 200 and leave for an hour to dry.  That's it.  

The food I made was in meatloaf form.  I make all sorts of different food; again, variety, variety.  My dogs eat RAW and cooked food; Luke's favorite by far is RAW beef.  RAW is one of the easiest and most convenient things to feed your dog.  When feeding your dog, think protein; for my dogs, it makes up 2/3 or more of their diet.  I toss in veggies, all different types.  Arugula, green beans, spinach, cabbage, brussel sprouts, you name it.  Sometimes sweet potatoes, oats or organic rice are tossed in but just a small amount.  Ground egg shells are also added. 

I made three different meatloaves yesterday.  One was beef, another beef and turkey and the last was beef and sardine, mmmmmmmm.  I can barely stand to add the sardines; but they are very good for the dogs.  Luke is not a fish fan; no, he is like his Momma and prefers halibut or any other extremely mild fish.  So I sneak in the sardines, salmon and other fish when I can.  They also get added fish oil to their food now and then.  They eat coconut oil on a regular basis and chia seeds as well.  

Eggs are a great source of animal protein as well.  Both raw and cooked.  I often throw a raw egg in their food for a change.  Elsa really enjoys eggs which is great; Luke is more of a sneak it in guy.  If you feed eggs, try to buy free range organic which are by far the best for your dogs and you. 

Don't get bogged down by fear when it comes to feeding your dog.  Think variety, think protein based diet.  Before dog food was invented what the heck did people feed their dogs?   Food, just real food.    

Finish



Recently I have been working on Elsa's Finish.  Typically "finish" is the verbal cue to go to heel position.  I have always used this term.  It means to go from sitting in front facing me to moving right, swinging out further and coming up nice and tight to sit at heel.  "Swing" is the term I use when the dog needs to go around the back of me to get to heel position.  But that has now changed as I have decided that I don't care how Elsa gets to the heel position, she just needs to get there.  She learned both when she was little but we have since dropped the swing as she uses "go round" daily for her chuck it activities.

So why am I teaching her to "finish?"  Because it's a good place to be.  No, we don't do much heeling; we do work on it but it's not a priority to me.  There are things that are a must for me and the more cues we have that mean to come close to me, the better in my books.  I worked on it in the yard on the weekend; Elsa was doing great and Luke even joined in.  I had them both sitting at heel, of course I was carrying a cup of peanut butter.  Because Elsa knows what finish means; we are already doing it from a distance and in different directions.

So far her only issue is if I ask for it when she is in a high drive mode, and that means retrieving.
When I asked her to "finish" this morning, before I tossed her ball with the Chuck it; she balked at the cue and offered up the normal behaviors that are associated with chuck it.  She dropped into a down, then ran around me out to get the ball.  Then came back and barked because I had not thrown the ball yet.  Hmmmmmm, I waited and asked once more seeing that she needed help.  She then flew into the finish; frantic to do whatever it took to launch the ball and it did.

I will be asking for it at more random times and places until it is part of our day to day.  So no matter where she is or what she is doing she will run to my side.  It is very important that it be a positive place; just like with the come exercise, it has to be a good thing.  Elsa is extremely intelligent and is not a fan of repetition; that is unless it has to do with her drive.  So adding it into her retrieving time really helps to solidify it as a must do behavior.  She will get faster and faster at getting to that position also.  By late yesterday afternoon she had started leaping to finish instead of walking.  With that giant butt of hers, she shouldn't have a problem aiming, launching and landing at finish.

Playing with light


Playing with light


I've been playing with light lately.  As a photographer there are many ways you can go as far as what you want to shoot.   For me, an image has to have emotion and for it to have emotion it must move me.  Sure I've taken great photos of dogs that are just that, great but they aren't amazing.  Amazing is everything coming together.  But you must always remember that photography is very much in the eye of the beholder.  Personal taste plays a huge part in photography; just like any other type of art.  What I think is great, others might really dislike.  Taste, it is all personal taste.


This image is adorable for many reasons.  The light here is overcast, making it even with no shadows.  Penny's eyes are naturally lit nicely by the light hitting my lens and reflecting in her eyes.   Plus, she is just plain adorable.



This is about as back lit as you can get.  The resulting image was what I was going for; it was a lot of work and hard on the eyes to get it.  Even though looking at Luke on the grass before me with my eye was not what resulted in the image.  I had to shoot directly into the sun which under exposed Luke but illuminated the outer lining of him and his ball with the added lens flare from the sun.


This type of image is a mystery to many.  "How do you get that black background?" is a common question.  The sun was coming into my living room beautifully so by putting Elsa in the direct sun beam and having no sun behind her, this is the result.  Expose properly for Elsa in the sun and the rest is underexposed.  



So I've been playing with the light, which means I've been shooting a lot more than dogs recently.  Light can make or break an image; it can make the difference between great and amazing.  Light is one of the most difficult things to perfect and work with; it is always changing.  But light is also one of those things that is easily overlooked.  Focusing (pardon the pun) on light is a challenge and requires patience.  Often there is nothing you can do about lighting, it is what it is and you work with what you have.  But given a choice, anytime other than midday is always the best. It is still bright but the light from the sun is not coming from straight above.


Just about midday from the looks of the shadow.  Not great lighting but fine for this type of shot.  A bit lower would have resulted in a larger shadow on the ground. 



As far as dogs are concerned, lighting can really improve an image.  Often when the light or sun is high, it can make getting a great shot very difficult.  Eyes are dark when the sun is high as a shadow is cast over them.  But in low light you can get the light to hit the eyes which can give an image more life.  Two black holes as eyes is fine if there is something else in the image that is offering emotion.  But typically eyes are important with a dog photo.  If not, then don't worry about the eyes.  If the eyes are important then you need to use a flash; yes in full sunlight, a flash.  A flash will give those lifeless black holes some life; even the smallest glimmer can bring them to life.


This was an early morning shoot, the sun was coming up to the right of the photo which lit both dog's faces nicely.  It also gave a nice shadow.  


Having your camera at the ready is a good idea when trying to capture just the right light.  That is when you are relying on natural light and not using set up lighting.  



I'm a rule breaker, always have been so I like to break photography rules.  "Don't shoot into the sun" is one of those rules; I say shoot into the sun but you gotta know what you are doing. If you just put your camera on auto and shoot into the sun you will get a silhouette; which is nice if that is what you want.  Otherwise use a flash or you can adjust your settings in your camera to over expose.  But typically I'd use a flash to save the exposure of the background.  But there are times when an over or under exposed image are breathtaking.

Seeing the light can take time; I know it has taken me quite a while to see it.  But light has become something that I am often looking for when photographing.  There are many different pieces which make up the whole of photography, light is a big piece.  Certain light can give you more detail, emotion, cast shadows and give depth.   But it can also ruin a photo.  When I'm shooting dogs, there are many factors that come into a shot.  Light is sometimes an overwhelming part.  Take a great photo of a dog and add great lighting, perfection.


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.