A line in the sand - the mount.

Communicating without mounting

Many dogs have a line that they have which should not be crossed.  That line is being mounted.  Luke has a clear line, when he was young it was even clearer.  He would allow rough play, even rude behavior but don't set foot on him.  If a dog attempted to mount him, he would take swift and immediate action.  One of his best friends way back when he was a youngster was a very rambunctious Boxer.  They played hard, leaping over one another and hitting as boys like to do.  He loved to play rough as long as there was no mounting involved.  Now his line is a bit blurry as a senior; he doesn't allow nonsense in any shape or form.  He likes to be left alone unless he is interested in an interaction, he's earned that right.

But many dogs have the same line when it comes to being mounted.  At two years of age Elsa has the line.  Penny, my daughters young Bull Terrier is at our house for a visit; she has been brawling with Elsa since the moment she walked into the house.  Yesterday, for a moment in the late afternoon Penny gave the mount option a try.   Elsa had just lay down on the blanket set out for them in the kitchen.  It was very hot out so they were both inside enjoying the A/C.  As Penny approached Elsa, it was clear that Elsa immediately saw something she didn't like.  Of course I was watching them like a hawk when I saw Elsa's reaction to Penny's approach.  There was something different about it.  Penny's ears were very upright; high on her head and close together.  She put one foot on Elsa causing Elsa to growl and change her demeanor.

My attention was now undivided as I watched the interaction.  Penny now had Elsa's undivided attention as well.  She approached again and put one foot on Elsa's leg.  At this point Elsa was still laying down on the blanket.  But as Penny's foot dropped onto Elsa's leg; Elsa let out a short but meaningful growl.  That was the line and Penny had crossed it.  "That's enough" I said as Elsa got to her feet.  As slow and methodical as it had started; it was extinguished in an instant.  The moment was over; Elsa was on her feet and the two began to play again.  Funny how dogs can have such harsh words and be over it instantly.

Once they started to play again, Elsa dropped to the floor and had Penny on top of her head.  They are constantly on top of each other but play standing over and dominance standing over are two entirely different things.  As an expert body language reader; Elsa reads with crazy precision.   Elsa came to us with this skill and it has served her well.  Now that she is entering into an age of maturity; communications have more meaning.

As an avid dog watcher and behavior specialist I see lots of crazy behavior.  Mounting is one behavior that is often misplaced and typically undesirable.  I see it a lot in puppy mill dogs or dogs who have not had the appropriate time with their siblings and Mother.  Some pet store dogs are perpetual mounters which can get them into all sorts of trouble.  Often seen as a "no big deal," behavior from novice or uneducated dog owners.  A mount can quickly turn an interaction into a serious problem.

But a mount is not always read as a threat.  It can be an obsessive issue; a behavior used for anything and everything with regard to excitement.  If a mounting obsessive dog uses it on another dog; the other dog may see it as just sort of annoying.  I have seen these obsessive mounters at the dog parks.  Many of the recipients to the mounting just simply try to shake it off, literally.  But there will always be the one dog who's line will be crossed making that obsessive behavior a dangerous one.

Mounting seen in our household dogs is an undesirable behavior.  It is a very natural behavior that is seen in wolves.  It is a behavior used to enforce or establish dominance.  The act of mounting in itself is not all that dangerous but the meaning behind it is.  The problem lies with dogs mounting strange dogs or dogs who do not live within their pack.  Even dogs within a pack can run into trouble by mounting one another.  The problem lies with the acceptance of a mount by the mountee (dog being mounted.)  Hence the invisible line which is drawn in the sand as far as mounting is concerned.

Do not allow your dog to mount others.  If you have several dogs in your home; watch for this behavior.  Mounting may be accepted for a point; or may never cause an issue.  My girl Jessie use to regularly mount the legs of my Poodles.  They knew what she was doing and why she was doing it but never felt threatened by it due to her size.  She was the clear boss in their minds and every so often just needed to remind them.  There unresponsive reaction was probably due to the fact that I always removed her.  But as long as you are the boss of your home, mounting is an unnecessary behavior.  As far as mounting dogs in public, at parks, beach etc.  Do not allow it.  Nip it in the bud as they say; it can only lead to problems.

Consequences

Like I always say, I just need to head out with the dogs to get blog ideas.  So, yesterday I decided to take Elsa out alone.  It is good for her and I to visit the parks without Luke.  We got to the park and there was no one else there; I love when that happens.  Out comes the chuck it and I fire away.  I thought it would be good to work the entire park so we head down to the other end.  After returning with the ball in her mouth; Elsa looked past me as her ears went up.  This was the first piece of information in the sequence of events.  I turned quickly to see what she had seen and it was a rabbit.  She thought about it for just a split second; dropped the ball and charged full speed.  I called her name in vain.  There is always a point when you realize that your attempts to stop what is happening are futile.  This was one of those moments.  She was gone and she was not coming back until she caught the rabbit; or at least that was what she thought.

I put the Chuck it in my belt and got a hustle on.  Elsa looked up at me for an instant and I called out "hey!"  I didn't want to use "come;" I knew she wouldn't come.  She thought about coming when I yelled "hey," but went back to her rabbit pursuit.  I was mad now, not as mad as I needed to be though so I put on my mad face.  I knew full well that this was a great training moment.  So I put on my best serious posture along with the face and made a b-line to my rabbit crazed girl.

She was at the other end of the park so I had plenty of 'think' time.  Often you don't have 'think' time so things just play out as hey unfold.  I was walking fast, there was the chance that she might try to get under the fence after the rabbit.  As I approached Elsa I yelled out a loud "NO;" I wanted a clear association to the word and what was about to play out.  (More on NO in another blog.)  With all of my time to think on the way to Elsa I knew that I had to grab a hold of her; at least for the initial point of getting her off of the rabbit.  If I just tried to shoosh her away like I would on a typical non compliance recall she would just skirt around me after the critter.  So with my posture upright and rigid, I donned my mad face and grabbed a hold of her harness.  I turned on a dime and head back towards the xterra.

I said nothing else and let my body do the speaking.  She knew, she knew that I was mad.  Now, if she had had a collar on I would have only grabbed for an instant and then had to work on shooshing or hooked her leash up immediately.   I do not like collar grabs as they can really create a negative effect.  I walked abruptly; with serious definition in every foot step.  I soon hooked up her leash as we continued onto the xterra.  Every bit of me wanted to head to the other end and continue our chuck it fun; but a lesson was being taught, right then and there.  I had to leave, she had to have consequences.  I didn't want to end the fun but it had to end.  Elsa had crossed a line that needed consequences.

Was I shocked that she went after a rabbit?  My ever so picture perfect girl?  No, I was actually happy.  This was very important information that I needed.  We've been around rabbits before that have only drawn her attention for a second.   Perhaps because they are usually at the end of a bush and dive under out of reach. This one was out in the open and running a good distance.  It was more than she could handle and she caved.  So we had a lesson before us which was perfectly timed.  She was not in danger of being run over; there were no other people around so this was the perfect place and time to have this lesson.

Once we got to the car I utterly only "get in."  My tone still stern along with my body.  That is when it ended, lesson over.  Typically a lesson is played out with feedback.  Instant, a reaction following an action.  This lesson carried on longer as the final statement was the vehicle.  Game over, fun over.  Knowing my girl as I do; the event will have a lasting impact.  This is exactly what I need.  There will always be something to chase; things that are very hard to ignore but a dog with drive must learn to ignore somethings.  Elsa's drive is nothing compared to what Tilley's was; this is a walk in the park.

Bath time.

Games are over, Elsa's pooped.

Luke and Elsa just had a bath.  I love it when they are all fluffed and smell amazing.  But getting them into the shower is a chore.  Elsa picks up cues when I am not offering any.  I work very hard at trying to make it look like nothing is going on; changing nothing but she still manages to know.  First I make sure that there is enough shampoo and conditioner in the shower.  I might do that an hour before the actual event so as not to clue her or Luke into what's coming.  Then the towels, there must be doggy towels in the bathroom.  So those come up well before the event as well.  Still, as hard as I try I cannot seem to outsmart the crazy smart Elsa.  Somehow she knows.

It is not that they won't go in there; I want it to be as stress free as possible.  They stress at the idea of a bath and the initial onset but once in and lathered up they don't much care.  It's like brushing or grooming; they don't love it but are very good while being done.  With flea season upon us I try to get them into the shower at least once every two weeks; but preferably every week to be sure we are staying on top of things.  That means that they may have drier skin than normal.  So rinsing is very, very important.  A good conditioner needs to be used; plus it makes them smell amazing. I use what is in my shower, organic shampoo or something special just for Luke and Elsa.   Adding a bit of extra oils into their food also helps with dry skin.  I'd rather deal with a bit of dry skin than put toxic chemicals on them.  Regular bathing and vacuuming is a must for keeping fleas at bay.

So it was Elsa first and Luke in after her.  Unfortunately whoever is done second knows it's coming.  Luke was stressed, trying to run away from me, so that Dad could save him from his Mom who wanted him clean.  But there is no escaping Mom; it's into the shower in the blink of an eye.  Once in there he's fine and takes no time to be rinsed and squeezed.  After their drip and squeeze it's immediately to the balcony where they shake off much of the water.  Depending on their coat length at the time, really factors in on drying time.  Being that they are both nice and short right now it doesn't take long in this warm weather.  After the initial shake off and towel dry they are set free in the yard to let the sun do it's work.

When they are outside, the dog door is shut to make sure that they don't come in and shake everywhere while they are drippy.  I get out more dry towels, the grooming box and the forced air dryer.  Now this is also when I typically get out my camera but I skipped the wet dog shoot this time.  I opted to wait and shoot after they were all done.  A half hour passes and they are now ready for some human intervention.  Elsa was in the shower ahead of Luke so she is already on her way to being dry.  So, she gets officially dried first with the forced air.  Being that I let the sun do much of my tedious work; she is dry in a matter of minutes.  Next is Luke which takes even less time than Elsa because his coat is much thinner than hers.  Using the forced air dryer allows me to check out skin condition. The dryer blows so hard that I can see any new bumps, marks or scratches that I might not see otherwise.  I take this opportunity to give them both a good going over, look see.

A quick brush through next for both with my amazing brush and they are done.  Now I get out the camera, sit back and watch the fun.  They feel good, really good.  It is obvious by their behavior after it is all done that they love the way that they feel.  Grooming time is a good time.

Freshly groomed and feeling spry; Luke initiates some play.  

Luke was being a bit pushy; here Elsa tries to calm him a bit with a face cleaning.  

Looks like Elsa is telling Luke a great joke.

Luke in hot pursuit.

Like velvet, soooo soft.  What a happy face.

Using that tail again, she is truly the biggest flirt.

Not bad at all for almost 13.  

Tone it down

This is Ruby, my sister's Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever.  She's an amazing dog, she could literally retrieve all day long.  Hmmm, reminds me of someone else.  :)  But Ruby needs to slow down; she is 10 and she gets very sore if she doesn't tone it down a bit.  She loves nothing more than diving off the dock, retrieving her ball and then doing it over and over and over.  But the dock diving has ceased.

Ruby is only allowed to go after her ball from the beach, no more dock diving.   This ramp is a great help for her to get over the rocks.  

It is tough for everyone as our dogs age.  The whole family takes great joy watching Ruby and it is hard to see her have to give up a few of her favorite things.  It is for Ruby's own good and the toning down is done out of love for this wonderful girl.  

How happy is this face?

Ruby has a water retrieving ritual like many dogs.  She retrieves her ball from the water; shakes when she gets out and then throws herself on the sand/grass and rolls around.  Then she's ready to go again. 

Taking time out to clean her paws and take a fleeting break.  

She's no slouch at 10.

A special moment caught in time, priceless. 

I love shooting Ruby in action.  As hard as she charges into the water she always manages to keep her head up.

I remember the day we retired Tilley from Frisbee.  It was very hard, emotional and traumatic for the humans.  Tilley adjusted to low thrown balls until that was banned as well.  As much as we love to offer our dogs what they love; sometimes we are required to use our heads and make unpopular decisions.   As our dogs age we need to monitor their health and comfort regularly.  They too can be injured more easily as they get into their senior years.  So toning it down is a must. 

This above photo was taken years ago of a much younger Ruby.  

Socializing and beyond

Her panting was from the huge run she had, not stress.  She looked around, stressed a bit; lay down for a second and then ate treats.  A good experience.  

I clearly remember someone writing to me "I'm sure she is well socialized by now," when I wrote that I had been out socializing Elsa at the age of one year old.  I'm sure to the readers it seemed that I was always out socializing with Elsa and I was.  It hasn't stopped yet, no not yet; even when she is two years old now there is still more to do.  Dogs are in the moment creatures; so they take everything in around them.  Some dogs do more taking in than others; the ones who are far more aware of their surroundings, that's Elsa.  It was also Luke, although now at almost 13 he doesn't give a hoot about many things that may have concerned him in his younger years.

Socializing doesn't end until a dog is well into their adulthood; or at least it shouldn't.  Many dogs who are well socialized as a youngster can lose some of it if you don't keep it up.  I remember my road trip from CA to CT when Elsa was 4.5 months old.  Before the trip we had been out socializing like crazy; but I was very aware that 6 days would go by with very little.  Being stuck in the car was like a vacuum; void of the day to day activities that surround us.  Sure we were in a different hotel each day, new things and sites but she needed more than that.  So as soon as we got landed at our new home in CT we were out and about making up for a lost week.

If you live in a climate where there are severe winters or long stretches of heavy rain or scorching temperatures; you may need to consider extra socializing needs.  Long periods of isolation can in fact create a need to start over, almost.  Of course it depends on the dog; each and every dog is an individual so a long winter may not phase one but another may need to be re-socialized after it.  Dogs can become set in their ways with a lack of socializing and switching things up.  Learning to deal with strange things is a part of life and we owe it to our dogs to show them this.  These lessons do not stop at a certain age; we need to continue to show them all the weird and wonderful things that life brings.

Some folks who live on large properties in the country forget the whole socializing thing because their dogs have more than ample room to run at home.   Socializing is more than just meeting other people with other dogs.  When it pertains to dogs and their adjustment to life, it encompasses everything around them.  A country dog may be well adjusted to their surroundings; perhaps the people who come to visit, but what about outside of their little world?  We owe it to our dogs to show them as much as we can; not limit their ability to deal with life by a lack of introduction to it.

Recently, I was with someone who had just adopted a 3 year old dog.  We were at a horse show and the dog seemed great with the horses, really great.  But, when an elderly man walked by all hunched over with a strange hat, she went crazy.  She growled and backed up; obviously she had not been out and about enough to know that this was just a guy in a hat.  She needed more socializing.  But at three is it too late?   No.  It is never too late to improve your dog's ability to deal with life around them.

Professional canine behaviorist know that the optimum socializing period is approximately between 8-16 weeks of age.  Many think that the door shuts after that time.  I believe that it doesn't shut completely; but lowers slowly.  Yes, the best time to get the most effective socializing in is when a dog is a young puppy; but there is so much more to do after that.  With all the re-homing of dogs these days; there is a great need for rehabilitation socializing.  That means socializing in the later years of a dogs life.  Most dogs can indeed be helped by later socializing; but there will be those who have led such a shelter life that the improvement is minimal.

We were recently away on vacation; which means that Luke and Elsa spent a week at home.  As soon as I got home and had a good nights rest we were out in the world again.  For Luke it was simply to offer an outing; but for Elsa it is more important as far as socializing.  Sure she is more than social now at two years of age; she's had a great deal of life offered, to experience; but she can always use more.  In fact I took Elsa through the car wash yesterday.  She and I were out for a special birthday girl walk in the afternoon and I considered waiting until later to get the car washed, but then opted to take her in.  She has been in the car wash before with Luke but this was all by herself and a good experience.  She stressed a bit but not nearly as much as I would have; not knowing what the heck a car wash was.  I tossed treats into the back of the xterra as we went through so she learned that this monster thing was actually pretty great.

No matter how many times you go out; there is always something new to experience.  Don't handicap your dog by limiting life exposure.  Get out there.

Elsa turns 2

She arrived, Sept 09, 2011.

As every one of my canines have reached another year; I dedicate my blog to them on their day.  Today is Elsa's day; two years old, where the heck did the time go?  It seems like yesterday that I was talking to her breeder about the possibility of adding a new puppy to our pack.  It was a huge decision; after all we had three at home already, two very senior dogs and an old guy.  But we needed some young blood in the family; I knew only too well that things would be changing before too long. 

Plans were made as we waited with anticipation.  Seeing photos of the litter and watching videos just made it that more exciting.  We wouldn't know who was going to join us until the final temperament test.  I had discussed in length who, as far as temperament I was looking for to be our new family member.  At seven weeks it was decided, Kaede.  Yes, she was Kaede until just over 8.5 weeks old; until she became the one, the only... Elsa.

What a face.

Does it get any cuter?

Loving every second.

She arrived, stepping out of one life and into another with not even the slightest pause.  She ran with the big (old) dogs like she'd been here forever.  Her arrival could not have been more perfectly timed.  Now it is nearly two years later and I cannot believe how fast the time has gone.  I remember holding her as a very small puppy in my arms; wondering who she was going to be.  Watching her wonderful interactions with Tilley, Jessie and Luke let me know that she was indeed the one, the right one.

So now here we are two years later and I am head over heels in love.  She is without a doubt the dog that was meant for our family.  Elsa is a happy girl; if I had to describe her with one word it would be 'bubbilicious.'  Elsa's cup over flows with enthusiasm for life in general.  She is most definitely a cup half full kind of gal and goes with the flow.  She has already had quite the adventure in her short two years and been a joy to ride with through it all.

Elsa has turned into a wonderful young adult.  She adores Luke and he adores her; although he'd never admit it to anyone.  Seeing her wrapped around him on the couch when I come home from the gym makes me smile every day.  She in an athlete, tom boy and snuggle monster with high drive.  She is one of a kind, my heart girl.  There is nothing that she won't try, she is amazing.  We have yet to meet anyone who is not smitten by Elsa's charm and sense of humor.  I am very blessed to look down and see Elsa by my side every single moment of the day.  

A big 2 years old, time sure flies.  

I'm home!

Had to take a shot of this.  A poster on the side of the liquor/beer store in Ottawa, Ontario.  

I'm home and boy am I glad to be here.  It is harder and harder to leave as the years go by.  Like all of you, I love my dogs; my life would not be the same if they were not in it.  So as much as I love to head out on a vacation; if it does not include my dogs then I leave a piece of me behind.  When I am away I need a dog fix big time and lucky for me much of my family are dog folks, really great dog loving people.  So I get my fix which helps me to make it through the stress of not having Luke and Elsa by my side.

"How are they?" I ask the sitter almost daily.  I am very lucky that I have a sitter who moves in and picks up my Mom role when I leave.  She is there for one job only and that is to make sure that Luke and Elsa are happy and healthy while I am gone.  I worry, sure I do; it is my nature to worry but it is very minimal as I know that someone is looking out for them.  I'm sure that I suffer far more than they do when I am away.  My life revolves around dogs; not just my dogs but all dogs.  So when mine are absent I look to others to fill the void.

Happily I was around dogs for much of our trip.  If it wasn't other's dogs in parks, down town and farm markets it was my family's dogs.  Lots and lots of dogs which makes me very happy.

My families dog pick up the slack and I love it.  Spending time with all of my extended dogs is great.  Catching up and seeing how they've changed since the last time I saw them is great.  There were two new additions to the family since I was last home.  Two new Golden Retrievers, one is an adopted 3 year old named Maya; the other a new, soft and adorable puppy named Hannah.  She is the picture of a sweet and adorable teddy bear like puppy.  One evening there was a house full with 5 family dogs coming together.  The pack dynamics were extremely interesting and watching who was who and where they fit in was fascinating.

The five were: Sadie, a rescued wirehair Dachshund who could not be cuter if she tried.  I absolutely fell in love with her this trip.  Her younger house sibling Trixie who looks and acts very much like a Jack Russell Terrier mix.  She is tenacious and adorable.  Wile-e, who is a beautiful, quiet and distinguished Sheltie.  He is reserved but so sweet.  Penny, an amazing little Cairn Terrier who is all terrier with a whole lot of sweet and her younger house sibling; the new Hannah.

I got to spend several days with Ruby; my sister's Nova Scotia Tolling Retriever who graced a 3 page photo spread in Dog World several years ago.  She is starting to gray around the face but is still full of that typical Toller drive.  Ruby is as happy to see me as I am to see her and it is heaven as she whines and cries when we come together.  She is an amazing who I feel very lucky to know.

Plus Steve and I visited some great friends with their amazing Standard Poodles, Uno and Sassy.  Of course I cannot get enough of these amazing two.  So lots of photos to follow in the next few days but for now I am happy to snuggle into the morning with my two.



Extended family dogs; love them all.  Without them, what would I do?

Everyone's got a line

"My dog would never."  How many times have I heard that?  "Not my dog, she would never bite." Wrongo.  All dogs will bite; everyone has a line.  A line where they draw between the acceptable/not acceptable.  Like humans, dogs are all different; so what is acceptable to one may not be to another.  In general what I see is that many dogs tolerate things right up to and even over their line.  The more accustom they are to enduring behaviors from other dogs and/or humans, the further over their line they will be able to stand it.

Every once in a while when someone reaches down to hug one of my dogs I will allow it.  That is if we are in the right environment and if I am watching each and every twitch of behavior.  It is good to know where your dog's line is.  But, people tend to not know that their dog has a line and put them into situations that are extremely uncomfortable.  Take the folks who walk up to you and your dog and say "oh yes, he's very friendly," when their dog is clearly displaying  "I am not friendly" signals.  Hmmmmmmm.  The dog is walked right up, head on to another dog knowing full well that this is not an appropriate way to approach.  It is almost always done on an angle if left to the dog.

The biggest line that I see is with children.  Parents let children cross lines all the time and sadly many children are bitten because of this.  Not all dogs are child friendly.  Some are, some are pretty good, others are great and then there are dogs who just don't do kids.  Fear is probably the biggest issue regarding children and dogs and dogs do not need to be extremely fearful to display keep away aggressive tactics.  At the last market type event we were at, Elsa and I had a small toddler running up behind us.  Not good, the parents were oblivious so it was a good thing that I was on my toes.  She was shrieking and running up behind us.  Elsa was quite disturbed by this behavior because it was coming from behind.  We zigzagged through the crowd and easily lost our small chaser.

When I do introduce Elsa to children it is in a comfortable surrounding.  They are different for Elsa, she has not grown up around shrieking children.  She likes children and has enjoyed all of her encounters so far.  But to throw her into an unsupervised free for all situation and not help her to acclimate would be a huge failure on my part.

Do you know where your dog's line is?

Happy July 4th

Have a great day, stay safe and keep your dogs inside with the television on loud.  :)

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.