No, I mean really individual

As many of you know I am always talking about how each dog is an individual.  Many breeds have specific traits which are commonly seen and can be seen in mixes of that breed.  But when you really breakdown a dog and their behavior; they can be radically different.  Through my  years of training I have seen this a great deal.  When I was doing group classes; they were small enough that I could take some one on one time for each dog and their family.  Listening to them as they explained specific issues with their individual dog allowed me to help that individual dog and the owners.

After many group classes I moved onto private in-home training which enabled me to really fine tune training and help each dog and their family more specifically.  It amazes me how many trainers have one way of doing things.  Once you start working with dogs you quickly realize that they are all very, very different.  Having one bag of training tricks is a handicap because as great as you might think that your one way is; it will not work on all.  Being flexible is essential in being a good dog trainer.  The next most important thing is to listen; if you aren't listening you won't understand the small differences that an owner is trying to describe. 

Dissecting behavior is what I do; not just when I'm on a training call but all the time.  Watching each and every move and breaking it down to fractional signals is huge.  When people find out that I am a trainer I often am tossed immediate questions.  "My dog does...."  I try to help but a really great answer could take a lot of time.  Each answer brings up more questions until I can get to the bottom of a problem.  Even then, if I am relying solely on the owner to give me the answers then I might not be able to help.  I often need to see a dog in action  myself or at least meet the dog in their home. 

What drives a dog can be so different.  Life experiences, genetic make up and environmental stimulus all play a huge role in making your dog, yours.  This past weekend I was once again reminded how different Penny is from Luke and Elsa.  Even though Elsa has very high drive she is not triggered by motion like Penny is.  A oscillating stream of water was coming through the back fence when Penny spotted it.  Luckily I spotted it right at the same time.  I ran and grabbed her just as she was slipping into her trance state.  She is very triggered by motion and if you don't catch her before she indulges, it is very difficult.  Elsa stood watching Penny, not understanding what she was after.

They are all so very different.  I cooked up some great food on the weekend, both for the dogs and the humans.  I made Luke and Elsa's food and threw some leftover shrimp into Elsa's bowl.  I was shocked to see her eat everything but the shrimp.  She'd eaten shrimp before and loved them; but they had been prepared deliciously, these were simple cold cocktail shrimp and she was not a fan of these rubbery, tasteless little things.  Oddly enough Luke was a fan and ate every one.  How funny. 

Each dog is so very individual; from their tastes, drive, motivation, triggers and fears.  Their exterior can be vastly different or very cookie cutter like but inside lies the heart of a very individual and special dog like no other. 

Meet and greets

 

As you all know I am big on socializing; it is one of the most important factors with having dogs.    At two years old now; Elsa has a great deal of it under her belt.  But the socializing doesn't stop there; I am constantly on the look out for nice dogs to say hi to.  We don't say hi to everyone and learning to calmly walk by some dogs is just as important as saying hi.  There are always dogs at the parks, beaches and fields that you just don't want to talk to.  They either give off clear "not friendly" vibes or their owner shares this information with you.  Too many bad interactions can cause a dog to react defensively more often.  So we are very choosey who we say hi to.

At thirteen years old, Luke is beyond needing socializing.  He has a list of dislikes that has grown over the years.  I know him so well that I can tell way in advance if an oncoming dog will be a match or not.  It can be a certain breed or body language that a dog is giving off.  If it's not a match we simply take some space.  As for Elsa, she is much more flexible yet she too has had some bad interactions so I do my best to minimize these.  Picking and choosing who to say hi to takes work.  You need to read the other dog and do it quickly.  Much has to do with an owner.  The other day we walked passed a guy with an older Labrador; Luke is not a big fan of Labs.  But the biggest factor in not talking to these two was the man who was barely holding the leash.  The dog was straining at the end and it looked like it was all the owner could do to hold on.  Not good. 

Leash aggression is a very common issue with dogs.  When you put a leash on a dog; several things happen.  One you have your dog within your personal circle making the guarding reaction kick into gear.  Then we add onto that the whole tension on the leash issue.  Humans typically do much too much pulling and tugging on a leash.  This in itself gives off lots of incorrect messages via the dog.  As the owner pulls back the dog pulls forward; which implies a lunging statement from the dog.  In turn the other dog seeing this gets defensive.  Then there is the whole relaying of our own emotions to the dog via the leash.  The leash also takes away the ability to move away for a dog.  Moving freely makes things much more relaxed. 

Sometimes I will walk very close to another dog so that I can see their body language a bit more clearly before making a decision.  Lots of people say "yes, very friendly" when asked but they are often incorrect in their response.  I make the decision for myself, whether they have said that their dog is friendly or not.  If it is just Luke with me then we don't bother; when I'm out with Luke I am out for simply the outing unless we run into a friend of his.  But for Elsa I am always looking for a nice dog to perhaps makes friends with. 

The other day Elsa and Luke stopped to talk to a nice little poodle mix.  He was a bit apprehensive but not enough to give off any aggressive responses.  We made it short and sweet which is always the best way to go and continued on our way.  Up ahead I saw a Golden and Siberian interacting; even though both dogs were wagging, it was clear that there was tension.  I opted to make a big arch around these two and to the other side of the park.  As we passed by them the little dog we had been talking to stopped to chat with the Siberian and they got into a scuffle.  I'd made the right decision as far as that one had been concerned.  If you are in doubt at all, don't.  It just is not worth the work of undoing the fallout behaviors that come from negative greetings. 

Socializing is wonderful but minimizing the negative is just as important.  Pick and choose.  Best to have two great interactions than a whole handful of bad ones; negative fuels negative. 

DON'T LEAVE YOUR DOGS IN THE CAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Leave them at home.  

I honestly cannot believe how many times I have had to hunt down owners who have left their dogs in a hot car.  Luke, Elsa and I were just at the park for a nice walk.  We pulled up beside a van as I saw the owner of the van walking towards the community center.  I got out and as soon as I lifted the hatch and Luke stuck out his head the dogs in the van beside us went off.  The whole van was shaking due to a large dog in the back having a fit.  I checked the windows to make sure that the dog was not going to come diving out at us and then got my own guys out.  I remained calm while the dogs were literally hurling themselves at the windows.  I wanted to relay to Luke and Elsa that this was a non issue.  The sun was just starting to peak out and I thought about the person who left these dogs here.

We went off on our walk; I knew that we would not be long, Luke can't walk that far anymore.  We met some nice dogs and had a short leisurely walk.  As we got close to the Xterra the dogs started again; they were going off on my guys and the sun was fully out.  I opened the hatch and gave Luke and Elsa a drink before getting in the car myself.  It was hot, too hot for those dogs to be in the car.  Yep, I had to do some more hunting.  I found a spot to park in the shade; an illegal parking spot but it was shadey.  I opened all the windows about 6 inches; locked the car and ran into the building.  I gave the girl at the front desk a run down and she said that the person could be anywhere.  Not wanting to leave my own guys in the car long; even in the shade I ran.  Down the hall, looking into every room; trying to find the woman I'd seen leaving the van.

Finally, as I peered through the glass of the last door I saw her.  It was an exercise class so she would be in there a while.  The door was locked so I banged on it. The teacher of the class cracked the door open; she was bothered by my presence so I cut to the chase.  "That lady"I said, pointing to a woman in the middle of the room "has left her dogs in the car and it's hot." She closed the door and delivered my message.  I had to calm myself; going off on people doesn't help in these type of situations, it just makes them mad.  So in a very serious tone I told her; "leave your dogs at home."

She followed close behind me as we head to the door; all the while I was lecturing.  She thanked me twice so I did get the message across.  I ran out ahead of her making a b-line to my own dogs.  Hopping in the car I was happy that it wasn't hot; having been in the shade it didn't have time to heat up the short time I was hunting for the owner of the not so lucky dogs.  The woman's friends will do doubt ask what happened; and she will hopefully be honest and tell them.  Each person who learns will hopefully tell one other person.

DO NOT LEAVE YOUR DOGS IN THE CAR!!!!!!!!!

Cars heat up quickly, even if it is only 70 degrees outside; the inside of a car can become sweltering.  Why risk it?  Leave your dogs at home; in the safety and comfort of their own surroundings.  Not only were these dogs subjected to heat that they should not have to endure; but they were stressed to boot.  They would have been much happier at home; waiting for their Mom to return.  Honestly.
 

Your dog's wasitline

                                             This Lab could definitely use to lose a few. 

Does your dog have a waistline?  They should.  All dogs, no matter what breed or mix of breeds should have a waistline.  It always amazes that people think certain breeds can carry around more weight than others.  A few of the regular pudgy breeds that I see are:  Labradors, Pugs, Dachshunds, Beagles, Bulldogs and Cocker Spaniels.  But it is not limited to these guys; I see all kinds of dogs carrying too much weight.  From a bit too much around the middle to morbidly obese.  No dog should be overweight, not even the ones mentioned above.  No matter how long or tall a dog is; they should have a waistline. 

Dogs are not tubes, they have shape and the waist should tuck in.  Of course it will tuck in differently on each dog; depending on the actual structure of that particular dog.  Take Dachshunds for example; these guys already have a tough time getting around with their tiny legs; but for some reason they are allowed to over indulge and carry extra weight.  A Dachshund who is lean and muscled is a beautiful thing. Sadly many of them resemble the "wiener dog" label they have been given.  Funny, if I see a Dachshund who is lean and fit I am surprised. 

Dogs don't get fat on their own, we do it to them.  They do not go to the cupboard and pour themselves too much food.  They do not choose to sit on the couch all day in lieu of running at the park.  No, that is our choice and a fat dog is a sick dog.  Being overweight can do a great deal of damage to a dog.  Vital organs can be effected by added weight as well as joints.  Carrying around extra weight causes a dog to move less which then leads to more weight gain.  If they do move around with extra weight they are more prone to serious injury. 

An easy way to see if your dog is carrying around a bit much is to look and feel.  Stand back and look from the side, do they tuck up?  Stand above and look down, do they have a waistline?   Now some dogs have extra skin that hangs down between the back leg and chest, take that into account.   Feel, can you feel your dogs ribs?  You should be able to.  It should feel like a thin layer of neoprene over the ribs.  If you can just feel ribs and skin then they are too thin.  If you can't feel the ribs at all...well, your dog is too fat.  If you have a deep chested dog then you should see a substantial waistline.  If not then you have work to do, yes you.

Depending on the size of a dog; a mere few pounds can make a big difference.  One day as I was carrying Tilley down the stairs and feeling the extra weight in my knees it hit me; if I was 45 lbs heavier this is how I would feel.  I struggle with weight constantly; what goes in my mouth is my choice.  What goes into Luke and Elsa's mouth is also my choice; it is much easier to keep them lean and healthy.   No dog wants to be fat, it is no fun at all.  They can run and play like they should be able to; they feel old before their time and their body suffers. 

Do the waistline check, look and feel.  The big secret to weight loss in dogs is the same for us; eat let, move more. 

It's bath day

It's bath day yet again.  Typically I bathe the dogs every couple of weeks;  more or less when needed.  In the summer months I try to get one in every week if I suspect fleas.  Fleas are easily killed by some water, suds and a 5-7 min. time span.  I also vacuum the house a lot eliminating the chance of fleas living in the house.  When I bathe the dogs, all their bedding is washed.  I have blankets on most of the beds which makes it much easier to do weekly washing.  I hate pulling those huge beds out of their casing; it is such a hassle.  So with blankets on top I just have to wash the blankets every couple of weeks and the actual bed cover less frequently. 

Luke is in need of a bath, even though he doesn't get dirty from tearing around he has become smellier in his age.  Ahhhh, the old dog smell.  He sleeps a lot which in itself causes him to get stinky.  He has always had more smell than the girls.  Tilley always smelled like a clean blanket; in fact we were just talking about her on the weekend.  My daughter asked my son if he remembered her smell and he said "ya, she smelled like a blanket."  We reminisced a bit about her and I remembered the day we lost her.  I held her tightly in my arms, breathing her smell into my core; there it would stay for the rest of my life.  I will never forget her smell. 

All dogs smell differently, Elsa also smells wonderful but not like Tilley.  Jessie, being that she was a smooth coated Jack Russell was much stinkier in general.  Shedding dogs tend to smell more than poodles; it is the difference in the coat.  Penny is a real stinker, but she has very sensitive skin too, so my daughter must be careful about too many baths.  Yes, a bath strips the natural oil from a dog's coat.  But it also takes the smell away.  There is a fine line between too many baths and not enough.  I have been in the presence of dogs who desperately needed a bath.  One woman who's dog I was shooting said she never bathed her dogs, like in the wild their coats cleaned themselves.  One whiff of her dog let me know that she wasn't kidding about never bathing her; and the feel was horrible leaving a greasing coating on my hand.  No thank you.

Elsa needs more baths when Penny has been visiting often.  The two of them roll in the dirt and mouth each other constantly creating bigtime smell and crunch.  After Penny leaves and Elsa has time to dry she is usually left with a crunchy collar and needs a bath.  So today will be that day.  Both Luke and Elsa will be lathered up, sit for 5-7 min. just in case there are any fleas hanging around and then rinsed, towel and forced air dried.  Then if I have a few extra moments, Elsa will get a quick trim. 

Bathing is a great time to have a really good look and feel of your dog.  I have seen several spots on Luke that we've gotten checked out after a bath.  It is also a bonding time; even though they aren't thrilled with the idea of going into the shower they get to spend one on one with Mom.  That goes for the rest of the process as well, towel drying, forced air drying, brushing and grooming.  It's all about them and building trust. 

Letting them duke it out

"Let them settle it."  This is the long standing way; let the dogs settle it on their own.  Many people still believe that this is the way to settle disputes among dogs.  But it is never a good idea; duking it out can have a snowball effect; once they start it just keeps growing.  I do not allow nonsense in my house.  That means that growls are fine but that is where I draw the line.  Of course I have no refereeing to do with Luke and Elsa as they are a match made in heaven but when I had Tilley, Jessie and Luke; there were a few times when I had to step in.  Jessie was a very dominant little dog and every once in a while she would like to throw her 15 lbs of weight around.  I allowed a little of her displays; most was directed at Luke when he was young.  He loved to push her buttons.

As far as Tilley and Jessie were concerned; they had an understanding.  Tilley was very happy just being, she had no desire for position within the pack.  Jessie was the boss, she wanted and needed to be the boss.  But if Jessie tried to discipline Tilley harshly; I could see that it was crossing an invisible line for Tilley.  She was fine with a little growl or communication but anything more in Tilley's eyes was uncalled for.   I never allowed anything more than an initial communication.  Dogs need to communicate and if you take that away, things can go very wrong.  I know many people who say "no growling allowed in my house."  This can leave the dogs frustrated and confused which then leads to aggression.  It also puts you in a handicapped position as far as knowing what's going on. 

I am often asked about letting them settle it.  No, do not let them settle it.  Once dogs fight to settle a conflict; it can become a more regular occurrence.  I have seen dogs who lived together for years without any issues until one fight.  Then the fighting came more often until one ended up in the emergency room.  At this point the dogs lived separately; and the owner did the juggling routine that I am not a fan of.  Each dog on opposite sides of the house.  The problem with this is that it is not a great way for a dog to live and there is going to be a slip up inevitably. 

Probably the biggest problem I see as far as stepping in is with the humans disciplining the wrong dog.  I cannot tell you how many times I see people disciplining an adult dog in the family when they bring home a new puppy.  The new puppy is testing the waters and pushing the adult; when the adult growls as it should, the humans discipline it for doing so.  So the puppy pushes more and the adult feels the need to speak louder which only results in more trouble from the humans.  The cycle continues until you end up with an obnoxious puppy and time bomb adult. 

When you bring home a new puppy, let your existing adult teach.  It is their job and right to show the new comer the ropes.  If the puppy is not listening to the older dog then you need to step in.  Some adults dogs won't appropriately discipline and need our assistance.  If you have a boisterous puppy that doesn't listen to your older dog then you need to step in.  When we brought Elsa into the house I had to be very careful with her and Tilley.  Tilley growled but that was not enough to reflect much of Elsa's enthusiasm.  With Tilley suffering from Vestibular disease I had to constantly be on my toes.  Elsa learned very quickly who she could rough house with and who was to be left alone.

Letting them duke it out to come to a hierarchy understanding is not the way to go.  We are the leaders of the pack and as such, we make the rules.  Enforce them. 

 

Who walks the dog?

Over the years I have been told time and time again that the family dog does not listen to someone in the family.  It is a common occurrence if one person does it all.  The same individual does the walking, feeding, grooming, training and anything else that needs doing.  Often a dog will attach itself to that one person and forget about anyone else in the family.  Even if someone else feeds or walks the dog; they still may not listen to and/or oblige if asked to do something by anyone other than the Chief hauncho.

Years ago I had a skiing accident which pretty much put me out of commission for a good long while.  I could get around but walking the dogs was tough due to a full leg brace that I had to wear.  So my husband took over that role and their relationship flourished.  He loved them and they loved him but as he stepped into more of a leader role their relationship changed.  They all benefit from the new arrangement and the rest as they say is history.

I have always been the one who does most of the dog stuff; it's just what I do.  But having to give up being the main exerciser and walker was a good thing.  I probably wouldn't have done it if I didn't have to; so for months it was just Steve and the dogs on their outdoor adventures.

I often tell owners that the main person needs to step back.  It is not always easy to step out of the limelight as far as your dogs are concerned.  You might be the one and only but you shouldn't be.  I have watched a great relationship between my husband and dogs turn into a amazing one.  He already spent a lot of time with them and did walk them on occasion but as he took over the walking role completely, everything started to grow.

Coaching the main caregiver to step out of the picture for a couple of months takes some work.  If you turn over as much as possible to the other person; things will change, there is no other option. Being the one to feed, walk, groom and most importantly lead is huge.  Of course some things are not possible, maybe  midday walk or feeding but do what you can to wriggle into your dog's life.  It might just be taking over the exercising for a while if you already have a great relationship.  Having to lead your dog while out in public has great impact.

As for you, the main caregiver; the one who your dog's always turn to.  Do it, step back and let go for the good of your dog.  No it is not easy but watching them connect the same way that they do with you is amazing.  Our dogs love everyone in our family; but of course I am the "go to" person.  I always have been and I always will be probably.  But it is nice to know that when I have to step out that they are just as happy with at home or out in the field with Dad.

Saturday

Good Saturday morning.  You all know that I acquire much of my blog inspiration from simply heading out to the park, beach or field with Luke and Elsa.  Well, I also get much of it just from going for a drive.  We were headed out for dinner last night waiting at a light; strangely it was the same light where I saw the man yanking on his dogs prong collar the day before.  But last night two men were waiting for the walk sign with a yellow Labrador between them.  Of course I spotted them immediately but it was the upward yanking motion that had got my attention.  The man was attempting to get his Lab to sit.  He yanked and yanked and yanked.  Finally in frustration he pushed down hard on the dogs rear end and the dog caved. 

They got their walk sign and started across the street and down the sidewalk right beside me.  I watched as the man continued to yank on the dog's collar.  I shook my head as my husband and I got into the whole discussion of how many people just think that this is what you do.  This s what they saw or learned long ago and continue.  These people don't think about their dog's neck, like many others.  When something is done for so long it can become just one of those things.  But, if you take the time to consider what you are doing; I mean really sit back and have a deep look inside, then things may start to change.  Some have been doing it for so long that the action is just done and will never be thought about.    Like many other things in our lives.

But our dog's necks need our attention.  For far too long they have been yanked around by their necks without an ounce of consideration for the fallout of that behavior from us.  Much damage can be inflicted by yanking a dog around by their neck.  Fallout behaviors from collar grabs is a common occurrence requiring rehabilitation.  A collar is a place to hang ID tags and attach a leash for safety purposes.  But if the collar is used as a control device; it can become a dangerous thing causing serious injury.   The yanking needs to stop.

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I have a new laptop and a dead computer so bare with me for a bit until I get my big one fixed and this one learned. 

Figuring it out

This is not the shaggy dog who was crossing the street but a sweet boy taken several years ago at a very fun shoot. 

The other day I was stopped at a red light waiting for it to turn green.  As I lingered there a couple walked across the street with their shaggy dog.  They each had a coffee in hand and were obviously headed home after visiting Starbucks.  As I watched them meander to the other side of the street I saw their dog balk and then stop.  They both stopped and stared at him as he stood frozen, not willing to budge.  Of course this got my attention.  I was now very interested in this bunch.  Finally the dog walked and then once they got to the sidewalk he again jammed on his brakes.  It was the prong collar.  The couple were in a hurry to cross the street which meant that the leash was tight. So the dog the dog was enduring pain; he did the only thing he knew to do and stopped.

The two owners stood staring at him; the leash still taut.  I could clearly see what the problem was but they stood puzzled.  The man yanked and tried to coax the dog to no avail.  Finally when he put his arms down in dismay, the leash now loose; the dog moved along.  I remember years and years ago, I attended an obedience class with one of my first poodles.  This class was the catalyst into positive training for me.  Not because it was a great class; no, the class itself was about as harsh as you can get but because of this I longed to find something different, a better way.  During the class we had to heel our dogs around and around.  It was what you did at these type classes.  We had slip collars on the dogs; which are basically cloth choke collars.  The teacher had the collars fitted so that they sat right up behind the ears.  I remember getting into an argument with one of the assistance as she attempted to fit it far too tight for my liking.  "It will slip down if it's not tight," she said.  No I was not having it.

Once we started heeling we were to give corrections to our dog for lagging.  My boy immediately stopped and reacted quite dramatically.  The more I corrected the more he dragged behind.  The whole memory makes me shudder; but it is the reason I am a positive trainer today.  My boy was quite sensitive and this harsh yanking had him so unglued that he completely shutdown.  Not good.  We left the class and did not return.  They teach or assistance had no actual knowledge of canine behavior; they only knew to yank and correct; knowing nothing of all the fallout behaviors that will follow.

Dogs learn through association; so of course my boy hated his collar.  He wanted nothing to do with all that negative stuff.  Soon after I discovered positive training and we never looked back except of course to explain why to many, many people over the years.  I am quite shocked by the number of choke and pinch/prong collars used these days.  Dog necks are not meant to be yanked on; no more than our necks are.

I see fallout behavior related to harsh or pain related corrections all the time.  Sadly the owners don't put their action and the dogs reaction together to figure it out.  One day while at the park an obvious novice owner was working with her young and boisterous lab.  He was getting very excited by the presence of Luke and Elsa.  But as soon as he started she tightened up on his leash and prong collar sending him into a pain induced frenzy; which she saw as a result of Luke and Elsa, not the collar.

When your dog reacts, take the time to figure it out.  Look to see if it might be something that you are doing.

Canine Mammary Cancer

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  Post surgery, even though it is a huge incision it looks good.  

  
  

  I was recently contacted by Kathleen Moore who wanted to share her experience with canine mammary cancer.  "Mammary cancer?" I thought to myself.  Like many things, I have not dealt with this issue so knew nothing about it.  So I did some research and tried to educate myself on the subject.  There is not a lot of information about it on the net but enough to become aware.  What I did discover is that it is not uncommon and more prevalent in certain breeds.  Age plays a factor.  Within the articles available there is a vast difference in stats on early spay with regards to the disease.  Like any cancer, early detection is essential.  Know your dog and check often.
  
  Kathleen was kind enough to share her story in hopes that it might save other females from the same trauma.  Below the linked articles is a short explanation of what she and her girl Smuckers went through.
  
  These are a few good links I found on the subject.
  
  DVM - 360 Prognosis, treatment of Mammary canine mammary tumors. 
  
  College of Veterinary Medicine - Canine Mammary tumors
  
  Purdue - great article on Mammary tumors
  
  Association of spaying and mammary tumors
  
  
  S - Was it you or your vet who noticed something? What was the first symptom?

  
  K - Right after Smuckers finished with her season the end of May, we were playing on the floor and I rubbed her tummy. There it was. About the size of a pea by her 2nd nipple. Being a nurse, I rubbed and rolled it. It felt just like a little hard pea. Since I am not one to jump at every little thing, I watched it. During this time, there was no change in Smuckers activity, her appetite or her demeanor. But it got bigger and I noticed another bump.  
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  S - What were the tests that were done to diagnosis mammory cancer?
  

  
  K - At Smuckers first appointment, Doc K did a physical exam. Since Smuckers loves her Doc, she rolled right over!! With her relaxed and his fingers knowing what they were looking for, he found more little tiny lumps by nipples 1 and 3 on the right side. An X-ray was done and I saw the shadows of the lumps.
  
  S - Did your vet fully educate you on the problem?
  
   K - Doc K explained that they could or could not be cancer. That we could watch them, but since one had already more than doubled in size we probably shouldn't wait very long. He explained that if it was cancer, there was always the chance that it could spread to other internal organs.
  
  
  S - Which treatments did you choose?
  
  K - The only question I remember asking was when can you take them out! Smuckers had surgery the following Monday to remove the lumps and to be spayed. That was one of the worst days of my life! She did absolutely wonderful!! When I went to pick her up, she came into the exam room with her tail up and wagging!! 
  
  S - What is the prognosis?
  
  K - When Doc K came in, he told us that he was aggressive and took a lot of the surrounding tissue around each little lump and that the pathology report would be back on Wednesday or Thursday. We left the clinic and I put Smuckers in the back of my SUV. Even with a 14 inch incision on her tummy, she was having none of that! Into the front seat she came and laid her head on my hand. On Wednesday, Doc K called and told me that the pathology report had come back Adenocarcinoma, but that all the tissue around the lumps had come back with clear margins. This means that there were no cancer cells in the surrounding tissue! Our prognosis is that we live each and every day like it is our last! Doc K's prognosis is that the cancer is gone and she should enjoy her Senior years! 
  
  
  

  

  
  

  Healed up nicely and doing great.  

  
  

  
  
  S - How is she doing now?
  
  K - Since Smuckers is the most stubborn, obstinate, and bull headed girl I have ever had, she does exactly as she wants. Before she would be reprimanded. But, now at the age of almost 12, I have given in and pretty much let her do her thing! I just love this little blue girl so very much!! She swims, she naps, she plays with our 5 month old little girl. She is still our Queen and rules the others!! 
  
  S - Anything else you would like to tell us about mammary cancer in canines?
  
  K - I had asked Doc K about mammary cancer in canines. Unfortunately there is not all that much information. It seems that most people don't even think about it and by the time their dog goes to the vet, it has already spread and reached the life threatening stages. I just want all my "doggie friends" to know that they should check their intact companions every month for little lumps!! 
  
  
  
  

Seeing progress, no matter how small.

A sweet and very successful boy.  :)

Can you see it?  That tiny little step of success?  A step so small that it might be barely visible, to anyone other than you of course.  I often talk about baby steps; taking small little steps in the direction of a goal.  No matter what that goal is, baby steps are the best way to get there.  But our human nature often kicks in and we can't wait, we grow impatient; we crave success, big success.  That desire for monumental achievement can be the very thing that causes failure.  

Over the years I have become a huge observer of canine behavior.  A fallout of this behavior of mine is watching human behavior.  Human behavior is another window into canine behavior.  The smallest step from a human can create a chain reaction in their canine.  I am always watching.  I remember watching an obedience class that was not mine.  I was there to photograph, not to teach which is not an easy thing for me.  One of the people and their dog were having a difficult time with the stay.  I could clearly see the problem but the "official" trainer could not.  The owner was making too many movements which was confusing the dog.  Did she want him to come, stay or what?  He wasn't sure so he kept breaking his stay.  

The difference between success and failure can be a gesture or behavior from us; so small that we would probably think that it carries with it, no value.  But dogs are master body language readers; they far exceed our ability in that department.  When I watch a canine/human team I do so with an eagle eye.  I observe the canine, the human and the two as one.  One woman who I was working with was having problems with signals.  Her dog, she said "was just not getting it."  I put them through there paces and quickly saw the problem.  "Stop moving your body," I told her.  She was motioning with her body when she gave verbal cues along with the hand signal so that when she dropped the verbal and the body movement, the cue was too different.  By eliminating the body movement when she gave the verbal cue and hand signal the dog could then succeed in learning just the hand signal.  

Another time when a dog was most definitely progressing successfully; an owner missed the progress.  She was growing frustrated at the lack of progress when I took a moment to break it down.  We were attempting to stop an obsessive behavior of attacking the refrigerator every time someone got ice.  The dog continued to run into the kitchen but had stopped hurling itself at the refrigerator.  It continued to bark in a frenzy but did not jump on the fridge, it was huge.  She couldn't see it because she wanted complete success, not just a step.  After pointing it out she was quite happy.  

Pay attention, watch the for the smallest of steps.  That is with regard to training and rehabilitating.  Tiny little steps in one direction or the other hold a huge amount of information.  A fraction of a step backwards means that something is being done wrong.  For the tiny positive steps, don't miss them because you are looking for the big bang result.  The smaller the step to success, the more solid and lasting the success will be.  

Just chill.

Have you ever met a dog that seems to have a difficult time dealing with day to day activities?  A dog that is maybe driven to bouts of panic by the simple introduction of a new person, item or environment?  I have and it is most definitely a sad thing.  Sad because most phobias in dogs can be rectified by early and continued socialization.

Penny was at our house over the weekend.  My daughter has done a great job of socializing her so that she can reach her full potential.  But like any dog there will be things that she has not seen before and how you react to those things will play a huge role in how your dog deals with the stimuli before them.  Sunday Elsa and Penny were playing in the yard; as you all know it gets pretty crazy.  At one point I guess Penny knocked into one of the many flower pots in the yard.  I saw Penny startle out of the corner of my eye and turned to see what was up.

The  pot was rolling from one side to another.  Penny was stretched out as far as she could, investigating.  Although she was quite intrigued by the movement of the pot she was also very afraid of it.  Her elongated body was ready to bolt if the need should arise.  I watched her for a long time while she watched the motion of the pot.  It was a small plastic pot and was only rolling an inch or so, back and forth.  She was mesmerized by the action and stood fixed on it.  Funny how little things can seem so monumental if it has not been seen or witnessed before.

A few moments later Elsa ran up to see what Penny was doing.  She ran up and sniffed the pot, sniffed Penny and ran off.  This nonchalant reaction from Elsa helped to ease a bit of Penny's concerns.   Then my husband went over, picked up the pot and swept the area.  His non reactive response also helped to ease little Penny's concerns over the rolling pot.   Essentially creating a non issue out of the moment.  Good.

Later that same day my other daughter placed a fan in the living room.  It is not typically there, it was the fan from my bedroom.  Elsa came in to the room and didn't blink at it's presence but when Penny entered the room she jammed on her brakes and startled at the fan.  Once again she stretched out her body; part of her wanting to investigate while the other part wanted to run and hide.  She's seen fans before but not in the living room at Grandmas house.  So she reacted.  Elsa once again ran to Penny's side; showing her that this was not something that needed any concern from her.  But Penny was not convinced; she barked several times until running past and finally settling to chew a bone.  Even then each time she needed to walk past the fan, she gave it a dirty and very suspicious glare.

No matter how much you socialize your dog there will always be something new to experience.   I love when Elsa and I come across something that she has never encountered in the past.   If you are a regular reader of the Just dogs with Sherri blog then you will know how to react to a new and slightly startling stimuli.  Of course each dog is very individual and as such each reaction will be varied.  Knowing your dog and how they typically react will help in understanding how best to deal with the experience.  But the most important factor in all new things, chill.  Make it a non issue, that is as long as it is a non issue.  There are of course things that are big issues and a proper response must be taught.

As far as the day to day startling things that will appear on a regular basis; just chill.  

Quit while you're ahead

Short and sweet is a time old saying.  The whole idea around the saying is to keep it positive; not draw an action out making it become a negative.  I have a few sayings or quotes that I have implemented into my life over the years and one of those is "quit while you're ahead."  Just yesterday I heard myself saying it as we left an interaction with some other dogs.  I really don't know where in your life "quiting while you're ahead" would not be a good idea.

Elsa and I were at the park yesterday; we had the place to ourselves for a while which makes for some great fun.  But I also love when other dogs show up for some canine interactions.  Even though Elsa is now two years old I am still extremely cautious as to 'who' we interact with.  If there are too many negative interactions; even the most friendly of dogs can start to exhibit bad greeting displays.  So when I saw these two coming our way with their lowered ears and body with low tails wagging I was happy.   A Golden and a malti-poo type mix.

The woman shouted to me as she was very literally being dragged our way across the field.  "Yes," I called back at her "friendly?" question.  Being that we were in a very safe area of the park I immediately unhooked Elsa to freely greet these two.  The Golden got lower and lower as they greeted one another.  The little dog was a bit intimidated by Elsa which can initiate a snap or growl.  I really didn't want that to happen because Elsa has been snapped at too many times now by small dogs.  So I called her to me and the Golden and her continued their interaction.  Then the woman got one of Elsa's fabulous bubblicious greetings causing her to then ask about her breed, age and personality etc.  We chatted about Elsa for a bit and just as the little dog approached Elsa again we made our exit.  "Leash" I said and Elsa came and got hooked up.  We said our good byes and added another great greeting to her experiences.

Keeping the "quit while you're ahead," thought in your head at all times really helps to cut down on over stay moments.  Life is filled with day to day experiences; each one offering something to store away for later use.  When building an experience resume for your dog you want to obtain far more positive than negative.  Life will give you those negative moments no matter how hard you try not to have them.  But with enough positive ones, the negative have less impact.

So when you are out with your dog having a positive experience, quit short of it becoming a negative.  

Reactivity

Is your dog reactive?  Mine was but he isn't anymore; having had a lifetime of experiences he rarely reacts ever now, in a reactive sense that is.  I remember trying to explain reactive to my pet sitter when Luke was young.  I told her first that he was a reactive dog and by the ????? look on her face I tried to explain.

Reactive simply means that a dogs over reacts to external stimuli.  They are typically highly aware dogs; the type that nothing gets past.    Some dogs have particular triggers; others are over reactive in general. The term reactive is descriptive; how reactive a dog is can range vastly. Luke was on the low end of reactive; I have seen highly reactive dogs and it is not fun.  Luke often had an aggressive response but was not actually aggressive.  An aggressive response is common in reactive dogs; learning to deal with the aggression take a great deal of education and care.  

Rehabilitating a reactive dog takes time and patience.  You must also educate yourself to your dog's specific triggers before you begin to work on the reaction itself.  Harsh training methods, ie. choke collar or pinch/prong collar type training has absolutely no place in working with a reactive dog.  It would be like taking a bottle of lighting fluid and throwing it on the fire.  Calm distance is the first step in helping a reactive dog.  Whatever the trigger might be, you must calmly move away.  You yourself must become very observant and have great situational awareness.  You cannot help your dog if you are also reactive so you first have to get a handle on your own emotions.

To change how your dog reacts to certain stimuli you must work at a distance around it.  You associate it with a nonchalant attitude and pair it with a positive association.  Under socializing is a big cause in a reactive dog.  Exposure is imperative to rehabilitation.   If you have a reactive dog you must address the situation as soon as possible.  Some reactive dogs are helped over time with exposure alone but many need extensive work.

Just because your dog reacts to certain things does not make them a reactive dog.  Reactive dogs are different and once you see one you will clearly understand the difference.  More in an article on my website in the near future.

Looking back

Lately I've been looking back; remembering the months gone by, but I try not to do it often.  One of my all time favorite quotes is "don't look back, you're not going that way." I'd much rather pull up a great memory when I think about my dogs but sometimes looking back helps us with a life lesson or two.  I often sit and talk about our dogs who are now gone.  You know the "remember when," moments?

Almost all dog lovers have at one time lost a great companion.  It is never easy; no matter what age they are when it happens.     Losing a canine companion is life altering.  But all the years spent with canine companions give us so much joy and alter the very person who we are.  When I do take a moment to look back at who I was then; before my life with dogs began and who I am today, I like today's person much better.  What do our dogs teach us?  Look back and see.

Each and every dog who has passed through my life has given me something.  A life lesson can be found in almost every day spent with a canine.  Living with dogs keeps us humble; oh yes, we all know those lovely humble moments.  They usually arrive when we are pumped up and ready to brag or show off.  ie.  You have arrived at your best friends house with your new dog.  You are about to go into your "oh yes, he is the smartest dog ever" routine when your pride and joy hunches over and takes a dump on your friends beautiful cream colored carpet.  You know those moments.

Our dogs also teach us what is important in life.  It is the little things, it truly is.  If you take the time to watch your dog; just watch your dog doing anything.  A moment when you dog is lost in deep sleep; dreaming about who knows what, but running madly.  When they meet friends in the park and have a smile from ear to ear.  The joy your dog takes from being told it is meal time; the small things.

Looking back can be a bad thing but it can also be a great thing.  Dwelling is the difference.  Don't look back and dwell on what could have been or should have been.  Look back and remember those small moments.  The things you learned from your dog that you will bring forward into this very moment in your life.

Not off leash, NEVER

This male Lab was extremely aggressive.  Elsa got away with her interaction because she was a young female.  Other dogs were not so lucky when they approached him.  The owner had him at a public beach off leash.  He did not play well with others and should not have been off leash.  If no one was at the beach he could have gotten away with it as the dog was completely focused on his balls unless another dog entered his circle.  

We were enjoying ourselves at the park.  Luke and Elsa had met up with a friend and were romping around when a car pulled up.  As the car pulled to the curb I got the "heads up" that I never want to hear.  "That's the guy with the aggressive dog;" my friend said.  The dog is so aggressive that if the dog bites another dog he will be euthanized.  But the kicker is that he lets the dog off leash; that's right, off leash.  As we head to the car quickly I am ranting.  My head is spinning with thoughts of allowing a known biter off leash "really?"  The whole scenario played out in my head as I picked up my pace to get to the car.  Thinking about the dog charging us and going after Luke, I opened the pocket in my bag that holds my pepper spray.  I was not going to allow some stupid guy with an aggressive dog to injure one of my guys.  Once we reached the safety of my xterra we chatted and the owner of the aggressive dog waited.  He finally left seeing that we weren't leaving right away.

Another day, another walk and Elsa and I were coming around a corner at the park.  We were just about to head past the children's play area when I spotted a Weimaraner.  The owner panicked and screamed for his dog making a dash to grab her.  I stopped in my tracks seeing that it was not an okay situation.  My job is to protect my dogs and I take this job seriously.  Once he had her hooked up he moved far off the path as we walked by very cautiously.  The dog lunged out going crazy at Elsa.  Really?  He'd had this dog off leash in a public park.  I truly don't get it.

IT IS NOT OKAY TO HAVE AGGRESSIVE DOGS OFF LEASH.

Yet another time as Elsa and I were out at the park a woman entered with her very large black dog.  She let it off leash right away and I got an uneasy feeling.  I called across the park to her "your dog friendly?"  She looked to locate where the call had come from and panicked when she saw us.  She scrambled to get her dog and hook her up.  She had obviously not seen us but still let this dog off leash.  It makes me crazy.  My own dogs are extremely friendly but I am still very cautious about when and where they are let off leash.  AGGRESSIVE DOGS SHOULD NEVER BE OFF LEASH.  Not in public.

There is a time and place when aggressive dogs should be off leash and that is ONLY when they are in a 100% securely fenced area like a backyard.  That or when and if they are being rehabilitated by a trained professional but still in a 100% secure area.

If you even think for a moment that your dog may attack another; KEEP YOUR LEASH ON.  I hear stories all the time of dogs attacking other dogs or people because they were out for an off leash run.  There are no acceptable explanations for allowing an aggressive dog off leash.  If you have an aggressive dog, it is your job to keep that dog safely contained.  It is your job to make sure that your dog does not hurt anyone; not another dog or person.

In life there are consequences.  Attacking another dog or person is just cause for a loss of freedom.  It is sad that we have to be so aware; due to those who are careless and stupid.  I for one am always aware of my surroundings; always watching other dog's body posture.  Having had several of my dogs attacked on a street walk and ended walking in the street for us.  We only walk in parks, beaches and fields where I can see well ahead of us.

There is NEVER a justified reason to allow an aggressive dog off leash.  NEVER.

Do you sleep with your dog?

Do you sleep with your dog/dogs?  I do and I'm proud of it.  I cannot tell you how many times my new clients have lowered their head in shame stating "yes they sleep on the bed;" when asked where their dog sleeps.  Once they have confessed the horrible truth to me; that they indeed sleep with their dog, we discuss their relationship.  That is once I tell them that I too sleep with my dogs and love it.

Sleeping with your dog is a great thing if your relationship is a healthy one.  With that I mean that you are the boss and your dog understands and respects that.  If the bond with your dog is skewed in some way then sleeping together may just be fueling a growing problem.  There are clear and concise rules to sleeping together in the same bed and they are:

-  Your dog will get off immediately when asked and will not balk at the request.
-  No growl is uttered if you need to push them over while sleeping.
-  You can keep your dog off the bed with verbal commands.
-  Your dog listens to you well outside of the bedroom.

Sleeping with your dog is great; if everything is great within your relationship that is.  But, if your relationship is not a healthy, well structured one; sleeping in the same bed can be a battle ground.  I cannot believe how many people think that their dog growling at them is okay.  "Oh ya, he thinks he owns the bed," they tell me.  Well, in his head he does own the bed if he is growling at you.  A growl is a communication of warning; it holds within it, some extremely important information.  The growl itself should never be extinguished; but the meaning behind the growl examined.  A dog that growls over bed privileges has somehow misunderstood the human/canine relationship caused by a lack of human guidance.

The bed, the human's bed is a big piece of status.  It is the place to be and dogs know it.  Most dogs want to sleep on the bed but many use it to obtain status.   It is after all the prime chunk of real estate in your home.  If a dog claims the bed as theirs then there is a problem within the pack.  Things have gone wrong somewhere and typically it is that there is not a clear understanding of who runs the place.

If your dog displays even the smallest complaint about being moved during the night, being asked to get off or will not stay off then they need to be off until your relationship is made right.  Like any other negative communication from a dog it starts with a very small; a signal that you might miss if you are not paying attention.  Maybe getting your dog off the bed has become a physical battle.  Do you literally have to push them off if you want them off?  If so, not good.

Your bed is just that, yours.  Bed sleeping privileges are earned not taken.  When things are as they should be within your pack; then sleeping together is wonderful.  Being the pack animals that they are; dogs love to lay with the pack.  It is as simple as that.  But sleeping with the pack leaders on the most sought after piece of real estate comes with rules.  Rules that must be followed or the privilege is revoked or at least it should be.

Just like Doctors

Before it was Luke and Elsa

Just like Doctors; there are good and bad Veterinarians.  Sadly I've run into a few of the bad ones over the years but I continued my search.  Clicking with a Vet can take time; finding one that you mesh with is worth the effort.  But never forget that the dog on the end of your leash is your dog.  You have the final say; never let anyone tell you that you don't.

A little Sunday morning reading.


Looking for a great vet

Care; real care.

A new vet

Temperament testing

Temperament - Characteristic or habitual inclination or mode of emotional response.

Test - the process of assessing.

Yesterday started out with a puppy temperament test.  Temperament testing is one of my absolute favorite canine related jobs.  Hanging out with a pile of puppies?  Not too many other things can top that.  But aside from the obvious joy of it; there is a great wealth of information that unfolds during the tests.  It is quite fascinating to see each puppy give up the information of what they are made of or who they are.

Just to clarify; temperament testing is not only for purebred dogs.  I have tested mixed litters as well from stray parents who were picked up off the street.  It is a test given to best place puppies.  

The temperament test is given as close to 49 days (7 weeks) as possible.  It is given in an area where the puppies have never been with someone who they have never met, me.  Each puppy is tested alone; you cannot test a litter together.  A litter gives each dog an altered temperament when they are as one.  Take them out and make them stand alone and you get a true read on that singular puppy.  The tests consists of putting each puppy through specific actions so that we can see how they react.  Scores are given in accordance to their initial reaction to each test.

What the test offers is some insight into an individual puppy.  This information lets you know where each puppy would best thrive.  Which family or home would be best suited to that specific puppy.  I am a big advocate of temperament testing.  It is surprising to see how different puppies can be in one litter.  There are litters made up of closely scoring puppies; but others may hold puppies ranging from one end range to the other.

Seeing each puppy as they are put through the stages of a temperament test is fascinating.  I love it and as each puppy is tested, the results from the puppy before and after will be compared.  The comparing is not as to which is the best but most appropriately suited to what home.  In all of my years of testing I have only had one very troubling litter result; and a handful of not so greats. Those who typically call someone out to temperament test are working very hard to have great temperaments.

As far as the test itself; I use the Volhard Puppy Test.  I have made my own modifications to it and work with each test a bit differently.  I give an initial reaction score of each puppy but then allow the puppy to be in the moment longer to see their recovery time.  Recovery time is huge and gives with it a ton of information.  I have also added a few extra tests that I like to see responses to.  One is the instinct to guard food.  Each puppy is given a piece of food too large to consume.  Dried chicken (local) jerky is good for this.  Responses are all over the charts with this test; everything from not wanting the food to running off and posturing over it on approach.

Puppy temperament testing is not the end result; it is merely a window into who that puppy is and where they might best be placed.  Environment, social stimulus and work can change things drastically.  Some puppy scores will offer insight for a dog who may have problems dealing in some way.   Others may be a bit of a handful; too confident for their own good.  Why not give all of the puppies and new homes the best chance to thrive?

My question to you as a breeder is; if you are not temperament testing, why?


 

And Penny Makes 3

I am so happy that I captured this moment; these girls love their man.  

Does it get any cuter than this?  Luke learning to tolerate Penny.

Here you can see Elsa intervening.  She does not like when Penny bothers Luke so steps in to fix the problem constantly.  

Submissive girl.  

Being disciplined for bothering Luke.  You can see Elsa's upper and lower jaw completely engulfing Penny's neck.  Penny knows that this is coming when she bothers Luke.  

Girls just wanna have fun. 

Luke looking to Mom for some reassurance after interacting with Penny.

Another disciplining.

Elsa trying to get Penny to chase her with the ball.

Just beautiful. 

Young sunbather.

More fun with Luke as their pillow.

Hmmmmmm...a caterpillar which Penny ate moments after.  Disgusting. 

Another caterpillar in the bucket.