The Gang, Wordless (sort of) Wednesday.

Letting Elsa do all of the work, a common occurrence. 

What a face.

Just hanging on.

Nothing is more fun than playing with your BFF.

Leverage.

A good shot for size comparison.

Gusto.

Reckless abandon.

Watching the craziness.

Like I said, crazy.  

Heart.

Love of retrieving.

This was so cute, Luke came out to find me and this is the moment that he spotted me sitting on the ground.  Shooting the girls.  

                                                     So happy to have found me.  :)

Sun kissed.

The fun continues today; I can hear the girls at it downstairs.  

Energy overload, youth playtime.

As you know, Penny is here for a visit.  She will be here for a few days which means lots and lots of playtime.  Having two young dogs around is great; they can help to drain one another's excess energy.  But it can also mean that things get out of control and/or they get over tired and cranky.  When Penny first arrived in our family, playtime got out of control often.  Elsa was a year younger than she is now and did not listen as well as she does now.  During the day there were many times that we had to physically separate them so that the baby could sleep and Elsa wouldn't become over tired.  Penny was new and very exciting; so when she came to visit it was very hard for Elsa to control herself. 

Nowadays I still have to separate them, but only once in a while.  With Penny almost a year and a half and Elsa two and half years old, things have settled down.  Oh, don't get me wrong; there is lots of craziness that goes on but it's much more manageable.  First, Elsa listens very well and when I say "enough" she knows that I mean it.  It is still very exciting when Penny comes to visit but that over the top "newness" has gone.  Plus, they have both been together so much now that can just chill without feeling the need to be constantly brawling. 

When you have two young dogs around you have to be the referee.  The slightest thing can send Penny into a zoom with Elsa in hot pursuit.  At that point things can go very wrong.  A few extra growls from Luke can spark a fire under Penny that catapults her around the house like a torpedo.  This is not good for anyone, especially Luke.  So I nip it in the bud to try to avoid those out of control moments.  Crazy fun is one thing but out of control is something altogether different.  Once it gets to that point it can be very difficult to stop; so you must stop it before it starts. 

A special moment from yesterday morning.  Penny adores Luke and is learning to control her enthusiasm.  It seems just staring at him is enough sometimes.  Had to share.  

Right now all three are on the bed with me while I blog.  Penny is having a hard time settling into sleep mode with Elsa so close.  But it is still too early to get brawling and with Luke on the bed, it's not happening.  Each sniff and attempt to instigate a game is met with feedback from me.  She's getting it but it is hard at a year and a half.   Things will get going soon enough and then I will get my camera out for the fun.  :)

This and that, crazy busy weekend

What a crazy, busy and very wet weekend.  This weekend was my daughter's bridal shower at our house.  Not only did we have a shower, we had torrential rains.  I'm not talking about "wow, look how much it's raining" type; no, I'm talking about the kind of rain where you think that it can't even be possible how much rain is falling.  We had wave after wave after wave.  Walls of water pouring from the sky and overflowing literally everywhere.  There was just no where for the rain to go.  So with that, the bridal shower and only indoor games for Elsa and Penny, it was a very busy weekend.

With some good morning playtime behind them, all three (Luke, Elsa and Penny) were tucked away for the festivities.  It turns out that we had a good old fashion boomer of a thunder storm during the shower which brought the "Shower" idea to a whole different level.  After both the shower and the downpour, everyone headed home.  Luke, Elsa and Penny were then free to join the party and investigate all of the gifts and of course snorfle around for any tidbits that may have been dropped on the floor.  That was pretty much Penny's department. 

With a table full of food, she sat vigilant; waiting for someone to deliver it from the table to her mouth.  She sat for literally an hour in hopes of scoring some of the food left on the table.  Of course she finally did, and all of her patient waiting paid off.  A couple of deviled eggs was more than worth her wait.  Then came more downpours and trying to get the dogs out between them.  Luke was just happy to be back in his spot on the couch.  As is customary, Penny spent much of her time trying to warm up to Luke.  The two are getting along so much better.  Luke is very tolerant of her constant pushing for a bit of returned affection and Penny is trying very hard not to smother him.  It is cute to watch.

Sunday brought with it more rain and lots of indoor games.  Penny is here for a couple of days; so you know what that means, photos.  I believe the rains are now behind us so hopefully they will get some good outdoor time for fun in the sun.  At 6:00 am the girls are already at it.  It is open your eyes and go time.  Penny has turned my laptop off once already by clamoring all over me and Luke has done several Grizzly bear impressions to keep Penny at bay.  It will be another couple of busy days.  Have a great Monday. 

Do you know when somethings wrong?

Listen when your dog shows you something different.  

I awoke last night at 1:30 am.  As I rolled over to get comfy I saw Elsa's silhouette in front of the patio window.  She stood frozen, tail down and staring at the ground.  This was not normal.  I watched her for a bit and she didn't move.  Finally I said "what are you doing?" Her tail wagged and I grabbed my robe as I asked her "do you need outside?"  She ran happily down stairs and outside for a very fast pee.  Had Elsa waken me up with not a word, no sound?  Had she awaken me with some sort of canine/human connection?  Perhaps.  I've always wondered how she would wake us up if she needed out at night but she never has.  All of our dogs have told us in different ways; maybe Elsa's way was through some sort of mind meld thing. 

Most owners know when something is not right.  It makes me crazy when outsider dog professionals say "she's fine" when you know that she is not.  I remember having Elsa at puppy classes when she was 3.5 months old.  I noticed a change in her behavior one day and said "she's needs to go out."  The teacher said "she's fine, she's just being a puppy," and I corrected her saying "she needs to go out."  The teacher said again "she's just being a puppy."  Elsa did a huge diarrhea poop on the floor.  So there!  I blamed myself of course; I knew she needed out but the teacher had insisted she was fine and to stay in the class.  Then the teacher cleaned up the mess.  ;)

I have been at a Veterinarians who also told me "she seems fine."  I've even had blood results in front of me saying that she was not fine when the Vet told me "looks good, nothing to worry about."  Of course I'm not going to that Veterinarian anymore.  If you know your dog, I mean really know your dog; then you know when something is not right.  Do not listen to anyone else when you believe there is something wrong.  I don't care if someone has Dr. in front of their name; I know my dogs.  Any professional who does not listen to the signs of behavior change given by an owner is foolish. 

Some dogs are harder to read than others.  Tilley was a tough read, she kept all weaknesses hidden away from anyone.  She was one of the toughest dogs that I have ever met but there was always something to let me know.  Dogs naturally hide pain; to show it is to display that you are weak.  This is something that you just don't do because when you are weak you are susceptible to attack in the canine world.  Of course there are some dogs who are weinies, just like there are weinie people.  Luke is an easy read, Elsa not so much.  As you all know, I'm a watcher; it is what I do, I watch.  Every little thing from a dog is a signal.  Signals are given to other dogs and people but they also are also signs of what is going on with your dog.

When you see something new, different, even just a little, pay attention.  Go with your gut, always listen to that inner self.

Being a great leader for your dog

Being a good leader does not mean that you are always out front. 

I was reading an article the other day on what makes a great leader.  It was directed at being a leader to other humans but as I dug deeper into it I realized that it is the same qualities that make a good leader for our dogs.  Being a good leader does not mean that you never let your dog do anything that they want, it means that you guide them through.  Without correct guidance, canines can run astray in our very human world.  So many people fail their dogs by not offering guidance.  They don't want to tell their dog what to do; but left to their own a dog can flounder and go down the wrong path. 

A good canine leader

-  listens and watches.

-  knows that it is not all about them.

-  does not know everything and is willing to admit error.

-  knows that compromise works much better than "only my way."

-  will not knowingly set their dog up for failure.

-  does not knowingly place their dog in a bad situation.

-  works on the team aspect of dog and human. 

-  guides with a gentle hand and smart head.

-  understands that ever dog has limits.

-  every dog has strengths and weaknesses and  knows them both. 

-  does not expect what is unobtainable.

-  strives to do better for their dog.

-  knows their own personal weaknesses and strengths, everyone has them. 

-  makes mistakes, but strives to correct them.

-  loves unconditionally. 

-  knows that there are good days and bad. 

-  is open minded, always wanting to know more.

-  will have their dog's back. 

-  will take the blame when something goes wrong.

-  has a kind heart.

-  is one half of an amazing team.


One cannot lead on their own.  To lead is to teach, guide and assist through the day to day.   This list could go on and on but these are the things that came to mind this morning.  Life can be a challenge, more so for our dogs.  With no guidance, no one to lead them it can be even rougher.  Every dog needs a good leader, not just a leader; your dog needs someone on their team.  As I sit here with Elsa snuggled up close and Luke under his blanket deep asleep, I feel lucky.  When I rise they will follow, we are a team, a pack, one. 

One moment at a time.

 

The sun shining through Luke's goatee is for me, a moment to share.  :)

Life goes by far too quickly.  The older you get, the faster it goes.  Over the years I have tried to slow down; not do less but take each moment in more.  I am big fan of "being in the moment."  Don't always be thinking about something else or somewhere else; try to live each moment as it unfolds.  If you don't then you have missed that moment in your life.  Moments do not come again; once they are gone, they're gone. 

Moments should be savored. 

Yesterday I was in HomeGoods; when I heard a woman on her phone.  She was very loud and having a extremely private conversation.  Shaking my head a few aisles over from her; I could not believe how loud she was.  I cannot stand when people talk on the phone in a store.  If it's an emergency then okay but otherwise just wait until you get back to your car at least.  Everyone in the store does not want to be a part of your conversation, honestly.  She was so loud that you could not get away from her.  Unfortunately the woman was in my aisle several times; causing me to have to maneuver around her obliviousness.  I thought to myself "she's not even really here."  Things like this can drive home the "live in the moment" message. Another woman and I rolled our eyes as we stood in the next aisle from the loud talking one.  We had a little chat about dog toys and she told me about her little dog at home.  Leaving the store, I was happy to get away from the conversation that I did not want to be a part of. 

The other day as I was walking Luke on his snail pace walk; I stopped for a moment to snap a photo of him.  The sun was still low in the sky and made for a great pic to send to his Dad.  His Dad is away and I like to send "moments" to him when I can.  As I quickly texted the photo to it's destination, I placed the phone back in my pouch where it stays for my walks.  I do not want the phone interfering in my "Luke" time.  Taking in everything when you are out with your dog teaches you so much.  You learn from your dog every day.  Just watching them meander around the path, sniff, watch and experience; you learn about your dog on a very personal level. 

"Live in the moment," is very easy to say but is it easy to do?  It if you make a point of trying.  Our lives are getting busier and we tend to multi-task.   "Guilty," I am a huge multi-tasker.  But, when I get doing too much at one time; something always slips by the wayside.  Rushing tends to create anxiety; anxiety causes stress and stress is horrible for us and our dogs.  In most cases, the act of rushing is useless and just leaves us stressed without any positive results.  You have to consciously tell yourself to slow down; and when you do, you will improve every aspect of your day and your dog's. 

Make time, take time and give time. 

Not meshing, creating the wrong association.

"What does your daily routine looks like?"  Often this is the first question on the quest for answers.  As the owner of the "problem dog" walks through their day; there are many pauses where we stop and discuss.  Certain trigger words bring upon a plethora of untold causes to the core problem.  The reason I've been called out is unrest in the home.  A new dog has been added to the home and it is not working out.  The dog is just not bonding with the husband and hides every time that he is present. One stop along the voyage to finding a solution is one statement that says it all.  "When he leaves we have our together time."  That's it. 

Dogs are all about association.  So much so, that things pass us by without notice.  Associations are made that we never see and it can take the act of breaking it all down to figure it out.  Of course there are times when an answer will never come and you must deal with what you have in front of you only.  But when you can figure it out; it is quite often very simple in hindsight.  Take the case of the new dog in the family who does not enjoy the company of the husband.  A fear of in men is quite common in dogs.  It is not that they don't like men, it is that men are typically larger in size, have deeper and louder voices than woman.  It is also common that many dogs have only lived with woman. 

The problem with the lack of connection to the man in the house is being reinforced by the woman and their relationship.  She is making a clear statement about the mans presence by lavishing attention on the dog in his absence.  This one act has a snowball effect.  All that needed tweaking was for the woman to step back out of the picture and let the man step in.  He takes over any need for human contact.  The woman does not physically leave, she just removes her contribution to the canine/human connection until they form a new one.  When the husband leaves, care is very basic; no lavishing of attention is given, that is saved for when he is around. 

The same goes for dog/dog and baby/dog relationships.  When a new dog is brought into a home and the old one does not approve; things can get very bad if you fuel the wrong actions.  Let's say you let the new dog outside for a bit, so that you can sneak some one on one affection and snuggling in on the sly.  What are you saying to your dog?  "It is much better when that other dog is not around," is read by your actions.  "We are much better when it is just us," is the message you give with making great things happen in the absence of the newcomer.  The exact same goes for children and dogs who are not meshing.  Do not lavish the dog with loads of affection and attention every time the child is not around.  Baby goes down for a nap which means time for one on one with the dog, association created.  This confirms the dogs idea that having the child around is less than desirable. 

To help push relationships along in the right direction; great things need to happen when they are together.  Being together is much better than being apart; when you are apart it is boring and nothing great happens.  But when we all come together wonderful things happen.  By saving the snuggling, feeding, attention and fun for being together; being together starts to be the desired state.  You want the dog who is not wanting the husband, other dog or baby around; to look for them with positive anticipation. 

Miniscule actions can lead to huge issues in the world of dogs.  They see and read so much more than we humans do.  Associations are learned very quickly, it is the way of a dog.  Watch your own behavior closely; are you fueling the problem by reinforcing the positive aspects of separation?  Make togetherness the time of greatness; separation a time of nothingness.   

Look, don't touch. Petting strange dogs.

                                        A most welcome touch, you can see it. 


How often are you tempted to pet a strange dog?  You should know how to read body language before you reach your hand out to touch.  Not all dogs want to be touched.  They may be friendly but have no desire for strangers to touch them.  Yesterday at the park I saw one of these.  It was a Rhodesian Ridgeback, which are strangely common here.  The man with the Rhodesian stopped to talk to another guy who has a very friendly and submissive yellow Labrador.  The one with the Rhodesian reached over to say hi and the Labrador sunk down in submission.  I've met the dog and it lowers at any approach, dog or human.  She is very friendly but very squinty and scrunched.

Then the owner of the Labrador reached out to pet the Rhodesian.  I'm nosey eh?  Anyway as I was watching the behavior I could see the Rhodesian move back and his tail was motionless.  This should have been enough to communicate that he was not anxious to have the guy touch him.  As the man pet the top of the dogs head; the Rhodesian slowly looked up at the man.  The dog did not want to be pet but the man continued.  Luckily it ended there and the Rhodesian was not forced to escalate his communications.  Most dogs will leave it at that (stupid human) but some really don't want to be touched.  Do you want a stranger coming up to you and touching you?  No.  But for some reason we think that our dogs should just put up with it.

There are dogs who love to be touched by anyone.  The more socialized they are to being touched by strangers the better.  Elsa is one of these and I love that she loves people as much as she does.  But there are a few people who have spooked her over the years.  Both had on hats and were staring at her.  Ah, humans and their crazy staring; another human behavior that dogs are highly sensitive about.  At least dogs who are the very "aware" type, like Elsa and Luke. 

Last week we were at the harbor when a Policeman came by.  Hmmmm?  Elsa's never met a guy in a uniform so we approached.  He'd already been petting one of the other poodles we were there with but when Elsa approached she threw herself at him.  She didn't jump, she just gave him her best warm and fuzzy greeting that she could muster.  She leaned into his leg, looking up at him with googly eyes.  He obviously enjoyed it as much as she did.  Good to know that a uniform doesn't faze her. 

Lots of dogs are friendly but don't want to be touched.  They certainly DO NOT want to be pet on the head.  Reaching over a dog's head to pet them is very unwise.  If you must pet, go under their head to their chest.  Do not loom over the dog, I see so many people stretching across a dog; reaching over their head, this is all wrong.  I'm sort of a minimalist when it comes to touching dogs; other than my own two who are regularly mauled.  Looking is and should be enough;  unless of course you see a dog who is wriggling to greet you.  When you approach someone with a dog, stop.  Watch the dogs behavior; if they make no move towards you then leave it at that.  Why must we touch?

I see people trying to pet dogs who do not want to be pet all the time.  Dogs will tell you exactly how they are feeling.  Sadly humans do not read dog language very well.  When a human approaches and a dog backs up; they do not want to be touched.  Perhaps if you stand their talking long enough, they will come around.  Maybe not, perhaps they just don't want you to touch them.  Don't pursue a dog, when a dog backs up or moves away, STOP.  But, even a dog who does not back up may not want to be touched.  Signs can be subtle and you need to learn how to read them if you plan on touching strange dogs. 

I remember doing an Irish Wolfhound shoot years ago.  There were two dogs, a male and a female.  The female was very friendly and we had a nice greeting.  The male kept his distance which was fine with me; he was neutral in his attendance.  Then we had a moment that I will never forget.  I was on the ground, so much lower than the two of them.  I sat on the ground and prepared to photograph the two when he approached me very slowly and cautiously.  I stayed still as he sniffed my head, he was obviously curious at that point and wanted to meet me.  As he lingered I reached out and pet touched his chest lightly.  I waited to see his reaction to this and he quite enjoyed it.  I rubbed his chest as he moved in more to smell my face.  Wish I'd had someone to photograph the moment.  The owner was beaming as she said "he never does that, he must really like you."  I was smitten by the huge guy, what a love.

Even when dogs do allow touching by strangers; they have a different set of rules for pack vs. non pack members.  Don't push it, you are not a member of the pack of a strange dog.  Remember that.  You will not be given the freedoms that a pack member is given.  I can put Elsa in a full head lock and give her a kiss smack dab on the end of the nose. She is use to this and quite enjoys it; I would not expect her to allow a stranger to do this.  Having worked with dogs for so long, I just learned not to touch.  When I enter the home of a new client I never give eye contact or touch.  I let the dog check me out and read with my peripheral vision.  Then once I've been sniffed I move, which can bring with a whole pile of new behaviors to watch.  I may or may not end up touching the dog; it really depends what I'm there for.  Of course if it is a regular basic manners course of 6 weeks then we become amazing friends.  Then there is lots of touching which is enjoyed by both of us. 

Skateboarding

I was in the garage tidying up when Elsa came to the door.  She is not allowed to come in unless invited.  This is a safety precaution; in case someone happens to leave the outside garage door open.  It was safe so I told her "okay."  She came in and nosed around a bit before finding a skateboard.  I turned to see what she was doing and she was just standing looking at it.  Then I remembered teaching her about the skateboard when she was little.  She remembered and was hoping to get a click and treat for touching it.  So later in the afternoon I got it out and we picked up where we left off over two years ago.

Of course she already knew that we were going to work with the skateboard so she immediately gave it a push.  With a few clicks for a simple touch we moved onto the tougher stuff quickly.  I was only clicking when she left her foot on.  If she left it on while it was moving, she got a bonus load of treats. Often a new behavior has to be broken down into steps.  I couldn't expect her to just get on and go boarding.  We have to work up to that.  Once she was reliably giving me one foot on the board we moved to two feet.  This meant that she no longer got clicks for one foot and had to offer more.  What I want is for her to have her two front feet on it and walk around.

She is getting it for sure.  The training process with the skateboard is quite fascinating.  She is not only learning a new behavior but interacting a great deal with the board.  It rolls around and she has to go get it to continue; plus she is working with a moving object. She, like Luke is not a fan of things that move by themselves.  It is a good skateboard, so it moves easily and is constantly rolling away.  She goes to wherever it rolls; and steps out of the way when it is rolling her way.  This would be a wonderful exercise for any dog who may be afraid of a board.  Of course you would start with the board on the grass so it wouldn't move and very slowly work up to a smooth surface.

The biggest challenge was for me when I decided to video tape a bit of the process.  With a handful of treats and a clicker in the other hand; videoing seemed impossible.  Okay, Elsa understands "yes" as a substitute marker so I'd use that.  Sounds easy right?  Nope.  Every time she deserved a "yes" I shut the video off.  With marking the behavior on my mind I kept hitting the phone as my click and then saying "yes" after.  Timing is everything when using markers and having the phone in my clicker hand had me struggling for perfect time.  So the delivery of my "yes" is not perfect but we managed.   At least I got enough video for you to see what we were sort of doing.

Teaching is never a waste; even an activity like this is useful.  Watching Elsa think is the magic part. 

A growl - repost

 

This is a repost.  Some things need repeat.

 

There was a huge and very scary dog who was growling and barking at people.  Lots of information and work to do for this lady and her dog. 

 

As I lay sound asleep on a very cold morning I was slowly awaken by a deep grumbling.  Luke was growling, a rare occurrence these days.  I listened and smiled; it makes me happy to know that he thinks he is still the man.  He growled for a long while; deep and very scary, he was bothered by the sound of my son moving about.  I don't know why he felt the need to growl this morning, he hears it every morning.  But growl he did, never lifting his head but it was steady and it made me happy.  Standard Poodles are amazing guard dogs; most people don't know this fact.

So, what was Luke saying with his deep and low growling?  He was sounding a warning and letting us know that he thought something was not right.  A vocalization from a dog is a communication and can sometimes grow out of control.  Growling and barking and two different things.  Annoying barking should be stopped; it can become a bad habit.  They can learn that a few barks is all that is necessary to give you the required information.  But a communication from your dog is important and should be listened to.    When a dog has something to say, they should be allowed to say it.  This gives us a means to understand much better than if they are silenced.  Many people have told me that they don't allow growling or barking in their house.  This silencing can do a great deal of damage.

A dog who loses their ability to communicate can become unpredictable and dangerous.   When a dog growls at a person, dog or object it lets you know how they feel at that moment.  You can then take that information and deal with what you now know.  Maybe your dog doesn't like people wearing hats and growls when someone with a hat approaches.  With the information given you can now deal with creating a positive association to people wearing hats.  At our party on the weekend Elsa was running around having fun when she was stopped in her tracks in the dining room.  She started barking and as soon as I saw what she was barking at I asked the guy to take his antlers off.  :)  Yep.  He had forgotten  that he was wearing them and thought that Elsa was barking at him.  "Oh, sorry" he said.  As soon as he took them off she was fine.  Elsa is very, very aware of everything and she knows that a guy wearing this on his head is not right.  :)

If you take away your dogs communications, you take away your access to information.  Luke use to bark at people who approached our car.  He was fine if they walked by but if they walked directly at the car  he wasn't comfortable.   He let us and everyone else know that they were not welcome in the car, that is unless he knew them.  Dogs can become more vocal in a car or small area.  They cannot move away from someone or something so are more defensive.  It is also his car and he will defend it; after all it is a really great red Xterra.  :)

When your dog talks, listen.  There are dogs that talk too much just like there are people who talk too much.  But if you know your dog like you should, you will know when they are just jaw wagging and when they are saying something serious.  These days Luke likes to go in the back yard and let the neighborhood know that he lives here.  It makes me smile.  The bark is loud and non threatening; there is a good amount of time between the barks as he once again shows that at 12.5 years old, he's is still the man.

Harsh conventional training.

                    Does this look like building a bond, in any way? 


I was flipping channels, when I saw a guy with a Jack Russell puppy on a long line.  I stopped to watch what it was.  I'd never seen the show but the guy with the hat looked somehow familiar.  Where had I seen this guy before?  Finally I remembered seeing him on the internet somewhere.  He is a dog trainer (Don Sullivan) and he was trying to get the dog to retrieve. It didn't take long for my first gasp.  When the puppy didn't give him the ball out of his mouth his slapped it in the face several times.  Then he threw the ball and reeled the puppy in like a fish caught on a line.  How this was going to teach the dog to retrieve I don't know; but I do know that the puppy would soon learned not to go near the guy in the hat.  I shuddered.

Next up was a gorgeous, soft Golden puppy.  Visions of the rehabilitation I'd had to work on with another Golden puppy who'd been in the hands of a harsh conventional trainer years ago flashed in my head.  He'd been reduced to a shell of his once exuberant self when I met him.   I wondered what he was going to do with this puppy, then he started.  He was doing "stay," and I say doing instead of teaching because the lesson the dog learned was; if you move I will yank on your neck really hard.  The puppy was placed in a down position and when it moved; Don Sullivan came back and yanked it back down by a rope he had attached to the puppy.  The whipping motion of the puppies neck made me shudder; I could barely watch and actually got a pit in my stomach.  The look on the puppies face was heart wrenching.  I could not believe that this Public Broadcast Network was supporting this behavior.  They not only support it but were promoting him, his barbaric methods and his horrible collar he sells.  I was shocked.

The longer this went on the madder I got.  The puppy was now afraid of the guy in the hat, obviously.  He was sending so many mixed messages that you could see the confusion and fear setting in the puppy.  I wanted to go through the t.v. and yank on Mr. Sullivan's neck for a bit.   The next dog was a beagle who was to learn not to cross the street.  Same message, move and get yanked and/or hit.  Yanking on and hitting a puppy or dog is just not acceptable.  Watching the dog cringe as the hatted man came close was maddening.  New dog owners might see this type of training and try it.  It is all wrong, it goes against everything that is known now about canine behavior. 

Let me just say, dog training has come a long way since the chain and yank method of the cave trainers.  Not all have evolved, many have stayed in their caves; unwilling to learn, grow or even have a look at true canine behavior.  Just because people have been yanking on dog necks for a long time, in no way makes it right.   Trainers like this have no expertise in canine behavior.  All they know is that hitting and yanking gets the job done.  They do not see the fallout behaviors; they are unwilling to learn how to truly connect and bond with a dog.  It is all about just making them do it. 

I am appalled that the network condones this type of training.   Seeing Sullivan yank around a soft, doe eyed puppy should have been enough to have someone, at least one person say "hey, I don't know if this is good." 

I'm just disgusted. 

Tossing and turning

Rough night, didn't sleep.  Can you relate?  Most of us have those nights where sleep seems to be elusive.  I had one the other night and it is awful; you try to convince yourself that you are falling asleep all night long but it never happens.  Then you typically start to dose off just when it's time to get up; feeling like a bag of hammers as my hubby would say.  Sleep is essential, not just a little; we need a full night of great sleep to feel good.  Everyone is different as are their sleep requirements.  But what about dogs? 

Do dogs have sleepless nights?  In all my years of experience, dogs only have restless nights if something is wrong.  They don't suffer the results of having too much on their mind as we do.  They go to bed and go to sleep; that is if they have had enough exercise and are healthy.  Not enough activity during the day can make for a little bit of a restless night; but even then, they typically dose off after a while of wandering.  It is when there is something physically wrong that they will not sleep.  I remember when Jessie started stirring at night.  It went from a little wandering to full on walking in circles for hours.  It was dementia and it came on slowly but got consistently worse. 

Dogs just don't worry about things that aren't in the here and now.  Things that will keep us from enjoying an amazing night of sleep can be anything that we are dwelling on.  Once you are awake and start to think, forget it.  Trying to think "nothing" can lead to all sorts of other thoughts seeping in.  Tilley had many a sleepless night when she was first hit with Vestibular.  Being very worried about her I took up the floor to sleep on for the first few nights.  Then we put an exercise pen around her bed so that if she did get up and wander; she wouldn't fall and hurt herself.  This also allowed us to get the sleep that we needed. 

Of course there are those fly out of bed nights; you know when you hear the dreaded heaving?  I've had my fair share of those as well.   Unfortunately you are SO awake after the puking ends that it is usually hard to get back to sleep.  Sleep is so very important for both dogs and us.  Dog's have gone it down, they rarely have an issue with sleeping but we do.  There are times when we need to switch things up to get a good night sleep and that can mean moving a dog off the bed (like Miss Elsa), or moving a dog from your bedroom.  You cannot go without sleep and the old saying "taking one for the team," does not apply to sleep.  It is a sad time when it happens but happen it must.  After a week of sleepless nights when Jessie was hit with Dementia; it just had to happen.  I was so upset, but with no sleep I was feeling horrible.  It just had to be done.

Over the years I have worked with many people who could not have their dog in the bedroom.  It was enough to keep one of the people from sleeping and no sleep is not good.  So even though it is always best to have our dogs in our room; sometimes it just cannot be.  Having gone a full week without sleep, I get it.  I felt horrible and wish it on no one and no dog.  However you have to get it, you must get it.  Sleep is not a luxury, but an essential part of well being.  I need a lot of sleep, a good 8 hours a night to feel great.  So going without is horrible. 

Sleep is one of those things that can make or break you.  If you don't take care of yourself, you certainly can't take care of your dog. 

Happy Valentines Day

-

Placing puppies in the right home.

                                                           No two are alike. 



I got to temperament test puppies again and out of all the things that I do with dogs, it has to be one of my favorite.  Of course, who wouldn't want to spend time with 7 week old puppies?  But it is not just their adorableness that I love about puppies; I am fascinated by how they react to each test.  You can take a whole litter of puppies that look very similar and each can be very different.  I have tested a lot of litters over the years and each and everyone has been different; just as different as each puppy is within the litter.

Many breeders don't see a reason to temperament test.  They feel like they know their puppies; but there is a big difference in how a puppy reacts to someone they see everyday versus how they react to a stranger.  Add to that, a strange environment and you get a very good read on a dog.  I am often asked if I've been able to see some of the puppies I've tested once they've grown up and yes I have.  Many are exactly as I read, some changed a bit; either for better or worse, depending on the life that they have had.  Ahhh, there in lies the big question; how much does their upbringing have to do with a dog? 

A dog's environment and daily interactions is huge as far as making a dog.  What we do when we temperament test is see where that puppy would best thrive.  Who would be the best match for this one individual puppy.  What one puppy can handle, another may not.  Do you want to place a high drive, super charged puppy with someone who just wants to cuddle on the couch?  No.  It's not a match.  Placing a puppy with an owner while wearing a blindfold, just doesn't make sense.  That is what a breeder does when they allow an owner to choose their puppy.  Why not sift through them all and find the one that would be the best match? 

There are breeders who place puppies as they come out, literally.  Others who have people choose at two weeks of age.  Some breeders just stand back and let the new prospective owner have at it.  But let me tell you that the majority of new owners have no idea what they are looking for.  They have no knowledge of choosing the best puppy for them and rely solely on "looks."  I remember looking at a beautiful litter of puppies a few years back.  There was definitely a standout in the litter, as far as energy goes.  One little puppy who was going to give their new owner a run for their money.  The breeder said she hoped that the owners were ready for this puppy.  She'd been chosen before anyone knew what she was like.  That is just sad, because someone who was interested in a puppy like this was going to miss out.  Plus the person who was now destined to get her, may regret the day she picked her out. 

One of the biggest reasons that dogs end up being turned over to a rescue is choosing the wrong breed or mix of breeds.  The next is because they chose the wrong dog.  Of course it can all work out and you can live happily ever after but why not do your best to get a dog that you will be able to live with easily?  You need to know yourself; know what you want to live with, what you want to have to deal with in your life.  There is nothing wrong with choosing a dog that will mesh with your life.  I see far too many, very unhappy people who struggle with their dogs on a daily basis.  Dogs who are frustrated being put into a life that is very difficult for them on a day to day basis. 

I have talked to many people who think that if you want a dog, you just take a dog.  Any dog, a dog is a dog.  Well, that statement makes about as much sense as saying a human is a human.  Why not try to find your best match?  Doing temperament testing gives the dog and the human a greater chance at happiness.  Why not do it? 

Tucked away for later, silver fur.

As I reached to the very top of my closest; I suddenly had the contents of the top shelf on my head.  I'm short, 5' 1" and reaching for something out of reach typically ends with something on top of me.  This time it was all of my purses, except for the one I wanted of course.  Standing on my tip toes and using another purse as a tool; I finally got what I'd been reaching for.  I wanted to switch purses; I'm bored with the one I'm using now so I needed a change.  Changing bags is always a great time to clean out all the garbage.  I sat on the floor under a bright light and dumped the contents of the main compartment onto the carpet.  After  tossing all the garbage from the bottom of my purse; I was left with very little to switch over.  It always amazes me how much garbage can accumulate in a purse. 

I was going from brown to black.  I grabbed the black one to check that it had nothing left in it from the last use before switching over.  As I unzipped the outside pocket to check for anything left behind, I gasped.  "No way," I said as Elsa moved in closer to see.  Quickly but carefully I removed the contents; a beautiful mound of silver fur.  Elsa was going crazy as she stuffed her whole muzzle down deep into the pocket.  She sniffed around forever; then moved to the counter top where I'd placed the fur.  It was Tilley's and I had no idea it was in my black purse at that moment. 

Memories flooded my thoughts as I watched Elsa trying to get a read on the fur.  I swear that she was going through the exact same thing that I was.  She couldn't get enough of the scent; and as I let her continue trying to get enough; my thoughts went back to my beautiful Tilley.  How can it be two years already?  Elsa stopped sniffing and stared at me; I wanted to ask her if she knew that it was Tilley's hair.  Knowing Elsa like I do; she knew exactly who's curly hair was in the purse.  I looked at her wondering what she was going through at that moment.  Was she remembering with a flood of memories as I was?  Or was she just hit with familiarity by scent?  Whatever it was, something was happening.

Once again she dug her muzzle down into the pocket of the purse and sniffed deeply.  I wished that I could understand what she was feeling, remembering or even thinking.   There is no way to know, but as she sniffed and stopped to look at me over and over again; I knew that this was no normal scenting for her.  We sat quietly for sometime; my thoughts wandering off to my Tilley.  I remembered the day that I got that little mound of fur.  It was from her very last grooming; before I knew that I would not have the chance to brush that beautiful grey coat of hers again.  I'd put it all into a bag after her groom and then found it about a week after she was gone.  I was never so happy to have not cleaned up after myself.  I could have very easily brought that bag of hair to the garbage and never seen it again.  But I hadn't, I'd left it there beside the grooming table.  I took a handful and gently tucked it away. 

When we left Connecticut, it was one of the first things that I secured.  I clearly remembering putting it in my purse for safe keeping.  The movers had arrived and chaos surrounded us once again; but it was not going to get lost in the shuffle.  This purse has sat in my closet since being unpacked.  But there was the hair; safe where I had stored it, nearly two years ago.  A lot has happened in the two years since our Tilley left us; it seems unbelievable that it has been two years.  But, she is in my thoughts constantly; memories keep her very much a part of me.  Sometimes a trigger like this, a little mound of fur brings with it a flood of recollection; the good old days rush in all at once.  My memories of Tilley are tucked away safely in my heart. Safe, like the tiny mound of fur that made it hidden away, across the country.  Timing was perfect, the decision to switch purses could not have come at a better time.  Elsa and I sat and had a moment and made a new memory. 

Stress

I clearly remember this Bassett puppy, it was not enjoying any type of interaction at the park.  This would have caused quite a bit of stress.


Dealing with stress can be a day to day thing for humans; it can also be something that dogs have to deal with.  Depending on the dog and what their life looks like; they might have to deal with none, a little or a lot.  Like us, dogs are all different.  What one can handle, another may not be able to cope with.  Even with great socializing and life experience, some dogs have a difficult time dealing with certain things.  Take some dogs who are placed into the life of a show dog.  Many love it and do just fine; but there are others who just can't cope.  Lots of dogs are removed from the life of a show dog just because they hate it.  Many dogs are put through a great deal of stress; just because their of their owners desires. 

Is your dog happy?  Are they coping well with their life?  Do you think if they had the choice that they would live the life that they do?  I have always gone the way of "my dog's desire."  Meaning that what my dog shows me to be something that they love to do, we do or at least a version of.  That does not mean that our life revolves around that one activity but I try to incorporate it into our lives at least a couple of times a week.  Not having an outlet can cause stress as can forcing an unwanted behavior.

Was your dream to always have a Flyball dog?  Do you drag your dog to the event every week and just can't understand why they act off?  Do you have to go above and beyond to get through the learning curve?  Are you growing frustrated?  Well, it might all be due to stress.  Maybe your dog is stressed about having to go to Flyball and they would rather just not be there.  I've seen dogs in all sorts of performance venues who do not want to be there.  Many dogs can adjust and learn to deal but it could still be causing stress.  Stress is bad for us and bad for our dogs.  Stress is one of the worst things for our body. 

Whole Dog Journal - Easing Stress article. 

Stress can cause a dog to do all sorts of things that under calm and relaxed conditions, they might not.  I know that when I am highly stressed, it takes a toll on me and by the evening I'm spent.  Just imagine a dog who has to live through stress day in and day out.  Is your dog stressed?  What can you do to help stress?   If you are determined to participate in the activity that causes stress then you must help your dog out.  Small doses at a time and making it "all good."  That or figure out something to do other than the stressful trigger activity.  There are lots of things that you can do with your dog and there might be other things that are not stressful to them at all.  Stress is fairly easy to see but not easy to live with so ask yourself; are you stressing your dog out?

Rage and revenge.

 

 

                                                                                        Share
                                               Tell others!


"I want them to pay," the email says.  The folks who lost their dog due to horrific conditions of a puppy mill are enraged and rightly so.  They've contacted me and want help.  How can they make these people pay?  How can they shut them down?  I get requests from people needing the same sort of assistance all the time.  They've been duped by a bad breeder and now they want them to pay. 

The company never shipped their goods; they paid good money and now have nothing to show for it.  Another private message comes in to me explaining how the sender was to receive a fat check for directing referrals to a business; that check never came.  It truly is mind boggling, how many dubious people are out there these days.  Private or corporate wrong doings; there are lying, cheating humans behind it.  No matter what, who or how; when you've been wronged you may want revenge, or simply justice.   All of the complaints that I hear about are dog related.  Within the world of dogs; there are many people looking to take your money.  Companies or individuals that will promise things that they never intend to honor; of course this can happen in any business, not just the business of dogs.

There are people out there who talk a good talk; but when it comes down to money, everything changes.  These are the dubious ones.  Dishonest and greedy. 

Revenge:  to exact punishment or expiation for a wrong on behalf of.

Sort of the same, but different.  Justice is all most people really need. 

Justice:  the administering of deserved punishment or reward.

There are steps to getting justice.  Of course you can report anyone to the BBB (Better business bureau).  You can report to a number of websites that are specially for complaints about scams.  Then there is the Media, spread the word.  Media loves a story and if you have a good one about ripped off then they will likely grab hold and run with it.  It sometimes feels like we can do nothing after being wronged; but there is always something to be done.  Even one person can bring about change and shine a light on these wrong doers.

Tell people, that above anything else is the direction to take.  Let people know what these people have done.  Don't inflate the reality, tell only facts.  Word of mouth is one of the best ways to advertise something good; it is also a great way to warn people.  The internet has made our big world much smaller.  It is very easy to get a story out and if you feel that you have been wronged; tell it, but tell it honestly. 

When you find something great, share.  If you run into dubious humans, share. 

Luke and Penny

Penny came for a visit yesterday.  I thought I'd post a couple of Luke and Penny shots.  

Here Luke is quite relaxed but waiting to see how excited Penny is going to get.  Even though she is very determined, she exhibits really great body language.  Note her flat ears here.  

Penny is getting a bit excited; she adores Luke and has a hard time controlling herself around him.  A small lip curl from Luke.

Penny is determined and doesn't let lip curls or growls deter her.  She's learned that he is all noise too.

Penny continues to lick Luke's face, teeth and inside his mouth in a submissive appeasement.  

Luke actually likes Penny, if she can remain calm; which is a real struggle for her.  

The more he growls the faster her tail gets.  

We've slid down the popularity pole.

 

Bull Terriers are #52

Not number one?  What?  To be perfectly honest with you, I'm very happy about it.  You know what happens when a dog becomes popular?  The "in" thing to have?  Doom, that's what happens.  All the no good, greedy breeders hop on the band wagon to turn a quick buck.  It happened to the Dalmatian after the Disney 101 Dalmatian movie.  It happened to the Jack Russells after the Wishbone television show, My Dog Skip movie and Eddie appearing on the Frasier show.  It happened to the Beagle after the Shiloh movie and it will happen again and again and again.  Humans are a funny thing.  So I am not unhappy that the poodle is slipping in popularity.

So let's have a look at the "popular" breeds in the US. 

The list is of registration stats from the AKC.

Top 10

1. Labrador Retriever
2. German Shepherd Dog
3. Golden Retriever
4. Beagle
5. Bulldog
6. Yorkshire Terrier
7. Boxer
8. Poodle
9. Rottweiler
10. Dachshund

These statistics are taken from the number of dogs registered with the AKC; which in all honesty does not give a clear look at who is out there.  Lots of dogs are not registered; even some purebred dogs are not registered.  Luke is not registered with the AKC; I never had it done as I saw no point in it.  He was not competing in anything, not going to be bred; he was just going to be my companion.  Although his litter was registered, it was left to the new owners to get each dog individually registered and I chose not to.  Elsa is, because I may want to compete with her at some point and she has to be registered to do that. 

What I see out in the parks, fields and beaches are mixed breed dogs.  Yep, I'd say that the most popular dog right now are mixes.  I do see a lot of Labradors, they have always been a popular breed along with the Golden Retrievers.  I see a lot of Springer Spaniels, Shetland Sheepdogs, Pit Bulls and Corgis of late.  Several years ago King Charles Cavaliers were the big ones; but they seem to be declining with that fad.  Doodles, doodles and more doodles.  They are everywhere, every size and color.  A doodle to me is anything mix with a poodle. They are advertised as wonder dogs, the best of everything.  But people forget that they are still dogs; who poop, pee, bark, jump, scratch and destroy.  Yep, they are just a dog and they do dog things; and when they do they are thrown out with the trash.    I asked a lady the other day if her dog was a Doodle and she answered "no, she is a Labradoodle."  Funny. 

I say, let's stop following popularity fads and just like what we like.  Fads and promoting rarity is always a bad thing when it involves living creatures.  New colors that are being introduced to many breeds are seeing numbers grow; of course this is do to the "rare" advertising.  Some genetically rare colors are also breeding health issues for our dogs.  Stay away from all that is new when it comes to dogs.  Dogs have been around a very long time so anything new is typically been done out of greed. 

I for one am happy to see my breed slipping. 

Feeding time, change it up

 

Bone all clean, time for the rest of breakfast.

After bones on Saturday morning, Luke and Elsa had their breakfast from a fork.  They'd both had a good amount of meat off of their raw meaty bones and just needed a little something else.  I grabbed a fork and a can of dog food that I keep on hand.   It is normal for Luke to not want food after he has a meaty bone; sort of like when we eat too many appetizers and then don't want dinner.  He has his hunger quenched and doesn't see any reason to eat further.  So I thought I'd switch it up.  Changing things is good with dogs; too much same ole can really get you into trouble.  But Luke sometimes doesn't like change.  He likes his things in place and on time; so he needs to have it changed up even more so. 

Elsa is good with change; as long as I am clear about the rules of change she always "gets it."  Luke is a fussy pants so it can take some work to make him feel comfortable enough to accept change.  I brought the can out and sat on the double lounge.  Elsa was there in a flash and more than happy to eat out of a can.  Luke, not so much.  He turned his head when I tried to offer him some food.  "I've eaten, what is this?" his body language said.  I continued to feed Elsa and offered some to Luke between her bites.  Luke also likes baby bites, at least to start with.  If you offer him a big chunk of anything; there is no way you'll get him to eat it.  Along with tiny pieces, it also helps if you tell him it is a "baby bite."  Yep, he likes to hear about it first; then if he hears that it is a baby bite, he will try. 

Once you finally get that first "baby bite," into him he's good to go.  But it is that first initial piece that is the toughest.  He is very clear on how he will and will not accept change.  He is the funniest guy; when he is done eating he simply leaves.  He turns on a dime and walks out of the room.  I have explained to his sitter that the normal coaxing to eat type methods will NEVER work for him.  He is who is he and that is Luke.  So being that he likes what he likes, where he likes it; it is essentially  important to do different with him and all dogs for that matter. 

Luke and Elsa eat inside and they eat outside.  Sometimes they have treats midday on the grass; sometimes it's in the evening downstairs on the couch.  Changing where and when you feed your dog is really a great thing to implement.  If you have a fussy dog that is hard to feed under normal situations; imagine trying to get him to eat on a road trip?  If you had to stay at someone else's home for several days; what if your dog wouldn't eat? 

I am easily bored by routine, I like to switch things up.  So switching up feeding times is easy for me to implement.  I think it is good for everyone involved to change it up.  Change not only goes for time and place; it should also be about what you are feeding.  Do you pour the same old food in the same bowl every day?  Variety, more about that in another blog.