The Veterinarian office

                                      Anxiously waiting. 

I was at the Vets. at 12:00 sharp yesterday; Luke had an appointment at Southern California Veterinary Specialty Hospital for his abdomen ultrasound.  His nerves got the best of him before he was even out of the Xterra.  He started to whine and I pretended not to notice, for his sake.  He'd been there just a day and a half ago in the middle of the night.  It was very different midday; the place was bustling with cats and dogs, coming and going.  I'd parked in front of the building where it said "no parking at anytime" so when I entered I asked about the ticket possibility.  Yep, I could get a ticket so with the pending big ticket price of the ultrasound I did not want the risk.  One of the wonderful techs stepped up to take care of Luke while I ran out and moved the car.  He was pulling at the leash the moment I handed him over to her.

I ran as fast as I could; I knew that Luke would be upset without his Momma.  When I went in he was behind the reception desk; glued to the window.  She tried to pull him away but he wouldn't budge.  I tried to call to him but he couldn't hear me with all the commotion; so I belted out "LUKE."  He turned enough for her to get him going in the right direction.  I couldn't help but smile when he saw me; he leapt up and gave me a good one in the face.  He did his happy dance and I held onto his harness; taking his weight so that he didn't wipe out on the floor. 

We took a seat and waited; Luke paced and whined.  I watched all the dogs and cats coming and going; but you don't really see the cats; you just see the cat cages.  There were lots of dogs; each was anxious, some whining, others barking and then there are those who just shutdown.  Most dogs are stressed out at the vets.  Although Elsa is one of a very few who seem to enjoy going to the vets.  It might be that everyone is over the top in love with her and crowds around to get their pet in.  She does have a bit of anxiousness since being spayed and left but she still loves the attention. 

We were at a specialist/emergency facility that I'd never been to before the ER night.  It was the place to go for after hour visits recommended by my regular Vet. facility.  So having never had a bad experience there before I chose to go to it when Luke had his episode the other night.  The customer care from the moment we walked in had been great so far. 

"Luke" the girl called and I gathered my things and headed to the door.  Luke had other plans; he was heading to the door that said EXIT.  For sanitary reasons the floors are slick which is horrible for a dog like Luke; especially when he is in a state of anxiousness.  He slid around trying to get some sort of traction; which is the reason I'd put his good ole fashion harness on.  It gave me the ability to take his weight; so his legs could spin around but he wasn't dropping onto the floor.  I gently pulled his leash and he followed me back to our room where we waited again. 

One of the two specialist Vets. came in and ask a billion questions.  Not only did she ask questions, she listened to the answers, nice.  We talked a long time about Luke's history and present issues.  They would be doing a full abdomen ultrasound so we could rule out any major issues.  When we were done she reached out to take Luke to the back.  I held his leash and explained how Luke did not like to lay on his back; I told her that he would struggle, so to be careful with his old frail body.  He was going to have to lie in a tough type thing; something that he would be fine with once he was in but the getting there he would hate.  I also told her that he was left with a stagger from the last episode and to take his weight so he didn't fall.  I explained what I felt I needed to and then passed the leash to her.  He wasn't going, there was no way he was walking away from his Momma.  So I walked to the door with him and then quickly stepped behind the vet and vanished while he continued on. 

I walked into the waiting room and was immediately asked the name of my dog.  The place was so well run; all the staff knew the whereabouts of every dog.  Everyone was on the ball; I was very impressed.  There I sat, waiting and wondering.  Several dogs came and went; one very rambunctious pit bull who was beyond elated to see her Dad dove all over everyone within diving range.   Two grey muzzled dogs came out skittly skatting across the floor to their owners; that they just couldn't get to  fast enough.  The canine/human bond is an amazing one to witness; not only with our own dogs but others as well.  I sat and talked to a woman with a beautiful platinum Golden Retriever.  She had cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy.  As I watched the dogs and owners I heard a howl/bark; stopping to listen better, I knew, it was Luke. 

I finally got the call to go back for the results.  "There is a mass on his liver" she explained as she showed me the light areas on his organ.  The kidneys, stomach, intestines and spleen (which is where Tilley had the mass that took her was) were good.  I held it together as she explained the different sort of masses that it could be.  But the only way to know was to aspirate the mass.  This meant putting Luke back into the trough and drawing a sample from the mass out with a needle.  They use ultrasound to guide them to the mass so that they get a good sample to send off to be tested.
I hated to give the order to do it but we have to know what it is.  So off she went to do it all over again and poor Luke would have to struggle once again.

I sat and waited, again.

 

Yep, he is comfy.  :)

Luke is quite comfortable this morning.  He slept the entire afternoon and evening last night; he was exhausted and sore from his ordeal.  Now all we have to do is wait to hear; then we will know what we are up against and not until then.  Hug your dog. 

What a night.

I'm watching Luke sleep; it's good to see him able to catch a few z's.  We had quite a night and I will be needing to catch a few z's of my own this afternoon.  It all started around 8:30 last evening as I prepared to head for bed.  I was really tired so we were going to be early, or so I thought.  Luke and Elsa went out and as we prepared to go upstairs, Luke baulked.  For those of you who do not know Luke; he is a creature of habit and goes through the motions of routine like a robot.  This not wanting to upstairs thing was strange.  I coaxed him and we went up.  As soon as we got to our room it started; the shaking, need for eye contact and wobbly legs, seizure time. 

In the last couple of months Luke has had a few episodes.  I call them episodes because they are not a full on seizure like his typical ones.  These episodes stay in the pre-seizure stage but last for a couple of hours.  He is with me through the end of them and never slips into the gone zone of his normal seizures.  The first was on my Birthday this year and after 45 min. we rushed off to the Vets.  He had a full blood panel and urine analysis that came back pretty good except for slightly elevated liver enzymes.  So what was happening to cause the seizures to change?

After an hour in a wobbling, panting state; I carried Luke downstairs onto the couch.  He is not an easy carry; he never has been and still to this day does not enjoy being carried.  At least he is very light, although he is leggy and struggles.  Once we were on the couch; he was more comfortable as was I.  The episode continued and I tried not to worry.  I carried him back upstairs thinking that it would soon be over.  I dozed off for a few before waking to Luke stumbling around; he was trying to get to his feet and couldn't.  I grabbed him and put him back on his bed.  It was going on for too long.  Even though I knew that the vets probably couldn't do anything for him; I wanted to make sure that he was getting worse.  I called the emergency and told them I was coming.

Again he had his vitals checked and nothing; everything looked good.  I was given the option of leaving him for observation or take him back home.  Being that staying at the vet in a cage is Luke's worse nightmare; and the fact that I can watch him around the clock, we went home.  He remained in his wobbly, panting state well past 4:00 am.; which is when I must have dozed off.  I woke to see him twitching away, sound asleep beneath me.  I'd dragged his bed over beside mine early in the night when he needed to be right by my side. 

As of 8:15am today he has been out for a pee on very wobbly legs.  He is relaxed but worried; his constant need for my close proximity is intense.  When he does fall asleep, it is short lived and he searches for me with his half open bleary eyes until he finds me.  Then he can fall asleep again for a short while.  Luke has a big birthday coming up in just a few weeks, 14.  It is sad as our dogs age but you have to consider that having a dog with you up to and past 13 is a huge gift that many others never get.  No one knows what the future holds; I will take ever day that I am given with my sweet baby boy. 

Boundary training.

                                                 Greeting Mom after a grocery shopping trip.  

      As I go back and forth from the car to get the groceries, Luke and Elsa wait calmly and patiently. 

Boundary training is one of the best things that you can ever teach your dog.  No matter where the boundaries are, you can use them to help teach more.  Once a dog "gets" the idea of not crossing an invisible boundary; their capacity to learn other boundaries goes up.  Boundary training is about not going into certain rooms, going out doors or gates. 

Teaching a boundary like the door above will NEVER, EVER be a waste of time.  Once your dog is solid on a door boundary it is very easy to move to other doors.  Many dogs generalize well and will hesitate before going out any door, once they have learned and understand the idea of boundaries.  Setting up new boundaries with a dog who already knows about boundaries can be done in a few easy steps.  Some need a tiny reminder of an error marker; a simple ahhhh as they consider going through. 

Door boundaries can take time to teach; especially if you have a guaranteed bolter.  But by simply rewarding them for NOT going out the door the learning curve can be achieved quickly.  When you start teaching a boundary you must leash your dog, just in case.  A boundary is an invisible line that you draw in the sand so to speak; your dog is not to cross it unless told otherwise.  There is no command given not to cross it, only when they are allowed to cross it.  This makes the line steadfast at all times. 

Learning boundaries does not mean that your dog will never be able to go a particular area but that they must wait for a release word.  Your release word can be anything; something that comes to mind, you can remember and is saved for that specific reason.  You can use the same release for feeding, stay and many other things where a release is needed.

If you go on vacation with your dogs; visit friends or family, boundary training can come in very handy.  A dog who runs through open doors or gates without asking first, creates a dangerous situation.  Teaching a dog that an open door is not an invite to go through is a great thing.  Of course consistency is needed for boundary training; it is the key to a really solid boundary. 

Typically boundaries are set up in areas where a dog can be hurt or run off if they go through it.  Although a boundary can be trained wherever you want to set up a boundary.  Dogs are amazingly good at learning boundaries if you take the time to teach them.  Dogs being dogs, will mean that boundaries are never 100%; so even when your dog is boundary trained, you must always err on the side of safety.  How great would it be to be able to open the door without worrying about your dog running through?
 
You will NEVER, EVER regret boundary training. 

The power of the reward

The reward has to be good enough, as far as your dog is concerned.  

As a long time positive dog trainer I know all too well how powerful a good reward is to a dog.  That is, if the reward is something that the dog desires.  Not all dogs are motivated by food; some are motivated by a ball, frisbee, tug toy or favorite stuffed toy.  The secret to rewarding a behavior is to offer your dog something worth working for.  Food tends to be the "go to" reward; and if it works then it is easy to carry around.  That said, there is a big difference in the value of each food reward.  If a food does not have enough value, it's not going to work.  Too much value and your dog is not even going to be able to think.  

Reward - something given or received in return or recompense for service, merit

Watching your dog's behavior closely will let you know how the reward is working.  Many times we have had to downgrade to a lower value item of food when training.  It all depends on the dog; that is the most important thing to remember.  

Tilley loved food but she was also a timid girl and would become more so in the presence of strangers.  Food rewards worked great when we were alone; at home or even out in a park but not around a lot of people that she didn't know.  But, if I pulled out a ball or frisbee, that all changed; she became Miss Outgoing and worked for the catch.  It was truly an amazing tool for transforming her very state of being in certain situations. This worked so amazingly because Tilley loved nothing more than catching.  Food was great but in high stress situations (which is different for every dog, blog later this week) it was not enough to pull her out.  With a ball in hand Tilley became someone else; a dog that many people didn't even recognize as the timid little demur girl they had come to know.   
When using a reward system to teach a dog; you must use an appropriate level of reward.  That means that if you are teaching a new behavior in your living room and there are no distractions then use the least value treat.  You want to make sure that it has enough value that your dog will work for it; but don't use over valued items.   You need to save high value rewards for the really hard stuff  Your dog may work for cheerios in the house but not out of the house.  If you are using food rewards then you should have a variety of different value level rewards at hand.  

If you are using a toy of some sort; whether it is a ball, tug toy, stuffed or disc; you need a variety as well.  Variety in toy rewards can be achieved by the use of different items which hold a variance of value levels; or it can be a difference in the use of one item.  Elsa's very favorite toy is her squeaky kong ball; she will literally do anything for one.  A low level reward with the ball could simply be passing it to her; allowing her to take it into her mouth.  Higher would be a small toss in the air; higher reward would be a bounce catch.   The highest for her would be a distance toss of the ball.  

Rewards are powerful; it is amazing how quickly a dog can learn when rewarded.  But with reward comes control; you cannot dish out rewards willy nilly style.  You must use them according; if you overuse them you will actually diminish your training results.  Rewards are used to teach, proof and be weaned off quickly.  Depending on the behavior will factor in how long you keep the reward system around.  I consider some behaviors, like the "come" as extended high reward ones.  Again it all depends on the dog, the behavior and the environmental situation.  

Rewards are just that, a reward for a behavior accomplished successfully.  Rewards are not bribes.  You can use a low level reward to assist in a maneuver if needed but, it is very quickly removed as the object to follow.  There is a great deal to know about properly training; it is easy to make huge mistakes that can take a great deal of work to undo.  In dog training, less is more.  Less words, less movement and less rewards.  Save the greatest payoff in rewards for the phenomenal stuff.   

Leaving you hanging?

Nope, dogs don't; they don't leave us hanging.  On the other hand, we humans are horrible for leaving our dogs and other humans hanging.  One of my biggest pet peeves of all time is when you communicate with someone and they leave you hanging.  Honestly, it drives me crazy.  Whether it is asking a question, responding to a request, scheduling an appointment or whatever, REPLY!!!!!!  Dealing with companies and individuals who leave me hanging got me to thinking about our dogs, of course. 

Dogs never leave us hanging; there is always a response.  Sure, it may not be the response that you want; but it is a response.  It always makes me laugh when I see someone who has been flipped off by their dog and doesn't understand.  "He must not have heard me," or "he doesn't understand" they exclaim.  No, he heard you and he understands; he clearly told you that he is not complying and has a completely different agenda than you.  Dogs will always respond, it is yet another wonderful thing about dogs.  Even if the response is going to be negative; they'll give it to you.

Leaving our dogs hanging after we ask them for a specific behavior is a failure in the canine/human communication spectrum.  Even the most minute requests should be followed up with feedback.  Some sort of communication should be given in response to a behavior.  If you don't like something that your dog is doing, tell them.  If you love something that your dog is doing, tell them.  When we communicate with our dogs; we have the option of communicate using body language, use that too.  Feedback does not always have to be vocal or verbal with dogs. 

Humans?  No, humans are nowhere near as good at responding as dogs are.  Like dogs, we are all different; some people are much more gifted in the communication department than others.  But the absence of the very basic communication requirement of a response is a little hard to handle.  When individuals ignore a response; it is downright rude.  When a company or business does not respond; it is highly unprofessional.  Purposely not responding speaks volume about you and your company.

If we humans could just learn to communicate from our dogs; wouldn't that be a wonderful thing? 

Playdate with Lucy

I wish I would have had my cell phone in hand yesterday morning when I said to Elsa "do you know what?"  She turned her head and waited for the rest.   I barely got out "Lucy is coming over" as her eyes popped and she charged off to the front door.  So Miss Elsa was already primed when Lucy arrived.  

I could watch them for hours.  Elsa is the aggressor most of the time; Lucy is much more timid in her play which actually makes them a nice match.  

Elsa can barely control her enthusiasm.  

                  
                                             Is there such a thing as close enough?

Lucy decided that my lap was the place to be.  

Three golden heads.

Lucy trying to get closer to Luke.  This is a perfect example of facial expression.  Luke has his "not thrilled, slightly open mouth, thinking about curling his lip" face on.  Lucy is pulling her lips back and squinting in submission.  Even though Luke seems gruff, most dogs are drawn to him.  I think that they can tell he is all soft and squishy inside his tough outer shell.  

Elsa steps in as always to diffuse the situation and draw Lucy's attention onto her, away from Luke.  

Thirsty girls need a drink.

Elsa checking that Luke is okay with this interaction.  

Lucy and Elsa sharing a moment on my lap.

Everyone loves a play date. 

Self control is not always easy

Many of us struggle with self control; put a bag of plain salted chips in front of me and I don't have much control.  Our dogs are the same; some of course struggle more than others.  Some dogs have a very hard controlling themselves around food; others have their own objects that they are uncontrollable over.  Many dogs have a difficult time controlling themselves from moving objects; this can be an extremely dangerous one.  A very common object that many dogs find themselves uncontrollable around are balls.  Elsa is one of these.  So we work very hard at gaining control around balls; it is a never ending work in progress.

Yesterday I decided to do some further work on the ball.  We have worked on not stealing other dog's balls and not ripping strangers to shreds while in pursuit of a ball that they are holding.  Out of all of Elsa's toys, and she has a lot; the large Kong tennis type ball is by far the favorite.  So, we used that for practice, not easy.

Control is essential; the more out of control a dog is the more danger they put themselves in.  Once a dog zones out it can be nearly impossible to get a hold of that gray matter we call the brain. The first thing you need to do is to tell yourself that you can do this.  You can get control.  Too often I hear "I can't do it."  Yes you can.  Baby steps, don't think at the big picture; think small doable steps.  Elsa's first step was for me to just drop the ball in front of her after telling her to wait.  This was hard enough but the ground work needed to let her know that the game had changed.  I enforced the "wait" with an ahhhh and body language whe she reacted, as I knew that she would. 

If you are having a hard time gaining control then throw a leash on for assistance.  If you cannot verbally control your dog then you may need help in the beginning.  Stepping on the leash and showing your dog what the new rules are can be a crucial step in the learning curve.  When we first start teaching physical boundaries; a leash is often required, especially in a highly dangerous zone.  The same thing can be needed for a new game changing rule. 

Elsa of course is catching on very quickly; she is an amazingly smart girl, although it is very difficult for her.  She's got drive and she LOVES chasing, catching and retrieving her ball.  But implementing new rules and teaching lessons is always good.  By adding a twist to an old game; she must learn to listen more carefully.  The game change creates a need for more attention, not just reaction.  When I pick up a ball, Elsa is instantly transformed into Elsa the intense retriever.  Her entire body and mind changes in that moment; breaking through can be a challenge.  But if I can teach the uber intensely  driven Tilley to wait and give Luke a turn with the Frisbee; any dog can learn to wait for direction. 

They should come with instructions

Did you know that you could yank on your dog's neck forever and never teach them not to pull?  You could also push their butt down for years and never teach them to sit.  What you would might do is damage your dog; push a dog and they push back, pull they pull.  The other day I saw a woman attempting to get her dog to heel I would imagine as she yanked and yanked and yanked around the park.  The dog was just getting upset; not having a clue why his neck was being yanked on.  Heeling is one of the hardest things to teach a dog; very few average dog owners have the dedication and commitment to really teach it. 

The other day as Elsa and I were at a very busy marina.  It was the weekend so there were a lot of dogs out walking.  As I pulled into my parking spot I saw a man who was basically manhandling his German Shepherd.  The dog was wired by all the other dogs; you could see his it in his eyes by the dilated pupils.  The man was attempting to get his dog under some sort of control by pushing, pulling and yanking.  The more he physically maneuvered the dog the worse it got.  Why?  Because touch is a power stimulus.  Too much touching can bring on all sorts of bad behaviors.  Add to that, environmental stimulus and you have a bucket of crazy. 

In contrast, I met a little puppy the other day for a training session.  She was only 3 months old and had me smiling at her astonishing intelligence.  When I arrived, she of course got out of control excited and was leaping all over me.  I got on my knees as she was very small and ignored her; that is until she lay on the ground beside me which I rewarded quickly.  Within minutes she was choosing to lay on the ground instead of leap at me.  Touching her would have only made matters worse; so pushing is out of the question.  I chose to take advantage of her smarts and she was one smart cookie that one and as adorable as they can get. 

It makes me sad when I see owners growing frustrated; and their dogs being yanked around in frustration.  It makes me want to scream from the roof tops "ASK SOMEONE."  Sadly dogs don't come with instruction manuals, but they should.  Humans do not instinctively know how to deal with dogs and many will never ask.  The general consensus is that you just throw on a collar and yank around or yell at them to do those dog things that everyone expects from them. 

Even with all the information out there on how to's, many people go it on their own having no idea.  It is easy when you know how, just ask. 

The end of one story, onto the next.

                     Incredible to think that this was 2.5 years ago.  Seems like yesterday. 

It's gone, # 2 novel (And Back Again) is now in the hands of my editor.  Late Friday afternoon with memories in my heart and tears in my eyes I pushed away from my computer and hollered.  The story has been written and now needs the talents of an editor.  Of course it still has a while to go before it is on paper and available but the bulk of the work is done.  It has been a great deal of work putting some of my experiences, thoughts and life into a story.  The first book (PBJ and me) which is available to read now, was quite different than this one.  #2 is about twice as long and has a great deal more twists and turns.

PBJ and  me also available on Amazon in paperback and KINDLE versions. 

I love writing but after having a book in front of me asking attention for over two years; it is a great feeling to send it off and pull up a new one to work on.  And Back Again begins two and half years ago in actuality; the story plays out over a three and a half month time span.  I still cannot believe how much happened in such a short amount of time and reliving it over and over again until completion of the book has been therapeutic. 

As the first story (PBJ and me) began to unfold before me; I had no idea that a novel was underway.  For those of you who have read the book; you know that our story did not end up how we had planned at all.  Life has a way of doing that to us doesn't it?  We may have a plan but life has it's own plan for us.  Sometimes life plays out happy and wonderful; sometimes it does not.  But life is life and life itself holds countless experiences from the very tiniest of moments to the monumental ones. 

As you all know dogs are my life.  I am a long time dog trainer, professional dog photographer and writer; all of this fits nicely into And Back Again.  Its all in the book, every box checked; training, photography and writing all come together. 

So it is onto the next project; perhaps there will be a #3 novel, I do love a good story.  There is a training book waiting to be completed and a third children's book that needs attention.  In between the books are more shoots, both canine and human and training.  It's a crazy dog life, but it's mine. 

Training

Train, trained, training.  Do you, is yours, going to, are you?  Train?

Train:  to develop or form the habits, thoughts, or behavior by discipline and instruction.  To make proficient by instruction and practice, as in some art, profession, or work.

 

So do you?  Do you train your dog?  Training is a funny thing, or perhaps I should say funny word.  Many people think of it as a very official practice; while others think that it is mean and bossy to do.  There are many meanings of the word 'train.'  But when talking about dogs and training; for me it means to offer an education.  Sure our dogs can be trained for a very specific purpose.  Agility, flyball, scent work, search and rescue, guide dog etc etc etc.  But, what about the average 'Joe dog?'  You know the one that is sitting at your feet, beside you on the couch or on your bed?  What about them? 

 

I for one love training.  I love dog behavior so when I can connect a human and canine together in a cohesive manner, it makes me  very happy.  I am continually fascinated how just a little goes a long way.  That is with regards to humans and dogs.  Teaching a human is often be much more difficult than a dog.  Dogs learn through association, humans learn when and if they want to.  Many humans shut down when you discuss the art of training; they don't want to hear it.  Not dogs, dogs love to learn and the only thing you need to do to teach them is to find out what makes them tick, what motivates them. 

 

Every dog is different so training should never be thought of as a science.  There are certain basics to teaching a dog and when you've been doing it for a long time, you hopefully will know them.  That is of course if you are paying attention and open to the learning curve.  If you are a know it all type, then I am sorry to say that your learning curve will be very short and dead ended quite quickly. 

 

Training does not mean that your dog must act as a robot; it does not mean that you are being mean to them by telling them what to do.  Everyday basic training is a way to offer our dogs an easy way to live in our human world.  Without human guidance, our dogs know how to be dogs.  Not all dog behaviors are desirable in our world; that is where we step in and guide.  Training encompasses a whole spectrum of activities; from the tiniest of lessons to full on life saving maneuvers. 

 

Never underestimate the power of training; even the smallest act of guidance can have a huge ripple effect.  Training should never be considered a single act as it is an ongoing process.  Some dogs learn quickly while others need much longer to absorb a lesson.  All dogs are intelligent, it is sad to see a canine mind wasted; never given the chance to thrive in life.  When I ask someone if their dog is trained; they often do not understand the question.  I then say "the basics," do they sit, down, stay on command?  These are the things that dogs should know as a very bottom line basic maneuver training.  Can you move your dog without touching them?  Does your dog understand directions in movement?  It can be very frustrating to a dog to be hauled around by the collar because their owner never took the time to teach them a few movements. 

 

Training is not a bad word; perhaps we should just call it what it is, educating.   

The world through our dog's eyes.

Have you ever taken the time to see the world through the eyes of your dog?  You should, because when you do it becomes easier to know your dog.  I love taking Luke and Elsa out and experiencing life through them.  They look at everything differently than I do.  Simple things that we overlook may become an object of mystery and intrigue for our dogs.  Just yesterday I watched Elsa as she mistook a little pile of dirt in the yard as a lizard.  I'd been watering the flowers when my hose shot some dirt out of a pot; beside the double lounge that we regularly sit on.  Elsa and Luke were inside when the dirt flew.

She is in the habit of checking out the closed patio door throughout the day.  You just never know when a lizard might be out and about.  She spotted the tiny pile of dirt immediately and her tail kicked into gear.  I got up to see what the excitement was about and spotted the reason.  She shot downstairs and out the dog door so fast that I didn't have time to open the patio door for her.  Needless to say she was extremely disappointed when she got to the pile; although it did give her a great charge for a few moments. 

Experiencing:  knowledge or practical wisdom gained from what one has observed, encountered, or undergone.

Learning your dog through their eyes is the best way to truly get to know your dog.  You become much more aware of how they feel about their surroundings.  You learn how they deal with everything and can be much more prepared to deal with their reactions.  Each dog is an individual and what one thinks nothing of; another may be hugely moved, freaked or bothered by.  Take other dogs for example; many people say "I just never know when they are going to go off," when discussing leash aggression.  Watch through your dogs eyes and you will soon discover what the trigger is.  For Luke it is direct eye contact or a tail held high.  He is not a fan of Husky type dogs or Golden retrievers for that fact alone.  When a dog walks by with their tail held high I can be pretty sure that Luke is going to object.  He is very social but the leash interferes with that in a very common display of leash aggression. 

As Luke ages his hearing is diminishing; not completely but it is far less than what it use to be.  But his nose is just fine and I love watching him sit out in the back when a good gust of wind blows by.  He always shoots his head straight up to take in the neighborhood.  Just the other night he did this and then followed up with some very scary growling.  He even got off of his lounge and patrolled the perimeter; there was something in the air that he didn't like.  Watching him protect his domain made me happy; not only to see that he still has it but that it made him feel good to do it.  What a guy.

Many people go through life, sort of oblivious.  "Wow, I didn't notice" is a common thing that I hear when I ask if an owner saw a behavior displayed by their dog.  Being aware is a good idea anytime; but you don't have to direct your attention 100% onto your dog.  Learning to see it all takes some practice and of course you can't always see everything.  Being in the moment, keeping a close eye on your dog at all times and paying attention are all key factors in seeing through your dog's eyes.  Being in tuned with the here and now is essential to seeing and learning from your dog. 

Have you ever asked someone to watch your dog; and discovered that people have many different degrees of watching?  I have seen people hand a leash to a friend and ask them "to watch their dog."  It is a great time to learn how people feel about the term "watch."  Many people consider just being in close proximity to be watching, uhhh, no, not even close.  You must watch and pay attention; it is amazing how many people can actually watch but not see.  To draw any information from watching you must experience. 

Don't just watch, experience; learn through your dog's eyes. 

Listening to Luke

Elsa keeping a close eye on what's going on.

I was getting ready for the gym; my typical morning routine is that I hit the gym, then we go for our walk.  When I took the dogs out in the yard first thing this morning; Luke was hanging close, too close.  He was shadowing me which is not typical for the morning.  Both he and Elsa usually have a quick pee and it's back into the house for their morning snack.  Not this morning; something was different.  I head upstairs to get my gym clothes on and when I came out of the bathroom he was there, I knew.  Luke thought he was going to have a seizure.  How do I know?  He always comes to get me; and if I'm not around, he will get whoever is and let them know.  He starts to shake and needs to be close.  Being that I had some good lead time I got him up onto my bed so that I could be comfortable during the episode.

We waited, he panted and shook.  I reached over to the cookie jar to see if he'd eat some of his favorite cookies, he did.  They are homemade cookies with no sugar, no wheat; just good substantial protein.  He ate a few cookies; not normal at all for pre-seizure.  Hmmmmm, but he thought that something was coming.  He continued his "Mom location assurance," touching my face with his and staring at me.  I told him over and over again "Mommy's right here."  He wants to know that I am there; even though he can see me he needs to feel me.  I hopped up onto the bed and wrap myself around him.

I decided to skip the gym to spend the morning with Luke and Elsa.  Even if he wasn't really having a seizure; he most definitely was not himself.  So we will all go for a walk together at some point this morning.

Here is a video I took while waiting for the seizure to come.  The couple of head swings that he does is because he thinks my movement means that I am leaving.  He needs to be right with me when he thinks that he is going to have a seizure.

It is now a half hour later and no seizure.  He is relaxing in the office as I type; although he stills panics if I move.  No more panting, shaking or anything except for a feeling of needing me by his side.  He has got up a couple of times to check that the body in the chair is indeed me; then goes and lays down again.  I'm listening to him; something is telling him that things are not normal today.   Did he perhaps have a very mild seizure that was not at all like his previous ones?  Maybe.  He is acting like he has had a seizure.  He has now gone into my bedroom to check; he always goes back to check the scene of the crime.

Epilepsy can change with time; it can get worse, better or just change.  Perhaps it is becoming far less intense for Luke which would be a good thing.  Whatever is going on, I'm listening.

Farewell to an amazing girl.

 

Sometimes a dog touches your life in a small but powerful way.  I know a lot of dogs; over the years I have met so many that I can't count them anymore.  But a few have stood out as far as touching my life in a way that only a dog can.  One such dog was Keara who sadly passed a week ago.  She was one amazing girl who I had the privilege of meeting when she was just a young'n.  I met Keara at the age of 10 months old.  She was an intense, fun and highly intelligent black beauty.  It was obvious from the moment that I met her; she was destined for greatness.  She left an impression with me from the getgo.

 

I also had the wonderful privilege of photographing her in all of her glory over the years. 

 

So much is said in those emotion filled eyes. 

 

I am honored to have been one of three participants in her training circle.  Keara, Keara's Mom and I; we worked through her young years showing her the ropes of living in a human world.  She caught on quickly and became a true female in every sense of the word.  Keara was one of those amazingly easy dogs who just "gets it;" often resulting in a little training of the humans.

 

A bond that can never be broken.  A special spot is saved in our heart for these memories.   

Keara was one big and scary looking girl; but on the inside she was loveable, determined, devoted and wise.  She was the kind of girl who made you look beyond the exterior image.  In my opinion Keara was an ambassador of the GSD (German Shepherd Dog) breed and I anticipated each visit with her, even after her training ended.  Her intelligence was keen; as was evident when you looked into those amazing eyes of hers.

 

Keara lost the tip of her right ear from an attack while out on a walk.  It took nothing away from her amazingness. 

 

 

Keara was joined by a younger brother (Charlie) who I got to work with as well.  This of course enabled me to continue seeing Keara on a regular basis.  She was the ruler of her domain and could send her much larger but younger brother running in fear with a single glance.   Charlie will no doubt miss Keara greatly and learn to live without her in his life.  My heart is sad for him as he learns to adjust to his new life.  But he will be a better dog having learned the ropes of life from her.  He was one lucky guy to have shared his life with hers. 

 

My deepest sympathies go to Keara's human family.  It is a very sad time when a life long canine companion passes.  But as time passes, the sadness turns to memories.  A heart filled with wonderful memories of a life shared together is a gift our dogs give to us.   I have many memories with this amazing girl and even though she was not my dog; she filled my heart with memories to last a lifetime.  I will never forget her, she cemented that a long time ago. 

Booming

First:  NEVER BRING YOUR DOG TO A FIREWORKS DISPLAY

With July 4th tomorrow, I thought I'd talk about this particular fear based behavior. Tilley was my most fearful fireworks dog; she was terrified of fireworks. She never use to be; back when we lived in Canada it was Clyde (my male before Luke) who was petrified of storms and fireworks. It happened around 6 years of age when

she first showed signs of fireworks fear. Up until that point she had been fine with storms and light up the sky celebrations. So what happened? Who knows but she it happened and then she was one of the many dogs fearful of fireworks.

All dogs display their fear differently; Tilley use to dig, I was lucky that she was not a runner. Clyde was a climber and runner; running is the worst. If they get out of the safety of their home they can end up anywhere as they mindless attempt to run from the explosions. But luckily Tilley didn't run; she hid and had been found in the bathroom; perhaps she felt safe in the small room. I located her once in our closet; she had tossed the entire contents in the small area everywhere. She'd dug and dug to no avail; there she lay at the top of the heap that she'd created. Tilley was obviously trying to hide; to somehow get away from the object of her fear by digging a hole.

Elsa had displayed a fear of the boomers in the sky.  Nothing ever happened to her as far as booming goes; she is just afraid of the unknown, as are many dogs.  Sadly we can't explain what is going on so we must display how we feel about it.  No coddling, no petting, no holding them tightly in our arms to protect them; no, we must just go about our business to show them that it is nothing to fear.  If they are not too far gone in their fear then we need to try to create a positive association.  This can be done by doing something that they absolutely love during the booms.  We did this with Tilley when she was older to try to help her and it really did help.  Elsa's fear is not as intense as Tilley's was so I think she'll get over it with her love of the retrieve.  She loves nothing else more than her ball; catching and retrieving.  So we'll be playing ball tomorrow night as we attempt to create a positive association to the loud noise.


For all dog owners with firework fearful dogs; even ones who do not have dogs that already show signs of fear during fireworks, pay extra attention to safety.

- Make sure that your dog is indoors safely confined; keep dog doors closed.
- Turn the tv or radio on loudly to add some constant noise.
- If your dog is fearful; best to stay home with them.
- Many dogs become injured trying to get out of a house when they are in such a state of fear; often a crate is the only safe place for these guy.
- Never respond to fear behaviors with petting and hugging.
- Put on your best "chill" face; inform the entire family to do the same.

Far too many dogs end up in shelters or worse on July 4th.  Those who are left in their yard can become frenzied and attempt to escape the noise. Once they are out they will just run. In this state they have no idea where they are running; they are just running. So lock up the dogs on July 4th and please

                           NEVER BRING YOUR DOGS TO A FIREWORKS DISPLAYS.

Don't push, it may backfire

Standing on the beautiful coast of Oregon, I wrapped my sweater around me tighter. It was chilly, really chilly and only a few other people were out at the early hour that we had hit the beach.  We wandered around looking at tide pools and stood in awe at the immense waves that were thunderously crashing on the shore.  As I turned away from the wind I caught a glimpse of a small dog barking at a man.  The man was bent over towards the dog and reaching out; the small dog was about 5 feet away barking but backing up.  A clear and all too familiar scene.   "A blog" I thought to myself, so here it is. 

This dog clearly does not want a friend to play ball with.  Elsa got it and is in the process of leaving.   Had she not moved away; she would have very likely, found herself on her back in the sand.  

I watched the dog and man interact.  The owner was a bit further down the beach and called to her dog who very happy and enthusiastically ran to her; leaping in the air with joy.  But then the dog turned and ran to bark at the man again; after all it had tried to touch the dog.  The woman owner caught up with the man and her dog and she took hold of her dog.  The man continued to reach out to the dog; the dog continued to bark while trying to back away.  Then the woman pushed her dog (who was basically kicking and screaming,) towards the man.  I shuddered, thinking that this is where a bite typically happens.  The dog luckily did not bite but it cringed as the woman forced it to be touched. 

The dog was clearly stating that it did not want to be touched.  But for some unknown reason, the woman decided that the dog should be touched by the man.  The dog had been spooked by the man's desire for contact in the first place.  Pushing the dog into an uncomfortable interaction is the worst thing she could have done.  But sadly it is what many people force their dogs into.  We should not choose a strange humans desires over our dogs need for space.   By doing this we are completely ignoring all the signs that our dog is giving us.  They said "I do not want to be touched by that man," with all the barking and backing up.  Yet we push them into the situation they don't want to be in. 

The woman could have used the situation as a training moment.  She could have called her dog to her, put it's leash on and approached the man; explaining that the dog was not comfortable and telling him to not look at it.  A little chatting time to allow the dog to relax and maybe toss a few treats to the ground if they are relaxed.  Maybe even give the gentleman a few treats to toss to the dog.  But by looking at the dogs reaction; that is as far as I would have taken it on that day.  Further work would be required to a point of giving the stranger a treat and offering to the dog in their hand.  That is WITHOUT looking at them. 

The whole scene that played out before me is far too common.  It is sad that humans ignore what our dogs tell us.  Would we tell our children "go over to that guy and let him touch you?"  I think not.  We cannot tell our dogs that a stranger is friendly and just wants to say hi by petting them.  They don't get that.  They are or are not comfortable with strangers and between those two states are a vast number of levels of comfort.  Why do we force our dogs to interact when they clearly don't want to? 

Please, if your dog says that they don't want to interact; listen, don't push.  Take the time to help them to be comfortable; but they will all have their levels, respect that. 

Using drive to your advantage

Elsa loves balls, that much most of you know.  But do you know that when you have a dog with such drive and focus on one object or activity; that you can use it to your advantage?  Control, it is all about control.  Having a ball in my hand when I am out and about with Elsa gives me amazing control.  Why?  Because she considers it to far more important than many other things.  I have worked with her in regards to always retrieving once we start.  I do not allow her to stop the game; (not like she ever would) or allow anything to interfere, it is always me who ends it.  There are many rules that go along with the whole game of retrieving.  One is that if I say "that's it," then it means that's it.  If she does not stop dropping the ball at me then the ball goes away; she is learning this.   You must be steadfast in your ending of the game; you cannot randomly toss the ball once you've said "that's it.". 

I have used a toss of the ball as a reward many times.  Although she is a state of heighten excitement she can control herself enough to function; this is a very important part of it all.  Dogs are all different and there are many different degrees of ball obsession; that being said there is much that can be done to heighten or lessen the effects.  A dog who become unable to function in the presence of a ball can be danger to themselves.  If they cannot even think in the presence of a ball then you need to teach them to think.  The ball needs to be used as a reward system and allotted appropriately and sparingly. 

Some dogs will become more obsessed if a ball is out of sight while other cannot have them lying around without ignoring them.  Each is an individual.  Elsa has a favorite ball but her drive to catch and retrieve outweighs the object requirements.  I found a small fabric Frisbee that use to be Tilley's the other day and gave it a toss.  Elsa ducked out of the way a couple of times before I saw her pupils start to dilate.  With only a couple of tosses she was hooked.  So very much like Tilley, it is not the material item as much as the act of catching and retrieving. 

When I am doing some retrieving with Elsa; I make sure that she follows instructions.  At such a heightened state of excitement, it can be difficult for a dog.  This is why training is so very important; it teaches a dog to listen even in that state.  She will often offer me things that I am not asking for; which is very common to get the reward.  But I remain very calm; another very important factor when dealing with a very driven dog, the zen factor.  If I get myself all wound up like Elsa over the game of retrieving; we are going to end up in quite a mess. 

Take that object of desire and use it.  Control it with structure and training and then put it away.  All dogs need to learn about their off switch. 

Frustration

Frustration - a feeling of dissatisfaction, often accompanied by anxiety or depression, resulting from unfulfilled needs or unresolved problems.

Just the other day I was at the park with Luke and Elsa.  In the distance I could see a man walking two Miniature Australian Shepherds.  Both were on extension leashes which were extended to their fullest.  The dogs were running all around the guy and at one point he stopped;frantically trying to reel in one of his dog and untangle it.  Then as a lady passed by with her dog on a regular leash; he allowed his very out of control dogs to run to the end of the leashes once again and jump around at the end.  Yes, this is frustration in many forms.

Frustration by the woman who was running her under control Labrador.

Frustration for the two dogs lunging and barking at the end of their leash.

AND, frustration for me; not to the degree of the other three, but enough to leave me shaking my head.

Frustration is common in the world of dogs.  There is a great deal of it in the realm of training.  People who do not know what they are doing as far as training goes; often unknowingly cause a great deal of frustration.  People wing their arms around, belting out all sorts of commands leaving their dog very frustrated.  It is frustrating just to watch.  If you don't know what you are doing, ask someone who does.  Many people think that training dogs is easy; when in fact it is not, unless you know what you are doing.  Many trainers have experience but are still not good trainers.   I know many "trainers" who I would not allow to train my dogs.  They may have been training for years but still don't understand the basics of how a dog learns, which causes frustration.

Frustration leads to all sorts of problems.

Shut down - A dog can completely shutdown if they are frustrated enough.  That means you are done; the dog is done and nothing will be learned further. You may have also done enough damage to future training.

Obnoxious behavior - many dogs display obnoxious behaviors when they get frustrated.  Barking, biting, lunging at the person who is trying to train.  It is not true aggression but a form of it caused by frustration.

Offering inhibition - if a dog tries and tries during training and becomes frustrated due to a lack of experience in the trainer, they can cease trying.  When they stop trying you lose.

Being behind a fence with full view of the street where people walk can be a big cause of frustration.  Even a front window can lead to all sorts of frustration and fallout behaviors.  If you aren't around to train your dog to be calm while people walk by, take the view away.

Frustration is not exclusive to our dogs; we too can become frustrated if we don't know what we are doing.  The dog isn't getting it so we become frustrated, never good.  If our expectations are too high, we can become frustrated.  Or, if we expect our dogs to behave more like humans and less like dogs; that can lead to big time frustration.

These are just a few cases of frustration caused in us and our dogs.  Frustration is never good; not for us and not for our dogs.  So when in doubt, throw it out.  Take a big breath, go for a walk, read a book (preferably on positive training), get your dog's attention and interact.   Frustration is not inevitably, deal with it.

Label reading

                                 I know what is in these cookies because I made them. 

Yesterday I reached for a package of ground beef.  I put my glasses on to check the best before date when I saw the 'sourced' list.  Beef sourced from Australia, New Zealand and Nicaragua; I read it again, not believing my eyes on the first read.  Yep, that is what it said.  I put the meat back in it's spot and moved on.  My problem was two fold, first I wondered how you could even know where it was from; being that it stated three locations.  Two, was why it was brought in from one or all of these countries.  So I headed home to find out why?

After much reading and searching on the internet; it seems that beef from Australia, New Zealand and Nicaragua is better than from the US.   It is apparently more lean than our beef and of higher quality.   It makes you wonder if something was wrong with the meat; how easily or not they could track the source.  One side tidbit that I learned from all of my research was that the whole "kobe" thing is very clouded and the chance that you are actually eating it?  Low.  What it tells us is that we have to dig and dig deep if you want answers. 

Even when reaching for an ingredient that has yet to be used in anything; you need to read the fine print.  Imagine how much can be hidden from us in a food that is already processed?  Reading labels is very important and of course there are foods out there with no labels at all so we do our best.  Do not buy into advertising, marketing or fancy graphic gimmicks, read.  Dog food packaging is a nightmare.  The big companies make the bags so dynamic and appealing so that you have a sense of feeling good about what you are buying.  That is of course if you don't turn the bag over and read it.  Many of the really good foods have very boring, non descript packaging.

I like limited ingredients in what I buy.  In fact a bag of chocolates caught my eye while standing in the check out line yesterday.  "Three ingredients" it said.  So, of course I had to read it.  Chocolate, honey and mint, that's it.  Yes I bought and yes they are good.  They aren't a big whack of cake but are much better for me if I feel the need to have a sweet. 

I looked up Milkbones just to have a look at their ingredients.  A couple of things stood out immediately.  Please read labels before giving any food to your dog.  If the list of ingredients is hard to understand or as long as your arm, put it back on the shelf. 

Dicalcium phosphate

BHA

Spoiled

 

This was an image I took years ago of my little JRTs paw.  It was a special request for a grooming magazine.   Some would consider this to be a very spoiled dog.  Our dogs care nothing for things like this; that we label as important "for us."   No I don't paint my dog's toe nails or have them wear jewelry. 

 

 

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Spoiled, one of those terms that people use incorrectly all the time.  I hate when people say "wow, your dog is spoiled," when I am just treating them as they should be treated.  I buy a new bed for my dogs and people think that I am spoiling them?  Really?  To spoil a dog is to let them get away with things that will create undesirable behaviors.  I hate the term "spoiled" almost as much as I hate "people food."

Spoiled:  to impair, damage, or harm the character or nature of (someone) by unwise treatment, excessive indulgence. 

When you look at the dictionary meaning of the word, it doesn't look so wonderful does it?  Over indulgence of material goods does not spoil a dog; a child maybe but dogs could careless how many toys, collars or beds they have.  It does not go to their head and create a monster like it can with people.  Making sure that our dogs are comfortable is how we should treat them.  Buying a bed to match the couch is strictly for us; our dogs don't care about the color of the bed. 

For me, the term spoil means to over indulge a behavior.  Allowing a dog to get away with inappropriate or unwanted behaviors is spoiling.  Take a good dog and turn it bad or spoil it by lack of or incorrect response.  Feedback, we all need it.  If you never offer feedback to your dog, how will they learn?  No dogs don't come to us knowing the rules of our human world; we need to teach them and guide them along the way.  Very basic "do this, don't do that" rules can go a long way.  But eliminate any guidance and you spoil.  Allow or fuel an undesirable behavior and you are spoiling. 

I don't know how many dogs I've met over the years who have displayed obnoxious behaviors.  They have learned that they can get away with murder.  As a trainer I will ask "is this okay with you?" When a dog is counter surfing, bullying another dog, barking orders to their owner etc etc.  The owner usually looks at me like they don't understand the question.  That is until I break it down and explain what is going on.  But there are those owners who think that they are doing right by doing nothing at all.  They don't want to break their dog's spirit by telling them what to do. 

Many people think that they are showing their dog how much they love them by allowing really annoying behaviors to continue.  To them the idea of telling their dog what to do is a bad thing.  But with a lack of teaching, guiding and leading our canines, we are failing them.  Spoiling our dogs is a bad thing. 

Buying our dogs new toys is giving them things to play with so that they don't play with our shoes, not spoiling.  Buying them their own bed is not spoiling, it is giving them comfort to lay on.  Feeding them really nutritionally food is caring for our dogs, not spoiling.  Bringing our dogs on a trip with us is not spoiling.  Baking homemade cookies for them is not spoiling. 

Allowing them to push us around, bark orders at us that we follow and drag us down the street, that is spoiling.  When they receive no feedback for inappropriate behaviors, discipline us if we cross the line, tell us where we can and cannot sit or laydown, give us the finger when we ask them to come, growl at us and tell us what to do and when to do it...THAT IS SPOILING. 

Have you noticed that friends don't come over anymore?  Since you got your dog things have changed?  Maybe, just maybe there is a spoiling issue and it's not the new collar.  Would you allow your child to walk up to another child and push them down without consequence or feedback?  Would you allow your child to jump all over a guest without feedback?  Would you allow your child to take a whole loaf of bread off of the counter and eat it with no feedback?  Why then would you allow your dog? 

Vitals

Do you know the vital?

So, today is take your dog to work day.  Wow, one day; it's pretty silly if you ask me.  Some will work out great and have a wonderful day; while others will cause general havoc in the office and nothing will get done.  Hmmmm.  Anyhoo...I didn't think it was worth doing a whole blog on so we're talking vitals.  Health vitals of our dogs; do you know them?  I remember the first time I heard what a dog's temperature should be, which was a long time ago.  I was standing in the Veterinarians office and the Vet Tech had just taken Mandy's (my first dog) temperature.   She said like all other Vets and Tech say "good" and prepared to leave the room.  Whoa, what is good?  What is it suppose to be?  She turned and looked at me with surprise and told me "around 102."  Okay a dog's temperature should be around 102; more precisely 100-102.5.

Dog vitals chart

I have several thermometers around the house.  The dog thermometers are clearly marked DOG in big letters with indelible ink on the side.  You do not want to mix yours and theirs up.  No.  Have you taken your dog's temperature before?  No, you should start.  If someday you need to take it, you will be prepared.  Start now.  It's not as awful as it seems, you can do it. 

I also have a container with all my canine first aid supplies stored away separately.  I like that I can just grab one container and I have it all at hand. 

My medical supplies

Taking vitals on a regular basis gives you the information you need to know when there is something wrong.  If you have no idea what your dog's vitals are then you won't know when they aren't normal.  It is easy to take vitals and a good practice to do every so often.  As a dog ages, it is more important to keep a close eye on these.  Their ability to adapt to exercise, heat and cold lessens so it is essential to watch how they are coping.  Luke has a diminished ability to exercise; he starts having more strained breaths so we monitor.  But even a young and active dog can become over exhausted or heated so it is important to watch closely.

Be educated, know your dog and their vitals.  Be prepared.