Grog and design mode.

I'm tired, really tired.  Luke had me up at 3:00 am; he needed out which is rare for him.  Elsa of course was up in a flash as I approached the door and charged ahead as I held Luke back.  With him on my left I put my left hand under his neck as we make our way down the stairs.  It is enough to ensure that he doesn't fall.  If he should take a misstep I already have a hand on him for safety.  He did trip on the last step but made it safely past.  We head outside where the moon was beaming; the whole yard was lit up like daytime.  It was beautiful and I was almost happy that he'd waken me up to enjoy it.

Typically I wait in the kitchen for Luke and Elsa to do their thing but decided to go out and sit on the lounge.  When Elsa returned and saw me on the lounge she got all silly; even offering up one of her Elvis smiles.  I guess I surprised her, in a good way.  Luke was also surprised to see me sitting on the lounge; he huffed and flung his head around in excitement.  Funny the little things that make them happy and us as well; they both gave me a good smile, even though it was 3 in the morning. 

We head back upstairs and back to bed; but alas, not back to sleep.  Not for me that is, Luke and Elsa drifted off quickly; I on the other hand lay awake thinking.  It's always the thinking that gets me; but try as I might, I can't stop so I lay there until at least 5 AM in the morning before drifting off.  So I'm groggy having only had a quick cat nap after my awake time.  So while I lay there awake I was thinking about a wrap of sorts for Luke.  Something very comfortable that he could wear and I could grab onto for safety.  He makes his way up and down the stairs pretty well but since his episode I want to have a hand on him in case.  So I thought and thought and didn't sleep. 

I will be making mock ups today and trying to figure out what will be best for him.  I know that there are lots of harness type things out there but with his frail frame it has to be something very soft if he is going to have it on all the time.  I already have several ideas; having been awake and inventing in the wee hours.  So I will put into motion some of the early morning thoughts and work with expanding and perfecting them for my old man.  For now Luke is sound asleep on the bed while Elsa watches the morning out the patio door.   I need another cup of coffee to wake up enough to be functional. 

Show me the money

I want to talk about deposits this morning.  You searched forever to find a breeder who you liked and one that was going to be having puppies.  You found the breeder of your choice; paid your deposit that will hold a puppy for you in the upcoming litter.  How exciting?  The puppies are born and your puppy is one of them.  You watch as they grow and wait with anticipation.  As the weeks pass something changes; it could be a feeling or something in your life.  Perhaps you start to feel anxiety; it may not be the right time for a puppy.  Maybe the breeder has done something to get you to start second guessing your decision about one of their puppies.  Whatever the reason, things changed and your mind is made up; it is not the time for you to add another puppy to your life.  You call the breeder to let them know and ask about your deposit.  "No, oh no, you signed a paper, you don't get it back."  Legal?  Yes.  Right?  No.  At least not in my opinion.

When you decide to breed dogs; you take on a great deal of risk.  There is risk in many things along the way; from conception, whelping, sales and placement.  Much can be lost but you should have known that when you decided to breed dogs.   Prospective puppy buyers will come and go; it is your decision alone whether to or not to sell a puppy to specific people.  You can say no if you want; they are your puppies up until they are fully paid for and handed over.

Deposit amounts fluctuate from breeder to breeder; it can be anything from 100.00 - 1,000.00 with the final payment due before the puppy goes into the puppy buyers hands.  Is it justified to keep someone's deposit money if they change their mind and decide not to take a puppy?  Is it right to keep someone's money when they get nothing in return?  After the entire litter is sold and you have the cost of each puppy and then some in your pocket; shouldn't you return the extra?  One risk when you breed puppies is that you may end up with a couple who take a bit longer to place.  It just goes without saying that this can and will happen from time to time.

I unfortunately know people who have taken a puppy so that they will not lose their deposit.  How sad is that?  Once a puppy leaves the breeders home; the breeder has no guarantee what will truly happen to that puppy.  That puppy will hopefully have a wonderful long life; but what if someone just went through with acquiring the puppy so that they didn't lose their deposit?  There is a good chance that they are going to resell that puppy or at least try to recoup some of their loss.  Yes, even if they have signed a contract saying that the puppy must be returned to the breeder if they cannot keep it.   People will do what they like; not everyone is ethical.  They may think that they'll be able to resell it easily but when no one steps up to pay big money for their puppy they turn to the shelter.  How awful is that?  If someone changes their mind and decides against a puppy; I say return their money and sell the puppy to someone who does want it.

Money is tight for most people these days; losing a deposit can be an additional hardship.   Why keep someone's money when they get nothing?  I truly believe that asking for a deposit is enough to make people consider; before actually buying a puppy.   Keeping it when they change their mind is another thing all together.  If a prospective puppy buyer hands over their hard earned money because they are sure at that moment that they want a puppy, great.  But life happens and keeping someones money who has either changed their mind or had something change in their life is just not right.

Recently I was interviewing Pet Sitters when one told me that if I cancelled two weeks before the booked date that I would owe the entire amount.  I stood in shock and made sure before she left that there was no booking made and I'd let her know.  If someone hired me as a trainer or photographer, paid and then changed their mind; I would not, could not keep their money.  Even if I was miffed about it; I could not keep their money and feel okay about it.  Puppies are far more important than a service that I would offer; that makes it even more important that they go to someone who truly wants them.  Even if someone thought they wanted a puppy and then got cold feet about it.

As a breeder, you might want to hold onto a deposit for a while if someone backs out as hopefully "a lesson learned" point.  This of course is my opinion as is the right to pull a sale at the last minute on the breeders side.  Yes, I think the breeder has the right to stop a sale if things change.  They may find out something that they hadn't known before and now they don't feel right about letting a puppy go to a particular home.  Make the decision before the puppy is in the wrong hands; it is tough to get a puppy back after it is placed.  But that is a topic for another blog altogether.

Every circumstance is different so there would be times when my recommendation would be to keep a deposit.  But it would only be in a very rare situation that keeping someone's money would make sense when they did not get a puppy in return.  I have read a great deal on both sides of the argument before writing this blog.  Everyone is entitled to their own opinion as am I; mine is to give it back; ethical dog breeders don't take money for nothing, in my opinion.

The infamous saying "I don't do it for the money" isn't always the whole truth. 

Don't assume

It always shocks me when people are oblivious and don't ask before approaching a dog.  I don't care what dog it is, ASK!!!!  Yesterday I was out with my daughter and Penny for lunch; Penny was being extremely well behaved lying quietly beside the table.  Several people came by with their dogs on EXTENSION leashes, EXTENDED; and allowed their dogs to just wander up to Penny.  Lucky for them, Penny is fabulous with other dogs, but what if she wasn't?   One woman had a little micro dog on an extension leash that ran right over and gave Penny a blast, all three pounds of it.  Penny just looked at it like it was crazy. 

Do we expect our children to interact with all other children?  Do you want to interact with all the people who are passing by us at the beach, mall or restaurant?  NO!  Just because I am out in public does not mean that I want to talk to the people sitting at the table beside me and just because our dogs are out with us does not mean that they want to talk to any other dogs.  If your dog wants to talk to all the other dogs that they come across, fine, but ASK first. 

The same rules apply for children and dogs, ASK first.  Just because a dog looks like a big friendly fluffy guy; does not mean that he is friendly at all.  He may be friendly with some people but not others; perhaps he likes dogs but isn't keen on people, you never know.  You should NEVER assume anything; especially approaching, interacting or touching a strange dog. 

All dogs are different, just like us.  Even when you do ask, you might not get the correct information.  I don't know how many people say "oh yes very friendly" right before the dog snaps.  Along with asking you have to read yourself.  From a great deal of experience comes the realization that most people have no idea.

Pieces of my heart.

Ballerina girl.

Amazing intensity

Helping Grandpa with some minor repairs.  

Bubbles are just plain fun. 

Reach

High and low, everyone loves bubbles.

Some more than others.

The quest for bubbles.

Did I say fun?

Tugging fun with Grandpa.

Catching and chasing.

Penny wondering why I am lying on the ground. 

Miss Elsa.

Sir Luke, handsome devil.  

Being tall is good. 

Keep away.  

Being strong is good.  

And, being weird is good too.  

Jealousy

Jealousy: an unhappy or angry feeling of wanting to have what someone else has.

Do dogs experience jealousy?  That is the question sought by the New York Times article on The Green Eyed Monster in our dogs.  Link below.

New York Times article on Jealousy in canines

There are many thoughts on canine emotions and the idea that they even have emotions.  Of course I think that dogs have emotions; although they are different than the human versions.  We humans tend to be complicated as far as emotions; we can turn twist things around until we make ourselves crazy.  Dogs on the other hand are very matter of fact about their emotions.  Jealousy exists in our dogs but in a much different form.   Having Penny here for a week allows me to see jealousy in the eyes of a canine. 

Attention is probably the biggest trigger for jealous behavior in our dogs.  But dogs do not turn it around into all sorts of what ifs and maybes; they simply see it as it is.  Attention can come in the form of acquisition or retention.  If I start to pet Luke, Elsa will almost always come in between.  She wants her fair share and wants to ensure that attention given by the leader (me) is also given to her.  Attention is everything within a pack; although each and every dog is very different, so their desire for it will vary.  Luke is a very affectionate guy but he is not jealous over attention given to either Elsa or Penny.  Perhaps he is more confident in his standing as he is nearing fourteen years old. 

Penny is a funny little (or big) girl.  If I am petting Luke or Elsa she immediately wants a piece of it.  In fact she is very obvious in her wants as she bulldozes her way to get it.  This is where acquisition can become an issue.  The other night Elsa was soaking up some much needed attention from her Dad when Penny spotted the goings on.  She set her sights on a piece of it but Elsa had no intention of sharing her Dad at that moment; letting Penny no in no uncertain terms.  Jealousy is different in the canine world.  Given the same scenario, humans would simply throw emotional daggers at one another; brew and begin a surplus of impassioned mixed messages. 

How we deal with our dog's jealousy will make a huge impact on the behavior itself.  I make it very clear that being as one, an entire pack is a great thing.  We indulge in giant pack hugs and snugglefests while I attempt to keep Penny from bulldozing the others into the ground.  Jealousy is a powerful state; but keeping it simple and not allowing it to turn into a monster is key. 
 

Watching a movie

Have you ever noticed your dog notice television?  Many dogs like to watch tv and especially when animal shows are on.  All of my dogs over the years have had some sort of television acknowledgement.  But it was Luke who was our very first to actually watch a show in it's entirety.  He loves animal documentaries and would watch the action unfold as we did.  Several times while watching a hunter/prey type scenario; he would get up off of the couch and go to sniff the television.  Watching him watch a show has been fascinating. 

We have our little Granddog Penny here for a week and during our movie watching time on Saturday night, there was quite a bit more entertainment than just the movie itself.  We watched our movie and also watched Penny watching the movie.  I'd say that she watched a good half of it along with us; until she grew tired and finally fell asleep, which is also common in humans right?  It was an intense movie filled with animals but her watching started right from the beginning; well before any animals appeared on the screen.   

At first she sat quietly watching, those huge ears of hers were on high alert; but as the movie opened, there was much booming and highly contrasting screens.  With a subwoofer for extra added sound emphasis; the intensity of the moments was brought to life.  Penny shot up to full attention and sounded off to the screen.  Her bark was that of a tough façade; cloaking her inner scaredy chicken as she shot back to the safety of the coffee table.  Luke and Elsa looked around for the cause of the ruckus and after seeing nothing went back to sleep; while Penny stood fixed to the screen.

She now had our full attention and the watching began.  She was hooked and watched each and every movement on the screen with it's accompanying element of sound.  She had been enjoying a good chew in the beginning; and moved the bone in and out of what she considered her safety zone throughout her watch.  The coffee table the safest place for her to be; it is large and we were right there with it.  She felt safe sitting as close to it as she could while still having access to watch the show.  When things quieted down a bit through the movie; she would bring her bone out closer to the screen now and again.  She chewed and watched; I watch the movie and Penny. 

It wasn't long until she was shot back to her safety zone again, caused by the presence of a monster.  It was a scary looking monster type figure that darkened a good portion of the screen and when they ran her ears sat even higher.  There was no further barking, just hiding and watching where she felt safe.  She watched with intensity; she was not letting her guard down.  I watched and wondered what she was thinking.  It was obvious that she considered this scary; it was fascinating to watch because she is accustom to sitting and watching television with us.  This movie was different; she watched everything on the screen and reacted accordingly.  She ran when the monsters came and stood transfixed to the screen when the animals arrived.

After a good hour of movie watching she came and climbed onto the couch beside me.  She curled up on a cushion; knowing full well that Grandma would protect her.  She gave the television one last glance before tucking that big head of hers into the it and let out a huge sigh.  Being in the movie was stressful for her; she reacted like it was all truly happening there in our family room.  I lay my hand on her head and ran over it and her flattened ears.  She finally drifted off to sleep; giving me the reigns for some monster ass kicking if need be. 

HELLO, my name is Elsa. "Chill"

The tail starts and soon the whole body is involved; including the face and lips which are pulled back in excitement.  Visitors, one of Elsa's favorite things in the world.  You can almost see her gush "hiiiiiii, MY NAME IS ELSA, I'm sooooo glad you are here," when they first come in.  Having a dog that ADORES people is a good problem.  I always tell my clients who have dogs that are diving all over me "don't worry, this is good."  Helping dogs to like people is much harder than controlling an over enthusiastic lover of the human type.  Elsa is very good about not jumping on folks; that is if they don't entice her to do so.  She has learned to keep her feet on the floor but now we are going to work on more, "chill."  I have decided to use the cue "chill."  She already knows "bed" and "place" so I wanted to differentiate the location.  So "chill" it is.

I have placed a new throw rug in the spot where I want her to "chill."  The location will be used for when I have people come to the front door.  Other than balls and the idea of retrieving objects; people get Elsa excited.  So first we will be learning where "chill" is.  Elsa already has a great deal of clicker training down so when I pulled out the rug; she was on it before I could get the clicker.  She always thinks that we are working on a new behavior when I bring out new or different stuff.  A few clicks for touching or being on the rug and we move on.

The final goal of "chill" is to have her go to the spot, lay down and stay there until I say she can move.  This is essential the "place" behavior but meaning of "chill" is that exact spot.  It is not the rug itself but will be for the time being.  Once she gets it I will move the rug off of the spot and expect her to still go there.  Chill will be used for that spot alone; place and bed for other places that I want her to go to. 

We will be working on this new control exercise over the next weeks.  It will be solidified before adding the trigger of the excitement, humans.  When you have a nice solid place or chill you can cue it from anywhere and your dog will go to that exact spot or given item.  It is a wonderful and useful tool which I am now extending by adding a new but different cue "chill."  Never underestimate what your dog can learn; they are far more intelligent than you can even imagine.  This will be easy for Elsa; that is until we add the fuel, the wiggle makers, the people.  But it's a good problem to have. 

Leash aggression dissection

                                                                       Calm and relaxed.

Yesterday as Elsa and I rounded the last corner of the park; we came across a woman with four small to medium sized dogs.  It was clear that she was trying to stay away from us; which was perfectly fine with me.  We got about 20 feet from each other when one of the dogs started to lunge and growl intimidatingly.   We ignored them until I noticed the yanking.  She was yanking and yanking on the poor dog's neck with a choke collar.  I was cringing as we slowed our pace; finally coming to a full stop to watch.  The harder she yanked the more angry the little dog got.  Before long the dog was no longer growling at Elsa but was directing his aggression towards the owner.  She got madder, so did the dog.

At that point we were complete outsiders looking in.  It went from us being the trigger to the owner receiving most of the aggression.  This was not a typical redirected aggression case; the dog was pissed at being yanked on.  Redirected aggression can happen anytime a dog is displaying aggression combined with frustration.  They can lash out to family member, canine sibling or inanimate objects.   This dog was clearly directing his aggression at the owner; because as soon as she yanked him he turned on a dime and growled fiercely at her.

Leash aggression is very common; it is also common for an owner to feel as though they are the only one out there with a crazed dog on the end of their leash.  Many very friendly dogs display leash aggression; heck Luke use to do it all the time and every so often he will do it now.  He is very social, he has never been in a fight and if provoked would rather walk away.  Leash aggression occurs because our dogs are not free to speak.  They cannot communicate or move freely in the situation.  Dogs that display leash aggression are typically highly alert types; they are constantly watching for signals.  For Luke it is almost always a highly held tail or posture; plus there are some specific breeds that he tends to focus in on.  Of course there are leash aggressive dogs who are actually aggressive.

When a dog displays leash aggression; you are in fact seeing how they feel about walking past other dogs.  Their outburst gives you very important information that you need to deal with.  What you do with that information will forecast the future displays.  Taking the information and changing it is the first step.  You need to change how your dog feels about walking by other dogs.  Just dealing with the outburst itself will not help; you must make a new association to walking past other dogs. 

What will make or break a dog who displaying leash aggression is your reaction.  Do you get mad and yank, yell and do basically the same thing that your dog is doing?  Then it's going to get worse, guaranteed.  The woman in the park with the leash aggressive dog thought that her aggressive behaviors would convince the dog to stop; it was actually fueling the behavior. 

Your actions can mimic a prong collar in fueling the problem.  Prong/pinch collars are notorious for delivering pain which results in stress and over stimulation.  When you create an association of anger and stress caused by your dog's leash aggression, you fuel the behavior.  What are you showing your dog?  You are displaying a highly stressed and angry state; remember your dog is watching you.  What could begin with a small leash aggression display will be pumped up because of your added stress display.

I can almost guarantee that you tip your dog off before they even begin.  The tightening of the leash is typically the first sign.  That leash tightening also causes more stress because you sap  your dog's freedom of movement away even more.  Yes you need to keep your distance but don't do it in a way that fuels the issue.  Reel slowly so that your dog doesn't notice; step off of the path or sidewalk and give yourself some room to breath and work.  Take a big breath and chill; at least pretend to chill. 

The biggest problem with leash aggression is the person on one end of the leash.  You MUST remain calm or you will have no chance of rehabilitating or helping your dog.  The whole thing should start before your dog sees another dog; so that means that you need to be on your toes.  As soon as you see another dog you should immediately slip into your "chill," zone.  Getting yourself under control is the first and hardest thing for many people.  It is an essential first step, so get to work. 

Got questions?  Need a consult?  Talk to me now. 

Walking on the side of heel.

 

Heel?

It never donned on me until we moved to California; that heel position is on the wrong side.  Having rarely walked on a sidewalk when we lived in Canada; it wasn't until I was regularly walking on pathways and sidewalks that I realized that our dogs are on the wrong side.  Heel position is on the left; but our dogs should walk on the right.  This is because if we are walking in an area where there are lots of people and other dogs then we walk on the right, so should our dogs.  Otherwise our dogs are then in the middle of the pathway and sort of in the way. 

I remember when I had my first training client who asked if they could 'heel' on the right.  "Of course" I said, not realizing that I then had to rethink everything that was well ingrained in my head.  I had to change the finish, the swing and all my hand signals; I had to do everything in a mirror image of what I knew.  It took time, I had to think it all through before brining it to them to learn; heck I had to relearn before I could teach it.  But learn and teach I did and now I use both sides for Elsa.  Why not teach her both?  She has more brains than she knows what to do with so she will either heel or right; which is my word for heeling on the right. 

She's pretty darned great at it.  I have to say that we use 'right' far more than we do 'heel.'  I tend to use 'right' when we are out and about in more crowded areas; and let her walk where she pleases when we are at parks and open spaces.  Now we  have to work on teaching 'turn' on the right side which is again entirely different.  When I say "turn," Elsa knows that she must hold back because I am going to turn directly in front of her.  With lots of training she knows how quickly I turn and she's on the ball.  A turn with her on the right will be the same except that I will be coming from her left going right. 

I've been teaching 'heel' since the age of 13; that is a very long time.  It is one of the harder things to teach; simply because you must take a great deal of time to get it correct.  Once it is taught you can teach heeling on the other side if you like; that or just teach the right side from the get go.  A dog must learn where the position is and then to walk and continue to stay there while you move.  Then you add in the sit when I stop aspect.  There is no yanking involved; that was long ago and it makes me shudder how much yanking we were taught.  NO YANKING OF NECKS.  I cannot believe how callous many humans have become to neck yanking. 

So whether you are a lefty or righty makes no difference as far as where you heel.  You can do either, both or none.  It is entirely up to you.  On a day to day, out in the public world; I would say that the 'right' side is of more use.  If you have never taught heel then hire a professional.  I always laugh when I see people repeating "heel, heel, heel" to their dog and have no idea what heel really means.  Dogs don't come pre-programmed with the knowledge of 'heel." 

Do not approach

Don't approach unless you are invited.  I've written about this many times but it is one of those things that keeps popping up again and again and again.  People who approach you even when you are trying to move away.  There a great deal of people out there who have no idea how their dog is with other dogs; let alone doing an on leash greeting.  But they are very determined to have their dog say hi.  It is one of those things that leaves me shaking my head about humans in general.  About a week ago, my husband was out with Luke.  At nearing 14 years of age and very unsure on his feet we are very protective.  He doesn't need socializing; he was out for the outing itself.  A woman approached with her unruly Labrador; my husband stepped off of the path, moving Luke away.  A clear sign to anyone that a greeting is not desired.  Nope.  She continued on her approach until my husband had to shout at her, several times.  Even then she said "he will not be happy until he says hello."  Really?

This happens all of the time and it makes me crazy.  It is one thing if both people agree on a greeting; note the word "agree?" 

Agree - to give consent. 

Unless you get a very clear agreement after ASKING, then move along.  When a person is giving CLEAR signs that they do not want an interaction, DON'T PUSH IT.   People will come up to you saying "yes, she is very friendly," and then you hear "be  nice now," which is a CLEAR sign that their dog is not always friendly. 

Some other tell tale phrases to listen for when you ask, "are they friendly?":

- usually.

- with most dogs.

- sometimes.

- if she's in the mood.

- not always.

You must ask first; but even then you must also check for yourself.  Watch the body language of the dog who wants to say "hi."  Often you can clearly see that a dog is not a good match for your dog to say hi to.  Many people will tell you that their dog is friendly but they are clearly not.  Not all dogs want to say hi to other dogs, that is fine.  Why force our dogs to say hi and interact?  We don't, we go for a walk and say a cordial "morning" to other people as we keep on going. 

Read other human body language, honestly.  If someone steps off of a path or moves away at your approach, THAT IS A CLEAR SIGN.  Keep moving, they don't want to interact.  When I step off the path with my dog and get some good distance and the other person approaching steps off and keeps approaching, it is mind boggling.  Humans make the rules; at least they should make the rules.  Just because a big unruly dog wants to say hi to my dog; does not mean that it should be allowed.  If I say  no, then it is no; keep moving lady. 

The other day while waiting at the Vets. for Luke's test; a woman walked in with a very nice Boxer.  The Boxer was friendly but the Bassett Hound that they were approaching was not.  The Bassett was very nervous as is typical at the vets.  The woman with the Boxer allowed it to go directly up and stick it's head in the Bassett's face.   It didn't go over well and the Bassett lunged out and snapped.  Who's fault?  The lady with the Boxer.  The Bassett then received a scolding and got yanked around on a choke collar; even after having given clear signs of not wanting an interaction. 

After that interaction came another.  A woman walked into the room with her dog on an extension leash (don't even get me started).  It was wandering around at the end of the leash with intent on seeing all of the dogs.  The dogs were anxious, WE WERE AT THE VETERINARIANS,  of course they were anxious.  I prepared myself to give a clear sign if the woman came my way but luckily she was quickly escorted to the back.

If someone says NO or moves away; it means NO, keep moving along.   





 

Results, what does it mean?

                            
                                                                     My man. 

For those of you following Luke's recent issues and tests; we got good news last night.  The mass on his liver is benign.  It is large, 4 cm x 6 cm but not cancerous.  This has ruled out the liver as the cause of his recent episodes.  The last episode was Tuesday night when I took him to the emergency and he has been left with lingering effects from it.  It is most definitely a cause for concern; having seizure like symptoms for over 8 hours is very hard on him. 

Luke is epileptic and it can change as a dog ages; I hope that it does not continue to get worse.  I will be researching options as far as treatments for this.  For now he is catching up on some much needed rest. 

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.