Don't push

"Push your dog's rear down" the teacher belted out.   We all reached down and pushed and pushed and pushed.  Some of the dogs buckled under pressure while most resisted, pushing back.  This is the old conventional way to teach a dog to sit; just push them into it.  Unfortunately whoever decided that this was the way to do it was sadly mistaken.  Dog mechanics is as such; you push, they push back.  So just imagine what happens when you attempt to push them into a sit?  Yep, tons of pressure on those hips and you can end up in quite the struggle; depending on how big and strong your dog is.  

Same goes for a down; start pushing and you may find yourself in the middle of a wrestling match.  Our natural instinct to physically maneuver a dog into a particular position goes against canine mechanics.  I remember in my conventional training class many, many years ago when owners would be literally on top of their dog trying to get them into a down position, pretty crazy.  

Mechanics:  the branch of physics that deal with the action of forces on bodies and with motion, comprised of kinetics, statics and kinematics.  

Pull, they pull; push, they push.  

The funny thing is that dogs are sooo very easy to put into different body positions when you lure them with either a food treat or some sort of toy.  I have taught tiny little 6 week old puppies to sit within minutes, just with a cheerio.  It is much easier to move dogs if you don't try to man-handle them.  Moving them just by training position and teaching the point tool is really much less work.  

Many dogs who have never been taught about moving around, sitting, downing or staying get very anxious when you begin to move them physically.  The more they struggle the firmer we get which then makes them struggle even more; it is a lose, lose situation.  

If you do have to physically need to move your dog; do so with the least amount of touch possible.  Do not rely on the collar; that too can backfire.  Learn how to move and position your dog without having to muscle them around; it is much easier after all.    

A big birthday

Fourteen years ago today, a puppy was born that would change my life forever.  Little did I know he would single pawedly have such a huge effect on myself and all the humans in his life.  Luke is one of those dogs that comes into your life  if you are lucky.  We met completely by chance; and from the moment our eyes met, that was it.  It was love at first sight and there was no going back.  For nearly fourteen years now, Luke has been my constant shadow and teacher.  There has never been another dog that has taught me so much about the complexity of the canine species. 

He is special, if there was one word to describe Luke, that would be it, SPECIAL.  There is a quiet confidence in his very being that both human and canine alike are able to see.  Luke has been through a great deal over the years; with the biggest life transition being the loss of his lifelong companions.  But with Elsa's help he overcame that and kept on trucking.  Today is his day and I on this Saturday, August 16, 2014 we celebrate his 14th birthday with great excitement. 

How lucky we are for that fateful day we met. 

Marketing to dog owners

Have you ever stopped and considered what you are buying for your dog?  Those adorable little cookies in the shape of bones; your dog would love them right?  Maybe, but not because they are cute bone shapes.    Our dogs have absolutely no preference as far as the shape of their food is concerned.  Companies that make food into shapes and colors of chicken legs, veggies and bones; make it strictly for the human who is in charge of the money.  Dog food with green and orange pieces in it; must be healthy, it is the color of vegetables.  Plus the bag is covered in pictures of vegetables; it's got to be highly nutritious right?  Wrong.

The pet industry as a whole is a huge one.  Many companies play on our desire to give the best to our dogs; but sadly most of them miss the mark as far as accomplishing that.  Instead they spend much of their profits on marketing tactics and less on quality of product.  The whole "how can we get people to buy," becomes far more important than what they are actually selling.

Dog food and treats are some of the worst products that are highly marketed and poorly made.  As far as I am concerned, if there is an advertisement on television for a food or treat; you should not be buying it or giving it to your dog.  Think WOLF when you consider what to feed your dog.  Yes dogs have been domesticated and they have evolved from a wolf but they are still wolves inside.  From the wolf in the forest to the dog in our living room; our relationship has evolved.  Of course we are not going to send our dogs out to run down a deer for dinner but we need to fulfill their nutritional needs to best of our ability.

Dog's simply do not care what shape or color their food is, bottom line.  Most dogs will eat anything so it is up to us to do our best in offer them what is good for them and not what the marketing agencies tell us.   That is because all the advertising agency is concerned with is that you buy their clients product.  Keep it simple; fewer ingredients, less packaging, less advertising and a better product.

I see many people with whole wardrobes for their dog; beautiful collars that cost a small fortune and oodles and oodles of expensive toys who still reach for the cheapest dog food.  Many believe the advertising that is put out there to trick us into thinking that it is the best for our dogs.  Dogs don't care about clothing, they don't care about fancy collars or expensive toys; but they sure love a great meaty meal.

Don't get me wrong, I love dog products that make the life we share with our dogs, better.  But those products are few and far between.  As far as food and treats go; well, there is just way too much crap out there.   Don't buy into the big cloak and mirror routine; get the goods, the real goods on what you should be feeding your dog.  Think good food is too expensive?  Spending less time at the vets will save you a bucket load in the long run.  

What kind of dog is that?

"What kind of dog is that?" the woman asks as she walks past us on her way somewhere.  "A Standard Poodle," I tell her; and I wait for the inevitable "really?"  I'm asked almost daily what Luke and Elsa are as far as breed or mix.  One woman walked by us and proclaimed that they were "very interesting mutts."  Am I offended that people don't know what kind of dogs I have?  Not in the least.  Their lack of knowing what they are doesn't take anything away from Luke and Elsa's amazingness and perhaps keeps the poodle out of the spotlight just a bit.  Yes, Luke and Elsa do resemble the doodles that you see all too often now.  Doodles have been and still are advertised as the perfect dog but now those perfect dogs are filling up rescues and shelters.  It is what happens when a breed or mix of breeds becomes too popular.

It was many years ago that I decided to take off the poodle cloak that surrounded my dogs.  After all the whole idea of what a poodle looks like is man made.  They are not born with pom poms on them; nor do they have fancy hairdos.  Nope, left unaltered by man; a poodle would be a giant mop like dog.  The poodles hair is constantly growing so it must be clipped; I choose to just simply shave it all off.  Less work for me and much more enjoyable for both Luke and Elsa.  How long I leave the hair depends mostly on weather and what activities we will be participating in. 

Over the years we have actually been asked by poodle people "what kind of dog?"  Many people are completely surprised by my answer and then there are the ones you reply "are you sure?"  Imagine, someone asking me if I'm sure that my dog is a poodle.  Imagine saying that to any stranger that gives you a reply you think to be odd?  Imagine. 

We have also been snubbed by poodle people who don't know that  Luke and Elsa are in fact poodles.  That one left me quite amused to think that the people holding the other poodles didn't know what their own dogs looked like under the puffs.  When people act aghast at the idea of shaving it all off; I am always amazed by the importance put onto the exterior by some.  Who cares?  There are a whole lot more important things in this world to worry about and put importance on, other than poodle puffs. 

When I decided that enough was enough; I just took it all off.  Many, many years ago I began shaving my poodles strictly for ease of grooming.  I had three little children and keeping my poodles in peak condition, coat wise was just too much work.  Years later I began shaving them again; but then it was fueled by misconception.  As my girl Tilley flew through the air, appeared on television and attended after screening parties to exhibit her amazing Frisbee talents we often heard "I didn't know poodles could catch, jump or do Frisbee."  All sorts of things were said about the fact that she was indeed a poodle.  But the poodle tag was not one that complimented the dog; but one that took away from the dog by way of poofiness.  No more, Tilley was far more than just a poodle; so it came off and her amazingness was able to stand on it's own.  People didn't know what she was anymore; they simply stood in awe of her athleticism.   She was no longer weighed down by the cloak of a poodle. 

Everyone has their own opinions out there; some like their poodles in full fluffiness, others choose modifications of some sort and then there are those who like me, shave it all off.  To each his own, right?  Poodles can be clipped however you like; the sky is the limit.  Someone once said to me "you don't deserve poodles if you don't want them to look like poodles," really?   Silly isn't it?  To put that much importance on a man made idea?  Yes, all of our dog breeds were designed by man.  The poodle was designed by man inside and out.  I choose to take the man made perception off and let my dogs stand on their own.  My dogs,  my choice. 

For anyone who knows me, they know that I adore poodles.  But my adoration has nothing to do with the hair.  I do adore that they don't shed all over my house but what I love about poodles is in fact the poodle; which has nothing to do with their hair. 

I am just fine going about my day to day with my poodles in cognito.

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?