Take a good look

"Ewwww, I don't look in there, it's gross" she explained to me when I asked about her dogs ears.  Her dog was shaking her head and holding one ear down; a clear sign of something going on in the ear.  I asked if it was okay if I had a look and after she nodded with her "ewwww gross" face on, I peeked in.  Yep, red, swollen and wet.  "You have to check these things" I said.  

Do you know what your dog looks like?  I mean every little part?  Most people don't.  Dogs that go to a groomer on a regular basis get a once over at the groomers.  But, they are grooming your dog, not checking for changes.  You need to know what your dog looks like.   You should be checking regularly.  The more coat your dog has the harder it is to keep on top of what's under it.  I love my forced air dryer because it blasts so hard that I get a good look at everything except inside the ears, bottom of feet and mouth when I'm drying them.  

Canine massage is an excellent way to check it all out.  From the top of their head to the end of their tail, check it out.  Feel, feel it all.  Open up their toes and have a feel and look.  Nails okay?  How about those ears?  Look in there, and if you can't see get a flashlight and look.  Ears are sensitive so you should get your dog use to you looking inside.  If the only time you ever mess with ears is when they are infected; it is going to be very difficult to convince your dog that you are not going to hurt them.  Infected ears HURT.  

Check their butt, yep, under the tail.  I don't know how many dogs I see walking around with a pile of s&*t on their backside.  Lift up the tail and look.  Elsa had a little incident this morning on our walk.  She had a very small but mushy willnot (piece of poop that willnot come off).  I grabbed a tissue out of my walking pack and wiped.  Unfortunately it made matters look worse.  That little sucker was not coming off without a fight so when we got home I got out the clippers and presto, all clean and shiny once again.  I cannot tell you how many dog butts I have wiped over the years.  :)

Check out their other private parts; are they clean?  Look good?  I like to keep all my dogs very clean in that area, it really cuts down on any bacteria issues.  How about their mouth, ever look in there?  If not, do so.  All dogs have a little fold on each side of their bottom jaw that can get gross.  If your dog has a flatter type face then it will be worse, more skin, more folds to clean.  Make sure that the hair around the mouth is being clipped.  Make sure if they get their face shaved that the hair around the lips is not turning inside and not getting clipped.  Check their teeth. Open their mouth up nice and wide and have a look at the back teeth and throat.

If your dog likes a good belly rub then use that time to have a good look at armpits, chest and stomach.  Check out the inside of all legs and throat area.  Go over every inch.  Know your dog well; so when there is a change, you will know.  It's very important to know your dog inside and out.  

Play dates vs. dog parks

Elsa as a young monkey at the beach; playing with a young lab.  Watching them was glorious.

I'm going to say this right up front; I am not a dog park fan.  I do think that the can be useful if chosen carefully and used sparingly.   BUT, and this is a very BIG BUT; you must be vigilant and extremely careful with your dog while there.  

The problem I have with dog parks is that people don't intervene when they should.  What that means is when their dog is doing something that they should not do, they don't stop them.  Their dog may be harassing another relentlessly but they don't see it as an issue.  They think that the other dog who is being bullied should just deal with it.  After all, they are dogs right?  They'll work it out.  Wrong.  Playing can quickly turn to defending when a dog owner will not stop their dog from annoying others.  The dog who is being bullied or annoyed is left to defend themselves; and that defense can escalate quickly. 

Another huge issue I have with dog parks is lack of supervision.  Many humans consider it a daycare.  They bring their dogs into the park, let them off their leash and go socialize.  No supervision means that they don't know what their dog is doing, nor do they care.  They could be having fun, being harassed or bullying others, who knows?  

All dogs are different, just like we are all different.  Some don't even want to be at the park; they don't care to meet or play with other dogs.  Others like to see and sniff but don't want to play.  There are dogs who like to play a little but don't want to do the whole teeth brawling thing.  What people don't know is that very few dogs want to just play with anybody and everyone.  As dogs get older and go from puppy to adult, things change.  Puppies put up with a lot of stuff; adolescents do as well, typically.  But being a mature adult is different. 

Most dog parks are small, too small.  When a dog park has too many dogs per square foot, things can go wrong.  The bigger the park and fewer the dogs, the better.  

 Elsa would not enjoy a dog park at this stage of her life.  She tends to have a large personal space; made wider after she was attacked by the bulldog.  She did enjoy the dog beach when she was young.  It was a wide open beach where we could stay a while or just walk through while Luke and her greeted and played a bit.  We always kept it short; opting to quit while we were ahead.  Staying too long can lead to a tired and cranky dog.  

Play dates on the other hand are wonderful.  Known friends come over to our home or we meet at a park to play.  Trust is already there between the dogs so fun is the only thing on the agenda.  It is great when dogs come together who enjoy being together.  They may like to wrestle, chase or just hang together.  Owners can let their guard down and enjoy the play date as much as the dogs.  Of course still supervising.  I'm a huge play date fan and think that it should be something that people do for their dog/dogs.

After all, isn't seeing your dog have fun being a dog one of the best things in the world?

Happy Father's Day

 

The best Dog Father I know!

 

 

To all the amazing Dog Dads out there, this is your day.  I hope you have an amazing one, you deserve it.  But really, everyday is your day with a dog by your side.  When you are a Dog Dad, every moment spent with your dog is a great day. 

Who welcomes you with a tornado of emotion when you walk through the door?  Your dog.  Who waits to hear those few words "walk with Daddy?"  Your dog. 

You throw the frisbee, chuck the ball and hang onto the other end of tug-o-war endlessly, for  your dog.  You skip that extra hour of sleep just so you can go for a run with your dog. 

You wrap your invisible cloak of protection around your member/members of the canine species.  You brush, pick burrs out and even pick up poop (which is amazing in itself).

You have given pieces of your heart away to a dog.  But those pieces come back to stay as memories when you are a Dog Dad.  Everyday is a great day when  you are a Dog Dad.

Celebrate.  This is your day. 

He's going to bite

This is how it is done.  Mom teaching her child and me supervising.

I was out at a really cute restaurant with some longtime friends.  We arrived and were just being seated.  My now retired pet sitter was talking to the server about dogs when the server told us about her dog.  She had a pit bull who was the "best dog ever."  I laughed at the phrase, because we all have the best dog, don't we? 


She further explained how the dog was wonderful and would never bite; except for maybe her child, who tormented the dog relentlessly.  "He's horrible with her," she said.  "He pulls her tail, rides her and throws things at her" she said, laughing.  If she bites anyone, it is going to be my son.  I shuddered and held my tongue.  Isn't it amazing what we expect our dogs to tolerate?  But we also expect them to just sit there and take it without so much as a growl, lip curl or bite. 

When the rare bite happens, who pays?  The dog, that's who pays and the owners are shocked.  It is mind boggling.  Humans allow their children to annoy their dog without intervening and are then aghast when the dog has to defend themselves.  What happened?   What happened is that the human failed both their dog and their child.  They did not protect their child by teaching them how to properly interact with the dog.  They did not supervise their dog and child interactions.  They did not protect their dog from their child; making it necessary for their dog to protect itself.

This is far too common and almost always avoidable.  Dogs typically give a great deal warning via body language before biting.  But humans miss it.  It is right there in front of them but they fail to see it. Many don't understand what is in front of them; they don't understand body language so they can't see it.  If you do not understand the communications of another species, DO NOT ALLOW YOUR CHILD TO INTERACT FREELY WITHOUT SUPERVISION OR INTERVENTION.  

Sadly, children will be bitten because of a lack of supervision and knowledge of body language.  I don't care how wonderful a dog is; even the best of dogs has a limit.  Teach your children how to properly interact with dogs; your dog, the neigbor dog, all dogs.  Children who do not learn how to properly interact with dogs are at a serious disadvantage in this big world.  

I absolutely LOVE when a child approaches Elsa and I and says "can I pet your dog?"  Way to go Mom and Dad.  Elsa really likes children but I will always bend down beside her and be the third wheel in the interaction.  It is always better to be safe than sorry.  

Teach your children, teach your dog and supervise ALWAYS.  

The most important thing

Socializing.  Yes, I do believe that it is the most important thing for a puppy.  When, where and how?  

Socializing - to make social; make fit for life in companionship with others.  

Which means to make ready for a life in our human world; when discussing socializing of our dogs.  Socializing is the most important thing you can offer your dog.  For breeders, it should be an absolute.  But what one breeder considers high on the list of importance, another may not. 

Socializing in dogs is not just with people or other dogs; it also includes noises, inanimate objects and environment. 

Early Neurological stimulation article.

Early neurological stimulation seems to be important to many breeders; while others don't adhere to the strict process.  In my opinion, the steps can be helpful if it is the only way to get the puppies handled at a young age.  What I believe to be far more important is handling and just general life stuff introduced at a young age.  I like to look at wolves in the wild for much of where I form my opinions.  Wolf pups do not receive a set of formal stimulation steps when they are very young.  What they deal with is life in it's many forms.   

The rule of 7s - great socializing goal.  (I love this)

Handling puppies at a young age and introducing them to many different things is so very important.  When Elsa arrived, she very literally came out of her crate and announced her arrival!  "I'm here, let's go."  She had been exploring in different environments, playing with adult dogs and been handled regularly.  She was sure footed and extremely advanced as far as physical capabilities.  Part of that of course had to do with her genetic makeup but a great deal had to do with what her breeder offered the litter.  

I have met litters who live their life in a whelping box.  Their first experience to the great big world out there is 8 weeks of age.  These puppies are at a disadvantage; so many weeks of missed opportunities have passed by and are forever lost.  

Socializing is a balancing act.  If a little is good, a lot is not better.  A little socializing each day goes a long way.  Puppies need to feel secure and if they are socialized too much, it can backfire.  But the lack of socializing can be detrimental to a dog's entire life.  Sure they can get socializing in once they join their forever family but there will always be those missed weeks where they sat in a box un-stimulated.

Puppies who are placed in a kennel type situation and not given the chance to experience home life, people and dogs are at a disadvantage.  When choosing a breeder and/or puppy you should ask or see where and what the puppies have spent their weeks doing.    

It makes absolutely no difference what breed or mix puppies are; they all require the same life stimulation.  As the puppies grow, so should their socialization.  New people of all sizes, different dogs, different surfaces etc etc.  A puppy only lives with a breeder for 8-12 weeks typically; much can be done in those few weeks to help get those puppies on the right track and ahead of the game for the life ahead of them.   

How do you communicate?

 

Loud and clear. 

Do you communicate in black and white?  Are you clear in your expectations, desires and directions?  There are all sorts of communicators; good and bad; both in humans and in dogs.  But there are far more bad communicators in our species, humans.

Some people barely communicate at all; leaving others shrugging and guessing with the lack of material conveyed.  Others just communicate poorly as they make their way through their delivery of information.  Have you ever had a conversation that left you walking on eggshells?  I have.  The more questions I asked the more information was held back.  The person I was speaking to felt as though I was on the attack instead of simply trying to retrieve important information from her.  Sensing that she was uncomfortable with my questions; I explained that I just needed to know some very specific facts.  My explanation did not ease the situation; there was a misunderstanding in our communication.  It can leave you feeling like you shouldn't ask for any more enlightenment, which is a lose, lose situation. 

Life is about the give and take of information.  Not all communications are monumental; many are tiny pieces that make up a great deal of knowledge.  When our dogs communicate, we miss much of it; more so if we have no idea how they communicate.  We  miss read and humanize much of what our dogs say. 

We owe it to our dogs to learn how they communicate so that we can better understand the dogs we share our life with.  I often dissect behaviors to enhance a guardians understanding of their dog.  Typically their dog's communications have been misread and misunderstood which leads to more confusion for human and dog.  Dogs are not like us, they are far better at communicating than we can ever hope to be.  Humanizing canine behavior is a disservice to their communication abilities.  Sure, we must use our human terms to describe their behaviors but they are far from humans.  Their world is much more black and white than ours. 

Humans tend to use a great deal of gray in their communications.  Hedging, manipulating, lying and holding back of information are all things that interfere with real communication.  We do that, dogs do not.  Dogs tell it like it is and if we cannot understand what they are saying we fall back to a human take on it.  If our best guess is in the art of human communication then it will be a very wrong guess.  Dogs do not talk human. 

I am a need to know type of person.  I like to glean as much information from communications that I can.  Whether it be a human/human, human/canine or canine/canine interaction; I like to know what is being said and understand it to the best of my ability.  Dogs use their body first and then sound.  Humans have lost most of our body language abilities and rely solely on our voice.  But all is not lost if you fine tune your body language skills.  You can improve your body language skills and your dog can help.  By watching your dog watch you, you can learn a great deal.

A fallout of watching dogs so closely has been observing human body language.  Oh yes, we still use it but we don't even know we are using it much of the time.  The person who should be doing the reading is not and the one who is delivering, may not even know that they are relaying information with their body.  Our dogs know, they are constantly watching us and if you think they aren't; then that is another failure of ours as humans. 

Communication is quite an art; dogs are far superior to us with regards to this skill.  We should take a lesson or two from our dogs and pay attention, watch, listen and learn.  Communication is a fascinating subject; no matter who is doing or not doing. 

Variety is the spice...

I am always talking about the importance of variety in the food we eat and give our dogs.  I don't care how great a dog food or even real food is, you should eat a variety.  The more variety that we offer our dogs; the more they are able to eat a wide variety without upset.  Variety also offers more nutrients, as long as you are feeding nutritious food. 

                    No, Elsa did not get any coffee, that's mine.  :)

Today started out as a big variety food day for Elsa.  So, I thought I'd give you a rundown on what she's eaten thus far.  

She started her morning sharing blueberry muffins  with me that I made yesterday.  (recipe will be in my new book).

Then she had a few parmesan cookies (which will also be in my book).

Next Elsa and her Dad head out for a huge run.  Once back it is cool down time for about an hour before anymore food.

Chopped blueberries which have to be hidden in the food.  Elsa is not a big fruit eater.

Fried egg cooked in coconut oil, just like her Dads.  

For breakfast she had a fried egg, chopped organic blueberries, meatloaf (turkey, cod, cabbage, oatmeal, carrot and egg shell) that I made yesterday; with kefir on top.  Quite the combination, but she loved it.

She will have more of my homemade cookies this afternoon and it will be a beef and quinoa dinner tonight.  

Variety is the spice of life.  

A dog by your side

There is nothing I love to shoot more, than dogs and their humans.  I have started a new specialty series on "A dog by your side," which is exactly that.  A dog by your side can be an interaction, a communication or simply a coming together, just being.  But, when there is a connection between human and canine, it is never boring.  Many images are moving simply because of the unspoken connection.

A touch, a look or a presence can make an intense connection image of two species sharing space and time.

Dogs are such a part of our life.  Capturing the many differences of "A dog by your side," is a privilege.

I will be posting more "A dog by your side," images in the near future.

More water please

Have you ever thought about dry dog food and your dog's moisture requirements?  If your dog eats a diet of dry kibble then they are going to need to drink more than a dog who eats food that already contains moisture.  Dog food companies need to get rid of moisture; moisture is a bad thing in dry kibble.  It can create a whole whack of problems in dry food so they do their best to get rid of it.  That said, our dogs need moisture; so the more dry food they eat the more water they need to drink.  

Mercola - how much water?

Dogs who eat real food, either cooked or raw drink far less water than dogs who eat kibble.  Much of their moisture comes from the food itself.  In my kitchen, I have a wonderful spring water dispenser that offers hot or cold water.  This is perfect for Elsa's food when it comes out of the refrigerator.  I pour a bit of steaming water on top to warm it up; so she enjoys warm food with extra moisture.  It is also a huge luxury for people like me who love an instant cup of tea.  :) 

Shelf life = dry.  That is a fact.  When I make cookies, moisture plays a huge part in their life.  Will I want to keep them in my pocket?  Eat them right away with Elsa or bag them to give as gifts.  The less moisture the longer the life they have. 

Look at your dog's food.  How much moisture is in it?  Dry dog food is taxing on a dog's organs.  This can be from lack of nutrients but also an absence of moisture.  Water helps the flushing organs.  If you are someone who free feeds; leaves dry food in a bowl for your dog to nibble on all day then you need to make sure that your dog is drinking. 

Real food is an easy way to offer moisture.  But a dog still needs to drink water.  Elsa drinks very little water because she eats real food.  The best way for a dog to drink is a small amount more often; rather than gulping back a big whack at one time.  Many dogs who drink too much, too fast tend to puke some up at the end of their big drink.  Our little Jessie use to do this so I would always try to catch her before she got to the "too much" point. 

Water is very important.  Look at the food your dog eats and factor in how much water is needed to counter balance the lack of. 

Just Elsa

It's been three weeks since Timber joined our family and I'm sure that many of you are wondering where all the photos, posts and blogs are.  Tomorrow will be a week since he went back to the breeder.  I feel obliged to let you all know what happened and why he is no longer with us.  I have had much to deal with and have appreciated your patience.  

A couple of days after Timber joined us I realized that he may not be a good match for Elsa.  I wanted to be sure before making a very big decision so we spend the rest of the week together.  After that I knew and contacted the breeder.  Being a good breeder, she would take him back.  Between the breeder and I we decided that it would be best for him if he stayed with me in CA a little longer; in attempts to find him a home here so that he would not have to go back on a plane.  After another week went by, and he had to go back to AZ.  

Sometimes it just is not a match.  I am not looking for feedback or opinions on what happened.  Waiting for several months to see if it works out was not acceptable in my opinion.  It is not fair to a puppy to try to place him months down the road; whereas at 10 weeks is a simple transition.  He received a great deal of care, socialization and love while he was with us for the short time.  Timber is a wonderful puppy and will be going to his new home tomorrow to begin his training to be a service dog; which I feel is his destiny in life.  I know he will succeed. 

When you have dogs together that mesh so well, it is hard not to want that.  Another dog in our family is not only to be a companion for us but greatly for Elsa as well.  A new puppy deserves that as does Elsa.  There will be another, but when the time is right.   

Athleticism

Athleticism - physically active and strong. 

Is your dog athletic?  Mine is, she is a super athlete; far beyond what I could ever hope to be.  She is built to move and does it with ease.  She has immense muscle mass which enables her movement to be easy.  Plus she has the heart of an athlete and loves moving. 

We are all different and so are our dogs.  What comes easy to some is difficult for others.  But we can all move, no matter our build, weight or structure.  So can our dogs.  The other day I was in a store waiting in line; the man in front of me had a little Dachshund who had leapt up onto a bench off to the side.  She was wagging madly at me so I bent down and pet her.  "She's so cute" I told her Dad and stated that it was a big jump for her to get up on the bench.  He beamed and said "she's a super athlete, like her Dad."  I smiled, he was crazy proud of his little girl; and for her stature she was very athletic. 

It doesn't matter how short our dog's legs are, how tall they are.  Short body, long body, lean and mean or stocky; they can all move and move they should.  Some dogs want to move more than others but they all need to move, just like us.  I am not a big runner but my hubby is so Elsa and he run a lot.  I do speed walking with running mixed in so when Elsa and I are out we do several miles.  Plus she is always up for some chuck it fun which involves intense sprinting which she loves and excels at.

So what about those little guys?  Of course you have to factor in leg length and body type.  If you are just introducing exercise then do it slow.  If your dog is overweight then do it slow.  Short bits of walking first and working up to running.  Never over do it.  Watch the heat and get out early.  I find that an early walks means that I can get one in every single day; before the rest of the day takes over. 

I hate to see overweight dogs and sadly there are so, so many out there.  Too much food, wrong food and little movement; the same issue that we humans have. 

Is your dog a super athlete?  They could be. 

A dog is a dog is a dog. Not at all.

Blanket statement, "a dog is a dog."  Yes a dog is a dog but that is where the similarities end.  Each dog is very individual and different.  They have their own likes, what they dislike, motivation and drives.  How many dogs have you met in your life?  I can't even count how many I have met at this point.  With training, photography, day to day and chance meetings...there have been a lot.

Dog stories are the best.  Not the token dog type stories but the ones where you really get a look who a dog is.  What makes them tick?

I love meeting a new client and their dog and bringing them to a cohesive understanding is a wonderful thing.  Dogs can seem very complicated.  The more you know about dogs the easier it is to understand their individualisms.  Dogs truly are very simple, yet complicated.  Very, very individual.

 A dog is born who they are.  They will evolve with life experience; but who they are will remain at their core, just like us.  Sometimes an evolution happens side by side, human and dog.  Those are the best type of dog stories.   

TGIF

Happy Friday everyone.  What's on the agenda this weekend?  Anything fun?  Errands?  Spring cleaning?  I always loved this time of year back in Canada; time to clean the yard and get ready for planting.  Here in SoCal it's pretty much plant time all year round except for the Christmas season.  We are having our winter weather now; it was hot all winter and now it is cool with rain.  I'll take it, as I'm sure you all know we need it big time.

What is your favorite thing to do with your dog on the weekends?  What's different on the weekend vs. the week day?  Our dogs surely know when it's the weekend; it doesn't take much for them to clue into the fun things in life. 
Love to hear what you have planned, what makes the weekend so great with a dog by your side?

Post here in the comments so that everyone can share  . 

So many wrongs don't make it right.

Never allow your dog to sleep on your bed.

Your dog should never walk ahead of you.

Always go through a door before your dog.

Feed your dog after you eat.

Only feed kibble, never feed "people food" (I shudder at that term).

Vaccinate your dog every year.

Tails are amputated to protect them from damage.

So many wrongs.  What a mess humans have made over the years.  Honestly, many ideas are simply passed onto the next generation without anyone ever thinking about them.  People hear how something that has been done over the years and just do it.  We should consider first, perhaps even rebel against that very famous NIKE saying "Just do it." How about thinking first and not just doing it blindly? 

Read, read, read and read some more.  I am not saying that you will find the perfect truth by reading but you will most definitely learn.  I am a researcher.  When I hear about something that I am not clear on or educated on, I research.   I am a want to know type of person.  That said, I am also pretty strong in what I believe in; but, I am VERY open minded and love to hear more on just about every subject. 

Like I said in yesterday's blog; life is a story, an evolution of yourself.  So who I was years ago is not who I am today.  Things that I considered to be correct years ago may have been replaced with new ideas.  I grew up thinking that if you gave your dog raw meat they would become aggressive.  "Don't give them a taste for blood," the dog folks told me.  HA! 

"Never be afraid to change your opinion." 

Allowing your dog to go through a door before you meant that they would be dominant over you.  Wrong.  If they barge past you, then they have no manners and need training.  But the act of walking ahead of you simply means that they are ahead of you.  Of course there are dogs who like to think the are the leader; typically the ones who have not been offered an education.  The same goes for walking ahead during a stroll in the park.  It is ridiculous to think that our dogs are dominating us by walking out in front.  Now if they are dragging you down the street, then you need to address that. 

Sometimes a step in a different direction will bring you down a different path; setting you on a whole new journey.  Don't be satisfied by what has been done for so many years, just because it is how it has always been done.  Push, read, question and get the facts.  Life is a never ending evolution; you have the right to change your mind when you learn new and better ways. 

"I wish I'd known," is something that many people have said to me after learning how to train their dog.  You cannot go back in time and relive the moments that we regret.  Life is about going forward.   

Life is a story

 

Life is a story, what's yours?

What's your story?  Everyone has one, we all live our very own story.  I love to hear life stories from other people.  It is funny how small life details you discover about a friend or acquaintance can be very enlightening.  "Wow, really?  I didn't know that."  Life is all about experience, learning and evolving.  Our story is about our evolution as a person or dog. 

My own story has made me who I am today; the dog guardian that I would not be if it were not for my story.  What we often take for granted is what it is all about, the day to day.  A very small part of my day to day is written in two books, so far.  A third is in production.

PBJ and me

And Back Again

I wrote these two books thinking that other canine guardians might take something from them in their own lives.  We dog lovers are kindred spirits spanning across the world; brought together by a passion, our dogs.  Whether you are a new canine guardian or a long time one; we come together with a common thread. 

I love talking dogs with people.  Hearing past experiences and parts of their story that stand out for them.  Different dogs, different stages of life, memories.  Just as we evolve, so do our dogs.  Many different life experiences lend a hand in their evolution.  From a new blank slate puppy to a fully mature adult; much goes into the making of a great dog.  Much goes into the evolution of a great dog and a great dog is in the heart of the attached human.  That canine/human connection is what a great dog is all about; that one canine and one human who come together to forge a forever bond.  The very essence of what being a dog lover is all about. 

Every so often I will sit and let the memories come to me.  Often a memory will pop up when you least expect it.  But then there are times when you sit and submerge yourself in them; savoring all the tiny moments that have a part in the here and now. 

Take a moment and look back at your dog story.  From the time before you met your first life altering dog until now.  How far have you come? 

Leave a comment, I love to hear from you.

Rest

Wow, I hadn't even realized that it's been 5 days since I last wrote a blog.  You know you are busy when.  I've been busy with lots of different things. A few things on the agenda have been wrapped up and put away; but there are a couple that are lingering.  Tomorrow I will try to get back to my same'ole.  Today Elsa and I took the day off from walking.  Like us, sometimes our dogs need a day off.  If you faithfully workout day in and day out, ya gotta rest and so does your dog.  Elsa is a highly athletic girl and when she is exercising it is not a mosey type walk around the park; it is a power walk and sprinting.  She does nothing halfway.  It is all or nothing for Miss Elsa.

Not every day is filled with working out the body; some days we focus on the mind, but those become less and less with adulthood.  Every once in a while we'll hit the outdoor mall, walk the streets or go to the beach.  Lots of mental stimulus on those days but not so much physical exercise.  It is funny how much mental stimulation can knock a dog out without any physical excursion.

But today was a day off, no mental stuff; although we did do ball in the yard.  When I garden, Elsa retrieves.  She is a retrieving maniac and when she sees my garden bucket come out, she's on it.  She immediately starts dropping her ball into my bucket.  So she is getting a bit of a workout but nothing like the typical power workout.  A day of rest, Elsa style. 

I'm a home body and as such I love nothing more than a whole day spent at home.  No training, no photo shoots, just home, Elsa and I.  If you tend to be the workout type; love to exercise, then you surely take days off, right?  The more you workout the more important it is to take days off.  On Elsa's day off she tends to catch up on rest.  She is not a great day sleeper; if there is anything going on she is not sleeping.  Although she does sleep really great at night and loves her early morning snuggle sleeping.  

Rest is an important part of exercise.  All work and no rest is not good for anyone, including our dogs.  Mondays tend to be our dog day off; this is due to action filled weekends and then a need for rest.  So take a day, put your feet up and let your dog take the day to rest.  If you've earned it, take it.   

Friendly?

Basset puppy, curious but apprehensive.  Italian Greyhound tolerating the interaction but not thrilled.  

Heading directly towards us, I step off of the path and oncoming oblivious person.  Yep, she steps off as well and continues our way.  Moving further away and trying my best to make it perfectly clear that we are not interested in an interaction with my body language; my hard work goes unnoticed.  Of course it does, I'm use to this response.  So many humans are clearly inept at reading body language.  

The woman and her very large husky type dog sporting a prong collar attached to an extension leash are not someone we want to talk to.  In fact there are very few "strange" dogs we like to meet these days.  When Elsa was young we searched for friendly dogs.  But even then I had to do some major investigative reading before I allowed an interaction.  Just one bad interaction can set things in motion; like when Elsa was attacked by the bulldog.  She is now very wary of strange dogs as am I.  People just don't understand dogs in general, let alone their own.  

"Oh yes, he's friendly," famous last words right?  I don't care what anyone tells me, I have to read myself.  Even then dogs have many different levels of friendly and as they get older it changes.  Many adult dogs do not want to deal with puppies or young rambunctious dogs.  Very few dogs want to just play with anyone, no questions asked.  

But we push don't we?  Pushing can backfire.  It can lead to stress and all sorts of new fallout behaviors.  We need to know our dogs and respect them for who they are.  Elsa LOVES her friends, I mean she goes ga ga over them.  She can make new friends but the introduction can take time because of her past experience of being attacked.  Plus it must be a very friendly, wiggly and inviting type.  Best if it is a male, males seem to get away with murder by Elsa.    

Do we want to hug and play with every person we pass while out in our day to day?  Hardly.  Every dog is different, like us.  Respect one another and your dog, we all have our limits.  

A dog by our side-connection in the moment

Are you in the here and now?  I sometimes looked down at my dogs and think "I didn't see you today."  Even though I'd was home and beside my dogs for most of the day.  Life is busy, it is busy for everyone; but sometimes our days just seem to be crazier than others.  I try very hard to be in the here and now.  Funny how being in the moment can be difficult and something that we need to work on. 

When my days get a bit out of control it is typically direction challenges.  I have things to do in all different directions, which keeps my brain completely occupied. Books, online consultations, photo shoots, personal errands etc. etc.  So if I've got too much on my mind I can forget to come back down into the moment.  Blogging grounds me, whether it is this dog blog or my workout blog; it tends to bring me back down to the moment.   Whereas writing books tends to take me away to somewhere else.  Funny. 

Elsa is very good at letting me know when I need to come back home.  She nudges my arm gently until she gets my attention.  Once we've made the connection she uses her eyes, that communication that she is so astute at.   Elsa has a lot to say and when she talks I try to always listen. 

Some people go through life never connecting with their dog or other people for that matter.  They live in their home with a dog, go for walks and even car rides without ever connecting.  Connecting means being in the here and now.  Yep, that "living in the moment" saying.  But it takes work and the busier you are the harder it is to be in the moment.  To stop thinking about the day ahead, the events of yesterday and be right there in the moment that you are in. 

I am a huge multitasker, like many other folks.  At any one moment I may be doing ten different things.  But when you do this, you are not in the moment.  Multitasking is good but only for short bursts, when things need to get done.  These type of days seems to fly by and be forgotten.  Many crazy multitasking days end up with me asking myself "what the heck did I do today?"  Sometimes you must direct all your attention to the task at hand.  That means dropping everything else from your brain and allowing the moment to be that one individual thing.  Your dog.

Elsa and I have had one connection already this morning.  Penny is still in her crate so Elsa has my undivided attention for snuggling and talking.  She is asleep now as I blog and soon Penny will be up to enjoy the day with us.  Life can get crazy for us all.  It is so very important to go through the day taking connection moments.  Put the phone down, turn off the t.v., get off the computer and connect, be in the moment. 

Walking with your dog?  Enjoy the time watching them enjoy it.  Feeding your dog?  Have a conversation while you prepare their food and sit with them while they eat.  Take the time to savor the moment.  Make connections throughout your day.  Life is too short to look back and have missed it all.   

A dog never forgets

"An elephant never forgets," well neither do dogs.  I opened the door and Elsa went into her "they're  here, they're here" routine.  It had been a year since she last saw them; but she knew exactly who these visitors were and welcomed them into our home.  You see dogs don't forget; they don't forget the good or the bad. 

I remember my friend asking me if Luke would remember her after so many years. She met him once, very briefly when he was young and then several years later.   Luke was an easy read sort of guy.  If you were a real stranger then he treated you as such; if he knew you, it was clearly obvious.  When my friend walked into our home, it was obvious that she was a friend and not a new stranger.  Elsa is the same, although she really loves humans there is a clear difference between strangers and friends.  A dog never forgets.

Along with the good memories there are also the bad things that dogs remember.  To this day Elsa hates doves, yes friendly little cooing doves.  They gave her a bad startle many times when she was little so now she tries to rid them from her yard.  She does not forget.  Can dogs get over bad experiences?  Yes.  But it takes patience and work to make the bad memories into neutral ones.  If you do a good job at desensitizing and creating a new and positive association to the past negative one; those can sometimes be overridden. 

Desensitizing is the act of creating a neutral or non issue out of something that has in the past, created an emotional response.

Counterconditioning is creating a new and different response to a stimulus. 

Dogs learn through association and if that association is a negative one it can be very difficult to undo.  I am often given a "tough case" to rehabilitate when the owners haven't a clue what is going on.  Looking at the big picture and performing a detailed forensic type investigation I can often figure out where it all began.  But, sometimes there is no figuring out where a behavior came from and you must simply direct all your attention to the behavior itself. 

Of course like us, dogs are all different.  Some remember, react and rehabilitate more readily than others. 

Dogs do not forget.  Yes, they can be rehabilitated but they will never forget.  So the next time you wonder if your dog will remember your friend from a year or two ago, don't; because they will most definitely remember. 

Breeding dogs

"I just want to have one litter."  "I would love a baby from her/him."  "I want my kids to see puppies being born and raised."  Hmmmmmmm.  So many reasons why people want to have puppies.  Having puppies is a big deal; with an extremely high level of quality commitment needed.  A few questions to consider:

Are you willing to get all the health tests required on the breeding parents?

Are you willing to get all the vet checks and extra nutrition requirements met before, during and after the puppies arrive?

Do you know the genetic history behind your dog?  This is an important one, just because your dog seems healthy does not mean that they will produce healthy puppies if they have unhealthy dogs in their lines. 

Are you giving perspective puppy buyers a health guarantee?

Will you temperament test your puppies and place them with the family best suited for them; giving them the best chance at a happy life?

Will you turn people away who want a puppy that should not have a puppy?

Will you do extensive screening on would be puppy buyers?

Do you have a waiting list for these puppies?

Will you take back any of your puppies at any age if something goes wrong in their new homes?

Will you keep your male or female safe from breeding randomly?

Does the dog that you are intending to breed have an exemplary temperament that people would want in their own dog?

Will you be there to support the questions and needs of your new puppy buyers? 

Are you willing to do early socializing and learn how and why it is done? 

Are you willing to give up much of your time to create a safe and enriching 8-10 weeks for your puppies?

Will you make sure to research how to best feed your dogs and puppies for optimal nutrition?

Will you take your dogs and puppies to the vet for health checks? 

If you cannot answer 100% yes on 100% of these questions then do not even consider breeding your dog.  Breeding dogs is not a flippant fun thing to do; there are too many dogs in shelters and rescue already, you don't need to create any more. 

I have had dogs for almost 40 and been extensively involved in the world of dogs in some form or another, and have no intention of breeding dogs.  

If you are considering breeding your dog, ask yourself these questions.  Then think more, research and think some more before hand.  Don't wait until the deed is done to have the realization that you have bitten off more than you can chew.  Do not be the person who adds to problem.