Best friends are the greatest

It had been quite a while since Yogi came for a visit; two months to be exact.  About 10 min. before Yogi and his Mom arrived to play, I let Elsa know.  Her intelligence constantly amazes me; she knows all of her friends by name.  When we meet new dogs I try very hard to teach their name to her.  She definitely knows who Yogi is.

Careless and oblivious

We were walking around the curve of the park when I saw a woman open up her back hatch and let her dog out.  He was leashless and she was oblivious.  She had no idea that we were coming up from behind and I had no idea whether or not she would leash her dog.  Elsa and I waited and waited as the woman head off into the park without ever looking around.  If she would have turned around she would have seen a leashed Elsa and I.  

When Luke was still with us we had an incident at another park with an oblivious dog owner.  What is it about people and their lack of concern for others?  Just because they think that their dog is friendly does not mean that other people or dogs want a visit from them.  Another time when Tilley was around, a woman let her dog out of the car and it charged Tilley; knocking her to the ground.  I was furious and gave the woman a piece of my mind and then some.  The dog was not friendly and she blindly let it out without a leash.  It makes me crazy quite frankly.

I'm a scanner, I do not like surprises so I am always scanning our environment; especially before opening the car and letting Elsa out.  She is trained not to get out until I say so; and I do not say so until she has a leash on.  This is a safety precaution that every dog owner should instill in their day to day.  I have had too many dogs off leash charge us to go in blind.  

The idea that some folks have about their dog is really worrisome.  If they consider their dog to be friendly then they have this idea that all people and dogs would want to visit.  WRONGO.  If you want your dog to interact with other dogs then go to a dog park, or have dog friends over to your home for a visit.  Or ask ahead if your LEASHED dog can say hi to another.  It is just not fair to allow your dog to run up to other dogs or people.

Just imagine for a minute:  You alone get out of your car and as you start to head out into the park another person comes running straight at you with their arms out for a hug.  Hmmmmm, you might run and get back in your car, prepare to defend yourself or punch that person in the face, right?  I know I would.  Yet some people expect their dog and other dogs to be visit with all the strange dogs they meet.  

Keep your dog on a leash folks.  The only time your dog should be off leash in a leashed area is if NO ONE else is around.  It is extremely rude and disrespectful to do otherwise.  When I am out with my dog, I am out with my dog.  I am not out to visit you or your dog unless I have made plans to do so.   So keep your dog on a leash unless you and your dog have the place to yourself.  And do us all a favor and learn to look before leaping.  Honestly.   

Somebody's watching me

 

Elsa keeping a very close eye on Mom.

 

Watching me.

 

 

As I drifted off to sleep last night Elsa sighed and rested her head on my calf.  I smiled, as we then drifted off together.  My last thoughts were that we are physically connected often throughout the day and night.  Elsa is a touchy feely kind of girl and now that she is without her Luke, all that need goes to the rest of us.  Not only does she need to touch a lot but she always knows where we are.  She is always watching. 

All dogs are different, that is most definitely a fact.  There are dogs who don't care where you are in your day to day but they are the minority.  Most are by your side, wherever you may be.  Elsa is most definitely a by my side girl; and I have not yet achieved a sneak away moment.  She has a heightened awareness of my movements and does not miss any attempts at change.  I cannot even move my computer chair without her getting prepared to go wherever I am going.  Although she has just recently been leaving me and for a moment or two to check things out.  That is if she thinks that I will stay where I am until she gets back.  If I happen to move while she is away, I can hear her charge through the house like a maniac until she locates me once again. 

We are a pack and packs do things together.  If Elsa happens to sneak off to check out a lizard or watch a cat out the window it is because she is very aware of where I am.  Typically she leaves me at the computer or in front of the television; because she knows that there is a good chance I'll be there a while.  If I am moving about she will not leave my side; I am not settled and she will have to search for me when she comes back. 

Yesterday on Elsa's first trip outside she got stuck on scenting.  Obviously there had been critters in the yard overnight.  I decided to leave her out there and go get dressed for the gym.  Only seconds after heading upstairs I heard the thunderous charge of her feet coming up.  She hadn't noticed me go inside and was not happy that she lost my whereabouts.  As soon as she realizes that I have changed location, her head drops to the ground to find me.  Tilley was the exact same as far as scenting over visually searching for me.  It is pretty cool.  She can find my fresh footprints in our own house which is filled with my smells. 

Side by side we go through our day.  When I go out, she waits patiently for my return.  She does not get into anything, she just quietly waits for me to get back home.  Elsa has always been like this.  I clearly remember leaving her the run of the house for the very first time when we were in Connecticut.  I turned and locked the front door behind me as she watched from inside.  The whole front of the house was windows, including the door so I could see her as I pulled out of the driveway. 

When I returned home an hour or two later, there she was.  At five months old she was sound asleep where I'd left her.  She awoke when I put the key in the door and we had our little greeting.  It has remained unaltered to this day. 

I never had to look far, she is always by my side or closer. 

Actions speak volumes over words.

 

Penny, very happy that Grandma came for a visit; and that's the truth. 

Have you ever run into someone who says one thing and does something altogether different?  Probably, because there are a lot of people out there like this.   They talk a good talk but they don't walk the walk.  You can say anything you want but if you never follow through or do as you say then your talk is nothing.  In every aspect of life you may come across those who say the words you want to hear but fail to act out those words. 

This whole "mean what you say" stuff involves our dogs as well.  Do you do what you say?  Do you follow through with what you tell your dog?  Do  you enforce things that you have asked your dog to do?  Or do you say one thing and mean another?  Dogs get this and they know who walks the walk.  Don't kid yourself, if you are a pushover then your dog knows this fact about you. 

Enforcing is very important; many people consider it to be mean or bossy.  But if you ask your dog to do something and then do not enforce it; how do they know when they must really do what you ask?  What if an emergency came up and you very desperately needed them to do something?  Then what?  When I ask for something to be done, it must be done.  I don't care how silly or useless it seems, if I have asked I will enforce.  It means when you say something and your dog gives you the finger; that you don't just shrug and walk away.   Of course a dog must clearly understand what you are asking before you can enforce anything.

The same goes for things that we tell our dogs.  Many people use words to get their dogs to do behaviors that they have failed to train. Often these words are just that, empty words which our dogs quickly learn to ignore.  NEVER lie to your dog.  Don't say to them "want to go for a car ride?"  If you are not taking them in the car.  Do not ask them if they "want a cookie," just to get a cute head turning video and no cookie.  Lying to your dog is detrimental to a solid trust between you and your dog. 

Dogs talk the talk and walk the walk.  They do not lie.  A human will tell you that they are trustworthy and ethical and then their actions may say the opposite.  A dog will never say one thing and have the truth be something different. 

Mean what you say and say what you mean.  Anything else is just a waste of time for everyone involved. 

A half of a year

 

Elsa in a quiet moment.

I cannot believe that it has been one half of a year already.  Today marks a half year of our life without Luke; it doesn't seem possible that it has been so long already.  It really feels like only yesterday that he left us.  But as time has passed it has softened the blow; it is true about time and how it is needed to heal.  I am often called to help those who cannot seem to deal with a loss and the bottom line is always time; that and moving on, as we must. 

My husband and I were talking about Luke over the weekend, as we often do.  We talked about another, that we do indeed need to add to our family.  Together we also came to a very clear realization; that this time alone with Elsa has been good.  It has given us some one on one before we add #2.  Much time at the end of Luke's life was focused on him, as it should be.  Of course I spent a great deal of time with Elsa as well but when you care for a very old dog there is a great deal of focus on them. 

This time with Elsa has been all about Elsa.   I did not have this one on one with any of my other dogs after the death of another.  It has been a learning experience, like everything else in life.  Elsa has changed in these 6 months; she had to like us, she has adjusted to life without Luke.  She has done well and is doing just fine now; but she needs a companion in the form of a canine.  Elsa does very well with puppies and brings them into her circle quickly.  There will be one in the not so far future.  But for now Elsa is getting out and about and dealing with life as Elsa, only Elsa. 

Not a day goes by without my mind going to Luke at some point.  His loss still brings a tear to my eye but it is only one that can be brushed away and followed by a smile.  A dog like Luke creates such a void when they are gone; he was an amazing and very special dog who I still cannot believe is gone.  Luke was a life altering dog; he changed my life forever and for that he is always with me.  Death does not remove love; you can never stop loving such a dog.   

We carry that love with us and onto the next.  We must go on and that is what we are doing. 

So, what have you been up to?

Breeder - Laurie Turner, Washington.  Amazing set up, toys, litter box, nonslip surface for puppies to move around and den.  Really nice.  What a great start to life for these little munchkins.

I always wonder what puppies are doing when I cannot see them.  Let's face it, these days it is hard to find an amazing breeder next door.  So, this means that you must rely on photos and videos if you want to know.  I WANT TO KNOW.  I do not like being kept in the dark about anything and that goes for my future puppy.  What are they doing all day?  What is the breeder offering the litter as far as enrichment?

A great example of enrichment, Youtube.  First day in their new big space.  Breeder is Laurie Turner in Washington.


Same litter, 5 weeks old.

Over the years I have seen many, many, many litters.  I have photographed, assessed and temperament tested them.  Some litters I've just been there visiting but still took the time to talk about what the breeder doing as far as enrichment.   Like everything else in this world there are those who do little with their litter; to breeders who offer a full on enrichment agenda.  

All breeders are also different as far as sharing images and videos.  Although many these days rely on FB and Youtube to share their little bundles of joy to the world.  But if you are getting a puppy from a breeder who is not into "sharing" then you will need to ask and ask you should.  A puppy who has had little enrichment and socializing will be extremely different than one who has already experienced a great deal.  

I love when I see a litter who is introduced to many different things.  Even if a future puppy of mine is not in that litter; I get excited with breeders who are giving their all.  Those breeders who are doing their best to give their puppies an amazing head start in life.  Puppies who have been given early enrichment, thrive.  Of course one must understand what is a good amount of enrichment. 

Enrichment is not hard to offer puppies.  Introduction to new things on a daily basis is easy peasy.  It doesn't take much to introduce new things to puppies who have only been alive for maybe two or three weeks.  Everything is new to them; but if they sit in a whelping box or cage all day and night then they are not being enriched.  A puppy with no experience at all will be at a disadvantage.   

You as the puppy buyer may have a great deal of work ahead of you when you get a puppy with a non enriched background.  I have seen many puppies who have been raised in a box and literally never set foot anywhere else until they are 8 weeks of age.  It is a sad thing to see puppies so scared of everything around them.  But when a breeder has given their puppies early enrichment and socializing, they are much more prepared to take on new things in their life.  It is not as scary when you've already dealt with different things.  

When you begin your search for a puppy, ask about early enrichment and socialization.  Along with health testing parents, proper nutrition and temperament testing; socialization and enrichment is up there with important things to consider when choosing a puppy.  Not only will it give your puppy a great start in life but you will be supporting a breeder who is doing their very best for their puppies.  That is important.  

Happy 4th

Happy Birthday to my wonderful girl Elsa.  She is 4 years old today and in her four years she has been through a lot.  Elsa joined our family as #4 canine; after #1, fifteen year old Jessie (JRT), #2, fourteen year old Tilley and #3, eleven year old Luke.  She fit in like she was meant to be; popping out of her crate and into our lives.  Her assimilation was immediate and flawless.  

Not long after she joined us we started a new life journey.  A great deal changed for us over the next few months when Elsa was still just a puppy.  We lost our #1 and #2 only weeks apart.  It was then Luke and Elsa who would forever change me, us and many others of you who follow along.  As you know it is now just Elsa.  From #4 to #1, much has changed for her.  

Elsa has to the be the happiest girl I've ever met.  She adores life and everyone of her people and dogs in it.  Once you have been given the label of Elsa's friend, you are in for life.  Being Elsa's friend you will always be the recipient of a cup runneth over greeting and warm welcome; to Elsa, friends are everything.

Just arrived. 

So to my amazing girl Elsa (who by the way is the original; after Elsa the lion that is) and her siblings; a very Happy 4th birthday.  Here's looking at many, many more.    

A trainer is a trainer

Your dog's life is in your hands.  

The term "trainer" implies some degree of knowledge with regard to a specific activity.  Being a trainer does not mean that you are an expert; nor does it mean that what you teach is useful or pertinent.  As far as being a dog trainer, there is a vast degree of difference in those who call themselves a trainer.  I met a girl who said she was a dog trainer; when we started discussing behaviors it was obvious that she didn't understand what I was talking about.  She did not have a dog of her own and had only been training at PetSmart for over a month.  Scary.  She was teaching people how to train their dogs.

There are trainers and there are trainers with experience.  Experience teaches you more than anything in a book; hands on work with dogs is real life experience.  Each dog is different, working with a new dog always comes with new lessons.  There have been times when I was really surprised by a displayed behavior; a new lesson was learned.  Truly understanding dog behavior means that you can never assume that something will work.  You must have alternative tactics for when it doesn't work.

Working with dogs is a never ending lesson.  Those who think that it is done one way and that is how you do it, is not someone you want training your dog.  Typically, conventional choke collar trainers do it one way; it is all about the collar and correction.  Take the collar off, the leash off and where are they?  They are stuck with no means to teach, sad.  If they cannot yank a dog around on a leash and collar they really have no knowledge of how to interact and teach the dog.  One way or no way for these type of trainers.

My training is geared around living with extremely well behaved dogs.  I do not teach agility, flyball or other activity type training.  I know many dogs who are amazingly well trained in their field of competition but off the field they are literally a fur monster on four legs.  This is a major reason why I love doing in-home private training; I get to see the dog in the home where the action happens, the day to day.  Each dog's training is set up for that particular dog in their home with their people.

In the world of training there are the inexperienced newbies, trainers stuck in their ways of the past, those who only know one way and the very harsh and cruel trainers.  It always surprises me how many harsh trainers are still around and that people allow these trainers to do what they do to their dogs.  I have heard of one trainer who comes to your home and immediately alpha rolls the dogs. People stand back and let it happen.  One woman I talked to told me that her dog bit the trainer pretty badly after being alpha rolled; not surprising.

Over the years I have undone a great deal of damage done by inexperienced or harsh trainers.  When I meet the owner and hear about what the trainer did to their dog, it makes me crazy mad.  I try to explain to the owner what has happened to their dog and then we get to fixing the issue.  Many bad trainers use bullying tactics to sell their talents.  They use the owners feeling of inexperience and inadequacy to fuel the "you're going to wreck your dog," idea.  I have heard this time and time again from owners who put blind faith in a trainer and now live with the guilt.

When you hire a trainer, no matter what trainer that is; you must feel good about what they are doing or asking you to do with your dog.  If you shudder at something your trainer is doing to your dog or wants you to do; don't do it.  Not everyone has you or your dog's best interest at heart.  Inexperience, greed, anger and EGO have no place in dog training.  Much damage can be done by a trainer who lacks basic knowledge about canine behavior.

If you feel the least bit apprehensive about a trainer, find another.  

Your dog is worth the best.

Did you react appropriately?

We made it and came out better after the fact!!!!

I hope that everyone made it safe and sound through the worst of the fireworks.  Did you?  Did you ignore the fireworks?  Did you pretend that there was no crazy booming going on?  Did you do your chill routine? 

Elsa did great with just some minor concerns.  Nothing that the safety of being with Mom and Dad couldn't help with.  She did a great deal of watching us which is what dogs do to see how we are reacting.  We ignored the fireworks and even played ball in the yard.  

Our dogs look to us for guidance; just seeing how we are responding helps them with how they should respond.  If you can get your calm reaction in before a dog becomes too fearful or reactive, then your work is done.  Often when a dog is left alone with no one to assist in the "we don't care about these things" department; then they can become very fearful. 

Being on their own doesn't always mean that they are physically alone.  Sometimes a guardian does not step up and offer guidance; leaving their dog to deal with a situation all alone.  It is our job to guide, how else can dogs learn if we don't teach them?  When we fail to guide we fail our dogs.  

Teaching our dogs how to remain calm requires us to be calm.  Even if you are feeling not calm you can act calm.  If a situation arises when we are caught off guard and thrown into an anxious state; it can take a great deal of smoke and mirrors to appear chill and calm.  But you can do it.  It takes practice but appearing calm, cool and collected can stave off many behavior issues with our dogs. 

Does your dog react to something specific?  Cars, other dogs, strangers, cats, loud bangs, bicycles or joggers etc?    Whatever it may be, take that "thing" that makes your dog react and turn it into a chill "we don't care" "thing."  It is all about association.  Are you creating a calm and cool association or amping things up?  

We can often cause situations to seem worse just by acting in the wrong way.  Tensing up, yelling, becoming angry or agitated, can all cause a negative association.  A very common issue with dogs is barking or going off when neighboring dogs start up.  We dealt with this at our current home.  There are a ton of dogs in the neighborhood and many that just seem to bark and bark and bark.  So when we first moved into this house and then again when Elsa was young, it was the calm and cool routine.  When the neighbor dogs got started, I kicked into my calm routine.  I'd immediately come out and start puttering around the yard; acting like there was no insane barking going on.  The dogs quickly realized that there was no need to join in and just got chill along with me.

Your dog is watching.  What are you saying to them?    

Exterior over interior?

Puppies, I'm always interested in looking at puppies; so when a litter comes through my email, Facebook, instagram or otherwise, I'm on it.  As most of you know I am research driven; so when I see a new litter and/or new breeder I like to have a peek.  This morning I was looking at several new breeder pages with litters.  Oh yes the puppies are adorable, what puppy isn't?  But when I look to see how much these folks are charging I'm let down.  Puppy #1 - 1,300.  Puppy #2 - 1,000.  Puppy #3 -2,000 and it goes on like this.  So what's the deal with the different prices?

First let me say that I am NOT a fan of tiered puppy pricing.  I think that breeders who do this perpetuate the exterior over interior idea of choosing dogs.  Many hike the price of more desirable colors, markings or even sex.  Others mark up the price of their puppies if they have bred a more desirable dam or sire.  So where do these price mark up ideas come from?  Scarcity marketing.

5) Scarcity 
Ever gone to buy airline tickets and seen a tagline that says “Only 3 seats left at this price!” Yup, that’s scarcity (another Cialdini concept). This psychology principle goes back to the simple formula of supply and demand: The more rare the opportunity, content, or product is, the more valuable it is.
(Taken from Hubspot blog)

A litter of 7 puppies can all have different price tags on them.  Odd, because they all came from the same parents, they all came out the same, all eat the same, get the same care and attention as the others.  The only difference is their exterior shell, their image.  If that image happens to be in hot demand then a breeder can up the price.  This practice is a commonly seen marketing ploy.

Premium pricing - The price set is high to reflect the exclusiveness of the product.

I do not agree with this type of pricing and feel that it fuels the whole beauty pageant idea.  Many breeders who price like this also place puppies as soon as they can.  Temperament is not a consideration; placing a puppy where it would best thrive does not matter to them because they are charging for their exterior, not interior.  How can you charge more for a puppy just because of it's color, markings or sex?  . 

What does this say about the puppy at the bottom of the pricing tier?  "Such a deal" or "not desirable" are the first two things that come to mind.  Whereas the puppy with the highly desirable color or markings can have a line of anxiously waiting folks willing to fork over more money if they can have the "best."  Or more correctly, hottest ticket.

This type of pricing is used by many breeders of different quality levels.  Even if a breeder does all the testing, care and enrichment; they fail in not placing their puppies where they should go according to their interior, temperament and personality.  I am a huge advocate of temperament testing and knowing where a puppy would best thrive.  Exterior has nothing to do with that. 

Dogs are not products and should not be priced as such.  Have you ever gone to buy an item and when given a choice of color, opted to pay $50.00 more for a snazzy red or blue?  That's all fine and good for a laptop, car, phone or something else, but not a puppy. 

In my opinion, puppies should be priced as one.  A breeder chooses the best of their dogs to breed; does all the health testing, which costs quite a bit.  They care for their pregnant dog, feed and care for the puppies all alike.  The price of the puppies should cover all of that and be set at a price that the breeder is happy with.  A higher price should not be put onto a puppy that is more rare or in higher demand.  

Sadly many people hop on the "new hot" color or pattern of dog and run with it.  It all stems from that one horrible thing that drives many human behaviors, greed. "I don't do it for the money," is a common phrase heard from breeders.  Well, if you are charging more for puppies of a different color or marking, then think again.  What does that price tag say about how you really feel about your dogs? 

Should you squeeze just a bit more out of people because you can?     

The Big Bang

It's that time of year again, the day that many dogs would dread if they knew that it was almost upon them.  July 4th in the USA and July 1st for Canadians.  July 1st is tomorrow so to all the Canadian dogs out there, hang tight; it will be over soon.  All across the internet you will read about things you should do for your dog on fireworks days.  But there will still be people who do not take precautions; there will be lost dogs, terrified dogs and worse. 

So here are a few DON'Ts.

DO NOT

- take your dog to a fireworks display.
- take your dog to crowded and hot daytime celebrations.
- leave your dog in the yard when you go off to celebrate the day or evening.
- leave any possibility for your dog to escape your home if you are not there.
- coddle your dog.
- make the loud booming a big deal.
- act out of the ordinary each time there is a boom.

DO

- stay home with your dog if you know they are fearful.
- make sure that there is NO way out of the house for your fearful dog if you must go out.
- leave the radio on.
- leave the television on.
- leave a fan or two on and the AC, the more noise the better.
- if you are at home with your dog, pretend it is a day like any other.
- try to do something your dog LOVES.
   Tilley use to be terrified of fireworks.  We use to get her ball out and attempt that; it took a while but finally worked being that she was a crazed retriever type dog. '
- watch a LOUD movie with some yummy snacks. 
- try your best not to flinch at the sounds, ignore them.
- ignore your dog's fearful reaction.
- talk upbeat and happy to your dog, especially if you see signs of relaxing.
 - check collar/ harness connection if you take your dog with you. 
- make sure that there is sufficient ID on your dog. 

A dog who is in a state of panic will run given the opportunity.  You may think that your dog would just bolt and keep going but they do.  When a dog is in such a fearful state they will not hear or see anything, they just run.  Safety is the key to keeping them safe.  A level of safety is needed that calls for above and beyond on fireworks days.

  - check, recheck and check again that there is no way your dog can escape.

It is always best to stay home on these days.  Unfortunately for those fearful dogs, there will be booming before and after the actual fireworks.  People love to shoot off their own and use firecrackers.  I wish people would think about all the terrified animals before they do this, but they don't.  So keep your dog safe.  Be vigilant. 

July 1st and 4th are wonderful days of celebration.  BUT, they have also become days of dread for many.  Stay on top of the safety and don't forget that your dog is watching you.  If you are having fun then it will be a lot less scary.  But please don't take them to the celebration, celebrate at home. 

This, not that. Luke's rules.

My hubby and I were talking about Luke over the weekend.  He is often the topic of conversation as we sit and think about the years gone past.  It is fun to remember the good old days; when he was young and not a frail old guy.  Those are the memories that are tucked away for months and years to come.  As we talked about him I said "remember when he was an idiot?"  We laughed thinking of him scaring people; he loved it and he knew who he could scare.  In his younger days he was often a butt head with people.  He loved to socialize but he loved to strut his stuff; prove to everyone that he was the man.  Being that he wanted to be the "top dog" in the pack but never was he sometimes turned his "I'm the s*&t" to visitors.

There are things that people do that are the complete opposite of what we should do.  One is to walk into someone's house and lavish attention on a dog you have never met.  People are very guilty of this and it can cause a whole bucket load of issues.  As we talked about Luke, the topic turned to a particular visit one day and I laughed thinking about it.  A Dad of one of my son's friends arrived at the door.  Before answering it I told Luke to backup and he did.  As soon as the guy was in the house the petting began.  I told him to not pet Luke but he said "it's okay."  It was okay and Luke was loving the attention; that was until the guy took one step to come into the living room.  That is when it was not okay.  

What happened?  The guy held his hands in the air with a puzzled look on his face.  "What the heck?  I was just petting him? he said.  "I know, that's the problem" I told him.  Luke was not about to just let this guy freely walk into our home.  He got all puffed up, did his best and very scary growl to let him know it.  So when the petting stopped and the man moved into our home, Luke felt the need to enforce "boss" rules.  

Like bowing down to a King, Luke had been raised up above this new visitor by all the attention.  Just think about a pack of wolves, who gets all the attention?  The leader does, that's who.  Lavishing Luke with attention at the front door and coming into our home were two entirely different things.  People think that dog's love us when they allow us to pet them.  This can be true but it is very often wrong; especially when talking about strangers, both dog and human. 

This, not that.   Luke had his own set of rules that the newcomer did not understand.  

When I go to a new client home for behavior modification work, I never pet the dog.  I rarely even look at the dog and opt to sneak view to see how the dog is behaving before ever putting out my hand.  I want to see how the dog feels about me being in the house before I make any advances on touching.  Touching is a big thing for dogs and people just don't get it.  

Every dog is different so of course how each is dealt with will be different.  As far as petting strange dogs?  Less is better.  Luke had a wealth of knowledge to share with us over the years.  No dog ever taught me as much as he did.  When a human listened to me when they came into our home, everything went smashingly.  If they did not look at Luke, did not give him the time of day he was an angel. Those who could not resist and did not listen to me; were usually gifted the butt head Luke routine.  Pumped up with lavish affection, it went straight to his head.  

I must add that this was all show and that is why I can laugh.  I knew him so well and could deflate his over stuffed head very quickly.  He outgrew the need to dominate as he got older so those memories are deeper down.  There are protocols to entering someone else's home; but we humans just don't get the dog part of it.  We reach out and make rude advances all the time.  

That very old idea of letting a dog come to you, that's a good one.  

  

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.