Verbal cues - commands

Photo taken many years ago.

Verbal cues are the words that we place on a behavior or action. These are very important for communicating with your dog. The more you teach, the more your dog can learn. I am always trying to teach new cues when going through our day to day. The importance of verbal cues has come to my attention recently as Elsa is recovering from her stroke.

When Elsa goes through her day to day, it is extremely helpful that I can give her a heads up. Meaning to give her a communication before it happens. eg. She is standing in the middle of the living room not knowing where we are going next. I can tell her “outside,” or “kitchen” and she gets the much needed info. Turning spontaneously is difficult for her; this is where the risk of falling comes in most.

She also has the added problem of thinking she can still do it all. This has meant a lot of tail grabbing last minute and giving her heads up verbal cues so that she does not anticipate the wrong movement.

Educating our canines is so very important and for the record, they are so much more intelligent that we can even imagine. They really astound me daily, even little Riggs. I cannot believe the words that he already gets and the emotion that he feels from me. Last night we sat watching an episode of Homeland; it is getting very intense now intense and crazy now in season 4 and has me sitting on the edge of my seat quite literally. Completely enthralled I let out a gasp last evening. Both Elsa and Riggs were licking my face in the next second. I ensured them that I was fine and they lay their heads down again.

Teaching your dog all that you can simply makes life more enjoyable as you share your day to days.

FCE - Spinal Stroke in dogs

As many of you know, my girl Elsa suffered a Spinal Stroke on Tuesday evening. It is very important to me that I share as much information with you all that I can. Many people seeing a stroke would opt for euthanasia, just like with Vestibular. I want you all to know that there is hope.

We were outside playing catch when Elsa very suddenly collapsed mid run, screaming in pain. So many horrific thoughts ran through my head in an instant. Had she broken her back? Her leg? Was she paralyzed? All these thoughts, yet I’d seen it happen and nothing actually happened. She had been running to get her ball and dropped halfway there.

I ran to her trying to get her to her feet. She was screaming in pain so I was careful to avoid her teeth. I could clearly see that her back left leg was not right. I fumbled for my phone with one hand, holding her up with the other. I was thankful I’d just put it in my pocket a moment before. I dialed my husband and blurted out that Elsa was down and I didn’t know what was wrong. Then I said “come home,” that’s it and hung up.

Hoisting Elsa up I considered lifting her. What if I was making whatever happened worse? What if I was hurting her by picking her up? I didn’t have a choice, I couldn’t just leave her there. Once in the house I lay her in the middle of the living room thinking that she would be safe there. I called the vet and told them I was coming in (I love my Vet by the way). While she was on the floor I ran and opened my car, grabbed my coat and purse. We had been playing outside so Riggs did not need to go out first. By the time I got back to Elsa she was flopping around like a fish on the floor trying to right herself but could not.

I hoisted her up again into my arms (lifting weights is SOOOO important). I told Riggs “just Elsa,” which he understands that he is not coming with us. I held Elsa in one arm (not easy,) but I had to shut it behind us so that Riggs didn’t sneak out in the panic. I got her in the back of my SUV and drove. On the way I tried to breathe, to calm myself and get a grip. I could hear Elsa flopping around in the back but I just needed to get to the Vet.

Once there I ran in asking someone to hold the door for me. With an almighty stretch I grabbed my lady out of the back and ran her in. A wonderful woman told me she would grab a leash and close my car for me. They took Elsa from me, I thanked the nice lady and sat down taking a deep breath. Now I just had to wait.

I didn’t have to wait long when they called me in a back room with the news. My Vet is wonderful, he is the best listening Veterinarian I’ve ever been to and explains everything in extensive detail. He began explaining just as my husband walked through the door. “I’m pretty certain that it is a spinal stroke, an FCE” he said. I had so many questions, which is normal for me as I want to know everything there is to know about pretty much everything. He explained.

Here are a few links to pages on FCE or Fibrocartilagenous Embolism

Affiliated Veterinary Specialists

Vet Med

Veterinary Partner

FCE Facebook Page

A spinal stroke is not like Vestibular. I thought it might be the same thing but it is very different. Tilley had a herniated disc which was very much like this stroke but it was treated with steroids which quickly rectified the paralysis. Then she was struck with Vestibular which she lived with for about 3 years before passing at almost 16 years of age. She was an amazingly strong dog and I miss her dearly.

Tuesday Elsa could barely move, we kept a towel under her stomach and held most of her weight. The next morning she seemed a bit more mobile but not a lot. We were at the Neurology specialist yesterday afternoon. After physically going over Elsa and discussing the facts about the incident she concurred that it was more than likely a stroke. We decided against the MRI right now because of the danger of anesthetic to Elsa.

As of this morning she has attempted to walk herself. Her back left leg is by far the most affected although her other limbs are not right. This afternoon she walked from the grass outside to the door and then I assisted her. She is very wobbly and weak; but she is swinging that dead left leg ahead now when she walks.

It makes me so sad to see my super athlete “Sporty Spice” in this condition but I have watched so many videos of dogs who have suffered the same blow but far worse. Many dog lose their bladder and bowel continence. Elsa has peed and pooped in the yard as I cheered her on. I do not know what the future holds; I have read good things and bad things so we will just hope for the best and push on.

As I sit writing this, watching Elsa on her new Orthopedic bed as she twitches in her sleep; I cannot believe that this is the same girl that was flying just hours before the stroke hit her. In fact she just got in trouble the other day for jumping over my short garden fence and into my garden. I told her “get out of there or you’ll get a spanking.” She looked over her shoulder, shrugged and jumped back over with ease as she seemed to say “whatever.” I had to smile. She is a very, very special girl; as are each and everyone, right?

She has been airborne since she joined us over 8 years ago.

Working out - get healthy with your dog

Out for a power walk with sniffing :)

We are already into February of the New Year. I truly cannot believe how fast time seems to go the older you get. With all the New Years resolutions around I’ve been thinking about health in regards to us and our dogs. I know that a lot people walk their dogs but never think about exercise for themselves and visa versa. I know people who do marathon type running who never take their dog. This always has me perplexed; how can you focus so much on exercise for yourself but never your dog?

There are people who take their dog to the dog park everyday; sometimes several times a day so that they get enough exercise but never think about it for themselves. I’ve been hearing a lot of statements like “my dog eats better than I do;” “I wish I could go for a run everyday, would be nice” lately. Because I’m around a lot of dog folks I hear these types of comments all the time.

I’m a big time lifter who loves exercise. I have been lifting weights since the age of 16; taking a break now and again. I am also a huge believer that a great daily workout for our dogs is essential for their mind and their body. This morning I was quite under the weather and was happy that it was a rest day for me (a day for my body to recuperate.") Riggs and Elsa were feeling great so I thought about exercising them when I was feeling so poorly. They had two really intense runs with their Dad over the weekend; so they could use a rest day as well but I felt guilty not taking them anywhere so opted for a sniff walk. A sniff walk is when you take the time and stop and everything your dog wants to check out. Sniff walks are VERY important for dogs; if you can get an exercise walk in with a sniff walk great. But getting exercise walks and sniff walks in separately works great as well.

I love when I can get in a gym visit and intense walks for my two. Running off leash is essential for dogs to muscle up. That means either in your yard or somewhere they can safely stretch their legs. Luckily I have a great strip where Elsa can get retrieving in; which is some of the best exercise around. If you are a good thrower and have fast retrievers; you can be get a power workout in, in a short time frame. If we are not going off leash, we move. We do not dilly dally along, we book it. Of course there are times when time permits that we have a power speed walk and a sniff walk. If I’ve been to the gym that day; it makes for a very happy Sherri, Elsa and Riggs.

I was a muscle preacher as my old boy Luke aged. He was never heavy muscled so we worked hard to get him buffed up enough to do the things he wanted to do. As he aged he lost muscle fast. Watching him age only fueled my passion for lifting and making sure that my dogs and I were strong. I use a gym for my own lifting exercise. I am not a gym rat; I’m an in and out kind of gal but when I’m there I hit the weights heavy. Although as I get older I am much more careful about how and what I lift. I’d love a home gym which would cut down on drive time and waiting for equipment but alas…

Dogs deserve to be fit and healthy just as we do. But like with us, it takes work. Dogs can’t take themselves out for exercise so it’s up to us. That job is made easier if we exercise as well. Strong, fit and healthy is good for all. Lets make 2020 a healthy one.

Dog leash - holding the leash

Hard to see here but the leash is exiting from the bottom of my hand (the pinky side).

Leash - a chain, strap, etc., for controlling or leading a dog or other animal; lead.

You have a dog or dogs. Then you have a leash or leashes. Even if you live on a farm in the middle of nowhere you probably even have a leash or two. Whether or not you use them for taking your dog for a walk is something entirely different. But let’s just say that “most” people need to use a leash and if you take your dog for a walk several times a week then you are using that leash a lot.

It would seem a very simple thing to use a leash right? Hook it up and go? Nope. You would be amazed at all the WRONG usage I see weekly if not daily. This could actually be a very long blog but I will try to condense as much as possible because the long drawn out explanation covering many different areas of the leash will be in my next book. :) And I will not be be blogging about extension leashes today (don’t even get me started on those suckers.)

As life can be, it is not always perfect but if we focus a bit on what we are doing we can have a more enjoyable walk with our dogs. I want to help save your hands and minimize the chance for you dog bolting away because you dropped or let go of the leash. I know I hate to see someone’s dog bolt out of their hand and straight at us.

The next blog will be about “the other end of the leash.”

People get their fingers mashed from their leashes all the time. I’ve had it happen myself and try to be in the moment and paying attention when I walk Elsa and Riggs. So how should you hold a normal leash? Normal as in - not chain, not extension; but either cotton, nylon or leather. Your leash should be loosely gathered in your hand and wrapped around your thumb once, for safety. But be careful to wrap the thumb loosely and tuck into your hand if possible.

The leash should enter and exit out the pinky end of your closed hand. The thumb wrap is an extra safety precaution if the leash should start to leave your hand. If the leash exits your hand from your thumb side, you have less strength to pull back, control or simply hang on to your dog.

The leash should not be wrapped around your hand or any of your fingers. Fingers are too small, even on a big guy, a strong, pulling dog can do a great deal of damage to them. If the leash is wrapped around your hand, your hand and/or fingers can be crushed. (Much like when a big dummy shakes your hand much too hard.) Along with the crushing effect of wrapping the leash, it also limits your ability to reel in and reel out quickly. And we all know that reeling in and out quickly is a part of walking our dogs, or at least it should be.

So there you have it, how to hold your leash properly.

Questions?

Me Monster

The “Me Monster.”

Me - adjective

of or involving an obsessive interest in one's own satisfaction:the me decade.

Monster - a legendary animal combining features of animal and human form or having the forms of various animals in combination, as a centaur, griffin, or sphinx.

All “Me Monsters” are not human. Riggs is a “Me Monster” and I’m sure that many of you live with or know a k9 version of the “Me Monster.” So what is a canine “Me Monster?” There are many different versions of “Me Monsters;” but for Riggs it means that he wants and needs all the toys and will never stop in his quest and he wants to be the first and only one greeting us when we get home. Last night as we sat watching television; Elsa jumped off the couch and ran to get her ball. She wasn’t interested in playing ball, she just wanted to have it with her on the couch. I immediately jumped into protective mode, knowing full well how Riggs would react.

Riggs wants whatever Elsa has. It makes no difference how many toys he has at the current time, he needs what she has. Even when he has a ball in his mouth he will try to wrangle another ball in there. He has a small mouth so he cannot physically get two in there at the same time. So he is being educated about taking Elsa’s things; not by Elsa but the humans in the family. Elsa is beyond tolerant of his “Me Monster” antics.

Playing fetch use to be a nightmare with Riggs around. We tried two balls and he was never satisfied with his. He would run after his and then hers, trying to wrangle the two balls into his possession some how. But things are much better now, he has learned that his ball is “his” ball. He is not allowed to touch her ball when they are playing fetch. I did not want to have to put him away when Elsa retrieved, so I trained and he learned.

All dogs are different and even though Elsa has an insane drive to retrieve and adores her balls; she has no desire to own them and loves to share. In fact she prefers to share, and play with others rather than control or own the balls. Nice.

Training dogs that are “Me Monsters” is a challenge but with consistency and determination it can be done and is well worth it. No I cannot take the desire to own everything away from Riggs but I can teach him impulse control.

Riggs fell asleep on my lap last night and Elsa on the other side with her ball tucked safely underneath her. Of course the moment she got up to stretch her legs he swooped in and snagged the ball. It may have been gone but it will never be forgotten.; it doesn’t matter how long she has something.

There are a lot of things that you can do to modify obsessive behaviors and they all have to do with association.

Don't touch

This type of touch is reserved for family or dogs that really like to be touched by strangers and have initiated it.

Riggs and I were nearing the end of our walk the other day when a little girl coming our way got off her bike and headed towards us. Her Mother told her “ask first,” so she did. My reply was “sorry he’s a bit nervous.” Riggs is nervous of kids when out and about. He finds them very unpredictable and is not a big fan. A lot of dogs are nervous of children and the Mother did the right thing by telling her daughter to ask. As we walked by I thanked her for asking and told her how great that was.

Now if I had been with Elsa, my reply would have been different. She loves kids but I still would have been a helicopter guardian because kids do things that aren’t great. Some will want to hug, which is completely inappropriate. Others shriek, wave their arms around and basically do weird things. I know, I’m a Grandma.

Touching should be preceded by asking ALWAYS. Dogs draw the need to touch from humans often; but, no one should ever touch without asking. People should not even motion to touch before they ask either. The rule of “don’t touch unless a dog initiates” should be followed. Dogs should always want to interact, otherwise there should be no interaction from strangers.

The other day I was in a store when a man grabbed my arm and then said “excuse me” as he walked by. He actually moved me out of the way which was not okay. It wasn’t horrific but it definitely lead me to ponder for a bit. I thought about how I ask people to “excuse me.” But then I thought about dogs and how people always want to touch them. Imagine if people walked up to you and reached their hand out to touch? Ask or not, not okay and pretty funny to think about.

But we walk up to strange dogs and want to touch them. I rarely pet dogs when I’m out, even when I’m not with Riggs or Elsa. I know better, although puppies usually suck me in of course and if they come wriggling up, then yes I will give them a scratch under their chest. But even then I will always wait for them to initiate. “

Petting dogs is lovely, if they want to be pet by a stranger. It is easy to tell if a dog is interested in being touched; but you have to know what you are looking at. Even owners will tell you yes if you ask to pet; even tough the dog is saying “no.”

Don’t touch without asking and even then, don’t touch unless the dog moves towards you to interact. Then always go underneath the chin or chest; never go above their head. This is one of the biggest and most common errors humans make.

Happy Holidays

Good morning…it is the Eve of Christmas Eve, we are very near to the big day. Right now we are hunkered down waiting for the rain to let up. Looks like here in SoCal we are in for rain throughout the holidays, but it should be lesser than it is right now. It is pouring right now.

The holidays can be hectic and tough for many dogs. Daily routine is different, more people are around, perhaps different people and/or strangers. There can be much more temptation as far as new items or food in the home as well. The holidays are a time for more attention to our dogs. Watching closely for any stress, more time to enforce training and maintaining an good level of energy outlet.

My hope for you all this holiday season is to have a wonderful, cozy and happy celebration.

We will be into a new year before long but lets enjoy this one to the fullest, right to the end. I love this time of year, it is by far my favorite. Having lived in Ottawa, Canada for 36 years I long for a white Christmas but alas…there will be none. Although we don’t have the snow I wish for, I’ll settle for blustery weather forcing us to stay inside by the warm fire.

I am looking forward to the New Year with lots of exciting things going on here at Just Dogs with Sherri. With everything geared to living our best canine lifestyle. :)

From our home to yours have a wonderful Christmas, Hannukah

and any other holiday that you and

your family are celebrating.

Separation

Separation - an act or instance of separating or the state of being separated.

Separation is important with our dogs. Not only is it imperative that they be okay with separation; it is essential to their well being that they be calm and comfortable while separated. Most k9 guardians have heard the term separation anxiety and have a loose understanding of what it means. But most folks thinks it only pertains to when we leave our dogs at home. It does include this but separation encompasses anything about the whole separation issue and today I want to talk about dog/dog separation anxiety.

Perhaps you have a dog and you want to add another to your family. Or, you have two or more dogs already. Do you take them out one at a time ever? How about regularly? Alone time is soooo very important, right from the get go. If dogs never learn to be alone they can never be the best version of themselves.

Let me explain. If your dog always has another dog with them then they never fully deal with the world around them on their own; they will also have a hard time if something should happen to that other dog/dogs.

I’m not saying to keep your dogs apart all the time, no. Simply take each out a couple of times a week so that they are all comfortable being left and going out on their own. Probably the biggest issue is being left. The dog left at home feels abandoned, like they are missing out and basically jipped out of some fun. But with enough repetition they will learn to be “okay” at home alone over time.

I have been doing this with my dogs for a long time and each and everyone one of them has dealt with being the one at home. When I had Luke and Elsa I worked very hard on the alone time. This enabled Elsa to be “okay” after Luke passed and she had no choice but to be alone at home when I went out.

With Riggs, it took a while. At first he was in his crate and he loved his crate but leave with Elsa and that was not okay. Then he moved to the expen, same thing but got better quickly. Then he was contained to the kitchen where he improved further and now he has run of the house when I go out; with or without Elsa at home. Of course he’d like to go each time but it is giving him essential tools to work with for the future. He is fine at home alone and that is important.

I communicate to my dog as far as who is going for a walk by saying “just Elsa” or “just Riggs.” Each understand and take away any mystery about who’s going. If I am going out alone I always simply state “Momma, will be back.” No big fuss or goodbyes, just the facts.

If you are always a pack, time to start some one on one time.

Dog play - changes

Dog play is a wonderful thing. While most dogs enjoy playing; their playing styles are all vastly different. Elsa use to enjoy playing with most dogs; that is unless they seemed threatening to her. Threatening is all in the eye of the defender. Now she enjoys romping with puppies and her friends. Friends are very different than strange dogs; although strange puppies seem to be welcomed easily for her as they are non threatening.

Riggs enjoys playing with others but very lightly until he gets to know them. When he meets a dog at the park he likes to say “hi” get to know them a bit and then maybe indulge in some gentle play. For him it is all about getting to know you. There are a couple of very rambunctious girls at the park that he has growled at when they over exuberantly get into play right away.

As far as rules for dog play…the dog who is less inclined to play should be the leader. Not the leader as in alpha but the leader in that they should not be forced into anything. If your dog is a rowdy player and sort of a bully then it is your job to rein them in. At any time a dog should become uncomfortable, things can go very bad. Which is why…

“Quit while you’re ahead”

is a motto in life for me. If we have a short but sweet interaction then we quit and move on. Sometimes just lingering and pushing the time can lead to trouble. This especially true when a dog is not the play all day with anyone type.

Another after neuter change

There has been big changes in the play in our home between Elsa and Riggs. When Riggs joined our family it took him a bit to get use to Elsa’s full on full force playing. Once he did then it was “game on,” most mornings and evenings (typical play times for most dogs). Then as he got older the play went to mounting and Elsa wanted none of it. Play stopped for many months as Riggs could not control himself if they started. BUT, things are now changing back. They are beginning to play again which I am happy about. Riggs is doing most of the initiating and Elsa is still a bit apprehensive, thinking that it is a ploy to something else.

Yesterday they had a nice rough and tumble brawl, it made me really happy. Riggs is a funny guy, he pushes and pushes to get Elsa to play but once she’s in, he is easily intimidated. Elsa is a big girl, Riggs is a small guy and when Elsa wants to play she is quite the force to be reckoned with. So when the chase begins he is having fun then as it continues he gets slightly concerned until sometimes he resorts to hiding. Once she diffuses he starts pushing again. So he just needs to up his confidence.

Again, another positive after neutering.

A k9 Thanksgiving update

Our Granddaughter enjoying the company of Elsa and Riggs. Elsa adores her as she does the rest of her Grandbabies. I refer to Elsa as our Nanny dog as she LOVES her babies; but much supervision is instilled around dogs, babies and kids. Elsa would like to care for them as she would her own puppies so we intervene often. Riggs is just learning about kids and babies. (No worries, both Grandpa and I were right there to grab little grabby hands.) :)

Happy Thanksgiving to all. Our family had a Thanksgiving celebration last weekend which has become our tradition now. This way everyone can make it and we don’t have to divide the family to other families. This year all but one bunch made it due to stomach flu. It’s always something when you have 5 children four years and under. So we were five bodies short but had a good day nonetheless.

Our youngest grandchildren are now around the 6-8 month mark which makes them mobile. This is the time when our dogs can have a tough time dealing with a crawling little human. I am happy to say that Riggs is really not hugely concerned with the recent mobility issue and the little ones have been assimilated into the “family” in his mind. Of course the shrieks, crying and screaming were something he had to get use to but he is doing really well in that department.

He has also done extremely well dealing with little Miss Luna coming to our home with her family. Luna is a very dominant female who Elsa has learned to live with as well. Even Luna has learned that it is not okay to come in and rule the roost; that is Miss Elsa’s place and she does it with finesse, elegance and grace (not that I think she is the most amazing dog in the world or anything). ;)

So, we are three weeks out now since Riggs got neutered and to date there has been drastic change in him.

• He is much more affectionate.

• Marks nearly not at all.

• Barely pulls on his leash on walks.

• Wants to actually play with Elsa.

• Is more calm in many situations.

The changes have all been very drastic and positive. I am very happy that I chose to neuter him. Like I always say “all dogs are very different” like us. When Riggs first joined us my choice was to not neuter unless needed. As time went on I saw a need to neuter and it was the right thing to do for everyone involved. He is much more stable now; having lessened the testosterone surge in his body. I truly believe that he just had too much to live happily with. Sure it might have petered off and settled down in months and years to come but then he would have missed out on so much regular day to day joy.

The only thing I have seen that could be minutely negative is that he seems cautious and suspicious. I will elaborate on each change in detail in future blogs. But this more aware thing seems to have come from the absence of testosterone drive. Almost like he is seeing his surroundings more clearly and unclouded now. It’s not huge but a change I’ve seen. As you all know I am hyper aware of behavior, both k9 and human so pretty much nothing gets by me either. (more on that later).

I cannot believe we are in “the season” now. It is my most favorite time of the year and when I can be festive, I will. I love the Christmas season so brace yourself for a slew of Christmassy k9 photos and posts.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all. Take care, be safe and enjoy. From our home to yours.

OCD in dogs - glimmer man

Glimmers, ahhhhh glimmers.

Glimmer - a faint or unsteady light; gleam, twinkle, shimmer, or flicker

I hate glimmers. My daughters dog Penny (the bull terrier) is also a glimmer dog. So what do I mean by glimmer dog? A dog who sees the tiniest of glimmer (definition above) and goes after it. It can become a problem, much like shadow chasing. So far Riggs has gone after a few shadows but not like his glimmers. Perhaps there is a more steady supply of glimmers and this is the only reason.

I’ve dealt with OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) in many dogs, my own included. As many of you know Tilley was a shadow chaser; which is why she became an amazing and quite famous frisbee dog. Her need to chase became obsessive as does most OCD dogs. Tilley’s shadow chasing issue started at the age of 4 months old when she very quickly realized that our 3 acre property held a plethora of bug and bird shadows to chase. After moving to California it became clear that I needed to get a handle on her behavior.

Tilley was a very high drive dog, as is Elsa; but Elsa has never veered off of actual items to chase, thankfully. Riggs’ problem started later and with a very small glimmer from my cell phone on the floor. When I saw it I yelled internally “noooooooooooooooo not another one. “ I had not thought that Riggs was a high drive dog but he is. He prefers glimmers but will chase shadows, beams of light and water from the hose. He has also noticed those little specks of dust floating in the beams of sunshine and tries to bite them.

To say that Riggs is hyper vigilant to his surroundings is an understatement. Nothing gets passed him and everything is assessed. Not a glimmer goes undetected but I have already managed the water and flashlight issue. But the glimmers are his biggest problem, you can very literally see it in his eyes. His pupils dilate and he slips into his “I cannot control myself” behavior. Right now he is still on the mend from being neutered but once he is all done, it will be back to maniac style retrieving which is one thing that definitely helps. He has a need to chase so chase he must.

It is very important to get a handle on OCD, not matter what the trigger is. Dogs must learn when and where they can indulge their need to chase; because left unchecked it can be a very dangerous behavior. Tilley once chased a crow’s shadow across a park and out onto a street. That was the very moment that it all changed and she became a frisbee dog in the making. She knew that when she was home in her fenced yard that she could indulge, but that was the one and only place.

Lots of dogs chase, but chasing and obsessive chasing of anything is not good. Once obsessive comes into play, so does loss of control. So you must take back control and get the behavior to a manageable level.

I’m sure that many of you have questions…ask away.

Dog neutering

So…Riggs is getting neutered. I’ve thought long and hard about this; I had planned not to neuter him unless it made sense to do so and it does. He’s driving Elsa away with his constant pushy behavior. They use to play and now each time play starts it very quickly turns into another agenda for Riggs. Elsa is not a fan. Riggs is constantly getting in trouble from her and us so it is not a good situation. He is just doing what comes natural but it is not enjoyable to live with.

There is also a huge difference in meeting other dog when intact vs. neutered and this is the main reason that he will be neutered. We humans have caused this situation, much out of necessity of course Over population is a problem when people don’t keep their dogs where they belong, at home in their own yard. Too many people allow a whooops to happen and/or simply decide that breeding might be a very lucrative endeavor. So then we are left with too many dogs that no one wants.

I had no intentions of breeding Riggs; breeding dogs has never been something that I wanted to do, ever. Of course if I did allow him to breed, I’m sure that Riggs would be even worse with his one track mind thing. There is a very good reason that many great and ethical breeders do not keep stud dogs in their house.

So he is going in today to have a blood draw. I haven’t talked much about Riggs’ wienie stuff with regards to going to the vet but let me just say that he is not a good boy about it. He’s a nervous guy and having strangers grab him is not his idea of fun things to do. So I will be bringing Elsa this time in hopes that she can calm him down. Elsa loves going to the vet, not the being left at the vet part but her favorite thing in life are people and there are lots of them there for her to schmooze with.

If Riggs’ blood work comes back quickly and he is in the clear for neutering, it will be this week, hopefully. I have a fairly clear agenda in the near future so I will be able to monitor him around the clock. He is not a tough guy as far as pain so I’m not sure how he is going to do with it all. We shall see and hopefully he can man up and become more tough like his very tough and bigger sister.

I will keep you all posted as to how it all goes. Wish us luck, we’ll need it.

Slippery floors and dogs

The new fashionable trend for flooring in our homes is tile and wood/laminate. It is much cleaner than carpet after all. Carpet? who the heck wants carpet in their house? No one, not anymore, and that includes me; but what do I have in my newly renovated bedroom? Carpet. Yep, I dragged myself kicking and screaming to the flooring store to pick it out. Walking past the beautiful tile and wood flooring, I head to the back of the store. The back of the store where all the stuff no body wants anymore hangs out.

“I hate carpet, I don’t want it,” I told the flooring guy. “But I have two dogs who sleep on our bed” I explained. He didn’t care about my reasoning of course and showed me what they had. Elsa is very afraid of slippery floors, she has fallen a couple of times on our laminate in the family room; which is covered with huge carpet area rugs. No matter what I want, Miss Elsa needs secure footing.

I have to admit that there are many days I sit watching videos of dogs playing on slippery surfaces and I shudder. All I see is an accident in the making. Broken legs, torn ACLs, cracked jaws, ligament sprains and more. I have seen videos where a guardian is puzzled why a dog will not come out of a room. I can clearly see that the dog does not like the surface outside of the room that they are in. You can tell when a dog is scared to walk on a surface and Elsa is petrified to walk on slippery surface. Watching dogs charge down a hallway on a slippery surface makes me cringe, I truly cannot watch.

Sure I could have put down tile and covered it with runners. But my room is not big and by the time I covered her walking area, I’d have carpeted my room pretty much, dumb. Dogs need traction to move properly; ligament or tendon injuries can be catastrophic.

There are very rare situations when a wolf in the wild would be on a slippery surface. I am hyper aware of surface and dogs. I like to see a good traction surface under newborns, young pups, adults and most importantly seniors. Some blankets offer traction to newborns, while others remain slippery. If a puppy cannot dig their nails in and move forward easily; if they paddle around like a seal, their surface is not good enough. Puppies grow muscles with traction; muscles that protect their joints from tendon and ligament damage.

If I happen to hear nails sliding around in my house, I immediately know that Elsa has slipped off of a runner somewhere. Even if it’s not really slippery, her fear tells her that she will fall and of course then she does. When we moved into this home that we are in there was old wood flooring everywhere except a few rooms with carpet. So because of this we have runners everywhere that she needs one.

Watch your dog through their day to day. If they are slipping around, put some carpet back in your life. Yes, it’s important.

k9 Communication - do you get it?

There is always something being said, learn, watch and listen.

Do you communicate well with your dog? Recently I’ve had workers at my house. It has been my job to coordinate and schedule all of the work. When I communicate well with all of the different trades, it’s a win win. But if I fail to properly communicate which I did the other day, it’s a big learning curve for me. Of course this made me think about the communications that we have with our dogs.

On a day to day basis we communicate with our dogs; even when we don’t think we are communicating with them. We’re not the brightest species on the earth when it comes to communication. Come on, you know I’m right. Have you ever become frustrated because someone didn’t get what you were trying to communicate? What about when we assume? We all do that, I happen to do it a lot.

So we aren’t great communicators. I often ask my clients “do you know what you are saying to your dog right now?” Of course they have no idea that they were conveying an incorrect message to their dog until I tell them. Dogs signal and read lightning fast. They have the ability to send and receive messages that we have a tough time seeing let alone understanding. They are masters, we are not.

But we can improve, there is hope for us. Yes really.

We need to learn how dogs communicate. So many times people tell me about the weird things that their dog does that they cannot figure out. Much of the time it has a learn sequence but because we don’t understand canine communication like they do, we don’t get it. The smarter the dog, the bigger the problems…typically.

Canines learn through association. Once you get that, the rest is easy. Read, read and read some more. Learn how your dog communicates so that you can bring your best game to the communication field.

Prong Collars

Prong Collars…. Hmmmmm…

Yep, I’m going to talk about prong collars again. Prong collars as they are known now, they used to be called pinch collars but that’s many don’t like that term. It’s more or less the same as calling a choke caller just that, descriptive.

I guess my biggest issue with those who advocate the use of these collars is that they try very hard to explain that the collars do not hurt. But for those of us who use the “common sense” train of thought I say this; how and why do they work if they do not hurt? What happens to make the dog stop doing what they are doing? Also, when I hear dogs yelping after have a correction inflicted on them with one of these collars, explain to me what is happening if it doesn’t hurt.

Why I really hate these collars -

• They inflict pain when a correction is given.

• Whatever the dog is doing is associated by the inflicted pain.

• Dogs who have these collars continually pulled on become accustom to the pain; therefore corrections must be given harder.

• People believe that using these collars does no harm.

• People believe the “it doesn’t hurt” idea.

• Many trainers use them as a quick fix to behavior problems.

• They cause many fallout behaviors.

• Humans attempt to yank away their dog problems; yanking can become a real habit when this is how we “STOP” behaviors.

• They can create more problem behaviors than you started out with.

• When we yank a prong or pinch collar it is only to “stop” a behavior; they do not teach a dog what to do instead when we want them to stop doing something.

I have witnessed dogs react hugely to being corrected on a prong/pinch collar. I have also watched as a dog who was jumping up on their owner become more and more frantic as their owner was instructed to continue to “correct” the behavior. The dog started simply jumping on their owner; but as the human yanked and yanked on the prong collar the dog became frantic trying to somehow stop the assault.

Just Google “prong collar injuries” and see what comes up. It is very disturbing.

When I googled prong collar injuries I came across several companies that sell collars that actually hide a prong collar from the public. The collar is still on your dog but those seeing you with your dog think you just have a regular collar on them. This alone speaks volumes.

Sadly I am seeing these collars more and more as humans seek the “quick fix” for their dog’s behavior issues. When we attempt to yank away our dog’s “issues” we really do our dogs a disservice. There is no education given, no help, no assistance to work through a problem and fix it by teaching our dog what they should be doing. Yanking on a collar as an attempt to stop behaviors is just that, it is not training. We are letting our dogs know that if they do something we don’t like, we will yank on their collar and inflict pain.

I will never stop and allow an interactions with a dog on a prong collar. The risk of a fallout behavior going bad is much higher when we inflict pain to the scenario. I will smile and walk by, but we will never interact.

Haven’t we evolved beyond inflicting pain on our dogs in attempts to train? Many have but not all. If it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it. Stand up, speak up and stand behind the “do no harm” promise to our dogs.

Dog training questions?

I just gotta ask… ;)

Questions? I’ve got lots of them.

• What do you want to get out of training your dog?

• What behaviors would you like your dog to do?

• How much work do you want to do?

• Are you going to do your homework?

• Are you patient?

• Are you looking for a quick fix?

• Will you implement what you learn into your day to day?

The answer to these questions and many more are how I personalize your dog training. In my opinion dog training is extremely personal; what you want from training will not be what the next guardian wants and vice versa. This is how it should be because what goes on at my house is not the same as what goes on at yours.

I’ve probably used this example more times than anything for personalized training. I walked into a new clients home years ago and their very large dog was eating ice cream out of a container on the counter. He had both front legs up there and was quite enjoying himself. Seeing this I calmly asked “is this okay with you?” If the answer was yes then we would move onto something else. Why would I try to teach the owners how to keep their dog off of the counter if they had no intention of enforcing it? What a complete waste of my time. the guardians time and the dogs time.

Basic training is great. Sit, down, stay, come, wait, boundary work, leave it etc. But how and if you’ll use each behavior will differ to everyone and their dog. I use “wait” a lot in my day to day; especially now that Riggs has joined our family. He is one of those guys that needs lots of rules and regulations so he has to wait in many different places. Wait is a casual stay, it is not as strict and can be released from afar. But you might never find a use for “wait” so it is important to go over what will and will not be used. What is and is not a waste of time as far as canine behaviors.

“I want my dog to heel,” my client said years ago. That is until I told him what heel actually meant and what was involved. Heel is something I often hear while out walking my dogs, but rarely see. Meaning that people tell their dog to heel, even though they don’t quite know what that means and they definitely don’t know how to teach it. None of my clients want a heeling dog anymore; they do want a dog that walks on a loose leash which has replaced the whole “heel” thing.

Training takes time and patience. The art of training a dog requires that you the guardian learn how to teach your dog. Sure I can come into your house and train your dog but where does that leave you? A dog trainers job is to teach you to teach your dog. Dogs are super easy, people are not. That is why there should be many, many questions. We are all different, our dogs are all different and our lives with our dogs are just as different from others.

Ask questions and expect questions from your trainer. Ask as many questions you need to feel comfortable. I am a question asker; I like to know about stuff that I want to know about and that is pretty much everything.

Got a question, ask me. I love questions. ;)

I'm watching you

Sitting back, watching . It’s what I do. ;)

Yep, if you are in my line of vision, I’m watching you. As a long time dog trainer it is my job to watch. I watch interactions between k9 guardians and their dogs. Problems in training can sometimes be super easy to see; other times I have to watch for a while to see them. Even when people are not “officially” training but interacting with their dogs, I’m watching. Heck I love to watch just human behavior too; this has resulted from watching humans interact with dogs so carefully. I love body language. It is very telling.

When I have a new client, I will often just watch. I do not interact with the dog in the beginning because I want to see how the guardian interacts with their dog when I arrive. Seeing how they interact and handle a situation when a stranger arrives helps me to know where they need help the most.

Sometimes it’s just a tiny tweek that people need to be on their way to better training. And then again some folks are messing up their messages so bad that their poor dog is in a state of complete confusion. It is not only guardians who make these mistakes, I have seen many dog trainers making huge mistakes in their training methods. I try not to watch this, unless asked to do so that is.

Having someone watch what you are doing is very helpful. Just like when you take golf or tennis lessons and they video tape you. They will be able to show you your mistakes and you might even see some of your own mistakes. When I sit back and watch people training their dogs I can see minute body language errors that when corrected will help in the speed and precision of understanding for a k9.

The only way to “see” mistakes, issues or errors is to watch. But you must also know what you are looking for. My clients and I usually end up laughing about handling mistakes. I watch, explain what they are doing wrong and they are shocked, having no idea that they were doing whatever it is I have disclosed.

If you have the chance to have a professional watch your training, it can be very helpful. Even having a training partner can help if you watch each other train and video. Dogs are masters at body language, far better than we could ever hope to be. Why not have a professional tune up your body language so you can perform to the best of your ability?

As a part of my online consults I often receive video footage of clients training. It makes my job easy to watch them interact with their dogs and quickly fix any of the problems that they are having. Yep, I’m always watching. ;)

Listening is also important, next blog on listening.

Motivation - what drives your dog?

Tilley in her prime

Motivate - to provide with a motive or a cause or reason to act; incite; impel.

Incite - to stir, encourage, or urge on; stimulate or prompt to action:

So what incites or encourages your dog to keep their attention on you? Do the things that you ask and/or comply? Something that they consider to be of value. That is what you must find.

That said, what is a valuable reward for one dog will not be a reward for another. I would not stand in a long line to buy an iphone (I’m a Galaxy gal). But, if you told me I’d get to try a cool rock climbing wall if I stood in that iphone line for you, I’d be in. It is very much the same for our dogs.

Often it’s not even the idea of wanting to work for us but the emotional ability to function or not. Let’s take my girl Tilley who is now gone from us over 7 years (unbelievable), and her ability to work around a lot of people. Tilley came to us a very shy girl; she was not into crowds (neither am I) or people getting too close (me either). So when I asked her to be my demonstration dog at training classes, she had a tough time with it. I was almost about to give up when I considered her ball.

To say that Tilley was an avid ball retriever is an understatement. She was a mad, obsessive retriever who would do anything just to catch her ball. Later on her frisbee also became an object which she held in pivotal regard. I wore many a bruise when we were in our prime frisbee days as a result of picking up a frisbee or not paying attention. She was a force to be reckoned with when it came to retrieving.

So when I pulled out a tennis ball at obedience class and called to her, she charged to me in a heartbeat. Much different than the painstaking emotional turmoil she went through before the ball arrived. She no longer cared who was around or what they were doing. As long as there was the chance that she might be catching that ball, she was a different dog. In fact she was so different with and without her objects of retrieving that many people could not believe that the meek and soft Tilley was in actually the same highly driven, intense retriever that they witnessed. Fascinating.

So when I’m with a new client we go over drive, motivation and desire. What works for my guys might work for your dog but chances are it’s not going to. We start with low level food when working with no distractions. But if food doesn’t work we find something that does. It is essential to find what motivates your dog; it can be anything like a toy, ball, food, idea of tugging, catching…etc.

Little Mr. Riggs who turned 11 months old yesterday is a scatter brain when we go on walks. He is one of those dogs that very literally does not miss a thing and he quickly gets over stimulated causing all sorts of problems. Yesterday I pulled out a ball and tucked it into the sleeve of my t-shirt. With Riggs in his harness we head out on our walk. Structure is the key to our walks as he is learning about loose leash walking big time. I took out the tennis ball and bounced it several times to see if I was coordinated enough to do what I wanted to do with it. Riggs stopped in his tracks with dilated pupils staring at the ball, YES.

We had our entire walk with only a couple of catches and it worked so well that the ball came with us again today. He is doing much better on his walks and the ball has definitely done what no food could do. In the beginning of our training when Riggs was little, food worked but not anymore. Sometimes he is so stimulated by “things” around us that he won’t take any food from me at all. But the ball? Oh yes.

So it’s all about what makes your dog tick. Just like us, they are all different. It is our job to discover what motivates them. Do you know what incites your dog?

Dog walking pouch

Do you use a fanny pack, or pouch as I like to call them? No? Why? Do you think they are nerdy? Let me tell you they are not nerdy, they are very cool and good for many reasons. Let me enlighten you. ;)

Reasons why you should use a dog walking pouch (much cooler name than fanny pack).

1. Allows you to be hands free which is essential.

2. It carries items that you should bring on your walks.

3. It can be used to hook even more “stuff” onto it (carabiners).

4. Makes you look like a serious dog walker.

5. You’ll never be without a poop bag.

6. It will save you from filling all of your pockets up with stuff.

7. Lets face it ladies when you wear leggings or workout pants, those things don’t even have pockets. As an avid weight lifter I’m always in workout pants.

8. Everything goes in the pouch so you never lose your stuff.

9. Ever ready so you don’t even have to think about what to bring.

10. They are very fashionable right now, yes, you heard right. ;)

I see all types of walkers out there and the really experienced ones I see have pouches on. Oh sure you can carry a bag, stuff your pockets or even throw a purse over your shoulder but nothing beats the dedicated dog walking pouch for utility worthy walks. They are just so great for so many things.

My newest pouch is a favorite so far and believe me, I’ve been through a few. The Waterfly slim pouch is water resistant and has lots of separate pockets for your essentials. It comes in 28 colors and patterns which made it a difficult decision for me but I finally settled on the teal blue.

This is my smallest pouch so far and I love it for day walks. It is really sleek and very cute I might add. Of course if you need water, a water bowl, pepper spray or something to clip your flip flops onto; I suggest adding the handy dandy carabiner, a girls best friend (at least for me anyway). If I’m headed out for a longer walk or let’s say the beach, out come the carabiners for my extra stuff.

I had such a hard time picking this color out that I might just have to get a few more to add to my collection. Nothing beats great gear when you are out and about with your dog. Always have your stuff with you.

Evolution of a relationship

The human/canine connection

When a puppy joins your existing family, much changes. Over the weeks and months with the new member of your family, things will typically grow into a flourishing and mutually beneficial relationship. But, in the very beginning things can be very one sided.

Our side -

• Cleaning up after the puppy.

• Feeding the puppy.

• Training the puppy.

• Going without sleep.

• Buying lots of new dog stuff.

So what does your puppy offer in the beginning? A fuzzy little face that offers hope for a great future.

At the inception of your relationship, it can seem very one sided indeed. It is give, give, give and give more. So what does the puppy offer to us? Cuteness, right? They are adorably cute and it is a good thing sometimes; especially those days when we want to pull our hair out over that little cutie.

During the weeks when your relationship is new, puppies don’t tend to care what you think about them. I clearly remember yelling across the backyard at Riggs…”Get out there,” as he turned around loking at me like “just chill dude.” The relationship isn’t there yet; he actually did not care if I was mad that he was stomping over all of my flowers.

Over the next few months you and your dog in the in the fledgling stage of your relationship. Your connection grows as does the “caring” meter. What was once a “dude relax” moment for your dog as you lost your cool will be replaced with “oh oh, Mom’s mad.” This is what I wait for and when it happens it is a glorious day. Verbal error markers can lessen, volume goes down and frustration decreases. The puppy then longs to hear the mushy, gooey stuff that means they are such a good dog.

“He doesn’t even care that I’m mad,” says dozens of new canine guardians. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard it over the years. And then there comes a day that they do care and we rejoice. If and when this happens you will know that you have done a great job to grow your relationship. And I’m not talking about fear or forceful punishments; it is about respect and growth of a relationship. As rules and regulations are set in place and enforced; your dog learns that following in line works in a pack. There will be harmony when you listen to a follow the rules. It is as simple as that.

Let your dog get away with murder and do what they please? Harmony tends to fly out the window.