Fireworks and your dog

No you are not alone, many people cringe at the thought of any Holiday that calls for fireworks. With Canada tomorrow and July 4th on Saturday; we all need to be prepared. I made this video to try to help you get through this if your dog is fearful of fireworks; or if this is their first time.

The most important things to remember:

• Do not bring your dog to a fireworks display.

• Do not bring them to a display and leave them in your car.

• Do not leave your dog in your backyard; no matter how secure you think that it is.

• Make sure all windows are shut and locked. Screens will not keep a panicked dog inside.

• Turn televisions and radios on in the house. Louder than normal to help muffle the sound of the fireworks.

• Close curtains and blinds.

If you are staying home with your dog (I highly recommend this).

• Try to hang out in your most sheltered room.

• No coddling (trying to soothe, nurture or help).

• You need to portray a calm and casual demeanor.

• Turning on a good movie is a great idea.

• Save meal time for when the fireworks start.

• Play a game of ball if you have a big time retriever.

• Be happy and upbeat, maybe a game of tug-o-war.

• Play a game of hide’n seek.

• Do not react to the fireworks.

• Do some training, use lots of great treats.

Just remember, you are not alone. There are a lot of us who need to help our dogs through the fireworks. Just remember, everything is fine…time for your Oscar winning “chill” performance. Best of luck and let me know how it goes.

k9 intelligence

A photograph from this shoot ended up on the cover of Dog World July 2007

2 Kuvasz in a very natural state of guarding.

k9 intelligence is a funny thing. Many people I talk to say “my dog is not the brightest.” Others think that there is no smarter dog than than theirs. How can intelligence be gauged? It’s not easy, in fact intelligence is quite a complicated idea to explain. That is because, like us…all dogs are different.

The canine species is highly intelligent.

Many people group specific breeds into intelligent/not intelligent groups. When in actuality they are all highly intelligent, but different. What some excel at others do not, just like us. Don’t put me in an office chair and ask me to shuffle numbers around, kill me. No thank you, that kind of stuff actually shuts me down. But ask me to write about dog behavior, train a dog or teach a cooking course and I’m on it. ;)

If we can grasp that humans are very, very different from each other; why can we not understand that each and every dog is it’s own dog?

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard “you can’t train bulldogs,” or “Beagles are untrainable.” That is when I roll up my sleeves and say “stand back and watch.” All dogs are trainable, that is unless there is something actually wrong with them. There has been one dog in my training career that I could not train and he had suffered brain damage after dying on the table when we was neutered. They brought him back but he was never the same. :(

Most people measure canine intelligence by their human interactions. Do they connect? Do they do what is asked of them? Do they grasp obedience training? Do they follow human lead? K9 intelligence has nothing to do with us. Whether or not they work well with humans is not a meter to judge intelligence by. Some of the smartest dogs out there don’t work well with humans because they don’t need us. While others are the ideal students, waiting on our every command.

There are most definitely smarter and less smart dogs, just like in humans. But they are all smart, how they are wired makes all the difference. What were these dogs bred to do? That is the difference right there. People, we humans have bred dogs for all kinds of purpose over the years; so now we have dogs that are hardwired for many different things.

Greyhounds - bred to run…fast.

Bloodhounds - bred to scent.

Jack Russells - bred to critter hunt.

Cane Corso - bred to hunt wild boar and guard.

Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever - bred to troll (lure ducks into range) and retrieve.

Border Collies - bred to herd sheep with human guidance.

Akbash Dog - bred to guard flocks without human guidance.

There is a huge difference is all of the breeds above. If we add a Border Collie to our home where we sit much of the day watching television, there will be issues. If we add a Cane Corso to the family and don’t expect it to be a very intense guard dog, there will be issues.

Some breeds are more utility in nature. Meaning that they can and will be happy in many different situations and thrive. While others really have a strong drive that humans bred them for. Intelligence is there, the difference is in the individual. The big factor in all of this is us. What do you want to deal with in a dog? If you are not willing to budge in your lifestyle, offer a dog with a strong drive of some sort an outlet, then choose wisely.

Much can be said with an early temperament test. There are simple temperament tests and more extensive type that search out specific traits in a dog. All dogs are different, even within a litter.

When we look at mixed breeds we see a wider range of behaviors coming from two or more different breeds within one dog. I have seen people struggle with herding issues from the Border Collie mix. And someone who wanted to get into Frisbee competition battle with their Border Collie/Beagle mix as it stopped all the way down the field to sniff.

Sadly many misplaced dogs are the fault of ours. People don’t research breeds, they pick dogs from exterior instead of interior. This is probably the biggest mistake of all when adding a dog to our family . There is also a big misconception of mixed breeds being better dogs. They can be great dogs, just like all dogs but what breeds are in that dog? You may not want to live with a Border Collie/Australian Shepherd mix but man that puppy is cute. You may want to have a running partner and end up with an adorable Bull terrier pup that wants nothing to do with running a marathon. Do your research.

Intelligence is a measure of smarts within a dog. That smarts might come in many different forms. Don’t judge a book by it’s cover and do not underestimate what a dog was bred for and it’s personal temperament. Just like us, they are all different.

Where your puppy comes from

Our dogs deserve the best from all humans, right from the start.

You want a puppy, you scour the internet and come across some adorable little pups posed in the cutest setting. The puppies still have cloudy eyes, they are only about 3 weeks old but you can buy one right away. Just pay online and the breeder will ship your puppy to you in a couple of weeks. DON’T DO IT.

I’m just finished reading an article on the CBC website where 500 French Bulldogs were shipped from Ukraine to Toronto, Canada. Upon arrival 39 were dead and others were dying. They were shipped to Canada to sell to unsuspecting puppy buyers. This is not just happening in Canada but the US as well and I’m sure other countries. It is a criminal activity where people can buy large quantities of puppies and then resell them to folks who have no idea for big dollars.

Should you buy a puppy site unseen online? NO. That said, if you get to know an ethical breeder who you know through other people then maybe. My girl Elsa is from Ohio, we live in Southern California. I knew of Elsa’s breeder for a long time. I knew many people who had a puppy from previous litters and the reputation of the breeder. We talked often on the phone, emailed and IM on Facebook. There was not a doubt in my mind that she was a reputable, upstanding, ethical breeder with integrity.

My breeder standards are high, I have written often on blogs just about finding a good breeder and/or rescue. Not all rescues are the same either. If you are looking for a rescue, do your research. There are rescue groups that are unscrupulous as well so do not think that all people who claim to be rescuing are doing that.

Sadly I hear about people sending money to “so called” breeders only to find out that there are no puppies. Other purchase one of these “online puppies” and receive a sickly little thing that barely hangs on or perishes. NOT ALL BREEDERS ARE THE SAME. Please read this and understand that there are wonderful breeders who are conscientious, take care of their adult dogs, test all their breeding dogs, screen potential puppy buyers, temperament test puppies and match to new home accordingly, keep in contact with puppy families etc. etc.

Good breeders do not let their puppies just go to anyone who has the money. Good breeders do not let their puppies go at 5-6 weeks of age or younger. Good breeders do not keep their dogs in kennels. Good breeders do not try to convince you to buy two puppies instead of one. Good breeders will not just send a puppy to you on a plane when you purchase them online with paypal, having never talked to you. Yes there are lots of breeders out there and there are lots of liars. Sad but true, finding a great breeder is a lot of work. But worth every second of that work.

Greed is where the bad breeders/rescuers come from. They see an opportunity to sell and make money and they take it. They don’t care who gets hurt along the way as long as they get their money. They cut corners to save a buck anywhere that they can. And they lie, oh boy do they lie; they even lie to themselves and believe the lies.

When particular breeds or mixes become the “in” type of dog, it can only go very, very wrong. Don’t get roped into believing all the hype about any dog or mix of dogs. A dog is a dog is a dog, do your research. Ask a million questions and expect answers. If the person on the other end of the phone or standing in front of you gets defensive about your questions, leave quickly.

Does the breeder have a slew of dogs and lots of litters all the time? leave quickly, hang up or get out of their website. Does the breeder do any health testing of the breeding parents? That’s a biggy, no matter what dogs or mixes of dogs are being bred. Health testing is a must and it shows that the breeder cares about their dogs and the dogs that they are passing onto new puppy families.

I honestly could go on and on and I will write more blogs on the subject because it is something I am very passionate about. Just know this, if you purchase a dog from Craigslist or Kijiji, you cannot know where the dog actually comes from and/or it’s health. It is literally a crap shoot. Many people want to save money on a puppy but then you pay for it later on. Best to go to a breeder who does their best to make sure that you get a healthy puppy.

Nough said…till next time.

Living in the moment

“Living in the moment” is a hot phrase these days, and rightly so. With everything that is going on in the world, trying to keep up with all the updates and news can make it difficult to stay focused. It’s not easy but being in the moment is worth every speck of work that it takes. Cell phones and a hectic lifestyle are the main cause of being elsewhere rather than where you are. How can we just sit and “be” when there are so many things pulling at us in different directions?

Dogs live in the moment…always. Yes they carry around baggage and some of their behavior may stem from their past life but they remain in the here and now. They aren’t sitting on your lap thinking about the dog they met in the morning. They aren’t playing with their house sibling, wishing they were on a beach somewhere else. They are here “in the moment.”

I try very hard to “be in the moment,” but like everything else in life, I can do better.

Moment - the present time or any other particular time (usually preceded by the):

The easiest way that I have found to be and stay in the moment is to pay attention to my surroundings. It is hard to be somewhere else when you are where you are. Hmmmmmm…read that again. Are you with the person and/or k9 you are with? What is going on right now? What are they talking about? What is your dog doing?

Living in the moment

• Watch your dog. I don’t mean glance, I mean really watch, like you are trying to understand them kind of watching.

• Put your phone down, have it with you but away except for cute dog pics. ;)

• Stop thinking about the past or future and focus on the now. (this is a tough one)

• Check in with yourself. This is often a neglected part of our day to day.

• Are you interacting with your dog? I mean the connecting type of interacting.

• Listen, the type of listening that comes from wanting to know more.

There are lots of things to help us stay in the moment with humans and our dogs. I often see people walking their dog while they stare at their phone. They have no idea what’s going on around them and sadly they are not out with their dog; they are simply the leash holder, if that.

We all have to use our phones and consider the past and future; but it shouldn’t take precedent when we could be “being” with someone or our dog. We need to work, we need to check in and we need to juggle life in general in our heads. But, when we take time away from “being with” and “connecting with” we truly miss out on the moments that matter the most. Some moments are completely missed by living in some other place or moment. Sad.

I believe that life is about the little things, the little things that make up the big picture of our lives. Just the other day Riggs was not sure he wanted to eat a new treat that I shared with both Elsa and him. He batted it around like a bug that might bite him; very much resembling a young puppy. It made me smile, it was a fleeting moment in time, the moment right before he decided to eat it. If I wasn’t there, watching and being “in the moment” I would have missed it altogether. I’m glad I was there.

Being “here” is a good place to be.

Pick that SHIT up

Elsa and I are just back from the park where we had to watch almost every step we took due to the huge amount of dog shit everywhere. Honestly! This has been a problem forever but it definitely seems to be getting worse. What are people thinking? Maybe they think that with everything else going on in our world, “what’s a little shit?” How about this? On our small slice normalcy (out for a walk), it would be nice not to have to step over dog crap.

I get it, everyone forgets, runs out or misses a bit once in a while. But COME ON PEOPLE! I have on occasion run out of bags; frantically scouring the depths of my walking pouch to no avail. I’m horrified when it happens but I will return, and I do. I get in the car, go home and come back with bags to pick it up. No I’m not a dog shit hero, I just have integrity and know right from wrong.

I have also picked what others leave behind. I use to run my dogs at a field beside a school and cringed at the idea of people not pick up where kids were guaranteed to be walking. There was a garbage can right at the gate so I’d pick up what other k9 guardians left behind and toss it. I do not appreciate having to pick up after others; in fact it pisses me off big time but it is the right thing to do.

These days there is too much to pick up. AND don’t tell me you ALL don’t have bags. Most parks and paths have poop bags dispensers; but you cannot rely on that, you have to carry your own. I almost always have several rolls in my walking pouch (that is unless I run out). I try to check my supply before heading out and I keep a good stack of them at home. There is no reason not to have bags with you; whether you buy them or grab a few extra from the dispensers, keep them on you. I have a roll in my car, a couple in my pouch and even keep a few in my training pouch for when clients forget theirs when we are out training in public.

I just got a new supply of poop bags from ED Ellen Degeneres (www.edbyellen.com) at HomeGoods the other day. As far as I’m concerned the cost of poop bags is an essential item when you have dogs. I know many folks who think that purchasing poop bags is not something they want to do but everyone that lives with dogs should.

I’m tired of writing and talking about YOU who don’t pick up shit. You know who you are because you don’t pick it up. You are one of those who pretend not to notice that your dog is taking a dump, the one who scours the park to see if anyone witnessed before walking away. You are the night walker who thinks it’s okay to leave it in the night, a cloak of secretive darkness. Nope, not okay to leave it. And you know who you are because you are the irresponsible one who lives dog shit lying around for others to deal with.

I don’t care what your excuse it, it is just that, an excuse. Stop making excuses and PICK THAT SHIT UP.

Don’t want to pick up shit? Don’t get a dog.

It is as simple as that.

Extension Leashes - NO

As promised, here is my new extension leash blog. I have blogged about these death traps many times over the years. Why do I have to write so often about these leashes? Because they are horrible and cause a great number of issues and injuries. Please if you have one, put it away. The ONE AND ONLY place that these should ever be used is in an area where there is no one else within sight. An open field, beach or parking lot where no one is around. If you don’t trust your dog off leash, the extension leash gives them the feel of being leashless without being leashless. But even when no one else is around, you must take GREAT CARE not to injure your dog with the leash.

So let’s get into why you should not use an extension leash except for being in one very specific situation.

THEY ARE DANGEROUS

Just the other day Elsa and I were out for a walk. Heading our way was a family existing of Mom, Dad and young son with their small poodle mix ON AN EXTENSION LEASH! I smiled and said hello as they passed and cringed as I turned to see how it was going with that horrid leash. It was going really bad as it typically does. The Dad was walking along hanging onto the leash with no regard to what was going on with his dog that was at the very end of the leash and about 15 feet behind him. What had happened was that his son got tangled in the leash. The boy stopped as it tightened and he tried to get out of it; finally getting one foot, then the other out of the leash. His Dad had not even noticed all of this playing out and kept walking. Typical.

In any situation other than the one I mentioned above, DO NOT USE AN EXTENSION LEASH. Why? Read on.

• You should never have your dog farther than a few feet from you in public.

• You cannot reign in fast enough in an emergency.

• Most people can’t reign in in a non emergency.

• The leash can wrap around wrists, ankles and other parts of human and canine bodies; leading to small injuries up to and including catastrophic injuries.

• Your dog is not paying attention to you on the end of a long extension.

• You lose the ability to do training work.

• Extension leashes give dogs too much freedom in public.

• You should always know where your dog is and have eyes on them. You can’t do this as they round a corner without you.

• Your dog should always be close enough in public to grab quickly should the need arise.

• You are a team and when you walk, you walk together other than off leash walks.

• I could go on and on but these are just a few of the most important issues with extension leashes.

• There is constant tension on extension leashes; they should NEVER, EVER be used with choke collar, pinch/prong collars or face halters, EVER!

• Is it not easier to pay attention to your dog if they are close by? You know you are not paying attention to them 15-20 feet away. Common, you know it.

I love leashes but I HATE EXTENSION LEASHES

If you absolute have to use an extension, only use it as described above, in an open field where no one else is around (in a safe environment). Better still, train your dog and toss the extension leash.

I have a wardrobe of leashes, all of different lengths and uses. Not in my collection of leashes is an extension and that is the way I like it.

Toss the extension leash

Dog leashes - the long and the short of it.

Most of you know that I am a gear girl; but, my gear has to be quality and useful. Poor quality is just garbage, useless; and sadly much of the stuff that is sold is just that, garbage. So onto leashes, I love a good leash and I hate bad leashes, I will elaborate.

A leash is not just a leash

I have a lot of leashes, let me just put that out there. For me there are different requirements for a leash; most being length but some a difference in material. My favorite leashes are mostly cotton webbed unless I am walking in the rain and then it is nylon. I have been using cotton web leashes for a very long time; but again they must be of good quality. They must also be wide enough, anything under 5/8” is too narrow, at least for me.

My issue with most nylon leashes is that they can slip through your hand and can cause injury or pain. It can also be difficult to hang onto a nylon leash with a big strong dog. If you are going to go with nylon then choose a shorter leash with a padded handle like the Frontrange one I use from Ruffwear that I love and use often. It is 5’ long and has a padded main handle and a second one midway down the leash.

The length

My leash length preference is a person thing. Just today I took Elsa and Riggs around the lake. It is a beautiful, spacious area to walk the dogs and they must be leashed. There are other folks walking there so I like my guys to be fairly close. I do not like reigning in and out a ton; plus I do not like to have a surplus of leash to deal with.

Leash length preference

• Walking where there are lots of other people and dogs - 4.5 feet 3/4” wide

• Less people and able to let my guys stretch their legs - 6 feet 5/8” wide

• A handful of people walking where my guys still have

  to be leashed but can be further away from me - 10 feet 5/8” wide

Any longer than 10 feet should be reserved for training purposes. Extension leashes? Don’t even get me started on those useless things. More on extension leashes in the next blog.

Our dogs have to be leashed for much of their lives; a leash should not be a burden for us to hang onto and walk our dogs with. All leashes are different and I’ve been through a lot.

Hows your leash game?

You can find all my favorite stuff on my products page.

Boundary training

Boundary - something that indicates bounds or limits; a limiting or bounding line.

The term boundaries is a hot topic these days; but in terms of dog training it has been important for years and years. There are all sorts of boundaries: physical, mental, healthy, personal and material. What I want to discuss today are physical boundaries with regard to our dogs.

Setting physical boundaries are very important when educating your dog. There are physical boundaries to adhere to everywhere and most are safety measures. Some boundaries are set up as a personal preference like keeping your dog out of the kitchen, living room or other room. The really important ones are areas that your dog should never breach, not on there own.

The decision surrounding crossing a boundary should always be YOURS. It is often a dangerous boundary, like a front door, side gate or garage door. An area if crossed could end in result in your dog being hit by a car, running away or endangering others. If and when a boundary is to be crossed it should be very official. A sit, leash on and/or release word given. This is the only way across.

It is extremely important that everyone in the house be on board with boundary training. If one person allows your dog to cross the boundary on their own decision, it will weaken the boundary line. It is important to understand this. The boundary must be taken serious and there has to be a very “official” sense about it. You know “cross it and die,” idea? ;) If you don’t have a very seriousness about a boundary, your dog surely won’t.

Teaching boundaries is easy but they must be enforced and proofed. This means that there can never be a slackness about them. If there a lapse in the seriousness of a boundary, even for a moment then training must be upped to a more intense degree to reinstall the boundary. Boundaries are not taught with a verbal cue, they just are boundaries. If someone leaves the side gate open and you are not there to tell your dog not to go through it, will they go?

A boundary is set by physical repetition. It is done in baby steps for success; each step done successfully before moving onto the next more difficult step. Once the boundary is set then proofing must be initiated. Adding “real life” situations and adding the “I’m not looking” scenario to it.

To set a boundary you must let your dog know that they are not to follow you through it. This means that you must approach it and have a clear boundary line in mind. If you have a physical boundary line like a carpet area, lower floor or gate it is easier for your dog to understand. If you take one step over that line and they do not follow you; throw a treat back past them and praise. If they do follow, turn abruptly and move them back on the right side of the boundary. I use a error marker sound usually when they attempt to come over the boundary.

With consistency you can draw clear boundaries that must always be adhered to. But this is serious training and you must be serious about it.

Questions?

Sleeping with dogs-the weight of it

When Luke and transitioned to their own bed.

Do you sleep with your dog? Do they sleep in your bed or just in your room.? Or do you forbid dogs in your room? There are many different ideas around dogs and sleep. My thought on the subject is that dogs should sleep in your room. They are pack animals and we are their pack, sleeping together as a pack is a very natural thing. That said if you are such a light sleeper that any movement wakes you up and leaves you staring at the ceiling trying to fall back asleep, it might not be good for you.

When I have new clients we always discuss k9 sleeping arrangements. Where will the dog sleep when they are an adult? Who is willing to get up when they need out? Who is capable of running the dog out when they start to heave in the middle of the night? Each answer to my questions lead to more questions until we come up with a plan.

I don’t like the idea of dogs sleeping out of the guardians room. If they are not in your room then you don’t know when they need something or what is going on with them. You are also not bonding like you could be as a pack that sleeps together. But I totally understand those who just cannot have a dog sleeping in their room.

Whether your dog sleeps with you in your bed or in their own bed is a very personal decision. We have had the dogs sleeping in our bed for a long time. But I am now considering getting them onto their own huge comfy foam bed. Elsa has always been one of those dogs that feels like she weighs a ton. Plus the fact that she likes to sleep literally across me. I got use to this, adjusted and we managed. Now Riggs is on the bed and for a peewee he also feels like a lead weight across my legs. He likes to sleep across my or my husbands body too. This has left us not much room with the dogs partially in the middle, weighted across us and pushing us to the outer edge. .

When Elsa had her stroke I purchased a great new foam bed which she used a lot in the beginning. It is easily big enough for both her and Riggs. It is now in our room but up until now is unused. Unfortunately I have suffered from bouts of sleeplessness and sleep is very important. And there are many nights when the dogs actually interfere with my sleep.

I do not want to upset Elsa by doing a cold turkey switch but am hoping to slowly utilize the bed. I also know that the day will soon come when Elsa can no longer be on the bed for her safety. This day will come sooner because of her spinal stroke. Riggs is a non issue, where Elsa sleeps he will sleep. He also still uses under the bed which astonishes me each time he goes under and struggles to come out.

So I will let you know when we start the transition and journal the day to day until we have dogs sleeping in their own bed beside ours. It will be a very long transition once it starts and who knows when that first step will begin. Procrastination seems to be the way of it so far. :)

k9 spinal stroke updated

Before her stroke

It is May 12th and we are 3 months and a week out from when Elsa was hit with a spinal stroke. I thought I give you all an update and talk about how she is doing and dealing since that day in February. It has been a rough road and more than anything it has left her changed forever. I try not to let it get to me or be sad but if I’m being honest it does get to me and I am sad about it. I do have to consider us lucky that she is still with us and able to run around but she is vastly changed forever.

What makes me sad is that she is no longer able to do a lot of what she use to do. She is also mentally changed in a huge way. Funny, she is able to run and catch low balls but she has the hardest time with the mundane day to day activities. Jumping on the bed, doing the stairs, getting on the couch and getting into the car. She has lost her confidence in all of these things. Much of the time she is paralyzed by her loss of confidence. Although she can do more than she thinks, the thought of falling while attempting to jump up or move over a non carpeted floor freezers her ability to move.

I hate it, I honestly do. But in the big picture we are lucky and I remind myself of that daily. She could have been hit far worse with this; many dogs lose the ability to move at all or become incontinent forever. I have watched many videos of dogs hit much worse than Elsa was and my heart breaks for them and their guardian. She was lucky and she is strong. Elsa has learned what she can and cannot do now and is constantly learning how best to maneuver her new life. She has many years ahead of her; she will turn 9 years old in July.

Physical activities are much easier for Elsa if she stays out of her head. If she allows her thoughts to take over she’s sunk. Just walking across a floor can become a sheet of ice if she stays in her head. If she thinks she can’t do something, then she cannot. Not that she is physically incapable but her mental state will create a scenario where she actually cannot do it; even though she actually can do it.

When Elsa was first inflicted with this, I was left with a giant question mark about her future. Much of my research stated that the 3 month mark was pretty much the recovery mark. I think that Elsa his the recovery mark earlier and the rest of her recovery is simply her learning how to do things in her new world.

Life is ever changing for all of us; I am blessed to still have the Amazing Miss Elsa by my side.

Growling and what we should do about it

I’ve written many blogs about growling…no one ever wants to be growled at, right? “There will be no growling in my house,” says many k9 guardians. I’ve even heard “our house is a no growl zone.” Well, I for one think that if a dogs feels like they need to growl, then they should growl. Why? Read on.

Growl - to utter a deep guttural sound of anger or hostility:

to murmur or complain angrily; grumble.

to rumble:

I hope that I will communicate the growl so that you can clearly understand what a growl is and how to deal with it. A growl is a communication and it should and must always be taken seriously and listened to. That said there are many reasons for a growl; complaint, guarding, alert , grumpiness, a warning and even play. But a growl is a growl, a canine communication

Since Riggs joined our family I have learned more about growling; he is a very vocal boy and complains out loud. When he doesn’t like something he growls or curls his lips up an item. This growl is directed at the action or item that he does not like. It is very different than a threat growl in that it is a complaint and although it is not a threat, he is communicating that he does not like something. So his growl is information letting me know what I need to work on.

If a strange dog growls at you, STOP. Just stop whatever you are doing…reaching for, looking at, talking to or whatever, just stop. It is a warning and the fact that you know nothing about a strange dog, you may get bit within seconds.

A growl is a communication from a dog. Once uttered, it needs to be listened to and addressed. The actual growl is the messenger that is delivering the message. What lies behind the growl is what is important. If your dog growls then you need to look at why they growled. Most people just want to shush a growl. But by stopping your dog from growling you are taking away their ability to communicate to you. What if your dog hates when strange children come near them and you cannot tolerate their growling. You teach them that they are not allowed to growl when children come near; silencing their ability to “let you know.” When you take away your dogs ability to communicate; then you have a very dangerous situation on your hands. You have a dog that cannot tell or warn people that they do not want their child near them.

NEVER, EVER stop a dog from growling. If you do want to stop your dog from growling, address the cause of the growl. Many dogs growl when asked to get off of a human’s bed or to move over. This is a problem with the dog considering the bed to be their property. The easy solution to this is to not allow the dog free access to the bed. They must ask if they would like to come up and be given permission before doing so. They must also learn to get off when asked to do so.

Maybe your dog growls when someone comes near their bowl? If you stop the growl with discipline, you are essentially stopping your dog from communicating; leaving them no option but to go right to biting if they feel the need. Most dogs don’t want to bite, but they all have different levels of tolerance. By using behavior modification the way it should be used; you can turn a growling dog into a thing of the past. Even a food bowl guarder can be turned around by changing the meaning of people around their food bowl. I teach all of my puppies, client puppies and new dogs, people acceptance and even anticipation with food bowl proximity.

What you should do when your dog growls, is ask yourself “why?” Why is your dog growling? Once you understand why they are growling you can stop the growling by helping your dog to not feel like they have to growl. If you just stop the growl, you don’t actual fix anything while making things worse. So look at the cause and address that; once that is done the growling will no longer be needed.

Quarantine

April 29th and we are very close to May. A couple of months ago I would have never thought we would be quarantined moving into May. May is a very busy month in our family; we have our youngest grandsons first birthday coming up May 3, then Mothers Day, then my (and my twin brother’s) birthday and the day after my hubbies birthday, next is my Mom and then my third youngest grandsons birthday closing out May.

Times are strange. The other day I headed into Trader Joe’s (my favorite grocery store) with my mask, glasses and ball cap on. They have loosened up a tad, allowing more people in at a time so the usual long line was gone that I’ve grown use to. Being that I have been a longtime shopper at TJs I know where everything is and can speed shop like a champion. I’m in and out with a huge basket full of food. I remember running over to the store for a lb. of butter just months ago. But now we load up so that we don’t have to go back again for a while.

Our walks are done early, before most people are out; which is what my normal routine is. But now we are avoiding others and trying to get the best run in before everyone else is out. If it’s pouring rain, even better; we get the place completely to ourselves. I use to seek out Riggs’ friends to say hi to but not anymore, no dog/dog socializing or people socializing for that matter. A quick nod if we happen to see anyone and we keep moving.

I have been making a point of getting Riggs out when a few more folks are out just so that he doesn’t get weirded out by people and dogs. It’s a quiet time when young dogs are in their formative space. It is important to keep the noises, environment stimulus and different stuff coming. Although much of the bulk socializing is going to have to wait.

If and when you see an issue, you should deal with it the best you can. The other day we went to the office with my husband. It was just us and a change of scenery for Elsa, Riggs and I. But on the way there we stopped to get gas. Riggs was weirded about all the people walking around the car…so we will be working on parking lot sitting. We can do in this time of quarantine.

Older dogs are of course fairing better with the isolation. They’ve had their time of socializing and getting out and about. Although they definitely need to get out and sniff. My hubby and I had a nice walk this morning, allowing Elsa and Riggs to do their sniff thing. It’s good for their head and mental health, like us.

Staying connected in these times is important. If any of you need ideas or help with anything dog related, please feel free to ask. I am trying hard to stay connected with our followers and fellow dog lovers. Let’s at least make a pact to stay connected; it is good for all of us.

Stay safe!

Weaning Food Rewards

Flash back to my three muskateer days. :)

When we use food rewards in our training it helps to get the “that’s right” message across to our dogs. A food reward…once understood is a powerful thing. But how many people do you know who’s dog will not do a thing they ask unless they are holding a food reward in hand and sight. Our dogs become accustom to performing for food and like it that way.

Training done right gets rid of food rewards very quickly…ASAP. What? I know what you’re thinking…”my dog won’t do anything without food.”

So how do you get rid of the whole idea of food rewards for every single behavior you ask your dog for? In the beginning of training a new behavior, a food reward is an excellent way to help your dog to “get it” quickly. Once they have a reliable behavior - meaning that they are pretty much performing it every time; we quickly start replacing the food reward with something that they would like.

Reliable - that may be relied on or trusted; dependable in achievement, accuracy, honesty.

Let’s take the sit behavior as it is the first thing that we typically teach. Starting out we ask for a sit and reward with food. Very quickly we replace the food with going for a walk, continuing to walk on a walk, being pet, playing ball or anything else that they would like. Keeping the occasional food reward for exceptionally difficult performances. Say sitting when out for a walk and a cat is across the street.

Implementing daily positive activities as a reward for sit or other behaviors creates a way of life for our dogs. No longer is sit done only if you have a handful of goods, but anytime you would like some manners, just ask. This should be done with all behaviors.

It is also a great way to do all of your training. Doing one 15 or 30 minute training session a day without any regard to manners the rest of the day will end up with you being frustrated. Train throughout the day and implement it into your day to day.

Once our dogs “get” a behavior, it is our job to start using it in our day to day. Otherwise you will end up having to bribe a behavior and that is not training at its best.

The Comfort of Home

Here we are…most of us anyway, working at home and hanging out with our dogs. I for one am a longtime homebody, I love being home and have always tried to make our home a haven. That means I’m always working to make our space cozy and inviting…both for us and our dogs. A place where we want to hang out which has made staying in place a very okay thing for us.

Homebody - a person who prefers pleasures and activities that center

around the home; stay-at-home.

As I write this blog, Elsa is snuggled up beside me on the couch and Riggs is at my feet fast asleep. They are tired from a big Chuck it run with their Dad, and both are twitching away. The rest of the day will be spent here at home. I have made sure that they are super comfortable wherever we are in and out of the house. We have a super comfy bed set up in the kitchen for Miss Elsa and Riggs for when I’m cooking up a storm. They both enjoy the couch in the living room and family room and pretty much spend bedtime in our bed. Although Riggs still heads under the bed sometimes

This stay in place time has actually been good for Elsa as she is still recovering from her Spinal Stroke and needs a great deal of rest. As for Riggs we are working on lots of trick training and obedience behaviors. They both need mental stimulus but Riggs definitely needs much more than Elsa. So while Elsa naps, Riggs and I head outside for some new work and it is tough to stay above the curve with him. He’s a smarty pants, leaving me with the task of coming up with stuff to teach him.

So as we spend the bulk of our time here at home it has been very quiet. So quiet that there will no doubt be fallout behavior issues to deal with. Elsa will be fine but Riggs is in need of getting out and about in the world; but like all of you that will have to wait until this passes. It will pass, of that I’m sure and all we can do right now is our best and that is what we are doing here in Casa Regalbuto.

Slippery surfaces

Traction is everything

A new article crossed my laptop the other day that I skimmed through quickly having already researched the topic extensively and agreeing with the contents. The article was on the detriment of slippery surfaces to new puppies. I am highly aware of surfaces and dogs; much has to do with puppies but includes adults as well.

Hip dysplasia is a very sad infliction for any dog. A couple of years ago I wrote a blog on the subject. It contained information of the importance of traction for puppies as soon as they are moving about. So I won’t go over puppies and slippery surfaces again but I will discuss adults.

Puppies and surfaces blog

I have several canine related Facebook pages where people often post videos of their dogs playing. When I see either a video or photos of dogs playing on slippery surfaces, I cringe. All I see in the image or video is an accident waiting to happen. I’ve blown out my own knees in accidents and it’s not fun. It is worse for dogs because we can’t explain what has happened to them. We cannot tell them why they can no longer go out and play. Why they have to stay in their crate and rest while they heal.

Since Elsa’s stroke, we have carpet runners everywhere. Any spot where she risks slipping is covered. Heck, we actually carpeted our bedroom recently even though I hate carpet, just for Elsa and Riggs’ sake. I love wood and stone floors but they do not love our dogs. Of course there are some that aren’t as slippery, like some of the rough stone.; but most wood, tile, concrete, travertine and granite are very slippery. These flooring types are very popular now and sadly dogs are being injured because of it.

Don’t get me wrong, I love all of these types of hard flooring but they are brutal on dogs. Dogs should NEVER be allowed to run and/or play on any of them. If you want to play with your dog, take them outside on the grass, patio (if it does not have a shiny sealer) or carpet area. If you have opted for a slippery surface floor, purchase carpet runners. I got a bunch recently at Costco for only 9.99 each and they are working great for Miss Elsa.

Keeping your dog well muscled is also helpful with slipping. The more muscle your dog has around their joints, ligaments and tendons, the better. A strong dog is much less likely to pull something because their muscle is much more adapt to protect joints. It is the same reason for us to have more muscle.

Another thing you can do to help slipping even when walking or turning on these floor types is to keep your dog’s nails short and the bottom of their feet hair free. Depending on what breed or mix of breeds you have; you may or may not need to shave feet. Some dogs have naturally hairless feet, hairy feet, hair only on top of their feet; while others have it on top, bottom and in between toes. So have a look and make sure they don’t have added fluff to slip around on.

Give your home a good survey, do you need to go runner shopping?

K-9 Defensiveness

Behind me is where I blew my knee out, I also lost my hat on this trip. It was my favorite. :(

“What if I have to run?” I thought to myself. I felt defensive when out walking Riggs and Elsa because I was less than whole. Last summer I blew my knee out after playing on what was sort of a Ninja Warrior set up in the water of Cabo. It was the second knee bloat out and I knew that pain as soon as I fell, it was bad. At least my injuries always happen when I’m doing something fun or athletic, not just tripping on a shoelace. :)

Since Elsa had her spinal stroke, she has exhibited the same defensiveness. She is hyper aware of the dogs around and seems to be quite bothered by large dogs. As we meandered around the park, the sun coming through the trees and shining it’s warmth on us, she stopped. She let out a huge snort as I scoped the entire area. Ahhhh, there were two Greyhounds across the park, clear on the other side but they made her feel uncomfortable. I made an executive decision and we turned around heading back where we came from. If they were going to unnerve her, why go past them? She is not a youngster needing socializing, she just needed space, big space.

Elsa is quite comfortable walking past dogs normally. That is if she has enough space between her and the other dog. She needs space after being attacked years ago so depending on the other dog she takes what space she feels she needs. She is quiet and calm walking past most. But now things have changed for her again and she feels a lesser version of herself. She knows that she is not whole per say and is more defensive. It makes sense.

If we take the time to consider what is going on with our dogs it usually makes sense. So I’m here to make her feel safe and secure.

Dog Products

Click here to visit the page.

Good morning and Happy Hump Day. I wanted to introduce you all to my Dog Product page. I love finding new dog stuff and as you all know I also love to share with you. After being asked so often what Elsa and/or Riggs were wearing or eating, I compiled a page of everything that I use on a regular basis or will be buying in the future.

I’m a gear gal, I am not into fru fru items or useless stuff. I like products that are high quality; lasting beyond a few months and fill a need. Anything that makes our life with dogs easier is a plus, right?

Once I find a company that sets their standards high, producing great quality repeatedly, I’m a fan. One company that I really like is Ruffwear. They regularly release impressive dog items. Their products are super useful and what I consider “great gear,” for canines and their guardians.

Our favorite chews for teeth cleaning right now are the Nature Gnaws 12”. I like the 12” for Elsa and Riggs size because they go through them fairly quickly. I always remove the chews when they get to about 2 or 3” as they are chewed down to ensure that they are not consumed as a small piece. This of course is important with anything that your dog chews.

I am always searching for new products that fill a need or focus on high quality. If you happen to know of a great product, let me know.

My Dog Products page has many different sections covering, New Puppy, Grooming, Training, Walking and lots more. The page will have regular new additions as I find cool stuff that I want to share with you. So check it out often and as always, if you have any questions about anything, ask away. :)

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.