Does your dog come when called?

This is actually the person who was trying to call their dog. The body language says it all. They’ve given up…they now realize that their attempts to recall their dog are futile. A dangerous situation.

If you are like many k9 guardians, the answer to the question…”does your dog come when called,” would be a resounding…NO. And if you know that your dog doesn’t come when called and is not reliable off-leash and you keep them on leash, good on you. Thank you.

Sadly most guardians who choose to take their dog’s off leash where they should not be off leash, have no recall abilities.

Recall - to call back; summon to return:

A recall, is calling your dog and having them return to you. This morning we were at the beach enjoying the beautiful weather. We were walking down the paths when we looked over a particularly beautiful spot; when I saw a person with their dog off leash on the beach. The dog was a very large one and I was glad that I hadn’t happened upon them on the beach after watching their interaction (or lack there of) for a bit.

I wanted to see if this person’s dog was going to come when called…and the answer was NO. The dog had absolutely no intention of coming and I could tell by the person’s body language that they knew this fact as well. The person was bending down, jumping around, calling, turning and running away in hopes that the dog was going to follow them. The dog never came back and I’m assuming the guardian had to go and retrieve their dog somehow. This is an accident waiting to happen.

Training, training, training is the only way to get a solid recall. Long line training is the safest way to work with a dog, to practice, practice, practice. And if there is any doubt once so ever, don’t unleash, EVER. So many dogs are let off their leash when their guardian knows full well that they are not coming when called. We’ve run into people before who told us when we shouted, “call your dog.” They replied “he won’t come,” yet they have their dog off leash.

Whether or not a dog is friendly makes absolutely no difference. You see when a dog is off leash and will not come when called; they have a good chance of running up to a dog who is on leash. I’ve been on the receiving end of a loose dog many times. We’ve had aggressive dogs run up on us, friendly dogs run up on us and everything in between.

If your dog is friendly and has an unreliable recall…and I mean not reliable under distractions of other people, dogs etc.; they can run up to a dog who is dangerously aggressively and be attacked, receiving injury or worse. And you know who’s fault it is? Yours.

So many things can happen when you unhook a dog with no recall training.

• Annoy people who don’t have dogs with them.

• Approach someone who is afraid of dogs.

• Annoy other people who have leashed dogs.

• Cause a dog fight.

• Be attacked by an on leash aggressive dog.

• Cause injury to other people and/or other dogs.

I could go on and on with a list of things that can happen. And it’s not just others that you risk being injured; you and your own dog can be injured seriously by taking a leash off.

Ask yourself these questions.

• Is there anyone, and I mean anyone in the vicinity?

• Does your dog have a solid recall?

• Is the area you are unleashing your dog, safe?

• Does your dog have a solid recall?

• How about a solid recall under distractions?

• Does your dog have a solid recall?

• Do you have a clear view if someone should come into the area?

• Does your dog have a solid recall?

Let’s be honest, most people do not have a solid recall with their dog. That is the truth. It takes a lot of work and a lot of time and knowledge to get a solid recall. Everyone should do it, it could save your dog’s life someday.

But it takes consistency, repetition, dedication and respect for others. Ahhhhh, respect. Your dog, your training…no one else asked to have your dog running off leash. Keep them on leash until the time when you have a solid recall, you are somewhere safe and there is NO ONE around to annoy.

Patience is a virtue

Patience - quiet, steady perseverance; even-tempered care; diligence:

I wanted to post this video because I believe it shows the degree of patience needed for positive training. Impatience does not belong in dog training. Impatience fuels anger, which in turn causes a shift in our thinking. Impatience leads to anger which leads to the idea that our dogs are doing something wrong. This is sadly how many dogs are trained, via the yank and choke “stop” method. The collar “corrections” are meant to simply stop the dog from doing something. Just stop, nothing learned. I hate the term “correction” in dog training because it comes from the old training style of leash correction.

A correction can really only be used once a dog has learned a behavior, fully and clearly.

The term error marker is much more appropriate. If I am training a new behavior I rarely use an error marker unless a dog needs help. Even then it is just a sound emanating from me and not a verbal cue. So as I stand patiently waiting for Riggs to “get” what I am wanting from him, I am quiet. I don’t move my body, I don’t say anything because at the point of just learning, noise and movement are distractions. He can be almost there as far as the steps that I am asking (silently) for and one movement can throw him off.

I had the goal very clear in my head. There are many steps to the end result. Here are my step by step goals for this video.

• Acknowledge ladder

• Touch ladder with nose

• Touch ladder with foot

• Leave foot on ladder

• Step onto ladder

• Two feet on ladder

• Two feet on ladder, staying there

Every dog is very different so how you long you linger on each step behavior will factor in on the individual dog.

When dogs are taught to offer behaviors it can make for some really great learning fun. I often bring out a new object and put it in the middle of the floor. If I sit and look at it, Elsa will immediately do something with it. She offers what she can think of and draws from her past behaviors of learning new stuff. Riggs is coming along, he is offering more behaviors but he is not as fast as Elsa. Elsa is a blast to train because she is really fast; fast moving, fast reacting and driven to go further. I love it.

As you can see I am not saying anything except for the occasional praise moment. There is silence, and only the clicker lies between me (the trainer) and Riggs (the trainee). He pays close attention to the clicker, because it means that he has succeeded when he hears it; which means he gets his food reward for it.

If and when I get impatient, and it will happen because I am a mere human. When it happens I stop training. I ask for something simple that the dog can offer me successfully and we end the game (training). Impatience just means you need to step back and see why your dog is not “getting it.” And 100% of the not getting it is how we are teaching. Once we can clear things up, see where we are creating a foggy message, they get it easy peasy.

Frustration can be brutal. When you are training a new behavior, dogs can become frustrated easily. Each dog is different but frustration can ruin training. We must keep a close eye on frustration. Meaning, if our dog is not getting it quick enough which means not getting their reward, we need to break it down into doable pieces. Baby steps to success.

Training should always be fun, sometimes serious but never impatient.

Piranha/Puppy?

Poor Elsa was like a pin cushion when Penny was a puppy. She worked very, very hard to inhibit her bite. Those jaws of Penny’s made for some really strong puppy nipping.

There are a lot of puppies out there right now. With the pandemic came the idea that we all had more time at home so it was a great time to get a puppy. So yes, many homes now have a new k9 family member And, with the addition of a new puppy comes piranha issues. If I had to guess how many people complain about piranha issues with new puppies; I’d have to say about 85% of new guardians.

Piranha - occasionally also attack humans and other large animals that enter the water.

You may not need to enter the water to feel the devastation of puppy teeth; but every time you try to interact with that ever so cute little angel, you come out with skin damage. You feel like you’ve tried everything, but nothing works. You’ve grabbed your puppy’s mouth and held it shut. You’ve told them “no bite” over and over; you may have even done the mouth pinch you read about in desperation. All of these methods make matters worse. Read on.

So how do you get through the mouthing stage with your fingers, arms, legs and skin intact? Stop interacting so physically. The main reason for puppy mouthing (piranha biting) is over handling. Of course, like I ALWAYS say EVERY DOG IS AN INDIVIDUAL so no two are going to be the same in the mouthing, nipping category either. But most puppies nip and we actually want them to nip. If they don’t nip, we can’t teach them bite inhibition.

Bite - to cut, wound, or tear with the teeth:

Inhibition - the blocking or holding back; a restraining, arresting, or checking of the action.

Bite inhibition is when a puppy inhibits the pressure of their bites. This is a wonderful thing when it happens but it can take some work to get there.

Work -

• First we work on the hardest bites. When interacting with your puppy, pay close attention to when it really hurts, react to that. “Ouch” is a typical response, it is what another dog would do about a bite that was not inhibited. In fact it is very useful if you have a friendly adult dog who your puppy can play with. Adult dogs will often school youngsters on bite inhibition. Most puppies will respond to a yelp or “ouch” and inhibit their bite. Of course not all will and that is when you need to end the interaction. If you’ve got a really feisty pup then you might need to leave the room abruptly. “If you are going to bite hard, I’m outta here.”

• Many “retriever” type dogs are the worst of the nippers; the mouthiness comes naturally and those sharp little teeth are relentless. Give your pup lots of outlets for biting, mouthing. You can never have enough chew toys for puppies; you should have a house full to entertain the little piranha.

• If you have a puppy that loves to follow you around, latching onto whatever you happen to be wearing, then you need to teach them to walk beside you nicely. A handful of cheerios usually works great with little ones.

• As you walk around you drop tiny treats onto the floor as a reward for not latching onto you. You very quickly extend the time between treats so that you don’t end up creating a behavior change that you don’t want.

• Give your puppy an education. If you don’t teach your puppy manners and how to live in our human world; you leave it all up to them to do as they see fit.

Puppy nipping is normal, it is how they discover the world. But they can learn how to use their mouth appropriately. It just takes time and less man handling. The more you handle a puppy, the more over stimulated they get which results in mouthing.

Questions? I love Questions, so ask away.

2021 What's happening at Just Dogs with Sherri?

After enduring 2020 we are now well into 2021 and not a whole lot has changed. Some places are opening up slowly and we have hope that things will start to go back to a sort of normal life again, albeit at a snail pace. But things will never really be the same.

I read a post just the other day that an unprecedented number of dogs were surrendered after the holidays this year. This of course got me to thinking. Many of us have a lot more time at home; we have the time to raise and train new puppies so why was there such a large puppy abandonment? I think that the same cause was behind all the puppy surrenders; it was just the fact that there were so many more puppies added to homes that had the numbers rise so exponentially.

Never have I seen the number of families looking to add a dog to their home as last year. People were posting daily that they were looking for a new addition and asking everyone for help in finding the dog of their dreams. Sadly many of these folks were “first time” k9 guardians; which means that they really didn’t know what having a dog is like.

For people who have never had a dog before; there seems to be a general dream like idea of having a dog in your life. You know, your dog lying quietly by your feet by the fire. Your dog fetching the paper or slippers for you? You know the idea. So when reality hits and they see what having a new dog entails, their magical and unrealistic idea is quickly shattered.

Because so many dogs were surrendered to shelters recently; I have decided to put together a very short course that people can take to see if they really want to add a dog to their life. Imagine being able to watch a few videos, take a few Q&As and know the answer to a very important question. DO YOU REALLY WANT A DOG?

I am hoping that people will see the benefit in knowing whether they are ready before diving into k9 guardianship unprepared.

_________________________________________________________

Next up: A new puppy course. Yep, if you decide that you are ready and take the plunge; I will have a new puppy course up and running in the near future. I would highly recommend doing the course before you get a puppy and then again after you bring home your bundle of joy. This will have you so ready and prepared for your puppy that there will only be a few “ugh” moments, hopefully. :)

Creating these course is a lot of work but there is nothing like the wonderful feedback sent to me from the k9 guardian afterwards.

To see all the courses that I have available now, please visit: Online training and behavior courses

Grooming courses

I am also working on another project that is in the works….but exciting.

Questions?

A dog's neck #savingdognecks

Just the other day I felt compelled to repost a blog from several years ago. I’d been at the park and witnessed a dog choking and sputtering while on his walk. It is truly horrible to see and hear a dog being choked by their own leash and collar. But sadly many guardians are oblivious to what is actually happening to their dog’s neck.

I wish I could spread the word about collars and leashes to everyone who is even thinking about getting a dog. A dog’s neck is a sensitive area, there are a great deal of of things that can go wrong with collars. From nerve damage, thyroid problems, whiplash, trachea damage and more. All from being yanked around by their collar.

A few days ago when I was at the beach with my daughter and grandsons I witnessed a guardian yanking on their golden puppy’s neck. The dog was wearing a choke collar that was attached to an extension leash which is about the worst combination out there with the average dog owner. He was a big puppy and was pulling like crazy; and in turn she was pulling like crazy which was doing nothing but inflict damage to his neck. She just had no idea.

We’ve been hooking dogs up by a collar and leash for a very long time.

THE OLDEST DEPICTION OF WHAT SEEMS TO BE DOGS ON LEASHES COMES FROM THE REGION OF SHUWAYMIS IN MODERN-DAY NORTHEASTERN SAUDI ARABIA.

(Taken from ancient.eu)

This is a good article on the damage that can be done to a dog’s neck with a collar. http://www.k9rehab.ca/dogs-collar-neck/

I wish that there was a way to let everyone know about the damage that can be caused. Just today on our walk at the lake a woman walked by us as her black Labrador lunged out at Riggs and Elsa. He was friendly and over excited but was still lunging as he choked hard. As they continued their walk his throat was being crushed by his collar, I could hear it.

I know that many trainers swear by collars and the idea of using a harness is lost on them. But my gosh, so much damage can be caused by a collar attached to a leash in a humans hands. We need some change, it is time for change and we need to start considering what we are doing to our dogs by hooking a leash to to their collar.

Knowledge is power, I know that most people just don’t know that they are hurting their dog. So let’s spread the word, let’s tell everyone. I’d love to see photos and lots of them while you are out with your dog on a harness on my FB page. . Tag instagram photos with "#savingdognecks

Only as good as doable

I often hear other trainers discuss what they teach, how they teach and what they leave their clients with. I attended a puppy class with both Elsa and Riggs where they taught somewhat different than I do; it was positive but not the same as how I do it. I was there for the exposure with my puppies, not for the training. It was a bit difficult “not” doing as I was instructed because I don’t do it that way. I train my way, of course; and what I teach my clients ranges drastically depending on what they can deal with. Not everyone wants to focus on the same stuff with their dogs.

So what do I mean by “only as good as doable?” Well, if I teach the average k9 guardian who is not dog savvy a very complicated string of behaviors to get to their end goal, they aren’t going to do it. Chances are they are not going to want to do it more than they won’t be able to do it. When I am given a new client with behaviors that they want to focus on, that’s what we do. I also judge their ability and desire as far as how much they are going to want to do and be able to do. This is so important.

There are guardians out there that are very interested in becoming dog savvy, and for those I offer more. But for many, they want the easiest way to the end result. It amazes me each time I meet someone who has had dogs all their life, yet know nothing about dogs. I get it, not everyone is going to be “into” dogs. There is a big difference in every guardian as is there with every dog.

When someone wants the easiest, quickest way I try to accommodate; but I also do a great deal of explaining. There is no point in giving someone something that they are not going to do. I am there or here to help; it is not up to me how they or what they do after I am gone. So I do my best to figure out what they are actually going to do when I’m gone, and then give them that.

I’ve been told many, many times that people will do their homework and it only takes two visits to figure out if that is going to happen or not. If not, I give them what I can but if they don’t work on it on their own, when I’m not there, then it’s not going to stick. And I tell them exactly this. I know that there are trainers out there who belittle their clients; and they think that this is the way to make them work harder. Nothing could be further from the truth.

A trainer should build their clients up in a way that they feel empowered to train their dog. I consider myself to be a trainer of trainers. When I go to a training appointment I am there to teach the guardians about their dog and how to best communicate, teach and live with them. I try very hard to instill a “you can do it,” feeling in them.

After all, once we leave…it’s all up to you guys.

YOU CAN DO THIS.

Triggered fear response

Clearly happy to be at the beach…but not for long.

I put his harness on, loaded him into the car, hooked him up to the seat belt and headed to the beach. Since Riggs had a big scare at the park several weeks ago he has exhibited more and more fear. I could say it’s for no reason because nothing happened to him on that day that he was sent into an extreme fearful response; but to him something did happen. Even though nothing physically happened to him; he got a scare that is lasting far longer than I thought it would.

What initially scared him was a large man skateboarding down the road and holding a fishing pole. The guy tripped off of his board several times and was obviously a newbie in the skateboard department. This all happened while we were walking around the lake. At the time it clearly scared the crap out of Riggs. Right after this happened a man was walking too close behind us, staring at Riggs. He called out to me that Riggs was giving him the stink eye.

Once he passed by I made the conscious decision to make our walk longer so that Riggs could shake off his scare and to not leave with his tail between his legs. After a few minutes as we continued our walk he calmed down, came around and we then head towards the car. I thought the incident might leave an impression, I was right.

What I didn’t realize was that it was going to leave me with a ton of work to do. The skateboard incident has left Riggs with a big memory fear. He’s always been a fearful kind of guy but no where near what is now going on. This is a common thing in dogs so I want to share our journey through it all for anyone dealing with the same sort of thing. Of course I’m sure that not too many of you have dogs who got a scare from a large skateboarding fisherman (lmao).

The same thing can happen from literally anything. A garbage can, a lawnmower back firing, a cat hissing at your dog, a balloon popping. The list goes on and on for what can scare our dogs and leave a lasting impression. So as I walk through all of this I hope to share some help with fear response triggers.

When we got to the beach today he was great. He has a lot of wonderful memories from the beach, no bad memories at all. He was running in the water, jumping around the beach and really happy to be there. Then he saw a lady and her miniature schnauzer coming our way behind us. That was it. All he could see was this woman and her dog coming our way. After they were out of sight it went from one person to another as he hyper scanned the area.

So what did I do? I slipped into my super chill mode, showing Riggs that I was just having fun and had absolutely no concern about these people around. The worst thing I could have done then was to leave. If I let Riggs drag me to our car it would have fueled his fear. So we walked and we walked and moved and moved. When he gets focused on something it is important to keep moving.

After walking a ton, I decided that we would just sit and watch the world go by. When we did that, it gave him the experience of people coming towards him and nothing happening as they continued to walk by. After that we walked some more and even hit the boardwalk which was scary but he did it.

I’m actually shocked to see what this one incident has left us with. But it is all about resilience. Some dogs have it, others do not; and there is a whole spectrum of different levels of resilience within us all.

The ability of a person/dog to adjust to or recover readily from illness, adversity, major life changes, etc.

Our story continues………….

Early socialization

Get my book and learn more about socializing your new dog.

K9 socializing…it’s important, really, really important. In fact, it is so important that I am going to do a podcast on the subject to go along with this blog.

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

Socializing in itself is a huge part of having puppies. The meaning of socializing is very different from the way that humans socialize. When we talk about “socializing” dogs, the meaning is about introducing the world around us to our dogs, in a safe and controlled method. This is often discussed with regard to puppies but it can also refer to rehabilitating or helping an adult to move past an issue.

Socializing puppies is all about environment, sound, sights, people and other dogs. It is extremely important and depending on where you got your puppy; it may be more important than ever to get it done and get it done early. The way you socialize your puppy also depends largely on your puppy. When we got Riggs, it was very clear that I needed to get him out asap. Of course that means doing it safely and calculating risks.

Early socializing vs. ending up with a very fearful puppy.

Riggs is very much a fearful dog and when he first joined us, pretty much everything scared the begeezes out of him. So after his second set of shots I made the very conscious decision to get him out in the world that he was going to live in. He has come a long way and I am really happy that I made the decision that I did. I could have listened to the Vet and waited and then I may have been dealing with a dog who was freaking out at every new turn in his world. I am fully aware that most Veterinarians want you to wait until the dog has had all of their shots before venturing out but that can be extremely detrimental for your dog down the road.

Just this past weekend, a debate began on Facebook about when to socialize. A woman with a new puppy had done a ton of research and learned that she should start as soon as she could with her new family member. Others jumped in saying NOOOOOOOOO, wait, you can’t, listen to your vet. Then I popped in and gave my opinion; which was different from everyone else.

Socializing is a controversial subject, like many other topics with regards to dogs and their guardians. Everyone has to be make their own decision about their dog and what they feel comfortable doing. Most people err on the side of caution and take the advice of their vet. Sadly many dogs suffer from being locked up until all of their shots are completely done before being introduced to the world around them.

Each k9 guardian is individual as is their canine. I always recommend early socialization and offer safe ways to do your puppy socializing. More is not better with regard to puppies. A little bit more often is much better than flooding a puppy; which should never be done. Too much socializing can actually backfire. So there is a fine line of when, how and how much socializing. Researching about the subject is the best thing you can do. That is probably my biggest recommendation of all, research. Then you can make an educated decision about your new dog.

The most wonderful time of the year

Well, typically it is the most wonderful time of the year; but this year is very, very different. I love this time of year, it has always been my favorite season hands down. But this year has brought much stress, turmoil, emotional upheaval and sadness to many. 2020 has most definitely been one of the worst years across the board. Everyone has bad years personally and individually but this year 2020 sucks for just about everyone.

The amount of people out of work is mind boggling; with each person let go it creates a huge chain of loss. But the coming together of people helping small business has been inspirational as post after post share the ones they know of. I know I’ve discovered lots of places that I never knew about because of this “support local small business” drive. So we all await 2021 in hopes that it will bring with it a new and improved year out ahead of us.

I know that many people will be busy with new k9 members this Christmas. From what I have seen and heard, many have opted to bring in the new year with a new family member. Congratulations for those who have new puppies or adult dogs in their home. Life with dogs can be wonderful but it can also be a challenge. But with so many people at home these days; it has been a great benefit to all of our dogs. Without question, they love it.

With people adding to their family, there have also been those letting go. Clearly there is an abundance of dogs looking for homes this year. I follow many rescue groups and they seem to be working around the clock. It’s sad just how many dogs are homeless right now; through no fault of their own they have ended up without a place to call their own.

I give huge credit to all the people doing their best to care for and find new homes for the homeless. It is a selfless job and those who put their heart into it are amazing. It takes just one person to make a difference and thankfully there are a whole lot of people making differences this year.

With so many families having added to their family; more time spent together can be wonderful but it can also be taxing. With new family members, it can take a while to work out all the kinks that come with unique relationships. My goal at Just Dogs with Sherri is to always help to smooth out the wrinkles of your canine/human relationship. Sometimes you just need a little tweak to your day to day to change a lot. I try to put tips to help on my IG and will focus more on this over the season and into the New Year.

Let’s try to enjoy the little things; slow down, savor the moments and reflect on what is important.

I want to wish everyone and their canine family

a very Merry Christmas and

a Happy New Year.

Singing, something new

Yesterday I was grooming both Elsa and Riggs. I finished grooming Elsa on the floor; because since her spinal stroke she is very apprehensive about going on the table, so I sit on the floor. It is not the most comfortable way to groom a standard poodle but it is what I do for her. As I swept up the clippings from Elsa I got the table ready for the next one.

Riggs has a love/hate relationship with grooming. As I tell all of my poodle puppies, I told him that grooming was a fact of life for him and he better get use to it. It has taken a great amount of dedicated work to make his hate into an “okay for treats I’ll do it,” idea. As soon as I set up the table he tries to get up onto it. Typically he just puts his front paws up on the table and I hoist the rest of him. Occasionally he jumps up on his own but not often. I definitely prefer that he put his front up and wait for me to do the rest. That way he is not on the table sometime when I don’t even know he is on the table. Jumping off on their own is a big NO, NO and they are taught early on that getting off on their own is NEVER to happen.

So, Riggs was up on the table when I realized that it was far too quiet. He was being very good, as he is now about being groomed. We were in the garage which is where I workout now with COVID as both Elsa and Riggs watch. When working out I have my music blaring for some motivation to pump iron. When we are not in the garage/gym/grooming room, there is Christmas music playing though out the house. So as I groomed Riggs it was way too quiet, so I started to sing. His ears went up and I realized it was probably the first time he’d heard me sing.

I don’t sing, I am probably one of the worst sounded singers in the world, no I’m not kidding. My father passed this down to me…and it is a very rare moment that I sing. Of course like many people, I sing very loudly in the car, at home when no one is around or lip sync when I am required to sing something like Happy Birthday. You get the drift, horrible, horrible sounding singer. :)

But…Riggs loved it, I never knew this because I’ve never tried before. Within minutes of my singing his body relaxed and he was in a very mellow state. His eyes closed a little, and not in a bad “oh no” way…he was relaxing. Witnessing this transformation I kept on singing, even when I didn’t know the words. All the songs that I sang were Christmas, so when I forgot the words I just hummed and Riggs never knew the difference. The singing just changed his entire mood; and I have to say that it was very adorable.

When I stopped singing he would turn around and lick my face. This was all very new and he and I both loved it. It is not very often that I get to enjoy someone enjoying my singing. Of course I have sang to my kids when they were little and my grandchildren who have all loved my singing. It is isn’t until someone knows what sounds good and bad that they realize just how bad I am. They enjoy my singing as a moment shared.

Riggs loves my singing so I will sing to him often. This statement would make anyone who has heard me sing, laugh. It makes me laugh and I’m the one who is the horrible singer. I don’t care that I don’t sound wonderful when I sing. When I can gift something to a baby or dog, I will. Even if I have to shut up very quickly should someone arrive on the scene. :)

Nine years later

Today marks the 9th anniversary of my son (Brad) and my huge adventure across the country. The day we left California in my Nissan Xterra with a uhaul in tow; heading to Connecticut with 4 dogs along for the ride. With us that day in order of age were - Jessie (15 year old Jack Russell), Tilley (14 year old Standard Poodle), Luke (11 year old Standard Poodle) and last but far from least Elsa (5 month old Standard Poodle). We had our hands full to say the least.

There had been a great deal of preparation and thought put into our trip. Being that we were moving, driving seemed the only safe idea with so many old and very young dogs with us. I couldn’t even imagine putting them in a crate and loading them into cargo on a plane. And in hindsight it was the best decision even though it was no easy task. There were challenges along the way that we had not foreseen and will forever change us.

The first night was a huge turning point. As we made our way to the hotel room; Brad with Luke and Elsa and myself with the oldies we maneuvered the icy ground beneath us in Flagstaff, AZ. I sat on the bed feeling very much defeated; “what was I thinking when I decided to do this?” I didn’t think I could do it, it just seemed too much as I sat with my head in my hands on the bed. That is when Brad stepped up “you got this Mom,” he said in the most calm and can do manner. From that moment on he was my rock to lean on and I could not have done the trip without him.

As we were only hours into our trip, I had already started to second guess my decision to drive. Would my little girl Jessie who was suffering from dementia be able to endure what we were asking of her? The answer came on day two when she stopped eating and drinking and it was in the middle of Oklahoma that we lost her. Looking back, we should have never expected her to make the trip. But at home she had managed okay, remembering just enough to get her through her day to day. The decision plagued me…

The trip was life altering for me and I feel very lucky to have experienced such a trip with my then, 21 year old son. I often look back and ponder the trip. I learned a lot and would now do things a little differently. But living through it and having much know-how now about traveling with dogs; I can offer advice to others doing the same. Losing Jessie gave me such a huge life lesson that it became a large part of my Moving Through The Loss of Your Canine Companion book.

After arriving in Connecticut on December 13th, only 5 days after leaving CA; we had only a few weeks before the death of our Tilley to a cancerous spleen that ruptured. The loss of both my old girls was devastating; but my grief would not be dealt with for sometime after.

After landing back in California, I wrote a book about the entire experience and it is a pretty amazing story. The first book PBJ and me (which I am rewriting) was my first novel, the writing is shaky but the story is from a place deep in my heart. My second novel, And Back Again tells of the story when my husband, myself, Luke and Elsa head back to CA only a few months later. It is a much happier story. Both books are such great stories for any dog lover to read.

I will take time today to look back and remember. There was so much experienced, learnt and changed in those days across the country. Then more life lessons out in front of them. Life is always an experience; within every life lived, is a story. We never know where our story is going; it unfolds out before us. It often gives us no heads up for what’s to come; but then when we look back with hindsight, sometimes we did have a glimpse of things that were to come.

I love hearing about people’s stories. It is so interesting when you find out what people have been through; especially when you had no idea. Would I do this story again? Yes I would, it is part of my story and changed me forever.

This year has been crazy…I surely hope for everyone that 2021 brings with it anew chance to be much better.

Gifts for the dog lover

What do you get for the person in your life who is head over heals in love with dogs? Well, you can get something dog related like an item of clothes, jewelry, wall hanging or beautiful notebook (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) with their breed or pawprint on it. Or…You can go with a gift that will make their life with dogs more enjoyable. I am regularly adding more things that I like to my product page and am starting to work on a men’s section as well.

I like both gift category ideas so here are a few of my favorites.

Notebooks - Yes, I created these and I am vigorously working on more breeds, dogs in general and rescue notebooks. I do happen to think that they would make a pretty nice gift for the dog lover in your life.

Warm robe - I just got a new one of these and boy what a difference it makes in my very early trips outside with Elsa and Riggs. I use to stand their freaking freezing while they did their business, not anymore.

Ear piece - I would die without my earpiece. It allows me to walk my guys and be hands free. No way would I go back to having to hold my phone, what a concept. :)

Ironflask water bottle - I bought one of these several months ago and have never looked back. It sits on my desk while I work and goes with us when we are out anywhere. I have the 22oz and it holds enough water for all of us. I highly recommend this brand of water bottle.

Waterfly pouch - This was on my list last year as well. I can’t imagine not having a pouch that I love, and I love this one.

Columbia fleece - how about a warm new fleece to keep a dog lover warm when they have to run out with the dogs. Yes please.

I could go on an on again about what we dog lovers would love as a gift this season. Think along the lines of life with dogs when you try to find just the right gift.

Whatever you give to your dog loving person this season, give something dog related. In these times our dogs can make a crappy day into a great one. Having items that make our life with dogs better, well, it’s a win, win all around.

Happy Holidays.

Gifts for you for your dog

A gift for you and your dog.  Yep, like I said in my last blog, I’m dividing my gift giving list into three.  This one is for you and your dog.  The last blog was all about your dog; giving your dog fun and yummy items makes us happy as well, so it’s a win, win.   This list gives you ideas for things for your dog that will make your life with your dog easier, better and more symbiotic. 

With our new normal, lots of folks are doing their own grooming and/or maintenance at home.  So for these activities we need tools, tools that will make your life easier and take care of your dog at the same time.  If you’re like me, you’d be happy to get a new dremel, leash or carabiner for the holidays. 

Grooming and Maintenance

Brush

Dremel

Hemostat

Scardy cut scissors

Trimmer

Anything that is a good product and makes your life easier or more enjoyable with your dog is worth investing in. A new comfortable leash, harness that helps with pulling, a new bowl that slows your dog’s eating down or a new raincoat to keep your dog dry…all great investments, great gifts.

Leashes and harnesses

Easy Walk harness

Ruffwear Frontrange harness

How about a new leash? These are my favorite.

Dogs my love leash

Bowls

Stainless steel bowl

I could go on an on about items that are great for you and your dog. My products page on my website includes everything I love, have or want so it is a dog lovers gift giving delight. :) I am constantly updating it with new items I find, I love to know about new quality items that make life with our dogs easier and more enjoyable. If you have something that you love that is not on my page, I’d love to know about it.

Gifts for your k9 companion

The Holidays are right around the corner and along with all the gifts you get for your family, you may be getting your dog/dogs a gift or two of their own. I’m happy to say that I’m almost done my k9 shopping, I started early. Of course there are always just a few more I like to get for my guys. With everything different this year I wanted to give my lists right away so that you have time to shop early as well.

I am a big believer of giving quality and of course things that your dog will appreciate and enjoy. And, as I always say, no two dogs are alike so what one will love, another may not. So take time to consider your own dog’s likes and dislikes when gifting.

I have compiled a list of great gift ideas for the dog in your life. (There will be 3 lists. One for your dog’s pleasure, one for you for your dog and one for you, the dog lover. Each list will be on a separate blog. I have placed all on my picks and more on my “products” page of my website.)

Balls

I use large size balls for Elsa and Riggs 3” and up.

Waggle Ball - This has got to be the favorite ball with both Elsa and Riggs. Because it is not fuzzy and pretty much indestructible it is out all of the time, unlike tennis type balls.

Kong Air dog balls - always go big with balls. I am very concerned about safety. Dogs can get balls lodged in their throat and/or swallow a ball, go big. Make sure that they can pick them up but not cause any safety issues. I love these and so do Elsa and Riggs.

Ruffwear Huckama - another great with great ratings. Ratings are important, they give you the required info before purchasing. This is a great ball for those dogs who are tough on balls. It’s very durable.

Discs

ChuckIt Para flight - I love these discs, especially for those dogs who are not keen on catching a hard flying disc. These guys hold up, I’ve had one hanging around for a long time.

ChuckIt Zip Flight - I have one of these as well and it’s been around even longer. It is a great one for rolling along the ground, getting your pooch ready to start catching.

Hyper Pet flying disc - is an old reliable in this house. Great for those dogs who don’t like to catch a hard disc.

Stuffies

You have to be careful with these guys. Many dogs just want to gut a stuffed toy. Some eat the stuffing while others just pull it out and place it beside them safely, like Elsa and Riggs. But even if they don’t de-stuff the toys they can get fabric stuck in their teeth that needs to be removed before causing dental issues. Elsa loves to rip and tear fabric so she is allowed to do it sparingly along with a full dental check by Mom afterwards.

If you are getting these for your dog for the Holidays, try to get the ones with the least amount of “parts” sewn together.

Always safety first.

Zippy Paws - no stuffing. These save you from having to pick up all the stuffing.

West Paws - For those dogs who don’t de-stuff.

Chews

I love chews, they help to clean teeth. There are all sorts of chews…from destructible/edible to the kind that are just chewed on and last forever. Here are the ones I/Elsa and Riggs like.

Nylabone Flavored durable - I can’t tell you how many of these “type” I have laying around our house. Riggs is always chewing one.

Nature Gnaw bully sticks - These are definitely my favorite bully sticks. They come in all sizes and thicknesses.

Jack & Pup Bully sticks - we also love these and can often find them at TJX stores. ;)

Treats

Keep treats simple and as healthy as possible. Few ingredients are typically a better option.

Stella and Chewy’s Wild Weenies - Let’s just say that Elsa and Riggs go wild weenies for these.

Stella and Chewy’s beef heart - mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Charlee Bear Grain free- These don’t have quite the draw that the ones above do but Elsa and Riggs love them too.

There are other items I love as well and they are listed on my products page here on my website. Happy shopping. If you have any questions, please ask away. :)

Harnesses

Harnesses are my go to for attaching my dogs to a leash.  I should be more specific when I say harnesses, as in body harnesses.  I am not a big fan of face harnesses myself, although I did use them when they first came out.  If you are using a face harness I’d like to offer up some words of warning about their use.  

Over the years I have really taken a hard look at a dog’s sensitive necks and the idea of hooking a leash to it.  I guess a dog’s neck just became the thing to hook up to a long time ago; but if you consider what is inside their neck you might think twice about it. 

As someone who has suffered 4 rear end collisions (through no fault of my own I have to say) I am very aware of neck issues.  Having been inflicted with four separate whiplashes; I deal with neck pain on a regular basis; so I am extremely sensitive when it comes to a dog’s neck. 

Below is a wonderful article written by Sally Hopkins about why a harness is better for your dog’s neck.  There are also other articles linked within this article. 

Dog-games.co.uk (Why a harness?)

I’m not going to go into all of the different things that can happen from yanking and pulling on your dog’s leash because this blog would have to be pages and pages long.  Just look at the photo above to see what a dog’s neck is made up of. Whether our dog’s pull on the leash or we pull on the leash, the damage can be devastating when attached to a collar. 

Face harnesses

These are often used for big and strong dogs who’s owners have a difficult time controlling their dogs.  I get it, I really do but if you are going to use them you must take great care.  When you have full control of your dogs head via their head, you can inflict severe damage to the neck (think whiplash).  The specific issue that you need to be aware of is impact.  Again, whether it is you or your dog who is yanking on the leash, the result will be the same.  You must take great care to make sure that your dog does not receive a yank or jerk from the leash.  This can mean running to the end of the leash after something, pulling quickly on the leash or even overexcitement. 

A big “no no” with a face harness is an extension leash.  I cannot tell you how many of these combinations I see out there daily.  It is very difficult to maintain a stable leash scenario with an extension leash.  The leashes should actually be banned but until the time that they are, toss them. 

Face harnesses can also cause a great deal of frustration in dogs.  They cannot communicate properly when their head is being restrained.  Also many dogs have a huge dislike for them and will constantly try to remove them in the grass, bushes or dirt.  They can become a big negative association. 

So if you are going to use a head harness, be very careful to maintain a stable tension on the leash.  This means that you must be very aware of what your dog is doing.  If they take off to the end of the leash, you must ensure that your arm takes the impact, not their neck. 

Body harnesses

There is a huge array of different styles of body harnesses.  If you have a big and strong dog you will want one that hooks at the front of their body at their chest.  This makes it more difficult for them to pull and easier for you to control.  The ones that strictly hook up on the back are not for a heavy duty pulling dog; they actually help a dog to pull being that they can lean into it. 

With body or face harnesses, training is a must, like any attachment device.  You cannot just slap an apparatus on and expect miracles.  I like the front hook up Ruffwear harness and the Easy Walk by Petsafe for teaching a dog to walk loosely on leash.  Once they have that achieved, then I hook up to the back of a Ruffwear harness.  I like the dual option of the Ruffwear Frontrange harness. 

Fit is extremely important with any hook up device.  I see many people out walking with a very poorly fit harness.  The harness should not impede front leg movement by hanging down too low; nor should it fit to loosely allowing the harness to roll around their body.  The body harness should also not come up so high that it puts pressure on the dog’s neck when they pull. It can have the same bad effect of a collar if this is the case.

Whatever you choose to hook your dog to a leash, choose wisely. Educate yourself on all devices and make the decision that you feel most comfortable with. That said, don’t be afraid to learn about new and improved dog stuff. It is always getting better and we need to be able to evolve. Now go walk your dog. :)

Canine connection

Protect their neck

Leashes are mandatory in most places these days. So when you hook up to your dog, what connects to the leash? There are a lot of different ways to physically connect to your dog but we may be doing damage to our dogs without realizing it. I want to talk about collars today and harnesses (my preference) in a later blog. Like anything else that I write about, this is my opinion.

Collars go around a dog’s neck. There are many different types of collars and placement of collar options. I’m not a big collar fan, not any type of collar except for identification purposes. A dog’s neck is a sensitive area and overtime it has become a place where we connect a leash without a whole lot of consideration to the neck itself. But much is now known about damaging a dogs neck.

When I was young I remember that many people had a choke collar on their dog. It was a very cheap device and we just didn’t think about it; even though the collar itself is called a CHOKE collar. As a youngster just getting into dogs I didn’t give it a whole lot of thought until one day at a new obedience class. Waiting my turn in line, I watched as the main assistant trainer fit the dogs with their collars. The instructor wanted us to fit a slip collar (fabric choke collar) tightly on our dogs up near the back of their ears. Even though I was only maybe 18 or 19 years of age I knew this was wrong. When something feels wrong, you should listen to yourself, always.

The top of the neck where it meets the head is a very soft and vulnerable area. I was not doing it. So when it was our turn, I baulked and both very senior teachers said “this is how we do it.” I told them “I’m not doing it,” and stood my ground. I took a large version of the collar and took a spot out on the floor. After that I was not a favorite in the class to say the least. That whole collar situation changed me; but it was not just the collar issue that left a lasting impression for me. The whole class in general had been a bad experience that catapulted my evolution in positive training, living with and handling of dogs .

JMHO

Choke collars - actually choke, yep they do. It doesn’t matter what material they are made of, a choke collar chokes on purpose. It is how they are made and what they are made to do. I hate them.

Pinch/prong collars - these are slightly less damaging for the dogs neck as far as crushing… but, they inflict injury and pain; and the fallout of this pain can lead to huge aggression and/or fear issues. They can also harm a dogs neck from the prongs that dig into skin and flesh. I hate them as well.

Thin collar or rolled leather - these put too much tension on one spot. Physics alone lets us know that pressure is best spread out if we don’t want to damage. The harder a dog or human tugs on the leash, the more pressure inflicted. I do not like these.

Martingale collar - these come in many different materials and widths but in general they are a good option for a dog who might slip a collar due to their structure. Dogs who have necks that are larger than their heads can often slip a collar. I like the wide soft fabric versions of these.

Fabric snap on - the wider the better for me if you are going to use a collar to hook up a leash. If a collar is just a holder for identification and you use an alternate method of leash hook up then width is not a huge issue. But if you are going to hook a leash to a collar, make it a wide collar. Again physics plays into this. More width spreads out pressure.

Any collar can damage a dog’s neck; we must take great care not to yank on them. We need to also be extremely careful with collars and our presence. Dogs can get caught up with their collar on just about anything. My own guys do not wear collars in the house for their safety (both are microchipped).

Think before hooking a collar around your dog’s neck; it is a precious thing that we should care for.

Blog on harnesses in the near future.

Greeting k9s

“Reach forward with your palm down,” I hear a Mom telling her daughter, with regards to how to greet the dog in front of her. I wish I’d have been closer because I would have called out “NOOOOOO.” The dog was backed up, clearly showing that he was not interested when the girl bent over reaching out to him. As I knew what was going to happen, he barked ferociously at the little girl. Mom yanked her away and the owner of the dog yanked him away.

Don’t touch other people’s dogs, just don’t. The other day a man and his wife were walking by and as he got right beside us he bent over and reached out to touch Riggs. Riggs jumped out of the way at the rudeness. Yes, reaching out to touch dogs is rude. We humans don’t think that it is rude but it is surely rude to dogs. Dogs do not just go up and touch each other. Yes there are those dogs who do because they lack social graces but they usually learn from the other dogs that it’s not a good idea.

Just imagine for a minute that you are out on a walk; you are alone, no dogs with you and someone walks by and reaches out to touch you. We would automatically recoil, maybe yell at the person or do even more. It always amazes me how people want to touch strange dogs. Of course there are dogs who are very friendly and enjoy being touched by pretty much everyone. Elsa is like this but she definitely has boundaries and she displays her willingness to be touched by approaching people.

She displays her willingness to be touched by approaching people.

The statement above is so very important and should be the rule when greeting dogs. Don’t reach out to pet, don’t hug, don’t tell the owner how dogs always love you, and don’t push the issue. Just stand calmly and non threatening (turned to the side) with your hands by your side and wait. Does the dog approach? Seem interested in approaching? Or does the dog just ignore you, back up or go behind their guardian? These are all signs of interest in being touched or interacting.

Simply asking a dog’s guardian is not enough before you touch. You need to ask the dog and the way we do that is to wait it out. You need to see if the dog approaches you, first. Do not bend over towards the dog, do not have direct eye contact with the dog, do not reach your hand out…wait.

Often the harder you try to be friends, the worse it gets. Attention in any amount can be too much for dogs who are not fans of interacting with strangers. Remember that next time you want to touch.

k9 squabbles

This was a wonderfully complicated pack. I run a tight ship and allow no nonsense on my watch. Tilley and Jessie simply coexisted as they grew to adults. Jessie (Jack Russell) knew not to discipline Tilley and Tilley let Jessie think that she was the boss. Luke was constantly pushing to be the pack leader but feared both Tilley and Jessie if they got angry. I adored these days and cannot believe that it was over 10 years ago.

It is so wonderful when our dogs get a long. “She’d love a companion, we should get another dog,” I often hear from single dog guardians. It can be a perfect idea but it doesn’t always end up like the image we conjure up in our head. I will state that I am a big two dog advocate; I think that every dog deserves a dog companion of their own. But, and this is a big but, you the k9 guardian need to want a second dog and if you do then you have to choose carefully.

My blanket opinion on second dogs is to get the opposite sex. Why make it more complicated by adding another male or another female to the mix. The risk of it not working out goes up when it is a same sex union. Of course male/male and female/female can work out beautifully but if you have the choice, I always recommend getting the opposite.

Personalities need to be considered so that you limit conflicts. It makes me sad when I’m contacted about dogs not getting a long. Some people opt for the segregation type of life for their dogs when this happens. But in my opinion dogs are not happy living in a separate room from the rest of their pack. Dogs are meant to live as a pack and if they cannot do so peacefully; even after much work from a professional trainer and the guardian then one should be placed. No dog should live in fear, a heightened state of aggression or stress. It’s just not a good place for a dog to live.

The act of placing one of your dogs in another home can be heartbreaking. But just imagine moving a dog from a toxic environment into a home where they can live peacefully without having to look over their shoulder constantly. Even if you have the best intentions, try really hard to work it all out with your leadership intervention and guidance, sometimes it just doesn’t work.

What I see as the biggest problem when there is unrest in the k9s at home is a lack of leadership. The leader of the pack makes the rules, educates everyone with regard to the rules and enforces the rules. The leadership role should be filled by YOU, but if it is not then one of the dogs will step up and into that roll. Often just taking back the reins, offering an education and enforcing the rules in the house is enough to change everyone; and give you back your peaceful home and pack.

But like I said, sometimes it doesn’t work out. Life is about being happy and that is not just for us; our dogs should be happy as well. So if you have unrest between dogs at home, you have work to do. If work doesn’t work then you need to consider what is best for everyone involved.

We owe this to our dogs.

Happy Thanksgiving - thankful for lots

This morning I woke up thinking about several things. First that it is Canadian Thanksgiving, so a very Happy Thanksgiving to all of my Canadian readers. I miss celebrating Thanksgiving in Canada. Typically Thanksgiving comes with a crispness in the air; hinting of the colder temperatures that are in the very near future. 55 degrees with sun and cloud today for my home town, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. I wish I was there. Today I will be dealing with 91 degree temps, pure sun and a heat warning. Hmmmmm, I miss the cooler temps, but I know they will eventually get here. Patience.

Second that I need to get in the kitchen. I LOVE cooking and baking and during the summer here in California I don’t do a whole lot of it. But fall makes me think of cooking, stews, soup and anything else that resembles comfort food. Last night I made creamed chicken and mushroom on toast. I have to say that it was delish and I have not made it in a very long. I have a gluten intolerance so this version was completely gluten free, which was the first time I’d like this.

Later today I may turn on the AC and pretend that it is chilly out. I’m going to make dog cookies for Miss Elsa and Mr. Riggs. I’m not sure what flavor I am going to make but I’ll let you all know when they are done. I’ve been making dog cookies for years now, my dog cookie club is available online if you are interested. All recipes are created by me and are gluten and sugar free. :) I started baking my own dog cookies after selling “human cookies” for years at a farmers market back in Canada . After having Luke turn his nose up at store bought cookies I decided to make my own. Cookies should taste good, even dog cookies; and mine do, you can eat them yourself.

Lastly I was thinking about this whole pandemic thing with COVID. Yes, like you I hate that life has changed so much and that this is our new normal. But it is time to move on, it isn’t going away anytime soon so we need to learn how to live with this new normal of ours. I’m sure that things will get better but will it ever go back to how it use to be? I don’t think so, I think we are all changed after this. Life continues and so do we; we will overcome all of this negative stuff and come out strong, I have no doubt.

Lots to be thankful for. Let’s all move towards being kind to one another as we all move through these trying times.

New Puppy

You have a new puppy, or you are going to get a new puppy in the very near future, what next?

Probably the #1 question I am asked from new puppy parents is “when do I start training?” My reply is this “as soon as you get your puppy, start.”

There is so much to learn about having a puppy so that you can teach them right from the start. And what you need to know is so much more than the actual obedience (come, stay, down etc) part of teaching our dogs. This is the reason I wrote my book Feedback For You And Your Dog which can be found on Amazon or my website. It is filled with information that you need to know as soon or before you actually get your puppy. If you read this book, you will be completely prepared for your puppy’s arrival.

Feedback For You And Your Dog is filled with information like choosing and teaching a name for your puppy, stuff you need, crate training, house training, piranha issues, the zoomies and much more. These are all of the things that you need to know for day to day life with your new addition.

When you add a new puppy to your family there is so much for them to learn. Sadly we often take for granted that they know how to live in our world. Feedback For You And Your Dog is filled with the critical information that you need for a smooth integration for both puppy and yourself. We really should do a great deal of research when we get a puppy with regards to raising them and creating a cohesive relationship. This book gets you well on your way being packed full of things you need to know that you may not find elsewhere.

I think everyone who is considering getting a puppy or those who already have a new puppy should read it. And that is not just because I wrote it; but because your dog deserves a guardian who is in the know.

Are you in the know?

Questions about my book? Ask me.